Our Annual Tour of the South

Right after school was let out for the summer, Neal and I left to visit my family and our friends in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. We usually wait until July or August to make this trip, but seeing as how I will most likely prefer to sit on the couch in a nice air conditioned house at that time of the pregnancy (and my doctor would be pretty mad at me if I travelled that late), we decided to go a little earlier for that trip this year. Here is a picture from our trip last year:

This was taken on my grandparents' porch when we were leaving to come home to Fort Worth in 2009. My how things have changed in the last year!

This is my 24 week belly picture which was taken at my grandparents' house by my Nana's beautiful hydrangeas. I wish that I had inherited my grandparents' green thumb, but Neal will tell you that I somehow manage to kill even plastic plants! This time, we started our trip with a visit to Nana and Grandpa's house in Alabama - they will be Camden's great grandparents on my Dad's side of the family. We had a great drive through Louisiana and Mississippi, and Neal was very patient with my frequent need to stop for restroom breaks. He was really surprised when I did have to stop only 30-45 minutes after the first time that we stopped on the trip, but when you take a few elbows or knees (I'm not really sure which) to the bladder, it's time to find a potty! I also listened to my doctor's advice and remembered to get out and walk around every time that we stopped. I'm sure people thought that I looked pretty crazy pacing around behind our car at each stop, but I'd rather have stares from strangers than blood clots. While in Alabama, we were unexpectedly blessed with toys, storage items, videos, and other various kid-friendly items from my uncle! It's a long story, but he had recently purchased a day care that he will be converting into another business, and he needed to get rid of all of the toys and other "kid stuff" that was no longer going to be used. So Camden now has a few toys for when he gets to be a little older! What a blessing!

We also spent a morning on the lake in my grandparents' pontoon boat - this was so relaxing, and we even managed to make it back inside before the rain hit! Even though I know they were tired of the rain, I appreciated the milder temperatures that came along with the daily rain showers that we experienced in Alabama. Plus, everything was so green and vibrant! On our way to Nashville, we stopped for a night to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins in Atlanta. We were able to visit and catch up, enjoy some great food (speaking of, Neal is still raving about my aunt's Boston creme pie), and see my cousin Carly perform in a patriotic show at church. As a social studies teacher, I loved all of the historical references, and Carly is a natural on stage. She knew all of the dances and songs, and I noticed that she was frequently placed in the front of the group. I think it was because she was one of the best! Unfortunately, all of my pictures from Atlanta were from the next morning when we were leaving to drive up to Nashville and half of the group was in their pj's, so I didn't want to post pictures of that, since I know that I certainly do not look my best when I first wake up. I did have a picture comparing my belly to my Grandpa's belly, but unfortunately blogger deleted it tonight, and it is way too late to start this over. I know that this is an OCD thing, but I really want my pictures to be in order when I blog, so check out facebook if you want to see the "belly comparison" picture. When we arrived in Nashville, we met up with our good friends Brantley and Adrienne for lunch (chicken fingers at McDougal's - one of our favorite Nashville spots) and we met their daughter Ainsley - so sweet and precious! Here I am holding her:

It was so neat to see how much our friends have grown up since having a child - it makes me wonder what everyone will think of us when Camden arrives in a few months. We enjoyed lots of great food, conversation, and plenty of laughter in Nashville. Plus, it was great to practice (a little) of what life will be like soon! Neal even took a turn holding Ainsley - I think he's going to be great at this! He was willing to feed her, change her, and help out with anything he could - I have to admit that I was very impressed and excited to see how much he will help out when our son arrives!

