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This baby

Yesterday morning, before my big ultrasound appointment, I sat on my bed and prayed all would be well. I could feel the baby kicking and squirming, very much alive. But my fears took over until I trembled. The baby was alive, but was he/she healthy? Everything that can possibly go wrong in utero scrolled through my mind like a slideshow. It was consuming me and I needed to calm down.

As I poured out my heart and laid my fears down, I began to feel a sense of peace flood around me. Suddenly, I was seized by stark truth—what I was imagining and fearing wasn’t based in fact. Not even close. How dare I foist the worst onto my shoulders when I’m so wildly blessed? The reality and truth of this moment, this time, this baby, is that I am privileged. I am his/her protector, carrier, the person who gets to tap back love letters when kicked in the middle of the night.

This baby I love. No matter what.

The ultrasound went well. The baby was hands-on, playing with feet and face but making some of the anatomy views difficult. The mesh in my lower abdomen creates a shadow-effect, further blocking a perfect view. I have to go back in two weeks to try to see more, but for now baby looks perfectly healthy and growing right on target.

And yes, we found out if baby is a boy or a girl.

With Teddy, we told the kids via pizza.

This time, we had the idea to fill black helium balloons with either blue or pink confetti. The kids would each get to pop a balloon and find themselves showered with the news. But the party store said it was against policy because it’s “hazardous.” Other ideas were solicited, including a water balloon fight with colored water. We almost went that direction until we thought of having a little pinata party.

I filled it yesterday afternoon with colorfully-wrapped candies, fruit snacks, and little toys all meant to reveal boy or girl in an obvious, admittedly-stereotypical way.

The star of the show

Beatrix demonstrates her pinata-destroying stance

Teddy had first whack as the youngest big brother

Tommy came close to cracking the case, literally

Sam's last hit helped one piece of telltale candy escape. See it?

Shattered and bleeding...blue!

Joel's haul of blue boyish bits

Baby Dude stuff

Excess candy harvested

Blue silly string is silly

Dancing on the ceiling

It wouldn't be a proper party without cupcakes

Yum!

Baby brothers are #1

We are proud to announce we are having our seventh son!

I’m the one who announced it in the ultrasound room. The tech hovered over the thighs and bottom. I said, “it’s a boy!” because he was making it obvious. There is no doubt. And then I laughed because wow. Just wow.

I was a little worried about Beatrix, who has been telling me for weeks she wants to be a big sister to a little sister. I was prepared with a speech about how special it is to be one of two girls—and our baby girl—but it wasn’t necessary. She took the news with a sunny smile, just happy there’s a baby on the way.

Now it’s time to start thinking of a name for Mr. Baby.

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