90% sure...

We are 90% sure we are having a....


We went to the doctor yesterday for our big gender ultrasound. We had to have two ultrasounds because our little one was being very modest with her legs crossed and we couldn't get the necessary shot. The ultrasound woman was very kind to squeeze us in on her lunch break to try again. She gave me some apple juice and told me to meet her again after we met with our doctor. The second time around our lady was butt first so the ultrasound woman jiggled my belly some to move her around. The woman pointed out why she was thinking our lady was a lady and said she would bet money that we were having a girl, but couldn't say for 100% sure.

We are so very excited to have a little girl. I think both Neil and I were a little surprised. Neil was CONVINCED that we were having a boy! He said he would have a put money down that we were having a boy! He said that is why he is not a gambling man because he looses every time! Neither of us had a preference and neither of us had any 'feeling' of boy or girl until this past weekend. I started noticing that when Neil talked about the baby he really was talking and referring to the baby as a boy. I still really didn't have any 'feeling' or thought but liked the idea of having a boy. So when the ultrasound lady said girl I think we were both a little confused at first! Plus for me the small level of uncertainty seemed to make finding out a little anti-climatic. We go back for our anatomy ultrasound towards the end of August so then maybe they will be able to confirm the gender 100%. We are planning, thinking, and talking as if we are having a girl and we are very excited about our little lady!

I started on my 17th week yesterday and I have pictures to post of a bump, but I forgot my cord to download the pictures! I will post them soon!

I am most excited to see Neil be a daddy to our little girl and I start to tear up every time I think about it!

Neil is betting/hoping that our lady will have red curly hair, but we know how he is at gambling...

MAKE ME SICK

Yes, this is squash and zucchini and I absolutely hate it right now! I am splitting part of a CSA this summer where I get a half bushel of fruits and vegetables every other week and last week we got several pieces of squash and zucchini plus a friend gave us some from her garden this past weekend. I don't want any of it to go waste so I gave my first try and preserving vegetables! It was pretty simple and we will see if it works! I simple sliced up all the squash I had and then steamed it for 3-5 minutes till it was tender then put it in a ice bath in the kitchen sink. Then I laid it out on pans and let it dry and then bagged it up and put in the freezer!
Wish me luck because I don't want to have to eat any of it anytime soon!

1st trimester summary

Wednesday was the last day of the first trimester!!!!!!! This is the first 'preggy photo' I've taken. Sorry it isn't very good but it was taken at like 11:00 that night and we were extremely tired! Neil was gracious enough to take the picture even though he didn't really understand why I wanted it taken. I have no idea if it is actually a 'baby bump' or just a 'brownie bump'. I do have some sort of belly but it could be because I have definitely enjoyed my share of chocolate and ice cream! I've had several people pat my belly and call it a 'baby bump' but I'm just not sure if it is yet! I've actually been struggling this first trimester with how my body is changing and having self control with the foods that I do eat. I easily feel more fat than pregnant and so its been hard to embrace the belly and everyone's excitement over my 'baby bump' because I easily compare when other friends started 'showing' versus when I'm possibly starting to 'show' and I feel like its too early. I realized the other day that everyone's bodies are different and their pregnancies are different. I just need to let it go and be thankful for everyone's excitement! If I knew for sure that it was the baby or a 'baby bump' then I would gladly and eagerly embrace it and everyone's comments because I am so thankful for this baby and I do love this baby.

Neil and I are so excited to have this baby and it has been so fun for us to read and learn about his/her development. Here is a 3d picture from our 13 week ultrasound!!!

We have nicknamed our little one 'Roo' as in Kangaroo and how the mommas carry their babies in their pouch. We find out at the end of the month (20 days to be exact) if Roo is a boy or a girl! We are excited to find out but thankfully we haven't been wishing the days away because I think that would drive me crazy!

I still never had morning sickness and only occasional nausea. I've only had two episodes of random cravings: early in June when Neil and I were in Crossville for a wedding I was helping his mom pick up food at Subway for the bridal party. I saw the 'sub of the month' and instantly craved it for the next TWO weeks until I finally asked Neil if we could get it for dinner! It was FABULOUS! I RARELY eat at Subway!
Then this past Saturday I was at a coffee shop for accountability with some women and one of the workers came in with a Chik-fil-a chicken biscuit! Instantly I craved a Chik-fil-a chicken biscuit and I'm hoping to get one this weekend!
The only food aversion I've really had is so RANDOM! I feel so sick at the thought of eating squash or zucchini- SO RANDOM! I do usually love saute' squash and zucchini, but I can't stand the thought of it right now!

I look forward to see what is in store for the second trimester!!!!!!!!!

Charleston, S.C.

