It's a...

GIRL!!!  When I was pregnant with Caleb, we didn't find out in advance that we were having a boy.  I really liked not finding out.  But for some reason I felt differently this time.  I was more curious.  The first time around, it was just Jason and I having a baby.  It didn't really matter at all if it was going to be a boy or a girl.  This time, it seems different.  It isn't just the two of us anymore.  Now we are adding to our family.  I wanted to know if Caleb was going to have a little brother or a little sister.

And I'll admit, the idea of another boy was a bit more appealing to me.  Maybe it's mostly because I feel like I've learned the ropes with boys a bit.  I can do boy.  Now I have to learn how to do girl too.  Maybe it's because I thought it would be fun for Caleb to have a little brother.  Maybe it's partly because I'm not really a huge fan of pink or of baby girl clothes in general.  I'm the rare breed that usually finds baby boy clothes cuter.  And girl names are so much harder for us to figure out than boy names.  When Caleb was born, we had two boy names to choose from and no girl names.  Good thing he was a boy!

Despite all of that, I'm sure I'll love having a girl.  I know that once she's here and as she grows, I will never have wanted it any other way.  And Jason is definitely excited.  Which is one of the biggest reasons I look forward to a girl...I'm excited to watch Jason be a daddy to a girl.

I was also excited to tell my parents.  My dad in particular has been pushing for a granddaughter ever since I was pregnant with Caleb.  He already had one grandson, so it was time for a granddaughter, right?  Since then he's gotten two more grandsons instead.  So it was fun to tell my parents that I had their first granddaughter in my belly!

Most of the time when I tell people that I'm having a girl, their response is something along the lines of, "Awww...how nice...one of each!"  I find that response kind of funny.  Is it part of the American Dream or something?  Two kids...one of each gender?  I'm sure that some just know that being able to experience both sons and daughters is a special thing.  And I feel blessed to be able to have that experience.  Plus I hear that baby girls tend to be easier...it's the teenage years that are harder.  I could definitely deal with easier at the start...it's the down-the-road part that makes me a little nervous!  But it's probably a little early to be thinking about that...

mom and dad's visit

In July, my parents came out for a visit!  It was wonderful to have them and so nice that they got to spend some time with Caleb while he's at the fun age that he is.  They even got to be here for his third birthday!

While they were here, we went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and Caleb had a blast feeding the giraffes and the birds, and riding the train and the carousel.

We also took a drive to the mountains and spent half a day up at Winter Park, where Caleb got his face painted for the first time!

We celebrated Caleb's birthday, and the next day we went to a Rockies game.  It was unbearably hot, but we still had a good time.

Their visits are always a blast.  Can't wait for the next one!!