It's A.......

Yesterday was our official 20 week'ish ultrasound.  (I am actually 22 weeks today.)  All baby systems looked good:  spinal cord is "beautiful" according to the technician, two arms and two legs, functioning kidneys and bladder, and the skull looks normal.

The baby is 1 pound and is in the 41 st percentile for growth.  At 21 weeks and 6 days (calculated by my ob), the baby is measuring 22 weeks and 1 day.  We're right on track for growth and development.

Then the money question....what is the gender????  Mother's intuition once again failed me.  My ob's prediction failed me.  My mom's prediction failed me.  Yes, we are having another one...a BOY!!!!!  Claire (the dog) and I are soon to be outnumbered by testosterone and raised toilet seats.  All in all, kind of lucky for me because I couldn't create a french braid to save my life!!

Now we have some direction for working on a name---our next hurdle.  Any suggestions? 

St. Thomas--Our Beach Boy

Last night we got back from our week-long trip to St. Thomas.  Jack went along this year and we had a great time.  We stayed in a villa (condo), which is much more tolerable with children than a traditional hotel room due to two bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, and full kitchen.  This vacation was much less of a disaster than Mexico two years ago with a standard hotel room, a six month old in a crib, and Ben and I in bed by 8:30 with all the lights turned off and the TV on so low you can even hear it!

As it turns out, our boy is a "Beach Boy", as he calls himself.  He LOVED the beach and sand.  Given the choice between picking the pool or beach, he always went with the beach.  We also rented a Jeep Wrangler which he LOVED.  With the windows pulled off the side, he could have the wind blowing through his hair and still be outside.  He's requesting that we buy one back at home...

It was interesting and entertaining to spend a solid week with him.  Last summer we took a week here at home to spend it at the lake with him, but we always have some sort of family around and we probably hired a teenage babysitter for a night so we could go out to dinner.  Not this vacation....it was pure Mommy, Daddy, and Jack uninterrupted time.  Some of the things that he says are hilarious.  Ben and I have to laugh behind our hands so he doesn't see our reactions, as that eggs him on.  Some of the things that he does are downright infuriating.  I guess you have to take the good with the bad...

This was a great vacation...but a different vacation.  Better than the Mexico fiasco.  Better than last year when we left him with Mimi and Pop and went by ourselves because we missed him terribly.  One thing we've learned and talked about extensively is that a vacation with your kids is not really relaxing.  You always have to be on your game.  We were up by 6:30 Island Time every morning (5:30 here before the time change).  You don't sit in a lounger, sip a drink, and immerse yourself in a good book.  You spend the time running after your kid, saying "don't do that", and playing with them.  Great vacation, but I may be more tired than when I left!  One bonus...our unit had full laundry facilities, so no dirties when we got home.  The laundry queen can retire for a few days:)