THe 17 wk sonogram reveals sweet girl, Ivye Elise, will be joining our family in November!! I find it hard to believe I'm already far enough along to find out what this wee one is. It seems like I should still be around the 10-13 wk mark. But I am now 17 wks along and my midwife opted that instead of waiting until my next appt at 23 wks we would go ahead and do the u/s now. I was excited but not anxious and counting down the days and hours like I have been with all of the others before this one. I suppose I know my body well enough now that I pretty much trust it and just pretty much knew this is indeed a girl. Admittedly, I was hoping for another little boy. I don't think one can ever fully understand the absolute fulfillment and contentment that comes from watching the little ones play together. I love their rough and rowdy ways and I just love raising boys.....but so far most of my experience has been a little overwhelmed with mostly boys, I suppose. I think I didn't even feel anxious today since it was the 1st time ever I went in and truly looked forward to whatever gender it revealed. We would all.....ok, well, most of all of us......would gladly and excitedly embrace another little girl after 6 entire years since the last one but another little boy would be welcomed with tons of open arms into a world of playmates, cousins and friends all very close to his age. So.....there wasn't exactly the feeling of waiting with baited breath.....but a feeling of absolute peace and excitement over whatever the day revealed.
Since the sono appt had been scheduled for Wed Brad came into town for both the appt and the sono. But after we found out they couldn't do it on Wed it was changed to today. Brad had to come and go all in one day so he missed the sono. Really disappointed about that and not being able to imagine finding out without him there I decided just to take all of the children with me. The plan had been for Mother to go and find out with us but her orientation was changed from Wed to today. She was there for the 1st one I had at 11 wks but we were all still disappointed about today. But instead Madison, my 14 yr old niece, joined the children and I and was there to hold Gavin and watch Garrett while the u/s was done. So.........in we all went, all 9 of us. I couldn't help but feeling like we looked a little too reminiscent of the Duggar's as we all filed in to the waiting room and then all filed into the little sono room. The children were excellent and got the attention of the entire dr's office. By the end of it they had the receptionist, dr's and nurses all talking to them and asking questions. We all sat quietly talking and laughing as we waited. Finally we were called back and the children all gathered around to watch and see what secrets the screen held. Baby's little head was perfect and her profile looked a bit like each and every sibling she already has. Aubrey stood by saying determinedly and non stop, "I want a girl in there. Hey, dr.....I want a girl to be in there. I want a girl baby to be in there." When he finally made his way to gender prediction he announced "And..........it's a girl!" Evye sucked in her breath sharply out of sheer joy and Aubrey just exclaimed over and over that it IS a girl baby and that it IS Baby Ivye. I thought Grayson was going to cry. He bit his lip in an effort to hide his disappointment...which, of course, led to a long heartfelt talk all the way home. Garrison and Grant remained pretty quiet in the excitement of it all and I really didn't think much about it. Garrett drew near to the sono machine to get a better look at both baby and buttons and knobs. They all saw her heart beating and all saw her move, kick and stretch. After measurements were taken and a good overall look at her was done to make sure all things were in place all too soon it was over. She measured ahead at a full 18 wks when technically I should be 17 wks tomorrow. It estimated my due date around Nov 10th. Jean has it down as the 16th and I came up with the 15th. I know very well the day I got pregnant so I am still counting on the 15th since I know she is definitely not due any earlier. My guess is the 20th since I typically go right at 5 days over. As we all got up to leave Garrison asked to see the boy baby. I bent down and showed him the one pic of her profile we got and explained that it was a girl baby and there is no boy baby in there. He pointed to the top of the pic above her head and said repeatedly, "Noooooo............the boy baby's up here. See.....the boy baby's way up here." I gave up trying to explain right then and there and we all went to leave. The funniest reaction came from Grant...and a very unexpected one it was. As I walked out the door to make our way to the receptionist desk Grant was left behind and just started to wail. I turned back to him asking what in the world was wrong. He sobbed brokenheartedly looking at the tech, "But I want a boy baby!!!!" The tech laughed and so did I. I made the mistake of thinking he was still way too young to care or even remotely understand what his Grayson induced desires meant. But he understood all too well what had just taken place. Not exactly knowing what to say to comfort him I knelt down to him and told him too that God had given us a baby girl that he could hold and love and play with. He continued to sob and then tell the tech his woes. The tech laughed and said, "Sorry, buddy. Wish I could help you there." I told him maybe we'd have another boy baby next year and then told him to tell the tech we'd see him in a year. The tech laughed and told Grant he'd see him next year and that he's rooting for him. The receptionist was once again amazed at how quiet they had been the whole time and how well behaved they all were. They each got a piece of candy and she asked which side had "won". As everyone seems to say these days...."Well, it's a good thing!!! Y'all definitely need another one." But then I'd still be happy with 10 more boys. People don't seem to get that. Oh well. Evye beamed and glowed like it was Christmas and Grayson looked like somebody had just shot the dog.
