It's a Boy!

Yesterday, we went for our 20 week ultrasound although we were technically only 19 weeks. I had been talking to Ella about the doctor visit for quite a while in order to help her understand what would happen and what it meant. In fact, we were on our way to mom's house yesterday morning before school when she asked me to tell her the story about "the belly and the jelly". I thought this was cute and proceeded to tell her what would happen and how she would see the baby on the tv. She replied by telling me she wanted to "hug or kiss the tv". She really does seem to be very excited about the thought of a baby and being a big sister. She tells me all the time about all the things she is going to do to help mommy and daddy with the new baby. The only time she has gotten a little "iffy" about the new baby is when we talked to her for the first time about sharing her room.

Being pregnant for the second time is so bitter-sweet (if that's the best way to put it). I am tremendously excited about having another baby, loving another child, and completing our family, but at the same time my world has been centered around Ella for 2 and a half years now. Of course I'm hormonal, but I continue to have weekly breakdowns about feeling guilty. This guilt mainly stems from the idea that Ella is the baby and she is our world and in just a few months she will have to share all of this with someone she does not know. Crazy... yes... normal... I hear so. Mom tells me that it took me a while to get used to the idea of my baby brother, but I am so very thankful to have him! We were so close and had so much in common, so I just pray that this will be the same for Ella and her baby brother.

So, back to the ultrasound! I thought that through these conversations with Ella about the visit and the baby that she was beginning to understand a little more about how we would find out if it was going to be a brother or sister, how it had to grow in my belly, and that we would only get to see the baby through a tv. However, after leaving the ultrasound room she began to cry (partly from being exhausted) and for the fact that we did not get to keep the baby. Sad, but sweet that she already loves him so much! Her favorite part of the visit was getting to hear the hearbeat. I plan to take her to the next visit and hopefully I can record the heartbeat for her to play when she wants.

The results... if you haven't already guessed.... it's a boy! We are tickled to death and still deciding on a name. I will post the verdict once it's final and post pictures of the nursery as we embark on the task of taking down "princess world" and making it suitable for a princess and a prince!

"The Belly and the Jelly"

Ella and Daddy waiting :)