It’s a Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!

We found out on September 10th - just over a week ago - that our precious baby is a sweet baby girl.  You guys, I am just OVER THE MOON. 

 

 

Before the ultrasound, I was really 50/50 either way.  Having a boy would have meant a brother for Luke and we already have all the boy clothes (the thought of purging boy clothes from the attic made me reeeallly happy!)  haha! 

But of course I thought about how amazing it would be to have a daughter to love and shop and bake with and do all those fun girly things with.  Plus….the clothes. ;) But honestly, adoption is still something we want to do and I knew we would just adopt a sweet baby girl if God had given us a boy again. 

Chris actually said “I hope it’s a girl!” the night we found out I was pregnant.  He has been saying “girl” all the way – as has everyone else, save for my BFF Lindsay (although I think hers was wishful thinking!  lol). 

 

 

Anyway, the tech told us it was a girl and I seriously just burst into tears.  I don’t think I realized how much I wanted a girl until I realized that it was my new reality.  I am SO in love with her and seriously can’t stop thanking God for His blessings.  I think about her non-stop. :)

I love that “her” and “she” is in my everyday vocabulary now!  And I love that little pink clothes with ruffly butts are starting to appear in my house!  After over three years of navy and brown and trucks and monsters, having girly polka dots and pink hearts on everything is a welcome change to my pink-loving heart.  :)

Most of all, we are SO thankful that she is healthy and growing just fine.  I opted to do the Down Syndrome/Trisomy screen at 12 weeks, thinking nothing of it other than a chance to see the baby again in those early weeks.  I am only in my late twenties so the thought of something being wrong honest to goodness never occurred to me.  Long story short, the baby measured fine on the ultrasound but based on my blood work hormones, I was given a 1 in 200 chance of Down Syndrome (and considered high-risk at that point). 

 

 

Those 7 weeks of waiting for the Level 2 20-week ultrasound (to look for physical markers of Down Syndrome) were some of the hardest of my life.  I don’t think I have ever cried or prayed more.  I had God on speed-dial, that’s for sure!  I read passages of Scripture like Job and Abraham sacrificing Isaac over and over and over again. 

In the end, God brought such a peace to my heart (that along with the prayers and encouragement of dear friends and the amazing patience and wisdom of my husband).  I 100% believe that Down Syndrome is NOT the worst thing that can happen to your child – it’s scary and sad to think about your child having to face extra obstacles from the get-go, but it’s not the worst thing.  I was honestly able to say the day before we found out that God is good regardless of the news I was going to hear. 

 

 

But praise God, the specialist wasn’t able to find a single marker of Down Syndrome during my Level 2 ultrasound.  Hallelujah! :) Based on my high hormone levels, my risk level only goes up to 1 in 400 even with a clean scan (someone my age is "supposed” to have a risk of 1 in 670).  However, 1 in 400 is no longer considered high risk – and after that ultrasound, I’m not worried in the slightest!  I had a number of people tell me that my situation happened to them or to a friend – those seven weeks of worry will really do a number on your mental health!

I keep thinking over and over how amazing it is that she is going to be here with us soon – we were not trying in any way to have her (remember, we had *just* gotten licensed to adopt when we found out I was pregnant) yet God clearly wants her here on earth with us!  I can’t wait to see what her life turns out to be! 

Tonight I am just counting my blessings for a sweet little boy asleep in bed and a sweet baby girl due in a few months. 

God is good, and He is faithful! 

{I’ll tell you her name in the next post! ;) }