Once in the van the vote was a unanimous one when the topic of her name was brought up. Up to this point we knew she would either be Ivye Elise or Lillye Katherine. and Baby Ivye she quickly became....and pretty much always has been.
I had agreed not to tell Brad until we got home. The deal was to show him the gender pic and let him see for himself. But seeing as how we walked out with only her profile pic that plan was kind of ruined. So...it was either wait 2 whole days just to tell him what we could say right now or just go ahead and spill the beans. I held it for an hour but then thought it was too funny the reactions to it that the boys had. I knew he'd get a good laugh out of it so I told the story of Garrison's adamency about there being a boy baby on top and then Grant's melt down over the results. We both had a good laugh over it.
So it is that we will bring a little girl into the family after years of tons of little boys. By the time she arrives it will have been almost 6 yrs since the birth of the youngest little girl. Aubrey will be 4 months shy of 6 and Mercy will be only 3 months shy of 7. And between Jackie and I there have been 7 little boys that have come since then. I think it's safe to say she'll be holding her own. I hope she'll have the relationship with her brothers that Scott and I still have to this day. And I hope that she'll grow up looking up to Evye and Aubrey, growing with them, so that oneday when the time comes they'll all be raising their children together and have friendships in each other like Jackie and I do. I hope that all of their own children as cousins will be like siblings, as Jackie's and mine have grown to be.
When Mother, Jackie and I took all 16 children swimming yesterday we laughed the rest of the day and all of today about the comedy of it. The children so filled up the bed of Mother's truck that it was overflowing with kids and overran into Jackie's van and the inside of Mother's truck. There were kids packed into the bed of the truck, hanging out the windows and sitting in our laps as we drove to the pool. When we arrived and everybody eventually congregated to the kiddie pool at one point it was so filled with kids that it looked like the entire community had gone swimming all at the same time. Our 16 kids alone so filled up the huge rectangle kiddie pool that it was bursting at the seams with laughing, playful, entirely wound up children that were having the time of their lives.
We did manage to scare one mom with her 3 kids off, I think by sheer mass of people. I felt bad for her 3 children, 2 of whom were 3 yr old twin girls, since they were loving the fun of all of our kids being there. The other 2 families that were left were amazed by the children, how polite they all were, how easily they all played together and how incredibly well mannered the whole group was...despite the fact there were so many. In fact, they fessed up that they stayed just to watch us for awhile. Jackie headed over to talk to them in an effort to let them know we were not there to run them off, that we were not running a daycare, that these were all of our children and if they bothered them in any way to let us know. They were so impressed by the group of them and the older ones they had gotten to talk to that they invited us back anytime to swim with them even when Mother was not available to swim with us. It was incredible and humbling once again to feel like I fall so short sometimes as a parent and then to turn around and be told on numerous occasions on this trip how absolutely incredible the children are. After so many months of not wanting to return to this area due to how negatively large families are looked upon and how very unforgiving the comments usually are, compared to small town west TX, I was encouraged and uplifed this entire trip. Maybe it's because the children are getting older and they do behave incredibly well most of the time or maybe it's just because I have become accustomed to dealing with it all...from good to bad to just nuetral bystander comments.
