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“Are you ready to see your new baby brother or sister?” Nic asked Gigi as they started walking towards Gabbi’s office. Today was the day Nic and Conrad were going to find out their new baby’s gender, and they’d been making predictions all week as to whether it would be a boy or a girl.
“Yep.” Gigi smiled and nodded. She had Mr. Wiggles on her left hand and was holding Nic’s hand with her right. “Do you think it’s going to be a boy or a girl, Mommy?”
“Hmmm. I’m not sure. I feel like it’s going to be a girl, but I know your dad wants a boy.”
“Oh, now come on, I’d be happy with another girl,” Conrad interrupted. “It would just be nice if we were having a son so I wouldn’t feel outnumbered.”
“What does that mean?” Gigi asked.
“It means that if I’m having a baby girl, Daddy’s going to be the only boy in the house.” Nic explained.
“That’s funny. But Mr. Wiggles is a boy too, so Daddy will still have someone to talk to.”
Nic started laughing. “I don’t think it works like that. But either way, today you’re going to see a picture of the baby on a computer screen. I have a picture of you at home that looks just like that, remember?” The other night, she and Conrad had taken time to show Gigi one of her ultrasound photos so she knew what to expect at the OB appointment. Their daughter had been fascinated by how she looked like a fully grown baby even before she was born.
“Yeah. I think it’s so cool how the baby grows in your tummy.”
After Nic checked in, she sat down on a couch with Gigi and Conrad, and she reached for Conrad’s hand.
“Excited?” she asked him.
“Nervous,” he replied. “I mean, your pregnancy’s been going great other than the morning sickness and we haven’t had any crises this time. But I still find myself hoping that the ultrasound doesn’t show any problems and that you’re in good health. And I’m starting to wonder how Gigi’s going to handle having a brother or sister.”
“Why? I think she’ll be fine. She doesn’t really have trouble getting along with other kids in preschool or at Tae Kwon Do, and she’s been so happy ever since I told her I was pregnant.”
“I know, but it’s an adjustment once the baby comes.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Anyway, I’m getting carried away. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” she said. “I understand why you’re worried. Today’s going to be a good day no matter what the gender is, though, and I think it’s important for Gigi to be here. She seems really excited to see the baby in a different way and learn how he or she is growing.
“So, what’s your current prediction?”
“As much as I fantasize about having a son, I’m going with a girl, too. You’re carrying similar to how you were with Gigi.”
“I agree. Gigi, what do you think?”
“I want a little sister,” she answered. “But if it’s a boy, then maybe I can teach him Tae Kwon Do when he gets older. Even if girls can do that too, because there’s boys in my classes anyway and I’m friends with them.”
Conrad and Nic smiled at each other again, and once her name was called, they headed into an exam room with Gigi and Mr. Wiggles happily following behind.
About 15 minutes after the nurse had left, Gabbi came into the room holding her tablet.
“Hi, Nic,” she greeted her. “I was going to ask you how everything’s been going, but it looks like things must be going pretty well if you brought a little visitor with you. This must be Miss Gigi; she’s really grown up since the last time I saw her.”
“Sure is, and yes, she has,” Nic replied. “Gigi, do you want to say hi?”
“Hi, Dr. Gabbi,” Gigi said. “Mommy told me we were coming to see you today and you were going to show me my new brother or sister, and I get to find out which one Mommy has in her belly.”
Gabbi smiled. “That’s right, as long as that’s what your mom and dad want.” Nic nodded in approval.
“But I have to ask your mom some questions first,” Gabbi continued. “So once I do that, you’ll meet your new sibling, OK?”
“OK.” Gigi started looking at a growth chart of an unborn baby while Gabbi pulled up Nic’s chart on the tablet.
“So, Nic,” she said. “Your blood pressure is normal, and your weight gain is right on track. I know last time you were concerned that you weren’t putting on weight as fast and we discovered your calorie intake had been a little low while you bounced back from morning sickness. Have you been trying to fit in extra snacks or anything?”
“Yeah. I had forgotten how it feels to eat for two. But I’ve been eating healthy, except for the craving I had for double chocolate chip cookies a couple weeks ago. Ask Conrad. I only had one, though.”
“Well, that’s OK. I don’t expect you to be perfect all the time. As long as you’re not eating cookies daily. And are you starting to feel kicks and other movements?”
“Oh definitely. Wherever I went at work the other day it was like the baby was following me the whole time. When I was pregnant with Gigi, she kind of did whatever she wanted, but I feel like this baby is more in tune with me. When I walk around or stand up, I can sense some movement or the baby changing position. If I’m talking to a patient or sitting down to do reports or charts, he or she settles down.”
“No contractions or any unusual pain?”
“Nope. I’m so relieved that I seem to be having a normal pregnancy. I’ve had too much excitement the last few years.”
“I agree. Why don’t you lie back and we’ll listen to the heartbeat first? And Gigi, you can come over here and stand with your mom and dad if you want. I have something just for you so you can see and hear better.” Gabbi picked up a small step stool in the corner before getting the fetal Doppler.
“Thanks, Dr. Gabbi.” Gigi stood up on the stool. “Can Mr. Wiggles be here too?”
“Of course he can. Is he excited to meet your new brother or sister too?”
“Oh yeah. I tell him about the baby every day and how I can feel it kick now. And when Mommy was sick, he’d go with me to help her feel better.”
Gabbi smiled. “Nic and Conrad, I don’t think you’re going to have to worry about a jealous older child. To be honest, I wish more parents brought their older kids to ultrasounds and appointments. I feel like it cuts down on resentment and the adjustment period when the baby is born. That’s what I hear from some of my patients at their postpartum follow-up anyway.”
