{ Dear Miss Peanut }

{ Outside view }

{ Inside view }

Dear Miss Peanut,

On Tuesday night we had your ultrasound, and found out that you are a Miss! We couldn't have been happier, though I'll admit I was a little surprised. I didn't have strong feelings one way or the other, whether you'd be a boy or a girl, but since I was surprised, I guess part of me was expecting a boy.

You were cooperative for most of the exam, showing the technologist beautiful views of your head, face, brain, heart, kidneys, etc. When it got to your spine, which was a little hard to see because of how you were lying, you refused to budge, in spite of me rolling first on my right, then on my left, then on my right again, and the tech jiggling my tummy with the ultrasound probe. You had none of it and stayed put.

 I'll admit, I was really relieved to see everything functioning normally and in its proper place! Having been a cardiac ultrasound technologist for five years, and having studied OB/GYN ultrasound in college, I know a little too much about the kinds of things that can go wrong developmentally and be discovered with ultrasound. For a week or so before your exam, I kept having bad dreams and thoughts about what we'd find on the ultrasound--sad things, that something would be wrong, that you wouldn't be okay. I didn't even really care whether or not we could tell your gender, I just wanted to know that you are okay. I knew they were irrational fears, and it was such a relief to see that you are just perfect. I especially liked seeing your little heart: four tiny little chambers, an aorta with that teeny tiny aortic valve, and the pulmonary arteries branching just like they're supposed to!

{ Your arm and hand }

{ One of your feet--you wiggled your toes for us! }

I think you have the daintiest little profile. The tech let us watch your face for awhile, and you were busy swallowing {so crazy that we could see your tiny little tongue moving in your mouth!!} and trying unsuccessfully to get your thumb in your mouth.

Your daddy was pretty blown away by how much detail we could see. He jumped out of the chair and came to stand by me almost as soon as the ultrasound started, amazed at how clearly we could see all your different body parts. He kept squeezing my foot, since that was all of me he could reach, and saying, "Wow!" He loves you an awful lot! :-)

Afterward, we went to dinner at a nice little restaurant called Terracotta Red, and talked about what we're going to name you. We haven't decided on anything yet, but your daddy pretends to be quite enamored of "Oona Moona," a name he made up. He says it's perfect because you can say it really fast. I suggested "Ronna Paulette" in honor of his current favorite presidential candidate--thank goodness both of us are just being funny! I think we were both a little bit in shock at the wonder of seeing you, knowing there's really a baby inside me, and that you're a girl. Not just Peanut anymore.

Miss Peanut.

We love you so very much, Miss Peanut!

Love,

Mama