We went in for the anatomy ultrasound. I call it the "big one" because they look fairly thoroughly at the baby to make sure everything is growing as it should and you can find out if it's a girl or a boy. The ultrasound technician was a very nice woman who was as genuinely excited as us to see the little hands waving and the toes wiggling. The baby had it's head snuggled right up against the side of the womb and seemed to enjoy rhythmically bopping it's little head to my heart beat as the blood rushed by.
At first, we didn't want to find out, and then we heard of a neat way of asking the person doing the ultrasound to put the image showing the boy/girl in an envelope to open at a later date. We decided that would be the way to go. We could open the envelope a few weeks before the baby was born at a nice dinner… or we could open the envelope as a Christmas gift… we could open the envelope at Thanksgiving dinner… Honey? Let's just open it now and eat some pumpkin pie. I think we made the envelope last 6 days total.
Without further adieu… it's a girl! I thought it was. My intuition was right (again). I have "pink fear" though. I honestly feel like there's more pressure to be a mom to a girl because I am one. It's still sinking in even though that's what I felt she was all along. I know firsthand what it's like being a girl and I hope she doesn't have to deal with some of the issues I had to deal with growing up or even as an adult. I also hope she doesn't inherit any of the autoimmune issues. I will have to learn to "do" hair as in braids, ponytails, etc. I may have to pretend to like princesses and fairies. Maybe I will reacquaint myself with my girlhood obsession for unicorns? I'm not sure what to expect.
I haven't felt as connected to this baby. She doesn't seem to move around as much, but it is still really early. Dexter keeps me busy outside of work, and I usually konk out on the couch an hour or two after I put Dexter to sleep. It doesn't give me a whole lot of time to bond. I'm always tired and I've already gained 20 freaking pounds! I don't seem to be deliriously happy like I was last time. I'm hoping those happy hormones kick in soon to get me out of the funk I'm in right now. On the other hand, she does have the advantage of listening to me talk/read to Dexter and sing him Twinkle Twinkle Little Star every night. I was worried while I was pregnant with Dexter that I was too quiet and it felt awkward to talk to my belly. This little girl is going to have no comprehension of what quiet is. She is going to have to be a spitfire to keep up with Dexter too! She's already getting a taste of big brother abuse when he jumps on me. It occurred to me today that I'm already halfway through this pregnancy. April isn't so far away. I'm sure this second child will be a whole different experience, and I will learn to juggle like never before.
