It's still a girl!

We had our big ultrasound at my OB appointment yesterday. Dr. S measured everything and says that everything looks great! So far, I don't have a big baby, and I am very happy about this! :) He kept trying to look at the gender, and she had her little legs shut tightly together. After he had finished everything else, he went back to look one more time and she opened them just long enough for us to see that she is definitely still a girl! Of course, we're very happy about that, and about the fact that she is healthy.

I have been feeling so much more movement lately! Clay is able to feel the kicks now, too, and that is really exciting! Last night, we were lying in bed talking and she was moving around a lot. I told him to put his hand on my stomach and wait. The first time he said he felt something, but he wasn't sure if it was the baby or my colon. I cracked up and told him that even when pregnant, my gas doesn't poke and jab! :)

I'm still feeling great! Sciatic pain is gone most of the time, and I'm exercising almost every day. It really seems to make me feel a lot better. I had gained several pounds more at the doctor this time, but he still hasn't fussed at me. It was Christmas, after all! I really think the weight gain will slow down more now, since I am eating healthy again and exercising. If not, I will have plenty of time after she is here to work it off. For now, the goal is a healthy baby, and we seem to have that right now!

Oh, I do have a funny story to tell. Brittany and Zach went with us to the ultrasound yesterday. Dr. S was showing us all of the parts as he was measuring them. At one point, he said, "Here is the butt and the femur..." and I heard Zach start giggling. He just couldn't seem to stop laughing, and I instantly knew what his eight year old brain was thinking. "He said butt! He said butt!" So, I started laughing, too. The more I thought about it, the funnier it became, and if you've ever had an ultrasound, you know that laughing is not very conducive to the doctor being able to get a clear picture. I finally had to totally block that out of my mind and concentrate really hard on what was going on right in front of me. Little boys! :)

I do have some pictures, but I haven't scanned them. They really aren't as good as the other pics we've gotten. Little Squash (as Clay and the kids affectionately call her, after the week that she was as big as a squash) was turned where we just couldn't get a lot of clear profile shots. The new ultrasound machine hadn't come in, so when we left, Dr S said that we will probably get to come back in and play around with the machine once it gets there! So, maybe we will get some good pictures soon. If not, we are going to do a 4-D scan in about two months! I will try to scan some pics and post them tonight after church.

It's a GIRL!!

We went in yesterday for a "sneak peek" at our little one. Okay, it wasn't just a sneak peek. We were really hoping to find out whether we would be meeting our little girl or little boy in a few months. We were so excited to hear, "I think it's a girl!" She then looked again for a long time, and I watched on the screen. I saw the "hamburger" and then a few minutes later she pointed out the three lines that indicated that we do, in fact, have a baby girl in there!

Zach was very disappointed at first. He was really wanting a little brother, since he already has two sisters (Brittany, as well as Rylee, who is his dad's precious little one year old). We had a good talk, though, and I think he is okay with it now. Brittany is super excited! She wanted another little sister. Clay is also as happy about it as I am, since we were both secretly wanting a little girl. :)

Now we can really start thinking about decorating that bedroom upstairs! Clay is giving up his "man den" upstairs, so I am getting rid of the dark green walls. I will definitely take before and after pictures, as this is going to be a huge transition!

Several people have asked us if we have a name. We do already have one chosen, but we're not telling anyone until she is here. :)

Here are the pictures from yesterday:




We will have a big ultrasound on January 13 (only 3 weeks away!), and we will have more pictures then.