Oh...my long awaited day has arrived. I've been dreaming of little baby girls. I have to restrain myself from adoring little pink dresses. I daydream about pedicures with my daughter, and growing her hair long like mommy's. Kevin bought me pink snowballs yesterday for his little girl in my tummy, and I even dressed all in pink today-complete with a pink flower tying my hair back. I could just imagine our little girl's long straight hair in a ponytail like her mama's, outside playing sports with the boys.

Well, it seems that she shouldn't have too much of a problem with that. Not with the sports part, anyway, because it seems she is a BOY.

I made sure to call everybody and give everyone the news...the common response was shock and laughter. Just about everybody (except my bro Ricky) was so certain a little girl was on the way. Well, unless he's got an extra finger, we're quite sure we've got a bouncing baby boy. I was almost afraid of crying, should I be given the news of a boy, but this past weekend, I just knew. I couldn't bring myself to take any girl's pink themed nursery seriously. Everything I took into serious consideration was somehow boy-like. Just in case, I chose a theme non-gender specific.

I'm a little nervous about having a boy. I mean, what do I have in common with them? I find myself looking at my watch, wondering how much longer Kai's soccer games have to last. I frown at the vague choices of clothing material (shorts or pants? Blue, brown, or green?). They pee on toilet seats! How will I relate to him? How shall we bond? Will I be interested in his athletics or "boy talk?" What would we do together?

As I ponder these thoughts, and visions of pink flowery dresses slowly fade from my mind, I suddenly think of the tiny kicking legs on my sonogram. Forget the "what-ifs" and "I would have's." I have a little boy arriving, waiting to experience life!Now here I am, imagining taking him to the dropzone for the first time. Maybe he will share my love of flight. I can't wait to take him on his first airplane ride, or for him to see his mommy land her canopy. Perhaps that will be our thing in common? Maybe someday, he'll be interested in landing his own? I'll help him discover the world, and see that there is more to see than what your eyes percieve with your feet planted safely on the ground.

Boy or girl, I suppose there is always something to learn from our children. And there is always something we can teach them. I think I'll teach my son to spread his wings and discover life, my little boy, my little angel...Gabriel.