It's A...

BOY!!!

Of course we would have been happy either way. I am very close with my sister, and the idea of having sisters is very appealing to me (although I'm also close with my brother, it's just not the same relationship). But it's a nice idea to have a boy and a girl. One of each.

Because, I'm pretty sure I'm done! We won't do any permanent (or semi-permanent) for another four or five years, just in case we do change our minds. I have always thought I wanted three kids... at least before I had any. In another four or five years, I may think I can handle it again. So we'll wait and see, but for now, I'm done!

I will soon post a draft I've been writing about the hardships of pregnancy (to me). I'm sure I've stated before that I don't really enjoy being pregnant. As Londo puts it, it's a means to an end. The point for us was never to be pregnant or even to have a baby. The point was to have a child, to have children.

But in this post let me tell you all a few of the good, exciting things about being pregnant. Because there are good things, even things I enjoy.

Two weeks ago (from today exactly), I felt the baby move for the first time (that I was sure of). I was sitting at my desk at work, feeling uncomfortable due to having chili for lunch, and then I suddenly felt this pushing out of my stomach from the inside. I thought, "That was weird... wait a minute! I know what that was! The baby moved!" I really enjoy feeling the baby move inside me. It's totally something out of Alien, but it's still my baby moving around. And only I know about it, unless I tell someone else (which I often do!).

And last weekend, while snugged in a hotel bed, Londo felt the baby move while his hand was on my stomach. So that's pretty cool. Now he'll be able to enjoy our little boy moving around also.

Another good thing is the 20-week ultrasound. Not only did we get to find out that the baby is a boy, but we got to see the ridges of his spine, the hemispheres of his brain, his arms and hands, his legs and feet and even toes, his heart, his kidneys, his stomach, and his face. It was a regular ultrasound, but Londo and I are pretty good at seeing what is there in the black and white image. This little boy had his hands up to his face and was even sucking his thumb! We got a couple of amazing pictures of that, and they were so perfect, they look like something out of a movie. He also spread his legs wide and gave the perfect view of his boy parts, so there is no doubt he's a boy.

The best part about this whole pregnancy thing (to me) is that I know I'm growing a life inside me. Sure I joke and call it a parasite, but I know it's my and Londo's child. Our son. And he is growing and thriving. Even if I feel like crap, he seems to be doing fine. And that is the most amazing thing. It's my super hero power--I can grow life inside me!