Isn't he lovely...

Yes, I know it's "she", but I can't think of any songs about a baby boy, so I switched it up a bit. Anyway, David and I headed to Triangle Imaging Center in Cary today for our 4D ultrasound. This was the one we were going to have done at 18 weeks, but moved it to later after finding out WakeMed performed a 3D/4D ultrasound. We were glad that we waited because our little boy looked very different today. It's amazing what happens in 6 weeks. When we were flipping through an album of other ultrasounds in the waiting room, I informed David that our baby would not look like the babies in those pictures because he is not much over 24 weeks. Everything I've read had me thinking he would still look a bit skeletal but definitely more filled out than he was at 18 weeks.
One of the first comments the sonographer made was about how filled out his face was for 24 weeks. I will say that as soon as she made this comment my mind went to how big I've heard Bunge babies are (over 9 lbs, 22-23") and how our baby could very well be on track to that or more. At our doctor appointment yesterday the nurse made a comment that she thinks our baby will be 23 inches. The views we got of our son's legs today confirmed that they are definitely long. His "fullness" and length made me feel a little better about finding out I had gained 4 1/2 pounds since my last appointment.
This appointment got me the most emotional so far. I think if I had just been watching him with David and no commentary, I would have been fine. However, the sonographer started making comments about how healthy and cute he looked and how well mommy was taking care of him that I started to tear up. Then she played his heartbeat for us, and David was holding my hand, and well.... I'm sure those of you who have had children know what I mean. There's something so precious and indescribable about these moments with your baby. He's not available for holding, but you still feel so connected to him. At this point it's even better because not only are you watching him move, but you can feel him. I thought about how much I already love him, and I haven't even officially met him. I know that this love I feel for him now, while immense, is probably nothing compared to the love I'll have for him once he's actually in my arms.
I keep looking through the pictures we got today, just like I always look at the previous ultrasounds. I can't get enough of him. While I can't believe it's only 4 months until he arrives and how we still have a lot of preparing to do, I also don't think that time can go by fast enough. To know I don't have to wait 4, 6, 8 weeks between seeing him again will be awesome! If I want, I can just stand there and stare at him while he sleeps, and I already told David I will. I told him today that he'll probably tell me, "What were you doing? He settled down 20 minutes ago." And I'll tell him, "Oh, just looking at our baby". I digress. Here are some photos from today. I hope you enjoy them.

Funny Story, Actually

Yesterday afternoon one of the little boys I work with made me laugh. (Keep in mind this is a boy who just turned 3.) Our session was over and he was asking me to tackle him. This is something we use to do after each session because it makes him laugh and he likes to tackle me back. Well, this time when he asked, his mom told him that I couldn't, but soon I'd be able just to hover above him and my belly could tackle him. She has told him about my "baby belly", so he pointed at my stomach and said, "Baby in belly". He then proceeded to try and see the baby in my belly. He lifted up my shirt a little bit, thinking he could see it, and then started to try to pull my shorts down when he couldn't. I had to stop him there. His mom told him he can't actually see him because he's inside my belly. The little boy then went to get his little MagnaDoodle and placed it on top of my stomach. He tried to hand the baby the pen to doodle :). I took the pen and drew a baby and placed it back on my stomach. I told him, "There, you can see him now." He responded, "baby belly".
Things got even funnier when he went to give me a hug and attempted to look down my shirt to see the baby. He clearly did not understand that he wouldn't be able to see the baby by looking at my belly. I think his mom was embarrassed, but I just laughed. He then did something really sweet. I had given him a sticker for doing good work during our session, and he decided to give it to the baby. He took the sticker off and put it on my belly. It was very cute.
So that happened...

Visiting Friends

David and I had the opportunity to visit some good friends this past week while we were in Missouri. On Wednesday, we made a day trip to Columbia and spent the entire afternoon catching up with friends. After a fabulous lunch at Flat Branch, we headed over to Lindsey and Travis's house to meet Logan. Lindsey had Logan on May 29, so this was a big deal to me. I had to wait a few months before meeting Reese (Lindsey's first) and getting to meet Logan at 6 weeks was awesome.
Lindsey keeps telling me that Logan is fussy, but I don't know what she's talking about. He slept practically the entire time we were there.

It was so nice to talk to Lindsey and get good "mommy" advice and information. It's always nice to get insight from someone who's already been through the experience - twice. Plus, we got to see Reese again. She's so fun to watch. Lindsey and Travis have done a great job raising her (not that they need me to affirm that), and she entertained herself quite nicely while we talked. She's pretty impressive for a little girl who's not yet 3. She's such a cutie!

And what a beautiful family (Travis wasn't home yet).

