Story of the Gender Reveal!

Story of the Ultrasound and Gender Reveal.
I knew we were going to have to do the Gender Reveal as soon as possible after the Level 2 Ultrasound that would tell us girl or boy.
One, because finals are here and we have a lot on our plates.
Second, because I can't keep good news a secret to save my life, and if we didn't have a reveal soon I would just end up blurting it out to everyone and the reveal wouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
So, to start things off:

It's a BOY!!!

So, if you didn't know, I was more than excited for this ultrasound. Not only because it would tell us the gender, but also to show us that Spawn was healthy and growing properly. I had been losing weight during this pregnancy.
While people seem to think this is amazing and convenient that I can lose weight, that baby is taking it, and it is just all good, I didn't feel this way. I in no way wanted to pack on the pounds, but a slow and steady weight gain is one of the first signs that baby is growing and healthy before you can feel any kicks. I had lost 12 pounds, and I was worried that Spawn wasn't getting the nutrients he needs.
I felt like a failure already whenever someone would say I'm so tiny, or that I couldn't possibly be half way along. I felt like they were saying I was starving my baby or something. I know they didn't mean it that way, but I was so worried already that baby wasn't big enough.
The ultrasound was my dear hope that I would be proved wrong and Spawn was fine and happy and growing.
It did that. Not only is our boy (which he was more than happy to show us in the second shot) right where he should be weight wise, but he is a mover.
I hadn't felt anything I could identify as kicks yet. Because I didn't know what they felt like. There were moments in my worst state of worrying that I thought baby must be too small or too weak to move. I was 19 weeks with nothing I could identify as baby and not gas.
Turns out, the placenta is anterior, between baby and belly, so that is why I couldn't feel him whirling around. The ultrasound showed us that moving is really not his issue.
We were late getting in to see the ultrasound. Half an hour in the waiting room became me as a ball of nerves, and my Lovely being able to identify every fish in the tank next to us, and how it ate. (He always goes to 'say hi' to the fish when we see the doctor.)
When we were allowed in and the pictures turned on, we could see the baby immediately. Compared to the first ultrasound where he looked more like a gummy bear or some type of tiny sea creature, now he seemed huge in comparison. And while he is only the size of certain fruits for now and weeks to come, he certainly has all the proportions of human. Except for still being skinny, he looked like a normal baby to me. I was/am thrilled.
With gender out of the way almost at once, we then got to take all the cute pictures while the Ultrasound Tech tried to get the pictures of all his bones, organs, and such that she needed.
He decided to be contrary.
We were in the room for well over an hour. Because no matter which angle the Tech tried, or how she had me toss and turn, even her shaking my belly quite hard to encourage the little guy to get to a position she needed, our baby boy was determined to only show her his feet and or rump. With some really nice profiles thrown in.
She would find a good angle, and then he would immediately roll, twist, or somersault away.
After an hour prodding and pushing on my belly, having me change positions every which way, and serious shaking, my belly was sore from the abuse and the Tech was about to throw in the towel and have us come back another day for the last few things.
It was then, of course, that the Womb Nugget got tired of the game and got with the program. We finished up, and headed into another room to get poked for blood tests, and talk with the Doctor.
The Nurse Practitioner that drew my blood is amazing. Or, as my Lovely said, a ninja. I didn't feel the needle go in at all, and she was finished and left the room before we knew it. Lovely didn't even see her go. Ninja.
The Doctor was pleased with the progress. I had gained two pounds since the last visit over and month before. It wasn't leaps and bounds, but it was on the right track (nevermind the huge breakfast I had that morning or that I was on my fifth liter-sized water bottle for the day. Meh. I'll take the praise). Baby is in the 43rd percentile, he told us. Which is right on the bell of the curve that he likes to see. He assured us that they would call if the blood tests showed anything unusual, but no news was good news. Then we just clarified some things and were on our way.
Because I was so mentally involved with everything, I hadn't realized that it had been much longer than we had been expecting to take. And we had to prep for a photo shoot with Sissy Poo. And I was Hungry!
So we flew through the store to grab the right paint color and supplies we needed for the reveal, grabbed some fruit for me to devoer, and a parfeit for the Lovely, and rushed home to meet Sissy Poo and get the picture.
Of course, I was so frazzled at that point, and very distracted with joy of healthy baby, that I made some mistakes.
We weren't prepared all the way when Sissy Poo came over. I wanted to surprise her with the gender reveal, because she was going to be the only one there. We were still in set up. So I showed her the ultrasound photos while we got things ready.
Then, in my brain fog (pregnancy brain is a real thing, people) I sprayed a sealant over the canvas we were going to use. So it was sealed. And defeated the purpose of canvas, which is to soak up paint. Silly me. Luckily I had a back up.
We were going to do dart painting. And did so, but the sealed canvas just washed it all off, so we were not dart painting at that point, and grabbed a squirt bottle for the paint and had Lovely just attack the second canvas. Because we needed a picture, and Sissy Poo had a paper to write.
So, we ended with the above. Me without makeup and frazzled. Lovely half asleep after the long day I put him through. And yet Sissy Poo is that good that I think that may be the best picture of me since my wedding. We just look happy. And her skills somehow hid the crazy of the day. Love her.
Then, of course, I contacted the family and told them the good news as I uploaded the photo. (When Sissy Poo was done editing, of course)
Then we were so tired that we ordered a pizza and Lovely fell asleep with I social media'd my way through another hour before falling asleep as well.
So, there you have it. Healthy baby. My fears abated. And a rather nice photo to show the interwebs.
And here is a bonus of our little guy.

Smile Always.