Introducing ...

Griffin Vaughn

This is the picture that told us we were having another little baby boy today. Let me navigate this ultrasound for you. The two legs are in the top right-hand corner and they're bent toward the head which is half-way seen in the left bottom side of the picture. You can see "his defining" part in between the two legs. 2 fists are seen right above the two legs - on either side of the head. The only "not expected" news I got was that, according to the ultrasound, I'm showing almost 3weeks AHEAD of schedule. Today I am 23wks 5d and according to the various mearsurements of tummy, femur, head, brain, etc he is measuring 26w 4d (give or take a day). Also, a baby this age should be around 1 pound. My baby is 1lb 15oz, one ounce shy of being a whole pound over the norm. Maysen was 9lb 7oz when he was born and they say the first is usually the smallest. My doctors take: "Well, at least you're having a repeat C-Section and you don't have to _______!" Uhh, but I have to carry this thing around! Oh well, nothing like a chunky-monkey to hold. I love it! And maybe, just maybe, we'll get our 2007 Tax Deduction and a Christmas baby?

Today I went to the 2nd clinic they have which is farther for me to drive, but OH SO WORTH IT. The one I've been going to is part of the hospital here, and to get to it, you have to park in the parking structure, fight traffic, find a spot, watch for elderly pedestrians ... by the time you get there your BP is out the roof, you're sweating, you're greeted by the teenager-look-alike receptionists. Well, you get the drift. I go to the other clinic - brand new, mind you - and was greeted by mature women with smiles on their face, the parking lot had plenty of parking and the front door was 20ft from where I parked, the equipment was brand new (disappointed when we took our VHS tape to record the ultrasound - only to be told it only records on DVDs so she told me to call her and come back next week and she'd get 5-10min of recording for free done, how nice!), and all smelled like fresh paint. Totally refreshing! Needless to say, my BP was better this time and I felt better.

I had wondered deep down if I'd be a tad disappointed being told I wasn't having a girl. The truth is, is that the second she announced it was a boy, I thought of Maysen. Then I thought of Daddy. The fun he is going to have with his "boys" will be like the fun Nate's dad had with Nate and his brother. Camping, football games, wrestling ... all that Nate gets to experience with his own boys now. And that makes me happy. Watching Maysen growing up, he would just observe when Jurny or Jonas (older cousins) were over. He idolized them, watching their every move and trying so hard to copy it. He would eventually say the same things they would - if they were mad, he was mad. I am so excited that Griffin will have an older brother to look up to - to idolize - like Nate did with his brother. I am sure they will have their moments, fights, punching matches, and yelling competitions ... but what are brothers for? The bond they will share forever will make up for all that. With all that said, it's been a long day and I need to pick out crib bedding and paint samples!

Update: After re-reading, this is sounding completely anti-sister. We just so happened to be having a boy - so that is what went through my mind when she said "boy". Had she said "girl" I'm sure a whole different array of thoughts, emotions, ideas would have flooded through my mind. I would be excited and just as proud either way it went :-)