We are having a......

I remember my first ultrasound.....8 years ago.  Bryan and I sat together watching our baby for the first time through a small black and white TV screen.  He moved and kicked and even tried to suck his thumb.  The technician turned to us and asked if we wanted to know the sex.  "no", we replied.  We wanted to be surprised.  And, we were surprised.  We brought home our little boy and expanded our life to fit three.

Three soon became four with Owen.  This time when the technician asked if we wanted to know the sex, we weren't up for surprises.  "It's a boy" she said.  And then, four became five and we had Eli.   Again, no surprises for us and were so excited to add another boy to the family.

Baby number 4.  As I walked into the ultrasound room my heart started beating fast.  I couldn't wait to see that little baby that I have felt kicking the past few days.  Early in the morning, if I lay really still I can feel those little kicks.  And, yesterday morning I called Gabe and Owen into lay with me.  They each put their little hand on my belly and felt their sibling for the first time.  Each little kick produced a scream of delight.  "Did you feel that, mom"?  "I felt it, I felt it, they screamed".  We had so much playing playing with that baby for the first time.

Now, I was going to get to see that little one.  I watched the TV screen with the same amazement I had the first time I saw Gabriel.  Being able to even see those little fingers and toes is truly a miracle.  And, did we want to know the sex?.....Yes!  In fact, I told the technician that I wouldn't leave until we knew.  I wanted to know more then anything in this world.

She let us guess.   She brought up the picture so we could have a closer look.  We were both very hesitant to guess.  We just let her tell us.

"It's a girl" she said.  A girl?  My heart beat even faster.  I squinted to look closer at the TV screen.  A little girl?  Pink dresses, pony tails, baby dolls, and princesses passed through my head.  This is not what I had expected.  I looked at Bryan and he smiled at me.  A little girl to add to our family.  I was beyond ecstatic.

I looked back up at the screen.  I said to my little girl.  "Well, little miss you have three older brothers waiting for you".   And, my heart just grew with more love then I could have ever imagined.  We had to hurry home to tell everyone. 

The boys were jumping up and down screaming to know.  We teased them for a little while.  Holding our secret just a few more seconds before we told them.  Gabriel and Owen had been saying all day that they wanted a sister.  They couldn't wait any longer. We told them they were having a sister "A sister?"  They screamed "A sister?".  They jumped up and down in the backseat of the car they were so excited. Then, they ran out of the car to tell all their friends.  We could hear them screaming all the way down the street. 

We couldn't wait to tell the rest of the family.   You see, this boy tradition is long standing in Bryan's family.  Bryan's grandparents had three boys.  Bryan grew up in a family of three boys.  And all three of those boys had boys.  Bryan's parents have 7 grandsons....until now.  Now, they have a little girl.  I'm not quite sure they believed it and they were so excited.

Baby Dahl welcome to this family.  Welcome to this family of boys.  You will be cherished and loved.  We were so happy to see you today and learn a little about you and we can hardly wait 5 more months to meet you.  We love you!