The 20 week reveal!

On Tuesday 1st August, we had our 20 week scan. I felt much more relaxed and excited about this scan than I had about the one at 12 weeks. Mainly due to the reassuring wriggling and kicking from the baby that let me know all seemed well.

I was also excited as this was the first time that Joshua and Grace would get to see their little brother or sister ‘live’ on screen and also the day that we hoped to find out the sex of the baby. I would have been happy whether it turned out to be a boy or a girl but Joshua had made no secret of his desire to have a brother and so I guess for him I had hoped he might get his wish.

The scan appointment was at 8.40 a.m. so I got up early to get myself ready whilst letting the children sleep. They were still sleeping at 7.45 a.m. so I quietly crept up to their rooms, got their clothes out of their drawers and slowly started to wake them up. I tried Grace first by picking her up and cuddling her on my knee whilst babbling about the excitement that was to come. She responded, eyes closed, with ‘put….me…down’ in a low and threatening whisper that suggested Joshua might be a better starting point!

With everyone finally up, we rushed out the door, no time for cereal but armed with warm toasted teacakes to eat on the journey there. We arrived at the hospital with ten minutes to spare. The smell of warm sunshine on the tarmac and diesel from the buses that busily passed through the drop off area, all set to the impressive backdrop of the new Pembury hospital, made me feel more like we were about to enter an airport on a journey to somewhere exotic. Even Joshua excitedly asked if we were going on holiday.

Although I have no experience of the maternity ward yet, I couldn’t help but marvel once more, at how incredibly glossy and modern the new hospital was. It really doesn’t feel like a hospital but more like an airport with its polished floors, big glass windows and various shops and cafes. From what I have seen so far, I’m impressed. Let’s hope the level of care will be as good as the environment.

We checked in at the ante-natal clinic and had barely had time to sit down before my name was called.  I whispered to the sonographer as we walked in that we would like to try and find out the sex of the baby but wondered if she could write down the result. As planned, we wanted to tell the children separately. We were led into one of the familiar darkened rooms and the children sat on their Daddy’s knee whilst the sonographer squirted cold jelly onto my tummy – the only drawback of being the first appointment of the day is that the jelly hasn’t had time to warm up yet!

She pressed the wand onto my tummy and up popped the black and white image of our third little bean, curled up in a ball, legs and chin to chest in the perfect fetal position. The children asked a stream of excited questions whilst Brett did his best to hush them so the lady could concentrate. The baby seemed to wake and stretch out and I was reassured and pleased that as the scan progressed, all looked very good.

‘Just one more job…!’ said the sonographer which made me break out into a knowing grin. I was asked to ‘jiggle about a bit’ so stood up, jumped on the spot and gave my tummy a good poke.  She found the area we needed and pointed out that we were now at baby’s bottom (although to be honest I found it hard to distinguish what we were looking at).  One thing was fairly obvious though! She pointed to a little protrusion (or if my husband is reading this – a HUGE protrusion!) and quietly asked if I could guess what we were looking at? I whispered ‘Is it a boy?’ to which she nodded.  I felt a flood of excitement, mainly for my son, who looked like he was going to get his wish after all!

As we left the ante-natal clinic, I made an impulsive change from plan.  Instead of waiting to tell Brett and the children until we got home that we were having a little boy, I decided it would be nice for us to enjoy the reveal over a cappuccino in the Costa Coffee just outside the clinic area.  We got the children settled and whilst at the counter, amidst choosing muffins and coffee, I told Brett that he was to have another son.  He gave me a big and happy hug and beamed with delight. I think he fancied the increased odds it would give him of a future rugby star!

I sat down next to the children and told them that they were going to have a baby brother. Joshua grinned from ear to ear and gave a little triumphant ‘Yey’.  Grace, being three, looked fairly unfazed and disinterested, turning only the very corners of her mouth into a smile before jumping down and announcing she wanted a drink!

I got much enjoyment from telling my mum in particular.  We waited till lunchtime and set up a Skype call so the children could tell her the news.  Mum who has been pretty intuitive about all of my pregnancies so far, has ‘known’ from the first few weeks I was having a boy this time and was delighted but not surprised by the outcome.

So here we are with a little boy on the way.  The good news is I can start getting rid of the backlog of girls clothes that sat tucked away in bags, outgrown by Grace.  I can even start to think about how I will eventually decorate the nursery.  All this I will leave for a while though as have a busy couple of months to get through first, including two weddings to photograph, editing to do, the summer holidays to survive through and Brett and my joint 40th birthday’s to finish planning and celebrating. With so much to think about I have a feeling the lead up to the baby’s arrival will be over before we know it!