snips and snails, and puppy dog tails

Yep, I am soon to be really outnumbered! Boy #3 will be here in June. I wasn't scheduled for a sonogram until mid January, but I had a check up on Tuesday before Christmas. I decided ahead of time that I would ask my doctor for a sonogram. What did I have to lose, anyway? The conversation went something like this:

Me: "Dr. Robert, do you think, since we are all in the Christmas spirit, that you could, (motioning over to the ultrasound machine), well, take a peek, and see if we can tell if this is a boy or girl??? (looking pathetic)."

Dr: "Uhm, sure! Okay, I guess. I mean, you're only 16 weeks. (laughing). Have you been planning this conversation to convince me?"

Me: "uhm. yes! Will you really try???"

Dr. "Liz, (grinning) I am only doing this because it's you. And I like you. I can't believe I'm going to agree to this. "

Me: (SQUEALING WITH DELIGHT)

Dr. "Okay, Okay, but we might not be able to tell. Don't get your hopes up. And, I am only doing this because I like you."

Me: "okay!!! We found out with Jackson at 15 weeks, so I think we will be able to tell. But I won't get my hopes up. And I'll wait all day long if you are behind with your patients."

Dr. "Alright, let me see two more patients and I'll come back and try. But, I may have to do a transvaginal ultrasound since you are so early - don't know if we will be able to tell if I just do the one on your belly"

Me: "I don't care if you have to stick it in my ear. I'm so excited."

So, at this point she left, and I tried to read a magazine for 10 minutes, and couldn't get through one sentence. I started thinking about finding out, and telling Colin when I got home. I prayed again that I would be happy either way - and that I could be thankful for whatever God had planned.
When she came back, she decided to try the sonogram on my belly first - she got the wand out and the very second she touched my belly, there he was, spread eagle, showing off his stuff. I screamed, "Oh. My. Goodness. It's a penis." And we both started laughing. She said, well, Liz, I think you're right, let's look from another angle. sure enough, there it was again, clear as day. She was so funny and kept saying, "There's a really big penis, and it's NO DOUBT a boy."
I instantly felt relief to know. and disbelief. and joy.
I couldn't wait to get home and tell Colin. He and I just laughed and laughed. He was convinced that it was a girl, and after I told him, he asked, "Are you 100% sure?" And I said, "Oh yeah, I'm sure, and if it's a girl, we have big problems!"
I know that I would love a little girl one day. And this is why. I don't really care about the bows and pink dresses (I mean, they're cute, and that would be fun, but by the third kid in three years, their outfits really aren't my priority). What I look forward to is having the relationship with a daughter - especially later. I am afraid that all of my dear sweet boys are going to grow up and leave me. And they will marry some girl who wants to spend all of her time with her family (highly likely), and I'll never see my son or grandkids. I hope that if we have a girl one day she will take care of me when I am old and gray. And even before that, I can help plan parties, and showers, and teas, and a wedding. And I can help her when she comes home from the hospital with her first baby. You get the picture...
So, as my sweet friend Rebekah recommended, I should just start praying now for wonderful daughter in laws. And I am praying for lots of grandkids.
Colin and I both want a big family, and we both feel it is what we are called to do. And a big part of it, is so we can have alot of grandkids, and holidays (or any regular old days) can be spent with a full house.
God must have a plan for us with these three little boys. And I can't wait to meet this little guy. My prayers are that he is healthy. And that he is calm. And doesn't have reflux. Oh, to not have to clean up spit up several times every hour. And that he won't have colic.
It's hard for me to believe that he will be different from Jackson or Cooper. Will he look completely different, too? Jackson and Cooper look nothing alike now - brown hair and green eyes vs. blond hair and blue eyes. Plus, they're personalities are COMPLETELY different from one another.
We're so excited to meet this little boy, and thankful that God has blessed us with another child. Even though I get frustrated everyday with the boys, and most days I raise my voice many times, I also feel grateful everyday that we have them. There is no greater gift.
Enough of my rambling, I know that this is way too many words, and not enough pictures.