IT’S A GIRL!

Corey and I had great hopes that his and Tia’s next child would be a boy…you know, carry on the family genes and all that macho stuff…even though we’ll love a little girl just as much!

Tia and Corey left Lily in our charge Thursday (10/2) and went anxiously off to see the gynecologist. It was time to determine the sex of new offspring, to be born sometime around February.

Judy and I waited anxiously too, but also for Lily to wake up from her nap so we could spoil…I mean play with her! We listened attentively to noises coming from the baby monitor, until she finally began talking softly to herself. I went to her room and looked over into her bed. She was not there!

Corey had mentioned to us, as they were leaving earlier, that, for some reason, Lily, now 28 months old, had begun playing and sometimes sleeping behind the big recliner/rocker in her room. Corey had gone in that morning and found her looking out the window. “Deea daddy!” she said, pointing out the window at two deer browsing in the backyard.

Sure enough, I found her playing behind the chair. She bowed her head, wrinkled her brow, as she often does when seeing someone new for the first time, or first time in a while, and diverted her dark eyes. “It’s Papaw, Lily,” I said softly.

“Papaw? Whur Momma Judy?”

I hollered down the hall, “Momma Judy, come see Lily!”

From then on we had a grand old time, playing, making animal sounds on command, “Dog!” she would say, and one of us would bark, and so on down the farm list! We mimicked other weird noises she made, and after each she laughed and continued making other sounds. Little special silly things that entertain a youngster and warm two old people’s hearts!

Later, we heard the garage door open, as her mother and father returned, so we did the proper thing and hid under her “blankie” for them to find us!

Corey walked over to me and gave me a big hug, and I have to admit I thought he was going to say “It’s a boy!”, but instead he began apologizing to me.

“I’m sorry dad,” he said, half smiling, “I tried, but it’s a girl.”

“That’s great,” I said!

I think Corey actually thought I would be very upset, but I wasn’t. I already have Katie Bug and Lily, and couldn’t love them more – they mean the world to me! Therefore, having another little girl to call me “Papaw” is just wonderful.

He was remembering that my father’s first born, all his brother’s first born (he had six brothers), and my first born had been boys. We just had hopes that the sex tradition would continue, but with Lily’s birth it was not to be for him. This was his last chance to put a “stem on the apple”, since their plans are only to have two.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed for Corey. Being the kind of loving person he is, and with his love of sports, he would have made a great dad for a boy. However, he will also be a great daddy for two little girls. So be it…my prayers to God were simply to just “consider” giving us a boy, but that we would accept his will. “Just let her be as healthy and pretty as Lily!”

I’m also including the ultrasound shots the doctor made (click to enlarge). You will note the cute little nose in one, and what the doctor labeled as “girl parts” in the other. Looks like my prayers have been answered. She is healthy and beautiful…just like me!

The only thing left to do now is to wait for her first words – “PAPAW!”