It makes me excited. I journal these types of days and events because they encourage me on the bad days. I can read back through and know that what I do and what Jackie does and what I try to instill into my own little bunch is not for naught. It is indeed sowing seeds..some of which are just now starting to sprout..some of which are now being fully reaped. And I know that on the days when it is a seemingly constant battle of continually having to redirect and/or correct attitudes that it is very evident in the long run. And it is not me and it is not Brad raising these children but the Lord who gives us the wisdom, strength, grace and mercy to continue doing this despite our many, very mortal faults. I stand in awe. And I am amazed that we have been given yet another little life to raise into one of God's mighty warriors for His Kingdom and that we have been given the chance yet again to know the absolute joy and all consuming love of yet another baby.....sweet Ivye.
Since the sono appt had been scheduled for Wed Brad came into town for both the appt and the sono. But after we found out they couldn't do it on Wed it was changed to today. Brad had to come and go all in one day so he missed the sono. Really disappointed about that and not being able to imagine finding out without him there I decided just to take all of the children with me. The plan had been for Mother to go and find out with us but her orientation was changed from Wed to today. She was there for the 1st one I had at 11 wks but we were all still disappointed about today. But instead Madison, my 14 yr old niece, joined the children and I and was there to hold Gavin and watch Garrett while the u/s was done. So.........in we all went, all 9 of us. I couldn't help but feeling like we looked a little too reminiscent of the Duggar's as we all filed in to the waiting room and then all filed into the little sono room. The children were excellent and got the attention of the entire dr's office. By the end of it they had the receptionist, dr's and nurses all talking to them and asking questions. We all sat quietly talking and laughing as we waited. Finally we were called back and the children all gathered around to watch and see what secrets the screen held. Baby's little head was perfect and her profile looked a bit like each and every sibling she already has. Aubrey stood by saying determinedly and non stop, "I want a girl in there. Hey, dr.....I want a girl to be in there. I want a girl baby to be in there." When he finally made his way to gender prediction he announced "And..........it's a girl!" Evye sucked in her breath sharply out of sheer joy and Aubrey just exclaimed over and over that it IS a girl baby and that it IS Baby Ivye. I thought Grayson was going to cry. He bit his lip in an effort to hide his disappointment...which, of course, led to a long heartfelt talk all the way home. Garrison and Grant remained pretty quiet in the excitement of it all and I really didn't think much about it. Garrett drew near to the sono machine to get a better look at both baby and buttons and knobs. They all saw her heart beating and all saw her move, kick and stretch. After measurements were taken and a good overall look at her was done to make sure all things were in place all too soon it was over. She measured ahead at a full 18 wks when technically I should be 17 wks tomorrow. It estimated my due date around Nov 10th. Jean has it down as the 16th and I came up with the 15th. I know very well the day I got pregnant so I am still counting on the 15th since I know she is definitely not due any earlier. My guess is the 20th since I typically go right at 5 days over. As we all got up to leave Garrison asked to see the boy baby. I bent down and showed him the one pic of her profile we got and explained that it was a girl baby and there is no boy baby in there. He pointed to the top of the pic above her head and said repeatedly, "Noooooo............the boy baby's up here. See.....the boy baby's way up here." I gave up trying to explain right then and there and we all went to leave. The funniest reaction came from Grant...and a very unexpected one it was. As I walked out the door to make our way to the receptionist desk Grant was left behind and just started to wail. I turned back to him asking what in the world was wrong. He sobbed brokenheartedly looking at the tech, "But I want a boy baby!!!!" The tech laughed and so did I. I made the mistake of thinking he was still way too young to care or even remotely understand what his Grayson induced desires meant. But he understood all too well what had just taken place. Not exactly knowing what to say to comfort him I knelt down to him and told him too that God had given us a baby girl that he could hold and love and play with. He continued to sob and then tell the tech his woes. The tech laughed and said, "Sorry, buddy. Wish I could help you there." I told him maybe we'd have another boy baby next year and then told him to tell the tech we'd see him in a year. The tech laughed and told Grant he'd see him next year and that he's rooting for him. The receptionist was once again amazed at how quiet they had been the whole time and how well behaved they all were. They each got a piece of candy and she asked which side had "won". As everyone seems to say these days...."Well, it's a good thing!!! Y'all definitely need another one." But then I'd still be happy with 10 more boys. People don't seem to get that. Oh well. Evye beamed and glowed like it was Christmas and Grayson looked like somebody had just shot the dog.
Once in the van the vote was a unanimous one when the topic of her name was brought up. Up to this point we knew she would either be Ivye Elise or Lillye Katherine. and Baby Ivye she quickly became....and pretty much always has been.
