Anticipation

For weeks now I’ve had the little card picked out.   It’s been sitting on my desk and I’ve been looking at it’s blank whiteness.  I’ve been imagining what it would be like to read either word on that card.  Boy.  Girl.  It was too hard to imagine either one so I’d clear my head and get back to work.  Then I’d find my eyes drifting over to it again.

Doug and I have chosen different routes with our kids in terms of finding out their gender prior to birth.  With Asa we just didn’t know until he was born and that was really fun.  Then, with the next two boys we just had them tell us right there in that tiny little room.  It was a little claustrophobic for me.   My head was reeling from the thought of the baby’s forming brain and pumping heart, and I was holding my breath that she would say that everything was ok.   There is nothing like seeing those little hands and feet swimming inside you.  There is no feeling like the worry you feel for your child, even before it is born.  Please be ok.  Please be healthy.

This time we decided to have the ultrasound technician write down our news on my little card and not tell us there.  I wanted to leave the room thinking of nothing but the health of my baby and I wanted us to have the space we needed to absorb the news.  Outside.  Alone.  Just the two of us.

The day of our ultrasound came too fast.  I wasn’t quite ready to know.  Part of me really wanted another boy.  I think four boys would be so incredibly fun.  It’s hard to imagine our house with anything but boys in it.  It’s just who we are as a family.  Then there’s the part of me that, admittedly, has always wanted a daughter.  I wanted to experience that difference.  I wanted my boys to know what it’s like to have a sister.  I wanted to have the same  relationship with a daughter that I have with my mother.

The funny thing about pregnancy is that in addition to all the other physical changes you are going through, you are also highly emotional.  Sometimes it’s not a good combination.  I cried on the way to the doctor’s.  I cried out of worry for my baby.  I cried for the  excitement of whatever we were told.  I cried for the loss of whatever we were not going to get this time.  I cried because I’ve been so incredibly blessed already with my three beautiful boys.

During the ultrasound we held hands.  We squeezed hands when we saw the baby flip over completely.  She said that it wouldn’t sit still for her picture.  Of course it wouldn’t.  None of my kids do.  Doug mouthed the word “boy” to me and we both smiled.

We left the hospital with our sealed envelope in hand.  We were ecstatic that the news was all good.  Everything looked great.  The baby was growing perfectly.  We are so fortunate and we do not take that lightly.

We sat in the park and looked out at the water.  I handed the envelope to Doug and said “you first”.  I looked away.  I couldn’t do it.   He was quiet and I snuck a peek at his face.  His mouth was open.  He handed the card to me and here is what it said:

comments +

  1. Heidi Richard says:

    Eeee! A girl! So exciting! 🙂 I have 2 girls and dressing a little girl is so much fun. This morning Aili got into my makeup and perfume. While she made quite the mess, I couldn’t get mad because it was so darn sweet! (And cousin Jill is watching them today so I won’t be around her lovely “I have 5 brands of perfume on smell” until later today!! 😉 Congratulations!!

  2. Amber says:

    Wonderful! This brought tears to my eyes 🙂

  3. hannah says:

    with tears in my eyes and a heart full of smiles and happiness for you – i can say that there is a very special place in this world for little girls. i am oh so glad you get to experience it 🙂

  4. Aubrey says:

    Congratulations Kate!!!! I am so excited for you and your family 😉

  5. Lynn says:

    So spectacular!!!! Amazing, life that is.. I’m so happy for you and your family.. Congrats again!!

  6. Jill says:

    That is so exciting! She is going to be quite the princess with 3 princes looking after her 🙂 Congratulations!!!
    I cannot wait for the pictures of the little one, and of her brothers’ reactions when they see her. Your work with the kiddos on this blog is breathtaking – it makes me want to hurry up and have my own just so you can take his/her pictures!!!

  7. Melissa Spencer says:

    Oh joy! I too have tears running down my face. I can just imagine the beautiful images you will be capturing a year from now…pinks and yellows, fairy wings and frilly things…I am so excited for you and can’t wait to meet her! CONGRATS!

  8. AmandaNickerson says:

    Love how you found out! Congrats again 🙂

  9. Leela Howard says:

    I am so happy for you all and my heart is filled with your news and your story. My girls are so delightful I am glad you can share in the joy of having a daughter! Blessings on her continued growth and health (and yours too!). I am so excited to meet her!

  10. Louisa says:

    Thank you for sharing this with us—-it is very touching and so sweet. My five daughters are so wonderful—really a very special bond between us. I am so happy for you and your family!

  11. Molly V says:

    Congratulations Kate! Very happy for you and your family! And I so enjoy experiencing this journey with you through your posts. Thank you for allowing us all to celebrate with you (even those of us who don’t know you). What a sweet addition she’ll be, and so lucky to have 3 older brothers 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.