It's a ...!!!!!

Today was the long awaited day...for many reasons.  On a day that can be so focused on material gifts, we were looking forward to something of far greater value! 

We had a late night with friends and family so we slept in until about 9:30 AM and then hung out for a bit as everyone else was waking up.  We got our coffee as Jordon arrived to spend the day with us.  The family gathered in the living room, ready to start opening stockings and my mom said, "Can we open the envelope FIRST?!"  So of course, that was the first priority.  

Excited future Granny-Pie AKA the Christmas Elf

 So we took the envelope off the table, looking at it with anticipation...

Took out the card...

"A Special Christmas Surprise!"

Opened it...

IT'S A BOY!!!!

YAYYYY!  We're going to have a little baby boy! :)  Hoping we might have a little boy, Mom and Meg picked out a very cute little bathrobe...

Baby Boy's first bathrobe!

The first to find out were Grandma and Grandpa Wertz who opened the envelope at about 5:45 AM this morning before a morning of Christmas services...though we didn't talk to them until later in the morning.  Grampy Homan and Grammy Kate opened the card after church and called so we talked to them as well.  Everyone is excited!  Now that we know, we can start thinking of names but the decision will remain our little secret until the baby is born...so no use in asking, cuz we ain't gonna tell!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

A big milestone!

20 weeks - halfway!

We are now officially 21 weeks along and more than half-way through the pregnancy. The baby has become more active, in fact, he/she might be a gymnast because I think there was a full flip on Saturday morning that made me jump and shriek!  I had never felt anything like it to this point.

21 weeks...Baby's first Christmas party at Jen & Mike Rodgers'

We went for our 20 week ultrasound this past Wednesday and we have in our possession the gender of our child...but we don't know what it is yet.  I made 3 cards and envelopes and had the the ultrasound technician fill in the blank and seal them up!!  We are going to mail one to my dad and Kate, one to Aden's parents and the other is for us to open with my mom and Tom as well as my sister Meg and brother James.  Unfortunately Casey and Christine won't be able to be there. 
Please note the very strict instructions:

So as of Christmas morning, we will know the gender of our first child.  Overall the ultrasound was awesome.  The baby looks like a baby now!  After the first ultrasound I joked that we were having an alien. :)  Not anymore...

The left foot!

Baby's profile!

We saw all sorts of things, with the exception of anything that gave the gender away.  His/Her feet were resting right under its neck for much of the ultrasound!  He or she is an agile little thing. All in all, my health is good, the baby's size is right where it should be at 14 oz. and we're both growing!

Aden has been teaching Baby to count.  He pokes my belly once and says in a loud voice, "ONE!"  Then he will poke it two times and say, "TWO!"  Once or twice he's gotten a kick in response.  Last night we made it up to four, but he doesn't want to overwhelm the child so we're taking it slow.  Ha! 

Stay tuned for the big report on Christmas day! 

Almost half way there!

I wish I'd started this earlier, but oh well...as of yesterday I am 19 weeks along and feeling quite well.  To get you up to speed, the first trimester was a bit rocky as I was exhausted (sleeping 10-12 hours a night) and nauseous all the time.  Around 13 weeks things shifted and my appetite started to come back and though I'm still tired, I have a lot more energy.  Around week 14 I began to notice my waistline expanding.  The month of November brought not only growth of my midsection but also my husband's mustache...Raising money for Men's health, he grew a mustache for the month of November, much to my dismay.  But as we took belly pics we also took mustache pics:

14 Weeks and just beginning to show...

Several days of mustache growth...contemplating the baby in my belly

16 weeks and the bump is a bit bigger

The mustache continues to grow...Emily counts down the days until December

The mustache becomes just too much to bear...luckily at this point December is only days away!

December 2 - almost 19 weeks.   The baby may come out of the womb singing the Vivaldi Gloria as I sang the soprano solos three different times that weekend!

 

Following Thanksgiving, right around 18 weeks I noticed significant changes - and no, I don't think it was the 2 Thanksgiving dinners. :)  Thanksgiving dinner weight and baby weight are two very different things as I'm beginning to learn.  Each day there is something a little different and it is exciting.  Just a couple of days ago, on December 1st, I started to notice the baby moving.  I think I'd felt it before but hadn't realized what it was.  I had Aden feel it and he could feel it as well - like little rhythmic flutters or kicks.    Stay tuned for more...