Boy or Girl? and Free Zoo Day!

On January 25th I had my 20 week appointment scheduled and it was time to find out if we were having a boy or girl.  We were all kind of expecting it to be a girl because, well, we've got two.  But I think that we were all (especially Rob) kind of hoping it might be a boy too...just because that would be fun to see what a little boy of ours would look like right?  Well, it was really fun to see the baby on the ultrasound, I always love to see that tiny little person moving around in that tiny little space.  The doctor kept pointing out everything on the baby and he kept referring to it as a "he."   "HE'S playing with HIS toes" and "here is HIS face," etc.  But then, once we got a semi good view of the little bum, he started to refer to it as a "SHE."  And then he got a little closer and showed me those well known three lines and said we had another little GIRL on the way.  Can you believe it?  Three girls.  I can't say that I was disappointed because I obviously love girls.  I've never had a boy so I can't compare and say a boy would be better, so I'm of course very excited about having another pink bundle with a little bow in her hair.  I love baby girls and I've done baby girls, so its familiar to me.  We also already have the name picked out for a girl...Alivia.  That's right.  We actually have a name already.  No voting, no polls, no tossing around this one or that.  We've decided on a name and I think it's beautiful.  So when Dr. J. said it was a girl, I immediately thought "there's my Alivia." :)  Honestly, one of the first things I thought was how scared I was to tell Rob.  I waited for a little while.  Then I called him up and let him know that Anisten was getting her way (she's wanted a girl from the beginning and would almost be in tears when we told her it might be a boy).  I gotta say, he took it really well...at first.  It seemed that the longer I talked to him and the more the idea settled, the more bummed he got about it.  Not that he doesn't want this baby girl, but he just thinks he's never going to get his boy.  Rob is such a guy (he grew up with five brothers), so when he pictured having children, he always pictured having a boy and doing those "boy" things.  My heart goes out to him.  It took a few days, but he's accepted it and feeling much better about things now.  It is definitely economical having the same gender children...no need to buy new bedding or bath towels or clothes.  We've got it all, right down to the collection of hair bows.  She's gonna fit right in and I am so excited. :)

Also on January 25th, it was Free Zoo Day at Hogle Zoo.  The last Wednesday of the month during the winter months, it is free admission to the zoo.  We took advantage of it once last year and loved it so I figured why not go again.  It ended up being a perfect day.  And I gotta say that I prefer doing it this way.  Not only is it free, but you're not melting in the sun and fighting crowds to see the animals sleeping.  Definitely my preferred way to go.  The girls loved it.

Can't get enough of that baby elephant Zuri

We did happen to be there during the tiger's naptime...bummer.  At least he fell asleep right next to the window where we could get a good look at him (or her)

The giraffe's are always fun and active.  And we can get so close

This may have been the first time we saw wolves at the zoo.  Very cool

Aivree with a camel.  Don't you love her face?  This was towards the end of our trip and she was pretty ornery.  This was the best we could get out of her at this point (she slept the whole way home).

Altogether a very fun day with lots of excitement.