Womb Raider

[oloriel]

Last week, I went to an ultrasound specialist, who measured about every available piece of the offspring. (Not because there were any 'acute' irregularities, which is usually the reason why you get sent there, but mostly just because I am well-insured I love seeing what's going on down there as often as feasible Jörg is slightly paranoid my gynaecologist thinks it's reassuring all of the above.)

It was half fascinating and half creepy - I mean, we got to see the fetus' brains and stuff. Thanks to Doppler sonography we got to see how the blood moves through the heart and the main veins! And we could count the bones in those tiny little wrists and everything! Amazing how much you can make visible these days.
Offspring chose to annoy the specialist by perpetually waving his hands in front of his face whenever the specialist tried to take a souvenir photo for us. Sneaky little fellow! So there was no high-resolution 3D face picture, alas.

(The specialist also clearly wasn't amused by the parents-to-be making their own jokes. It's all srs bsnz! So when Jörg and I turned to look at each other while the doc was measuring the different parts of the brains (did I mention the amazingness of modern medical technology?) and tried to play down our vague unease by going "Wow, look, we actually managed to produce something with a working brain!" we earned a very stern "I'm the boss and I decide when it's joking time" sort of grunt. Lalala...
And I was SO tempted to burst out laughing when he confirmed that we were indeed looking at a little boy. He used the term Gemächt, a somewhat old-fashioned German term for the testicles and penis that I've never seen or heard used except jokingly/ironically. Etymologically it roughly translates to "might thing(s)" (or, less literally, "prowess" in its historical sense). I found it hilarious that he was talking about a "might thing" on such a tiny creature! Particularly considering that the "might" isn't fully developed yet anyway, and won't be for several years...)

Anyway!

This week, I had the regular 2nd trimester screening, and this time there were no sneaky little hands in front of the face! Perhaps Offspring just likes my gynaecologist better. (I certainly do.) She was delighted, at any rate, and took picture after picture "because we won't be this lucky ever again". Offspring meanwhile practiced his facial muscles, so now I have a plethora of scan photos in various (apparent) attitudes of grumpy. Other than that there wasn't much to do for Dr Kox aside from confirming things she'd previously noted. Developmentally, Offspring is still slightly ahead of the curve; placenta is attached to the back "wall" of the uterus (which is supposedly somewhat safer in case of accidents). Next check-up in four weeks, etc.

Click here for new ultrasound pics - rather huge (400x1905 px), so no embedded picture this time. Little grumpface!

(Poor child - not born yet, but already so well-documented...)

After dinner yesterday, when Jörg put his hand on my tum, Offspring gave such a powerful shove that Jörg could feel it. Yay! ^^ (I say that now. I expect that when such shoves grow more frequent, I shall be less delighted...)

So that's coming along.

Comments

[elfy.livejournal.com]

All I can say is *squeeeeeeeeee* :D

[allamistako.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, you guys made yourself one very cute minion there ;)

(I seem to be saying this a lot lately...)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Minion? You mean overlord ;)

[allamistako.livejournal.com]

No no no, he starts off as a minion in training, then minion, and if he's good and survives being a minion, he becomes an overlord.

Or if someone sends a boat with a hunk of radioactive glass westwards, and summons an army of gods and angels to destroy you, but who'd do that, right?

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I believe you underestimate the dramatic impact a baby has on the life and plans of the parents! I'm fairly certain that I'm breeding the overlord, and it's Jörg and I who'll be doing the minion job.

It's ok. We're used to it. We have two cats after all. ^^

[chili-das-schaf.livejournal.com]

Seconding that. Even from just babysitting I can confirm: Overlord is the more fitting term.

[eruannath.livejournal.com]

Awwww... congrats! He looks a little bit grumpy on the pics, yes. But also like he is enjoying his time there in coziness :3

[dame_grise]

He looks right snuggled up there.

[nelyo-russandol.livejournal.com]

Oh, great stuff! We used to get blurry 2D pictures, but these are awesome. And I like the German term for the genitals... Glad to know all is going well!

[degu-aus-stahl.livejournal.com]

:D

[hhimring]

Glad that it's going so well! Maybe he's looking a bit grumpy because he can't share in the jokes yet?

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Endlessly fascinating. I never minded the kicking or shoving outward by my kids, it was the rolling around on the inside parts of me that occasionally found uncomfortable. Never that uncomfortable even at its worst. I found the movement reassuring mainly. Boys are nice especially when they are little.

[independence1776]

Eeee! :D

[fuchs.livejournal.com]

*happy flail*

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

It's nice to hear that everything's going well for you and mini!you. (I still think that 3D ultrasound pictures look kind of creepy. All the fetuses remind me of X-Files-style alien embryos. Sorry!!!)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

*laughs* You know what? I occasionally catch myself thinking the same. (Yes, even of my own kid. "Oooh look the ickle Klingon forehead!" The first pics were the creepiest - he really looked like a little alien more often than not.) I feel infinitely better now for knowing I'm not the only one!
Goes to show how uninnovative the X-Files aliens were, I guess. ^^