Adrienne was so sweet to take me to Target while we were there, so I could do the last half of our registering. I have to say that it was so nice to have someone who had experienced the first few weeks of having a baby, so she already knew a lot about what works and what doesn't. It made it so much easier and faster! I also experienced the not so polite person in the baby aisle who basically told me that I looked like I should be delivering in the next week - not in three months. I just have to say as advice to anyone out there who may not really know how to speak with a pregnant person, just remember that we are hormonal and extra sensitive, so now is not the time to think that it is remotely okay to tell us how huge we look or comment on the number of calories we are eating. Would you say that to someone who is not pregnant? I didn't think so. And, by the way, according to my doctor, I have gained the normal amount of healthy weight for a pregnancy (not too much, not too little) and my uterus measures exactly the same number of centimeters as the number of weeks that I am pregnant, so don't tell me that I look like I should deliver tomorrow! Sorry for the ranting, but really some people need to be informed!

The girls (+Camden - I know he can't wait to meet his future girlfriend!)

We made it back home on Sunday, and since that time, I have been catching up on house work, preparing for a sixth grade workshop that I will be presenting with two of my good friends next week, and going in for another doctor's appointment. This week I had the dreaded gestational diabetes test. I have to admit I was very nervous about this, but I was pleasantly surprised that the glucose drink was not unbearable - in fact, it reminded me of Hawaiian Punch. Also, the hour wait in between getting my blood taken was not bad, because I had a visit scheduled with the doctor. Everything is still fine and normal. She was happy that the trip went well, and she reluctantly allowed us to keep our Florida trip scheduled for the end of June (as long as I promised to stay hydrated and get plenty of "shade"). Camden's heart was still beating a strong 150 beats per minute, and my weight was right where it needs to be (Again, take that, Target lady!). And today, I received my results on the blood work and (drum roll, please) . . .

I PASSED!!! I was so relieved to hear this, because I kept hearing about friends and friends of friends who had failed, so I was worried that I would somehow fail as well - and I was feeling guilty about every single dessert I enjoyed while on our trip (until I found out that this doesn't really affect the test results), so I definitely feel very blessed to know that things are continuing to smoothly and that our little boy is still healthy! Neal and I have also seen my stomach move for the first time (which further convinces Neal that I have an alien in my bell), and Neal has been able to feel his pulse when he puts his hear on my tummy! This is definitely a very cool stage of the pregnancy!

Thanks again to my in-laws who came in for the day today to help Neal install a ceiling fan, a new sprinkler head, lights on our front path, and fix our back door! Ok, so Neal's dad helped with all of that stuff while his mom and I shopped for maternity clothes at Grapevine Mills! We had a great time visiting and bonding today! It was so fun to spend time with Camden's future Nana and I really appreciated all of the new clothes. I feel like I get to be one of the most stylish pregnant ladies thanks to Camden's very generous and wonderful grandmothers! It's great to know that they care so much about our family!

Stay tuned to find out about the red, white, and blue World Cup party that we are attending tomorrow! All I will say is that Neal has big plans for his outfit . . . (think American flag - in the form of pajama pants).

Already Blessed!

(This picture is supposed to be at the end, but somehow ended up here. This is everything we received at our first shower - see the end of the post for more explanation.)

First off, school's out for summer! School's out forever (not really, but I cannot say the first sentence without finishing Alice Cooper's song - thank you, Ms. Eatherly/Smeatherly/Smitherly/Dr. Smith for always singing that to us! Only those of you who graduated from Northland got that reference)! I am so glad to have the next couple of months to finish the nursery, relax, and prepare for life to change in big ways! I will also be working on curriculum writing (as usual) - this is the best summer job for me, because I can sit inside at a computer and listen to music without having to manage a classroom of students. I will definitely hold on to that job for as long as possible!

In other news, we had our first baby shower this week! Neal's two aunts from Connecticut and North Carolina were in town visiting his grandmother, so they wanted to give us a shower. I was really only expecting a couple of gifts and dinner, but they went all out! It was so nice to get to visit with everyone, and I can't believe how much they spoiled us and Camden! Here is a picture of all of the family:

(from L to R: Neal's dad, Aunt Connie, Aunt Michael Ann, Neal's mom, Neal's grandmother Stella, me, Neal, and his sister Kendyll)

Neal does not usually go to showers, so I was proud of him for sitting through it patiently (and he didn't even play games on his iPhone - shocking, I know).

