A Sighting of the Heir Apparent
Mark and Mom and I saw the baby today. I was relieved, because I was not fully convinced I was pregnant or that there was anyone in there. Today, I am convinced! We went for a routine exam, and the doctor listened to the heartbeat (this time I could hear it more clearly); she wasn’t going to do a sonogram unless, for some reason, she couldn’t hear the heartbeat. But I asked her for a special favor, to do the sonogram if the machine was available (there is only one sonogram machine for the whole floor, so if it had been occupied, we probably wouldn’t have gotten the sonogram). Now this was NOT the high-tech, fancy, sophisticated ultrasound that we are getting next week—that’s my “Big Ultrasound,” done by specialists in the ultrasound department. This machine is older and more rudimentary, the doctor said—not capable of showing the same kind of clear detail and nuance that the “big ultrasound” will show us.
In fact, I thought the image would be very blurry and unclear, the way the 7-week sonogram was. So I was kind of blown away by how much we saw. Last time I couldn’t make anything out (guess the baby was too small and undeveloped at that point), but this time we saw its face with all its features, its arms and legs, hands and feet. We saw it moving—it was moving quite a bit. Squirming around, I’d have to say, adjusting and re-adjusting and trying to get comfortable, it looked like. The doctor tried to zoom in on its butt and look between its legs, to take a guess at the sex. After a quick look she saw no obvious boy parts, so she speculated a 60% chance we are having a girl (though we will know more definitely next week at the Big Ultrasound). So, it’s alive (and very active, apparently), showing no sign of boy parts at this point. I thought it had a Roman profile, but its nose must be, like, a millimeter long.
In fact, I thought the image would be very blurry and unclear, the way the 7-week sonogram was. So I was kind of blown away by how much we saw. Last time I couldn’t make anything out (guess the baby was too small and undeveloped at that point), but this time we saw its face with all its features, its arms and legs, hands and feet. We saw it moving—it was moving quite a bit. Squirming around, I’d have to say, adjusting and re-adjusting and trying to get comfortable, it looked like. The doctor tried to zoom in on its butt and look between its legs, to take a guess at the sex. After a quick look she saw no obvious boy parts, so she speculated a 60% chance we are having a girl (though we will know more definitely next week at the Big Ultrasound). So, it’s alive (and very active, apparently), showing no sign of boy parts at this point. I thought it had a Roman profile, but its nose must be, like, a millimeter long.
posted by Sarah Goss at 9:37 PM
18 Comments:
Tres cool.
I thought I saw a star drawn over its right eye a la Paul Stanley -- a child after me own heart!
It was so exciting. But I am glad you mentioned that, Haddayr--I was unsure of how seriously to take the doctor's "60% girl." If you happen to read this again, did the Big Fancy Ultrasound give you a more definite answer, or was that one loopy, too??
Hee! Little Benjamina Isaacsonia!!
I kid. I kid. I will, though, ask my mom about her take on the accuracy of ultrasounds. And on a more mushy, gushy note ... Sarah, I'm surprised at how sappy I got inside when I read that entry!! It makes me go all lalala inside. Hee!
P.S. The whole "adjusting and readjusting" bit definitely suggests boy to me ...
Whoo-hoo!!! So excited for you guys.
We had no sonograms or ultrasounds with our crunchy home-birthed kids, so the first ultrasound I ever saw was of Katie's baby, Charlie. (I used to drive her to appointments because I have days off during the week but Jeff doesn't.) Not only was it very cool to see the baby, the machine itself was very appealing to Matt The Geek.
Heh heh heh...thank you, Mita. The unsentimental Sarah herself was pretty moved by the experience. I'm telling you, I was so sure it was a boy--not that I actively desired a boy over a girl, only that my gut feeling was that it was a boy...and that it was torturing me. (Sorry to any man who may be reading this for that offensively sexist statement, but I honestly didn't think a girl would be causing me so much pain. It seems, though, that I may have greatly under-estimated the agony-causing abilities of my, er, daughter??(
Matt!! Oh, interesting--I didn't realize that the home-birth pass meant no ultrasounds or sonograms. I need to write you a personal email with follow-up questions...for example, did they torture you with blood tests and genetic screening questions, as happened (is happening) to us? (My mother keeps saying, "Don't forget to tell them about Cousin Clare, the dwarf!")
Oops, I meant "homebirth path," not "pass." Apparently, I am now lisping in writing, as well as speaking.
Hardly any blood tests, no genetic screening, no amnio, no knowing the gender in advance. Most we had was the Doppler (which our midwife-who-is-my-mother-in-law used to hear the heartbeat).
I want all to know that -- boy or girl -- I'm pulling for our child's nickname to be "Ace," in honor of Kiss's lead guitarist and my alter-ego in Destroyer. I think it's even cooler for a girl.
I'm looking forward to all those "Baby's first Kiss makeup job" photos in our album.
But, in all honesty, it's OK if our baby doesn't like Kiss. She/he can always listen to AC/DC. :-)
Your comment about "no boy parts" reminds me of our own ultrasound for my little boy. The "boy parts" showed up very clearly. The technician pointed it out to us and even printed out a picture helpfully labeled "boy parts" with an arrow. I just thought it was funny that someone in the medical field kept saying "boy parts" instead of penis.
I am here lurking on your blog because Haddayr told me about it.
Hi Stacy! Thank you for lurking
:-)
Yes, my doctor repeatedly said "boy parts" instead of "penis" too, and I think I am unconsciously emulating her in my blog...which is silly, because I really think I can handle "penis" after all these years of being an adult (sort of). But, the image where the "boy parts" showed up clearly--was that the "Big Ultrasound," you know, with the REAL equipment? Because this was some rudimentary machine that the doc said was years and years behind the technology of the Big Ultrasound. That is why she refused to commit to "girl." The Big Ultrasound is coming up next Tues.
PS Thirteen is an unlucky number. Fourteen posts is better than thirteen.
PPS How do you know Haddayr? (Isn't she the coolest?)
This was a "Big Ultrasound" that I had along with amnio. It was detailed enough to see the heart beating and all that cool stuff. The baby looked like some kind of amphibian creature, its little hands and feet constantly fluttering, waving hello! hello!
Haddayr is the coolest. I met her in the writing program at U of Minn.
Yes! I saw some of that, too... I really think what was most moving was seeing how the baby was squirming around. It made me realize for the first time that it was going to be its own person (not part of me). Even as tiny as it was, it had some kind of agency and seemed to be making choices; also, it seemed irritated by the exam because it kept squirming.
I like "Ace" too as a nickname, as long as we don't make the poor little guy/girl feel pressured to be a rock star...and I know you never would! It just suddenly occurred to me that the child might not be good at guitar :-)
Actually, in all -- or some -- seriousness -- whether boy or girl, I don't want to impose or push anything -- hobbies, music, whatever -- on the new little person. I think she/he can do a lot better than I did in the realm of taste, as in so many other realms -- except that I fear my offspring will never do as well as I did in marriage...sorry to be sappy but it's the truth
Oh, Marky! I know you would never pressure the young 'un to be a rock star (or anything in particular). I was just trying to be funny, as usual. And I think you have great taste!! (In many things, as well as wives.) I love you! Wifey
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