an announcement

so we've had a big change enter our lives in the last few months.  

in early march, we found out we were expecting number three.  after four or five weeks of feeling really great, my exhaustion and morning sickness really set in.  i feel like i haven't left my bed (other than to get my children dressed, bathed, or fed) all year!  i found out i have a "good sized gall stone" which has bothered me just a couple of times so there is a possibility that by the end of the year, my gall bladder will be removed.  i generally suffer pretty well from self-diagnosed acid reflux so getting a prescription as soon as possible once i'm pregnant is high on the priority list.  

the reason i'm bothering writing any of this down is simply to remember things as they go along this time.. isn't it crazy how much, and how quickly, you forget these ailments.

so one amazing day, i got sick.  and getting sick when you have kids already is the worst.  the worst!!  you have no time to be sick!  it was so bad, and i was making so many trips to that porcelain throne, i gave up my pride and called in the extra resources.  my parents graciously came and collected my children (after cleaning up the house a bit) and kept them for a couple of days so i could get some serious dedicated rest.  i was sad to see my girls go but it was absolutely what i needed.  there was no way i was going to be able to physically take care of them.

once that fun passed, i was feeling much better and much more grateful for "regular" nausea :)  

another miraculous event that transpired, just in time, was that weston's insurance plan at work changed!  normally this wouldn't matter, but i have this thing where i really really really want my doctor when i'm having babies.  he is the best and we have a great understanding of how much mellow is just right.  :)  anyone else feel like this kind of thing really matters?  ok, i realize it's not the end of the world, but if i can have dr. jones, i will be that much happier :)

once the regular appointments started rolling in, that halfway mark just kept inching closer and closer.  i have two great little girls.  i'm good with girls.  i know girls and i know what to do with girls (i.e. changing their diapers).  anytime, while growing up, you could have asked me about future children i might have and i would have told you (once i finished telling you i wasn't excited to have them, period) that i would most likely have this brood of boys and maybe a girl at the end.  i just felt like i would raise sons.  i don't have the most fussy, frilly, pink energy ;) so having a girl first, and then another second, i have become quite used to girls.  and i love little girls!  i had sort of started feeling like i would just have girls, like we (for whatever reason..) would be one of those families you see with 6 girls (those poor dads, weston would say).

just for recording's sake - the baby's heart rates were always 150bpm (a sure sign of a girl, right?)

so as our ultrasound appointment got closer, i would think about our baby or people would ask about gender preferences or feelings i might be having about what it could be.  my answers were always this: of course we want to have a boy, weston really wants a son (and so do i), and most importantly weston is the only boy in his family with the last name to go on.  that has become so important to me in the last couple of years.  and as far as my feelings about the baby's gender.... i'm no good for that.  i've been wrong every time (including this one!), i never get a strong "gut" feeling, i just have no idea.  this time around, i kept telling weston he needed to prepare his mind for a third girl, that we needed to start thinking of girl names, etc. so that when we were in the ultrasound room and the tech says "it's a girl!" i don't have to look over and see his disappointed face. 

so the day came.  we packed up our little family and some sandwiches for the kids and headed to the office.  the tech started looking at all of the vital organs and systems and i breathed a sigh of relief each time she would say things looked great.  those little profiles of those tiny faces are so cute!!!  i could stare at them (and sort of have been) all day.

so here is our little one:

 hanging out upside down, legs

 bottom of foot

 bottom of legs

sorry if this picture is too much, but it's a BOY!!!  

when she got to this point and said, "ok, here's his bum and.." and before she could finish i yelled out "it's a boy?!?!?!?!?!?!?" and then immediately started crying.  i couldn't help any of it (how embarrassing)  i just couldn't believe it!  and, truth be told, i am still completely surprised!  we are just so excited :)

 

he was hanging out upside down the entire time!  so you can see his body, legs up, but you can't see his arms which were completely tucked behind his head :)

don't you just LOVE these shots?  i always stare at these profiles for way too long, trying to imagine my child and what they are doing and thinking.  what a sweet little nose :)

  and a goodbye shot... except he can't be bothered to wave or do anything but what he's been doing all along - just relaxing in his little cocoon :)

so we are thrilled at this latest development and can't wait for the changes it will bring to us and our little growing family.  kate is excited to have a baby brother (she's been telling me all along it would be a boy... guess i should have listened to her!) and beth is already practicing his name:

baby miles

she's actually spot on with it already :)