Perfect timing...

God's timing is perfect! I think he put the ultrasound in such a place in our lives that it would keep us happy through all the rest going on. For those who don't know, it's been a rough couple of weeks over here in WI. Jeremy's grandfather passed away last weekend and though the death was expected, it's always hard when it happens. That's why we have been traveling for 5 straight weekends - to see grandpa. On top of that, everything with this house is falling apart!! We had the roof leaking, a pipe burst in the bathroom, there's a scary sewage smell throughout the house, and we officially have an 'infestation' of mice (as the pest guy called it). Jeremy is so ready to move out of here, even if we stay in WI next year.

This morning we lost our car!!! Jeremy's Grand Am has 160,000 miles, which is a lot, but not enough to lose an engine! We lost the number 1 cylinder, and the piston is just flopping around in the cylinder. (Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about??) :) The tech guy was so excited though, because he found me a used engine that would fit the car for only $2000!! I started laughing out loud. If I'm going to spend $2000 it's going to be on a down payment for a new car...not one that's 10 years old!! Luckily, there is a car waiting for us to use in ND, we just have to get it to WI. So that will be next weekend when my dad can meet us halfway in MN. (Traveling weekend #7!!)

But you know what - I just keep looking at those pictures of my baby boy and I smile all over again! I know this will only intensify as the pregnancy goes further and the pregnancy becomes an actual child in my arms, but nothing else matters right now but him. Nothing!

TTFN - have a great weekend! I'm going to see my sweet Kyla in St. Cloud!! I'll post some pictures when I get back.

p.s. Thank you so much for all your emails, phone calls, and comments on this board! It is so nice to have such supportive friends and family - truly.

Sorry to keep you waiting!!!....

But H&R Block could get us in for taxes so that came first before posting - unfortunately :).

But...we did have the ultrasound and we found out...

IT'S A BABY BOY!!!!

It was so amazing to see HIM moving on the screen and to see his little legs, hands, and feet. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking of it! She asked us before anything started if we wanted to know the sex, and we said yes. The first few minutes she showed us the beating heart (which we heard - also very cool), the four chambers of the heart and the different lobes of the brain. Then she just blurted out so calmly "and there's the penis..." and I just started screaming! And crying! He was not shy at all!!!!! It was so wonderful. Everything looks great - spine, brain, heart and kidneys. The bladder had urine in it (how crazy is medical science that they can know that?) which proved that he is drinking fluid and his kidneys are functioning. There were also 3 vessels in the umbilical cord, which helped to rule out different fetal anomalies. (There will sometimes only be 2 instead of 3). He also showed his hand once with two fingers up and three down, which helped rule out Down's syndrome because Down's babies are born with clenched fists and cannot open only a few fingers at a time. There was also no cleft lip visible and as far as we could tell 10 fingers and 10 toes! He also measured right on schedule with my due date going from July 2nd to July 1st. He weighed just under a pound and was so active during the ultrasound. I'm still on Cloud 9!!! I can't even describe it.

Here are some of the pictures - the first shows the arrow pointing to the boy parts! The others are various body parts - face (skull), body shot with two legs showing, and one with a leg and a foot showing.

So that's pretty much all for now!! It's been a very exciting & blessed day. We have a healthy baby boy!!!

Hiccups!...

I think I felt the baby have hiccups for the first time this morning! The poor thing did these little jumps in my belly for about 10 minutes in the exact same spot.

So glad to be home from work today - the doctors cancelled the day because there weren't enough patients. We have traveled for the last 5 weekends and will again this weekend, being our last weekend. Six straight weekends leaves this house in an absolute mess. The sink broke just before we left this weekend - the plumbing has an actual hole in it and whenever you run the sink there is a stream flowing out of it. So the plumber just came, and left again. He said the whole cabinet is "shot." So he's getting us a new cabinet, sink, and faucet! I'm happy - the thing was so old and gross and the landlord has to pay for it!

Guess what today is.....ULTRASOUND DAY!!!!!!!!!! Keep checking back - I will be posting tonight around 6ish! I cannot wait!!!

TTFN :)

Made some...

changes around the website - was not liking the pink! (Amazing for me...LOVE pink!) Also the comments should be formatted a little differently so a new window pops up and you don't have to leave the blog site.

TTFN.

20 weeks!

20 weeks!! The half-way mark!! It's so exciting - I was counting down the hours :). Just kidding - but it really is exciting. I don't know if there's much of a difference in the new pictures or not, but I sure can feel it. Everything is just more tight...skin, clothes, everything! The baby was pretty quiet the last few days, so I was getting a little worried. But yesterday and last night were quite active again and I just love that! It's so fun/amazing to feel your baby kicking inside of you. LOVE it.

That's about all for now - the ultrasound is in ONE WEEK!!! Next Tuesday at 3:15 in the afternoon we will hopefully be able to see a happy healthy little boy or girl. I'll keep you updated until then.

TTFN!

Now I am...

a happy pregnant woman!! The Zantac finally worked and my heartburn settled down at about 3 p.m. yesterday - 20 hours after it started. Wowsers. Last night was 9-hours straight of blissful sleep and today's half-day of work combined with the fact that all my laundry is almost done is making this an absolutely glorious day!! :) Combine that with a few fun kicks from baby and I am officially smiling!!

That's about it. :)

TTFN!

I am not...

a happy pregnant woman!!! HEARTBURN ... HEARTBURN ... HEARTBURN FOR 13 HOURS STRAIGHT NOW!!!!! I've tried Tums, Rolaids, and Maalox. All I had for supper was some pork roast, potatoes and carrots, followed with a small glass of orange juice. I had drank orange juice with food in the past few weeks and it did not bother my stomach, so I thought I'd give it another try. Oh my goodness am I paying for it. The heartburn started at about 7 p.m. last night and it is now....oh 8 a.m. I slept all night sitting straight up - which is not always that comfortable - with the heartburn waking me up during the night several times. I then tried to have a bland breakfast, only to have it completely reawaken the heartburn to full-blown-inferno-status. I finally broke down and called my doctor 5 minutes ago and they said to take Zantac 75 over the counter. So that will be next but unfortunately I just took a dose of Maalox so I need to wait a few hours until I can take the Zantac.

Not fun.

p.s. I did have a growth spurt this weekend!! I could feel it so much and my ligaments felt like I had done 100 situps. One pair of maternity jeans are now officially too small.

This child is...

active!! Oh my - it has been kicking up a storm. Jeremy felt a couple good ones and his eyes got all big :). I can't wait for him to be a dad - it's going to be so amazing. When I first met him he always said he wasn't sure how he'd be around kids but it's become pretty obvious to me that he's pretty much a natural with the toddlers - helps to be one! :) Just kidding....

The back pain has come back a little bit but Tylenol with ice and hot packs seem to be doing the trick. Heartburn came back as well, but lately it has been coming back when I don't eat often enough. If I let myself get too hungry I can feel it coming on but if I can get food in my mouth fast enough it usually will curb it. One of our female doctors took us all out for lunch on Wednesday and since all there were mothers other than me (technically) they just dished out the dirt on their deliveries and recoveries. I'm really glad to had the chance to talk to them. Most of the stuff I already knew, but everybody's story was a little bit different.

We're heading to Appleton, WI tomorrow to see Jeremy's Grandpa and will be back sometime Saturday or Sunday. If you could please say a prayer for Grandpa - he's really going through some tough times right now and needs the Lord's comfort and peace more than anything else. Please pray that we can be the vessel for some of that comfort and peace.

TTFN.