Frogs and Snails!

The minute the doctor walked into the ultrasound room and placed that little wand on my belly he exclaimed, "Wow, your baby is very photogenic!" For the following twenty-five minutes, Baby M showed off like a champ. Rolling, twisting, punching and kicking. Curling its little legs up into it's chest and then rocketing off the side of my ute. It was the cutest display of amniotic aerobics I've ever seen. Hubs hadn't seen an ultrasound of the baby since it was a mere 8 weeks old- and I found myself staring more at his face- the awe and excitement in his big blue eyes, the effortless smile that stretched across his face from ear to ear as he watched this baby, that he and I created out of the purest love, roll around inside of me- and less at the ultrasound screen.


While performing the ultrasound, the tech had asked me if I had been having any baby dreams lately. And truth be told, I had my FIRST one only two nights before. I began to share...


The night before the gender determination ultrasound, I go into labor and deliver a perfectly healthy, perfectly full term baby. Everything goes quite smoothly, so smoothly in fact, the doctors and nurses whisk the baby away for what seems like two days. I was so excited that I barely even notice and suddenly remember that I forgot to ask whether we had a boy or a girl! I quickly turn to Mike, asking him, "Honey! Well?! What was it?!" And he turns to me and says, "Oh, don't worry! I took care of it all. We had a baby boy and I even named him too!" Say what!? He proceeded to tell me that he named our baby boy Ian. A name that neither of us have ever discussed, have never even mentioned. So, in my dream I shrug my shoulders and then have a momentary freak out that I had forgotten to call out sick from work that day, since I had given birth and all. Baby boy Ian. Hmm.


The ultrasound tech starts laughing. She says, "I stand by that old tale. For 18 years it has never steered me wrong. Are you ready to know what you're having?" And with that, she had me roll onto my right side to shift Baby M's hiney into the air. The perfect money shot.


Without further a do, we are pleased to introduce BABY BOY M!!

What are little boys made of?
Frogs and snails
And puppy-dogs' tails!

As the doctor quickly pointed, clicked and measured, I felt my heart swell with so many different emotions. Excitement. Anticipation. Unconditional love. Peace. We will never forget the day we drove 6 miles down the road, come heck or high water (or 8 inches of freshly fallen powder and blizzard-like conditions) to find out that Baby M is not only a bouncing baby boy, but also that he is healthy. Growing like a champ and measuring almost two weeks ahead of schedule. Nothing short of just absolutely amazing... Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments, thoughts and prayers. Throughout the day yesterday, as my phone buzzed and dinged with each new comment, I couldn't feel any more blessed.