For those of you unaware at this point, we are indeed having a boy! My husband and I couldn’t be more thrilled, and I know we would have said the same thing if this one were a girl instead.

I wrote earlier about my fears of having a girl and I’m glad to know that those fears will not be realized now, although I’m sure I’ll come up with new ones along the way for Henry. Most of those fears are the same ones I had for Davey, so I guess you could say “been there, done that” and so I’m a bit calmer this time around. Oh, and before I go any further, perhaps I should explain Henry’s name.

I’m not a fan of modern, new age, contemporary or hip names. I’m not interested in trying to come up with a name just to be different or just to outdo a friend. So, Henry is a name that I’ve loved for a really long time. It’s a traditional name, somewhat romantic, and even strong. I did look up the name, much like I did with Davey’s, to find out its origins and apparently its German and means “home ruler”. Hmmm. I didn’t exactly think to look it up before naming him. I don’t know if I want this child to already think he’s the ruler of the home. I’ll keep this little tidbit to myself for a while.

We chose Bruce for his middle name and that comes from my maiden name. Davey shares a name not only with his dad and grandfather, but his middle name, Brian, comes from my younger brother. We gave Davey a strong family name and wanted to do the same with Henry, so Henry Bruce. Almost sounds like a ruler, doesn’t it?

Henry is healthy. His heart is strong with four solid chambers. His kidneys, stomach, and bladder look great. His spine is perfect. Since I am seeing the same doctor as I did for Davey, I asked for my chart to be pulled up so that I could compare my two boys. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that, but I am curious as to Henry’s progress in comparison to Davey. Henry is already measuring bigger than Davey did at this point, which concerns me seeing as how Davey wasn’t exactly a small baby anyways. Henry is also measuring approximately four days ahead. So, maybe he’ll get here early?

What I was really intrigued with is the fact that they are able to measure the brain matter of babies in the womb. It’s absolutely amazing! And what we found out is that Henry has a lot more brain matter than Davey did. What does that mean? Could be absolutely nothing, or maybe my Henry will be a genius! He’ll be a genius in his own right much like his older brother Davey.

But as I sat there and endured the ultrasound, I couldn’t help but reflect for a moment and marvel at the gift I’ve been given. Much like I did the first time I heard his and Davey’s heartbeats, I cried. I cried at both of their initial heartbeats and I found myself crying last week as well while watching Henry move around.

Being a mother is magical. It’s awe inspiring. It’s loving. It’s overwhelming. It’s the greatest experience ever. I’m amazed at how many people don’t really realize that until their baby has joined the world and they’re able to hold that baby in their arms. I’m amazed at how many people see an ultrasound as nothing more than a blob of cells. I saw my beautiful baby boy and my heart just swelled. Could I ever possible put into words my true feelings? Highly unlikely.

I am thankful everyday for this opportunity, for this adventure, and for the wonderful man I’ll share it with for the rest of my life. Now we’re just on a countdown for the next phase of our lives as parents. T-minus four months and counting until Henry sees the world!