We have a healthy baby!

Well, sorry for the delay!!!!! I didn't mean to forget!

The baby was 15oz in weight, about 4" from head to bum (plus the little squirming legs that she couldn't measure), the heartrate was 141bpm, and had a beautiful ultrasound profile.

I was able to see the spine & rib cage very clearly, and the little kicks & jabs too. Overall, we have a very healthy baby who is absolutely beautiful already! Just ask gramma Missi!

AND.....





























Her name is Annabelle Eve Ward. Yep! We're having a baby girl. Jason can't believe that there isn't a wee-wee there, but there isn't. LOL He's still getting used to the idea of having a girl - shoot, I am too and I was fully prepared for hearing "It's a girl" on Friday. I've just had a feeling since we found out we were expecting that we were having a girl.

And she was already "talking" to us! She was looking right at us and was moving her mouth like she was having a conversation with us. Missi swears that she was saying momma....does that sound as her first word???? LOL

Anyway, just wanted you all to know! I'm going to try to post the ultrasound pictures today after work! She is such a cutie!!!

21 Weeks and the BIG U/S

I am now 21 weeks along and we have the BIG ultrasound today at 2:30pm. To say I'm excited is really an understatement. I have a long list of phone calls to make, too, after I get out of the checkup to people who also are so excited about the unveiling of the hoo-ha. (Or weiner like Jason likes to say, but whatever!)

Doing really good considering I haven't had a day off in 2 weeks. I'm taking off at noon today, though, so that will help the weekend seem a little longer. I really can't complain about anything. I'm just tired but I'm getting better each day that I get more rest and not driving 200 miles a day for work. Ugh - that wore me out!

Jason got home from his jobsite last night - his week was exhausting too. But he said that it isn't as bad as working at Conesville like he did in the spring time. Plus, he gets 3 day weekends while he's up there!

I will be posting again later today so that I can introduce you to the baby! I'm praying for an active, growing, developing baby regardless of what the unveiling reveals! Only 6 more hours!!!

20 Weeks -- Finally half way there!

We are officialy past the halfway mark! 20 weeks down and only 20 more to go. Hopefully less but I'm doubting that will happen. It would be so nice if the baby arrived before Christmas though so s/he could join us on Christmas Day.

Anyway, I'm still doing really good. My back isn't hurting but when I move wrong. I'm getting a little more rest at night. I did start getting some leg cramps even though I'm eating bananas like crazy and drinking water like it's going out of style. They haven't been too bad though. I'm very thankful that I've had such a normal pregnancy thus far and pray that it keeps going that way.

The house is just about ready for the market and I haven't been pushing myself either. Jason did alot around the house last weekend, too, which has made the house look alot better. We have some carpet cleaning and a little bit of painting and I think we'll be done except for cleaning and decluttering. Big breath of relief!

I have a dear friend that I would like for you all to pray for. Without going into alot of details, she & her husband have been trying to have a baby and she's having a difficult time with it. It can be a very stressful time and I just want everyone to pray that God will comfort her and also grant her a child very soon. Thank you ahead of time!

Jason has to start on another jobsite on Monday. He'll be gone Monday through Thursday for at least the next 3 weeks. The company is telling us that he'll be expected at jobsites more often full time, which is not what he signed on to do and he's not very happy about it. Please pray that everything works out well and according to God's will.

Also, my niece (who just had a baby last month) now has to have gallbladder surgery. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she & her family go through that.

On a lighter side - The ultrasound is NEXT FRIDAY!!! Just in case you all forgot...LOL Everyone is very excited to find out - it's the unveiling of the hoo-ha! I have complete faith that everything will be perfect with this baby and have no worries. Just very excited to see the baby!

We have no funny doppler stories this week. The kid wouldn't wake up for it last night or else s/he was hiding from it. Either way - no funny stories. We found the heartbeat (it's still around the 145bpm range) but it sounded like it was toward my back rather than my stomach. Probably just sleeping.

Thank you all for your thoughts & prayers, and hope you continue to do so!

Another Funny Doppler Story!

Alright, I'll TRY to limit the doppler stories - but they are so funny, I just can't help myself!

Last night, I was heading to bed & Jas asked if I wanted to play with the doppler. So, we got it out but Jas was having trouble finding a heartbeat. So, I told him that I thought the baby was sleeping since I hadn't felt anything for a while. And what do I do???

