Sonogram!!

We FINALLY got to have another sonogram!! Walnut looks like an actual BABY now instead of a gummy bear with a heart beat!

It was wiggling around and rolling and moving and waving and kicking!! I still can't feel much of this, so it was reassuring to see it on a screen! I hope I start feeling more soon :) Justin panicked a little and kept saying, "It looks so squished!" to which the sonographer kept laughing and telling him it was fine and normal!

I am 18w4d today, and baby was measuring in at 19w2d! It's growing well! I've gained 9lbs so far, and officially can only fit into maternity pants now! I've also inherited quite a stash of maternity clothes from a few friends and I am so thankful! This purple dress above Justin picked out :) I also bought a really cute dress for our gender reveal party.....

Speaking of gender reveal...

Everyone has to wait until Friday!! Muahahahaha!!! ;-) It's our little secret until then! After we found out, we were looking at the sono pics in the hallway calling the baby "it," and the doctor scolded us for still referring to it as "it"! So we explained we have to be diligently careful until Friday!!

Overall, thankful that baby is healthy and growing! And looking forward to the big reveal! <3

15 Weeks and the Blessing of Maternity Pants

Apparently I am not technologically savvy enough to put normally-sized pics in this blog from my iPad...and since we have no computer that's currently working (hence no blog posts since Oct) I guess this will just be a photoless post!

15 weeks!! And the best thing that's happened to me so far - MATERNITY PANTS! Ha! I don't have a super big bump yet, but I was still wearing all of my pre-pregnancy work pants/jeans and starting to feel like I was having pregnancy muffin top! Just not flattering or comfortable. I would look at other pregnant women farther along than me and think, "How does everything look so smooth and their bump so cute and defined?" And now I know the answer: maternity pants! J took me shopping the day before Thanksgiving and I ended up with a haul that will maybe (fingers crossed) sustain me until May! Btw - preggers jeans are less than 1/4 of what I pay for regular jeans! Score!

Unrelated observation: pregnancy is such an insanely unique thing! No two women look alike or experience anything in the same way. So neat!

J has been excited because the Walnut apparently has daddy's eating habits. I may or may not have even been caught eating shredded cheese out of a bowl (so gross) but I'm happy because Walnut still lets me enjoy my Honeycrisp apples!

Pregnancy stirs my affections for Christ in a magnitude that I never imagined possible. The Bible tells us that creation itself groans with the pains of childbirth for Christ's second coming, and I try to remember this anytime I'm feeling sick or uncomfortable. I have been given such an amazing opportunity to experience firsthand this particular fracturing of creation and intense longing for my Redeemer who will make all things new! I can't help but to rejoice in that!

My amazing husband who serves me humbly and lovingly doesn't hurt either ❤

Counting down until Dec 18 - Walnut will get his/her name!!

Heartbeat!

Old wives tales: true or false?

If the one regarding heart rate is true, we have a future ballerina on our hands. Heart rate was a speedy 180 bpm!

So neat to be able to hear it!! It made everything feel much more real! Sad J didn't get to be at the appointment with  me, but thankful for fancy iPhones that can record perfectly!

Our Little Pumpkin - Due May 17!

That's right! After 5 years of marriage, J and I will officially be adding to our family! This whole experience has taught us so much about God's sovereignty, trusting Him, and being open handed with the gifts that He has given us!

Here is our Wendorf Walnut at 8 weeks. I had no idea that babies moved so much this early on! I think we may have a future dancer on our hands :) Seeing the heart beat was the most incredible experience. I'm so glad J got to be at the appointment with me! We went to lunch afterwards and just sat there in awe staring at the sonogram picture. I think J may have even cried a little ;)

It's been so hard to keep this under wraps for the first trimester mostly just because I have been so sick! When my mom told me she never had morning sickness (which I was excited about because I thought that lowered my chances) - she LIED. Ha! Her exact words later were, "Well I never threw up, but I was nauseated ALL the time." Thanks, Mom. Because that's pretty much exactly how I've been! J has been a super sweet husband taking care of me. The day we found out, Roxy tried to jump on me and J freaked out! He looked at me and said, "You are like PORCELAIN to me now!" Ha! What was I before?? ;)

As far as cravings, my strongest ones have been red meat and white rice with LOTS of salt! Sweets have actually been a bit of an aversion as have vegetables. Good thing I still love fruit!

Overall, we could not be more excited for this next stage of our life. Thankful that God gave us both a sense of humor and praying that would only get stronger over the next 28 weeks!