It's kind of crazy to think I'm almost 22 weeks now and haven't gotten this up but last week was crazy with it being Hannah's birthday and all the baby Gender Reveal stuff going on.  So I thought I'd play catch up on how the weeks 16-20 of pregnancy went.  Let's just say Week 16 wasn't off to a good start.

I went in for my typical doctor appointment on Week 16 and figured it would be routine but it was anything but routine.  When you go in for your appointments typically they take your weight then put you in your "waiting room" or doctor room.  Then a nurse comes in for blood pressures, asks a couple questions and takes out that little Doppler thing to hear the baby's heart beat.  Well the first nurse who came in seemed to be having some issues finding it.  I was trying to stay as calm as possible, but after a couple minutes she said "Let me get another nurse, maybe mine is wonky today".

I told myself this was okay and waiting for the next nurse but my anxiousness was starting to build.  I'd never had an issue finding the heart beat before.  So the 2nd nurse came in and the same thing happened.  As I started to cry she told me not to worry and she was going to ask the doctor for a sonogram just to make sure everything was okay.  She left the room with me sobbing.  What in the hell was going on?  Why couldn't they find the heart beat?  Every possibility in the wold was running through my mind.  When she returned she took to me to the sonogram technician and they laid me down.  The 2nd nurse was kind enough to stay with me and hold my hand.  I'd sent a text to the hubby to let him know what was happening.

Finally, I got a wash of relief.  There on the screen was my moving and heart beat having little baby.  The heart beat was 158 bpm which is normal and perfectly healthy.  The sonogram technician even went as far to tell me that the main problem the nurses had was because I've had two Cesareans I have scar tissue and maybe the little Doppler machine they use couldn't penetrate it.  The baby was pretty far down.  To be honest, I was just happy to see on that big screen that everything was okay.  Now I had to text my husband and let him know it was a false alarm.  Phew...Week 16...that appointment sucked!

I was a little hesitant and crazy about "is that a kick?" or "is there a heart beat?" the next week or two.  I almost went out and bought one of those heart beat monitors for at home but I talked myself out of it that it was just a fluke one-time thing.  Weeks 17-19 were pretty mundane outside of getting excited for our Anatomy Scan (Gender Scan) at the doctor and planning Hannah's 3rd birthday.

Week 20 came and both hubby and I were very excited to know if we'd have a little man or another little lady in the house.  When we got to the doctor I got a little nervous again because of the last visit but I shook it off.  This visit was going to be great!  The sonogram technician came to get us and was joking with me about "at least this time I see you on happy terms".  It was nice that she remembered and made a little joke about it to make me feel better.  Now it was sonogram time!

The agreement that hubby and I had made was that he was going to be the only one to know.  So we told the sonogram technician that.  She said she would put the picture that had the sex of the baby in an envelope and give it to my husband.  The scan went great.  The heart looked great, the brain was working and we even saw hiccups!  It's always an amazing feeling to see this little baby inside you on a TV screen.  It makes pregnancy seem more real, you can identify with this little person inside you.  She said she knew the sex of the baby and wanted to show hubby so I had to cover my eyes.  She put the picture in an envelope and gave it to him.

After the scan we went to the doctor room and that's where the chaos began.  I knew hubby probably couldn't keep his mouth shut on the sex of the baby so he started teasing me about it.  When the nurse came in she asked if she could know so he gave her the envelope.  I heard her in the hallway giggling...who knew what that meant.  When she brought it back in my hubby asked me if I wanted to know.  Honestly, he'd already gone through the trouble of planning the gender reveal for me that I hated to know early but I really did want to know.  So he told me girl.  Then I laughed and said "I won't believe anything you say until I see the picture in the envelope".  So with a sigh he said "you know what?  I'd rather us have a moment that's just for us here in this room finding out the sex then waiting to share that excitement with you and family and friends this weekend".  He handed me the envelope.

I ripped it open with excitement but to be honest it took me a moment.  For some reason the words on the picture "IT'S A BOY!" didn't register immediately.  But then it did and I cried the happiest of tears.  I had felt this whole pregnancy that it was a boy but I had convinced myself it was a girl because that's what everyone else thought.  I was finally going to get my little boy.  A little momma's boy to hug and love me.  My girls do that plenty but it's true that there is a special bond between mothers and sons and fathers and daughters.  I couldn't wait!  And finally I'd get to put a name to that little baby inside me.  Caleb Charles Chevallay aka Trip (for Triple C).  I'd loved that name since we picked it when we were pregnant with Hannah.  It's amazing what knowing the sex and naming your baby can do for making pregnancy easier.  It starts to build a bond stronger than anything you've know.

While Weeks 16-20 were eventful I'm glad they are over.  I'm happy to move into the later stages of pregnancy.  I'm so eager to pick out bedding and plan the nursery (more to come on that).  If you want to see Caleb's 1st official outfit from Gymboree and see me cry a little talking about him and how he completes our family click the video below!