sugar & spice & everything nice...

...that's what little GIRLS are made of.

We went for an ultrasound this past Wednesday to check growth and to find out what the baby's sex was and my, oh my, did we get some news!

I think I said in my last post that I didn't have any expectations, no hunches about what this one might be and I really didn't.  Jeff actually called it, though -- he thought it was a girl for some reason.  Anyway, when they said, "Well, yeah, you're right -- it's a girl", I'm not entirely sure that I had any kind of reaction.  Seriously.

I mean, I said I wouldn't be disappointed with either one and I most definitely wasn't disappointed.  I was excited.  But I would've been just as excited if it had been a boy.  So.  This feeling, knowing I was growing a girl...weird.  That's all I can say.

We certainly had some reality checks during the appt.  We found out it was a girl almost immediately (like, seriously -- that was RIGHT where she put the wand down on my belly) so everything that was said through the rest of the appt was "her this" and "she that".  Weird.

And then...THEN.

The ultrasound tech said something like "...yeah, she's not going to turn her face out -- she doesn't have her hair and makeup done...".  Jeff paled and with jaw dropped, he said, "Oh, man..."  I wish you could've seen it.  BOTH of us were thinking, "Wow, our vocabulary for the last 3 years is about to take a 180 turn..."

Anyway, baby girl got an A+!  Both the ultrasound tech and the nurse afterward said that everything with her looked wonderful, right where she needs to be at 18 weeks.  She weighs about 8 oz.  :)

I caught Jeff staring off into space after the ultrasound, before the nurse came in, so I asked him what he was thinking about.  He kind of shook his head and said:

"I was just thinking that I'm going to walk her down the aisle one day."

Oh, wow.  He's already gone THERE.  I was thinking we have to get through prom first...

Or how about we just think of her name first, huh?

round 2 // 16 weeks

Here's another "bump" update for those who are interested...

 [12 weeks comparison here]

 

Had a good doctor's appt this past Monday.  They said my iron was "great" (38% -- 33% or higher is preferred during pregnancy), my urine's good (sorry if I'm sharing TMI; it kind of goes along with pregnancy, yes?), the baby's heartbeat sounded good.

 

I guess the baby is about the size of an avocado right now, so he/she's pushing out a little more to make room.  I've just now started feeling very slight flicks or flutters or flips but only every now and then, not very consistently at all.

 

Random fact: after I eat, it looks like my food all settles at the top of my stomach, right under my chest, right above my belly button.  It's strange, but it makes me look much more pregnant than I am, right after I eat.

 

We find out in 2 weeks whether this baby is a boy or a girl.  I really don't have any hunches as to what it is, and I don't have any preference either.  I've really tried to think honestly about it and I can say that I will not be disappointed with either one.  We've had a blast with Deacon so another boy would be awesome.  At the same time, I'd like the opportunity to raise a girl, too.  It sure takes a lot of pressure off going to find out!   Can't wait!

train up a child... // Jeremiah 29:11

His first bible verse.  So proud.

round 2 // 12 weeks

Thought this would be interesting to share.  Only a slight difference, I'd say.  I've decided to do "bump updates" a little different this time, wearing regular clothes -- whatever I happen to have on that day, instead of the same outfit throughout the pregnancy.  I'm sure the jeans add a tiny bit to the girth, but that's okay.  People don't see me walking around in a tank top and workout pants most of the time (unless they catch me at 5 in the morning) so that's real.

 

A couple other differences between 1 & 2:

  :: Instagram!
  :: I look older more mature wiser in the 2nd one. 

I AM already a mama, after all.  :)

reactions.

By now, those who read this little blog or know me (or my husband) on Facebook know our exciting news --

We are expecting baby #2!

This news has been a long time coming, let me tell you.  We weren't really prepared for God's timing on this one, but when is one ever prepared for God's timing, really?  It took us only 6 months to get pregnant with our firstborn, Deacon, and we'd heard that it typically takes less time to get pregnant with second and third children, so we waited until Deacon turned a year old to begin trying for another.

That's when I was ready to see about adding to our family.

So we waited that first 6 months.  And then we waited another 6 months.  And then we waited ANOTHER 6 months.

Is anyone counting?  We were.

It took us TWENTY (20) months to get pregnant with our second.  WHAAAAT??!

I don't know.  All I can say is it's God's timing, and I trust it.  Whether I agree with it is of little consequence because His timing is always better than ours.  Amen.

So here we are, anticipating another sweet baby next February.  We are SO excited!

We've told all of the important groups of people now and everyone is excited for us.  :)  We told my family a couple weekends ago when we were together for my niece's 5th birthday.  My brother and SIL's anniversary was the following Monday so I put an ultrasound photo and the photo from my previous post in their card.  They opened it that Sunday when we were all together -- us, my parents, grandparents and them.  There were happy tears and hugs all around.  :)

We called Jeff's mom & dad to tell them Sunday evening when we got back.  They were excited, too.

Then last weekend is when we announced to our Connect Group at church.  We popped the same photo up on the screen and we heard, "awww...OOOHHHHH!"  It was funny to hear.  We got lots of congrats, well wishes and hugs from everyone.

And THEN we told Deacon.

 
We showed him the ultrasound photos and told him about "the baby in mommy's tummy".  And he said, "Can I see it?", and then "Can I hold it?"

He's gonna have a hard time waiting another 6 months.

round 2.

the book nook.

I love to read.  I remember going to the library with my mom & brother when we were little (and were out of school for summer with no jobs!  Ah, the good 'ole days...) and checking out the absolute maximum that they would let me get and reading through them in, like, 3 days.

 

Yeah, I love to read.

 

I'm hoping that Deacon will get that love of reading from me.  His Daddy doesn't have it -- or didn't have it until just recently, within the last year or so.  Deacon does love to look at books, and he's to the point now where he'll sit through actual "paper page" books.  You know what I mean, mamas.  Yeah, he'll sit all the way through to the end.  Excited about that!

 

Anyway, over the last 2.5 years of his life, he's been given a lot of books and we've had some in the living room and some in his own room.  I decided I wanted to combine them all into one special place in his room called "the book nook".  Eventually, I picture a cute little arm chair sitting in this area for Deacon to have some quiet time to sit and read any book he wants...

I kept a couple of diaper boxes and covered them in some kraft paper for the "shelving".  I cut out letters on my Cricut machine to put all over the outside box and then I lined the inside backs with some scrapbook paper I had that coordinated with the colors in his room already.

 

The letters on the wall were cut on my Cricut machine, too. 

 

It's nice to have all of Deacon's books in one place now (and there's less to clutter up the living room now, too. :).