Thanksgiving is Just So Exhausting!

The verdict is...

I am like a kid...

on Christmas morning!!!!!!!!

Five more hours, give or take a little, until I see you!!!!!! Mommy has two requests, one much more important so please pay very close attention...

1) Be healthy, happy and growing into our amazing son/daughter (this is clearly the most important).

and

2) Please, please cooperate so that I can refer to you as he or she as opposed to Bean and "it".

But hey, if I get number one, I will pass on number two if necessary ~ but obviously, I'd rather not!

I love you Bean Pole! You are by far the thing I am most grateful for this Thanksgiving!

All my love,

Mommy

P.S. Hopefully, this is the last time I have a post referring to you as a legume!

18 Weeks...

Well the lighting is terrible, but I had to leave for work so this is the best it was going to get this morning...

ONLY ONE MORE DAY UNTIL THE BIG ULTRASOUND!

Finally...

It is THE week! Two more days to go and we get to see you Bean Pole!

I love, love our heart rate monitor! We got it in last Wednesday and I used it before Daddy got home since he was on pick-up duty for Annie, so he asked me to do it Thursday night so he could hear as well. It's so fun to see his face light up when he hears your heartbeat! I have a fantastic husband who is going to be one amazing father ~ to be so blessed is a wonderful thing!

Since Monday's are my least favorite day, I started my day off this morning by listening to you ~ I love how you flip around in there. It's fun to listen to your heartbeat and then imagine you moving around getting resituated! You truly made my day :)

I love you Bean Pole!

See you soon,
Mommy

God Bless the 12th Man

"From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it."

We will always remember 11/18/1999...you will not be forgotten and will live on in our hearts forever. God Bless the 12th Man!

Maybe the Baby?

So...I cannot be certain, but I THINK I felt the baby!

I hesitate to get too excited seeing as how during pregnancy your belly does any number of things on a given day. I thought I felt something this weekend and my sweet, dear husband said, "or, it could just be gas." All I could do was laugh and agree :) Not much else to say to that!

But on the way to work today, I felt the same thing, so maybe, it really is our little jumping bean?! I guess time will tell :)

On that note Bean Pole, if it was you..."Hi Baby! Mommy loves you!"

And, if it wasn't, "Hi Baby! Mommy loves you, but please kick or wiggle a little harder next time so I know for sure it is you!"

Eight more days until we see you on the ultrasound!

All my love,
Mommy

17 Weeks...

Due to my husband's work schedule (see prior belly picture post), I have resorted to the typical internet belly pic :(

I had a goal of taking each belly picture in front of the fireplace, but I give up! It's just too hard to set up the camera and get a decent shot, so...this is the best it's going to get.

Baby Update...

Well, only 9 1/2 more days! I cannot wait to see you at our next ultrasound! Even though Daddy and I are super-duper curious (and yes, your lame Mommy just used the word "super-duper) to know if you are a boy or girl, more than anything we just want to know that you are healthy and happy in Mommy's tummy.

I finally broke down and ordered a fetal heart rate monitor this morning so that Mommy and Daddy can check up on you every now and then. I figure you might as well go ahead and get used to being checked up on! You have many more years of that ahead of you my sweet boy or girl! All out of love ~ I promise it is not to make your life miserable :)

Anyway, just wanted to stop in and update you on what's going on outside of your little world. Until next time sweet baby!

All my love,
Mommy

Happy Veteran's Day

"I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense."
~ Article I of the Code of Conduct for the Armed Forces of the United States

I cannot express my gratitude for each and every veteran ~ past, present and future ~ who have and will give selflessly in the fight for our country and our rights. It is those men and women who sacrifice more than we can imagine. Every day they fight for us knowing that this may be their last and willingly take that risk. They give up the opportunities to watch children grow up, to be at birthday parties and celebrate holidays with family and friends, to attend soccer games and school plays. And their families stay here offering support, fighting right along with them; for that, I consider each of you my heroes as well.

In honor of those who have fallen recently...your families will continue to be in my prayers and I am forever grateful to you for all you have given, for you have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Fort Hood:
Michael Grant Cahill, 62
Pft. Francheska Velez, 21
Pfc. Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19
Pfc. Michael Pearson, 21
Pfc. Kham S. Xiong, 23
Spc. Frederick Greene, 29
Spc. Jason Dean Hunt, 22
Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29
Staff Sgt. Justin M. Decrow, 32
Maj. L. Eduardo Caraveo, 52
Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, 55
Capt. John Gaffaney, 56
Capt. Russell Seager, 51

Fort Lewis:
Pfc. Christopher I. Walz, 25
Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22
Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24
Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29
Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27
Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24
Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27

And the Belly Grows :)

14 Weeks - Second trimester and feeling SOOOO much better! Go Bean Go!

15 Weeks - Go Bean Go is now Grow Bean Grow!

16 Weeks - My husband has been leaving for work about the same time as I'm rolling out of bed, so I apologize for the terrible picture! I think we are going to have to make a rule that he can't leave early on Tuesday mornings ~ "HELLO" That's belly picture day!!!! (And believe me, you DO NOT want a picture of me at 6:30 in the morning. That would be the last belly pic you'd ever be interested in!)

Spreading the Joy + Twister Time!

This past weekend I headed to Newton for a funeral :( but enough of the sad news.

Before the funeral I met the Boulware clan for lunch and let the girls in on the...ssssssshhhhh...baby secret! Ashton was so cute ~ I could have sworn she was going to pop with the news :) Once I finally told her that everyone else knew and she didn't really have to keep the secret, after one HUGE exhaled breath and the oh so frequently asked question..."Is it a girl or a boy?" she was off to the gumball machines :) Oh the attention span of a 7 year-old! I'm not sure Kylie was as thrilled but what do you do??? That's a 10 year-old for you! I'm hoping she's more excited once the little one is actually here :) FYI ~ I did not play favorites and tell Ashton first. Kylie wasn't interested in the secret...so it's totally NOT my fault she was the last to know!

After the funeral Mom and I headed to Lumberton to watch The Twisters! I haven't seen Kylie play all year so I was excited to see how she had improved from last year. They lost but at least I was there doing my auntly (is that even a word?) duties. For the record, I do not have the first clue about soccer...my understanding can be summed up into two things: 1) get the ball in the goal and 2) don't touch the ball with your hands. Nonetheless, it was exciting to watch and I was very proud that her team didn't give up. Great Job Twisters!

That was my weekend in a nutshell! Happy to be home with my hubby and furbabies! More belly pics coming soon :)

Your Weirdo Sister...

Bean -

Ok, so early this morning your sister woke me up LICKING MY BELLY!!!!!!!! Not a pleasant way to wake up, but how could I be mad?! She then fell asleep with her head on my tummy :) No way I can be mad after that!

I guess she just wanted to say hi and she loves you!

So from Sissy, "Hi Bean! I love you!"

Love,
Mommy & Sissy

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

"Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious; If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious; Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"

Is it stuck in your head yet?!

In case you couldn't tell from the title, we saw Mary Poppins yesterday and loved it! I could have done without the lady behind us tapping her feet and I'm sure James would have preferred the little boy next to him wasn't constantly sneezing and coughing, but hey what do you do?! Overall we had a great time!

The set and special effects were amazing! If you have a chance to see it, GO! I promise you won't be disappointed. While we weren't allowed to take pictures during the performances, here are a few taken during intermission.

Side Note ~ Do you think it would be too soon to ask my husband to take me to the Sound of Music in December???