Baby's Big Ultrasound!

Today was Baby #2's big ultrasound! Yay!

Let me expand. For about a week, I've been able to think of nothing else.
1. You get cute pictures. And Kalina ended up looking a lot like her pictures, only even cuter.
2. You get to find out whether you're having a boy or a girl.
3. Who knows? The baby may wave at you!
4. You get to make sure the baby is healthy and happy.

Numbers 1-3 have made me extremely excited this entire week. Who isn't excited about getting a sneak-peek of their anticipated bundle of joy!

And as with Kalina, Number 4 sunk on ultrasound eve, leaving me a bundle of nerves and almost wanting to send just Matt and Kalina to the ultrasound while I stayed home.

Not to mention the fact that I might have a boy! And what in the world would I do with a boy? Babyproof, for one.

Needless to say, I was awake far earlier than I needed to be (a trend lately with a form of early-morning pregnancy insomnia that I'm not liking) and could do nothing but a routine of fret-pray-fret-pray until 8:15 rolled around and I was in the ultrasound chair and Matt and Kalina and Lamby and Mountain Lion and Blue Bear were in another chair, rooting Baby 2 and I on.

The first glimpse we had zeroed in on the baby's spine, and I admit I breathed an initial sigh of relief. You need a spine. The baby's looked good. Check that off the list.

We soon found the brain (sigh of relief), four-chambered heart beating at 148 beats per minute (sigh of relief) and other major organs (sigh of relief).

And our kind ultrasonographer spent lots of time trying to get a cute profile shot, and a cute face shot, and cute shots of the arms and legs. Once she had zeroed in on the baby's cute face, she switched on the 3D/4D function and commented that this baby looks a lot like Big Sister. We agree, so far! And are pleased that Baby 2 is likely to be as cute as Kalina. Not that there was much doubt.

We also chatted about Kalina's ultrasounds, which were done by the same ultrasonographer, which I think is cool.

We noted that this baby seems fairly active, and was moving hands and arms and feet all over in cute ways. Another early walker?

And then came the end of the ultrasound, when the ultrasonographer told us the baby weighs approximately 10 ounces (good) and is right on schedule, maybe about 3 days small, but I think that's right where Kalina was at this time.

But wait!!! What are we forgetting??? Pregnancy brain did not make me overlook one big thing: I asked the ultrasonographer if she could tell whether the baby's a boy or a girl.

We took a peek. This baby being as uncooperative as Kalina was during hers, we couldn't quite tell for sure, however based on all of her looking around, and a few quick glimpses, she was pretty sure the baby's a GIRL!!!

Of course, no ultrasound is certain, but we're taking her word for it: she has tons of experience and she sounded as sure as she was with Kalina. And if there's a surprise at the end of this, that's fine too!

We're both very excited for our new little girl, and Kalina (who did spectacularly well during the ultrasound, by the way) seemed pretty excited, too.

Actually, I have to admit to being ecstatic. I'm 100% confident I would be just as ecstatic if the baby had turned out to be a boy in the ultrasound, so I think it's a combination of relief from seeing a healthy baby and enjoying knowing a bit more about our little family.

What's more, I still don't have to delve into the mysteries of raising a boy. Kalina's sweet dresses and other outfits will hopefully make their appearances again (although being born in a different season will force us to buy some new things, too :) ), and we'll all sit around having tea parties and staying relatively clean. Can't wait!

Most of all, as you can imagine, we feel so grateful and blessed that it looks like we'll have another healthy little baby!

Photos:
1. Does she have Kalina's nose? We're so grateful for this sweet picture!
2. Another nice one.
3. Profile. Is she smiling?
4. The ultrasonographer managed to catch the baby yawning! Did you know that unborn babies yawn? Crazy! I guess she'd had a big morning.