Behold, A Baby!

So after this morning, I'm pretty sure I'm not making up Fake Baby: 

Everything looks really good - as soon as the Doppler hit my gelled-up stomach, this image of a little bouncing PERSON appeared.  This was not the blob we had seen seven weeks ago, but a legitimate tiny human with a head, hands, and FEET!  I'm grinning just thinking about how excited we were to see that baby bouncing around my uterus.  There was no searching for anything - the baby was BAM - right there, my dates are on target (I'm still due May 18), and the heartbeat was clear and strong (168 BPM).  I won't know my full results from all the genetic testing until I talk to my doctor, but according to the ultrasound technician, everything she saw was well within the normal range.  (tentative sigh of relief)

The baby was so active, in fact, that none of the pictures came out quite as clear as we could see them in real time; but y'all, if there has ever been a reason for me to appreciate a blurry picture, this is undoubtedly it.  To see Fake Baby kicking his legs, and waving his arms, and bouncing his (or her, yes I know, it still could be a girl) little body up and down - words are inadequate to describe how awesome (in the true sense of the word) that was.  We are completely thrilled.

And when I look at those pictures - when I saw that little baby moving around inside of me - it makes the last three months completely clear.  All of a sudden, I'm realizing, "Holy crap - I grew a PERSON.  No wonder I've felt terrible and been completely exhausted."  It all makes sense now and beyond that, makes it so, so, so worth it.

And finally, just to make it clear that we have not forgotten about our original babies, here are Callie and Ness looking at the first pictures of their new little sibling:

 

Please note that Ness is so! freaking! excited! and Callie is all, "WAIT - does this signify...change? Because if so then I am not ok with it."

And with that, we are officially "out" (we gave our parents the go-ahead to tell people this morning). I don't know how we're going to tell people at work and school, but somehow...we will!