I had seen online and heard from a colleague about a fun way to find out and share with your family whether you are having a boy or girl. I call them baby gender surprise cakes. So, my husband, son and I went to the sonographer and asked her to not tell us what the sex of the baby is but instead to write it in a card and then put it in an envelope. She did just that and also included two sonogram pictures with the proof! Matt asked her if she was able to clearly tell and she said, "Oh, yes." We then brought the card to the bakery (we just went to Target), picked out a gender neutral double-layer round cake, and asked them to put either blue or pink icing in the middle according to what the card said. For whatever reason, Target's bakery cannot dye the batter so we went with the colored icing, which was just fine. They said it would be ready the next afternoon. So, we had to wait. We had waited 21 weeks, so what's another day? We originally thought, "let's invite family over to cut the cake with us!" But, with family living all over Texas it would be some kind of miracle if everyone were available to come to our house with only a few days notice. My dad came to visit while he was in town but had to head home after lunch. So, we opted to video the cutting of the cake and post it online for all of the family to see. We made a marvelous dinner of homemade lasagna, green salad, french bread, green beans and... cake. After we chowed down, Matt and I both had a knife to cut into the cake with (if you use one knife, you have to cut then lift it out and cut again. And you might see the icing accidentally!) We counted to three and plunged the knives into the cake. My eyes thought they saw a hint of pink and I was very shocked! I had been expecting blue. Because I was holding the video camera, I couldn't quite get my side of the cake out and couldn't see the icing yet. Matt was able to see and said "It's blue!" Then, I saw the blue icing! How exciting to have two little boys! Somehow, I knew it was a boy all along so I was prepared. Matt was hoping for a girl so he was not prepared! However, he is very excited and hopes the boys will be very close friends like he and his brother are. We opened the card and looked at the sonogram pictures containing the proof. No doubt, it's a boy! When the sonographer took measurements the machine was able to determine that I am 21 weeks along and he is due January 7, 2013. I was close! I said 21 weeks and January 13, 2013. I can hardly wait to have another tiny baby in the house again. I wish he were here already! We haven't settled on a name yet but we both like "Ryan Sterling Ross". Ryan comes from his side of the family, but we just like it anyway. And Sterling was my grandfather's middle name. It is also the last name of one of my friends that I grew up with... and she named her son Ross Sterling. So, she'd get a kick out of that! We were also trying to think of some "M" names or names that end in -an, -en, -on to go with Jonathan.
Here are some pictures of the cake before we cut into it. I realize now that I haven't taken any pictures of it after we cut it because I took a video and just didn't think to. But, I don't think I will because I don't want to spoil it and give away the answer for anyone reading who might not know yet. ;)