More guests at the shower - also very patient as I opened everything. I told Neal that he should help open gifts, but he never spoke up and reminded me to give him a turn. He's not really into opening gifts. Of course, I was teased for how meticulous I was about not tearing any paper or bows and how I pretty much re-wrapped the gifts that came from gift bags. I just like things to be neat and organized!

We even had a cake! It was delicious, and I thoroughly enjoyed finishing this for dessert every night this week after the shower. We both felt like we were back at our wedding for this picture - even though we did not really cut this cake - we just pretended. I didn't want to be responsible for choosing the piece sizes.

At the seat of honor surrounded by all of the gifts for our precious little boy!

Close-up of the sinfully delicious cake - I also found out that the majority of our guests (including myself and Neal) at our shower prefer inside pieces of cake, because none of us were crazy about icing. Although, this was some seriously good icing. I think I have raved quite enough about the cake!

Adorable napkins that Neal's Aunt Connie found in North Carolina, and although we were given the extra napkins, they did not survive once our yorkie/shih tzu mix found them on the floor by the shower gifts upstairs. I kept wondering why the dogs were so interested in going upstairs to see all of the gifts for Camden. I thought they were trying to make a bed out of the clothes, but no, our dogs were eating the napkins! When I was finally able to sit down and sort through everything, I found little pieces of blue napkin all over our game room. Peyton (the blond dog) has always had a fascination with paper products, and he feels that is both necessary and appropriate to shred them to bits. This is one of his few vices, but a vice that earns him a spanking and a very stern, "Bad dog!" I was not happy, so I am hoping someone else was able to save one of these, since he managed to chew a piece off of every napkin in the entire stack!

Neal's Aunt Michael Ann is truly gifted at floral arrangements, and she had put several arrangements together around his grandmother's house. This one came home with us, and I absolutely loved the colors and flowers that she chose for this arrangement. I wish she could put together fresh flowers for our home everyday!

If you saw the photo at the top of this post, you know that Camden's great aunts and grandmother really had fun shopping for him! We now have a fancy swaddle and soothe bouncer, several sets of super soft pj's, a food processor, freezer trays for the baby food that we will be making (more on that later, but I am very excited about this!), socks, swaddling blankets, washcloths, and so on. I couldn't believe how much they bought for him! He is going to be one very blessed, spoiled little boy!

Also (in health news), I have been noticing more aches and pains lately, but those are to be expected. I am also having to get up in the middle of the night more often which I know is preparing me for when Camden is actually here. I will post 24 week belly pictures with my next post. I actually thought that I wasn't really getting bigger this week, but then I put on my favorite pair of maternity capri pants yesterday and noticed that they are much more snug than they used to be, so I am definitely growing - which means the little guy inside of me is growing, too! He also moves very regularly - usually after a good meal or when I am laying or sitting down to relax. Those movements are so comforting!

Tomorrow, we leave very early in the morning to drive to Alabama to visit my grandparents and then we will travel up to Nashville to visit our good friends Brantley and Adrienne and meet their new daughter Ainsley. I can't wait to see everyone! Happy Memorial Day and happy summer off to all my teacher friends!

Mother's Day Fun (And other important news)!

