Beach Trip!

This is my second attempt at this post today - my first attempt was deleted this afternoon, so hopefully this one works out! After finishing all of the laundry, completely unpacking, taking a trip to the grocery store, and catching up on some school work, I decided that I finally had the time to sit down and write about our awesome vacation weekend in Seagrove Beach, Florida. For those of you who have never heard of this place, it is about halfway between Destin and Panama City Beach, a little bit off of the beaten path, very family friendly, and gorgeous! Neal and I took this trip with two other couples from our small group to celebrate our friend Joel's thirtieth birthday (even though he looks like he could be one of the younger members of our group), and because we all have fun together! If you know me very well, you would know that the beach will always be my top choice for a vacation, so I was thrilled when Florida was chosen as the location for our trip. However, I was not so thrilled when I found out that BP had created a huge oil spill in the Gulf just weeks before our trip was scheduled. We thought about cancelling and choosing another place, but I'm so glad we didn't. Not only did I feel good to be contributing to the economy of the Gulf Coast, but I also only saw minimal oil flecks/flakes and just a few tar balls. Other than that, the water was almost completely clear. In fact, the only "pests" in the water happened to be a four foot shark that swam very close to shore and encouraged us all to get out of the water in a hurry and June grass which is a type of seaweed that is very green and tends to be really thick during the month of June. Neither one of these problems actually hurt anyone there, although a few people were terrified of the shark!

We drove the first half of the trip over two days, so we wouldn't be completely exhausted by the time we made it to the beach. Our friend Dave borrowed his parents suburban for the trip and did all of the driving! I am so grateful that he did that, although I know that he had to have been very worn out! We spent the first night of our trip at a LaQuinta in Jackson, Mississippi (it had the cheapest room while still offering breakfast) and were very disappointed to wake up to no water in the entire hotel, because a water main had broken in the area sometime during the night. So, we just ended up leaving a little earlier (and smellier) than we had planned. When we arrived in Seagrove, we immediately hit the beach and played! The water was clear, the sand was white, and we didn't get a drop of rain! Each day at the beach we saw several workers who combed the beach with nets looking for oil and cleaning what they found. They looked miserable, because they all wore long sleeves and pants with gloves, hats, and face masks. I think they were trying to protect themselves from the sun, but they had to be sweltering in those clothes! They were also very interested in the game of "Ladder Ball" that the guys in our group were frequently playing.

In the evenings, we went out for dinner, where we enjoyed lots of yummy seafood and great company. On Thursday night, we explored Rosemary Beach where everyone seemed to have large families that were generally very good looking and well-off. We kind of felt out of place, because we didn't have any little ones with us, although that will be a different story if we go back next year. We saw a movie set up in the park, families playing games, and people spending ridiculous amounts of money on items such as candy and ice cream, but it was fun to explore. On Friday night, we drove to Panama City where we ate at the Boatyard (this was special for Joel and Christy, because this is where they had their rehearsal dinner for their wedding) and I ate some of the best fried grouper and oysters that I have ever had! Then, we walked around looking at the boats that were parked in the harbor and ended the evening with a trip to Ms. Newby's - a very trashy, outdoor, live music club for the locals. It was here that I am not very proud to say that I had a hormone-induced meltdown. I think that I was tired, worried about the smokers around me (even though we were outside), and generally uncomfortable - mostly because I was sweating like crazy. I remember sitting there feeling like I was going to cry and telling myself not to cry, yet the tears just started to flow and there was no turning back. Neal and I went for a walk to calm down, and I couldn't even explain why this was happening, but I felt better to breathe more fresh air and get away from the loud music. It was weird, because usually I would enjoy watching the people in a place like that make fools of themselves, but my hormones would not allow it! By the way, it was at this place that an older woman, who looked like she poses for the after pictures in ads for places to help meth addicts, tried to make out with Neal and each of the other husbands in our group. Neal was the only one that she managed to kiss on the cheek. Needless to say, one of the security guys escorted her home. Also, the lead singer of the band kept reminding everyone to take another "swallow" of whatever beverage they were drinking while sporting a dress that resembled the label of a Budweiser bottle (and was probably painted on, that's how tight it fit) with her thigh-high red boots. Let's just say that this was not the kind of place we usually frequent. I am so glad we chose a condo in Seagrove and not around Panama City - it just seemed too touristy and dirty for me.

On Saturday, we spent the morning at the beach, then came back to the condo, cleaned up, and the guys went to watch a disappointing World Cup game between the US and Ghana while the girls hit up the outlet mall in Destin. I managed to find a great dress for one of my showers and I just couldn't resist a cute little layette for Camden at Carter's. All around it was a successful trip. That night, we went to Coram's, a Waffle House-type establishment that serves more than just breakfast and is a favorite among the locals, for Joel's birthday. I had a pretty good pancake and hash brown here, so I can see why he wanted to go there! After dinner, we enjoyed a beautiful walk on the beach for the sunset. I forgot how much I love that part of a beach trip, and I wished that we had thought to do that every night that we were there - I think that our hunger usually won, though! We drove home yesterday, and I have been wishing I was back in Florida ever since.

