We’ve been so overwhelmed by all of your kind comments and your fun guesses about this baby! We could hardly go to bed the night I posted, because we were all having so much fun reading your comments. Later today, I will use the random number generator to come up with a winner of the guessing game, and update this post, and that one. Thank you all so much for celebrating with us. It means a lot to me, more than I can say.
When Jonny and I walked into our first prenatal appointment, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My last five babies were born at home (though my first was a hospital birth), and here we were suddenly planning a hospital birth and knowing that things would be different this time. Some changes hard, some needed and welcomed.
In a conventional setting, as many of you know, at the first appointment pregnancy is usually confirmed by seeing the baby’s heart beating. I was very nervous as Jonny and I waited for my midwife to come in and start the ultrasound. It felt like we waited forever. The midwife arrived (my first time meeting her) and was lovely, and made me feel completely comfortable. It only took her a moment to find the baby and her little heart beating. And those were my precise thoughts as soon as I saw that tiny baby on the screen, “There she is.” Weeks later, my instincts were confirmed. We are indeed expecting another little girl. I know you can imagine how excited that Larkspur and Beatrix are, me too! Larkspur keeps saying to me, “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe we’re going to finally have a baby sister.” And this not because she doesn’t love her baby brothers. It’s just not quite the same, you know? The boys on the other hand are kind of hilarious. Over the weeks leading up to learning that our baby is a girl, Silas could frequently be heard saying, in his four year old way, “If this baby is a girl, Gabe and I are outta here!” But, I’m happy to report that they haven’t yet fled. I know that they won’t be able to resist her once she’s here. Babies have a way of doing that, making everyone love them, no matter what.
I have been saving myself this giant skein of Targhee wool with plans to dye it pink if we learned that we were having a girl. It’s not that I wouldn’t have knit anything for a baby boy, I just have a pretty big collection of baby knits in blues, browns, and greens since my last two babies were boys. I don’t really have any baby girl knits. I purchased some madder root, because I love the coral shades of pink you can achieve when dyeing with it. And for the past couple of weeks, I have been dyeing lots of peachy-pink yarn. And while this little girl will certainly wear blue, brown, and green, she’s going to have some pink as well. Possibly, a LOT of pink. Because I’m pretty hooked on madder. I’ll definitely make some of this available in my next shop update as well. I don’t need THAT much pink yarn!
Thank you all again for sharing our excitement! We’re pretty thrilled. Well, most of us are. And Silas will come around eventually, I’m certain.
***edited to add that I’ve just emailed Claire, who guessed correctly and commented, “Girl, girl, girl!
Congratulations! Wonderful news. You look beautiful. Would love to read either of your favorite books. Blessings to you both!”
Christie @ Everything to Someone says
Gah! Congratulations! ( Our babies have the same leggings. 😉 )
Bee says
Congrats Ginny (and family)! This is SO exciting. I mean, a baby is always exciting, but considering the boy-girl ratio in your family it’s EXTRA great :).
Funny thing: I hadn’t checked your blog in a couple of days because I was having a busy week. Then yesterday, I quickly checked on my phone and noticed this post and literally yelled: “AHHH!” out loud, causing my partner to look at me questioningly…;-)
I hope you have a wonderful pregnancy :).
Taciana SIMMONS says
Congratulations dear Ginny.!!! Babies are so precious and baby girls are a beautiful miracle that will bless your family. ,at your blessings be too many to count with the rival of your little one. Congratulations dear ?
Becki says
I’m late to the party, but celebrating in spirit with you over your good news. Congratulations!
Catherine says
Oh, congratulations! A girl! Your heart must be full to bursting:)
We welcomed our fifth child this past April, a petite (but fiesty) daughter after a run of three GIANT boys. Both her size and gender have taken a bit of getting used to! Our middle boy, four at the time, had a tantrum when we called from the hospital to announce a girl. He really wanted another brother. You know what? He is the most adoring of her big brothers, and she adores him the most (but don’t tell her other siblings that). All five of my babies were born in a hospital, and my favorite births were the last two–my OB, midwife, and nurses were phenomenal, and that made all the difference. I hope the same for you. Praying for St. Anna and St. Eleutherios’s intercessions during your pregnancy and childbirth.
Susan says
Wow! So VERY happy for you! A little girl… sigh… Enjoy all your knitting for her. Can’t wait to “meet” her. I’m also a little relieved about the hospital birth since you alluded to the major trouble last birth. I hope it is just as lovely as it would be at home:) Blessings!