I wake the little booger up! LOL I shook my stomach up a bit and immediately got a sharp pain in my lower right hand-side of my abdomen. (I guess that was the baby's revenge for waking him up.) I told Jas to hurry up & put the doppler right over the pain - and sure enough, that's where the baby was laying. I only allowed Jas to use the doppler for a couple of minutes cause that baby has a temper & was tearing up my insides! Wow, I had no idea it would hurt so much while the baby is so small. How bad is this going to get once the feet & arms are big?!

Anyway, I figured the grandparents would like to hear about the temper-tantrum that their grandbaby had last night! I am SO glad I splurged on this doppler!!!!!!!!

And just in case you've forgotten, we have less than 2 weeks until the ultrasound! Whoo-hoo! LOL

Belly Pictures

I've had alot of people asking me to post belly pictures. And I have finally remembered to charge my camera batteries! I took a photo last night. As you can see, I'm not very big for 19.5 weeks along. But, that's ok!

1. Taken 5/31/08, making me 9.5 weeks along.

2. Taken on 6/6/08, making me at 10 weeks

3. Taken on 8/8/08, making me at 19.5 weeks along. (No more bare-belly photos from now on! LOL)

Change of Shower Plans

Well, I had a very freaked out mother-in-law after I posted about the possible baby shower date. I guess there was a 24 hour period of stress & worry for her - and I sure didn't mean to! The date of October 18th is the weekend of the Martinsville NASCAR race and they have tickets to go. So, the date will now either be the weekend before or after that. LOL I will post later on!

Now, we have to decide if we want to go to the race, too! I'll be 29 weeks along at that point - I guess we could see if the baby likes NASCAR or not. LOL

And I want to say Thanks to Lisa who checks this site to help keep Jeff updated on things!

AND -- only 13 days after today until the BIG ultrasound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!

19 Weeks & Counting!

Wow, we're almost halfway there!!! We only have a couple more weeks until our ultrasound, too! (15 days after today to be exact!)

Nothing is new. I'm feeling pretty good, my back is better, and I'm able to get some sleep finally. I went on a sternwheeler ride with the church last night (AND I didn't get sick either!) and my stomach started cramping where the baby is so I just had to worry a little about that.

So, I got home and decided that I needed to hear a good heartbeat just to make sure that everything is OK. I got out the doppler and had to search this time for a good heartbeat. I finally found it, but only lasted for about 10 seconds & it was gone. (It's staying around the 145bpm range.)

Jason came in & took control of the doppler and ended up "chasing" the baby all over the place. The heartbeat would get loud & then muted - I'm assuming the kid was doing somersaults in there. And then the heartbeat would be to the left of my belly button, then underneath it, and then about 5" below. My only guess was that the baby HATES that doppler & was trying to get away from it by moving to different locations. I could actually feel some pressure/pinching & would tell Jason to put the doppler in that spot - and sure enough, the baby was there. S/he must've been mad at me for pestering & decided to kick me as a payback.

We both thought the whole scenario was too funny and thought you might too.

I think the baby shower will be October 18th @ 2pm for those who want to know early. November & December will be so busy that October seemed like the best time for it. Plus, the weather will hopefully not be too bad either! Knowing my luck? It'll snow in October! LOL

Keep praying for us & I'll post next week!

18 Week Update

We're now at 18 weeks along! A whole 3 more weeks until we find out what we're having - the wait is killing me! I really hope that the baby will cooperate & flash us during that ultrasound! LOL

I'm doing really well. My back feels better after the chiropractor visit. The only problems I have now are some stomach cramping (which is very normal! They're growing pains) and lack of sleep. I'm still not showing as much as some other people are at this stage, but I have a bit of a belly. I'm still working on the photos - I just keep forgetting!

I decided to use my doppler the other night (for those who don't know, it's a device that allows you to hear the baby's heartbeat). I found the heartbeat right away - it was still at 145bpm (once again, very normal!) and it was a very strong beat, too. The baby is right at my belly button and stayed in that place for a good five minutes. Our dog Tyson became curious, though, so I pointed the speaker to his ears so he could hear better - which TOTALLY freaked him out. He jumped off the bed for cover which in turn scared the baby. LOL The baby then kicked the doppler and moved to another spot cause I lost the heartbeat sound at that moment & couldn't get it back. It was so hilarious! I guess our kid already has a temper and HATES the doppler.

That's about all the updates this week. We've been pretty lazy with our house this week since I'm so exhausted and Jas was having some high blood pressure. I think we're going to brave having a yard sale tomorrow to clear out some stuff in our house. Ugh! We should be able to put the house on the market in a few weeks though. The thought of moving scares me to death. I HATE moving!

Anyway, thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We ask that you continue doing so! Only 5 more months to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!