An answer to the big question: Sugar and spice, or snips and snails??

With great anticipation, we went to a 3D/4D ultrasound place to see if we could find out the gender. This company lets grandparents etc. log on remotely and watch the ultrasound as it's happening! So, we had both sets of parents conferenced in and watching online so they could see/hear everything. My mother-in-law squealed and started crying when the tech turned on the sound for the heartbeat. (This is my in-laws' first grandbaby, and they've been wanting one for a LOOOOONG time!)

And, most importantly, we found out... that we're having......




a.......





BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Funny, I had been so sure at first we were having a girl... but in the last couple of weeks I started thinking maybe it was a boy. Now that we know, I'm SO EXCITED to have a boy first!! We definitely want a girl too, in whatever way that needs to happen, but it's so precious to have a son to carry on J's family name. I'm already envisioning how he's going to look at two or three... I hope just like my J. at that age, with blond hair, blue eyes, and a cute little sailor suit!

I have an OB appointment next Monday (mainly to make sure my blood pressure is normal), and after that, I won't have the "big" anatomy scan until Dec. 23. My parents will be in town for that... not sure if it'll be boring or fun for them to see each of baby's organs, but I'm glad they'll be there!

I think we already have a name for our son... J. and I have been brainstorming ever since finding out... but I keep wondering, what if the ultrasound tech was mistaking part of the umbilical cord for boy parts??! I think we'll wait until the official anatomy scan before making any big announcements regarding his name!

I just realized something as I was re-reading this post. Apparently, I fully expect our baby to be alive at our 21-week ultrasound! This will be the very first ultrasound that I haven't feared and expected the worst to have happened! So very thankful for God restoring hope in this broken heart o' mine.  


I'm not too impressed with the photos we got from the ultrasound, because our baby boy was snuggled face down for most of it. Here are a couple of them, including one 4D one that shows his precious, bony li'l body... you can see every tiny rib! (as for the first one, yes, he does in fact have a nose... we've seen it clearly... not sure why this shot makes his face look completely flat!)