Friday Morning Coffee

Eli and I are hanging out in the kitchen eating breakfast. This has been a long week as far as Eli has been concerned. First a virus then four molars poking through, he hasn’t been himself, has hardly eaten and only wants his Mama.

Our new bed arrived yesterday and it’s truly heaven on earth.

And we had THE ultrasound on Wednesday.

If you recall, with Eli, we had the ultrasound tech write down the gender of the baby on a piece of paper and place it in an envelope. We then hung it on our Christmas tree for a few days, finally opening it after opening gifts on Christmas day.

Remember this photo? When Brian read “IT’S A BOY!“

This time, when we finally announced to the kids that we were pregnant, Anna said “can we not play any games, can we just go into the room and find out if it’s a girl?”

We laughed and sighed and said okay.

I had the ultrasound scheduled for four weeks. The kids counted down. I knew it was a boy and so did Brian. It wasn’t until two weeks before the ultrasound that I started to have other thoughts and it only happened when I felt movement. I would lay in bed and feel the baby move and I’d instantly think “oh! She moved!”

But still, I felt deep down that this was a boy. I think. Or maybe I had convinced myself it was a girl and I didn’t want to get Anna’s hopes up. And it’s not that I hoped it was a girl but I did love the idea of giving Anna a sister.

We entered the doctor’s office on Wednesday. Noah put his hands together, did the sign of the cross and said “please God. Please make this baby a boy. Amen.” I reminded him that our prayers should be for a healthy baby and he did the sign of the cross again and said “please God, Please make this baby healthy but mostly make it a boy.”

We entered the room with so much excitement. I couldn’t wait to catch a glimpse of the baby. It was then that a million emotions hit me. I just wanted this baby to be healthy, I needed to see a heartbeat, I had to see the feet and the legs and a profile and nothing else mattered.

She started with a profile shot. The instant reaction in the room by our sweet little family was so awesome. All of us ooohing and aaahing over how beautiful that baby was and it was at that moment, that we all forgot about genders. We just watched and marveled and okay, maybe the kids got a little bored with the measurements, but still, it was wonderful.

And I sat there surrounded, fully aware that this would be the last time in my life I’d hear “it’s a girl!” or “it’s a boy!” (at least for my own children) and how blessed I’ve been already. It was a little more than my pounding heart could take.

She moved to the legs and measured bones. (the kids loved that) And then she moved to that area. And I knew, instantly. I said “look at that.”

And the tech confirmed exactly what I already knew.

It’s a baby sister.

Isn’t she beautiful?

And even now, two days later, sitting next to my coffee, having just laid Eli down for his morning nap, my tears fall because I AM SO VERY BLESSED.

HAPPY Friday, friends.