This baby's half way done baking!

Yesterday I had my 20-week ultrasound. Baby Spaid is: healthy, BIG, and a BOY!!!
Praise the Lord we are having a boy! I am still in shock. I would've been happy with a little girl, too, but wow, a B-O-Y.

Most of my friends kept saying it would probably be a boy, and I felt like it might be since this pregnancy has been so different, but all that just made me think that we MUST be having a girl if I was so sure it was a boy. So even though I had some intuition about baby being a boy, I shoved it aside.

The following photo is a little blurry, but it's the money shot. Baby, I hope you forgive me for posting your business, albeit an ultrasound photo. We are just so excited to know that you're a boy.
Tyler and Maggie went with me to the appointment. When the Tech announced it was a boy, I started crying (of course), Tyler grinned but was in a general state of shock, and Maggie said "But I wanted a little sister! Hmpf!" and got a sour look on her face. For months now Maggie has said that the baby would be a girl, and that she was going to call her Annie. She also said Annie would have red hair - and I'm pretty sure Maggie's only seen the movie one time. So the fact that the baby ended up being a boy was a nasty shock to her system. After several more minutes of watching the baby on the ultrasound screen, she did soften up and was alright with having a baby brother.

The tech said the baby - we do not have any names picked out yet - was measuring quite big and changed my due date by 8 days, from March 9th to March 1st, my birthday! That would be a great birthday present. As I would like to attempt a regular birth (not a repeat c-section) I sure hope that the baby comes a little earlier and doesn't get gargantuan.

Also, the first ultrasound picture at the top was the best profile picture they printed for me. And you can't really see the side profile of the face as well as I would have liked. During the scan, the baby was hiding his little head and it was hard to get a look at, but they did one pass over his side profile and his face looked EXACTLY like Maggie's side profile pictures, little scoopy button nose and everything. It stole my heart!

Kitty Go Bye-Bye

Blitz had been acting funny the past two weeks, so I took him to the vet. He ended up having multiple problems that the vet said could not be resolved. Blitz did not get to come home with us, and took a special trip to the back room with the vet instead. Maggie was with me at the appointment, and did really well when I explained all that was going on and why Blitz would not be coming home. She did not cry when it was time to say good-bye, I on the other hand needed several tissues.

You are probably getting sick of them...

But I am not. I ventured onto the deck with Maggie to take these shots. I hope they get used to me enough that I can feed them when they stop by our yard. I love those silly turkeys!

Somebody hand me a tissue!

Dear Maggie,

In the past month you have grown up so, so much. Too much! You are starting to sound like a regular kid, not my preschooler. And now you want to do so many things on your own, without my help. Who said you may make your own PB&J, even if you know how? Or do the scooping when we made chocolate no-bakes? As much as I want to take back that knife and wrench the scooper out of your hand, I know it's time for you to stretch your independent little wings and do things on your own.

I know that doesn't mean you will start brushing your teeth voluntarily, or making your bed without being asked, but I am amazed to see how much you are growing and becoming more and more a real person, less like the baby/toddler/preschooler I have known and loved. And, soon, you will be a real big sister. I can't wait to see how much more you will grow when this new baby arrives. I've treasured all the years I've had you to myself, and though I am excited about this new little one, I am a little sad that things are going to change. But change is good, and so we move forward.

You will always be my baby, even if you won't let me call you that anymore.
Love, Mama

When Going to Other People's Houses, It's Important to Pack Light

Or, in Maggie's case, to bring every item that she thinks she can't live without for several hours. This time around she brought 4 bags of stuff that I just didn't have time to persuade her to leave at home. Although I did remind her that if she did leave any of those items at the person's house we were not driving back to get them.

There have been several instances of toys being left behind. It's not pretty. But I've stuck to my word, we do not go back to get them, and just hope that the sitter or whoever sees said toy and brings it the next time we see them!