The First Ultrasound

We had our first ultra sound on April 10th, when I was about 12 weeks along. Cleetus was 6.3cm from crown to rump, which is about 7-8% the size of me, who is approximately 80-85cm crown to rump (I measured...). And, since it involved me - it was an adventure!

I scheduled the appointment as part of a first trimester screening test over two weeks in advance, and got a lunch time appointment (12:45) so Matt could join. Then, Magee hospital send me a confirmation letter & a form to fill out. And - I also had to preregister for the appointment 24 hours in advance via phone or website. There was no way a human being - even me - could screw up the time for this appointment. But, when we show up at the ultrasound unit that afternoon, the receptions get very gruff with me, informing me I had an 8am appointment that I never showed up for!! Luckily I brought my confirmation letter with me, and was like "NO! My appointment was for now!" So, the two receptionists are totally confused [does being a hospital receptionist require a certain low I.Q.?], and don't know what to do. Apparantly, they threw away all my paper work when I didn't show up for the nonexistent appointment in the morning. They take all my info again, and tell us to have a seat. So - we start waiting. And waiting. And waiting.
Now would be a good time to tell you that they told me to drink a big glass of water before the ultrasound because a full bladder helps push the uterus up, which is useful for early pregnancy ultrasounds. So, during all this waiting, I have a steadily increasing need to pee. To the point where I am seeing yellow and can't sit still at all. But - I just keep holding on, not wanting to screw up getting a good ultrasound picture!
An hour and a half or so later, they finally take us back for the ultrasound - and I am super relieved to see there is a bathroom attached to the room, so I can race to it as soon as the ultra sound is done! I lay down in the chair - the technician gets the gew all over my belly & starts taking the ultrasound - at which point we discover that my bladder is so incredibly full, its squishing the uterus & they can't really see anything! The technician said I had to pee before they could continue (hip hip horay - that was the best urination of my life!). So - adding to the list of things that would only happen to DeeDee, "having a bladder too full for an ultrasound."
Now that I, and Cleetus, were much more comfortable, we successfully did the ultrasound. Cleetus was doing a little happy dance for the camera - and Matt and I were sent into a small reality shock: There is really a little baby growing in there! Oh my God, this is real!!!