Well dear little Hop Hop…we now know you are a GIRL! That’s right little one. Your mommy, daddy and little brother have just found out what you’ve always known. You are to be our little princess. We had a very exciting party for you last Friday to find out your gender. They call it a “gender reveal party” these days, and we decided to have one because we want to celebrate you as much as possible. So many of our family and friends came out to share in our joy, and I am so grateful to have them all in our lives, as I know someday you will too. You are already so loved little one.

I’m not going to lie. I was shocked to see the pink icing in the cupcakes. I have always pictured myself with a little girl, but after having your brother I felt that maybe I was destined to have boys. I honestly was prepared for pink or blue, but I NEVER allowed myself to believe I would see pink.

Your little brother needs some time to get used to the idea. He told me “but I wanted a boy”, and was sad. But don’t you worry, he will get used to the idea real quick. After he was already picking out pink pajama’s for you, so I think that’s a good sign. He cuddles with my belly, and since I told him you can probably hear him now he talks to you. He has now picked up his girl name for you of “girl girl”, but I am going to stick with Hop Hop.

My belly is getting bigger, and I can feel you moving a lot more. I just started to be able to feel you from the outside! I have tried to allow your daddy to feel it, but of course when he comes you are shy. So if you could just let him feel your little kicks too that would be great. I try to have your little brother touch my belly but he has zero patience to sit there and wait for your next kick. It’s so fun to feel you rolling around in there. There is a lot more growing to go!

I am so happy and excited to now picture you as a girl. That means I get to start to envision your nursery and your crib and all the fun girl clothes I get to buy. It still hasn’t all sunk in totally though….it will though little one. My little girl…

Hop Hop: 20 Weeks

How your baby’s growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He’s also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — about the size of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby’s legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the “crown to rump” measurement. After 20 weeks, he’s measured from head to toe.)

He’s swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He’s also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you’ll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery)