the heartbeat

On Monday, we had our second doctor's appointment.  In my mind, this was the big one.  We were going to get to hear the heartbeat.  Up until Monday, the baby inside of me had been a huge elusive mystery, possibly even a trick.  It began to feel more real when we began telling people.  However, in the back of my mind there was always this feeling that I was making it up.  I felt like maybe the symptoms were all in my head; my jeans were tight because I was just gaining weight, the tiredness was just lack of sleep, the need to go to the bathroom all of the time because I was drinking more water, and so on.  And then there was the possibility that our baby had miscarried.  So, to Jon and I, Monday was a big appointment.

For such a big appointment, it sure was quick!  After waiting a while, we got into the room and soon after the doctor came in and had an instrument gooed up ready to detect the heartbeat.  She placed it on my abdomen and began searching for the heartbeat.  After a daunting 10 seconds, Dr. Roose found the heartbeat!  The heartbeat was so fast!  She said it was at 160 bpm.  Then she said that if I was a betting woman that I should make bets that the baby is a girl!  (Which followed with the stat that she is right 50% of the time.)  Then the appointment was over.

So that brings us to the next subject, will the baby be a girl or a boy?  So far, Jon's brother had a dream that our baby was a girl, while my sister had a dream that we were to have twin boys.  Be on the lookout for an idea I am going to steal from my friend Kelsey where we are going to have a poll as to if our baby is a boy or girl.

I was encouraged this week about the reminder of God's role the development of our baby, the delivering of the baby and then the growth of our child.  In Psalm 71:5-6, 17-18 it says:

"For you, O Lord, are my hope,

my trust, O LORD, from my youth.

Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;

you are he who took me from my mother's womb.

My praise is continually of you...

O God, from my youth you have taught me,

and still I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

your power to all those to come."

I am amazed at how our God can form us in the womb.  It is truly such a beautiful science to learn about each week: to learn about the toenails, the fists opening and closing, that the synapses in the brain are starting to function... We have a powerful and loving God!