Right now it is only 1:55 pm and Paul & I feel like we have already had a really eventful day. It all started this morning. Most people are aware that the 2010 Olympics are happening, so all this week the Olympic torch relay has been winding around our city. In fact, earlier this week, I was on my way to work, when traffic got a little heavy. Then I noticed some motorcycle police a little parade, people decked out in Canada paraphanalia (sp?) & then the torch runs by! It was a pretty cool experience. But not everyone in Vancouver is happy about the Olympics being here, so the torch was scheduled to come by our place earlier today. This morning around 9:00 people started gathering at a park across the street from our apartment, including a good friend of mine to protest the Olympics. It seemed pretty tame, just lots of signs, some people dressed up...but Paul & I couldn't stay to watch because we had our second doctors appointment at 10:00. So we'll put a pause break on that part of the day.
The doctors appointment went great!! What a relief. We also got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. I have not been able to stop smiling since. I'll just randomly look at Paul about once every 30 minutes and say, "Can you believe we got to hear that heartbeat?" So exciting. We took a little video, you might want to close your eyes so you don't see my double chins while laying back...but you can really hear it!
How cool is that! I'm sure most pregnant women feel this way, but it is just so awesome that all of this change is happening inside & there is a real baby in there!!!
After the appointment, we were both so excited we didn't want to go home so we went to Grandville Island (an awesome place in Vancouver) to eat lunch. When we got there we noticed again all of these people in their Canada stuff & the popular 2010 Red mittens. We ate lunch, walked around the market, which is one of my favorite things to do here. Then the torch ran by a little before 1:00. It went in front of the market then got on a dragon boat & was rowed, I think down to Yaletown. Check out the pictures.
Back to the protesting...our friends Amy & Aaron had come over to our place to watch the proceedings from our balcony while we were gone to the doctor. It ends up that there were 100s of people that blocked the road, so the torch was re-routed and the police came out on horseback & blocked the road (in front of our apartments) so that no one could get by. Amy said once the protestors saw the horses & realized that the torch was being rerouted, the whole crowd started running toward the police on horseback! She said some people were dressed like Ninjas! So, Aaron & Amy then went to our roof to get a better look at what was happening, and soon one of our neighbours was up there with a bullhorn directing the protestors. This is an excerpt off of a local website (called rabble)..."Protestors running ahead of the torch were stopped at the intersection of Charles St. and Commercial Drive by a row of police horses, as demonstrators stationed on nearby rooftops used bullhorns to guide the marchers to the torch's new route."
What a day it has been!.
So exciting to get to hear that heartbeat. Next fun step is to feel it kicking around! So thrilled for you!!
Hearing the heartbeat is such an amazing experience. I remember looking forward to this at each prenatal visit. A baby changes your life forever!!