I know, I know, most of you are probably chuckling to yourselves right now.  Wondering which of us caved and finally peeked at the card that had our baby's gender written on it that was just sitting in our room for like, a month.

Well.....

   Believe it or not, it was my dear husband.:)  But to be honest?? I'm SO GLAD HE DID.  Because I have this weird streak of stubbornness when it comes to a decision I've made, and I'm fairly confidant I would have gone the rest of my pregnancy without knowing what we are having, for no other reason than just to know that I could.  All the while it is written inside of a little card, just sitting there.

It all seemed a little bit silly after a while.

   And so he looked, and kept the secret from me for TWO weeks before I found out.  I have no idea how he did that.  And he was going to keep it a couple weeks longer so he could surprise me with a cupcake frosted in the appropriate color on our anniversary!  What a romantic.

   But we were lying in bed talking one night when I saw this secret little smile steal across his face and I still can't really explain what made me think of our baby but I just.....knew.  And I gasped, "Do you know what we're having???!!!!"  And in those moments before he told me it was such a bizarre feeling to realize that he knew something about our child that I didn't know, even though I was carrying him/her in my own body!  How incredible that God knew us BEFORE we were formed in our mother's womb.  Before doctors or the mother herself, or those two little lines on the pregnancy stick knew anything at all.....God knew you.  Incredible.

And so the secret is out.  Baby Smucker # 3 is a........................


BOY! 
    A son.  I 'm still a little bit in shock over it all. Not because the odds were stacked against us, (I'm pretty sure it's 50/50 every time:) or because it is that rare of a thing to have a boy, but simply because I've never had one.  And much like most women I know long for a daughter?  I've always longed for a little boy to call my own.

   Not that I love one more than the other, because I can honestly say to you, I would have been thrilled with another girl.  After already having two, I was always a little nervous that if and when the time came that we would be blessed with a third, I would be desperate for a boy.  But I was so relieved and grateful to realize that when that time came, (and it did) I could honestly say that I would have been so happy with either one!

   Raising girls has been so much more wonderful than I ever even dreamed it would be, and I would take 10 more of them.  Think of the fellowship, the community, the built-in YaYa Sisterhood!  But all that being said, I am so delighted to be expecting a boy to join this little family of ours.  What an honor and a privilege to raise a son.

   So of course I'm sure some of you are wondering if I'm a little bit disappointed that I know, because I was so convinced I wanted to wait and be surprised.  The answer to that is, not a bit.  I have felt the thrill of the "surprise" a little bit each and every day, and now I get to scour Pinterest and decorate a little boy's room and collect little boy things.  What a dream!  I am 100% tickled that we get to know. It only makes the third trimester that much sweeter.

   And we all know that the home stretch of pregnancy needs a little help in that department, whereas the newborn stage kicks the sweetness up to a whole new level all on its own!  So with the aid of hindsight.......my vote is to find out. :)

Hurry up June!!!  We can't wait to meet this precious little guy.