And the official date is...

The news:

Woman feels first signs of life
On Wednesday, April 25, Steen and I went to see Wild Hogs, a movie about a group of middle-age men who take a somewhat wild motorcycle trip across part of the US. It was a fun flick, didn't require much thinking, and I guess that was the reason the baby decided it was the perfect time to introduce itself in person. Kick! Kick! Flutter, flutter. I was a bit unsure of whether that's what it really was, but since then, the kicks have become more pronounced and noticeable nearly every day. Such an AMAZING feeling!

That said, our little one was decidedly stubborn in some respects during the May 2 ultrasound -- the last scheduled ultrasound of this pregnancy assuming all continues to go well. We were happy to again have the chance to see the little miracle and were relieved to learn that everything looks fine. We saw the three parts of the brain, four chambers of the heart, two arms, two legs, two tiny feet.

We had heard that the ultrasound technicians here are usually reluctant to tell parents the sex of the baby and we had therefore not expected to find out. However, as soon as I laid down on the examination table, the technician took a look at my bump and said:

That's a typical 'girl' belly!

She then asked us how old our children are and their sexes. I have to give her credit -- during the ultrasound, she did everything she could to get the little one to cooperate, but he or she is already determined to keep some things a secret. Throughout the exam, the baby kept his or her knees drawn up under the body -- a very effective defense if you don't want some nosy parents and a technician looking at your very private parts. In the meantime, he or she proceeded to kick me and bounce around as usual.

So... we don't know the baby's sex. We do know that the baby appears to be healthy, which is what is really important.

And we know the official due date, which is October 1. Mark your calendars! Book your tickets!

In the meantime, congratulations to Shawn and Jeff on the arrival of their beautiful little girl. We're soooo very happy for you!!!!