Half-way there! - 20 weeks!!

Well, we have made it to the half-way point! I am excited and anxious all at the same time. It has started to hit me recently how much there is still left to do and I am feeling overwhelmed. However, I know that all will be ok, and as long as we have the essentials that is all that matters. Brandon and I have been so busy, we haven't had a chance to really stop and talk much. On Saturday night, I pulled him into the bedroom and closed the door. We needed to be away from the TV, the dog, the cat, everything. We layed on the bed for what I thought and hoped was going to be a long nice chat, and then I just started to cry. And I mean, I sobbed. I think I have been holding all my emotions inside, and it wasn't until I had some alone quiet time with my hubby that it all hit me. So, we still had a nice moment, but instead of a lot of talking, it was more him just comforting me. As always, he made me feel better, and we were laughing not too long after. I am also very excited on top of all this anxiety. I started looking online this weekend to get ideas for things to register for or get. I picked out my diaper bag - of course Vera Bradley! - and I think my mom is going to go ahead and order it since it is one of my favorite patterns that is being discontinued (Hope Garden). I am already going to turn our little girl into a Vera girl :) Since I have several things in this pattern already, I figure they will now become hers :)

This past weekend, our little AOII legacy also participated in her first Arthritis Walk (AOII's National Philanthropy is Arthritis Research). I met some other AOII Alumnae at Bur-Mil Park on Saturday where we were able to support a cause important to us all. And it was so neat to see that all 100 Elon AOII collegians joined the event as well! I had to be cute, and make a little sticker so everyone knew about our legacy in my belly. Here is a pic as our little girl and I got ready to leave the house :)

It's a GIRL!

We had our 19 week ultrasound yesterday and found out we are having a GIRL! I was so excited and nervous going into the ultrasound. I remember just gripping the table and trying to hold perfectly still as the technician put the first images of our precious girl on the screen. She was ALL OVER THE PLACE! A drastic difference from the last ultrasound where they had me get off the table and do jumping jacks to try and get her to move. It may have had something to do with the Coke I had on the way to the appt :). I was in complete awe the whole time. I don't think I said much. Brandon was super excited and every time I looked at him, he was moving closer and closer to the screen. Later someone asked me if I cried. I remember shedding a tear, because I remember it rolling down my cheek, but otherwise, I really was just in awe. The 3-D images captured were absolutely amazing! I am already in love!!! So, both Brandon's and my predictions were wrong. We both thought boy. But, we couldn't be more excited about our precious girl!! And we get to see her again in a couple of weeks. They couldn't get a good picture of her spine because she was moving so much, so they want us to come back. Darn! :) I will remember not to drink a coke for that appt! When the technician left the room, Brandon and I just looked at one another. I am still in shock that I actually have a baby growing inside me and now to find out it is a girl! So exciting ;) I wore a yellow shirt to the appt and brought a pink and blue one with me, so I immediately put on my pink shirt and wore it proud the rest of the day!! Brandon is really going to be outnumbered in our house. With me, two girl pets, and a baby girl on the way.....but I know he is LOVING it! He LOVES his girls :)

18 weeks

I am 18 weeks today! Overall feeling good. Starting to have some stretching and overall things shifting pain, but not too bad. Still having trouble sleeping, but better get used to that! At least my appetite is back. According to babycenter.com, I now have a bell pepper in my tummy :) Approx. 5 1/2 inches long, and 7 ounces. We go back to the doctor on Monday the 13th for our next ultrasound. Very excited, because hopefully we will find out the sex!! Brandon continues to be amazing. He does most of the stuff around the house, and is also very protective and attentive to me. We are both getting more and more excited everyday. Still haven't felt any movements but hopefully soon!