'Those things aren't legs are they?'

Yes, they were legs. At 13 weeks I had no idea you could see so much in a scan. Our beautiful child was kicking its legs and waving its hands around. I counted its fingers, tiny little dots. Its heart flashed blue and red as they tracked the pumping of its blood. From the top I could see both hemispheres of its brain- destined to be huge if it takes after its mother!

I couldn't pull away from the screen except to flash huge grins at beloved. I was ecstatic, the feeling was of indescribable joy and wonder.

We have been going well, and the risk of miscarriage starts to ease off in the second trimester, but this scan, standard in the world of pregnancy, with its capacity to pick up not only chronic disabilities but also disorders that will result in the child dying at birth, was lurking in our minds.

We are now celebrating, relaxing a little. Beloved is upbeat and smiling again.

The mass email and text announcements went out yesterday, and I am still emptying my inbox and catching up on news from people I haven't heard from in years.

And the news is its a baby boom- three old friends (or their partners) are pregnant as we speak!

That Peter Costello, he should find a new career as a fertility adviser.