Ultrasound ~ Pregnancy Update #6

Today we went for our 22 week ultrasound. Tim and I took Kaleb with us as he was WWWAAAAYYYYYY excited to find out what we are having. He is fascinated with our early ultrasound and wanted to come with us and see first hand what an ultrasound was like. He was so well behaved and just *loved* every minute of looking at his sibling.

When the tech came in I told him we wanted to know what we were having. He said we would try to see. He puts the wand on my tummy and Bam! There is was! A clear shot between the baby's legs! I saw a little turtle head peeking out! There was NO mistaking it! Our baby has a PENIS!!!!!! I said, "oh wow! That's a boy!" Even the tech was surprised that we found the parts so quickly and easily! Our little munchkin really wanted us to know what he was!!!!! I suspect he was just tired of Jasmyn & I calling HIM a her! LOL!

So then he looked at all the parts. 3 vessel cord, 4 chamber heart, perfect cord insertion, both kidneys functioning, stomach, bladder and heart all looked great! Baby's brain is perfect and measuring perfect for my gestational age! Baby showed no markers for any abnormalities. He is PERFECT!!!!!! He was sucking on his hand and playing with his toes. He has a perfect shaped little face, even though they kinda look like aliens at this stage of the game!

The best part is that my placenta is in a perfect position! It is anterior and has moved up and away from my cervix. There is at least a few centimeters between my cervix and the placenta! WOOT! Everything seems to be in order for me to continue with my plans for a vaginal birth at home. My cervix is long and thick like it should be at this point!

Now is where I come clean about the anxiety I have been carrying around for the past few months. I am a member of several online communities as well as a follower of a few blogs. On these communities and blogs some of the women have NOT had perfect U/S or healthy babies. So knowing that it can happen to them make it a more real possibility that it could happen to me. I have been praying hard for these past few months that everything is OK with our baby. I was barley able to sleep last night as I anticipated our U/S today. And when I did sleep I had dreams about babies born with T18, T21 or T13. Or babies born with serious neural tube defects. I know that I will love our baby unconditionally, no matter what condition he arrived in, I am just so relieved and feel so blessed to have been given a healthy baby. I will continue to pray that our baby stays healthy and perfect and that my body continues to nourish and grow him to his fullest potential.

But I will also pray for the Moms out there that did not get a *perfect* report from the U/S. I will continue to pray for the Moms out there faced with unthinkable decisions and situations. I will pray that the babies don't suffer and that the people touched by their lives will cherish every moment. I will also send a special prayer for the moms that had to say good bye to their babies way too soon. May their hearts find comfort and peace.

And I will continue to rejoice that my baby boy is healthy and happy and measuring just a bit ahead of schedule. Maybe I will end up with a big boy (9 pounds) like I did with Kaleb?!?!?! Who knows. But I will take whatever I am given with a happy heart!