choo choo choo choo

Yesterday was a pretty big day around these parts. I had my first appointment with the doctor! Well, technically she's a certified nurse midwife. My normal doctor doesn't deliver babies, so I had to pick a different one so I picked the only other girl in the office, (call me old fashioned, but I just feel more comfortable with a girl dealing with my girlie parts) but she had to re-schedule me TWICE so I pitched a fit and they asked if I'd like to see Rebecca instead.

Why yes, yes I would.

Turns out, I heart Rebeccca. She is sweet and easy to talk to and had warm hands. She reminded Dallas and I both of his mom, who is also all of those things, (and they both have curly hair) so I warmed up to her immediately. I asked about the delivery and she said she's delivered about 2,000 babies in her 30 years of practicing and as long as I have a normal, healthy pregnancy, she can do it. My fingers are crossed! Not that they weren't anyway.. but you know what I mean.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not overly modest, so if you don't want to hear about the appointment in detail, this would be a good point for you to stop reading.

First, they weigh me. For documentation purposes, I'm 125.5 at 10 weeks. Then they put us in the smallest exam room I've ever had the misfortune of cramming into. It's hard not to become friends with your midwife in that intimate a setting. They ask me all sorts of personal questions about cycles and hoo-hoo's and medications and I'm just waiting for Dallas' blush to start. Then they give me a goodie bag full of diaper coupons and cups for me to bring my pee in to them for future apointments. Awesome. Then they make me put on a smock and a sheet. (this is why there will be no pictures to accompany this post. Mom even sent her camera along, but I'm not interested in showing you guys pictures of myself in a thinly veiled sheet) She did the normal checking of the blood pressure and listened to me breathe.

And then the breast exam begins. This isn't all that big a deal except for the fact that she's a "hand talker". Like Dallas, she isn't able to speak without punctuating every word with a hand gesture. So the entire time she's telling me her story, I'm laying there with a boob out. I found it hard to make eye contact. But I really can usually find the humor in most situations, so instead of feeling overly exposed, I got a minor case of the giggles.

But then, THEN, they announce that since I haven't had a pap this year, they'll be doing one while I'm there. That killed the giggles, and fast. And I tell you what, nothing will bring a couple closer together than a gynecological exam. But D hung in there like a champ! He sat there and dutifully held my pile of clothes and didn't crack any jokes or innuendo. I think he was too disturbed.

And then it's finally time to hear the heart beat! FINALLY! I'm new to this pregnancy gig, y'all, and in my naivety I assumed that was about the only thing I'd be getting done that day. Boy, was I wrong!

Rebecca informed me that it's impossible to know exactly how far along I am, and though on the calendar I'm probably at 10 weeks, I felt more like 9 to her, so don't get too disappointed if we can't find the heartbeat. But I was already disappointed just hearing that. She starts moving the little dealie around and we hear "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh". I look up expectantly, that wasn't hard at all! But, no, she informed me that that was my heart. The baby's will be beating twice as fast. Around and around she goes, all the while reassuring me that even if we can't find it, he's in there and he's ok. She moves her little wand again and we hear "choo choo choo choo". She smiles and announces that that's the baby! I really didn't think I'd react all that much, but I did. It was a big deal. My eyes got misty and it immediately, finally, became real to me.

Then Dallas announced "It sounds like you're growing a choo-choo train in there!" Hahahaa.. Leave it to D. Then I really did get the giggles and that's too bad, because we couldn't hear it as well when I laughed.

When we'd had our fill of little heartbeat she informs me that I can get dressed, which I take to mean the appointment has ended, but alas, that was not the case. She escorts me to the schedulers office where we make two more appointments. One for a sonogram next Friday, and one for another exam in a month. Apparently I'll be seeing them every four weeks, then every two, then each week as we near the due date. However, she did assure me they wouldn't all be so.. ahem.. involved.

Done! Oh wait, no, not done. They take us downstairs to the finance department where they outline how many thousands of dollars it costs to have a baby. I start to feel a little green until she turns the sheet over to announce "But lucky for you two, your insurance will cover ALL the expenses!" Ooooo, I shook my fist at her, she almost had me going!

Now we must be done! Psyche! Still not done! Back upstairs to the lab where they draw blood and make me potty in a cup.

Aaaaaand now I'm done! Until next week. Stay tuned - the saga continues.

And seriously, kudos to Dallas who does NOT do well with needles, blood, or any other medical/clinical stuff. He was right there with me the whole time, just like I know he will be throughout. :)