last ultrasound

We got to see Judah again!  It was such a great experience and by far my favorite ultrasound yet.  They had just gotten new machines, so the wait was a little long because all the technicians were getting used to them, but they were such better quality than the old ones that it was certainly worth the wait.

This is the clearest face shot we could get, but it was so much clearer in person that I almost teared up a few times while she was showing us.  You can't tell here, but in a few other shots, it looks like he has a predominant chin--which we don't know where that comes from. haha.  The coolest thing about the ultrasound was that we got to see him practicing his breathing.  Obviously he can't breathe in there, but the tech said that babies practice breathing by working their diaphragm every 20 minutes or so in order that when they are born, the action comes naturally.  And we got to see him drinking the amniotic fluid.  She let us just watch him for a bit because you could see his little tongue moving and drinking it in.

We also got to learn where he was positioned exactly.  The tech couldn't get over how low he was and kept moving that wand around lower and lower--apparently he is assuming the position to make his entrance.  Since we knew that his head was down yonder, she was able to tell us that his back and bottom were on my right side, which I kind figured when I feel him move.  Sometimes, I'll look down and a hard mass is just poking out on my right side and then pops back in.  Now I know it's his bottom for sure.

She also informed me that since he is so low, my bladder is super squished and that I must be having to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes.  This explains so much! She actually showed me my bladder and said, "Normally, the mom's bladder takes up this whole side--yours is almost too small to see."

His heart was also very clear to see his time.  Seeing it pump and all the chambers and what not is nothing short of miraculous. This is what they needed a good shot of, so I was very thankful that he was somewhat turned sideways for them to see everything.

After the ultrasound, we went to the doctor for me to get checked.  She checked my cervix (which I was completely unaware of how painful it would be the first time!), and said that I was barely 1 cm dilated and I was 50% effaced.  You can be praying that I'll progress quickly when that time comes (between 37-40 weeks), and that it will be a quick and easy delivery. 

I seriously cannot wait to meet our little man.  It still feels surreal that I'm pregnant, much less 5 weeks away from seeing him finally.  :)  April can't come soon enough!