Annette says
I’m very EXCITED for all of you.. I can’t wait to hear what name y’all pick out for her.. I just love all the names you have given to the other children. 🙂
laura says
I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time.I truly admire you and your family.Your joy is so wonderful that somehow is felt here too, here in Romania.Congratulations for your new baby girl and may God bless you and your family with all of his blessings!Dearly,
Laura
Sharon walker says
? Soo thrilled for you, a baby girl? You look wonderful and radiant ?? you are Soo blessed
Linda Gaylord says
congratulations….i didn’t comment on the original post,but at the time i read it,my mind said “it is about time she had another girl.” lark and bea must be so thrilled! and i love the color of the madder dyed yarn! you must have enough there for a blanket,or a sweater set.can’t wait to see what you knit with it! and i bet that lark has some knitting plans for her new baby sister as well… 🙂
Rahel says
I am happy for you all! And the colour of the year is beautiful!
Anne says
oh! I guessed right! Also, I only had one of my four (so far), at home and the other 2 hospital with no pain meds– but went full induction AND epidural for my last and you know what? It was still so perfect and amazing! I love my hospital midwives! Anyways, so happy for you. wishing you a happy and healthy rest of your pregnancy.
Renee says
Congratulations, Ginny!! I almost never comment, but I’ve been a reader for years. You have changed my life for the better as a source of inspiration in your choice of living a beautiful, simple, and well-lived existence. I am so happy to read that you are expecting, and a girl as well. I just had my first little girl after two boys, and my 2nd born initially had a similar response to Silas. The best thing has been watching how her arrival in our family has changed our boys. They love her to pieces, and dote on her. It is wonderful to see God’s plan unfold. Prayers for a healthy and safe pregnancy and delivery. God bless, and thank you for all your writing.
Janet says
Pretty yarn for what will be a beautiful girl of yours! Blessings to a!l of you!!
Dawn Suzette says
Congratulations, Ginny! How exciting!
Kate says
I had my first two children in the hospital, the next four at home, and the last one in the hospital. I was 43yo and had high blood pressure, so my midwife did not feel it would be safe for me to have the last baby at home. I liked my OB well enough, but he wasn’t my midwife and he was hyper concerned about insurance issues. The last hospital birth was so very different from the homebirths and even from my unmedicated hospital births. Pitocin, an epidural, and a 3-day stay in NICU, but we came home with a healthy baby and I survived and recovered quickly. The nurses at the Catholic hospital were wonderful, even if the doctor was “meh.”
You do what you need to do and be flexible. I tell people that having a baby in your 40’s keeps things lively through middle age.
Sandra Davidson says
Oh I am so thrilled for you and all of the children and hubby. Silas will come around when he gets his first peak at her. Love the wool and colour is beautiful not that anemic pink. Enjoy planning for this little one.
God Bless
Renee says
Oh Ginny!!! This news just made my whole day smile with joy!!! With the craziness of the holidays, I haven’t been reading my favorite blogs and so this blog title caught me totally by surprise!! Congratulations to you and your family!! You are such dear people and after reading your blog for so long, I feel like you are my friends and I know you! Soooooooo Happy For You!!! And I laughed out loud at Silas’s comment!! What a darling boy–he will come to realize that HE gets to be this baby sister’s protector and guide! I adore my big brothers, who are my best friends in the whole world. Happy Happy Happy. . . Joy, Joy, Joy!!! Wonderful!!! Sending love and hugs to your darling family!!
Amy says
super excited for you and your family…. I am in love with pink yarn right now. with everything so gray looking outside. It’s finally cold in our area of PA… I do miss the warm weather…. I pray that all goes well with your first hospital birth… I envy you having home births. I wasn’t a good candidate for that. all I know is hospital births. My last was the most scary with an emergency c section. That turned into a rather large hemotoma. but all is well now. raising my hand to God for that. Noah just turned 4 yesterday. He will probably be my last baby. Sounds so sad to say that out loud. My husband thinks at 9 he is too old to have more. I think he is at the age of I want to go And me I would love to have one more, a girl after 5 boys….. we have two girls but they are 11 years apart. it would be nice to see pink after all this blue. my chances are not good I say to my friends…. I just laugh… oh by the way I am loving those dish rags…. they are my new found favorite. they really work nice in my sippy cups getting the grime out in the crevices. I told my one friend who is a new mom and loves all things natural. i even gave her your blog to check out. well Ginny you have a great day. I am going to have a good hot cup of tea and try to kick this chest cold I have…. many blessings
isabel says
Very best wishes for health and gentleness for your pregnancy Ginny.