Ok, so I know I am almost a week late on this post, but until school gets out, I pretty much don't have free time or energy to do anything productive at home. I know this is a long one, but stay with me until the end for an exciting announcement - it is definitely worth your while! We had a fabulous Mother's Day weekend, so I just had to share the details! First off, we drove to Houston to visit my parents and made it just in time to have dinner at my favorite Mexican food restaurant, El Charro. Now, this trip involves bringing home a pint of salsa to enjoy once I get back to Fort Worth! And, did I mention we went to El Charro twice in three days? My family is so patient and accommodating with my cravings. After I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, we went back to my parents house and showed them the dvd from our ultrasound which I never get tired of watching. Neal is not as excited about it, because he still thinks that our baby looks like an alien - I am just constantly amazed and comforted by his movements and watching his heartbeat. After we watched the dvd, I was sitting on the couch with my hands resting on my stomach when I felt a little kick. I have felt movement for awhile, but I had not been able to catch anything that I could feel from the outside. This is very important to me, because I wanted Neal to be able to feel that with me! So, when I realized what I felt, I made him come over and feel my stomach, too, and Neal was able to feel our son kick for the very first time! My mom always has her camera available, so she was able to capture a picture for us as well. Not the most flattering picture, because I was totally stretched out on the couch, but the memory is what is most important, here. I also think that my good meal contributed to his kicks!
The next day, Mom and I were able to shop for some fun things for me and the baby! I have loved how much she has spoiled me over the last few months, and I already know that our son is going to be very spoiled by her gifts, seeing as how she is constantly picking stuff out for him! We went to Target and looked at bras (I was down to only one that still fit), maternity clothes, dresses for Mom to wear to baby showers, and of course, all of the nursery furniture, baby gadgets, etc. that Target has to offer. In case you don't know, my mom currently works with the youngest babies at her school, so she is up on all of the latest products. She knows what is popular, what doesn't really work, and what is trendy. This was so helpful for me - especially since Neal and I went to register for the first few items this week. We are so not even close to being finished, but we did get started. After Target, Mom and I went to Jo Ann's to look at yarn for a blanket she is making, and while I was there I decided to take back the striped fabric that I had originally bought at Hancock's and buy a different striped fabric that matches the polka dots that I was thinking about using for a diaper bag or something else. I also bought more of the polka dot fabric. I liked the first set of stripes, but I was having a hard time finding anything else that matched it, and I felt like I had been pressured into buying it by the saleslady at Hancock's who warned me that they would never get more of that particular design again. I was so worried that they wouldn't have it that I bought it without really looking at other stuff, first. So, I am much happier about what I have now. Also, mom bought me more tops at Motherhood Maternity which just so happened to be in the same parking lot as Target. I forgot how wonderful it can be to go to a store where all of the racks have clothes you can try on - not just the racks at the back of the store! Pretty much all of my cute maternity clothes have come from shopping sprees with Mom! Thanks, Mom!

On Sunday, we went to Minute Maid Park to watch the Astros beat the Padres. They have had a rough start to the season, so it was nice to see them win. Neal gave me a precious Mother's Day card that was from our baby (that made me bawl like a baby) - it was so sweet! And, the waterworks were definitely hormone-induced. I think that during the first trimester of my pregnancy, I didn't really cry at all - which is the opposite of how I usually react, but since second trimester started, I have cried at the smallest things, however, I do believe that a sentimental Mother's Day card would make anyone cry. One of the coolest parts of Mother's Day was going to the game (where all of the moms were given roses by the mothers of some of the players) and hearing people say, "Happy Mother's Day!" to me over and over again. I almost teared up each time I heard that, because I am not used to it, and this is something I have dreamed about for years. I loved every bit of it! We also splurged on ice cream (Blue Bell, yum!) which has definitely been on my list of foods I crave. Just a great day in general!

21 weeks at the ballpark with Neal patting my bellyNeal, me, mom, and Robby

Also, my dad lives in a funky loft that is just a few streets away from the ball park, so we were able to stop by and see him and pick up a few baby items from him. Let's just say that I am glad we took my stepdad's truck! We now have the crib, mattress, a swing, a bouncer, a sleep positioner, a microwave sterilizer,and some dishwasher accessories. I am so glad to have the crib - that is a huge relief! Now, we just need to paint the nursery, and then we can put the crib back together, and of course, I will post pictures of that! Here is the fabric we (I) picked out for the nursery:

It is more turquoise/teal in person, but I am so much happier with this choice! Now, I just need to bring it to my Nana's house so she can start making everything. I can't wait to see the finished product!

