Baby Feeble Hams it Up

So today was the big day, our twelve week visit with the obstetrician. Having heard a few too many pregnancy horror stories lately, I've been sort of holding my breath until we could finally hear baby Feeble's heartbeat for ourselves.

Thankfully Mr. F was with me, or I might not have managed a coherent response when the doctor asked me: "So how are you?"

"Nervous!" I blurted out, then rambled on about my fears that we wouldn't be able to hear the heartbeat today, and what that could mean. The doctor kind of shot a quick look over at Mr. F as if to gauge whether or not I was always this neurotic and paranoid. He was very reassuring, and after going over my latest test results (all good, thank God) and answering some questions, we got right down to the business at hand.

"It always takes a few minutes to find it," he cautioned, "Don't worry. If we aren't able to pick it up here, we will go down the hall and do an ultrasound right away." This put me a little more at ease. My biggest fear was that they'd pat me on the back, send me home and say "We'll try again next time, have a good day."

The doctor rubbed a little gel on my belly and pressed the doppler lightly into my skin. "Here's you," the doctor said, pausing long enough for us to hear a low swooshing sound that was the echo of my heartbeat. A few seconds passed as he rubbed the doppler lightly over my belly. A smile crossed his face. "And here's the baby!"

Much louder than the echo of my heartbeat was this rapid little thump thump thump, or what sounded more like a thump than a swoosh. I looked up at Mr. F and saw his eyes were all red and shiny, filled a bit to the brim with joy, awe, and pride. "Wow, that's loud, I think the baby is moving closer so it can show off. It's really hamming it up for us!"

"Well considering its parents that would come as no surprise," I laughed. I could barely breathe, and strained to catch the sound of every beat; strong, loud, unmistakable, undeniable. I could have sat there and listened for hours. When the doctor stopped I grudgingly had to admit that of course he had other tummies that he had to go listen to today, even if mine was the most special of them all. Time was up.

Give how much Baby Feeble hammed it up just to be heard loud and clear, one can only imagine what this child will be like in front of a camera. We suspect it will be making faces at us during the ultrasound.

"Nanny nanny boo boo! Phblblblblbt!"

Yep. That's our kid. :)