Buying blue balloons

We're going to have a son!

We waited all day long for our 3:30 pm appointment.  The last hour of waiting was particularly excruciating.  The girls were resting, so Chris and I tried to kill time with electronics.  Such a lame idea. I finally said "It's 3:10!  We can get the girls up!"  We took a quick video interview.  Both girls asserted the baby was a boy.  Hallie in particular has been claiming girl hard, so we're pleasantly surprised.  We dropped them off at Ann's house and headed to the appointment.  Chris and I kept commenting "We can't believe we don't know now but we'll leave the doctor's office in minutes and know!" 

I thought the hour wait at home was hard.  Twelve minutes in the waiting room was way harder.  Then we get called back to the ultrasound room.  Those first five minutes of the ultrasound were crazy.  I am thrilled for every measurement that is on track.  I keep saying "great" to the tech when she says "looks good!"  Meanwhile, in my head, I am saying "Oh my gosh, it's gonna be another girl.  That will be great - I will totally cry.  But I really would love a boy.  It still could be a boy!  Oh, I'll cry if she says boy.  But it's okay if it's a girl too."  Several times I think I see what looks like a girl.  Oh my gosh we're having another girl.  Meanwhile, Chris is as the foot of my bed, lovingly rubbing my ankle.  Normally, I hate being rubbed (I'm a "hugger" who hates the touch of rubbing - go figure).  But this time, his touch is perfect.  I am so happy to have him here.  I am so happy we get to experience this together.  Even though this is our third time doing this, we are still just so impressed by the novelty of it.  We just can't believe this is our baby.  We can't believe this is our third baby. 

Chris comments "no matter how many times you see this, it never gets old."  He was so sweet to the tech.  He kept thanking her and said "you do this all day everyday . . . you might be used to it but it is sooo special to us.  Thank you so much."  I know.  He is so cute.  Finally the tech says "Well, the hands are down there . . . that's always a sign."  I had never heard that in an ultrasound before. It was only seconds until she said "Oh yeah, it's a boy."  I immediately grabbed my mouth and just yelped with joy.  Chris literally cheered out loud (kind of a woo-hoo/laugh mix).  My cheeks and ears were warm with wet tears.  We are so lucky.  We get to have both.  We get to have a son!

The doctor comes in and tells us seriously "I have two girls and a boy.  My boy is my third.  You just need to know . . . boys run around in circles for no reasons."  Chris and I nod our head solemnly.  We are simultaneously frightened and free!

On our way home we buy "It's a Boy!" balloons for our girls.  We pick them up at Ann's and bring them home to surprise them.  I prep the girls - Daddy will bring in balloons.  Blue means boy.  Pink means girl.  Daddy enters - they see no colors.  They just see balloons.  They are thrilled for balloons. We have to coach them "What color is it?" "What does blue mean?"  They finally grasp "baby brother."  They're thrilled for that too.

And boy ever are we!