12.8

Ultrasound was fine. 10 weeks as scheduled. The whatsit flipped upside down while I was watching and what can I say, it's just so cool to see. I am trying (and mostly succeeding) to remain as detached as possible, but I am human after all so... I am hoping and I am continuing to hope. The sustained alive-ness puts this pregnancy into my exclusive Top Third. This is only the fourth one to still have a heartbeat at ten weeks- an illustrious cadre that includes Patrick. Also that last bad one and the one that was unbalanced but went to 18 weeks or so, but let's not dwell on those.   

CVS is going to be on Monday... maybe. They left a message yesterday saying they needed to reschedule me and I had to breathe into a paper bag for ten minutes before I was able to call back. I have a very specific time-table in my head which, if followed to the second, will insure that I do not completely freak out in the next few weeks. Needless to say, moving CVS and therefore the results back by an entire week is not part of that time-table.

The perinatology practice that I have seen in the past kinda screwed me last time (remember? the ultimately pointless but painful and complicated quest for a dignified termination that they essentially thwarted with their cowardice?) so I have switched to the other practice in town for this round of CVS. I have heard wonderful things about this group (so much so that I wonder why nobody mentioned this place to me five years ago) not the least of which is the fact that the new practice offers any support necessary in the event of bad genetic results. Novel ethical concept, no? To not only offer testing, but also a variety of support options in the event that what they are testing for is actually found? Eu-fucking-reka.

Unfortunately, for my time-table at any rate, the new practice does not offer CVS before 11 weeks and they had inadvertently scheduled me earlier than that. Since we have always done CVS (well, twice) between 10 and 11 weeks I asked the receptionist if I could talk to the doctor about doing it as scheduled at 10.5 weeks. She said, "You? Want? To? Talk? To? The? Doctor?" and offered to have  a nurse call me. I thought, oh damn it. Because clearly the nurse was just going to explain their policy, not offer alternatives. Imagine my surprise when a nurse returned my call (within the hour) and said that she had spoken with the perinatologist and they were proposing the following: I will come in on Monday as scheduled and they'll take a look. If she feels that she can take a chorion sample at that time she will. Otherwise I will have to come back. Fair enough?

Fair enough.

So there we are. Still in limbo but there is an end in sight.

In other news Steve couldn't stand it any more and he has charged ahead with his kitchen remodel. This actually started (restarted) a few weeks ago when he had the cabinet maker out to measure for the new laundry room cabinets. They were installed on Monday (quite nice actually. we now have a bench with shelves for shoes and an enormous cubby thing and a closet with partitioned space for the vacuum cleaner that makes my heart beat faster just thinking about it. I'll post pictures once all the crap is put away) so Steve was able to move the washer and dryer in there today. That left the old laundry room free to be demolished which somehow lead Steve to remove MY COOKTOP and place it (albeit functionally but still, MY COOKTOP) on sawhorses in the old laundry room space. I know I should be grateful that this is his hobby and not, oh I don't know, unprotected sex with hookers but.... gak. I am so very fond of food and the procurement of food and my eyes are crossing as I think about the months I am about to spend cooking on sawhorses. I even tried to play the pregnancy card (which works for NOTHING in this house. NOTHING. not even a nap) in an effort to put the remodel off for another year or so and Steve responded by saying "OK, you're pregnant. Can you name a time in the past eight years when you were not pregnant?" Which, um, ok, but my third husband is not only going to be a pastry chef he is going to be one of these internet spouses I keep reading about who strongly believe that pregnancy is a mystical, awe-inspiring time of great pith and moment and who cannot do enough to nurture and support the radiant goddess they are blessed enough to call Partner, Lifemate, Friend during this magical arduous process. Steve believes that the woes of the first trimester are roughly comparable to a broken nail.

In conclusion- ultrasound:great, outlook: promising, mood:optimistic. Oh and kitchen:smoldering ruin.       

Comments

[Leggy]

Glad u/s went well. Hope CVS can be on Monday. Hear you on the non-sympathetic husband- my husband is the same way!

