Tuesday, March 1, 2011

labeling my children in utero: "Sweet" and "Feisty"

From 15 weeks on Baby A, our little boy, has had his head down in go position. His heart rate has always been in the 140's. He moves here and there, but honestly I can tell they are pleasant movements. He seems careful with his positioning, careful with my insides! He is somewhat bashful. When trying to determine his gender he covered himself with his hands. When trying to get a profile picture, he again covered his face with his hands. We did see him on the ultrasound kicking his sister in the head repeatedly, which for a moment, made me wonder if I had pinpointed his personality wrong...then...within moments of that same ultrasound we saw that Baby B, our little girl was kicking him in the head as well. I then concluded that it was just payback, as I have already labeled him "my sweet momma's boy".

I am wondering if my daughter in utero is even going to have a chance to be anything but what I already think she is, "feisty". She has been head up one week, head down the next. Then transverse, then butt down. She moves constantly. She jabs her little feet and arms into my ribs. She is slightly larger than her brother, but not by much. Her heart rate is never below 160. She has a full set of hair from what they tell me. She has the hiccups a few times a day that make my whole belly jump with each one. The only stretchmarks I have are on the right underside of my belly right where she is positioned. Don't get me wrong, I love feisty. I think feisty is great. Somehow I think feisty will be greater out of the womb and is maybe not so great for momma with feisty inside the womb. However, as feisty as she is, she will also be a sweet little one, just as her brother will be. She has played the last nine months, but now that "go-time" is nearing she has positioned herself headdown as well and will hopefully stay that way with her brother until they are born...in just a few short weeks.

With my first baby I remember I couldn't even imagine what she would look like, nor did I have the slightest idea what she would be like. Would she cry all the time? Would she like to cuddle and be held? Would she be independent? I had no clue and I had no expectations for her. Of course, she is the most intelligent 22 month old ever (she turned 22 months today). She can count to 13, she can tell you about her day at school. She is extremely independent and knows exactly what she wants...and when...and how. But she is also obedient and respectful. She loves to cuddle and be held. She loves to say her prayers. And when I am done praying she keeps her hands folded and says, "more prayers mommy." She loves to give kisses and hugs. She loves new people and new places. She has very little fear - unless it is spiders and bugs which I recently discovered she has a major dislike of. But none of these things could I have ever imagined of her when I was carrying her inside me. I had no expectations of what she would be like.

This is why I find it odd that I have labeled my unborn twins with personalities already. Maybe it is because I already have a child. Maybe it is because there are two of them and they seem so drastically different inside. One laid back and one full of constant energy.

But no matter what their labels are, no matter what their actual personalities are, no matter what, they are my babies and I am so full of love for them. As their arrival date gets closer, I get more and more excited to meet them, to see their precious faces, to hold them when they cry. I am so proud of my older daughter and I know she is going to make the best big sister. I am so proud that she will have the opportunity to be a big sister and to love her siblings. God could not have given us a more wonderful first child. I cannot wait to see all three of them be together. Just be. I am so blessed with this wonderful family and I haven't even met the two youngest members yet.

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