Merry Christmas!!!

OK so, I'll admit I'm a bit late, but better late than never right?

Joel and I had a fabulous Christmas spent with family and friends. We stayed in Missouri as my work schedule doesn't allow us to travel, plus I'm not sure I could have handled another 12 hour drive at 29 weeks pregnant. Last year Joel and I started a tradition of waking up on Christmas morning, opening presents, and then cooking a big breakfast with all the works - I'm talking eggs, pancakes, ham slices, hash browns, toast - you get the picture. Joel looked forward to it all week and he could barely eat the Christmas lunch my mom fixed! We were very aware that this would be our last "childless" Christmas and that next year will be very different, as we'll have an 8-9 month old on our hands, but hopefully we'll still be able to have our big breakfast. I'm so looking forward to having Reagan here next year, I'm just imagining all the pink toys and clothes that will be under the tree!

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and we wish you a very Happy New Year!

I also wanted to share a couple neat pictures Joel took of me and my belly. I hope you enjoy!

Sweet little squash!

It's time to start another month - month 7 to be exact!! We can't believe that in 3 or so months she will be here with us. As you will read below, she is growing like a weed and I'm certainly feeling the effects of her aerobics - sore ribs, shortness of breath, back ache, restless sleep. But it is all worth it! She has even had the hiccups a few times which makes me giggle.
There are only two more fruits/veggies left, so I hope you all enjoy month #7's update.
Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

First comment from a stranger

Today I had a craving for Taco Bell so I indulged myself at lunch. I went through the drive through which is where the first comment from a stranger about my pregnant belly occured. It went something like this:

Cashier: Do you know what you are having?
Me: Yeah, a number 8, crunchy tacos
Cashier: No, your baby. Is it a boy or girl?
Me: (stunned look on my face) Oh, a girl!
Cashier: That is COOL! How far along are you?
Me: 7 months
Cashier: COOL! Have a good day!
Me: Thanks you too bye!

I apologize if you didn't find this as funny as I did, but thanks for reading anyways! I'm trying to do a better job of writing down the small things that happen so I can remember them later :o)

Mabel tests the pack-n-play

We put together the pack-n-play the other night and since our little dog Mable is only about 12 pounds, the size of a one month old, we decided she would be a great test subject. She didn't seem to mind at all and sat nicely for this cute picture!

First visit to Labor & Delivery

Let me just say that all is well with both Reagan and mommy. Now that that has been established, here are the details of our first visit to L&D.
Yesterday, Sunday the 7th, while walking through Wal Mart I had two semi-painful Braxton Hicks contractions in about 5 minutes. They were uncomfortable enough that I had to stop for a minute and wait it out. We came home, I drank some water, and laid down on the couch. Reagan was kicking away like always so my mind was at ease that everything was ok. I even laid down on the floor and poked my belly and she poked back, it was a pretty fun game!
Fast forward to today. At work around 2:30 p.m. I had another BH followed by a second one almost 3 minutes later. This worried me so I called the nurse and had to leave a message. I waited not so very patiently until around 4 p.m. when I called again. I finally got to talk with a nurse and she wasn't concerned about the contractions since they weren't regular, but she was concerned that I hadn't felt Reagan move since the second BH so off to L&D for monitoring I went.
Joel had a basketball game to coach so I couldn't get a hold of him, but thankfully my mom and dad were able to come sit with me until we got in touch with Joel. He finally was able to make it to the hospital and breathed a big sigh of relief once he was able to see that everything was OK. I don't think I have ever seen him so worried, and even though it was a scary situation it was touching to see how much he loves (& worries about) both Reagan and me.
Once at the hospital the nurse set me up for a non-stess test which involves placing two monitors on my belly. One to measure Reagan's heartbeat and one to measure uterine contractions. They needed to measure her heartbeat for 20 consecutive minutes before I could be released. However, our stubborn little girl had other ideas. She started moving the minute the monitor was placed on my belly and didn't stay still for more than 2-3 minutes. The nurse said that since she is still pretty small she has plenty of room to "hide" from the monitors and on top of that she was and still is laying in a very strange position. She is basically lying like she is in a hammock between my pelvic bones which made her very hard to monitor.
Long story short, after an hour and a half my doctor was satisfied with the heartbeat that we did get to hear and with her movement patterns that showed on the monitors so they sent me home with directions to rest and drink plenty of water.
My mom and dad treated us to dinner (thanks mom & dad)! And my dad joked that there were easier ways to get a free dinner, ha! We are all very thankful that everything is OK with our little lady and a little anxious to see if this stubbornness continues outside the womb! ha

I can only hope that my next post about L&D will be after the main event!

