Gender Reveal Part I

A Red Headed Soccer Player 

or 

a Blue Eyed Queen?

Part 1

Friday, Nov. 1- Sonogram Day

Kyle and I headed to our appointment at 8 am to have the 20 week sonogram (I was only 19 weeks but the date just worked out and they said it was fine).  I had been up since the crack of dawn giddy with anticipation and although Kyle laid in the bed for awhile, I know that he had not slept much the night before either.  I had been watching YouTube videos of people finding out the gender all week and had seen a few where the tech was unsure about whether the baby was a boy or girl so I told Kyle that if the tech needed my help in determining the gender then I was prepared to look.  After Kyle assured me that my "assistance" would not be necessary in helping a health care trained professional in doing her job, I settled into the fact that I would not know until Saturday night.  

Once we got checked in I began to freak out a little with nerves while Kyle "Cool as a Cucumber" Moore got a little school work finished.  How in the world was he computing numbers and making sense of spreadsheets at a time like this?!

As I sat their worrying about everything that could go wrong and my eyes began to fill with tears I started looking back through my secret "Baby Moore" board and found these two gems.  I read and read these two verses over and over just as I have done many times over the past 19 weeks.  When we were finally called in, Kyle had a better understanding of business strategies and I had a peace in my heart.   

On our walk back the sono tech asked if a Radiology resident could sit in to learn more about baby sonograms and we said sure.  After getting settled into the room and the tech turning on the machine she let us know that she had had too much coffee and needed to get a glass of water...she then told the Resident Observer to "get things started" by "playing around."  Bless his heart, he had no idea what he was doing and I am pretty sure that Dr. "Is that piece of dust my child's umbilical cord" Kyle could have done a better job at "getting things started."  As he explored, Kyle and I pointed out the head, legs, and arms.  He would say things like, "Yeah it looks like a head/arm/leg... but I can't be 100% sure..." At one point he literally did a "tap,tap...is this thing on" mic check with the sono thingie.  HAHA.  It was wonderful to see our sweet baby again so we didn't care who was showing us.  When the sono tech came back in she got straight to work showing us all of Baby MOs features.  She even bragged that Baby Mo was "so photogenic" and should be a "sonogram model".  Well of course...  My head was too big to fit through the door on our way out.  I asked Kyle if he thought they said this to everyone to which he replied, "Obviously..." BUT yet another DR. came in to show the resident observer a few more things and had the same "photogenic" and "sono model" comments to share.  Our baby is just gorgeous...look for Baby MO on the cover of Sonogram Tech Weekly soon ;)  

At various points I was told to turn my head so that I did not see the goods, or lack thereof, but Kyle watched the whole time.  I watched his face but he remained constant the whole time.  Kyle asked the sono tech if she knew what Baby MO was and she said yes and asked him if he thought he did.  Kyle swears that he did based on one of the screen shots.  She then typed in the gender on the screen while I looked away.  Kyle's poker face was solid though and his ear to ear grin did not waver one bit.  We had the sono tech seal the gender shot and a card in an envelope (pictured above) so that I would not be tempted.  

I got to take these pictures with me to show off throughout the day.

Baby MO's foot and toes...its amazing how clearly you can see it. 

My Mom's favorite story of me meeting Mary Agnes is when I was holding her and leaned over, grabbed my own foot, and announced in my unusually deep 2 year old voice, "Momma, hers gots BIG feet..."

Side profile, spine, and little leg

Side Profile and little 148/minute beating heart...

Be Still My Heart...

If I am going to continue posting screenshot of my texts, I am really going to have to start proof reading my spelling and grammar. Sorry!

Later that day/night we were able to begin the celebration with both sets of our parents.   

 Supper at Paris Club Resturant downtown

Celebratory drinks at the OMI Hotel.  Our sweet cousin Cori Sullivan said that she could see the look of "I'm buying a shotgun..." all over Kyle's face.  
Bless his secret keeping/poker face heart. 

Saturday, Nov. 2- 

Gender Reveal

Thank you Jovana for spending time with us and taking 100s of pictures!  We cannot wait to see them all!

My Momma and I woke up early to begin cooking and getting our serving pieces ready for the party.  Kyle was glad to see that I was actually using my wedding gifts and I was glad to have an extra set of hands to help me prepare.  

We had quite the menu:

• Pulled Pork Sliders
• Mexican WonTons
• Cheese Ball and Cheese plate with crackers and fruit
• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Rotel Dip and Chips
• Pasta Salad
• Soccer Ball and Crown Cookies
• Blue Eyed Queen Prissy Pink Lemonade  
• Red Headed Soccer Player Hydration Station 

I will post the pictures of the table set up once Jovana finishes them.  Here are a few from our camera phones for now:

Cookies made by the sweet and talented Mrs. Laura McKinley.

 Flowers and leaves from our courtyard.

This part is a little creepy...

 SuSu and Mary Agnes made these outfits for one of my old baby dolls.  Disclaimer: We did NOT have the baby in the clothes during the party.  Though the boys did bring it out towards the end...HAHA.  The one on top was to please those who thought Baby MO was a girl...and then for those who thought boy, the tutu came off.

Sweet Meg Carlstedt set everything up for us at Toes' house so that all we had to do was a few touch ups.  (We love you Auntie Meggie!)

Friends began arriving, eating, drinking, and visiting and I was oh so glad to have Jovana there taking pictures so that we could just enjoy.  Around 8:30 we could not wait any longer so we rounded everyone up to head to the roof.  JohnJohn was tasked with the role of lighting the firework.  Kyle had both set out behind a table and simply told John which one to light.  

Here are two videos in the order that I like to watch them...

A Red Headed Soccer Player or a Blue Eyed Queen?

Y'all my heart was about to burst with happiness.  Kyle had me so convinced that Baby MO was a boy that finding out that it was actually a SHE was such a shock!  I cried with joy at the thought of a daughter and still cannot believe it!  Kyle is such a good secret keeper!

                           
                                         

We continued to celebrate throughout the night with all of our sweet friends and family.  (More pictures to come!)

Chicago Uncles celebrate with a "Crown" beer pong team.  My old HC crown was circulating throughout the boys too. 

Queen Ashley 

Sweet SuSu wearing my Samantha Wills necklace.  Team PINK!

Carrying our fireworks in style and wishing the Oxford crew could be here with us!

  
I have watched the videos no less than 100 times and they bring tears to my eyes every time.  Each morning since Saturday I have woken up and announced to Kyle, "WE ARE HAVING A GIRL!!!" to which he replies with a smirk, "I know..." ;)

Thank you to everyone who made our Baby GIRL'S gender reveal oh so special.  We love each and every one of you so much and cannot imagine life without you.  Baby girl is already oh so loved and protected.  

We are truly blessed. ;)

PS-I will do a Gender Reveal Part II when Jovana posted the other pictures!  Hooray!!