I had agreed not to tell Brad until we got home. The deal was to show him the gender pic and let him see for himself. But seeing as how we walked out with only her profile pic that plan was kind of ruined. So...it was either wait 2 whole days just to tell him what we could say right now or just go ahead and spill the beans. I held it for an hour but then thought it was too funny the reactions to it that the boys had. I knew he'd get a good laugh out of it so I told the story of Garrison's adamency about there being a boy baby on top and then Grant's melt down over the results. We both had a good laugh over it.
So it is that we will bring a little girl into the family after years of tons of little boys. By the time she arrives it will have been almost 6 yrs since the birth of the youngest little girl. Aubrey will be 4 months shy of 6 and Mercy will be only 3 months shy of 7. And between Jackie and I there have been 7 little boys that have come since then. I think it's safe to say she'll be holding her own. I hope she'll have the relationship with her brothers that Scott and I still have to this day. And I hope that she'll grow up looking up to Evye and Aubrey, growing with them, so that oneday when the time comes they'll all be raising their children together and have friendships in each other like Jackie and I do. I hope that all of their own children as cousins will be like siblings, as Jackie's and mine have grown to be.
When Mother, Jackie and I took all 16 children swimming yesterday we laughed the rest of the day and all of today about the comedy of it. The children so filled up the bed of Mother's truck that it was overflowing with kids and overran into Jackie's van and the inside of Mother's truck. There were kids packed into the bed of the truck, hanging out the windows and sitting in our laps as we drove to the pool. When we arrived and everybody eventually congregated to the kiddie pool at one point it was so filled with kids that it looked like the entire community had gone swimming all at the same time. Our 16 kids alone so filled up the huge rectangle kiddie pool that it was bursting at the seams with laughing, playful, entirely wound up children that were having the time of their lives.
We did manage to scare one mom with her 3 kids off, I think by sheer mass of people. I felt bad for her 3 children, 2 of whom were 3 yr old twin girls, since they were loving the fun of all of our kids being there. The other 2 families that were left were amazed by the children, how polite they all were, how easily they all played together and how incredibly well mannered the whole group was...despite the fact there were so many. In fact, they fessed up that they stayed just to watch us for awhile. Jackie headed over to talk to them in an effort to let them know we were not there to run them off, that we were not running a daycare, that these were all of our children and if they bothered them in any way to let us know. They were so impressed by the group of them and the older ones they had gotten to talk to that they invited us back anytime to swim with them even when Mother was not available to swim with us. It was incredible and humbling once again to feel like I fall so short sometimes as a parent and then to turn around and be told on numerous occasions on this trip how absolutely incredible the children are. After so many months of not wanting to return to this area due to how negatively large families are looked upon and how very unforgiving the comments usually are, compared to small town west TX, I was encouraged and uplifed this entire trip. Maybe it's because the children are getting older and they do behave incredibly well most of the time or maybe it's just because I have become accustomed to dealing with it all...from good to bad to just nuetral bystander comments.
It makes me excited. I journal these types of days and events because they encourage me on the bad days. I can read back through and know that what I do and what Jackie does and what I try to instill into my own little bunch is not for naught. It is indeed sowing seeds..some of which are just now starting to sprout..some of which are now being fully reaped. And I know that on the days when it is a seemingly constant battle of continually having to redirect and/or correct attitudes that it is very evident in the long run. And it is not me and it is not Brad raising these children but the Lord who gives us the wisdom, strength, grace and mercy to continue doing this despite our many, very mortal faults. I stand in awe. And I am amazed that we have been given yet another little life to raise into one of God's mighty warriors for His Kingdom and that we have been given the chance yet again to know the absolute joy and all consuming love of yet another baby.....sweet Ivye.
4 comments:
I'm hoping one day next year that I can post the same sort of results. OK, maybe not taking 16 kids swimming afterwards.....but you know what I mean!!! I so wish I could have been there to watch.
YAY for baby Ivye!I knew it would be a girl. I am so jealous!
Congratulations!!! Seriously, next time y'all are in the area, you should come down & see us!
I am so excited to hear about baby Ivye! I would love to meet up with you and your crew next time you are in town! Hope you are feeling better these days!
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