Little Miss,

Today we found out you were a little GIRL! Your daddy and I were so surprised and excited that I think our hearts skipped a beat. You took our breath away sweet girl. Just seeing you on the screen and hearing your heartbeat melted our hearts, but knowing you were our little miss changed everything. 

You don't know this yet, but your mama is a thinker. I can be analytical to a fault, and equally as emotional. And because of this, I notice so much; the ticking clock, life going by, and all the changes whirling by us. I feel like we are in our own little cocoon, the two of us, and the world keeps speeding along, tugging at us to hurry up. And now here we are halfway through this journey together, and you're growing bigger and bigger by the day. Developing and changing, yet already perfect. Since finding out you are a precious little girl my mind has been spinning. Will your eyes be the brilliant blue of your daddy's or the deep brown of mine? Will your hair be blonde or dark brown? I am certain you will have curls just like both of us! And they will be darling, of course. Will you like oranges or hate them (because that's all I eat right now)?  Will you be a tiny petite little thing like me or will your daddy bless you with some height? So many questions have come and gone and yet the Lord has granted me with an overwhelming amount of peace. I know you are perfect, just as He has planned you to be. 

I thank God everyday for choosing us to be your parents. I pray the Lord guides us to raise you to not be all that we want you to be, but rather all that He wants you to be. You are worth more than all the riches on earth and I pray you will grow to know that and embrace that you are loved beyond measure. We pray you will grow to be a Godly, righteous woman whose heart yearns for Christ. And I pray that even now the Lord is molding a boy to grow to be the man not just of your dreams or ours, but of Christ's dreams for you. Our love for you already pours out of our hearts. I wish you could see your daddy's face every time he says she now. His eyes light up just from saying the word. You are already his world sweet girl, and that will never change. It melts my heart to see him so in love with you already and he hasn't even met you yet.   

We love you sweet Little Miss of ours. You are perfect in every way and we are so blessed to have you. We cannot wait to meet you!!

All my love and then some,
Mama

Week 20: Halfway!

{WE ARE HALFWAY FOLKS!}

How far along? 20 Weeks , 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: About 2-3 pounds 

Maternity clothes? A few here and there.   

Stretch marks? Nope 

Sleep: It's getting harder to get comfortable.

Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move and Kyle getting to feel it kick for the first time!

Have you told family and friends: Yes! 

Miss Anything? I miss my family a lot - nothing to do with pregnancy I just miss them.

Movement: YES!! Lots of movement, even for Kyle :)

Food cravings: It is still mostly orange anything but every now and then a random thing will sneak in there

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope feeling great!

Have you started to show yet: I'd have to say yes

Gender prediction: Putting up a vote - We find out MONDAY!

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? Still hanging IN there for dear life!

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 

Looking forward to: Kyle's Birthday and finding out if BabyO is a BoY or GiRl

How your baby's growing: (According to BabyCenter.com)

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Week 19

How far along? 19 Weeks , 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: still about 2lbs - I'm trying though!

Maternity clothes? A few here and there.   

Stretch marks? Nope :)

Sleep: It's getting harder to get comfortable.

Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move more and more!

Have you told family and friends: Yes! 

Miss Anything? I still really miss sleeping on my stomach

Movement: YES!! I can't wait for Kyle to feel it too!

Food cravings: Anything and everything orange still!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope feeling great!

Have you started to show yet: I'd have to say yes

Gender prediction: I'm getting some mixed signals from friends and family but so far the vote for Boy is ahead  - although I have had a couple girls in there too! Can't wait to find out!

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? Still in

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 

Looking forward to: Kyle's Birthday and finding out if BabyO is a BoY or GiRl

How your baby's growing: (According to BabyCenter.com) 

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a softball. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Week 18

How far along? 18 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: still about 2lbs 

Maternity clothes? A few here and there.   

Stretch marks? Nope :)

Sleep:  Depends on the night, it's getting harder to get comfortable.

Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move! 

Have you told family and friends: Yes! 

Miss Anything? Sleeping on my stomach... I'm a stomach sleeper to start off.

Movement: YES!! For about a week now. I can't wait for Kyle to feel it too!

Food cravings: Anything and everything orange!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope feeling great!

Have you started to show yet: I'd have to say yes

Gender prediction: I'm getting some mixed signals from friends and family but so far the vote for Boy is ahead!

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? Still in

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 

Looking forward to: Finding out what we are having in a few weeks! The suspense is killing me!

How your baby's growing: (According to BabyCenter.com)

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

How your life's changing:

Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.

Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.

From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.

If you haven't already had a second-trimester ultrasound, you'll probably have one soon. This painless procedure helps your practitioner check how your baby's growing, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, determine whether the due date you're working with is accurate, and see how many babies you're carrying. During the exam, you might see your baby moving around or sucking his thumb. Bring your partner along, and be sure to ask for a printout for your baby's first photo album!