Almost half way!

So I am now almost half way through this incredible magical journey. I am finding the speed of time completely mind blowing... I had imagined that when I was finally pregnant the 9 months would seem to last forever... instead I find myself trying desperately to hang on to every precious moment... I am so excited to meet my daughter - but I am also loving this process of feeling her grow each day so much. I am starting to feel what I have imagined it is like to have a child and watch them grow - the incredible sense that they change and grow up every day and every moment is so precious and fleeting... one minute they are in nappies and the next they are arguing with you over wearing something waaaay too short and revealing!
Yesterday I had my second big 4-d ultrasound... technology is truly amazing... my mum and donor watched in similar awe as I while the doctor went through each and every organ in minute detail. My mum was shocked by the vivid realisation of how much can go wrong! Once upon a time a child just grew and popped out and you counted the fingers and toes and were relieved that all was well. Now I have seen the intimate workings of my child's bladder, kidneys, the individual valves of her heart, the specific sections of her brain, even her movements of her diaphragm... all in real time... and while her body is the size of my hand. Thankfully my child is indeed perfect in every way... :-) Her heart is strong and well developed, her brain plumping up nicely, her fingers and toes waving happily....
She is perfectly average in every way :-) except for one....
Word has gotten around at the ultrasound clinic... my child is a challenge to photograph... it seems she is extreeeemly active! In every ultrasound I have had the scanners have huffed in frustration at her constant movements... taking a clear photo requires a tricky quick finger! I am now duly warned that I have many sleepless nights ahead of me... it seems she is strong and independent and way too excited about life to lie still and let us just look at her peacefully. Of course there is no empirical evidence that this means she will be a get-about after she is born...but it seems a pretty consistent pattern is forming so far! Like me she seems to be of the opinion that the world is out there to be explored, and she is not wasting any time!
She is also, it seems, not destined to be a model :-) We tried hard to get some clear photos of her dear little face - but she was utterly determined to thwart us and plastered her hand firmly across her face.... "nope"...she said..."no portrait snaps - I don't got time...I got growing and kicking to do". The scanner tried jiggling my tummy, poking her firmly with the ultrasound wand...but No.... she refused to move her hand. She kicked back in rebellion but fingers remained firmly across nose and mouth....Occasionally she would lower her hand and stroke her chin thoughtfully... so I have a couple of bubba philosopher shots that are very lovely :-) I will scan and post them soon...
So it seems I have a very active and rather strong willed child to contend with....
(sigh)
Loving it of course... you go girl... I will cheer your every step - as long as you agree to do what I say at least MOST of the time... :-)
And finally my nervousness about her gender is put totally to rest. Once again it was very clear that she is indeed a girl.... The scanner confidently said "well, we never say we are 100% sure...but there is her vulva and her clitorus...so lets say we are 99% sure!".... (sorry sweetie, its so rude to be so exposed without a choice I know....)
And every day now I feel her move around more and more. As I sit here typing now she is poking me just below my belly button.... People tell me I will get sick of it eventually - but its totally thrilling at the moment!
Overall I am stunned by how incredibly fortunate I feel at the moment...