[Elizabeth]

I am hoping with you.

[SarahD]

Steve:jerk. Just because he's gotten used to hearing about the woes of pregnancy doesn't mean you've somehow grown used to the pains and crippling nausea. *and several other mumbled derisive comments*

ANYWAY. I'm very happy to hear about the ultrasound. Been checking every day!

[kati]

glad to hear about the good ultrasound. And all the best for the upcoming CVS!!!

[Jujubee]

Maybe you should get one of those rolling kitchen countertop carts for your cooktop/laundry room set up. I lived in an apartment with a very pathetic thrown-in-as-an-afterthought kitchen and the thing that drove me the battiest was that the freestanding stove had no countertops within arms reach. Oh, and trays would be helpful. Dishwasher safe trays. That way you can prep your mise en place on your nice spacious kitchen countertops and bring everything over in an organized fashion to your small countertop next to the stove.

Very glad to hear about the good ultrasound too.

[Katharine]

So, so, so excellent. The writing of your blog, I mean. The whatsit news doesn't suck, either...

Seriously, so psyched for you, fingers crossed. Also, where can I get me one of those internet husbands? Link, please.

[terri c]

So happy, of course in a calm and detached way, to hear about the ultrasound, and hoping in a similarly calm and detached way for the CVS. Does your concern re: the location of the cooktop indicate the return of some interest in food? I can only hope so. Steve should have dismantled it a few weeks ago and had it back together by now. MEN!!!

[nate]

I have to say, I'm not so sympathetic to your husband woes, since my husband is not handy IN THE LEAST. Also, you have better fights than we do. But cooking on sawhorses wouldn't be my cup of tea either, and I'm probably about 1/8 as good a cook as you are.

But I'm excited about your u/s today! Everything crossed for the cvs.

Oh, and after I sent you the link to the alphabet cookie cutters, I realized you could probably get a set at Target for about $5. Of course they'd be plastic, and wouldn't come in a handy decorative tin, but something tells me the cookies would taste just as good.

Skull!

[kathleen999]

Bless his little 12ness. Keep on going!

Sorry about the cooktop. Sounds dangerous to me too.

[Ninotchka]

Continued good pg thoughts to you, Jules!

And kitchen remodels...oh yes...I've been there. We were on subfloor for years. Really. So sad.

Guy was pretty good during the pregnant months ...probably above average...but I still hold the fact that he wouldn't run out in the middle of the night to pick me up Dulce de Leche Haagen Daz against him.

:)

[tertia]

Good. V good.

[Lisa]

SQUEEEEEEEE!!!! Cautiously, of course. SO excited for you!

[Lisa V]

Such wonderful news Julia.

[e]

Steve has and can have no idea. 9 weeks and counting, and still feeling deeply, deeply unwell. People (men) seem to forget that early pregnancy is actually an assault on the immune system as well as all the other acky stuff. Think early stages of flu for several weeks, guys- that should be easy enough- you get flu a lot...

[Emily]

You could always rent out Steve when he gets like that. I could always use some stuff repaired at my house.

[The Aitch]

Oooh! So glad to know you are are not shitting on this pregnancy (but when have you ever really) But that you remain the good optimist.

I think it's a good thing being the role model you are that you never stop caring or believing. Go you. Go 10 week old fetus!

[Chickenpig]

YAAA HOOOOO!!!!

It sucks about your cooktop, but at least your husband finishes what he starts, right? In a reasonable amount of time, I hope. Our kitchen is a 70's wreck, with hardwood floors that are a disaster to clean because they have no finish on them left. I can't get my husband to even start putting on the peel and stick tiles...not even real tiles, mind you, peel and stick that we bought months ago. I would love to have new anything in the kitchen, but if my husband put our cooktop on sawhorses, it would be that way until the twins were in college.

Keep up the optimism. Here's to having CVS at 10.5 weeks!

