Ok, we'll try this again...

It's a.... GIRL!! 

I was just beginning to be satisfied with the reality that we really didn't know if we were having a girl or a boy and like we had wanted with Gianna, this pregnancy was going to be a surprise as well.   After the last ultrasound appointment left little certainty one way or the other, I was beginning to think the whole "finding out" process wasn't really what it was all hyped up to be.  I figured the only sure way to know was when the baby was born, and I was ok with that-- we had already made it over halfway through the pregnancy, and I figured, what's a few more weeks?...

That perspective changed, however, after the appointment we had this morning-- we got to have another ultrasound and the doctor distinctly showed us, with certainty in his voice, that this baby is a girl. He said he didn't see anything that would lead him to believe it was a boy.  While I know it's never 100% until the baby is actually born, I am now a lot more confident that this baby is a little girl:)

Andy's intuition was RIGHT (he made sure I repeated that a few times;), and Gianna is going to have a little sister!

I am thrilled Gianna is going to have a sister-- although I'm sure it will be a love/hate relationship at times, I think a sister is a wonderful thing to have; I may be a little partial in that perspective, however, as that is all I know;). 

Gianna has also been preparing us for her little sister's arrival... she has become very fond of changing her baby dolls' diapers-- informing us of when they are poopy or "just wet."  In any given day, we can help change her dolls' diapers as much as four or five times a day, not to mention changing their outfits at least three times a day.  Hearkening back to the newborn days, I think this is adequate preparation for the many diaper and outfit changes we will be doing again soon:)

Now that we are more certain that we are having a girl, I think this is as fitting time as any to reveal our name choice as well...

If you recall back to my earlier post, when I thought we were going to have a boy this time around, I mentioned that one of the "reasons" I thought it was a boy was because I was satisfied with the boy's name we had in mind and didn't feel a strong need to figure out a girl's name.  Well, now in retrospect, the real reason I may not have felt a need to figure out a girl's name is because a great one would be suggested to me... Ella. 

Ella would be this baby's Great, Great, Great Grandma's name. She is Andy's Great, Great Grandma, his mom's Great Grandma, and his Grandma's Grandma. (I think that all makes sense:)

For a middle name, we've decided on Bernadette, after St. Bernadette.  This is a name I've been fond of for many years and St. Bernadette is a great saint. http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/BERNADET.HTM

Ella Bernadette

I love names with meaning and history so I'm excited about this name selection.