My (unborn) child is a little stinker
It's true. Not in the literal smelly sense, at least not yet, but rather the "stubborn/uncooperative/mischievous but-you-have-to-love-them" kind of way.
This week we had another ultrasound. We wouldn't normally have gotten the chance to see our baby again until birth, but I have marginal placenta previa, which means I need to be monitored more closely until/if it moves safely away from the cervix. I can't say this doesn't have me terribly worried, as it could affect my last trimester and our plans for natural delivery, but I'm told and reassured that there is still plenty of time for it to improve. All I can do is hope and pray.
So, that aside, we were super excited to be able to see the baby again. And this child of ours? He/she is already full of antics that only prove that he/she is part of our family of well-known teasers and pranksters and well, little stinkers. Grandpa Joe? I'm thinking of you up there.
After the obligatory measurements (and a placenta that unfortunately hasn't moved yet), our tech wanted to try to get some 3D images for us. This was so unexpected but a very welcome surprise. She spent at least 20 minutes with us trying to capture a great photo...not for my medical charts, or my OB's review...simply for the proud parents.
3D ultrasound images are tricky. The technology can't differentiate between baby vs other stuff, so if there's fluid, or the umbilical cord, or part of the uterus touching the baby, it'll show up as one mass, part of the baby. As I've heard many others agree, I've always found it rather creepy, seeing a 3D image of the baby. But being my own child, I have to say it may have been one of the most surreal and cool experiences I've had. Though somewhat distorted, to catch glimpses of my little bay-bee, the cheeks, little nose, hand moving around, mouth opening...well, it was amazing. You almost have to look at the photos from afar to really see the face, as a close inspection afterwards left me with a "this looks more like an alien than a human baby" realization. Or as my brother-in-law remarked, an insect.
You be the judge.
While trying to get the money shot (face, not gender), I wiggled and poked and tried to coax the baby to move just slightly, which should have improved the quality of the image. This child was in no mood to cooperate, as was the case last time when he/she turned to my back making any more profile captures impossible. This time, the baby lifted his/her left foot in front of his/her face! And kept it there, planted in an incredible high-kick position, for several minutes, blocking any chance of another/better shot of the face. Jon and I immediately laughed, and I explained to the tech that I have a thing about feet (I hate them...adult feet, I should say - baby/children feet are always super adorable and don't bother me).
But honestly, leave it to a child of mine I haven't even met yet to tease me by throwing his/her foot in the way of us trying to take a photo. And holy cow are babies flexible!
The tech found this hilarious, and commented that she rarely sees a foot in front of the face. Then the baby proceeded to do flips of some sort, because the tech had us look away while she zig-zagged the probe across my belly multiple times to try to find the face again. We didn't want to accidentally see something we didn't want to see.
All in all, we walked away with a great laugh, reassurance that our baby is still healthy and growing like a weed, and a few lovely (yet kind of creepy) photos.
This week we had another ultrasound. We wouldn't normally have gotten the chance to see our baby again until birth, but I have marginal placenta previa, which means I need to be monitored more closely until/if it moves safely away from the cervix. I can't say this doesn't have me terribly worried, as it could affect my last trimester and our plans for natural delivery, but I'm told and reassured that there is still plenty of time for it to improve. All I can do is hope and pray.
So, that aside, we were super excited to be able to see the baby again. And this child of ours? He/she is already full of antics that only prove that he/she is part of our family of well-known teasers and pranksters and well, little stinkers. Grandpa Joe? I'm thinking of you up there.
After the obligatory measurements (and a placenta that unfortunately hasn't moved yet), our tech wanted to try to get some 3D images for us. This was so unexpected but a very welcome surprise. She spent at least 20 minutes with us trying to capture a great photo...not for my medical charts, or my OB's review...simply for the proud parents.
3D ultrasound images are tricky. The technology can't differentiate between baby vs other stuff, so if there's fluid, or the umbilical cord, or part of the uterus touching the baby, it'll show up as one mass, part of the baby. As I've heard many others agree, I've always found it rather creepy, seeing a 3D image of the baby. But being my own child, I have to say it may have been one of the most surreal and cool experiences I've had. Though somewhat distorted, to catch glimpses of my little bay-bee, the cheeks, little nose, hand moving around, mouth opening...well, it was amazing. You almost have to look at the photos from afar to really see the face, as a close inspection afterwards left me with a "this looks more like an alien than a human baby" realization. Or as my brother-in-law remarked, an insect.
You be the judge.
While trying to get the money shot (face, not gender), I wiggled and poked and tried to coax the baby to move just slightly, which should have improved the quality of the image. This child was in no mood to cooperate, as was the case last time when he/she turned to my back making any more profile captures impossible. This time, the baby lifted his/her left foot in front of his/her face! And kept it there, planted in an incredible high-kick position, for several minutes, blocking any chance of another/better shot of the face. Jon and I immediately laughed, and I explained to the tech that I have a thing about feet (I hate them...adult feet, I should say - baby/children feet are always super adorable and don't bother me).
But honestly, leave it to a child of mine I haven't even met yet to tease me by throwing his/her foot in the way of us trying to take a photo. And holy cow are babies flexible!
The tech found this hilarious, and commented that she rarely sees a foot in front of the face. Then the baby proceeded to do flips of some sort, because the tech had us look away while she zig-zagged the probe across my belly multiple times to try to find the face again. We didn't want to accidentally see something we didn't want to see.
All in all, we walked away with a great laugh, reassurance that our baby is still healthy and growing like a weed, and a few lovely (yet kind of creepy) photos.
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