Oh Baby!

Oh gosh.  Did I have a little girl crying like a baby yesterday.  Everyone else took it well, but my sweet little girl, who didn't get the sister of her dreams?  Not so well.  It did not go as planned. : (

I had picked up Ethan and his friend from preschool, and after I dropped off Andrew, I told Ethan about our Boy News.  He still thought it was a girl, so I had to explain that it was indeed a boy!  He was all excited, and I drove home.  Right before we got home, Andrew's mom called to tell me Andrew's bag was still in my car...and then we pulled in the driveway.  There were the big kids off the bus.  And what did Ethan do?

He rolled down his window, leaned out his head, and yelled, "It's a Boy Baby!"  Of course, I had to get off the phone to field the disaster I'd started. : (  Mary Claire ran in the house crying, and Clay plugged his ears.  He'd told me that he wanted Me to tell him after school, and Mary Claire?  Mad.  Sad.  Annoyed.  Extremely disappointed. : (

I knew I should've waited to tell them all at once.  I was mad at myself.  I ran in-and Clay was fine.  He just wanted to hear it from me.  But Mary Claire was on the loveseat crying her eyes out.  I had to sit and love on her for a while.  She just doesn't understand why she can't have a sister.  I told her that she kept praying for a sweet girl just like her, and that God can't make two girls just alike-she's an individual!  She'll be special, and still be my only little girl.  Nothing seemed to help, but then she asked in a wee voice if she could have some baby blue ice cream.  (This would be Braum's birthday cake ice cream with chunks of real birthday cake and blue frosting.)  Umm..could I say no?

We had to take some girl clothes back anyway, and sooner was better than later, so we all went for ice cream, then back to Carters.  We did some exchanging (and the boys did some chasing in the store..), a restroom visit, and we were on our way.  Here are some of the outfits we got:

Clay picked this one out. ; )

Mary Claire chose this one...she has a thing for tigers!  I can't imagine the bright orange, but she REALLY wanted it, and gave me the sad puppy dog eyes.  Guilt bought this one.

Obviously we have a thing for the little pictures on the bottoms.  I guess they are either on their tummies, or all hunched over your shoulder when you burp them, so you have something cute to look at. : )

We asked Mary Claire if this was offensive before we bought it, but she said no. : )

Today is a new day, and I think the dust has cleared.  Now the big dilemma is the baby's name (the boys voted Zachary, and Mary Claire insists on Maximilian).  I can't decide.  I prefer Carter, but Ches doesn't like it.  (could it be Carters having an impact on my pregnant brain?)

Here are a couple of bad pictures from my ultrasound (If you use a flash, there is a glare.  If you don't, it's blurry!):

This is our undebatable boy picture.  No Doubt.  (It's a picture looking from below, and his legs are pointing to the left, and up to the right, with his boy parts in the middle.)

This is a profile-with his hand by his face, and the white by his chin is the left elbow kind of at a distance.  He kept moving, so we couldn't get a perfect one!!

Life does move on, and now Mary Claire is already thinking about her next birthday (and showing her new brother to her friends!).  I think the ice cream/shopping combo works really well!  (I've always had great success with it myself.)  ; )

And..I got Denise's towels done! : )  Here is a picture:

I did the white with pale colors first, but then..needed some lime and red (and it photographs so much better!) ; )

Today I'm just thankful.  Thankful for floors to clean, crumbs to clean up, carpets to vacuum, and laundry to wash.  Thankful for more movement today.  Thankful for our friends' and families' prayers.  Thankful for another pregnant day.  God bless you where you are today. : )