After leaving the Bedford's we went over to have dinner with the Rouder family. I haven't had the opportunity to see them in a few years. I use to work with Ben when I was at MU, and he was one of our ring bearers at our wedding 3 years ago. Now, Ben is 10, Tomas is 7, and Emily is 5. They are each very bright, creative children. We brought some root beer over from Flat Branch and Emily told Tomas to try it. After he tried it, she told him, "It's good root beer isn't it, Tomas? First the flavor hits you and then the taste." Becky and I agreed Emily could be a sommelier for children, recommending the appropriate soda/juice/water to go with their meals.

Becky made a delicious dinner for us. I'm probably going to get this wrong, but I think we had Parmesan-encrusted chicken with capers, sesame noodles with pesto, and a mixed green salad with cranberries, strawberries, mandarin oranges, blackberries and pecans. Yummy!

After dinner we got to view one of Ben's videos on YouTube. I'd post one if I knew the link or title of the clip. He's very talented. Before we left, I made sure to get some pictures.

(Ben is on the left, then Emily and Tomas)

(Emily, Becky, and me)

It was a great day, and it made us long for the day we will be closer to our family and close friends. Now that we have a baby on the way, we think even more about going back to Missouri. Maybe someday soon. So, that happened...

Showered With Surprises

Just this past Sunday, I was surprised with a baby shower for our little boy. Now, you may be thinking that it's odd for someone to receive a baby shower at just 5 1/2 months, but this was the only time David and I would be in Missouri before our son is born. (We don't get to visit very often.) Despite knowing this was the only time we'd be here until then, I still did not expect anything. Everyone, including David, did a great job of keeping this a secret.
Just two weeks ago I was literally crying to David about how I didn't think I would be getting a baby shower. Now, this had nothing to do with gifts and everything to do with thinking I wasn't going to get to enjoy the "experience" of a baby shower. The gifts are nice, but it's just like your wedding showers - it's part of the wedding experience and celebrating a momentous occasion with family and friends. To get to the point, I just planned on not having this experience. David and I were spending the 4th of July weekend at his mom and dad's cabin and wouldn't get into Mexico until later Sunday afternoon. We are leaving on Friday, so I figured there wouldn't be a shower since we weren't really here on a weekend and it's difficult for people to get away during the week.
Well Sunday morning David's parents started talking about how Nancy (David's mom) and I could head out early afternoon and maybe do some shopping, and David could stay around with his dad and help out in the yard and do some fishing. I went up to David and told him I wanted him to come with me and go to my parents' house. I was finally convinced to do otherwise. Nancy and I headed out and by 1:45 or so I told her I was getting really hungry so we stopped at Chipotle in Jeff City. I was starving, so I'm pretty much wolfing down my meal. Meanwhile, Nancy takes a few bites, goes to "use the bathroom" (actually making a phone call to remind someone to call her in 5-10 minutes), and then comes back saying how filling Chipotle is and she'll save the rest for later. We headed to Target and Nancy receives her phone call. I hear her saying, "It's okay", "No, I can come in". She gets off the phone and tells me Dr. Burke called her and some twins are being born prematurely so they need her assistance as well. I tell Nancy, "No problem. We'll just turn around and head to Mexico." Nancy did a great job of going along with this story. I started asking her all about the twins and saying how it would've been nice to go shopping, but of course this is a priority; I just hope things go well. Then I asked if I should drop her off at the hospital. She says to drop her off at the house and she'll get the car. This makes sense to me b/c otherwise someone would have to pick her up from the hospital later.
So, we pull into the driveway and Nancy tells me to park in front of the house. I needed to use the bathroom (I was just playing perfectly into the plan), and Nancy said that was great because she wanted to give me my birthday gift early. We walk in and she tells me it's in the living room. I turn the corner and there are David's aunts and grandma and my mom and grandma and family shouting, "Surprise!" I started smiling, then crying and just felt overwhelmed. My mom looked at me and told me I looked beautiful. I think she was jaded by my pregnant belly. Since I knew nothing about this, I was wearing khaki shorts and a gray t-shirt. I told everyone I felt like I needed to change.
It was such a wonderful shower. We went downstairs and there were decorations everywhere, food, a beautiful cake, games... I still can't believe this was all for me. Everyone wanted to know how I was feeling and asking all about the baby. Then we went upstairs and opened gifts. I felt like there should've been at least twice the number of people there with all the gifts we received. Our son will not be lacking in anything. Everyone was so generous. He received a bib set and one of the bibs said, "Grandma doesn't say 'no' ". Apparently, no one will be able to tell him "no". He will be the first grandchild on either side of the family. While we received many nice gifts, I think I was a bit partial to my mother's gifts. She gave me a hand-knitted yellow sweater that both of my brothers and I all wore, a bunting I wore, and a blanket and sleeper that my younger brother wore. We all laughed at the sleeper that Stephen apparently wore because he was such a big baby and this outfit seemed like he could've worn it for a day before he was too big for it.
I will post some pictures once people send them my way. Of course I didn't know to have my camera. What a wonderful surprise! So that happened...