Is it Straight? ...Because I Have Scoliosis

We had another appointment today, and things still look good.  I could see the baby moving around, but I couldn't see the heart.  I asked about the heart, and our doctor said that it was just the angle...but said that if the legs are kicking (which they were), then the heart must be as well (she eventually showed me the heart and listened to it as well).  She showed us some cool images where we could see the baby holding a little hand up to the face, and another where she pointed out a close up of the elbow, and another close up of the femur.

Of the three pictures, I thought this one was the coolest.  You can see the baby's spine so clearly--which led me to ask if it's straight...since I have scoliosis (and wore a back-brace for three years during Junior High and my Freshman year of High School...yeah...talk about some challenging and formative years):

The baby's back is facing us, with the head down to the right, and the little black spot towards the upper-left is the stomach (fluid shows up black on an ultrasound).  So that long white line along the top of the baby is the spine--how cool is that?  And don't worry if it looks like the baby "shrank" since the Ultrascreen pictures--that was just a different (higher quality) ultrasound machine.  But I'm not complaining one bit--I love that my doctor is willing to see me every two weeks.  I'll go back again on April 14th.

So I mentioned that the doctor pointed out to "us" the cool images...but my husband wasn't with me today.  Instead, I had lunch with my very-dear friend, and invited her along.  My very-dear friend is a doctor, and has worked with my doctor before...so I asked if perhaps she would mind doing a second ultrasound for her--and she did!  My very-dear friend's husband happens to have a birthday tomorrow, so she'll wrap up the pictures as a gift for him. I am very grateful to have such a great friend and such an amazing doctor, and it was really cool to see my very-dear friend's baby.

In addition to another great appointment, today's blessing was the chance to speak with my college roommate.  After graduation (and before the advent of facebook), I lost touch with her.  Three years ago, I happened to find an old address book (remember those things?) that had her home phone number in it.  Her family has since moved, but I googled her mom, and found her contact information as part of an HOA...so emailed her mom...then finally heard from my roommate.  This woman makes me smile and laugh every time we talk--and we always find a crazy fun story to share.  She's rooting for us and this baby from the other side of the country, and swears that I'll be a great mom.  I'm not only blessed to have been able to find her, but Im also blessed that she is so supportive of me.