gender reveal: our little bean is a…

BOY!

I’m 21 weeks today, over half way, yay! And I’m so excited to finally tell you that our little caboose is a boy! I’m feeling so much better physically (finally), I have much more energy and I’m glad I can start making plans for this little guy.

Did I know it was a boy?

I really had a feeling this baby would be a boy. I’ve actually had a feeling about what I was having on all my pregnancies, and every time that feeling was right. This one threw me a bit, though. I really “felt” like it was a boy, but I’ve historically been much, much sicker on my girls, and since this was the sickest I’ve ever been (and for a full 18 weeks no less) I was seriously confused. In my heart I felt like it was a boy, but my body was screaming girl. Who knows… ;-)

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How I’m feeling about having another boy.

I can honestly say, I would have been so happy whether it was a boy or a girl. Just getting to have another baby, when we really didn’t even know if that would be possible for me, is such a massive blessing.

And I am so excited to be having another boy! I have such a special relationship with my boys and I am so exciting to be having another one.

I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s timing lately. How much later this baby is coming than I thought it would.

The funny thing is, I think I would have been a lot more worried about having another boy when my boys were younger. I’ve always loved being a boy mom, even when they were little I thought they were so much fun. But honestly I used to be so worried about what they would be like as teenagers. The mystery of it seriously scared me as a mom. I grew up in a house full of girls (5 girls and my one Down syndrome brother). I knew how to raise girls, I knew what girls were like at every stage, I understood them. But boys, specifically teenage boys… that was a mystery. And it intimidated me.

But here I am now, pregnant again 6-7 years later than I thought I would be, and now those little boys I was so worried about have grown into the most wonderful teenage boys. And getting to mother them at this age is the best thing ever. They are strong and kind, loving and protective, tough and fun, and I just think they are the coolest boys in the world. I’m so glad I get to raise another one. And I’m so glad he’s joining us now, when I can really appreciate just how wonderful it is to raise a boy, without all the added fear around the unknown. God’s timing was really such a gift to me.

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How the kids and Craig feel about having a boy.

My kids are so excited about our little guy. Honestly, I’ve never seen a group of teenagers so excited about a baby. This little bean is going to be so loved. Ava is thrilled to have a little brother, and she’s going to be such an amazing big sister to him. Just a little bossy and extra loving, just like it should be. Hannah of course is happy, she’s been a big sister to both, so she’s practically a pro at this point. And the boys are over the moon. They’re going to be the best examples to this little guy, he’s so lucky.

Craig really thought we were having a girl (probably because of the aforementioned extreme morning sickness), so he was definitely surprised by the news, but he’s just as excited as the rest of us.

I think I’ve written excited like 100 times in this post, but really I’m still pinching myself that we are here in this moment.

I really want to thank you for all the love and support you’ve given me over the years and especially over the last year. You have no idea how much it means to me and my family, and I’m so happy I get to share this happy news with you all!