Houston ... We have a heartbeat!

Yes, yes, we have already heard Lima Bean's heartbeat. But today's Week 17 appointment with our doctor was the first time we have head the heartbeat since our last appointment on Feb. 25. That's FOUR WEEKS ago!

Since Lima Bean entered our lives, we have not gone THAT LONG without hearing bean's little heartbeat. It felt like forever waiting, but it was all worth it today.

It took our doctor just a few seconds to find the heartbeat with a handheld doppler because she said the baby must be moving around. But when she found it, we could hear it loud and clear: thump-thump, thump-thump. She said it sounded strong and about 150 beats per minute, which is what it's supposed to be!

She also said my uterus is in the right place and feels normal. It's about an inch or two below my belly button. (Yes, I still have one!)

Plus, my blood pressure was normal and my weight gain is also on target. I am up 3 pounds since our last appointment, giving me a total gain of 7-10 pounds since getting knocked up.

When I stepped on the scale, though, it seemed for a second like I might have massivly overeaten it in the last few weeks as the scale seemed to say I was weighing in a good 20-30 pounds over my last week's weight. Eeeeeeek! But that was just Papa Bean tipping the scale behind me and the nurse! Funny guy, that Papa Bean.

The only minor concern was a spike of sugar in my urine, but my doctor said that could have been caused by the Starbucks decaf latte and sandwich that Papa Bean got for me right before the appointment. I'll need to watch what I eat right before coming in next time. And, generally, eat healthy and continue to exercise so that I can avoid gestational diabetes, which is common in pregnancy but not ideal. I'll be tested for it later on, between the 24th and 28th weeks.

Finally, I gave MORE blood (two vials!) for yet another prenatal test. I'll do a run-down of all the tests I've had to date in another post. But the one I did this time is called the AFT, which measures the level of alpha-fetoprotein in my blood to rule out spina bifida and anencephaly. I should have the results next week.

Meanwhile, our next appointment is scheduled for the afternoon of Wednesday, April 15. Tax day! So, mark your calendars, because that's the day that we get the BIG ULTRASOUND during which we find out how many arms and legs Lima Bean has... And whether the bean is a "he" or a "she"!!!

Start placing your bets today...