mercurial scribe

At 2:50 pm we were sitting behind some idiot who just HAD to get a parking spot near the front, holding up a line of cars four deep before him. He waited for the ladies in their SUV to load the two sets of twins into their seats, waited while they took their time deconstructing the large double strollers.

“Go around him!” I practically yelled at Husband.

“We’ll be on time, just relax,” he replied, quite exasperated with me.

Finally, Husband maneuvered around the BMW idiot and found us a parking spot. I think that I moved faster than my leg really would allow because by the time we hit the fourth floor OBGYN’s office, my leg was spasming. Yet, I didn’t care.

The waiting room was full of pregnant women anxiously awaiting either 1) a bathroom or 2) their appointment. But somehow the atmosphere of the place lent a certain calmness - I found the brown and turquoise color combo was quite placating. (Husband later remarked how much it looked and smelled like the inside of a Crate & Barrel - he was right on.)

Within a half hour a nurse led me to my exam room, where I immediately saw the high tech ultrasound machine. She checked my stats - all right on track - and whisked out quickly. Not five minutes had past when there was a knock on the door.

“Marie?” the doctor asked. “Have we met before?”

“Nope. First time.”

He smiled warmly as he offered me his hand. “I’m Dr. A and I take it this is the man responsible for your condition?”

Husband smiled, introduced himself and claimed the affirmative.

“Was this planned or an oops?”

Husband and I exchanged a smile before I said, “A very happy oops.”

“Very good…” he stopped and looked at my stomach. “Do we think it’s only one in there?”

“So we’ve been told.”

Dr. A threw a look at Husband. “There very well may be two, daddy.” Husband looks nervous. “How about we check?”

A handful of warm goop later, Dr. A is expertly navigating the ultrasound. I spot a head, which disappears suddenly and then a foot. A few seconds later, I see this (click on the picture to get an enlargement):

“Wow,” Dr. A says. “Wonderful development. And there’s just one.”

We both breath a sigh of relief.

Since this ultrasound is to check the development of Squishy, Dr. A spent quite a bit of time measuring the length of the spine, the arm and leg bones as well as checking the development of the brain and heart. As he went along, he looked more and more pleased with Squishy’s development - everything was checking out just as it should.

Each time I recognized a part, I pointed it out with excitement.

“The eye sockets?… Are those toes?… The lower spine?… Is that the femur or the humerus?” Each time he laughed and confirmed accordingly.

“Look babe, the eye sockets!”

“Yes,” Dr. A said. “You’re quite good at this. Are you ready to find out if it’s a boy or girl?”

We nodded, practically holding our breath. He pushed around, making Squishy move this way and that - and the baby was quite the ham about it. Suddenly, he stopped and took the picture.

“See that? That is a labia. I’m 98% sure. Wait, give me one second…” He jiggled my tummy and watched the baby. “Yep, there’s nothing bouncing around down there. You’re having a little girl.”

Husband and I beamed at each other. All I could think is, look at what we did! A little girl. OUR little girl.

Now we don’t have to fight over a name! LOL.