Sonograms = Wow

This is exactly the kind of post I would have never wanted to read during my time of infertility, but here I am writing it. I won't judge anyone who passes on reading this post, because I totally understand. Even if it's not painful, other people's ultrasounds aren't as exciting as your own (at least in my opinion).

This week we got our 12-week ultrasound.

During the 9-week ultrasound, we were just in awe that there was something inside of me. All we could see was a little peanut and a heart beating rapidly in the middle of the bean-shaped figure.

9 weeks is a bean-shaped figure

This time, we weren't so surprised to find a baby in there, but we were pretty shocked at the development in only three weeks. He's only two inches long, but he has all his parts and looks like a little baby.

I'm saying "he," but only because it's easier than saying "he or she" all the time. It could be a girl. Who knows?

12 weeks is more baby-like

By far, the coolest part was watching him move. Nine-week in-womb babies are stationary, but 12-week-ers are mobile!  

We had to get him to turn on his back, like in this picture above, but he was so comfy on his side. The ultrasound tech poked my stomach, but it wasn't helping, so I jammed my fingers into my abdomen and saw the walls of the sac (black part of that picture) go inward where I poked. Then he squirmed around. 

Dude, it was so cool. 

I was like, "This is my first interaction with my baby!" 

The ultrasound tech laughed. 

We got to see his spine and all his ribs, his legs and toes, his arms and fingers and little nose. His heart was beating nice and fast. His brain has both lobes. His straight-on picture is kinda freaky, so I'm not going to post it. It's kind of alien-like, because his brain lobes are so proficient. He looks like he's plotting to kill you or snatch your body. Or both.   

This ultrasound experience made the pregnancy feel the most real. 

I remember him moving around in there, and I think about what he's doing when I'm just going about my day. He doesn't have a care in the world, and soon he'll be in this world of sorrow and joy and scariness and excitement. We'll guide him, protect him, and help him become a person of his own. He'll be a little person!

These are the kinds of thoughts that I've been wishing for so long that I could think. Now I can. It is such a privilege to be able to dream about my kid, who's in my belly right now. I'm so blessed. 

And if it turns out that it's a girl, I'll only feel slightly bad for referring to her as a boy for these first few months.