We also had another doctor's appointment this week, and the most interesting news is that my due date has been changed from September 17 to September 27. This is all based on the measurements that were taken by the sonographer at our ultrasound appointment. I actually think that it means that our baby just may be a little smaller than other babies at this stage normally, but if he decides to come closer to the later date, I am actually okay with that, because it means that I get more time to start the school year and train my students before my long-term substitute takes over for six-eight weeks. Everything else was normal - I have actually gained some weight, which makes sense, because I definitely have my appetite back! And, his heartbeat was still at about 150 beats per minute. My next appointment is the dreaded gestational diabetes test, which I don't really want to think about right now - although I do know that I will be rewarded with a Chick Fil-A breakfast after I finish it!

Last but not least, we have chosen a name for our precious little boy! We are naming him:

Camden Rhys Helf!

We love him already and can't wait for him to be here! Stay tuned for updates on the nursery and registries!

Halfway!

My first purchase at Babies R Us that was not for someone else's baby. This was right after our ultrasound - and this happens to be the only picture I have of me at 18 weeks!

Our son's first set of onesies - I love these colors! Neal and I decide that we both like the more subdued neutral colors over the super bright primary colors for little boys' clothes (think of the colors in our house - if you have seen them).

I don't want anyone to think that I am reverting back to my old habits of not updating my blog, but it has truly been a very busy past two weeks at our house! In case you didn't hear through facebook or text message or a phone call, we are having an adorable little boy! Neal and I are so glad to finally know, and we have been able to pick out nursery colors (along with some fabric). My nana is going to make our nursery set for us, and I am so excited to get that process started! The appointment for the sonogram went really well - we found out that the position and the location of the placenta and umbilical cord is totally normal. The baby was facing my back most of the time, so he had to push on my belly to get him to move around more, but he was able to get some great profile shots, and I love the dvd that shows him moving around. So comforting to see and know that he is totally healthy and normal. My doctor had warned me ahead of time that sometimes the sonographer has to leave the room to discuss something that he has seen on the ultrasound with her. She said that sometimes it doesn't even mean anything serious, but many times it does. He stayed in the room with us the entire time, and he even said multiple times that everything is completely normal! That has been my prayer throughout this pregnancy, so it is comforting to know that God is watching over our little one! The story of how we found out that we're having a boy is pretty funny. When we first started our sonogram, he asked us if we wanted to know, and we, of course, said yes. Then, he squirted the jelly on my tummy and started moving the camera around. Maybe five seconds later, he said, "Well, you're having a boy. No doubt about it, you are definitely having a boy." It was so weird to all of a sudden know and not wonder about it any more. We honestly thought that he would do all of the important stuff first and then tell us, but he just told us at the beginning. Then, he kept saying over and over again, "It's a boy. It's a boy." He also kept pointing out is his "wienie" which really made me wish he would use a more technical term for that particular body part, but maybe our sonographer is one of those adults who is not comfortable with words like "penis." Anyway, now we know! Here are two fabrics I have purchased for the nursery! The top on is the main pattern, and the polka dots may actually be just for an accessory or a diaper bag - I haven't decided yet, but I love them both!

We have also had two very fun-filled weekends in the last two weeks! Last weekend, we enjoyed burgers on Friday night with some friends - although we couldn't stay out late, because I had school the next day. That was our make-up day for the bad weather we had back in February. I actually didn't mind it so much, because the classes were only 35 minutes long, and there was no traffic on the way to school that morning - I kind of wish every day could be like that day! On Sunday, Neal and I met my friend from school and some of her friends in South Dallas where we heard Donald Miller (one of our favorite Christian authors) speak at a fellowship church. It was a great talk - I felt like he was very conversational, and I loved listening to his stories about some of the people he has met along his travels. Then, we met up with our good friends who live in Oak Cliff where we had an awesome meal (pizza at a great little Italian restaurant) and walked around the Bishop Arts district where we tried out some great chocolate and bought some unique sodas. I had key lime pie flavored soda and Neal bought a clear soda called Not See Kola. Yum! We both felt like this was an awesome day and totally worth the drive!

