We had planned for me to go out and visit over the Labour Day weekend anyway, so we decided to go ahead and book a 2D/3D ultrasound for when I was there. That way we could be together when we found out the baby's gender! It wasn't something we'd originally planned to do at all, since we've seen 3D videos of ultrasounds and honestly, they're creepy. But we really wanted to experience that moment together.
I am SO GLAD we did! We had a great tech, Rhonda, who spent a lot of time with us. The first thing she did was use the 2D to locate the baby - and there it was, in a perfect position to see everything. I could tell the gender right away! It was so obvious!The tech took lots of pictures and we got a dvd of the whole ultrasound as well. She did do some 3D stuff, but I found the 2D was actually easier to see.
I was at 17 weeks and 6 days, and Rhonda told us that 17 weeks is the peak for movement. The baby sure was moving around a lot, and this was my husband's first time seeing so much movement, since the techs at our previous ultrasounds made him wait outside until the last minute or two. This time he got to be there the whole time and saw everything, which was great. The baby did some yawning, stretching, and lots of arm movements. We could even see the four chambers of the heart!
I had heard stories about little boys having their hands between their legs, and little girls playing with their face, and it held true in our case!
Totally worth the money, for us. If you're thinking of doing this in Calgary, I can recommend the Ultrasound Preview clinic and Rhonda! Totally different from the diagnostic ultrasounds I've had (and I've had, oh, 8 or 9 in the last year or so). Their couch (more like a couch than a cot) is even comfy, and you get to see the action on a second wall-mounted monitor, so you don't have to crane your neck to see what the tech is seeing.
I know, I didn't tell you what gender we're having! Honestly, I'm still in shock about it. I have the anatomy ultrasound on Friday, and I guess I will feel like it's really true once I see it again! Meanwhile you can still vote on what you think it is at the top left!
The whole trip was so amazing. We spent three nights away from his 'home away from home' in Calgary. The first night we went to Emerald Lake Lodge, near Field, BC; the picture I posted earlier was of the lodge. The lake really is that turquoise colour because of all the limestone in the mountains. We did a slow hike (I get winded easily now, and the mountain air is thinner than I'm used to) around the lake in the afternoon and had a ridiculously good dinner that night. It was very luxurious (and very pricey - this was our babymoon!). We had a cabin with a wood-burning fireplace and a balcony looking right out at the lake. It was lovely. This is our view from the room!
The next day, we drove to Kimberley, BC, a tiny little ski resort town. We stayed at a B&B called Solace, and explored the town and a few hiking trails there. We even went to a model home just for fun. There are some truly beautiful houses there. I can't imagine living there, though - so isolated. By the way, did you know that Ponderosa pines smell fabulous? Like cinnamon, vanilla and apples. I could have just stood around sniffing trees! This me and my belly on a little hike we did in nearby Marysville.
The following day, we drove down to Montana and stayed in West Glacier overnight before driving the Going to the Sun Road through Glacier National Park the next day. It was so beautiful there. It was snowing on the mountains at the top of the road, and we saw a wolverine (!). I have to say, there wasn't much to the parts of Montana I saw in terms of towns, but the landscape sure was beautiful. Here's us among the mountaintops. 
I had such a great time away. Now it's back to the grind for a while, and another three weeks until I see my husband... it's hard to be away from him so long. Meanwhile, I keep getting bigger!
