once upon a time there was a family. a growing family, with a mama, a daddy, a baby, and a baby-to-be. the family was all very excited to find out if the baby-to-be was a boy baby or a girl baby. the family had wonderful plans to celebrate after the doctor's appointment with strawberry ice cream if it was a girl baby, and blueberry ice cream if it was a boy baby. how delightful!
at the doctor's office, daddy and baby sat close to the big screen television, on the edge of their chairs, watching the blue-white-black blotchy image as the doctor moved the hi-tech machine around mama's belly.
the family had lots of questions.
"is that it?" "what's that?" "that looks like a....right? no, it's not."
but the doctor seemed perplexed.
"that, right there" he said to the family, using a pen to point out a tiny white spec on the tv monitor.
"that is the umbilical cord. it's right between the legs, and it's not moving. there's no way we can tell - today - if it's a girl baby or a boy baby."
the family was bummed. not knowing is frustrating.
"ice cream always makes things better," mama said.
"we can't get strawberry or blueberry, but let's go get ice cream anyway," agreed daddy.
"we just get banilla!" said baby.
and try again, and pray the cord will move, in 2 weeks.
