Imagineering

"Would you like to know?" the ultrasound tech asked.
"Yes!"
"Okay, then – we'll see if baby cooperates."
With that, she engaged the ultrasound wand (infantem revelare!), and we got a beautifully-framed shot of baby's demurely crossed legs. Hoping this is not a portent of future cooperation.

Anyway, Newbie warmed up to the three of us over the course of the standard examination. (What are all those measurements for, anyway?  Somewhere a tailor is on the verge of a million dollar idea.) We got a little wave hello, some impressive feats/feets of contortion, and – after a bathroom break and threat of resorting to the chicken dance – our little girl relaxed enough to answer the question of the day.

(In case you missed it, Newbie is a girl! Kinda snuck that one in there, I guess.)

Since our follow-up check-up had been rescheduled, we even had enough time to bust out the 3D wand (tres infantes revelare?!) which we'd tried too late with Walter to get good results. Newbie, I'd like to promise you right now that I will always love you with my whole heart, even if you really are the spray-tan orange lump of silly putty that we saw that day.  Actually, we got fairly clear results, according to the imaging tech; the picture here is a slightly overhead shot of the Newbie's forehead, eyes, and nose, with either a hand or foot in the foreground.  This was more obvious in the live footage. So, be warned and reassured, all who are expecting or who expect to be expecting, those perfect 3D-printable baby images in your birthing center's advertisements will
probably not be your experience. Nonetheless, what fun to peek in on her like that! She seemed closer, somehow. More like a live feed from the womb than that first transmission from a distant planet feeling of a traditional ultrasound. Still, those more traditional black and white frames, particularly the silhouettes, revealed Newbie is shaping up to be a beautiful little baby, already looking very much like her mother.

There's a certain serendipitous resonance to the ultrasound experience that the best Disney Imagineers couldn't have designed. Huddled together in a cramped, dark room, subconsciously aware of the life buzzing around just outside, trying to discern an inconceivable other universe through a smattering of muffled noises and flickering lights. And suddenly, you're all there together, in communion.

Of course, for the mother, it involves a stranger applying intense pressure to your full bladder, among other, less comfortable maneuvers. So, not exactly EPCOT.

After wrapping up, we asked our tech to point us in the direction of the nearest Dairy Queen (will this become the post check-up tradition for our little summer baby?) and Mama shared a delicious blizzard with her beautiful daughter on the road home.