My kid is goooood lookin'.    Joe went with me last Wednesday for our first ultrasound, it was awesome!  All ten fingers are there, the ultrasound technician lady counted them right then and there.  Amazing what technology can do.  I was surprised at how long it takes for them to do the ultrasound.  She was doing all sorts of measurements that i didn't understand, all i cared about was that she said everything looked normal.  The baby is so active already!  The lady would try and get a good shot of something she was measuring and all of a sudden, baby would flip completely around or start waving its arms.  It was great, Joe was pretty impressed.  I'll put a picture or two up tomorrow.

So Thanksgiving was perfect, everything went as planned.  The family was totally surprised.  Mom cried.  We got it all on videotape.  I LOVE that everyone knows now, it just feels safer somehow.  And i got my first guestbook entry by someone from the family!  I really appreciated the other online journal mommies who signed my guestbook, but i got so much more excited when i saw that my big sis took the time to say congrats.  Thanks Beck! Work doesn't know yet except for my supervisor, i'm announcing it tomorrow at staff meeting.  Then i have another four week appt. with my regular doctor.  I'm hoping i'll get to find out what my blood test results are.

Yesterday we watched the Seahawks vs. the Giants in the craziest game ever!  There were nine of us here total- jumping up and down, yelling, high-fiving, the guys were hugging each other.  out of control.  these guys have been fans since they were kids. and if you know anything about the history of the Seahawks, that takes true dedication.  Our friend Jamie (Aunt J.J. as she will prefer to be called) was one of the nine that was over, and she brought us baby's first gift! besides what we've bought of course.  She works at the Gap, so she picked up two teeny-tiny white body suits, one that says "I love Daddy" and one that says "I love Mommy".  Joe and i disagree over which one will be worn most often.

Bye for now

Six more days until my world is turned upside down in a permanent way. and a good way.  My life will never be the same.  The secret will be out on Thanksgiving, and my feelings are mixed.  What will their reactions be?  Our family had no clue that we were even trying to get pregnant.  Will they be ready?  Of course they should be happy, right?  I guess the feeling of trying to please your parents never really goes away no matter how old you get.  I can't wait til it's out there and i don't have to hold this in anymore.

Nothing is new as far as the pregnancy goes, just constipation every morning and strange dreams every night.  Even Joe is having really bizarre dreams.  It seems that something in his subconscious is telling him that he is pregnant too.  He came downstairs one day this past week and said he had the weirdest thought for a split second.  As he was buckling his belt, something in his mind panicked and he thought, "I'm not gaining enough weight".  He said it was pretty creepy.  Must be because he's always looking at my stomach to see if it's started to grow yet.  I think it must make men feel more reassured that everything's going alright when their wife's belly is popping out. 

 My baby is alive and well!  I had my second doctor appointment yesterday and boy was it wonderful.  I heard the heartbeat.  The doctor said we might not be able to hear it, but he would look for it with the doppler.  Well as soon as he put a little dab of the jelly on and placed the hand held device on my stomach, there it was, clear as day.  The doctor even said, "Wow, that was easy".  It took my brain a second to catch up with what i was actually hearing because it happened so fast.  Then the doctor said "That's your baby".  Then it was over.  I told joe later that i wish i could go back there and listen to it all day long.  I just love how fast the heartbeat was picked up. It was as if my baby was saying, "HERE I am mommy, I'm alright, don't worry about me!"  169 beats per minute, it sounded so strong.  My heart swells when i think about it.  I didn't cry at all until i was driving home and thanking God for my baby's health and for having His loving hand in my life, that's when i really got emotional.  Of all the dumb choices i made when i was younger, and God stills gives me a gift as beautiful as this, in the perfect time of my life, with the perfect man for me.  His grace is still a mystery to me at times, all i know is that i would be lost without it.

Joe wasn't able to go to this appt. with me but i'm kinda glad because he would have had to miss work and i was there for a long time. The doctor talked to me for a while, going through his checklist of things that he must be required to explain to me about pregnancy, most of which i've already read up on, and getting viles and viles of blood taken from me.  Only about ten seconds of the whole appt. was hearing the heartbeat.  He'll be there for the next one though when we get to hear and SEE the baby with an ultrasound!  I can't wait for that :)

It'll be a beautiful sight.

In the beginning, all i wanted to eat was anything that was covered in salt.  All of a sudden, i can't lay off the sugar.  Most of the time i eat pretty healthy, but when i get a taste of candy, i can't stop.  I just ate about a half box of Sprees candies.  What a bad mother.  i better go eat some carrots.