Waiting for Baby V...Terrifically Twenty Weeks!

What an AMAZING week! We finally got to find out who this baby will be, and are so excited to now know that it will be a SHE! Little Eloise Marie is going to steal our hearts for sure! We went to the doctor on Friday, and at first she was being a little difficult, squatting down too low with her ankles crossed. We had to go back into the ultrasound room a second time, but this time, she had flipped completely upside down and was spread eagle! Silly girl! Glad she cooperated, even though she was difficult at first...Sounds like someone else I know??? But then we headed off to lunch with Francesca, the only one to find out before our big Gender Reveal Party. We gave her the envelope with the news, and then we were off to do the many things before Saturday evening.

All day Saturday, I was shaking, stressed, and nervous, and couldn't wait to find out! We spent most of the day preparing for the Gender Reveal/ Fall Festival. Everyone started to arrive around 4:30 (with my parents and Francesca a bit earlier, and thankfully so, because there was still much to do), and our little house got crowded very quickly! But it was full of people we love and that love us, and it was a beautiful feeling. Everyone chose "boy" or "girl" by wearing a green neck-tie pin or a purple hair bow pin. We then headed outside for the big reveal! Francesca had gone and gotten helium balloons of the right color, and situated them inside a big decorated cardboard box. When everyone was in position beside us, we opened the box and out came beautiful purple balloons! AHHHH! Chris's intuition was right all along, and I have never been so happy that he was right! After hugs, tears, and many pictures later, our party continued celebrating fall and sharing many favorite autumn foods. It was amazing all the people that joined us...friends/colleagues from Norman High and Chris's work, college friends and high school friends, family from both sides, and people we see regularly while others we haven't seen in awhile, but are still so special to us. There were many babies, mostly girls but still a few boys, joined us here too! It was evening where I wish time could stop, and we could just live over and over again.

We wanted to have an annual gathering of people we love to celebrate fall, and to thank them for the huge impact they have made in our lives, both before we became a family in 2008 and since then. What sweet friends and family we have, and we are so grateful to have them (and YOU!) in our lives. Eloise Marie will be one lucky little girl.

People I am thankful for this week:
12. Cheryl Hunt - My Nebraska mom, as I often call her! :) She is my best friend's mom, and she has known me since birth. While they struggled financially when we were kids, she took care of me during the days my Dad had to work while I visited Kearney. Some of my favorite memories are her Tarzan call to get us inside, some delicious homemade pizza and lemonade after a summer's day of playing outside, and her German class over Christmas break. I love this lady so much!
13. Calypso Gilstrap - I prayed for this sweet friend this week, before I knew she would get Norman High's teacher of the year! WOW! She is one of our librarians, and such a Godly woman. There is so much I can learn from her as a wife and mother, and know we will be friends for a very long time.
14. Dawn Brockman - One of the most amazing women I know! She gets things done that would take 5 people to do, and she does it all with a smile! Her spirit and hard work adds so much to Norman High, and gives everyone a place to belong. The students love her and so do I!
15. Brenda Webb - A Norman High LEGEND! What a giving and amazing woman this lady is! She is the Paula Dean of Norman High, cooking delicious food and giving to everyone all the time. She is retiring this year, and it will leave a huge hole at NHS. But next year, we will get to hang out and host awesome parties together!
16. Roxanne Noles - This is a woman that I hope to resemble someday! She has taught for over 30 years in Special Education, but has maintained such a positive and happy spirit all along. She impacts students in a way that many of us can't, and she is so dear to me. I hope I can continue our friendship because I love her SO MUCH!
17. The Cooks - Aunt Jayne, Uncle John, Matt & Megan (Greyson too!), Sara & John (and sweet Emma and Rylee), Emily & Joel - There are not enough days in the year to be thankful for this awesome family! They have always been like a second family to me and sacrificed to do anything for us. Some of them traveled all the way from Kansas to come celebrate with us on Saturday, and I was so happy to see them! I wish we could be together for Thanksgiving, but know that we will see them very soon!
18. Tess - My sweet and thoughtful mother-in-law! She is one of the kindest most generous people I know, and I am so thankful to have her in my life. What a fun mother-in-law to have too! We have so many great memories together over these past 11 years, and I know she'll be an awesome Lola!

Gifts from the party... Mimi and Lola are already spoiling her!

Prego me...

1. Total weight gain: +15 lbs total! Half-way there, so that's good right? :) 

2. Maternity clothes?: Yes for sure...Comfy and warm! I am looking always, and glad I get to wear some of my new maternity sweaters with this chilly weather!

3. Stretch marks?: No yet!

4. Sleep?: Sleeping better this week! We rearranged our bedroom prepping for Baby V, and switched sides of the bed, but then switched back because our sleeping wasn't going too well. 

5. Best moment this week?: Finding out that Baby V is actually a SHE! Eloise Marie...We can't wait to meet you!

6. Miss anything?: Being able to walk right into a store and buy just about any item. Instead, I have to dig and search online for something that I could buy. I keep tabs on all things maternity at Target and Old Navy.  

7. Movement?: Still not sure. Haven't felt those tiny bubbles this week, but I've been pretty busy! It was suggested that I sit really still and drink something cold and sweet in the evening, and maybe I'll feel Ellie move. Maybe I'll try this tonight!

8. Food cravings?: Thanksgiving-ish food! Potatoes, gravy, cornbread...YUM!

9. Anything make you queasy or sick?: Not really...Only when Chris cut his finger this week and it bled a lot. Ew. 

10. Gender?: It's a GIRL!!! I cannot believe it, because I really had thought that we would have a boy first. Now it's time to start planning and painting the nursery! 

11. Labor signs?: No

12. Symptoms?: 

13. Belly button in or out?: In

14. Wedding rings on or off?: On

15. Happy or moody most of the time?: Happy this week! Didn't cry at school, or at home. Hooray! And I was so excited all week about finding out what this baby is, and about our Fall Festival. What a great weekend!
16. Looking forward to most?: Thanksgiving this week! I mean what a time to be pregnant, huh!?! Eat without remorse. Or at least for now... Also, excited to have some time off to start thinking about Ellie's room, maybe get fabric for her quilt, that will be made by my Grandma Cash, or choose the paint. ANNNNDDD we get to go shopping on Friday and start celebrating Christmas! This is one of my most favorite weeks of the whole year. I love it.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and your family, and hope you all get to spend it with the ones you love! We are thankful for each of you!