Introducing Baby A & Baby B

Here they are in all their glory... Baby A and Baby B at 16 weeks!
We were able to get these photos and many, many more at our amnio appointment today.

I'm sure you all are very curious about the appointment.

The day began at 6:00am so we could get ready to head to Denver for our 7:45 appointment. First thing we got to do was watch an overview video that explained the importance of genetic testing, what they test for, and how the procedure works.

After the video, we were brought into an examination room for a very long and detailed ultrasound which went into excruciating detail on the size of every organ, spine, heart chambers, etc with both babies. They also want to get a very precise location of both babies so they knew where to insert the needles for the actual procedure. And, most exciting... this is the point they can determine the gender! We asked that they seal the results in 2 separate envelopes so Mark & I could do the unveiling over a special dinner tonight. So... there are a few people in Denver who know the genders of our babies before we even do!

Next the fun began. The doctor enters the scene. And you wouldn't believe this doctor!
Now keep in mind that I was warned that this guy talked a lot, but no matter how many warnings I received, it didn't prepare me for what walked in the room. Words can't explain how much this guy talked. Mark and I now know about what car the doc drove when he was 16, about his first marriage, about all 5 of his kids, how he likes to keep his house tidy and the history of the examination table I was laying on (just to name a few highlights). We could barely get out of the office at the end of the procedure.

But, the good news is that he is a very detailed, respected expert so I guess all the talking was worth it in the end.

He first started by numbing the area where he was going to insert the needles. He claimed that this part would likely be the most painful (and even that wasn't that painful). Then, he swabbed my HUGE tummy with iodine to sterilize it. Next, he inserted the needle into the sack of Baby A while Mark and I watched on the screen. This part was HIGHLY uncomfortable, but only lasted for about 3 minutes thankfully. However, then we got to do it again for Baby B. Ouch!

We ended the procedure with a supposedly simple blood test. However, he had a hard time finding my vein. Seems hard to believe since my skin is basically transparent, but after a try on each arm he got what he needed.

It was a long, 3 hour appointment, but very rewarding to see both babies again. I fear these will be a long couple of weeks while we wait for the results, but fortunately we get the fun of finding out the genders tonight.

Check back for the big news!