(14 weeks | photo by Ashley Mushegan)
Ever since we found out I was expecting, Scarlette has continuously told me that she wishes she could see the baby inside my belly. So last week I decided to take her with me to my ultrasound appointment.
As soon as I opened the door to the perinatal office, Scarlette burst through it with her hands in the air and shouted “HEY EBERYBODY! WE’RE HERE BECAUSE WE’RE HABING A BABY!”
She has expressed that level of enthusiasm about the new addition to our family to basically ever single person she meets.
“Hi! My name is Scarlette! Guess what? We’re habing a BABY! Did you know dat?! My mommy and daddy put a baby in my mommy’s tummy wif GROWED UP MAGIC!”
We settled into the ultrasound room and Scarlette looked at the tech and said “Excuse me, when you use dat camera to look at our baby, can you see what it’s name is? Because we just don’t know it yet!”
We had an excellent technician who was incredibly kind about answering all of Scarlette’s questions:
“Can you turn on some lights for da baby? It’s bery dark in dere and I don’t fink our baby can see in da dark.”
“What’s a cerebellum?”
“Is dis an X-ray? Because X-rays mean you can see bones and I can see all da baby’s bones.”
“Actually, I don’t fink babies are supposed to hab elbows.”
“Is da baby smiling for your pictures? You’re supposed to do a pretty smile for pictures.”
“Can you take my picture wif da baby?”
“What’s a cervix?”
And then the tech kindly sat and entertained Scarlette while the doctor came in and performed another ultrasound and explained that our baby has a few issues we need to watch.
I know. That kind of hit me out of nowhere too.
Basically, the baby has a bit too much fluid on the left kidney, as well as two ureters (instead of one) going from that kidney to the bladder, causing something called a ureterocele. So we’ll be seeing a pediatric urology specialist during the pregnancy to monitor everything and after to determine what course of action we need to take.
I’m relieved that the rest of the baby’s major organs and growth looked good but if I’m being honest, I’m a bit overwhelmed at having something else to worry about. My placenta previa still hasn’t resolved and at 17 weeks pregnant now I am still very, very sick with hyperemesis and vertigo. All of that on top of a high-risk pregnancy is just a lot to take in.
But this week when the home health nurse came out I got my first shot of P17, which is supposed to help prevent pre-term labor, and I’m really thankful to be getting those this time around. I’d love your prayers for a healthy baby in addition to a nice, long pregnancy ♥
I’ve had this song on repeat this past week (fittingly the album is called Anchor) and it has been an encouraging reflection of my heart truth when I feel down, that “this is how my story has always gone: You have been my God through all of it.”
Oh, and in case you were wondering, Scarlette’s biggest question for the ultrasound technician was, “IS IT A BABY BROTHER OR A BABY SISTER?”
Except she didn’t get an answer because we asked not to be told, so just about everything about this baby is a surprise.
Either way, Scarlette adamently thinks we should name the baby “Gecko.” This is what happens when you think it would be so sweet to let your five year old having baby naming privileges.