Wisconsin Baby Shower

Joel and I traveled up to Wisconsin for the long Thanksgiving weekend and besides some great food and wonderful time with family we were treated to a shower for Reagan. Joel's Aunt Stephanie was very gracious to open her home to us and host the shower. We, meaning Reagan and me, and I'm sure everyone else too, really enjoyed the delicious soups that she made. Thank you to everyone who attended, brought such wonderful food to share, and of course for the gifts. Oh and I can't forget about the books, every guest was asked to bring their favorite childhood book to start Reagan's love of reading. We have so many books that I might have to start reading to her now! Joel and I are very thankful to have family that cares so deeply for us and our little girl. We can't wait to bring her up and introduce her to her family "up north".

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the shower. Enjoy!

Extra Cute Eggplant

For weeks 25-28 little Miss Reagan is the approximate size of an eggplant. I can tell she is growing and growing since my belly is getting bigger and bigger and the aches and pains are a bit more pronounced now. It is hard to believe we have under 15 weeks until she is here, assuming she comes on her due date. So much to do still! We are working on the nursery this weekend, so those pictures I've been promising...they'll be up after this weekend! So in order to tide you over until then, here is what little miss is up to for month number 6. Enjoy!Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required). Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.

Precious Papaya

The fruit updates are going to be less frequent now as one fruit covers several weeks now. So from week 21-24 Reagan is the approximate size of a papaya. Since I'm almost in my 23rd week she is a pretty big papaya too. My coworkers and Joel keep telling me how I look like I'm all belly, which I'm ok with. I'll post a few pictures soon.

In other news, the crib came in and oddly enough we chose the crib that is pictured with our bedding a few posts down. We are also getting a 5 drawer chest and a small dresser/changer. The other two pieces will be delivered right before Thanksgiving. Joel's football team is in the playoffs so needless to say we haven't done much to the nursery. We're planning on painting soon though, so pictures to come of that as well.

For now I hope you all enjoy reading about out pretty little papaya!Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

Happy Halloween!

This is just for fun! Joel and I went to our friend's Halloween party and it was couple themed costumes. Thankfully Joel has some great connections through school and we didn't end up spending anything for ours and I think we turned out pretty cute! Enjoy!

The pregnant cheerleader and her basketball boyfriend

Showing off my belly at 21 weeks!

What a stud!!

Banana Baby

I figure that while I'm at it, I might as well post about Reagan's 21st week. She is the length of a banana now! And while I love our little banana I don't actually like the real things anymore, that is one of my only food aversions I've had thankfully.

I was really interested to learn that the she might actually be able to taste the foods that I'm eating. So I'm planning on eating a lot of different foods, I don't want to have a picky eater on my hands like her daddy was when he was little.

Today we're going to pick up her crib and I'm really excited to get it set up. The chest of drawers and dresser/changer should be in before Thanksgiving. We're planning on painting her room before then too. It's all coming together!

Here is the info on our baby banana!

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Cute Cantaloupe

Ok, so I didn't do a great job of updating about Reagan's 20th week. But here is a quick run down.

We had our official 20 week ultrasound with my doctor and I'm pleased to announce that we still have a little girl on the way, she is in the 50% for all her measurements, and weighed 13 oz and is as beautiful as ever. I do have a few pictures to share, but I'll have to scan them to our computer before I can post them. Mommy is also doing fine, a little backache here and there because I am carrying her so low but other than that no complaints.

