Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!

Yesterday was a neat day in mine and Stephen's life. We learned that we are having a GIRL!!! Everyone kept asking us what we wanted or what my intuitions were telling me. To be honest, I really did not know, and we really did not care. We just wanted to see a healthy baby on the screen. On Thursday (the day before the ultrasound) I was at Kohl's. I picked up the cutest girl's warmup. I was walking around with it and almost bought it. I felt the need to buy it! I told my self to put it back because I did not know for sure. From the beginning of this pregnancy, everyone was telling me I was having a girl. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have been convinced my whole life that I would have all boys. I grew up with all brothers and had mostly boy cousins. I just knew I would have a house full of boys one day because I was always surrounded by so many boys. Boys were what I knew. I do love boys. Some of my favorite students are boys. They are sweet and loving, and I love their rambunctious personalities. My nephew, Brady, is one of my favorite people, and I would have loved nothing more than to have a little Brady man myself.  I have, however, always wished that God would bless me with at least one little girl. I have also said I wanted Stephen to have at least one girl because he is such a Godly man. I always thought it would be a shame if he did not have a girl because he has a lot to offer a daughter. Well, I didn't have to wait long because we are leading off with a precious little girl! The Ultrasound Tech showed us a shot of the baby's legs. I knew right away we were looking right at our baby girl. Nobody had to tell this Mommy what she was looking at! We were able to see the four chambers of her heart. The outline of the heart looked like the shape of a Valentine's heart. The U.T. just loved this and thought it was so appropriate! It was a wonderful sight, and we enjoyed watching our little girl on the screen.

We do have a name already picked out..Emma Elyse!!! We actually had a name for both genders. I had big plans of blogging the night before our ultrasound and revealing both names. Sleepiness got the best of me, and I crashed instead. If the baby was a boy, the name would have been Stephen Drake. Stephen after his Daddy, and Drake after my maiden name. I will still be keeping this name in my back pocket for a future boy!! I have had our girl's name picked out since I was in high school. This may sound silly, but I had a baby doll when I was little named Emma. I always loved her name, especially that it started with an E. She was one of my favorites, and I guess it seems appropriate for my real-life baby doll. Elyse was my middle name. Stephen loves the name too. He has already used her name more than I have. I can't wait to see that little girl with her Daddy wrapped around her finger!

I have been a a slacker lately with my updates. To be honest, I feel like I am back in the first trimester some days. School has been crazy, and I am so exhausted at the end of the day! So, here is my overdo update...

How far along? 20 Weeks 1 Day

Maternity clothes? Oh Yeah! It is funny though because somedays people comment on how pregnant I look, and then somedays people tell me I barely look pregnant. It just depends on what I am wearing.


Stretch marks? Not  so much at this point...YET! I am waiting for them to come. I am fair-skinned, and I know they will not be able to hide.

Sleep: Sleep for me has no pattern. I have a few days where I sleep like a rock. Then, the next few days I wake up a million times. There are Saturdays when my body lets me sleep in and Saturdays, like today, when my body wakes me up at 6:30...Yay for me!!! I know this is practice for what's to come (or so they tell me).
Best moment this week: Seeing Emma on the screen and making this pregnancy even more personal and intimate than it already was! I love the fact that we can call her by her name!!!
Movement: Definitely feeling it! I don't feel it all the time, but I really feel her when I am eating! The movement has gradually picked up each week. I am ready for Stephen to feel it from the outside.
Food cravings: FRUIT!!!

Gender: Girl!!

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but it is becoming more shallow. I can actually see the bottom.

Wedding rings on or off? Still on! The weather is freezing which keeps my fingers smaller. We shall see what happens when the weather starts heating up!

What I am looking forward to:  Planning the nursery! I am so excited we can narrow the choices to one gender. Buying a few clothing items I had been eyeing in the stores! I know we will get clothes, but I have the itch to buy a few things myself!
Milestones: If you haven't guessed, knowing it's a girl! Notice a pattern? We are just a "little" excited about Emma!

Here are a few more pictures of our sweetheart!