The Big V (and other updates)

Monday marked my 24th week of pregnancy. While I don't sit around thinking about viability, it is still another milestone I'm more than happy to have reached.

I'm not sure what my next milestone should be. Passing my glucose test? That seems like a good one, but doesn't nearly pack a punch like the Big V. Birth of my son? That definitely packs a punch (right to the vag), but that seems so far away!

Here is a belly pic at 24w2d:

So, I realize I left you guys hanging in regards to my fetal echocardiogram last week.

My appointment was Thursday afternoon at the local university hospital. I get there and head up to the OBGYN, which is in a building adjacent to the actual hospital. I was actually five minutes early, which is basically unheard of for me. So I was pumped.

I attempt to check in, and I'm told that I do not have an appointment up there. The lady looks me up, and tells me I need to check in at the hospital, and then go up to the cardio floor. Oh...

So I make my way over there and finally get up to check in on the cardio floor of the hospital. By this time I'm five minutes late. I check in, and go sit in a smaller waiting room down the hall from the main waiting room (which was completely jam-packed). There are so many people waiting. And they are all waiting for news of a loved one who is having a heart cath, or a stent put in, or some other kind of serious heart surgery. I felt completely out of place.

After 30 minutes passes, I go back to the desk and ask if I was forgotten about, since I was sitting in the smaller, less visible waiting room. She asks why I'm there, and then proceeds to tell me that "fetals are always running late".

Lovely.

After 30 MORE minutes, I go back to the desk. There has been a shift change, so I talk to a new lady. I tell her my appointment was an hour ago. She looks mortified, and calls someone. Then tells me that the ultrasound tech is missing. She eventually gets the tech on the phone, and then asks me if I can wait another 15 minutes, and the tech will be down. Well, lady, I've been here over an hour, I'm not going to let 15 more minutes keep me from this ultrasound!

I finally, finally get called back. The ultrasound was not as exciting as I envisioned. I had to turn my head at a horribly awkward angle to even see the screen. And when I could see the screen, I really had no idea what I was looking at most of the time. Plus, the tech really didn't talk to me much during the 40 minute scan.

But all of that annoyance aside, Henry's heart looks great! They were able to rule out 95% of congenital heart defects (which is all any fetal echocardiogram can do, apparently), and that has me feeling quite pleased.

My glucose test and next doctor's appointment is in three weeks. And prior to that, Buster and I will be heading to sunny Hilton Head, SC to attend a family wedding. I've never been to HH, so I'm pretty excited. We will be spending five days down there. This will be our last vacation sans-baby, and we are both looking forward to relaxing on the beach. And I finally get to wear the cute maternity swimsuit I purchased late in the summer!

Good stuff :)