In other news, Joel and my mom and a few friends have been able to feel her move from the outside. And just yesterday I finally got to see movement from the outside, my belly was jumping around, it was pretty amazing. I can't wait until we can see a foot or elbow sticking out! Now for never being pregnant before, I'd have to say she is a very active baby as I feel her every day, several times a day and I'm still pretty early to be feeling consistant movement according to my doctor. I wonder if that is a preview of things to come.....That is about it for the 20th week, I can't believe we are half way through! March is going to be here before we know it, scary and exciting at the same time.

Here is some quick info on our little Cantaloupe, enjoy!Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

Marvelous Mango

This week baby M is the size of a mango. She is the cutest mango I've ever seen! I'm sure that more intesting things are going on in there besides this week's description which is below, but hey everything, even the slightly gross things are amazing and important to Joel and me. Last night we were talking about how we can't belive we are 1 week away from being half way through. Time continues to fly! I hope you all enjoy the week 19 update
Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

Sweet Dreams little girl

We ordered her bedding and it arrived this week. I'm in love with it. It's girly without being too babyish, plus it is mainly PINK! Joel is actually the one that pushed me to order it and I'm so glad we did. I have big plans for her room, pink walls with hand stenciled details by yours truly. I can't wait to get started! We have her furniture picked out too, we're just waiting for it to go on sale before we officially purchase it. I can't wait to bring her home and put her in her beautiful crib with her super cute bedding! Here is a preview of the bedding. I'll post pictures when we actually have made some decorating progress.

The Sweetest Sweet Potato

Baby Girl Mathews is a mover and a shaker this week! I've even been feeling little taps and pokes here and there. It is pretty cool now that I've figured out it is her. She sure is making mommys belly stick out too. It's becoming more obvious to people other than just Joel and me. I'll post a pic soon, I promise. Until then check out what our sweet little sweet potato is up to in Week 18.Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

Fireproof

Joel and I went on a date last night to see Fireproof. We both absolutely loved this movie and the wonderful message it portrayed. I suggest that married couples young and old and engaged couples go see this movie or rent it when it comes out. Joel and I were so thankful to see a Christian message on the big screen. What we liked even more is that it showed "real" Christianity, not sugar coated at all.
For those of you who have not heard of the movie I suggest you check out this link, it will tell you all about the movie plus the production company that put it on
www.fireproofthemovie.com

And while I'm making suggestions, I'll tell you about the book that Joel and I are currently reading for our Newlywed bible study group. It is called Love & Respect by Dr. Emmerson Eggerichs. The main principle behind this book is that husbands need respect from their wives and wives need love from their husbands, but in order to gain either of these from their spouse they must give the other what they need. This has been a hard lesson to for us to grasp since women are wired to love but not necessarily respect and men are wired to respect and not necessarily love. The movie Fireproof mirrored several aspects of this book, which is why we like the movie even more.

So now that I've given two thumbs up for Fireproof and Love & Respect I'm off to enjoy a beautiful sunny Sunday with Joel and our puppies. Happy movie watching and book reading to all!

Think Pink!

Some of you may have guessed by the change of our blog scenery or may have already heard, but here is the official announcement.

Baby Mathews is a healthy little GIRL!!!

Joel and I went Tuesday, October 7th for a second ultrasound with our friend Sara. My mom and dad were able to come with us, so that made it extra special. Our little girl was pretty shy at first and had her legs crossed at the ankle and wouldn't give us a good look. Daddy was happy that she was being "modest" as he put it. She finally decided to show us that she is a girl and there is no denying it. Especially when you compare what we saw to a little boy's ultrasound pictures.
She was moving around like crazy and we even caught her sucking her tiny little thumb. My heart melted right then and there. Sara again said everything looked perfect, which is a word I never get tired of hearing. Joel and I are so thankful to Sara for giving her time to let us look at our little girl, we couldn't have been blessed with a better friend or neighbor.

So now it is time to for mommy to go shopping! And I should have you all know that daddy is already talking about walking his little girl down the aisle and having tea parties with her, oh how I love him even more now!

Officially an onion!

