Our Precious Baby Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a girl!!!! And most importantly, she is healthy and whole! Everything looks great - heart, brain, spine, kidneys, etc. That is what we were most wanting to hear today, and finding out that it's a girl was just icing on the cake! We are both so excited!! I cried when she announced "It's a girl!" We would have been tickled either way, but it was a very emotional moment when we found out. It was so amazing to see our baby girl! We are in awe of our little wonder already, and we can't wait to meet her in September! She put on a little show for us, too: turning, moving about, and playing peek-a-boo thru her tiny arms. Per the ultrasound measurements, she weighs about 11 ounces and is right on schedule at 19wks, 5days. Her heartbeat today was 139 BPM, the dark spot on the third picture is her heart.

I know she will be Daddy's little girl! She already holds a special place in his heart, you could see it in his eyes today when we found out! There is just something very special about a dad and his daughter. Now if we can just decide which shade of pink to paint the nursery! :) I will be very busy over the next couple of months buying dresses and collecting hair bows-one in every color, so we always match.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers that all might go well over the next 20 weeks! We're half way there!

Girl or Boy? Pink or Blue?

Well, the poll has closed and the majority of you have voted that it's a girl. We will all know for sure in 3 short days! As for Jinx and I, we have been thinking it's a girl for some time now. However, Tuesday night I must've dreamed that it was a boy, because when I woke up that was the first thought in my head. Now I just feel really conflicted, and have no idea at all! :)

We are both SO EXCITED for our ultrasound on Monday!! And we'll be thrilled whether we find a precious baby boy or a darling little girl! I already know I'm going to cry! So expect a sappy post on Monday. The last time we got to see our little one at the 7 week ultrasound, it didn't look much like a baby. This time at 20 weeks we will find arms, legs, fingers & toes, eyes, ears, a nose, and tiny mouth. Aww! I can not wait! It will feel like torture waiting the weekend to find out, but at least our schedule is packed full of events(as usual) so we'll try to stay distracted.

As for the much-promised belly shots...they really are coming, but not until I look good and pregnant(as opposed to just husky)! :) Soon very soon!

16 Weeks Appointment

We had our 16 week check-up yesterday, and things are going great! Our little one had a heartbeat of 156 bpm, consistent with last time. While we were listening closely to the rapid little heartbeat, the doctor made a joke about how the baby had just farted(the baby was moving around and it made a funny noise on the doppler). :) Jinx thought that was HILARIOUS!! He told everyone about it and sent out an email with this picture to accompany his story.

Our BIG ULTRASOUND is scheduled for Monday, April 19 at 9:30am!! 27 more days! Can't wait! We are taking the Grandparents with us to get a sneak peek at their new Granddaughter or Grandson. At home, we're still playing the name game. We've got it narrowed down to 2 names for each sex, so hopefully we'll be decided by our next appointment. Who knows, maybe we'll put up a poll and let you vote! I will post a tummy shot very soon, the bump is just beginning to show!

I FELT OUR BABY MOVE!!

I can't even describe what it felt like. I was just sitting here at work typing at the computer and felt a quick, little flutter in my left lower abdomen. It lasted just a second; I thought it felt different but brushed it off. Then about 2 minutes later I felt it again. I couldn't believe it, and I had to tell Jinx right away. He said "Seriously??". Wow, that was awesome! I got a little emotional about it and almost cried, but figured I better keep it together for fear of scaring my co-workers. It was great though! I've been on a high all day! It was a nice little reassurance that everything is ok in there and our baby is doing well! Today is Jinx's Mom(Linda) and his sister Megan's birthdays, so we agreed that the baby just wanted to wish them 'Happy Birthday'! We are 15 weeks tomorrow, and can't wait for the next new thing and much more movement! I can't wait for Jinx to be able to feel the baby moving too, but I know it will still be a few more weeks for that.

6 months to go!

I can't believe it, but we are exactly 6 months away from our September 8 due date!! YAY!! How exciting!! We will be 14 weeks on Wednesday. Time is going by so quickly. This pregnancy stuff is really fun, I'm loving it! Just to walk around every day and know that you are carrying your child with you...can't help but smile! Of course it has also made me just a little bit emotional, Jinx would say its made me VERY EMOTIONAL!! Watching a Baby Story on tv is enough to bring me to tears these days. He's been so supportive and kind in my moments of both pure sappiness and happiness! :)

On the Tummy front: I like to think that I am sporting a teeny tiny little baby bump, but I don't think anyone else believes me. Even though I've not gained much, my mid section is getting thicker and thicker and my abdomen is starting to round just a tad. Not yet ready for any maternity clothes, but thank goodness for the belly band!! I wear it everyday! More updates coming soon!!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward."
Psalm 127:3

Pregnancy Test: $7 / Celebration Dinner at Regas: $60 / Hearing your baby's heartbeat: Priceless

We got to hear our little baby's heart beating for the first time today! I think I'm in love! :) I could listen to that 'thump, thump' all day long and never get tired of hearing it! The heart rate today was 156 bpm, nice and strong! It is so exciting for us to experience all of these things together. We've hoped, wanted, and prayed for this baby for a long time and it just feels surreal to read, see, and hear all the changes that are taking place with our baby from week to week. Our baby is growing up so fast! LOL

We'll be 12 weeks tomorrow, and are quickly approaching the 2nd trimester. I am feeling ALOT better, and am really able to enjoy being pregnant. I can't wait to see what changes are just around the corner, including the baby bump. And don't worry, as soon as there is something to see, we'll post a pic. Our next appointment is March 23, and our next ultrasound won't be until the end of April when we get to find out whether we'll be having a son or a daughter. Can't wait!!

Daddy's Last Birthday! LOL!

Jinx turned 25 on Saturday! In Jinx's words, this was his 'last birthday'. And although that isn't exactly true, we both know that every birthday after this will be different. As we won't be so consumed and worried about our own desires and wants once we have a little one to care for. It was a great birthday though! We had a great weekend celebrating with both family and friends. Dinner at Red Lobster, UT basketball game, 'Happy Birthday Daddy!' cake, and the Super Bowl! You couldn't ask for much more.

Our baby is still growing away! Even though the sickness has been rough, I know that it is only the first of many sacrifices we will make for our baby. And as long as the baby benefits from it, then we'll just be thankful for it. Silly me, I thought I had made it past the worst after week 8. Last week was pretty good, but the ole quesiness is back again this week, so we will continue the countdown to the end of the first trimester and hope it ends there. We'll be 10 weeks on Wednesday, and our next appointment is February 23! We should be able to hear the heartbeat with a doppler device when we go. I'm still not showing yet, but we are taking tummy pics every week so we'll know for sure when the pregnant belly pops. Can't wait!