Post 78...Pink or Blue?

Yesterday we went in for another check up on my cerclage. After doing another ultrasound on the baby and my cervix, the doctor said everything is holding up beautifully! Everything is looking 100% healthy! I couldn't be happier to hear that, especially considering that next week will be 19 weeks, which is the longest I've ever carried. Knowing that the cerclage is holding up perfectly, I feel far more confident that 19 weeks will come and go without any complication.

After the ultrasound, my husband started to pout, saying that he wanted to see more of the baby. These check ups on my cervix seem to drive him nuts. We get a quick look at the baby and then the rest of the appointment focuses on my cervix. "I want to see more of the baby!" he grumbled. I tried to reassure him that next time we will get to see even more of the baby since the next visit (at 20 weeks) will be more of a baby check up than a cervix check up. I even reminded him that at 20 weeks we would be able to find out the gender of the baby. But that didn't seem to satisfy him. "But I want to see more baby now!" he moped. I laughed and hugged him as we waited for the doctor to come in and go over the ultrasound with us.

But much to our surprise, after the doctor went over the ultrasound images of my cervix, he asked us if anyone has told us the gender of the baby yet. "I thought it was too early to tell." I said, surprised that he asked.
"Well, sometimes we can tell at this point. What do you say we have some fun and take a look, just to see if we can tell."
My husband and I exchanged excited glances. "Okay!" I said, hopping back up onto the bed. "Well," I looked up at my husband, "I guess you get to see more baby after all!"

Sure enough, the doctor could tell right away! For a moment he stalled, asking us if we had any guesses of what the gender was. After convincing him that we really had no idea if it was a boy or a girl, he finally told us the answer. "Well," he said, "I am 100% sure it is a..."

But I can't tell you guys yet! Since we will be visiting our parents on Friday, we figured we would wait to tell them in person. So as of right now, they still think we won't find out the gender until our 20 week appointment! My husband told his co-workers and I told one of my best friends, but that's it. The answer will be revealed to you soon enough! All I can say is, I am more than excited!!!! I want to shout it out to everyone, but I have to try my best to wait until after Friday.

Last night was extremely emotional though. With so much excitement about the baby, now knowing more about Sunshine, I felt all the more need to protect him/her. Fear, excitement, past sadness, and new hope. The last time we found out the baby's gender, it was the day we lost him. Because of that, it still made for an emotional day yesterday. As to be expected in this pregnancy, everything comes with a mix of joy and some sadness at times. But it was truly wonderful this time, after finding out the gender, to feel such excitement and security knowing the cerclage is still holding strong! When I got home, I already started to dream of the day Sunshine will be born as I looked up baby clothes online.

I cannot wait to tell the world of my baby!

This is the latest ultrasound at 17 weeks & 4 days.