At the end of June we celebrated our two year wedding anniversary with a trip to Charleston, S.C. Before going we had only heard wonderful things from EVERYONE, seriously EVERYONE, about Charleston. We were excited to hear so many people enjoyed it and we would say that we too thoroughly enjoyed Charleston as well. I wouldn't say it is my favorite place to ever go, but I hope to go back again someday! Below are a few highlights from our trip:

Us in the car heading to Charleston!

The PERFECT place to stay! Right downtown in the middle of everything! We walked everyday to most of the stuff we wanted to do and see. Also one of the fanciest places I've ever stayed. Neil and I felt like we were accidentally living the 'high' life because this loft was in a resort hotel, but the loft is privately owned and we rented it from the owner.

Waterfront Park
We just missed a couple getting engaged, but we got to see the reenactment. It was really sweet!
The park also had a really cool sheltered area that had benches and huge porch swings. They were all taken when we were there. :(

The Battery
We brought our bikes alone and rode them along the battery. This was the only time we rode our bikes because we were so close to everything else! The battery is along the waterfront and it is really pretty to walk and ride bikes. I would suggest at least walking along the battery and alone the park next to it: Battery Park. The one souvenir we got from Charleston was an ornament of the old houses along the battery because we liked them so much!

Old House on the Battery
This house is my favorite house in all of downtown Charleston and there are a LOT of old Victorian houses in downtown Charleston!!!!!! I love the arches, the rod iron fence, and that fact that it blue and white. I love blue and white houses, very classic, clean look to me. Yes, pretty sure someone lives here.
There is one house we went by that is 24,000 square ft. UNBELIEVABLE! I think Neil said that 13 of our house could fit in that house!

EXHAUSTED.
I was TIRED of all the walking we did that day. Pretty sure we went back and I took a nap. I got pretty tired and nauseous several of the afternoons we were there because the of the heat and humidity! Usually once I got inside and could rest I would be fine for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Historic Carriage Ride
The carriage ride was DEFINITELY historic for us! We had heard that the carriage ride was a MUST DO in Charleston and we would agree-despite our trip. Here is the LONG STORY, short: We went on Monday which is also trash day in downtown Charleston. About half way through our tour, which is an hour long, we were in the Battery turning to go down a side street. Before we turned down the road a dump truck and street sweeper went ahead of us. So our tour guide stayed a long distance behind them and pulled over on the street and continued to tell us about the history of Charleston. All of a sudden the street sweeper backed all the way up down the street TOWARDS US with its horn blaring *BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP* and stopped about 15 ft. away from us. Well, the mules who were pulling our carriage FLIPPED OUT! They reared up and tried to back away backwards because they were scared. Well one mule got its leg caught over the rigging of the carriage and couldn't get free or walk/run very well. When it reared up its foot when through a car windshield!!!! Then the mules, trying to get away from the sweeper who has NO IDEA any of this is going on and still *beeping* away, jackknife the carriage trying to head away from the noise. The mules side swipe another car and then get stuck in front of a third car (the first picture). Neil had jumped off the carriage when the mules jackknifed and he thought I was right behind him, but I wasn't! I stayed on because the guide said to, so Neil came after me and was able to walk beside the carriage and help me off. Then everyone else, about 12 of us total, got off. The mules were stuck in front of this third car for a few minutes and when the one mule would try to get its leg over the rigging it would smash the hood of the car! The mules finally got free of the car and then tried to take off again and got themselves stuck over a residents 2 ft. privacy wall!!!!!!! (The second picture) Which was actually good because then they couldn't go anywhere and they preceded to eat the house owner's bushes. In the meantime some of our fellow riders were able to call the tour guides boss and the police. The boss and helpers came and took care of the mules, which they were both just fine and enjoying the bushes. The police took care of the scene and the carriage company provided us another carriage to take us back to the barn where we started. SSSHHHOOO!!!! PRETTY CRAZY! No one was hurt just shaken up from the experience. Neil and I still enjoyed the ride back to the barn, the second tour guide continued to tell us about the history of Charleston and point out interesting things. We got our money back, of course, and we got a REALLY CRAZY memory!

Anniversary Dinner
Our last night in Charleston was on our anniversary so we went out for a FANCY dinner! I love doing this for special occasions and Neil is always very sweet to plan a fancy dinner for us. This restaurant, Magnolia's, was fancy and very tasty, probably my second favorite of the ones we ate at there. Several people told us that we had to eat there and that is was a great place for special occasions. We split everything, which is usually the only way we eat out anyway, and it was perfect for us! We were able to get dessert there and it was AH-MAZING! The food in Charleston is SO good in general and the area is known for their Shrimp and Grits, which are SO GOOD!


So, there is a small glimpse of our Charleston trip. We did a TON of historic things there but I didn't include pictures of most of them because they were kind of random and would have been hard to explain. I really enjoyed learning the history of Charleston because SO much happened there!!!!! Pre Revolutionary War and everything! I would definitely suggest going to Charleston to learn all the history and they have nice beaches too, which we went to one afternoon, and we aren't 'beach people'!