Our First 3D/4D Ultrasound

Today we had our first 3D/4D ultrasound that some family members blessed us with for my birthday. It was utterly amazing. Words really can't describe the joy we both felt as we watched our daughter sucking on her hands and wiggling away from the ultrasound wand.

Eden's legs crossed with her little feet. <3

Even Eden was overjoyed at the ultrasound!

The textbooks (and therefore most doctors) say that anencephalic babies are unable to see, hear, feel, think, etc. They claim that the babies are just bodies with organs kept alive for a short period of time by the brain stem, and that any movement is only reflex and muscle spasms - that they are vegetables! However the more and more I read stories and testimonies from families who've actually carried an anencephalic baby to term (because it's estimated over 90% of these pregnancies are terminated), the more I don't think that is true at all. Some of these babies are sensitive to bright lights, indicating at least some vision, and some are even sensitive to movement. Some of these babies get startled with loud noises (even while in the womb). Some definitely respond to touch. Some can suck and swallow, and some can even nurse in their strong moments. You can't tell me (or any of the parents who have experienced this) that those actions are just reflexes or muscle spasms.God has given each of these babies their own unique personalities, and their own abilities. Our little girl was sucking on her fingers today, and I know that it was deliberate. She isn't just a body with organs and muscle spasms, and she isn't a "vegetable." She is an absolutely beautiful and amazing baby who has already stolen our hearts - God is good!

Covering her face with both hands.

From the ultrasound today, and just from feeling her kicks, I can already start to distinguish some of her personality traits. She's definitely an active little girl - even more so than Brooklyn was at her age, if that is possible! I swear she didn't stop moving for a second during the entire ultrasound. She's also stubborn and modest, just like her sister! She really didn't want to expose her girly parts for us to verify her gender (we eventually saw she still appears to be a girl), and she would kick the ultrasound wand and move away from it every time we'd try to get some pictures of her. We got some great pictures today, but we'll be getting even better ones in 10 weeks (September 22nd) when she'll be too big to play evade the ultrasound tech!

Today we also got our little "Teddy Hearts" bear that has a sound box inside it with her heartbeat in it. Of course, she would move away every time we tried recording her heartbeat, but we got a decent recording for now, and we can get a better one when she's bigger (we just have to remember to bring the Teddy with us!) Once Eden is born, we can order a sweater for the bear online that will have her name on the front, and her birth date and weight/height on the back. Today we felt truly blessed to have this baby in our lives, and we are 100% in love with Eden Marie. Thank you for your continuing prayers.