It was supposed to be an appointment exclusively with the nurse for paperwork and blood draws, but I happened to ask an innocent question that inspired them to look a little bit closer. The nurse pulled out the Doppler for a quick check and found the baby's heart rate was good and strong at 130bpm (normal range 110-190bom). I asked the nurse to see if she could find two heart rates, fully admitting that I've been paranoid about twins with all the additional sickness and fatigue going on this time around. She said it would be easier to check for twins with the portable ultrasound, and since we were way ahead of schedule (i.e. they didn't need to draw blood for another 50 minutes), she decided to wheel it in and give it a try. Wahoo! There is obviously just one baby. Whew. It was not a very high resolution ultrasound thingamajigger, but this kid clearly has an enormous noggin, fetally-proportional body, and at least one bitty hand. It moved a bit, too, but I couldn't feel it for myself yet.
Heart beat. Movement. Just one baby. We're good.
I thought knowing the baby's gender wouldn't be that big of a deal to me this time around because I've got "one of each", but I was wrong. Gender matters a lot to me. No matter how much my crunchy granola feminist side protests, I do care. I do actually believe kids come programmed with their own personality and gender-specific talents/abilities. I like to be prepared, informed, and unsurprised as possible :)
And now that I've seen an actual baby floating around in there, I'm thinking about sibling interactions more...so unpredictable. Alice will be 5.5 years older than this baby, so will they ever really have a chance to connect? Or will the distance actually make the relationship easier (i.e. less direct competition for toys and age-appropriate activities)? Boy or girl, will Robert play better with an older sibling or a younger one? Will a younger sibling turn him into more of a leader? Age and personality matter a lot. Personal interests will also vary as they grow up together. There's nothing I can do about it at this moment, but it's something I'm excited to watch unfold over the next few years.
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That is great news!!! I am so excited for you! Yea!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a surreal feeling to see a baby inside but not be able to feel it. I'm excited to meet this baby. What if it's a girl who isn't at all girly like Alice? That would be an interesting loop to throw at you, now that you're adjusted to your princess. So many possibilities...and I'm sure you'll think of them all. :)
ReplyDeleteA non-girly baby girl would be more like me. I would therefore worry that my personality was too strong for her, not letting her develop her own identity :D I might even sign her up for ballet *gasp* As it is, I like Alice's girliness because I know it's completely from her. A second girl might decide on a different personality path just so she's different from Alice. Sooooooo many variables to keep me up at night ;)
DeleteOh, phew! Just one. :) And I'm so glad to be reading your pregnancy musings. I've just been waiting! So far, I can warn you to prepare yourself for people commenting on how big you are and how they can't believe your due date is still so far away based on how big your stomach is and are you sure you're not having twins, because, gosh, you look so big. Apparently pregnancy #3 is when your abdominal muscles give up any pretense of holding that baby in.
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about this sizing thing. I think there's more to it than the abs giving up (which is still a factor, to be sure!). I find myself asking pregnant ladies in the ward those same questions even with their first and second pregnancies ;) Here's my current theory: You and I are used to having Illinois winter/spring babies where most of our pregnancies were spent under layered tops and coats and sweaters. This summer/fall thing requires a lighter, snugger wardrobe, thus making the expanding belly SO much more obvious in every way. That's what I tell myself, anyway, and I instantly feel better about it all :)
DeleteNot to bust your bubble Susan...but we had an ultrasound with Spencer and Sterling including an internal ultrasound early on but they didn't see both of them at that point. It wasn't until later when they were doing measurements that two heads and bodies appeared. I hope that it really is just one! I am assuming Bobby made it through the last set of cuts.
ReplyDeleteYes, Bobby tells me that no one at the C-U site was laid off this time around, but his manager now has fifty people reporting to him in C-U and CA. Crazy.
DeleteMaybe your boys split from each other later on after that really early ultrasound? I'm REALLY trying not to be more paranoid than is reasonable ;)
The nurse looked from one end of the uterus to the other, and I saw it all right along with her. Twins would be shock, yes, but *probably* not the end of the world. I'd just have my mom move in with me.
I love how you love to analyze it all! :D You're so intelligent.
ReplyDeleteIntelligent? Hmmm. I've kinda always seen my constant self-analysis as part-and parcel of my introversion. It's regenerative, therapeutic, refreshing, and really important to my happiness. Sometimes, though, I wish I could think about other things besides myself and the people I care about. LOL!
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