Evelyn Edith

We're having a GIRL!!!  Another little girl.

We are so excited for more dresses and bows and all things girly.  And poor John will be sandwiched in between two sisters.

I cried a little bit when the ultrasound tech finally declared that she was, in fact, a girl. 

For one thing, we had postponed the ultrasound twice due to a crazy summer schedule, and then, being the modest girl that she is, she had her little hand wrapped around her knee, not letting us get a good look at anything that would tell us the gender.  But, alas, we saw that she is a girl.

Evelyn Edith.  Because we like Evelyn, and Edith is after my dear, dear maternal grandmother.  She died right before my wedding, and I wanted to somehow name this child after her (if it had been a boy, the middle name would have been her last name).  We will call her Evie, with a long E.

I also cried because it helps me so much to bond with the baby once I know the gender.  This has been a hard pregnancy.  I still feel sicker than I want to, so I am coming to terms with the fact that this will be the whole pregnancy; I have been extremely hormonal/melancholy; and I am exhausted all of the time.  It seems that this pregnancy I am going to skip the second trimester bliss, so...to find out it's a girl and begin to call her by name and imagine her little life outside of the womb is so helpful to me.  It really, really lifted my spirits.  And to hear that she is healthy.  I probably should have led with that ;) 

Now, there is much going on outside of the pregnancy, and I will hopefully come back soon with a quick recap of all that is going on (all good things, but overwhelming things), but I want to begin to record life again.  I really, really do.

And I want Evie to know that though it looks different to come into the family as the third child versus the first child, she is already so loved. 

Dear Evie,

we love you so much.  You are our precious girl already.  You have quite the crew waiting for you to make your big entrance.  A brother and a sister who love to kiss and hug my growing belly as a way to kiss and hug you.  Even John likes to call you by name and gets excited when he sees other babies.  We talk about you all the time--what will you look like and be like.  Will you nurse or refuse like your older sister?  Will you cry a lot or be a content newborn?  Will you let any of us sleep?  And your personality?  I can only imagine all that you will add to this family.  Ada even said tonight at dinner, "let's talk about Evie," because she is so eager to meet you.  Precious girl, I pray that God will watch over you and grow you healthy and strong in the womb.  I pray that he will be with the doctor and the nurses and in all of the details of your birth.  I pray that you will nurse as well as John did, even if it means I am a bit tired that first year, and I pray for the relationship that you will have with Ada and with John.  Mostly, though, I pray for your heart.  I pray that the Lord would turn your heart towards him.  That you would love his word and love prayer.  And that he would put his holy spirit in your heart, that you might spend eternity with Him. 

we love you, sweet girl!

Mom

Evie and Me...we are rapidly growing ;)