My Valentine

Dear Mia,

Tuesday was Valentine's Day and I got to spend it doing my favorite thing- looking at you!  I had my final ultrasound on Tuesday afternoon and although you Dad told me he wasn't going to make it, he showed up and surprised me!  So we both got to see you.  Best Valentine's Day ever.  I'm so lucky :)

The ultrasound technician took us into the room, I laid down on the bed and she asked what brought me in for this ultrasound.  I explained that a few weeks ago my doctor had mentioned that I was measuring "slightly ahead" so she wanted to check on your growth, as well as on your placement.  She believed you were head-down but wanted the ultrasound to confirm.

The tech started to do the ultrasound and you popped up on the screen.  She measured the placenta and fluid pockets first (boring) and then moved on to your different organs and bones.  Then suddenly she showed us your beautiful face.  You are so precious, Mia.  You have these adorable, HUGE cheeks that look like they're eating your face and a little dimple of a nose.  You are the cutest thing I've ever seen!  But we immediately noticed how squished you looked!  Your little arms were all scrunched up and your poor little face was being squished on all sides!  I mentioned to the tech that you looked really packed in there and she said, "Yea, she's pretty big!"  Your Dad and I looked at each other- "How big?"  "Well," she said, "pretty big.  Let me finish these measurements and I can tell you for sure."  So she continued to scan and measure you and showed us your little heart beating and your lugs- you were breathing!  Your heart rate was strong and in the 140s and she said that everything she could see looked normal.  Then she showed us the measurements.

This is where things get hazy for me.  Because I almost passed out.  Mia, you are ginormous.  According to the ultrasound technician, that day you measured in at 39 weeks, 1 day.  The conversation went something like this:

"Well, according to the measurements I took, it looks like she's measuring in at 39 weeks, 1 day."

"Wait, what?"

"She's measuring in at 39 weeks, 1 day."

"I'm sorry.  What did you say?"

"Just over 39 weeks."

"What?  How can that be?  The doctor said 'slightly ahead!'"

"The calculations could be slightly off... [something about national averages]... but I'm fairly certain that you're measuring almost 3 weeks ahead."

"But I'm not ready yet!  I still need to [rattling off ridiculous reasons why I'm not ready for labor]..."

"Oh, and it looks like she weighs [x] pounds, [x] ounces at this point."

I would enter the amount, but both your Dad and I must have blacked out because neither one of us can remember the exact number.  We'd just been told that you're fully developed, head-down, breathing on your own and have a very strong heartbeat.  And now we were being told that you weighed over 8 pounds.  OVER EIGHT POUNDS.  That's all I can remember.  I remember her saying 8 pounds, [something] ounces and all I could think was that if I carry you to March 10th I'm going to be one of those women you read about in the paper or see on TV- "Woman gives birth to 15 pound baby!"

"Don't worry," the ultrasound technician said.  "If these calculations are correct, they won't let you go to March 10th.  I'll send these results upstairs [to the OB] right now so she has them ASAP."

I left the office a little stunned and simply shocked that you are as developed as you are.  But believe me, it is very comforting to know that if I was to suddenly go into labor that it's because you're ready, and not because something is wrong.  I feel a lot more confident because I know you're prepared to enter this world.

I haven't heard from my doctor since my ultrasound, but I have an appointment tomorrow so I know we'll talk about you then.  I'm curious to know if she will let me carry you to March 10th (if I make it) or if she'll want to induce me at a certain point (before you hit that record-breaking 15lb mark!).  Your Dad is a little worried about me and you, not wanting you to get so big that I can't deliver you naturally, like we've planned.  We'll have to wait and see what she thinks!

I love you, Mia.  I can't wait to meet you!
Momma

P.S. When your Grandma Snipes heard the news she told us that you already weigh more than any of your cousins did when they were born.  You're already an over-achiever.