WE'RE HAVING A.......

Oh, is this an exciting post! Finally I can tell....we're having a baby!! We've been very quiet about this little one for way too long. Now the secret's out!

This week has been SO emotional for me! I think I cried every day, sometimes a couple of times. Stress and emotion just completely overtook me for a few days. October 1st of last year is the day we went in for our 20 week check-up and ultrasound with Baby Joe. I delivered him the next morning. This baby's due date is one day later that Joe's was so not only have I been sad about losing him, but also so anxious that the same horrible nightmare was going to happen a second time with this baby. I could hardly wait for the ultrasound, as long as it was all good news. I knew in my heart everything was okay, I really did. From the moment we found out we were expecting, I just had a calm feeling about this baby's health. But my brain would not let up and the "worried momma" thoughts were making me crazy! Below is the entry I wrote about the day in the baby's journal:

I seriously do not know if I am going to make it until one o'clock. Will it ever get here? It seems like we have been waiting forever to see you on ultrasound! I just need to make sure you are okay and that everything is growing perfectly and then I can settle down. Until then......I woke up at 4am today. Ben and I have been to the park, exercised, made lasagna and frosted cupcakes and it is only 10-something in the morning! We will have to keep ourselves busy so the morning goes by fast. As soon as he gets on the bus for preschool....I am outta here! Daddy is meeting me at the ultrasound place at 1:15pm. Please time, fly by....... 


Our afternoon was fantastic! We had a really long ultrasound, looking at every little part of your body! Oh, you are sweet and perfect and looked so beautiful. We could see your little fingers and toes and everything.   The doctor said everything looked great and that you seem to be right on track. Whew! What a relief those words words for your dad and I. My pleading prayers had been answered. I cried.

Now the exciting part......the first ultrasound tech we had was totally on board with writing down your gender in the envelope instead of telling us. But the second tech said, "Absolutely not. The doctor does not allow anything written down. It's either verbal, now, or nothing." Our hearts sank, of course, because that totally ruined our big plan. I told her the plan, how we wanted to find out your gender together as a family, but she didn't seem to really care. Then, as she was looking at the computer screen, she said all of a sudden, "Give me that envelope. No one has to know about this picture. I don't want to ruin the plan." HURRAY! We were so relieved! Plan back on! We stuffed the sealed envelope into my purse where it would be nice and safe. And hidden when the doctor came in. We got an all-clear report, almost, from the doctor. He said you looked great, but that my placenta was partially attached over my cervix. If it doesn't move out of the way as my uterus grows, there won't be anyway for you to come out and I will need to have a c-section. Of course that doesn't sound fun but whatever it takes to get you here safely! Everything else he told us was great news and soon we were leaving the office. Dad went home to meet the kids from school and I drove out to Gymboree. It was so hard choosing a boy outfit and a girl outfit!! There were lots of cute things, but eventually I settled on a tiny light pink tutu and a brown and orange weiner dog sweater. I told the girl at the counter that I was pregnant and asked her if she would please open the secret envelope, then wrap up which ever outfit we needed. She was so excited!! "Oh, it's like I am part of the family!" she said. I left the store and wandered around for a few minutes and then went back. She was very careful about making sure I didn't see what was on the small credit card screen as I was checking out. Unfortunately, I caught a glance of the total when I signed my name and my brain went wild. I had looked at the price tags of both items and the total didn't match either one! The clerk mentioned she tried to adjust the prices so they were similar but what had she done? I started calculating sales prices in my head but still, my total matched nothing. I tried not to think about it but I did, all the way home.

The present...I thought the big (?) mark on the front was perfect!

By the time I got home, the kids were all there. I snuck in the house, passed through the living room and hid the wrapped present behind the couch. Olivia was sitting in the kitchen and said, "What are you hiding, mom? You are always hiding something when you duck through the living room instead of walking through the kitchen." Oooooh, smart kid. We gathered everyone in the family room and told them we had some fun news but first they had to solve a puzzle. We gave each kid an envelope with letters in it and told them to work together to solve it. Ben started crying because he didn't have all the orange letters in his envelope. Nick started to cry when Olivia was figuring out the puzzle faster than he was. Dad and I looked at each other and commented on how well this was going.....

Soon the puzzle was solved. WE ARE HAVING A BABY! It was surprised giggles all around...

Ben was still crying. We pulled out the present and told them it was time to figure out what our baby was, a boy or a girl. "Right now?!" Oh, that was exciting for them. Nick and Ben both thought you were a boy. Olivia thought maybe a girl. And Dad said he KNEW you were a girl. We let Ben open the present. It took him about a year. My heart was in my throat. C'mon, child, rip that baby open! He was still far from having it undone, but I saw a light pink fluffy thing slip out the side of the tissue paper and I screamed. Really screamed. I think I scared Olivia, I screamed so loud. "It's a GIRL! It's a GIRL!" Out came the pink tutu and it was confirmed. YOU ARE A GIRL! I cried. And Ben cried, too. He wanted a brother......

Hurray, hurray, hurray! We have a baby sister on the way! We are all so excited to start getting ready for you. Olivia already has big plans.....decorating the nursery, matching outfits, etc. etc.  And the boys are going to be the best body guards a little sister has ever seen. What Dad "knew" all along has finally been proven. And I am thrilled to be thinking pink again. Really, it didn't matter if you were a girl, boy, or monkey..I am just so happy you are healthy. But girls are super fun to dress.......

We celebrated with the yummy lasagna dinner and pink and blue filled cupcakes. Then it was time to call the Grandma's and Grandpa's and everyone else to tell them our exciting news! They were all surprised and can't wait to meet you!

Grandma Joan and Grandpa Cookie sent these pretty flowers after finding out you are a little girl...

Everyone is soooooo excited!!! Love you, baby! XOXOXO Mommy