...and the Saga shall begin... (Week 20/21?)

So, last Friday (12/16/05) was the big day, we had our 5 month/ 20 week prenatal visit with complete ultrasound. Amazing. (I've got to find another word to use, but I'm finding that there are very few words that can really describe this process.)

The doctor did the ultrasound with H standing just behind him, the room was dark and there is a small monitor that shows the pictures, everything is in black in white. The first thing we saw was the head, the doctor measured and we are happy to report that all is normal, then the spine, a long white snake-looking thing, with tiny vertebrae, gorgeous. Then the abdomen, where we saw a tiny beautiful heart, beating away. We saw the chest cavity, stomach, liver, and all of the other organs that the doctor looks for. Then, baby began to get antsy and wanted to show us what the purpose of this visit was really all about, cartwheels! As soon as the doctor would press down with the wand to get a good close look, flip, and we'd see the butt. Legs stretched, arms moved, hands pushed, lets hope baby is this eager when its time for delivery.

The doctor asked us if we wanted to know if we were having a boy or girl, we'd agreed before that we wanted to know, but we just didn't want to share the name with anyone. So, doc zoomed in to focus between the legs, and what did we find? An umbilical cord! The cord was planted nicely were genitals should be! He waited and looked a bit more, and sure enough, it looks like a girl. A gorgeous, sassy, smart, girl. We are thrilled!

After we left the hospital we started to discuss all the cool things we want her to do: soccer, yoga, tai ji, kung fu, Yale, Oxford, Rhodes Scholar, guitar player, and of course, just be happy. Then we started to think about when she'd break curfew, want to date, tell us that she wanted to wear tight clothes and not want to go to school, I nearly balled.

How is it possible to love such a little person who kicks me in my gutt every hour, nestles her head in my rib cage (or feet, I can't tell), gives me the worse gas I've ever had in my life, keeps me awake at night with horrible leg cramps, and makes me cry for no apparent reason? I don't know, but this is all so amazing.