Confessing my Dad Attitude

I’ve been wrapping my mind around this idea that we’re having a gurl. Since I didn’t grow up with any sisters, and all my female cousins were much younger than me, I don’t know that I understand girls all that much. One thing is interesting, at the mall and around last week (we were in Kansas and Missoura), I kept noticing little girls.

I knew I needed to know the gender of our child so I could picture it better — this was what I needed to make it more real. So, watching these little girls was pretty incredible. Then, while staying with Jen’s friends, Karen and Brady, their little two year old girl climbed up in my lap — unprovoked — and played with me for about an hour. That was pretty cool!

Yesterday we went out and registered for baby gifts. We spent most of our time at Babies-R-Us and some time at Target. I felt like I was already shopping for ________. I couldn’t believe how cute some of the little pink outfits were. It was like shopping for gifts for my wife.

It was a good day yesterday, just planning for our little one!

One reason I didn’t post any news on the Choroid Plexus anomoly earlier was because I didn’t want anyone to be overly concerned. I thought it was interesting that I posted a releatively upbeat message yesterday, but I’ve been receiving these e-mails of concern and prayers from people I don’t hear from very often.

Now don’t get me wrong — I love to hear from people and the prayers are awesome — but we really did put this in God’s hands. If you read my post on my Life Journal blog, you saw that I am trusting God implicitly to take care of things — even if the baby were to be born with defects.

I was born with some pretty serious defects that caused me to be teased, ridiculed, and bullied throughout most of my childhood. But God saw me through that and I am a stronger person now because of it.

In talking with my Mom yesterday, she was relating how some friends and family were amazed that our family was not stressed over this. She told them, “We’ve put it in God’s hands and that’s why we’re not concerned.”

For Jen and I, the biggest concern was whether or not we’d finally be able to discover the gender of this little critter. And one of my earliest concerns was whether the child would suffer a cleft lip &/or palate like I did.

So, we once again got to see images of our growing child yesterday. We praise God that the cyst in the Choroid Plexus has resolved itself (as was expected)! And very early in the ultrasound, the technician announced that it was a little girl!

Back during the first US, the radio was playing. I remember hearing a song on the radio. It was Foreigner singing the song, I’ve been waiting for a girl like you. That song now has new meaning to me!

So, we’re having a little girl and we are excited!!

Jen said that a couple of weeks ago she had this overwhelming urge to see and hold this baby. She teared up. Is it any wonder why I love this woman so much — she is just filled with so much love and is going to make an awesome mother!

Thanks for your prayers and e-mails!

gw

It has been awhile since I’ve had the opportunity to update this blog. I got pretty involved in the Grand Opening of Common Ground and a lot of things had to be put on hold. However, a lot has actually happened in since the 9/27 post.

First of all, we are at the 30 week point — yup the baby is 30 weeks old!

But what I want to update you on is an issue that came up at one of our OB appointments several weeks ago. Right after my last post, Jen went to the Dr. and was told we’d have to have another ultrasound. (Hmmmmm….. we were told one would be sufficient, unless there were “issues.”) Anyway, the doc said there was an anomaly in the Choroid Plexus part of the brain that should clear up by the 30th week, so she wanted to look at that again.

With little information, but armed with a high-speed Internet connection, I went to work looking for more info. This article explained it best:

http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/faculties/medicine/medgenetics/bulletin/bul13-1.htm#CPC

If you take the time to read it (or at least skim it), you’ll see why we were a little concerned. So we prayed and put it in God’s hands. You can read more of my thoughts on this in my Life Journal blog:

http://www.springsproject.org/blog/2004/10/comfort.html

So, today we go in for our second ultrasound and we should find out if everything is OK. But the added benefit of this US is that we should be able to discover the gender of this little critter.

I remember when we were unable to see the gender during the first US that I thought — “ooooh, maybe we’ll have to have a second US.” Then I remembered, the only reason we’d need a second one is if there are complications. I repented and said, “I’d rather not have complications and leave the gender a mystery.” Be careful for what you wish for…

Anyway, today we should be able to find out what we’re having and that’s pretty exciting!

Thanks for your prayers!

TTYL, gw