Pregnancy Update #2

Thank you Foto Fly for an awesome session!

*PREGNANCY STATS*

STAGE: 2nd Trimester - 18 weeks
BABY SIZE: A sweet potato
WEIGHT GAINED: 5 pounds
FITNESS: None currently!
DISCOMFORTS: Stuffy nose
CRAVINGS: None
FASHION: Started the rubber band method!
TO-DO'S: Start budgeting monthly for diapers and photo props! Get a great maternity bra.
EXTRAS: I could definitely feel the baby really moving at 16 weeks so even by now I think Joe will be able to feel the movements in a couple weeks! We're thinking this little girl will also have a "B" name but we haven't 100% decided which one. In two weeks is our big ultrasound and Brenna will come with us to that appointment!

So what you're saying is

I get to enjoy all the baby girl clothes that I saved AGAIN?!?!..................

That's right, the cake could have lied, but the ultrasound photos made it all too clear. There's a girl in there and she is going to have a big sister!

On Saturday night, we had our gender reveal party with our families present. It was such an exciting moment to be able to celebrate and find out together. A few people asked me if I was sure I didn't peek beforehand and know... for some weirdly, odd reason, I can keep a secret (even from myself apparently) and I like surprises enough to wait. So until that cake was cut, I was just as surprised!!!

I was team boy, Joe was team girl. Just to clarify, I was not solely "hoping" for a boy, I just assumed I would have one of each and was trying to accept that reality, too. :)

Some highlights:
-Most people were "team boy"
-David, Joe's brother, wanted us to have a boy to "feel his pain" of having a boy
-Brenna sat at the table almost the whole night eating pink and blue M&M's (where's that child's mother??!)
-My grandma tried to convince my husband most of the night to have a third.. Let's see how two is first grandma =)

A sister!!! A SISTER! A sister?! Brenna doesn't even know yet how incredibly blessed she is to have a sister!!! I always wished for and wanted a sister. To this day I find myself making an unintentional mental list of the "If-I-had-a-sister-right-now, I would.." I am seriously BLOWN AWAY at how amazing God truly is. He really does care about us so intricately that He restores and fulfills places in our lives that were hurt, broken or missing. This is one of those miracle moments! I just am filled with praise and joy and thank God for another baby girl. To watch sisterhood bloom and grow is going to melt my heart and fulfill something in my soul.

Team Boy

Team Girl

28 & Not Counting

It came so fast! The age where, in my mind, was always the "official" adult-age. So when thinking about what I wanted to do to celebrate, I wondered what a pregnant lady could do with it being winter besides just going out to dinner.  I very quickly thought of the way (who) I have great times with ---- My friends!!!

I feel like the only one whose (most) weekends are pretty quiet and lame (after 8 p.m. that is!) so I had been wanting to plan a girls night anyway. So I decided to invite my best buds over for delicious food, games and lots of catching up.

L2R: Me, Bekah, Ash, Berlynn, Brooke, Sarah, & Anna

 I forgot to take pictures of all the great stuff we ate! I was totally craving cheeses, grapes, Martinelli's, & refried beans (not all together!) so we had that and more. We played some games and I totally won

lost but we had some good laughs!!! Then they made me do what I find most embarrassing in life:

We're so old now and I do not expect gifts... Just great company! :) But it was sweet nonetheless and I felt very special. [Side Note:] Anyone else thinking what I've been thinking for months?? My hair has got to go. The color and everything... I can't stand it! I am getting it done ASAP!

Of course Joe, Brenna and my family were involved. See, for my birthday, for as long as I can remember, I always have a 3-day celebration at least! So one night my mom made me an incredible dinner and celebrated at her house too.

What a great helper!

New knife set! YEA!

She was supposed to smile like me-- haha!

Thanks mom!!!! <3

My mom also took me out to lunch the next day @ Mimi's-- One of my favorites! Joe's family took us out to Red Lobster-- Love the shrimp!

Joe was so awesome! He totally surprised me and had cleaned up my party mess the next morning while making me sleep in. He also got me new Coach Sunglasses I've been eyeing and some serving dishes (I like kitchen stuff, can you tell?) I got tons of makeup & gorgeous scarves. I had a wonderful birthday and had so much fun!!!  So, overall I'm comfortable with 28. I had always "planned" to be done having kids in my late 20's so I guess that's what God wanted for us, too! I'll be done @ 28.

*CHEERS!*