This week Baby M is the size of an onion, and a big onion at that. Check out what our little guy or gal is up to this week.....

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

In other baby news, Joel and I are going TONIGHT to see if Baby M is a boy or girl so get your last minute votes in now. Our dear friend and next door neighbor Sara is an ultrasound tech at a local hospital and has graciously offered to give us a sneak peek at our little one. I should mention that we went last Tuesday as well but Baby M was shy and wouldn't let us get a good look. It was super cool to see an actual baby in there though. I'm proud to report that Sara said Baby M looked "perfect" and was right where he/she should be developmental-wise. Joel and I were so thankful to get that reassurance and so grateful to Sara for spending a lot of time explaining everything about the ultrasound to us. We're hoping for better luck tonight in the gender discovery department though. I'm more than ready to go shopping!!

Our next appointment is tomorrow afternoon so I'll be sure to post about mine and baby's stats as well as hopefully do a big reveal of Baby M's gender. Until then lets all hope Baby M cooperates!

My best friend.....

Besides being a amazing friend, great source of advice, and a strong Christian woman my best friend Crystal is now a mommy!!! She and her husband Aaron welcomed their daughter, Rylan Renae in to the world October 5th. Rylan is a healthy 6 pounds 13 oz and 20 inches long and looks just like her daddy but with her mommy's skin color. A beautiful combination!

There is just one thing that is a tiny bit sad, they live across the country so we're not able to see the new family in person just yet. They'll come back to KC soon enough though and when they do I'm ready to cuddle that beautiful little girl :o)

So please pray for Crystal and Aaron as they embark on their new journey with their baby girl Rylan. They are going to make wonderful parents.

Avocado's have ears??

Having grown up in the Midwest I've always known that corn had ears, but I never knew that avocados could have ears too! Man, I've turned into quite the comedian as of late, must be Joel's strange and silly sense of humor rubbing off on me, haha!


We are simply amazed that our little bambino can hear us now. So if you see me talking to what appears to only be myself or Joel talking to my belly instead of my face, don't think we need to be committed. We're probably talking to our little one about our dreams for him/her.



Here is the 16 week update for Baby M. Enjoy!



Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender.

Orange you glad....

Orange you glad I finally got around to posting about Baby Mathew's goings on this week?? hehe. I couldn't resist that old knock-knock joke punchline.

So here is the latest and greatest with our little orange.

Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements.

Dear Mother

Dear Mother

Did you ever think, dear Mother,
As the seeds of me you sowed,
As you breathed new life inside of me
And slowly watched me grow,
In all your dreams about me
When you planned me out so well,
When you couldn't wait to have me there
Inside your heart to dwell,
Did you ever think that maybe
,I was planning for you, too,
And choosing for my very own
A mother just like you?
A mother who smelled sweet and who
had hands so creamy white,
A tender, loving creature
Who would soothe me in the night?
Did you ever think in all those days
While you were coming due,
That as you planned a life for me
I sought a life with you?
And now as I lay in your arms,
I wonder if you knew
While you were busy making me,
I was choosing you!
- Author Unknown

This poem should have come with a warning such as "May cause hormone induced crying for pregnant women". I needed about half a box of Kleenex when I first read this. Seriously. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, maybe minus the Kleenex though :o)

Simply Amazing

Whenever I read those posts about how our baby is doing it simply amazes me. There can be no other explanation for such a complex process other than our good Lord and Creator. How anyone can have a child and still cling to the notion that millions of years ago we developed the ability to reproduce this way through evolution is beyond me. Thinking that Michelle has another human growing inside of her and that we will be responsible for them is truly humbling. I would do anything for the little bugger already and I've only seen them once and heard their little heart beat a few times. Despite all the fears that come with being a parent I do take heart in the words of Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Lemon Love.

Baby Mathews is up to big things this week including growing hair all over and thumb sucking, how cute! Check it out below!

Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth.

