Leveling Out the Playing Field

Today we had our 20 week ultrasound for  baby #2 (technically at 19W, 4D). We met with our ultrasound tech and we discussed what our predictions had been at our first ultrasound (14 weeks), to which her and I had both guessed female. Last time when we had the ultrasound I paid extra close attention when she was nearing the genitalia and I didn't see any extra appendages which is why I thought girl (also because the beginning of my pregnancy felt much different than with Avett). This time when the baby was on the screen, I definitely saw something sticking out between the legs multiple times. And in my head I thought, "well that would be an easy transition... We already have everything we need for a boy." But by the middle of the session, the sonographer revealed that our predictions were indeed correct. We are having a girl! It turns out that extra stuff was just the umbilical cord. 

In other great news, the ultrasound was unremarkable! In comparison to Avett's, he had a small intracranial cyst that I was told would likely dissipate with continued brain growth. Today, we have nothing to be concerned with at this point and are hopeful that our journey continues down this path.

Also in comparison to Avett, baby girl is quite active and moving all around. She often had her hands up by her head just like her big bro! The funny thing is that I can actually really really feel her moving around a lot tonight. Up until this point, I've just had occasional flutters. Tonight she's just doing a whole dancing routine. 

The craziest thing to me is to feel my babies moving around and stretching out inside their cozy home, and just getting this sense that they are so big now that I can finally feel them and can feel them across the expanse of my uterus. And then you see them on the ultrasound and they look like they are the size of a full grown baby... And then you hear their measurements of being just about a pound (baby girl measured 13 oz, right on track for a July 23rd delivery) and think I cannot believe they are that tiny! And then you look around the room, and you think about all of the things you measure in the kitchen or purchase at the grocery store that are a pound and their size seems even more minuscule! 

I tell you what, motherhood and carrying a child inside of you, is one of the most unique and beautiful experiences to have in life. I am glad my body is healthy and able to experience these little miracles! It truly is uplifting and rejuvenating!