Testosterone

I was going to have my big ultrasound the week of Dec. 12th.  It already felt a little excruciating thinking of waiting until then to find out whether my last baby would be a boy or a girl.  I called to make the appointment and found out they couldn't see me until Dec. 22nd!  Why upset a pregnant woman, I mean, really?!?  I'd always thought that those private ultrasound companies charged hundreds of dollars, which I just wasn't willing to pay since I'd be finding out a little later anyway.
So that day at lunch I was venting to Jessi about having to wait that much longer.  Jessi and I immediately got online and found that Fetal Fotos (I HATE the name of that place,) was only $59 for a basic 2D package.  Plus, I found a coupon, so it was less than 50 after all was said and done.  I made an appointment for the VERY NEXT DAY!  That was so awesome, because there was less than 24 hours of waiting/anticipation leading up to the big reveal.
So, at 16 weeks pregnant, the day before Thanksgiving, Dave, Isaac and I headed in to find out!  I had some mixed feelings about having a boy vs. girl.  I won't lie, I was really hoping girl because, knowing this was my last child, I just thought it would be nice to have one of each, have the experience of raising both, and create a strong female bond.  Also, there are so many boys on both sides of our families (mostly grown ones, that is.)  This will be the second grandchild on both sides as well.  My one grandmother who is still living has 7 great grandsons and one girl. 
On the other hand, I knew that if it was a boy, I'd love it just the same and be just as excited the day it was born.  I knew that Isaac would have a brother, and I think there is something special about having at least 2 of the same gender.  They seem to have a closer bond growing up and into adulthood (in general...though not always!)  I also was well aware that we have everything we need for a boy - no need to buy much, plus, by now we are boy experts, right? (ha!) I know that it's all chance, but between so many boys in the family and my gut feeling, I was pretty certain it was going to be a boy.
So, when it was 150% confirmed that it was a boy (seriously, he was giving every view possible to make sure we knew,)  I layed there on the ultrasound bed and smiled.  I was a little surprised by my reaction.  I thought that I might be bummed and a little sad, but I truly wasn't.  I felt more in awe that in 16 weeks my body (okay, with a little help from Dave...) had created this perfectly shaped tiny 4 ounce baby with all these moving, working parts.  It seemed like HE already had a personality.  It immediately sunk in that I'd be living with males the rest of my life, and I haven't had any "what if" or "I wish" thoughts since.  I am excited to have two boys and watch them grow up together.  I am excited to continue/develop a strong bond with all my boys (Dave, Isaac and baby Mcgee.)  I'm excited to meet this little man, and if he's anything like his big brother, I know I'll be entertained for life! :)
I've had plenty of people tell me to keep going 'til I get a girl.  To that, I say, WHY?  2 kids is perfect for us.  Plus, this gives me the perfect excuse to give all the brothers crap - they will need to be the ones to provide one of the female variety.
23 more weeks to go until Baby McGee joins us! Here are the ultrasound picks.  I am super lame and don't have a scanner, so these are pictures of pictures!  So horrible, I know.

Knees bent, from the bottom up, showing us the goods.

Dave was a little obsessed with the tech showing us the brain over and over.  He loved seeing both hemispheres.  It is pretty awesome, though.

Although this picture is super creepy (I think all face shot 2D ultrasound pics are creepy) I still think it's great because it has the whole body.  It's a little crazy how the belly/chest look, but I had to remember that these pics were taken 4 weeks before the ones with Isaac were.  He's still growing into this little body :)

This one is my favorite.  He was reaching his arm around like he was scratching his neck.  Plus, profile shots look much cuter when they're still in the womb.

PS - so far Isaac is standing firm on his 2 suggestions for names:  Baby McGee and Isaac.

Calm Down

"Calm Down" is Isaac's favorite phrase as of late.  He uses it in perfect context, and leaves Dave and I in stitches with his excessive use of those words.  Ever since he was little, I always make a surprised face (an O shaped mouth and big eyes) when something is exciting or cool (which is probably a LOT of the time.)  Lately, when I do the "surprised face," Isaac calmly says "mom, don't make a surprised face.  Just calm down mom, calm down."  Stinker.
Also, you know it's time to clean your house when...
I was sitting on a stool in the bathroom a couple weeks ago while Isaac was taking his bath.  We are constantly working on the whole keeping the water IN the tub thing.  He splashed some water out of the tub and I pointed to it while saying "Isaac, look, what happened to that water?"  I was HOPING that he would say "it's on the floor," to which I would respond, "yes, now we have to wipe it up.  You need to keep the water in the tub."
No, that's not what happened at all.  He peered over the tub and wide eyed, 0 shaped mouth (yes, the surprised look,) said "Mom!  That water turned into dog hair!!!!"
Jeeeeeeez.  haha.  I am not the world's best housekeeper EVER, but when I am pregnant, watch out!  You may get swallowed up by an entire colony of dog hair dust bunnies.

Lessons in static electricity

Aunt Julie rescued a new dog - a Golden Retriever Puppy named Gretchen.  Isaac's in love with her. 

I

At Julie and Tim's house reading with one of his fave friends, Quinn, after visiting the puppies.

Update

Week:  14
Overall:  I'm not waltzing around singing Simon and Garfunkel's "...lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy..."  HOWEVER, I am feeling remarkably better than I was during weeks 7-11ish.  I am usually sick for a few hours a day, but that is a vast change from all day every day.  So, for that, I am thankful.  I can still sleep mostly on my stomach, so sleep hasn't been too ridiculous for me. yet.  Energy level?  It's going up, but very slowly.  I am worried that I might be anemic.  I don't take a prenatal vitamin with iron in it for several reasons, but mainly because it makes me super sick.  I try to get iron through food, but I do hate most meat right now, which means I have to work harder to get enough iron that is easily absorbed by my body.  Stupid iron.  I'll have my iron level tested at my next appt in two weeks to see how it's going.
Gender:  We won't find out until I am between 19-20 weeks, which means the week of Dec. 11.  So close, but sooooooooo far away.  I am going to go on record and say that I predict boy.
Big Bro:  He is giving me a play by play, constantly, of what baby McGee is doing.  He seems to think there is a LOT of action going on in there.  Among Baby McGee's activities:  playing games, soccer, peek-a-boo, somersaults, kicking Isaac's head, eating candy, laughing, telling jokes, saying "goo goo ga ga," reading books, and brushing teeth.

Comparisons:  I think this is about the same time that I started feeling part-time better with Isaac.  With Isaac, I swear that the moment I got pregnant I noticed that I did not lose a single hair to the shower drain, which lasted the entire pregnancy.  With this pregnancy, I seem to lose almost the same amount of hair as usual to the shower drain -- so far.  I started wearing maternity clothes around week 22 or so with Isaac.  This time, I had to start wearing them at week 12!!!  Keep in mind, I started out at the same exact weight with both pregnancies.   I dug up my pregnancy photos from last round (there aren't that many of them, though...who wants to be photographed constantly in this state?  Not me.)  I found that the first one was taken at 16 weeks last time.  I am only 14, but I think that at 14 months in my current state of pregnancy, I most resemble FREAKIN' TWENTY weeks pregnant from my last pregnancy.  So here I am 14, and 20 in no particular order.  Can you guess which is which?  I am sure you can...haha.