Introducing

For any of you who I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing or speaking to in the last few months, and all of you who weren’t in the Kirksville Radiology Department this afternoon I’d like to introduce you to the little someone Ryan and I have been lovingly referring to as “the fetus” for the past few months. We can now officially start trying out our list of boy names. So without further ado, here’s little Max/Jack waving his first hello.

And a great profile shot – So far he’s got the same cute, round prenatal facial features as his sister.

And the sweetest little foot – mmm I like feet

Today was a super fantastic day! (And look out here's another long sentimental journal entry post!)

I just love the technology of ultrasounds that allows me to kick back on a sterile hospital bed, have warm jelly squeezed on to my belly and few seconds and a fancy probe later Donna is measuring the length of our son’s appendages, checking the development of his brain and showing us the different chambers of his heart as they steadily beat away, making that sweet little swooshing sound that makes me well up or smile (or both) every time I hear it.
After I stop vomiting and before I get big and uncomfortable, I have a tendency of forgetting or not really believing that I’m pregnant. The ultrasound has a special way of solidifying my child’s existence inside of me - I feel like I meet them and know them a little better after seeing all their parts, watching them move, curl their arms around their faces (both did/do this in the womb) and observe as they try to avoid the squishing and pushing around from the ultrasound tech. It is so crazy cool to me to be able to see this highly developed miniature 6 inch person when I can barely tell he’s in there. So I bless technology for introducing me to my children at such an early stage – it’s nice to check in on how they’re doing inside that fleshy fortress.
In truth we have actually known for about a month that it was a boy (from an ultrasound at our first appt). I was completely ecstatic to find out that we would have one of each flavor of human – simply giddy! But on our drive home, Ryan (the more sensitive spouse), was so serious and so funny at the same time (as only he can be) as he said – “I just can’t get too excited right now… I feel like I’m cheating on Bel.”
As my giddiness has worn off the last few weeks I’ve been thinking about what he meant about our sweetest and only child and how truly special she is to me. She has been a simply splendid companion these past 19 months. She made me a mother and shortly after she was born we moved away from family, friends and familiarity. She and I have spent almost all our hours together just the two of us - day and night, in every season of the year, in every mood and emotion, through two moves and all kinds stages and life changes. There have been a lot of times that I have taken for granted - times when I don’t want to be a mom, times when I think I should be “doing something productive” instead of just cuddling or playing or letting Bel be the boss. And this week it hit me that I need to be like Frederick (my favorite kid’s book) and soak in these moments when it’s just us two, because it won’t be that way for long. I got to gather my thoughts for this blog post while Bel slept on my chest this afternoon - in the $5 DI rocking chair that Ryan gave me for Valentine’s Day 4 years ago, the same rocking chair that Ryan and Bel cuddle in each night while he reads every board book on the shelf before bed. Before I sign off I just have to say – life is good and I’ll just be enjoying it one day at a time whenever I can.