Love the madder dyed yarn!!
Cassidy says
So excited for you and your family!!
Jennifer says
I’m so happy for your family! Great news! Sisters are the best ( I have 3)
Can’t wait to see your baby knits you always chose such lovely color/pattern pairings
Thanks also for the book recommendations. While I’ve long loved Willa Cather, I was not familiar with Kristin lavransdatter and am looking forward to reading it
Ruby says
Oh, congrats, Ginny! A beautiful summer girl! That stack of pink yarn is gorgeous. Very excited to see what you knit with all of it. Happy Days ahead!
Nichole Goff says
Please link us to the post where you announced! we MISSED it! Congratualtions~! <3
Nancy says
Oh I was so hoping for a girl this time!!! It will be so fun to watch you make girl things this time. Not that little boys aren’t special – of course they are – I have 3 myself and 1 daughter. But you are so creative it will be fun to watch it all come together. Blessings to you all as you prepare!
Kathy says
I too, missed the original announcement. CONGRATS! Babies are a true miracle.
Heather says
CONGRATS!
Nathana says
I don’t know how I missed the pregnancy announcement, but I did. Congratulations! What a blessing! 🙂
Elsa says
I love knitting for babies, but for a baby girl… It’s just so good. I guess you will have some delicious hours knitting for her.
Sarah @ Say Little Hen says
Congratulations once again! That pink yarn is lovely. xo
Ravenna says
Beautiful yarn 🙂 Wishing you a happy healthy pregnancy!
Cheryl says
Yay!! Congratulations Ginny, I am so excited for you and your beautiful family!
Gina says
Ginny, congratulations! I’ve a grandson that is almost 4 and a newborn granddaughter. I am enjoying the pinks with her. Hooray pink!
meg says
Oh, I’m so excited for you! I thought you needed a girl to balance things out a little bit over there. xo
Angela says
Yay, yay, yay!!! So excited for all of you!!!
Dana in Michigan says
Congratulations on the news of your new baby girl! How exciting!
Heidi says
I am so excited for you all and can hardly wait to see all the beautiful knits you create for her! I just knew it was a baby girl when I saw the photo of the girls with the baby doll!! Absolute adoration…..and Silas will come around as soon as she holds his finger!!
Rosemary says
Wonderful!!! Congratulations. 🙂
Mama A says
Congratulations!!!
Just to give you some hope: I had three natural midwife-assisted deliveries. The third one was NOT a good experience (big baby, posterior position, small me). It was excruciating, took months to recover from, and I was scared to have another baby after that. I had major anxiety about delivering again, to the point where the midwives suggested planning for a hospital birth with an epidural. I followed that recommendation with baby #4, and it was so. much. better. Completely uneventful birth and I was able to enjoy the baby immediately afterwards!
It was very odd to go in the opposite direction of most of the mamas I know (they had more medical births to begin with, and then gradually went in the direction of natural childbirth), and meanwhile I had three natural births in a birth center and now wanted a hospital one with an epidural. It was very worth it though – healthy babies, healthy mommies!
meredith says
Oh, yay, I am so excited for you! And, one of these days, I hope I bump into you and your family somewhere, since we both live in Virginia (we are down in Nelson County). My daughter is the same age as Beatrix (born in the same month too!), and I have a feeling that they would hit it off! I’m looking forward to seeing what you knit with that beautiful coral pink yarn! It’s just the color of the insides of shells on the beach.
Tracey says
I am so excited for all of you.
Now, lets talk names 😉
brooke says
So exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lana says
Dear friends of ours have 9 children and their first girl was number five. Those four older brothers were totally smitten with her. When Church was over they would go one by one and slip in the door of the baby nursery and just stand and gaze at her until Mom came to get her. It has been 25 years but I will always remember those four standing side by side along the wall admiring baby sister because they had not seen her for two hours. Yours boy will surely be the same.
Debbie says
I just knew I was right….lol it’s a “GIRL”
I am so excited for you all. Babies are the best blessing to one’s family.
Can’t wait to share this whole journey with you.
God Bless you all!!
Debbie