It's a...

After much deliberation, we finally decided to find out the gender of our growing baby. There were three main reasons:
1) Decorating and stocking the new nursery
2) Mentally preparing everyone (Noah included) for the newest family member
3) Another 21 weeks just felt way too long to wait.

Which means, we now know that it is...

a...

BOY! We had our 19-week ultrasound Friday and saw the evidence, attached to a healthy 10-ounce baby boy. It was very exciting.

I just love ultrasounds. Since I can't meet the little guy for another 4.5 months, at least I got to see him squirming, yawning, and sucking on his fingers.

I also get to feel him move now, and I love that, too. Last pregnancy, I didn't know I had felt Noah move until we were at least 22 weeks. This time, even Josh could feel the movement by 18 weeks. I also recognize the braxton hicks contractions that will follow me till July: painless but startling in their clarity...All signs that we're comfortably in the 2nd trimester, and it is such a joy.