And.....it's.......

A Girl!

I am trying to recover from the shock. I didn't put down my own prediction, but I really thought it was going to be another boy. I am thrilled to think that there will be a little girl coming into our lives and a little nervous; will I know what to do with her after all this boy training? When the midwife told us it was a girl I laughed and then cried and then smiled for a long time as I saw her sweet, healthy little body on the screen. Later I went to Walmart and wandered past the baby clothes, I immediately looked at the little boy things, then realized I could finally pick out something pink, so I did! Then I glanced over at the teenage girl things and realized that I was in for way more than just switching newborn pajama colors, and planning a totally sweet, feminine nursery; I would someday have a little girl who would become a young woman, who (I hope) would become a mother and grandmother. There is so much to learn. Derek does such a fantastic job of teaching our boys how to be the model father. Will I be able to do the same for our little one? It's not too shameful that I am horrible at football and baseball because moms get points just for trying, but will I be able to teach my daughter how to cook and organize, sew and budget and more importantly, will I be the kind of role model she needs me to be? Will she say someday as I say so often "I learned it by watching my Mom". Will she want to become a mother someday because she sees in me all the joy that comes with motherhood? Will she want to hold fast to her testimony because she knew that her mother held fast to hers? Will she want to know the Savior because her mother sought to know Him? I can only do my best, take things one day at a time and pray that I can be all those things I think a little girl deserves in a mother.


p.s. here is the breakdown of the votes:

Girl predictions: 13
Boy predictions:11 (12 if you count my own)
Neutral: 4