I knew it was going to be exciting, but one of the sweetest experiences of my life? I’m not sure I was prepared for that. As I lay on the table simultaneously watching our little miracle wiggling on the screen and my husband reaching for tissues from the side table, I’m certain my heart swelled to five times its normal size.
It’s our 20-week ultrasound, and I’m mesmerized by the scene in front of me. A baby—OUR baby—moves on the screen while Ty leans in close, all smiles and tears. I feel extremely present in the moment; there’s nothing I want more than to be right where I am.
The gel is warm on my stomach as the technician’s hand glides smoothly across its rounded surface. As if out of nowhere, image after image of our sweet babe pops up on the screen. My heart leaps and husband beams. Pure joy.
We stare intently at the little screen for a good 35 minutes, taking in every feature, every bone, every single inch of our little blessing. We look away when she checks the baby’s gender—we’re going to find out, just not today.
I melt a little bit when, toward the end of the ultrasound, the screen reveals our little one sucking his or her thumb. It’s one of the most natural things in the world for a baby to do, but somehow I can’t get over it.
I find myself not wanting the appointment to end. It’s as if we’re being introduced to our baby for the very first time, and I want to keep the meeting going. I know that this is but a foreshadowing of what’s to come, but I’m amazed by the sheer sweetness of it all.
It’s first thing in the morning, so when we walk out of the exam room the office is quiet and peaceful. The technician hands us our printouts, as well as a CD, and we walk to the car, our smiles doing most of the talking.
It’s a memory I’ll hold in my heart forever. But I have a feeling I better make room—my suspicion is that there are a whole lot more of these to come.
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