“Well, as you can tell, Gigi’s been excited ever since we told her the news,” Conrad said. “She’s so well-behaved in the hospital that we didn’t see a problem with bringing her along today.”
The fetal heart rate was normal, and Gigi was fascinated by the thumping of the baby’s heartbeat, even asking if she could use a real stethoscope at home to listen along when Nic didn’t have to go to the doctor. Then, she watched Gabbi put gel on Nic’s stomach and start up the ultrasound machine.
“I can’t promise we’ll get a good look; you guys know how it goes,” Gabbi explained. “But I’m going to do my best. Are you sure I don’t need to say anything and just put the picture in an envelope so you can have a gender reveal party?”
“No parties here,” Nic replied. “We’re not big fans of them. Last time we just had a short announcement with some snacks and drinks in the staff lounge, so we’re pretty laid back.”
“Then hopefully I don’t have to keep you in suspense.” She moved the wand around Nic’s stomach, trying to catch the baby in a good position and talking to them about how the anatomy was coming along.
“All right, I have the perfect angle. Are you ready? And are Gigi and Mr. Wiggles ready?”
“Mr. Wiggles,” Gigi turned her hand over to talk to her puppet. “Come on. We’re going to see the baby now.” She turned her hand back to the computer. “Yep, he’s ready too.”
“Good. Then without further ado…Nic and Conrad, congratulations. It’s another girl.”
Nic started laughing and looked over at Conrad, who was beaming with pride. If he was disappointed about not hearing that she was expecting a son, it didn’t show. “Looks like somebody’s going to be outnumbered,” she teased him.
“That’s OK. I can get used to that.”
“Don’t forget Lacey’s a girl too,” Gigi said. “And Mommy, I can’t wait to have a little sister.”
“I bet you can’t. Now we have to decide what we’re going to name her. So maybe you can help me go through some books or look at lists on the computer and we can all pick something we like.”
“Conrad, you have your work cut out for you,” Gabbi said. “Three girls. But I’m confident you can hold your own.”
“It won’t be a problem,” he told her. “Nic’s a great mom, and Gigi seems to only be talking about what she and the baby are going to do together when she comes. We’re thinking of having her at the birth too, although we want to make sure one of our fathers can babysit if anything goes awry.”
“I can see the baby be born?” Gigi asked, her eyes widening.
“Yes, as long as she and I stay healthy.” Conrad and Nic had only briefly discussed this plan, and they had decided that it would be best for Gigi to stay home with Marshall or Kyle if there were any complications or the need for a C-section arose, but if everything was going well, they wanted her to see the baby enter the world.
“Well, if you don’t have a problem with that when the time comes, neither do I.” Gabbi set up the ultrasounds to print. “Nic, you can get your pictures at the front desk on the way out, and I’ll see you again in four weeks. Don’t forget to have your blood work done so we can keep an eye on your iron levels and screen for gestational diabetes, and just call me if you need anything or start not feeling well in the meantime. Or you can always stop by or page me if you're at work and you have to address anything right away.”
“Of course.” Nic slowly sat up, and Gabbi and Conrad watched her to make sure she wasn’t lightheaded. “I’ll take care of the tests next week if that’s OK.”
“Sure thing.”
After Nic checked out and picked up the ultrasound photos, she and Conrad decided to take Gigi out for lunch and celebrate.
“So, two girls,” Conrad said, still trying to take in the big news once they got in the car. “I’ll definitely have less of a say in the house.”
“Nah,” Nic laughed. “You’ll just need to build up an iron will for the hormones and the periods and don’t forget about the crushes on boys…although not before Gigi and her sister—whatever her name will be—get through the cooties phase.”
“Hey, boys don’t have cooties.”
“Sometimes they do,” Gigi said from the backseat. “But Daddy doesn’t have any.”
“That’s right, sweetie.” Nic held Conrad’s hand. “He’s one of the good ones.” She turned to look out the window, still smiling, and then realized she was still holding the envelope with the ultrasound images. She reached down to put them in her purse, just as Conrad noticed her expression.
“It’s nice to see you happy this pregnancy,” he said quietly. He didn’t want Gigi to pick up on any conversation they might be having about her past difficulties.
“I’m relieved for sure. I know, knock on wood. I want to keep the status quo. But before we know it, we’re going to be a family of three. Four if you count Lacey, and five if you count Mr. Wiggles.”
“I have an idea in the meantime.”
“Really?” She raised her eyebrows and batted her eyelashes. She felt a little silly flirting like a high schooler, but she was transplanted back to a time about eight years earlier, when she and Conrad weren’t officially on or off, but still causing heat to rise in the call room or the shower at his apartment.
“Yeah. I’m excited about the baby and our growing family too, but you’re getting a little too technical with counting the dog and the puppet. How about you just shut up and kiss me already?”
“I think I will.” She playfully smirked at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “More later?”
“When we don’t have a preschooler in our vicinity, yes.” He smiled and kissed her back.
“Ew!” Gigi interrupted them, and Nic felt her face getting hot. It was the first time she could recall that Gigi had caught her parents being flirty and romantic.
“Hey, I thought you said Daddy didn’t have cooties,” she said to her daughter.
“I know that. But you guys are just kissing, and I thought you said we were going to lunch. Could I have chicken fingers?”
“Oh yeah,” Nic laughed again and turned to Conrad. “Maybe you should start the car. We’ve just been sitting here for a few minutes, and I’m starting to get hungry too.”
“All right, lunchtime it is.” He held Nic’s hand as much as he could while driving, and it was impossible for him to take his eyes off her. He was almost excited that in four months from now, he’d be the only man in the house.