At about our 13 week mark, my husband and I went to the doctor for our First Trimester screening and while there, we opted to do the Harmony testing for our baby. It was two weeks later that we were told we would receive the results - the level of health risks, as well as, yes...the gender of our sweet baby! I wouldn't typically describe myself as a very patient person. Those two weeks?...were torture!
Brandon and I knew that we wanted to hear the news of the gender together, but with our families living in two different locations than us, we wanted to do something special to reveal it to them. Our schedule placed us in Round Rock, Texas 4 days after we were to find out the gender, and therefore...that laid the groundwork for our plan! My parents booked their flights to fly in for the weekend, and his family was driving up from Houston; all planning to meet in Round Rock. I went through every idea in the book - blue or pink cotton candy, confetti poppers, filling their hotel rooms with balloons - you name it, everything. No rock was left unturned!
The two week mark arrived and Brandon had actually been traveling that week, but was scheduled to arrive home that very day...talk about perfect timing! About midmorning I received the "unknown" labeled phone call which is typically how calls from our doctor's office came through. I was so excited!! I answered and the nurse politely began to tell me the results, starting with the health risks in which I quickly cut her off to say "whoa whoa whoa, are you about to tell me the gender!?" She went on to say yes and I preceded to tell her about my husband traveling and that we wanted to hear the results together; asking if she would mind calling back and just leaving a message for us to both listen to later that day. She said yes with no problem, and I went on to ask her to please repeat the heath results since I'm pretty sure I blanked out on the whole beginning of our conversation! I hung up the phone from speaking with her and just busted into tears!! Tears for a healthy baby, tears for the fact that in a matter of hours we would know the gender...tears and tears for every bit of happiness this blessing brings. [These little outbursts of tears happen more times than not lately. My mind wanders to the baby, to my husband...and it's complete waterworks! I'm sure any expecting momma can empathize with me on this].
From the time that the nurse called, to the time that Brandon's flight arrived home, was only about a few hours. Again...torture; just knowing that little voicemail was sitting on my phone! I picked Brandon up from the airport and he wanted to wait until we arrived back home and we were settled to listen to the voicemail. [Did he not realize the level of torture and anticipation I had already reached this day!?] I hooked up my phone to our Bose bluetooth speaker so that we could loudly hear the results from the nurse on the message. I tested the sound on an old message from a friend, just to be sure we wouldn't run into any snafus with the real deal. I'm pretty sure when the nurse said "It's a boyyyy!" we both just surprisingly-happily-completely shocked looked at each other like..."what!!?" After kissing and hugging, asking each other if this was for real and me of course, crying...we then listened to the message probably another good four or five times! The best part of that moment in time: the pure bliss that my husband carried on his face; I'm not sure it was possible for him to not show it. A complete and perfect smirk that he didn't even realize he had on!
The next realization: there was no way we could wait four days to tell our families over the weekend! That plan quickly flew right on out the window. With about an hour to spare before Brandon had to leave for work that day, we ran across every cute idea we could possibly think of to tell our parents, brothers and sisters. The only idea I could truly think of in our home setting was an idea I had come across on Pinterest when looking at gender reveal ideas for our other plan. The idea was to use paint and take a picture with both of your hands on your stomach, and in the next picture...taking them off to reveal the gender color in paint. Ironically, I had worn a white tank top to pick up Brandon that day, and being the traveling artist that I am...had paint on hand in the apartment! I told him the idea and we quickly sprung into action. I had become a pro in the passing weeks at taking my bump pictures with a timer setup involving a chair, a yeti cooler, an empty box from our kitchen dishes, and the bluetooth speaker to prop the phone up on. We put together this lovely contraption, painted Brandon's hands, and got into position!
And this...
Brandon and I knew that we wanted to hear the news of the gender together, but with our families living in two different locations than us, we wanted to do something special to reveal it to them. Our schedule placed us in Round Rock, Texas 4 days after we were to find out the gender, and therefore...that laid the groundwork for our plan! My parents booked their flights to fly in for the weekend, and his family was driving up from Houston; all planning to meet in Round Rock. I went through every idea in the book - blue or pink cotton candy, confetti poppers, filling their hotel rooms with balloons - you name it, everything. No rock was left unturned!
The two week mark arrived and Brandon had actually been traveling that week, but was scheduled to arrive home that very day...talk about perfect timing! About midmorning I received the "unknown" labeled phone call which is typically how calls from our doctor's office came through. I was so excited!! I answered and the nurse politely began to tell me the results, starting with the health risks in which I quickly cut her off to say "whoa whoa whoa, are you about to tell me the gender!?" She went on to say yes and I preceded to tell her about my husband traveling and that we wanted to hear the results together; asking if she would mind calling back and just leaving a message for us to both listen to later that day. She said yes with no problem, and I went on to ask her to please repeat the heath results since I'm pretty sure I blanked out on the whole beginning of our conversation! I hung up the phone from speaking with her and just busted into tears!! Tears for a healthy baby, tears for the fact that in a matter of hours we would know the gender...tears and tears for every bit of happiness this blessing brings. [These little outbursts of tears happen more times than not lately. My mind wanders to the baby, to my husband...and it's complete waterworks! I'm sure any expecting momma can empathize with me on this].
From the time that the nurse called, to the time that Brandon's flight arrived home, was only about a few hours. Again...torture; just knowing that little voicemail was sitting on my phone! I picked Brandon up from the airport and he wanted to wait until we arrived back home and we were settled to listen to the voicemail. [Did he not realize the level of torture and anticipation I had already reached this day!?] I hooked up my phone to our Bose bluetooth speaker so that we could loudly hear the results from the nurse on the message. I tested the sound on an old message from a friend, just to be sure we wouldn't run into any snafus with the real deal. I'm pretty sure when the nurse said "It's a boyyyy!" we both just surprisingly-happily-completely shocked looked at each other like..."what!!?" After kissing and hugging, asking each other if this was for real and me of course, crying...we then listened to the message probably another good four or five times! The best part of that moment in time: the pure bliss that my husband carried on his face; I'm not sure it was possible for him to not show it. A complete and perfect smirk that he didn't even realize he had on!
The next realization: there was no way we could wait four days to tell our families over the weekend! That plan quickly flew right on out the window. With about an hour to spare before Brandon had to leave for work that day, we ran across every cute idea we could possibly think of to tell our parents, brothers and sisters. The only idea I could truly think of in our home setting was an idea I had come across on Pinterest when looking at gender reveal ideas for our other plan. The idea was to use paint and take a picture with both of your hands on your stomach, and in the next picture...taking them off to reveal the gender color in paint. Ironically, I had worn a white tank top to pick up Brandon that day, and being the traveling artist that I am...had paint on hand in the apartment! I told him the idea and we quickly sprung into action. I had become a pro in the passing weeks at taking my bump pictures with a timer setup involving a chair, a yeti cooler, an empty box from our kitchen dishes, and the bluetooth speaker to prop the phone up on. We put together this lovely contraption, painted Brandon's hands, and got into position!
And this...
...was what we ended with! I'd say for a completely spastic, thrown together mission...we were pretty successful! So, a big Thank You to the original artists of this lovely idea that you see on Pinterest. We appreciate it!!
As to our news and welcoming a little man into our family - we could not be any more happy and thankful!
Prayers for healthy growth for our baby boy.
xo
CRH
As to our news and welcoming a little man into our family - we could not be any more happy and thankful!
Prayers for healthy growth for our baby boy.
xo
CRH