It's a...

...blessing that my family came in time for our 20 week ultrasound appointment. I wasn't pregnant when we planned this trip back in September, but when we got the great news and looked at the dates, I was so excited that my folks would be able to meet Baby O in utero. 

When we first discovered we were expecting, I said I didn't want to know the gender. I figured I'd let it be a surprise. But by the time we hit week 8, I wanted to know. To be honest, I wanted to confirm my suspicions because I said it was a girl from the start, so waiting until the delivery date wasn't going to work.  Kudos to the couples that hold off until the doctor or midwife announces the sex after the baby is delivered. 

Before announcing my pregnancy, I had talked to several expectant moms who said they just "knew" what they were having.  Each of them were correct. So I didn't feel like I was being extra for believing what I did, but I had to know. I also knew I wanted to have a family photo shoot and when we realized the visit coincided with my doctor's appointment, I decided to incorporate a gender reveal photo shoot.

There we were, sitting in the lobby of a hospital in Jerez Spain. It was my first trip to a Spanish hospital and of course a first for my visiting family.  We sat in the lobby for a few minutes before being called into the exam room. In Spain, the doctors welcome and encourage families to attend prenatal ultrasound appointments.  So 9 of us (5 family members, Chris, myself, the doctor and translator) squeezed into the space.  They placed the cold gel and tool on my lower belly and the screen lit up with an image of my baby! The doctor counted fingers, toes, examined the skull, brain, lungs, heart and said that baby was healthy and even further along in size. It was a dream, teeth beamed and tears flowed. The doctor wrote the gender on a piece of paper and placed it in an envelope before handing it to Chris. We left excited and eager to find out but I opted to have us wait until the following day during the photo shoot. 

So, without further ado,  here are a few images from the photo shoot, courtesy of Brown Betty Photography :) 

*Peep the end of the gallery, which features our reaction shots. We're so excited that not only do we jump for joy, we collide with joy! #priceless