Possibilities

Since the u/s today, a little poem/quote from Dr. Suess has been running through my head. I'm paraphrasing because I don't think my version is 100% accurate and I can't easily find it, but the gist of the message is there.

'Listen to the mustn'ts, child
Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the impossibles, the shouldn'ts
And the won'ts.
Then lean very close child,
And listen to me.
ANYTHING can happen child.
ANYTHING can be.'

That's how I feel today, that is what I want for my Chickie. The world is open and wide and full of infinite opportunities and possibilities and maybes and cans and dos.

I want my child to know that.

I want my child to experience that.

I feel so fiercely protective of my child and so insanely proud of the little being in my belly, I want so many good things for this baby. Not only good things - bitterness is necessary in life to temper the sweetness and make us all savor it more - but I feel so widely open and grateful and blessed and happy . . . I want these things for this baby.

The u/s seems to have gone well. Baby averaged a full week ahead of where I am and has a completely amazing set of loooooong limbs (measuring 21+ weeks in the femur and a whopping 23+ weeks in the humerus) and a wingspan that makes hopes of a career in the NBA or WNBA more likely than one might expect of a newborn, lol. Likewise, it appears baby is inheriting his/her daddy's more long, narrow, oval head shape, because that was the only thing on this kid that measured behind. Already weighs nearly half a pound, if you can believe it.

The tech commented throughout that things looked good, and said at the end that the baby was good looking and on track and healthy. They may want another view of the spine and heart, just to be sure, but she feels like she got the measurements and saw no problems. I am eager to confirm this with the actual report from the perinatalogist, though I am feeling certain the tech would not have been so direct and encouraging if there were evident problems or areas of concern.

It was amazing, which is funny, because I wasn't really excited about it or looking forward to it - I've had several others already, after all. And it's hard to believe that that 30 minutes in which I had only an awkward view of a too small screen to stare at, while the tech moved quickly and we saw mostly amorphous shapes with the occasional point of recognition (usually an arm, leg, hand or head) could have such an impact on me, but it really did. I feel far more connected to and aware of this baby now.

Could it possibly have to do with knowing whether it is a Gabriel or Gwendolyn? Possible - and we DO know now (though the chicken did in fact cross the legs and keep them crossed through much of the u/s). We are fairly positive, in fact. It was delightful to look at my husband and grin and say "We are having a SON/DAUGHTER." and to talk to the baby all day and call him/her by name.

But all I know is that I feel as if I would do just about anything for this precious one inside me, I feel overwhelmed with love. And with promise. And with possibilities, and more than that, probabilities about our lives with our child. An amazing day.