Getting the first glimpse at your growing baby is certainly one of the most magical parts about pregnancy. And though most babies are described as looking like “beans” in their initial ultrasounds, sometimes the stars align and it’s possible to get an idea of what the little boy or girl’s personality is going to be like.

Case in point is this unbelievable sonogram. Let’s just say that we bet this kid’s going to be following in Daddy’s footsteps!

When Meghan Merriott was just finishing up her first trimester of pregnancy, she completed a routine doctor’s visit and sonogram. The Georgia mother-to-be was just twelve weeks along, about a month shy from that all-too-exciting “gender reveal appointment.” Nonetheless, she and her husband, ex-Marine Robert Cooper, did get to leave the office with quite the souvenir!

You see, when the technician was performing the sonogram, they noticed the baby giving quite the apropos gesture to his parents—a salute!

Yep, you read that right. The tiny pea of a person actually had its little hand raised up to its forehead, giving it the appearance of a military salute.

Now, we know that you’re probably rolling your eyes at the idea of a fetus giving this sort of official greeting, but we’ve gotta say, the movement is so distinct that it’s hard to see anything else!

In an interview with ABC News, Merriott described what it felt like to see her growing baby making such an honorable gesture. “I almost cried. I thought was sweet.” We don’t blame her one bit. Frankly, it’s hard to believe that she was even able to hold back tears in the first place!

The most interesting part about the picture is not the fact that the baby was posed in this stance, it’s that he or she actually made the saluting motion, right before the parents’ eyes!

Merriott explains that “while they [the technicians] were doing the sonogram the baby was actually sleeping on its side and they tried several times to get him/her to wake up to take the picture that they needed to take. The baby didn’t want to wake up, then threw [its] hand in the air and then threw it back down.” See, the kid actually made the motion on its own. Wow!

The unborn baby’s mom wasn’t the only one to become captivated by the gesture. Everybody in the room, which included various medical personnel, as well as her 3-year-old son, Cambden, were all equally as impressed. “We thought it was pretty crazy at first. The doctors, nurses, my son was there [. . .] he looked up at the screen and started laughing.” How special is that?

We know that you are surely bursting at the seams to see this little guy (or gal!) give a salute. To witness this incredible moment for yourself, be sure to click on the video below. Something tells us this kid has a future in the military!

What do you think of this baby’s impressive gesture? Have you had any unique experiences during a sonogram appointment? If so, what happened? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!