This is day 4 of my pregnancy reflections. You can find the other posts of my 31 Days here.

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Do you like to find out the gender of your baby before your baby is born?  I have mixed feelings on the issue.  My preference seems to change with each baby.  Ultimately, I would opt to wait until birth.  Dad and the kids feel the opposite, they rather find out sooner than later. 

I have made a precedent that we won’t find out if a sonogram is not needed.  You see, I don’t follow the mainstream model of care – I only opt for what is necessary.  I will get a sonogram if it is ordered by my midwife or doctor (with good reason).  In which case, we find out the sex of the baby.  No sonogram needed, we wait until birth.

I must say that I have enjoyed the times that I’ve found out the sex of the baby early on in pregnancy.  I enjoy refereeing to the baby by name.  Referring to the baby by name is especially helpful to me during my passion long, non-medicated labors.  I feel a closer connection.

There is always an elation when I hear Dad announce what the baby is at the moment of birth, regardless if it is a complete surprise or I know ahead of time.  It is always as though it were the first time hearing the news.

This time around I was scheduled for a routine ultrasound without much need expressed by the doctor.  I went along with the appointment because I felt some concern about the location of placenta, lack of fetal movement, and difficulty finding the heartbeat.  The appointment was scheduled for me at 20 weeks and 3 days.  I was almost certain that the sex of the baby would be revealed.

All my kids waited five long months in great anticipation.  Each one had their vote of gender.  I was surprised by Papi’s persistent preference – a girl.  Papi insisted that it should be a girl, no matter how many times we emphasized our thankfulness for whatever God gives us.

The appointment was scheduled in the early morning.  Dad was not able to return home with me.  I pulled up in the driveway and the van was mobbed by the littles before I could even put it into park.  They all shouted, “What is it, what is it?”  I shrugged, “I can’t tell until Dad gets home.”  That’s right, they had to wait an agonizing four hours.

I had hopes for a cute reveal but couldn’t pull it off since all the stores I stopped out were out of helium.  I took the lazy  easy road and purchased cookies that would give away the gender.

The kids waited with even more anticipation than before.

Here’s the reveal.

In His JOY,