… HE!
We hadn’t shared one of these announcements since 2010, so it’s both strange and exciting to be doing it again. We found out on Wednesday and spent the next 48 hours telling family. The first person we wanted to tell was Clara. We didn’t want her to learn from an ultrasound technician, so we arranged for a playdate with my dad during the appointment. When we got back together we surprised her with a baby boy doll. It was a sweet little moment: “Look in the bag to see if there’s a little boy or a little girl in mommy’s belly!”
Clara loves baby dolls, so she instantly connected the dots that this meant she was getting a little brother. She immediately started feeding him, changing his diapers, and proudly declared she had known it was a boy all along. When we asked what she wanted to name the doll, she shouted “Barnacles!” then clarified the full name was Captain Barnacles, a character from one of her favorite shows. So no, she won’t be naming her real brother, but we’ve started calling the baby “the barnacle” sometimes.
At first we all guessed it would be a girl, but Sherry’s prolonged morning sickness made us start leaning toward a boy. Clara had also been asking for a brother—likely influenced by friends who have baby brothers—so she was over the moon when we told her. We are, too.
After about the sixteenth diaper change for Captain Barnacles, Clara FaceTimed Nonna to share the news. She was thrilled to announce it, and Nonna was equally delighted to hear it.
When it came time to tell my family who live nearby, we turned it into a little game. We convinced my parents, my sister, and her family to meet us for dinner (at Panera) and brought blue and pink envelopes so everyone could place a final guess. Pink for girl, blue for boy.
At the same time we had them open their envelopes. The blue cards read variations of “yup!” or “bingo!” while the pink ones said things like “nope!” or “try again!” Guesses were about evenly split, so half of the group was surprised. Watching everyone’s faces change at the same moment made the reveal especially fun.
After that we made a bunch of calls to family and friends to spread the news. Clara enthusiastically told everyone, “I’m getting a baby brother!” maybe one hundred times across various conversations. And that, as they say, is history.
Sherry and I are really excited. Above all, we’re grateful to hear there’s a healthy little one growing inside. Knowing it’s a boy has made the excitement feel more tangible. While two girls would have been wonderful, we’re looking forward to raising a son alongside our amazing daughter. Sherry has already been browsing nursery ideas on Pinterest with enthusiasm.
It’s fun to imagine the possibilities for that room now that we have a better sense of who will occupy it. We don’t plan to fill it with stereotypical “boy” things or paint everything blue—interestingly, Clara’s original nursery was blue and green—but it’s still exciting to discuss potential projects, colors, and artwork. The nursery happened to be the only room in the house with pink trim when we moved in.
Luckily it’s already painted white. The downside is the room is currently full of random stuff, so it’s time to start clearing it out and turning it into a proper nursery.
We’d love to hear your stories about finding out your baby’s sex—whether during an ultrasound, from an early blood test, or right in the delivery room. How did you share the news with family and friends? A Facebook photo, a blue-or-pink cake, a box of balloons, or a quick phone call? No matter how you did it, that moment is always special.