[ainh]

Did you explain to the nurse that it's not just that you need to have the CVS done sooner rather than later to protect *your* sanity...the internets could lose their minds with refreshing and waiting too! We're all rooting for you Julia.

Also. I have to say that I love the number twelve. It's SO divisible! And, I'm a mathematician, so my declaration that twelve is a good number should carry some weight :)

[SarahB]

So glad to hear of another good u/s! I hope you do get to have the cvs on Monday, and that the news is perfect!

[thalia]

Go Fetbryo, that's what I say. Let's hope it's the one destined for the top sixth. And, in time, will be someone to rival patrick the wonder boy in general specialness.

We've been redoing our basement, which is our laundry room, for nearly three months now, and it's driving me absolutely bananas. And I don't have to cook on a sawhorse. Although I do have to go to the laundrette to wash clothes. I think that counts for something.

I do have one of those husbands, but sadly so far he hasn't had a chance to treat me like a mystical goddess. Perhaps once he needs to, he'll realise it's not worth it and just start remodelling the kitchen instead.

[sweetcoalminer]

You guys just have sawhorses lying around?

Hooray! for 10 uneventful weeks. And that Steve. His lack of empathy! At least you have ammunition if he ever has a vasectomy and tries to play that card.

[SugarPixie]

Even the fetbryo is doing backflips! It's like, "Look at me! NBHHY! Wooohooo!"

And ahem, don't go so thoughtlessly long between posts. I missed you!

[julia m.]

All fingers and toes crossed for you, Julia. I'm so happy for you!

[Laura K.]

Oh, oh, oh, oh....I hope that eveyrthing goes well - that you are able to have your CVS soon as possible and that you have great results at the end...!

And, does Steve hire out?

[Crystal]

Wanna swap? At this point I'd settle for healthcare that doesn't drive us to the poor house. Steve seems to fit the bill. Wheras Lee would fuss and fawn all over you, waiting on you hand and foot, and doesn't like remodeling, or paid sexual favors. No meaning if it isn't given freely as he says....

[Cathy]

Good luck for your CVS on Monday, hopefully. Hang in there!

Cathy

[Just Linda]

Steve needs a smack upside the head. Then again, most husbands do for some reason or another (and I'll plain refuse to mention that most wives do too HA).

Good news on flipping thingamajigs and all.

I'll take a pastry chef for my 3rd husband, but only after they discover the magic remedy for those damn unwanted pounds. Sigh.

[Annie]

That's great that the fetus is doing gymnastics in there! Sounds like an active little person, just like Patrick. All appendages continuing to be crossed for you!

As for Steve ... I suggest a subtle strike. Be far, far too busy being dizzy or otherwise indisposed (something he can't prove isn't true) to cook dinner, and send HIM out to the garage to try and deal with cooking on sawhorses. If he won't attempt that, try burning his favorite dishes a few times. "Oh, honey, I'm soooo sorry, but you know it's just so difficult to cook this way!" Worth a try!

[Judy]

10 Weeks! That's terrific. Good luck with the CVS!!

I won't tell you how long my kitchen remodel took/is taking. My husband is calling it done at: appliances, cabinets (minus 1 door) + counters installed. I will call it done at trim finished, tile backsplash installed and final cabinet door installed. But, yes it is a better hobby then un-protected sex with hookers.

I will tell you that the pregnancy card does not work here either unless it's with hired sub-contractors, and that's only when you're very pregnant (i.e. visiable evidence you can point at when you say "This was supposed to be done 6 weeks ago, can we move things along fellas?")

OK, good luck and fingers crossed for CVS results tomorrow!

[Marsha L.]

Maybe Steve's just jealous about what *you* can make in 10 weeks with things you had laying around the house. Or perhaps he's feeling useless and helpless and anxious, so (like sooooo many men), he's flipped into "must...fix...something..." mode.

[Jb]

good luck tomorrow. you are in my thoughts.

[Waya]

That's great to hear Julia!! And you do have a great catch there, at least he knows what to do with a hammer. ;-)