14 week check up

Wednesday, September 10th Joel and I went to the Dr.'s for my monthly appointment. Since I'm still pretty early in my pregnancy they only see me once a month. Our first appointment was when I was 9 weeks and 5 days, this appointment I was 13 weeks and 3 days, and my next appointment I'll be 17 weeks and 3 days. It always seems so far away, but it flies by at the same time.

Stats for mommy:
Blood pressure - Great
Pee in a cup test - Great. They check for several things but mostly the presence of protein and/or sugar, because that is a bad thing for pregnant women.
Weight - drum roll please......I had ZERO weight gain in my first trimester and I actually lost a pound between my last appointment and this one. I haven't had much of an appetite lately but I still manage to get my 6 small meals in a day. My Dr. is please and said that is they way she would like to see it, saving all the important weight gain for the last two trimesters.

Stats for baby:
Heartbeat - 160 beats per minute and strong. The nurse found it right away which I always hold my breath for. It still is the coolest sound in the world.
Now if you are a big believer in old wives tales then know this, they say that a heartbeat above 140 is indicative of a girl and below 140 is indicative of a boy. So believe what you may.....
Joel and I on the other hand still have no strong feeling one way or the other if we are going to have a boy or a girl. I did call the baby a "He" the other night, so maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something.

Anyway, our next appointment is not until October 8th, so more stats to come then!

Peachy Keen

This weeks marks 13 weeks for me and baby M. Joel and I can't believe how fast the time is going. In about 7-8 short weeks we will know if baby M is a boy or a girl. Or as Joel says, if baby M is a girl then that marks the day he will go and buy a shotgun to ward off teenage boys when the times comes. Such a protective daddy already! If Baby M is a boy I'm sure that is the day Joel will start dreaming of a football state championship, ha!.

Here is the scoop on what Baby M is up to this week:

Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.)

Fun Facts!

I found this fun website that provides facts about your baby based on their birthday
http://www.babiesonline.com/funfacts/

Here are the fun facts for Baby Mathews who is due on March 15th, 2009

Your baby's birthstone will be Aquamarine (Courage)
Your baby's Astrological Sign will be Pisces
Your baby's Flower is Daffodil or Jonquil (White or Light Blue)
Your baby will be born in the Chinese Year of The Ox
This time next year your baby will be 25 Weeks Old!
Your baby will start kindergarten in 2014, be old enough to drive a car in 2025, finish high school in 2027, and will graduate from college with the class of 2031, give or take a year. Can you imagine?

Plum perfect!

Baby Mathews is now the size of a large plum so here is the weekly picture & update on what he/she is up to. Enjoy!
As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed.

Note: This description is a bit misleading by stating that I'm moving into the second trimester this week. However the second trimester will not officially begin until 13 weeks 3 days which is next Wednesday for me. Since pregnancy is divided into 3 trimesters and gestation is 40 weeks by medical definition, 40 weeks divided by 3 trimesters makes each trimester 13 weeks and 3 days long. I hope I didn't confuse anyone!

These are a few of my favorite things....

The other night The Sound of Music was on TV and while I did not watch the entire movie I did catch the scene where Maria and the girls were singing about their favorite things. So my post is partially inspired by that.

Favorite boy bedding:

Favorite girl bedding:

More favorites to come soon I'm sure!

Smart-e-Pants

Joel graduated with his masters this summer so in honor of his accomplishments we had a party at my parent's house. Joel's mom & dad made it down from Wisconsin and his brother Caleb came in from Lincoln where he goes to school at the University of Nebraska. Joel's relatives from Topeka also make the trip over the occasion. We had a great time hanging out with friends and family while enjoying some wonderful food and of course ice cream cake!

Here is Joel with his cake

And a big thanks again to my mom and dad for hosting the party, it was a lot of fun!

Love our little lime

I'm part of an online community called The Nest Baby (http://www.thenestbaby.com/). In addition to many other valuable pieces of pregnancy information I found this really fun article that compares the size of our baby to a fruit each week. It also gives a short run down of all the events that are happening in the womb that week. Currently I am in week 11 so our baby is the size of a lime. However, in my experiences most limes are bigger than 1.6 inches, but oh well I'm just excited that we went from a tiny group of cells to a lime in hardly any time! I told Joel the other night that if this baby is growing this fast inside me then I can only imagine how fast he/she will grow when they are actually here, I'm already a bit sad thinking about it. But until that time comes let's all take a look at our little lime and read about what he/she is up to!

Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

Slideshow

Telling the Grandparents-to-be

Michelle's Parents:

Since we only live about 15 minutes apart we made a surprise trip to their house the Thursday after we found out. We took the dogs along since they were all part of our master plan. When we were about 5 minutes away I called my mom from my cell phone telling her that her and dad needed to meet us in the driveway because my car was making a strange noise and we needed Dad to check it out. Well dad was actually walking the "back 40" of the his property at that time so the plan took a bit of a detour from then on. Our original plan was to pull in the drive way and release the dogs who were in costume; Hudson had a blue bib on that said "Is it a boy" and Mabel had a pink bib on that said "Is it a girl", and let my parents read them and figure it out.

But since my dad was not cooperating we had to change plans quickly. So we took the bibs off and hid them. We finally got dad to come up from the woods and look at my car. Meanwhile Joel was in the backyard putting the bibs back on both of the dogs, no easy task with two crazy beagles. I was in the driveway explaining to dad the crazy (fake) noise my car was making, we even got so far as to get the hood popped when Joel came around front with the dogs in their costumes. My mom saw them first and started laughing, but only because she thought they looked silly not because she read the bibs correctly. She actually read them both as "It is a boy" and "It is a girl" so she didn't see what the big deal was. I had to tell her again to read them closer. Once she did I think she said something like "Is this for real?" Dad was oblivious to what was going on because being the mechanic he is he was very concerned about my car. I had to tell him to look at the dogs and then shouted "We're pregnant!". First thing he said was "So there's nothing wrong with your car??" Too funny! After that there were lots of hugs and congratulations. It wasn't exactly how we had pictured it going but it was memorable none the less. Here is a picture of the dogs in their bibs that we took the night before.

Joel's Parents:

Telling them did not go as planned either, seemed to be our luck with breaking the good news! I put together the slide show below, you'll have to watch it for the details, and we sent it to them in an email. For those of you that don't know Craig and Eunice live in Wisconsin, too far to make a quick surprise visit to share the news which is why email was the obvious choice. Well it turns out they were at a church conference in Illinois that weekend and had a very weak connection on their laptop and were not able to view the show. We gave them very strict instructions not to view it without calling us first. So the Monday night we called and Eunice and Joel's older brother were the only one's home, Craig was working that night. Joel was itching to tell them so we had Eunice and Aaron watch the show, all the while we had them on speaker phone so we could hear their reaction. When they got to the second to last slide and figured it out Eunice asked if it was a joke and started to tear up. It was the next best thing to be able to hear their reaction since we couldn't be there in person.

Look for the slide show in the next post. I haven't quite figured out how to get it into this post....

Shouting it out!

It's official, we're having a baby!!!!! That feels so good to finally say to the masses. We've known that I was pregnant since 4 weeks and now I'm 10 weeks even, oh how the time has flown and crawled by at the same time.
We had our first official doctor's appointment Friday August 15th and everything went as all my books said it would. We were lucky and got to hear the heartbeat via the doppler. I say lucky because before 10 weeks there is a good chance you won't hear it. But we did and it was the most beautiful whoosh whoosh sound I've ever heard. We were even luckier about 2.5 weeks earlier when we got an unexpected ultrasound because of a medical scare. On that day we got to see our little bean and see and hear the heartbeat. I cried. Joel sat there with his mouth open in amazement. It was just plain awesome to hear that everything was OK after the scary moments.
Thankfully I've been feeling good for the most part. I do have my days that I'm queasy and all food sounds disgusting, but those are getting fewer and fewer. I'm thanking my lucky stars though because I know it could be much worse. Joel has been so great during this new period in our lives, he is such a doting husband and excited dad-to-be.
I didn't expect this opening post to be so long, but I guess I had a lot to blog about. Stay tuned for more pictures and posts!