Pink or Blue?

I have always been determined not to find out the gender of my babies until they are born.  Life is lacking sweet surprises and Taylor and I LOVE the suspense. When expecting Seth, I used to joke that it would help me get through labor!  But if I'm completely honest, that was mostly due to Mr. Epidural, my best friend that I plan on reuniting with in late March (a post for another time).

My sister-in-law, Susannah, paved the way for Taylor.  For each birth, we would eagerly clog the maternity ward hallway making bets as we waited impatiently for the answer of our nine month old question.  My brother-in-law, getting way into it,  would make us line up on either side of the corridor based on if we thought it was a boy or a girl and video taped us to catch our reactions when he revealed the baby's name, and let's be serious, to keep us honest - ha!  When their third daughter, Caroline, was born, he relinquished this duty of announcing the gender to their 4 year old who accidentally told us she had a brother instead of a sister.  Classic!

Taylor loved the excitement of seeing everyone show up for our nieces births and was wholeheartedly on board with me to wait to find out.

Waiting to find out if it would be Seth or Emma...

You'd think this was the winning side of the hallway, but it wasn't...

Those who guessed boy

With Seth (aka Nudger), we mostly encountered shock when people would ask us what we were having, and we admitted we didn't know.


People still do that?!

They'd ask incredulously, and then would proceed to give their expert opinion on what I was having according to this superstition or that old wives tale.  I would have random people walk by me, point at my basketball belly and say, "boy," and just keep walking.  It was so bizarre.  Other people just got plain annoyed with us and couldn't understand why we wouldn't find out.

Seth, my little basketball

Here in Britain, people are naturally more understated.  No one ventures a guess at all, and only the Americans are curious about what we "think" it is.

But we've decided with Little Bits, much against our ideology, that we will find out at our 20 week ultrasound if he is a he or she. Practicality has won out.  We figured since we won't have a hospital ward packed out with our eagerly awaiting friends (socialized medicine and the Atlantic Ocean make this impossible), we might as well find out now when we can celebrate with them in person over the Christmas holidays. And if it's a girl, we'll be able to stock up on free (thanks Susannah) and more affordable (thanks to the abysmal exchange rate) clothes while we're in the States.

As the ultrasound draws closer (THIS Wednesday!), I find it hard to stop thinking about it. Which is God's best plan for our family? Will Seth have a little brother or sister?   Will they get along and be best friends, or will it be a refining relationship (hopefully a lot of the first and some of the second).  People sometimes ask me what I "want" it to be, and I honestly don't know.  I want whoever is in there.  I believe this baby is a person known by God already, fashioned in His image, how could I not want that?  I can't wait to see how this baby enhances and changes our little family of three.  I know it will be chaos at times - one of my friends describes having a baby as hard, but a baby and a toddler as Crazytown - but I am looking forward to this new life God has graciously granted us.

Bring on the Crazytown!

"Little Bits" for a little longer

Come back Wednesday for the big reveal!

Ode to The Mullet

At one month of age, Seth Robert Ince lost all of his hair.  That is, on the top of his head only.  The back continued on even through the adversity of a "back sleeper."  His mother talked of getting it cut especially after instances when people asked if she cut his hair.  Offended greatly, she quipped, "No I didn't thank you very much and if I did, I would not choose a mullet.  Yes, I may be from Texas, but don't live near the river." OK, maybe she was just thinking that in her head while she grimaced out a "no" to the asker.

Even still, she didn't have the heart to cut his golden locks.  

Mom, don't even think about cutting The Mullet!

Dontcha think it's cute?

Pure gold

She would finally build up her resolve, and then he would wake up like this:

Mom, please don't cut my hair.  You hate change.  I will not look like your little baby anymore if you do...

So he carried on as he was, The Mullet firmly intact.

 The Mullet lived on even through a photo shoot while wearing his Pakistani outfit given as a gift from one of our friends. Are those shoes the cutest?

Don't miss the hair flip 

This one is mostly for the pose, but The Mullet is also alive and well if you look closely.

I mean The Mullet has it's own shadow for crying out loud!

And then little Seth was woken up for church one Sunday and The Mullet had turned into this:

Business on top

Major party in the back.

Oh,My.Curls.

And she again resolved to get his haircut immediately.

But somehow, he charmed her out of it again.  Even with lunch all over his face.

The Mullet withstood Tutu's b-day photo...

Yes, Seth has a bit of a shoe fetish.  Why do you ask?

as well as Soup Night.

 And then resolve was once again restored, when he found a girl's hair clip and insisted his mother try it on him.

It worked way too well.

 Next, he found a hair band.

The length of that pony-tail has most girls his age green with envy.  

And that was the last straw.

The waiting room at the Barber Shop

Ignorance is bliss 

Mom, what is this alien thing you've given me?

I think it has little strawberries printed on the package.

I like this Barber Shop place!

The Mullet's final minutes

What's going on here?

Lollipop, where have you been all my life?

Nothing in the world is happening except for my consumption of my first lollipop, copious amounts of drool, and the distant the singing of "Lollipop, Lollipop" intermittently interrupted by a snip, snip sound...

Tada!
First haircut = total success!

Bittersweet moment for Mommy as she watches her baby grow into a little boy. ..

Check out that new do!

Embracing the Camera with Emily today...

Nap Time These Days

I am what you call a "scheduled" mom.  This is ironic if you know me in person because "scatterbrained" would probably be close to the top of the list if you were asked to describe me.  I am not organized, and I don't even use a calendar (much to Taylor's chagrin).  I don't know how the "have it together'' gene skipped me because my mom is like an organization genius.  

When it came to having a baby, I knew that I had to redirect all of my organizing power (what little I possessed) from being a teacher to being a mom.  It is all used up there and none is left for my life, but it works for Seth.  He has been a great sleeper and is fairly predictable which helps minimize whining and frustration.  

But we've moved into new territory.  Now instead of me having to watching the clock and for the typical signs (ear pulling, yawning, wanting the paci), he basically just tells me it's nap time.  

I know - still in his pajamas...don't judge! He takes an early morning nap!

Thanks Seth for making it so easy to be your mom.  I hope Little Bits follows in your angel-baby footsteps!