The Fourth Doctor Visit, Or: IT'S A GIIIIIIIIIRL!!!

Well I was wrong. Again.

I think I have consistently been wrong now about the gender every single one of our kids!

But we are so, so, SO excited to welcome a third little girl into our home!

Steve's parents were in town for a whole week last week, and luck shone down on us because I'd made our gender scan appointment for the last day they were in town. That meant they got to find out at the same time as our kiddos, and that was really fun!

The two older kids had both guessed we were having a boy, and while Charlie dearly loves his sisters, we were a little concerned that he might feel let down not to be getting a brother. Steve came up with the brilliant idea of upping the ante from "just" cupcakes to a balloons-in-a-box announcement for the kids, so on the way home from our scan we picked up some Dewey's cupcakes with pink sprinkles and a bouquet of pink balloons to stuff in a moving box. The kiddos were excited and nervous to open it!



*PHEW!*

Totally good reception from everyone, including Charlie (who exclaimed, "It's beautiful!" as the balloons came out of the box), and everyone was thrilled to carry balloons around for the next hour, too. :)

And eat celebratory cupcakes...

The doctor visit itself was super fun for Steve and I. We spent the first ten minutes with the sonographer, looking over our baby's cute profile, watching it move, and seeing healthy beautiful kidneys and heart chambers and all kinds of miraculous things that have been growing while I've been nauseous and napping. It really is totally jaw-dropping to see how a perfect little person can form without me doing much more than resting up and taking a multi-vitamin.

When it came time to find out if it was a boy or a girl, however, baby had other ideas. She stayed firmly tucked in a ball even when we poked and prodded her, and wouldn't move to let the ultrasound tech find out her gender. We actually had to leave, have a quick (scheduled) visit with my doctor (peed in a cup and asked a couple questions), and then come back to try again.

The second time was a charm, and the babes cooperated so we didn't have to wait another 4 weeks to find out! After being split on our guesses (I said boy, Steve said girl) we were still both pretty surprised this little bun was a girl!

At home with Steve's mom and dad we pored over her ultrasound pictures and popped in the DVD so Mimi (that's Steve's mama's chosen grandma name) could watch a replay of the ultrasound.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures. :) First, her profile with her little head tucked to her chest.

Then there's her little foot (right above the word "FOOT"). Seriously. Baby feet are the cutest.

And another profile shot with a clear view of her adorable nose. :)

Also--the final moment that I knew Charlie was cool with being surrounded by sisters came yesterday. I told Juliette the baby in my tummy was a baby sister.

Charlie responded, "I like baby sisters. They're more cuter." <3

...

Stats (as of doctor appt):
Weeks pregnant: 18 weeks, 3 days
Baby's fruit/food size: Soda can (9 ounces, 6.5 inches)
Net weight gain: 6 lbs
Doctor visits: 3
Cups peed in: 4
Blood draws: 3
Ultrasounds: 5