We had our 20-week ultrasound today. We got there a bit early and were shown in right away. The appointment was the quickest ever. Our tech was very friendly and also a pro. She not only went fast; but took some great shots and got us out of there ten minutes after our appointment was supposed to begin.
Within a minute or so of squirting the cool gel on my belly, our super-cool ultrasound tech asked if we wanted to know the baby’s sex. “Of course,” we replied. And almost immediately we had our answer. What a rush. He wasn’t shy at all, did lots of posing for the camera. I’m guessing he’s going to take after big sister Bella.
His name is Benedict Joseph and I’m in love. Feeling him flutter about after dinner tonight somehow felt different. Now I know his name. (Benedict is my dad’s middle name, by the way, so it’s a double tribute to my father and the Holy Father.)
Tonight it was so sweet to hear Bella say, “God bless baby Benedict,” for the very first time. (She had no trouble with pronouncing his name since she’s been praying for Pope Benedict every night for a long time now.)
I’m a little nervous, I must confess. It will take some time for me to switch gears and get used to thinking “boy.” I feel like I’ve got girls down; but I don’t know about boys and now there are many other things to think about. Now I’ve just got to get some boy clothes. And I guess I can start packing away all the pink frilly things Sophie’s grown out of. And now I can start planning out a baby quilt for a little boy. Maybe those pinwheels will find a home after all.
Hm! You have got me thinking. Cherub is an early waker (5.30 to 6.15) if she naps – and not much later if she doesn’t. I am an owl and find it hard to go to sleep earlier, and the early wakings leave me tired and grouchy. I fight them. Cherub will play in her room for a bit, but not long enough for me, and I give in to the temptation to use the TV as a babysitter just to stay in bed, half-dozing, for longer. Maybe I should stop fighting and embrace the early mornings … I would be much more present to my older two before they head off to school if I was already up, showered and dressed when they wake. I could even get some quiet(ish) prayer time while Cherub plays. Eek.
Oh I’m an owl too and it’s so hard not to fight. I want to linger in bed as long as possible. I mostly wrote this post to remind myself that when I do get up it does have benefits.
I do have a slight edge in that even not fighting means I get to lounge in bed while Sophie does her early morning nursing. I’m really reluctant to drop that feeding because it would mean I’d have to get right up to supervise breakfast. As it is, Dom changes both girls diapers when they wake and the he lays out Bella’s breakfast while I nurse Sophie.
And of course I’m only so sanguine now because I’m past the 1st trimester exhaustion and nausea and haven’t hit the 3rd trimester sleepies. Oh I am so not a good riser.