This weekend, Neal's parents came to town and we spent the day at the zoo on Saturday where we enjoyed a picnic lunch and great animal sightings! I didn't think that the weather would cooperate, but it didn't rain at all - the clouds actually helped to keep it from being to warm. Our favorite part is getting to feed all of the birds, and I really can't wait to take our little one there someday. We finished off the day with dinner at Razzoo's in downtown Fort Worth, and frozen yogurt and blackberry cobbler with a movie at our house. Some of us had frozen yogurt (at the new place by our house) and some of us had cobbler (Mrs. Smith's - from our freezer), and Neal and I had both! I think that sometimes Neal believes that he is also eating for two! Anyway, we finished the weekend with tennis/walking around the track and dinner at Wendy's with some more good friends. Since we haven't had small group for the last couple of weeks, we've ended up hanging out more one on one with some of our good friends from small group. It has been nice to get to do that now - while we can! I have a feeling that we may not be as free when our little one arrives.

So, we are still thinking about names, but I think we have narrowed it down to two excellent choices. I'll tell you in person if you want to hear them, but we hope to have a name picked out soon, so we know what to call our little guy. I have another appointment in two weeks, and keep praying that everyone is still healthy! Here I am at 20 weeks - halfway there!

Boy or Girl?

17 Weeks

So, I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment at 16 1/2 weeks, but she had to cancel because she was going to be out of the office - probably an emergency surgery or something, so I had to wait and come in a week later at 17 1/2 weeks. I was really very bummed about this, because I knew that my appointments were still going to be about every four weeks for awhile and I knew that the BIG appointment with the ultrasound was coming up. I thought that I was now going to have to wait until 21 weeks to find out instead of 20 weeks, but little did I know that I get to have a separate appointment at 18 weeks to do this! In fact, the very first thing that the nurse did was grab the schedule for the ultrasound technician to make sure that he was available for the following Tuesday afternoon (since my school schedule makes it where I have to have afternoon appointments). Even though I have to get blood taken on that day (bummer), we get to see whether we are having a boy or a girl along with making sure to see that the baby is healthy and developing normally. I care most about how healthy our child is, but obviously I want to know whether he or she will be wearing pink or blue! And, I can't wait to get to say only he or only she instead of both, because it feels weird to say "it."

Also, we heard the heartbeat again, which had dropped to about 150 beats per minute, and my doctor measured my stomach, which is now 17 centimeters from my pubic bone to the top of the uterus (the fundus, for those of you who have always wanted to know the technical term). She said that is exactly where I should be - the stomach should always measure one centimeter for every week of the pregnancy. She said that sometimes it ends up bigger if you are carrying a larger baby. Let's pray for a small to normal size baby! And, I think I may have gained a pound. It is hard to tell, because my weight has fluctuated a bit during the first few months, but I think that I have officially gained one pound - it feels much more like ten or fifteen though, just because of how my body shape is changing. Neal and I are really enjoying my doctor - we were her last appointment of the day last week, so I feel like we had some extra time to ask questions, and we ended up chatting with her about movies and some of the interesting things that have happened in her office. When she was an intern, she witnessed a woman having a hysterical pregnancy! I can't imagine trying to keep a straight face with someone who believes they are pregnant when they are not pregnant at all!

Neal and I are friends with a couple who have a five year old boy and a ten month old girl, and they needed a babysitter for Friday night. They called us hoping we were available and willing to help. We decided that it would be good practice for what's coming, so we said yes. The nice part was that they didn't need us until closer to bed time, so the kids were already washed up and in their pajamas. I do have quite a lot of experience with babysitting from my high school and college years, but babysitting after a long week at school really took it out of me. I think the pregnancy had something to do with that, also. I was really impressed with how well Neal did with both kids, he played Uno, made sure that Owen went to the restroom, tucked him in, fed June her rice cereal and breast milk mixture, and even held her when she started to get a little fussy. I did get to read to the kids, since Owen decided that he would rather have me read than Neal! Neal even helped me change a cloth diaper and was willing to try to help me put her to sleep, but he soon realized that this was going to be a very tough job. In June's defense, she had taken her afternoon nap later than usual, so her mom had warned me that she was going to bed later and that she might really try to fight it. I felt so bad for her, because I knew that she was tired, but she did not want to go to the bedroom, she did not want to be in her crib, and she did not want me to rock her the way that she gets rocked when it's time for bed. Finally, I had to sit on the couch with her and pat her bottom while she finally started to nod off on my shoulder. When I knew that she had been asleep for a good 10-15 minutes, I moved her to her crib. Even though the process was frustrating, I felt like I had conquered the world! Then, I fell asleep on the couch and did not wake up until our friends came home from their date! Neal and I had plans to watch a movie, grade papers, or read books, but after putting the kids in bed, we were too exhausted to do anything else. I think I have a taste of what life will be like in a few months, so I am trying to enjoy my freedom now, while I can!

