U is for Ultrasound

The clearest photo of Adessa face.  You can clearly recognize her here.

U is for Ultrasound - and on August 31, 2006, I had no idea how clearly I would see my unborn daughter, still more than four months away from the day she would be born.

Adessa now facing the camera.

I still remember walking into the ultrasound room at Loma Linda University Hospital in Southern California.  My expectation was seeing an ultrasound picture like most, where some vague shapes and shadows show one's unborn child with precious little detail.

In profile.

I was amazed when the technician began to display images of Adessa -- at only five months of gestation -- with stunning clarity.  I'd never seen these 3D-style ultrasound images before.  It was breathtaking.  There was my daughter -- not hazy, but clear, lifelike, recognizable!

Mouth open...

In real time, the technician showed us Adessa moving, turning, opening her mouth, and so on.  At this point, we had no idea if Adessa was a boy or a girl and when the technician confirmed that she was a girl, I was happy.  I'd hoped and prayed for simply a healthy baby, and Adessa was clearly that.  But I'd also kept a small wish for a baby girl while not wanting to get my hopes up for what amounted to a 50/50 chance.

A big yawn!

Primarily, though, I was just happy that the technician was so reassuring that Adessa was, by all appearances, a very healthy little baby on track for a normal pregnancy and delivery.

Look at those tiny legs!

It amazes me, looking back at these pictures, how much you can see the resemblance of the little girl we'd see many months later.  Her unique features, her beautiful face -- all clearly Adessa.

Delicate, beautiful, tiny feet.

These pictures still work so powerfully on me -- I can't see these without being moved to tears, both happy and sad.  I'm happy because I'm always glad to see pictures of Adessa -- especially ones as amazing as these.  I'm sad because I miss that moment and I miss her.

 

And finally, sticking out her tongue at the camera.