And it's a...

GIRL!  Well, most likely...  :)

We had a sonogram on Monday morning.  We were all excited about finding out the gender, but the sonogram tech didn't seem as worried about that.  She kept saying, well, I can't really see, so we'll just worry about it later.  She measured every little part of our baby and everything is perfect.  The tech even complained that she moves too much-she's a very active little baby already.  In the end, she said she was 90% sure it was a girl.  She never saw any boy parts, so that is what she is basing her opinion on.  So the question is...how accurate is her 90%???

So this picture is kinda creepy, but it's also kinda cool.  If you look a little sideways, you can see her face.  Her eyes, nose, and mouth are very prominent.  Sadly, this is the only sonogram picture we got. 

We are not really worried about if the sonogram tech is right or wrong.  We think it's a girl too and we are super excited.  We can't believe how big she's getting; it's like she's growing by the minute.  I finally have a little baby bump and I'm definitely showing it off.  It's fun to finally be so outwardly excited about the baby.  And it's fun to be able to say "Baby Girl".  There's definitely a peace to it.

In case you haven't heard, her name will be Harper.  We haven't set a middle name yet, but we have been in love with Harper from day 1.  My brother Eric has asked if I will name her Erika and my friend Jessica continues to call her Little Jessica.  But I think I've known deep down that she would be Harper from the very beginning.

She's been moving a lot these days.  It's been fun for Cody and I to just sit there with our hands on my belly waiting for her to move.  I think it has been a good experience for us to have together and to enjoy as newbie parents.  We even put her crib up together and of course, the first thing Cody wants to do is let Maggie try it out.  We may not always be on the same page with parenting, but it'll been fun figuring out this parenting thing together.

We got to hang with our favorite little guy, Grayson, on Sunday and see him scoot all over the place.  He's crawling and walking (with help) like crazy!  If there was ever a reason for me to want a little boy, he would be the reason.  But we know he'll love his cousin no matter what.  He's amazing.  Even with a double ear infection, he's a absolute doll.

Well, depending on the ice conditions for the next two days, I might get some nursery stuff done.  Here's to hoping!

I'm so in love...

I am 20 weeks today, which means halfway...wahoo!  Things have been going pretty well.  I'm still small enough that I can hide my belly.  My students at school still don't know, which is funny.  Funny because they all thought I was pregnant back in August (rude) when I wasn't, and now have no clue.
We had a dr's appointment 2 weeks ago, all excited to find out the gender, and they wanted to wait 2 more weeks.  Boo.  So we were supposed to go yesterday, but Snowpalooza 2011 cancelled our appointment.  Double Boo.  I'd be upset except that I haven't had to work in four days-which is a pretty nice little vacation.  Sadly, since we don't know the gender, there isn't much we can do.  So I look up baby rooms, baby bedding, and just hang out.
Last night we went over to my parents house in Argyle to hang out with the family (Carleigh enticed me with homemade cookies!).  We looked at baby bedding (I sadly noticed I don't have any boy rooms-uh oh) and looked up more baby names.  A few were pretty funny-Enoch, Obadiah, and Lazarus.  But even though we have a few ideas for boy names, we have always just loved 1 for a girl.  Hopefully our next post will tell you the gender and name...we'll see!
Last night was also the point where a few things changed for me.  On the way over there, I felt these little movements inside my belly.  At first I thought they were like little gas bubbles that had popped right near my belly button.  Then I realized that gas bubbles don't pop near your belly button, so it must have been a BABY KICK.  Wow.  Just realizing what it was changed my whole perspective.  She's in there, really and truly.  And she's getting big enough to kick me.  I suddenly felt complete and utter awe and love for this little person inside me.  And complete and utter awe for the God who created this baby.  What an amazing feeling.
Psalm 139 says: You formed my innermost parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  In Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.
What a huge promise!  That God knows and loves and has special plans for our baby, and has had them even before I thought about them.  To know He loves our baby even more than I.
I would do anything for my baby.  And I would do anything for my God.  And I know He would do anything for me because He already did.  He chose to send His only Son, His perfect Son, to save the world.  I only hope and pray that my child will also know and love God as well.
What an amazing God!