That's our life right now! The next big post will be after we find out the gender of our baby, so stay tuned! If you have a guess on the boy or girl question, leave me a comment - I would love to hear what you think! And, to see who's actually reading this - sometimes I feel like I am writing it just for me!

15 week update

I know it has been a few weeks, but we have been busy at our house! Over spring break, my parents visited for a few days, and my mom took me on a maternity clothes shopping spree. This was wonderful, because when I went by myself, I was too overwhelmed to buy anything. It can be confusing your first time. It is still weird to avoid the regular section of clothes and walk to the back of the store for the maternity section. I'm not quite used to it yet. Mom and I had a blast - she is still so excited about becoming a grandmother! We also looked at some fabrics for nursery colors, but I still can't decide until I know whether we're having a boy or a girl. I do know that I like more of the bold colors instead of the traditional pastels that are often found in nurseries. I also helped Mom pick out a khaki colored yarn for a baby blanket that she is crocheting. I am excited, because it is the softest yarn I have ever touched, and I think the khaki will go well with any nursery colors that I choose.

Neal and I also cleaned out the room that will be the nursery in a few months - it is so nice to have that out of the way, so we can start decorating whenever we're ready. I had a few laughs, because I finally sorted through all of the notes and school work that I had saved from junior high through high school. Neal was kind of mad that in the two times we have moved, these boxes have travelled with us, and I have not really opened them very often. I guess I thought I would need them someday! It does feel nice to know that I was finally able to get rid of a bunch of stuff that I did not need.

The weather was gorgeous over spring break, so we took the dogs for several walks. This was great exercise for me, since I have used the feeling sick excuse as a reason to avoid the gym a lot lately. We even took a trip to the dog park! Penny and Peyton were very spoiled over the break, and Penny literally sat with me every time I sat down. She would even carry her ball into the bathrooom and lay on the rug staring at me anytime I took a shower. Our dogs really have a tough time whenever I go back to school after a break!

In other news, a state senator visited our school recently, because she heard about all of our amazing test scores. I think she wanted to see an example of a successful junior high in order to help the legislature in their decision-making for struggling junior highs in Texas. We'll see if that actually helps seeing as how the legislature tends to try and apply business principles to the education world instead of truly trying to understand our issues and systems.

I also chaperoned my last dance as Student Council sponsor. After three years, I have decided to pass on that role to someone else with more time, energy, and patience. It was fun for awhile, but I am ready to be relieved of that particular responsibility. I feel like I am already involved in so many other things at school that it was time to clear off some of the extra "stuff" from my plate.

In pregnancy news, I am at 15 weeks, and I think I am definitely at the point where people can finally tell that I am pregnant without having to wait for me to say something. That's kind of a relief, and I think the bump is cute. It is so weird that I am the one with the bump and not other people. I feel like I am so used to seeing other people go through the stages of pregnancy that I sometimes don't feel like it's really me - that maybe it's someone else who looks like me. I also love how comfortable maternity pants are! I have always heard people say that, but I was secretly worried that I would be the one person in the world who hated them, but no, I am a believer! I finally have two pairs of jeans that fit so well - even though they have room to grow with my belly! I am hopefully out of the morning sickness stage, even though I have had a few "moments" since I began the third trimester. I also have my sweet tooth back - my favorite snack of choice for awhile was crazy core skittles. They are so much better than the original flavors! So far, I haven't gained any weight yet - I think it has just been shifting from my legs to my belly, because my legs feel thinner in everything that I wear. My next appointment is on April 6th, and 2-4 weeks after that, we find out whether we're having a boy or a girl!

