Packing on the pounds...

So I just weighed myself at the nurse's office at my school. I had my last doctor's visit three weeks ago, so I figured that maybe I would gain like 3 pounds. I have gained 8 pounds! Yikes! Where did that come from??? I had only gained 4 pounds in the last 20 weeks so this was a surprise! How funny. I am almost halfway to my goal weight! I am so going to pass my goal weight. Oh well!

Christmas cheer!

So much fun! This Santa looked great!

Let the bellies begin: Me-19 weeks and Paige-17 weeks

Our cute table

All of us at the Christmas dinner


My good friend Hillary invited me and some of our friends to a Christmas dinner at her church. It was so pretty there. The tables all had an individual theme! Our table was the divas table. How appropriate! There was a Christmas variety show that just really put me in the Christmas spirit. I love the holidays! I always have such a great time with this group of girls. Thanks Hill! Great idea! Then a few days later, Nat and I went over to a Christmas tea- red dress gathering for Paige's Mom. The lady who had the party had such a beautiful house! There were Christmas decorations everywhere. I wish I had a creative bone in my body somewhere, but I don't. I can just admire someone else's creativity. Santa was there, and I can't help but get giddy when I see him. It was so much fun! Don't take notice of the red top that I happen to be wearing in both pics! Red maternity tops can be hard to find!

Finally...

Blurry 16 week ultrasound-profile and big belly

The big appointment finally came!! I had been waiting for this ultrasound appointment with my doctor for a long time. It was a very important ultrasound that would basically check everything. Not only that, it would tell us the sex of the baby! The nerves were in full force. I was a mess before it even began. The nicest girl came in and did our ultrasound. She looked at everything, and said that everything looked great! That is just so good to hear. There are so many scary stories out there, and I was just a little nervous about everything. All is well though! Then she found the sex of the baby. She said there it is right there. Neal and I couldn't see anything. We tried, but didn't really know what we were looking at. She started to type, It's a.... I had to close my eyes. I couldn't take it. This has just been a long time in the making, and it was kind of all coming to a head. Then there it was. It's a girl! AAAH! How great is that??? I lost it at that point. That seems to happen a lot seeing as there is a Kleenex box situated within arm's reach from where I was laying. The news of it being a girl just really made it so real. I didn't have to say "it" anymore. It was a she! I honestly would have been just as happy with a boy. I just really wanted to know one way or another. I immediately called my Mother. She of course was so excited! Neal had to go to the ranch after the appointment, so I headed off to Natalie's with my DVD in hand of the ultrasound. I didn't tell her what it was. I just wanted to show her. It was great! We were so excited! So we headed off to Baby Gap. I bought my first baby items, and they were of course pink!! So fun! Now begins the baby naming process, and the nursery colors decision. It is all just starting to fall into place now! Time is kind of starting to fly, which is great, but at the same time, it's like uh oh. We don't have a clue! I guess nobody does with their first baby. It is just such a rollercoaster of emotions. Fear, excitement, worry, you name it! All I know is that we can't wait to see our little girl!

Birthday Weekend

The new wardrobe for a while-It was fun shopping for it!

My Mom and Dad

Me, Nat, and Jess

My Family

Well the night of my birthday we all went out to eat. Betty, Jess, Nat, Ty, and Kate met me and my family out for dinner. We just went to just went to a place close to our house. Betty and my Mom always have a great time together. They took grandmother-t0-be pictures and everything. It was just a great birthday! My great friends at school had surprised me with Starbucks and doughnuts! They had decorated my door at school, and had some gifts for me. They are just so sweet! It was just one of the best days. The fact that my family came in town was enough to celebrate, but then you add in the pregnancy, and awesome friends, and there is just so much to be happy for. To top it all off my Mom made us an early Thanksgiving dinner since I was not going to go home for Thanksgiving. It was so good!! Cynthia came over to eat with us, and we had just an awesome time! Then my Mom took me maternity clothes shopping! That was super fun! I got alot of clothes that I still kind of don't fit into, but I am sure my time will come! Nat also got some maternity tops for me that I am dying to wear. I just need a little more belly! I had a really good weekend, and the best birthday ever! Thanks everyone!

Birthday ultrasound

All looked great, but the little one just wasn't ready to expose herself yet.

I thought this was a funny view from where I was at. We were all just packed in there. Of course my Dad has the video camera!

Paige's ultrasound-So fun to do this with her!

Well another birthday had arrived. My parents had surprised me with a visit! My Mom and Dad, and brother, had never been here together since we moved here over 7 years ago. It was always just my mom, or my dad and my brother, but never all of them together. I was really excited. My parents hadn't seen me pregnant yet, and luckily I was starting to get a small belly. So we decided to get an ultrasound done by Neal's brother Mark again. We were hoping to learn the sex of the baby. My mother-in-law Betty, Nat and Kate, Paige and Zach, and my parents all went with us. Paige and Zach joined us in hopes that they could also find out the sex of their baby! They are 17 weeks pregnant, but were 14 weeks at the time. They went first, and suddenly an object appeared. It looked pretty clear that it was a boy! Mark said that it was a boy, but told them not to take his word for it. Paige goes in two weeks for the official scan. It was really fun being there with them for that. So after seeing that Paige found out, I was pretty optimistic about our little one. So everyone packed into this tiny room the size of a walk-in closet. It was really funny to look at from my point of view. I just saw all of these heads! It was great. I loved having my family and closest friends there. Well after flipping on my side and moving in different ways, our baby was not going to give us a hint of what it was! I was a little disappointed, but what can you do. I was just so happy that my parents got to see an ultrasound done. My Dad brought out the video camera of course! He wouldn't be a Dad without it. I was just going to have to be patient about the sex of the baby, but at least we knew that it was healthy. That was a big relief! It was a great birthday. I even got to take a half day off from school!