I think that my doctor would be very proud of me for staying hydrated, wearing plenty of sunscreen (I even reapplied), and managing to sit in the shade a few times. She was a bit nervous about how late in the pregnancy I was travelling and that I would be outside in the summer heat so much, but she gave plenty of warnings about what could happen if I did not take care of myself, and I'm glad I listened! The only thing that was difficult was the time in the car - my hips and lower back would really start to stiffen up in the car, so I am glad that we made sure this was our last big trip before Camden arrives. For now, I am focusing on doing what I need to around the house to prepare for his arrival and trying to stay cool and comfortable. Here are the pictures that I know you are dying to see:

The bump at the beach - with a few of my toes in the water

27 weeks at the beach

Loved this sunset!

Hangin' out at Rosemary Beach

Romantic picture with the sun setting in the background

The girls on our trip (Christy, Heather, and myself)

Our group

The girls on the beach - Sorry, but I had to leave the beached whale pictures out of this post - I'm just not into posting pictures of myself at 6 months pregnant on a public website. I'm still not happy that someone posted a few of them on Facebook. :(

Heather and I digging our perfectly polished toes in the sand

The view from the balcony at our condo - that water is gorgeous!

"Jersey Shore" night in Panama City - Neal bought matching shirts for all of the guys

The whole group - after dinner at the Boatyard

Yay for Seagrove Beach, Florida!

By the way, today is officially the first day of my third trimester! I am excited that Camden is almost here and that our nursery is almost finished. We still have the showers to look forward to, and I get to spend most of the rest of the pregnancy at home, although I am trying to rest up for when I do have to go back to school. I am not excited about the summer heat, however. I really do feel it much more than I usually do! I also need finish up the curriculum that I promised to work on this summer - and that I have been procrastinating about! We might travel to Houston this weekend to see my family or we'll hang out here. Stay tuned to find out!

Nesting

Neal said to me the other day that he knows that typically women seem to really get into nesting during the pregnancy, but that he feels that he really needs to know that the nursery is done - otherwise we won't be ready for Camden's arrival. He was really worried that our nursery would not get painted and that our furniture would not get set up, etc. Not that I have not had nights that I have stayed awake just thinking about all of the things that need to be done this summer, because, believe me, I have! I just don't talk about it all of the time, because it makes me think about it more, which makes me stay up at night thinking about it, which makes me a really tired, cranky person the next day. So, to make Neal (and secretly, me) more at ease, we did some nesting today! Here is a picture before Neal and his sister painted (I would have helped, but we did not buy the special paint that is safe for pregnant women):

I did contribute by taping all of the edges, because that takes place before the painting and because both Neal and Kendyll think that it is the worst part of painting a room. I was very impressed that it only took them an afternoon to paint this room, because the other rooms that we have painted in our house have usually taken more time. Here is the after picture:

We still need to remove the tape (and set up the furniture), but I just couldn't resist sharing this now, because we are so relieved to have this done! I am so thankful that Kendyll was willing to come over and help - I know she will be tired and sore tomorrow. And, did I mention that she had worked a 12 hour night shift at the hospital on Friday night, so she was really sacrificing a lot to help us! By the way, we chose to paint the nursery a neutral brown (Mississippi Mud at Home Depot), because Neal did not want to have to paint over a color that was clearly meant for a baby's room if we ever happen to move. Also, this is the color that we painted in our bedroom, and I love it because it is neutral, so relaxing, and goes well with several colors. I really think that our fabrics will stand out well with this color. And, just in case you thought I was doing nothing while the nursery was painted, here is a picture of what I painted!

I bought three art canvases and acrylic paints from Hobby Lobby to complete this. A friend of mine suggested that I use dafont.com to find a cool font for the letters, and I borrowed my projector from school to trace the words and pictures. This verse has been really special to me during the pregnancy - it has comforted me any time that I have felt sick or uncomfortable or when I have thought something was wrong (By the way, nothing bad has happened, but with the Internet and hearing other people's stories, pregnant women sometimes freak out about every ache or pain). This is something I have prayed many times over the last six months! The colors were matched to the fabric for the nursery, and Neal suggested the nautical pictures. He has really wanted to decorate our house in a nautical theme, but we haven't found many items that don't look too old-fashioned or that happen to match the colors that we have chosen for the rest of our house. I think it really works in the baby's room, and since I have only chosen stripes and polka dots so far, it will be easy to incorporate. By the way, please do not go out and buy sailboats and other nautical items for the nursery, because I am very picky about what I want the room to look like! I also found some unfinished wood boats and other items at Hobby Lobby that I can't wait to paint soon! Stay tuned for pictures showing continued progress with our nursery. . .

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!