We also found out that my dad has a crib and several other baby items that we can have for our little one - I am so excited to know that we won't have to make several of the big purchases! Such a relief! Baby stuff is expensive, and most people only use things for two or three children, so it's nice to know that we are recycling and actually getting good use out of some really nice stuff. We just need to get everything from Houston up here to Fort Worth - road trip!

Here are the lastest belly pics (at 15 weeks):

Like Music to My Ears

This has been an exciting week! On Tuesday, we finally went in for my third doctor's appointment and we heard the heartbeat for the very first time! Everyone says that it is one of the most wonderful moments, but you never really know until you experience it for the first time. At first, I couldn't really tell what I was listening to, but then I could definitely hear it! Neal says that he know what it sounded like the whole time, so he was never confused like I was. It was really cool when the doctor moved the monitor to a place where we could hear my pulse, so we could compare the baby's heartbeat with mine. The baby's heartbeat was definitely much faster at about 160-170 beats per minute, but the doctor pointed out that my heartbeat was racing, because of all of the excitement. I am just so relieved that everything continues to be healthy and normal. I've been telling everyone that when I pray about the baby and his/her growth, I just pray for everything to be normal and healthy. I would much rather stay on the normal side of this than cope with complications.

I am also incredibly thankful to have an amazing doctor as my ob/gyn. Every time I leave her office, I feel like all of my questions have been answered, I never feel like she is rushing us out, and I feel so comforted knowing that she will be the one guiding us through this time in our lives. She really knows her stuff, and she has a great bedside manner. Also, Neal really likes her, too, which is important, because he will be in the room when I deliver! I don't know if many of you still watch Grey's Anatomy like I do, but picture Dr. Bailey, and that is pretty much my doctor. Not only are they similar in height and appearance, but I sometimes feel like I am talking with my very own version of Dr. B. Neal has worried that someday he might accidentally call her Dr. Bailey! She seems to have that feisty attitude, yet you can tell that she really loves what she is doing, and she knows her stuff!

On the subject of sonograms, ultrasounds, etc. during pregnancy, I would like to express some of my opinion. I know that it is fairly common for women to get a sonogram during the first trimester and several ultrasounds throughout the rest of the pregnancy. Well, due to some insurance limitations and how my doctor handles those issues, I didn't have to have a sonogram this week. My first ultrasound will most likely occur at 18-20 weeks when we find out the gender. At first I thought I would be disappointed about this - like maybe I was missing out. But, I am actually kind of relieved. A sonogram does not sound very fun, and to be honest, I would much rather know that everything is okay and healthy right now and that the doctor does not think that there are any problems that might need to be explored further. I also like the idea of how it is closer to the way things used to be when women just had babies with no extra pictures and ultrasounds. I don't even think I want to do the 3D ultrasound. Those have always kind of creeped me out a little, so I am happy that we will only have what we need, nothing more, nothing less. It does not bother me at all if someone else would prefer to have all of those things, but I prefer to be more simple.

In other news, I am officially graduating to my second trimester tomorrow! I am hoping the morning sickness will calm down and that I will begin to feel more energy again. I had a little trouble keeping everything down at the beginning of the week, but the doctor recommended that I stop drinking juice in the morning and try ginger ale instead. I am also taking my vitamins at dinner instead of breakfast, too, and it seems to be working out so much better! Here are a few pictures of my stomach at 12 weeks:

Our next appointment will be during the first week of April, and my parents are coming in to visit us this weekend. I am excited to see them! Plus, they are bringing salsa from my favorite Mexican restaurant in Houston, my mom will get to show off her new car, and she's taking me shopping for maternity clothes! I can't wait!