Announcement!

We went in for our second appointment with Dr. Tu on the 12th - at 13 and a half weeks - and after a routine check-up, she said, "So do you want to listen to the heartbeat or shall I do a quick ultrasound since you're in the room with the ultrasound machine?"

Of course we wanted to see our babe growing, so we were eager for the ultrasound. The baby looked fantastic - long legs, straight spine, hands up near the little face, heart pumping beautifully. And then, almost as an afterthought, Dr. Tu said, "Hey - did you want to know your baby's sex?" At 13 weeks! You can already tell!! Yes, Yes! We want to know!

We are proud to announce that our third little BOY will be joining us in approximately 176 days!!

We are so thrilled! A houseful of boys thus far ... I am so enthused to see how the dynamic plays out for our family! And oh the adventures we will have!!

So, now at 15 weeks, our little boy is around 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of a large lemon). He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in his lungs. His legs are growing longer than his arms now (which we saw in the ultrasound), and he can move all his joints and limbs. His little hands are becoming functional - grasping and searching, and sweat glands are appearing. Although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light, and his taste buds are beginning to form.

*We're welcoming suggestions for a baby name that fits with Collin and Owen (doesn't need to rhyme, but needs to "belong"). We've discussed several so far, but none are striking us both. And we must both agree or it's off the list. Such a tough decision.

And I have so many rules:
1. Can't be mistaken for a girl's name.
2. Can't easily become a girl's name.
3. Can't end in "-er" (because of Tepk"er").
4. Can't be in the Top 10.
5. Shouldn't be in the Top 25.
6. Must be recognizable and somewhat traditional.
7. Prefer Irish origin (in keeping with Collin and Owen, although we spelled Collin - with 2 Ls - in the English manner).
8. Can't be readily broken down into a nickname (i.e. "Matt" for Matthew, "Andy" for Andrew, etc.)