Is the Bump Pink or Blue?

Regular readers will know that our 20 week NHS Anomaly Scan was inconclusive and we still don't know whether Aaron's having a brother or sister. What you may not know is that we went right ahead and booked a 4D scan. This is something we never felt the need to do with Aaron, which looking back on it I am surprised about, given he was our exciting first born. But with him, we didn't even ask the Sonographer to know, because it was visible for all to see before the topic even came up.  Aaron's 20 week scan was about 10 minutes whereas this pickle's was 30 minutes and yet it still remained an elusive secret.

Never having been to a 4D scan I am incredibly excited. Gut instinct tells me my bump is a girl, but I could of course be wrong. I'd also of course in 2009 thought Aaron was a girl - I wrote a poem about it here: The One About The Girl.

After our recent 20 week scan I compared the profile of bump's little face to that of Aaron's scan pic and it really is as stark a difference as comparing a boy to a girl... but until Saturday we just cannot know with certainty.

What I really love is that with the NHS anomaly scan, the 30 minutes of looking at the screen is then reduced to a pic (we got 6, as she'd printed them all, but paid for 2) that you take away.... but...all the movements you see on screen and the reassuring wonderful comments the Sonographer made, then fade in memory and you are not allowed to video in there. But back to what I love... what I love is that with the 4D scan we will get to take away a DVD, so those movements (the baby sometimes waves for example) will be forever recorded for posterity.

I've been Googling lots since I booked it, and there are many examples online where people have done a collage of 4D baby next to real life baby, to show that the image does indeed turn out to be accurate. I have looked at enough of them, that I am confident we will get a real look at our little one this weekend. It'll be our 3rd scan and for all 3 Aaron will be with us. It doesn't frighten him, but it does make him go into a kind of awed silence, where he just ocassionally whispers questions to Daddy.

He broke my heart the other day as he said he still wants to be little when she arrives, so that he can enjoy and play with her. I think he realises that by the time s/he's walking and talking he will be a big boy. Sorry the age gap wasn't shorter Aaron, but I am SURE you will still enjoy your sibling and you'll be of GREAT HELP to Mummy. I know myself only too well and I just know with absolute certainty that I couldn't do two under two or three under three etc... like people do. No siree, no double buggy for me...!

I am gradually getting reminded of what is to come in January. Just yesterday I remembered that I used to swaddle Aaron in Gro Company swaddles. I had 2 that I used to alternate between. I ordered them online, I THINK before he was born, just like I did with the Moby Wrap. I have to find all that stuff again eeeeek. I will reuse them despite none of those three being pink. The past year has been all about getting pregnant; it's only now that the penny is dropping that the next 3 months needs to be all about preparing to welcome and have a baby. A baby! A baby! Oh my God, reality check :-)

I am 25 weeks pregnant tomorrow, but here is a pic from when I was 24:

As you can see I look more like 34 weeks and as a result I am now struggling with the walk to and from school, but ironically, as I am a trained Kundalini Yoga Teacher I wouldn't have it any other way, as we recommend expectant mothers to walk a minimum of 5 miles a day and the school run takes me to 6 miles (1.5m each way twice a day) so that is just perfect. Walking strengthens the muscles that hold the baby. Only trouble is, given I've done no yoga since 2010, those muscles NEED the exercise so they actually ache while I am doing it, meaning I have to shorten my stride and walk way slower than normal. It did mean that our 15 minute walk was taking 25 minutes, but this morning and yesterday morning we've got it back to 15 so clearly I am getting fitter again after the 6 weeks holiday as too is Aaron as boy was he dawdling along those first few weeks back. Now he holds my hand and walks at my pace - playing Eye Spy really helps; hold his attention and my hand that is. First few weeks back, he was walking behind me in that meandering fashion where they look at every flower, leaf and snail.

Anyway, I sincerely hope we get a result at our scan and you'll be hearing about it here and on You Tube. Pink or Blue a baby is on the way - yikes! And as of yesterday, the movements are no longer just flutters but proper full on wriggles like she's twisting round elbows etc... Exciting!

Liska xxx