Baby Boy #3

After Nathan, we (ok, mostly me) were a little apprehensive about when to get pregnant again.  The doctors told us that we could try as early as 3 months but we may want to wait 6 months.  In my mind, there was no amount of time that was going to pass before I would be comfortable with it.  Maybe physically I'd be ready but emotionally and pyschologically, forever didn't seem long enough.  Frankly, I was scared.  What if I lost another child?  So, we were not trying to get pregnant since I couldn't come up with a time when I was "ready."  I thought I had learned the lesson that Heavenly Father's Plan for me and our family was more important than my plan but He apparently decided to reiterate it when in December I realized that I was a week late.  Matt said we could take a test in a week or so but I couldn't get it out of my head.  

On Friday, December 23rd at school (after school of course) I took a test.  It was less than a minute before it came up as positive.  No doubt about it.  I had mixed feelings.  My first reaction was excitement.  That was not what I was expecting.  That of course was immediately followed by anxiety.  Then the spirit told me that worrying wasn’t going to change anything and that the best thing I could do for myself and the baby is to calm down.  The stress would just be bad for both of us.

My doctors were super cautious; I saw the doctor every 3 weeks or so, I had ultrasounds at just about every appointment, I went to an ultrasound specialist and the other specialist that we saw with Nathan, and had blood tests done what felt like every other week.  I was scared most of the time.  We decided (ok, me again) not to tell anyone until we went to our mega ultrasound with the specialist at 20 weeks to check all the organs.  On Monday, March 26th, 2012 we found out that not only were we having another boy, but that he was healthy.  Everything looked perfect.  That made me feel much more at ease, though I still bug this kid every hour or so if I don't remember the last time he kicked.  We told my family that day and of course they were super excited for us.  We were going to tell the Brinkerhoff family then too but the news came out a few weeks before when we were in Colorado for Grandma Dar's funeral and I freaked out when Daniel jumped on my stomache and then bawled hysterically when I fell down the stairs (it was on my butt and there were like 4 steps but still). 

His due date is August 18th, the day before Nathan's birthday.  My doctor doesn't think I'll make it that long though, which I may not mind because this pregnancy has been far more exhausting than Daniel's.  I think I want to blame the fact that I'm 30 now but I was probably just super lucky with Daniel!  We have decided on a name: Logan.  Probably Matthew for the middle name.  That'll be a game time decision so we're not embroidering anything yet but it's pretty set.  We're super excited to meet Logan and Daniel seriously cannot wait.  He keeps asking if Logan is coming today!!! 

 At 8 weeks

 At 19 weeks, with his left hand by his face and his right hand over above his tummy.

 Any doubt on the gender?