First appointment

We had our first OB appointment yesterday. They did an ultrasound and it says we are 4 wks. Still to early to see a heartbeat so we will go back in two weeks and they will do another ultrasound.

Looks like our we are due at the beginning of November {don't really believe in due dates, just that the baby will come when he or she is ready.}

We are going to be surprised for real this time. I know we said that last time, but after we found out last time we kind of wished we had waited. So we are going to really wait this time.

Here is belly pic for 1 month:

I'm also excited that a friend of mine from high school, Shannon, is expecting her fourth little one! It's pretty neat because we found out the same day and they are due a couple weeks before us. Congrats to them. :D

The day we found out

How fitting that we found out we are expecting our second baby on Valentine's day!

Yep, it's true. Our little cupcake just turned 7 months and we are working on another baby. It's so weird to think about for me! I keep thinking Oh yeah, I'm pregnant. But my baby is right here in my arms...

It will certainly be a new journey for us, but isn't being a parent a life long new journey every single day!

So how did it happen? Err, I mean...

How did we find out, or more how did Stud Muffin find out...

Lets just say it had been quite a while since I had my period and I was starting to wonder. I took a couple pregnancy tests after I was about 5 days late. Negative. So I waited a couple more days and took another. Negative.

I decided I didn't want to throw another 8 bucks down the drain so I called the Dr. to see if there was anything to be concerned about. The doctor's office just told me to wait another week or a couple weeks if I wanted to before I took another. They thought that my body might just be adjusting since I only stopped breastfeeding a couple of months ago.

So why I thought one morning, after only 5 days since the last negative, I would just try again. Maybe it's because I was starting to believe that I actually had symptoms: headaches, excessive hunger, frequent urination, feeling tired all. day. long. Each of these things could have been explained as something else besides pregnancy. Or maybe I just had a hunch. But I took another test anyway and turned it upside down on the counter while I took my shower.

When I finished showering I just kept thinking Why did I do that? I don't want to have another negative test. {I should explain briefly here that we weren't trying but we weren't preventing either.} I continued to mentally beat myself up while I picked up the test and turned it over.

Pregnant. Really?! I had to do a double take. I couldn't believe it! I couldn't contain myself from jumping up and down with a huge smile on my face!!

Now what?! Tell my husband right? Well he was at church helping out with youth group. My mom was down stairs with cupcake.... I just prayed that God would help me keep my mouth shut! this secret until I told Stud Muffin.


How should I tell him?! I wanted to make it special but different than last time. Well it would be different no matter what because with cupcake he was the one who looked at the pregnancy test and found out first! This time I had a chance to be creative and as hard as it would be to wait I decided it would mean more.

I would like to say that this particular day just so happened to be on Valentine's day. And we had plans already. Well I had made the plans and I was going to surprise my sweetheart with a night away at a hotel downtown with dinner at a steakhouse {Stud Muffin's favorite!}. I decided that I would wait until dinner time and when we had finished our meal, suggest that we get dessert, you know, "to celebrate."

"Celebrate what?" He would say...

"Celebrate new life!" And if he didn't know what I meant by that then I would just tell him what I meant.

BUT...

That stud muffin, he is a smart man. I couldn't even get my meal ordered without him wanting to know, "Is there something you want to tell me?" Busted. Yeah, he caught on with my "well-done" steak order and not even a glass of wine on our "special day."

Yes. We are having another baby. And we both couldn't be more excited!!

Graduated

It was finally time. 

For a new car seat. 

No more bucket seat that I can take out of the car and bring the sleeping baby inside to finish her nap. 

Now cupcake has a "big girl" seat. And I think she likes it!

My baby and me

7 Months

Today you are 7 months old, sweet baby E!

I can't believe how much of a little person you have become. Can we say "strong willed"! That you honey! I guess you were destined to be considering you have two parents who are pretty stubborn themselves. But we love that about you and although it can and will be a challenge we know God has made you that way and He will use it to His Glory.

So what have you been up to lately?

We've been going to Gymboree for the last month and you are finally starting to interact more instead of just sit and watch taking it all in. When we started you hated going under the parachute... Who can blame you though, I didn't like going under it when I was little either! But now you do just fine under it!

You can go from sitting to all fours and you sit there on your hands and knees and rock back and forth. It's like you're getting ready... Set... Just waiting for the go! Won't be too long I think!

You are such a good eater. You love avacado, mango, peas, sweet potatoes, apples and just recently tried hummus. You loved the hummus, I thought you were going to bite my finger off cause I couldn't get you more fast enough! You enjoy a teething biscut every now and again you can eat small, soft foods like peas or chunks carrots or noodles.

You stil don't have any teeth! I'm a little surprised but they will come when they're ready. Since you don't have teeth yet I'm afraid to give you too much whole foods dice you just swallow it whole!

You like to try and pull yourself up and the stand on your tippy toes while holding on! Your balance is still shaky but you'll get it. You LOVE to bounce!! You've loved that since the beginning but now you can do it yourself and you would do it all day long if you had the energy! We get you a doorway jumper and you just jump and laugh and havE the best time!

I think you are going to be musical. When ever there is music on or someone singing you kind of hum along and do your own version of singing. If we put in a video or watch a tv show you could careless, but they start singing or play music then you are eyes-glued-to-the-screen!

These last seven months have been the most busy, frequently changing, and most if the time tiring. BUT...

They have been the most rewarding, loving, and full of joy! You are our greatest joy!

"Us time"

This weekend my mom, a.k.a. Nana, came to visit us. We took advantage of her being here and had her keep cupcake so we could have a date on Valentine's day! It didn't take a whole lot of arm twisting for Nana to have one-on-one time with cupcake! But we really appreciated it and our "Us time."

Before we went out though we got a few pictures with our little sweetheart of a Valentine =D

And Nana with her Valentine!

Prayer

Please don't forget to pray for sweet little Layla Grace. Her journey on earth is coming to a close and praise Jesus that she will be with Him so soon and in a much better and happier place!

But the difficult part is for those who are left behind. Her parents will no doubt suffer a great loss, but their hope is in heaven and that they will be with their precious baby again soon!!

While Layla will be home soon, she needs prayers for comfort in her final days, hours even...

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