Beach Bum

One of the first weekends in June, while we were in Houston - we were able to make a quick trip to Galveston Island to celebrate James Thomas's first birthday. It. Was. Amazing. His Mommy thought of EVERYTHING. There were pools on the top level of the house, bottom level of the house, on the beach...a "beach themed" candy bar...special cookies...special cupcakes...personalized buckets with shovels for the kiddies...toys for kids every where...great burgers and snacks...I could go ON and ON and ON!!!

I was excited to see what JM thought of the ocean/sand. His first trip to the beach was La Jolla in October - and the Pacific is a little too cold at that time of the year - so he stayed dry. He is NOT a fan of sand. He would play in the pool on the beach, and then lean over the edge and just shake his head "no" over and over at the sand. He gets that from his Mama...I am afraid.

We had a wonderful time - and were so glad to help celebrate the birth of one of the cutest little guys I know!

It took awhile for the camera to adjust to the HUMIDITY...beware of too many pictures! :)

My two favorite boys...

First steps in the sand...

Does NOT like the sand...

Lunching with Lauren and William..

Checking out his belly button while hanging with the birthday boy...

And he's done for the day...

ohhhhhh Boy...

It's a GIRL?!?!?!?

On Monday - our little family of three was forever changed when we saw a GIRL on the ultrasound screen. To say I was surprised would be a HUGE understatement. I expected a boy. I thought I was having a boy. I KNEW I was having a boy. I made the tech check the "area" several times. Then I marched my pictures into the ob's office - where I made him check several times. I didn't cry...I didn't really do ANYTHING - that's how shocked I was!

I am the oldest of three girls. Justin is the oldest of two boys. My Mom and I never understood families that "made" one of each...so I just assumed after JM, that I would be a boy mom - and I got used to the idea - and loved it. This little girl in my belly has just blown my world.

This morning when I was washing dishes - it finally hit me. I am having a GIRL! I get to do girl things. Buy dresses. Buy bows. Talk to her every day, multiple times a day, on the phone when she is 28 and over being a bratty teenager. We can go to musicals. We can shop. I can fix HAIR. I started bawling at the sink - while JM ate his breakfast, oblivious to the fact that his Mom is a loon.

I am ECSTATIC!!! And still in SHOCK!!! :)

I am also loving just how excited my husband is to have a little girl...in fact, I think he WANTED a girl...

Any ideas as to what JM and I have been up to since Monday?

Shopping for Sissy, of course!

The profile shot! :) (which looks NOTHING like John Marshall's - her legs also look skinnier and longer)

20 Weeks

How far along? 20 weeks!
Heartbeat? 150 bpm - still higher than John Marshall's...

Total weight gain/loss: I guess I will be honest. 10 lbs.
Maternity clothes? Yes and No. Some things I wear maternity - like the fabulous new white, straight leg jeans that took me FOREVER to find. And the maternity tank tops...but - I always wore those before being pregnant because they are super long. I can still wear some of my shorts, and one pair of jeans...but I think I am about to transition to wearing all dresses!
Stretch marks? No - BUT I can feeeeeel a varicose vein growing behind my knee. NASTY.

Sleep? Lately it has been hit or miss. As in - I either sleep through the night, soundly...OR experience insomnia and the racing thoughts.
Best moment this week: Seeing a beautiful, healthy baby on that screen!!!

Movement: lots! Just way softer than JM's - I have to concentrate sometimes to find it - I am so busy during the day. You can also see her move now - SO FUN!
Food cravings: Still freezing cold milk with cereal.

Gender: Clearly my "gut" was wrong. Sweet, sweet baby GIRL.

Labor Signs: No...but GEEEEEEZ bring on the Braxton Hicks. Which are no fun when you are lugging around your 25 lb nugget of a 13 month old! :)
Belly Button in or out? In still...but starting to look funky!
What I miss: I still miss margaritas with salt...again. I also miss sneezing and not peeing at the same time.
What I am looking forward to: Ending the great debate, otherwise known as naming a baby girl. Justin and I never really discuss girl names - because we CANNOT. CANNOT. CANNOT. agree. I THOUGHT we had agreed...but he is not committing 100%. Oh well. In my head, for now, she is CMS.
Milestones: hmmmmm...we are half way there!!! yay!!! By the way. This pregnancy - while I might look the same as I did last time in the morning - I definitely get a WAY bigger "evening bump" this time - if you know what I mean.

BUMP SHOTS

Baby GIRL at 20 weeks, 5 days - June 2010:

John Marshall at 21 weeks - December 2008:

BIG DAY

Whelp. Tomorrow is the big day. When we find out just "who" this little baby is. We have our boy name - of course, and our girl name. I have been calling this baby by his boy name the entire time...hopefully I am right?!? It's after 11:00 right now, and Justin has long been in bed - but I can't get off the couch! The little one is just moving around - visibly - and I LOVE watching my stomach and feeling him move. I am praying tomorrow we see a healthy baby on that screen - the rest is just in the details!

Da-Doooo!

JM's newest thing is wiping off his own high chair tray and sippy cup. I am sure I do not have the only child in the world who HATES getting wiped down after meal time??? Anyhow. I have found that the trick with him is to give him his own wet paper towel while I wipe him down with the rag. He truly scrubs his tray, tries to wipe the sippy cup, and when he is finished - he likes to tear the paper towel in into TINY pieces, and waits for me to say "THANK YOUUUUU!!!" after receiving each piece, to which he repeats, "DA-DOOOOOO!!!" - this a cell phone pic of him saying, "Da-Dooo!" - LOVE him to pieces! I hope I remember these moments...

Baby Deaux

This past week while I was in Houston, my sisters were able to feel Baby Two moving around. I love that already, I can tell a difference in my two babies - even from the womb. By 18 weeks, JM was PUNCHING and KICKING. Something fierce - that you could feel and see - which is pretty stinking early, if you ask me. I have felt this baby just as early, but his/her movements are much more subdued, and soft...not as fierce. This weekend, Justin kept trying to feel the baby - but every time he but his hand on my stomach - he/she would completely stop moving. It just tickled me to death...I blamed it on the fact that "he" (Baby Two) is upset with Justin for continuing to call "him" a "girl" - sure enough, on Sunday night - after I got Justin to admit it COULD be a boy in there - he felt the baby! Justin was super excited to feel Baby Two - just as excited as when he first felt JMS - can feeling a baby kick/move inside of you EVER get old? I don't think so! :)