Mystery Revealed

First I will start with my most recent belly pic. Here I am:




Not whale status yet, although that will come about soon enough. Here I am at 19 weeks, 4 days, and everything is progressing beautifully and as it should be progressing. Today I had my monthly check-up AND my 5-month sonogram. This is the time when the sonogram tech checks to see that the baby's development is correct: fingers, toes, bone structure, vital organs, etc. (if there is any etc.). This is also when parents find out if they are having a boy or girl.

First let me say that everything looked great. All the vital organs were developing as they should, 10 fingers, 10 toes, the spine looked perfect...everything was normal and as it should be. So for that we say THANK YOU, LORD! Your handiwork is amazing!

Next we found out what we are having. If you recall, I was absolutely certain we were having a boy. (For that post, click here.) The HOFFER, however, was convinced it was a girl. Little Bit didn't really know but really hoped for a girl. She was being told by friends and classmates that little brothers were Satan's direct attack on big sisters and were to be avoided at all costs. Either way, whether boy or girl, it didn't matter to me. I was just grateful for the privilege of being a mommy again.

I went in for my appointment this morning all alone. The HOFFER had a regrettable scheduling conflict that really couldn't be avoided, so it was just me. I was actually okay with that...as long as he's there when the baby arrives!!!! I walked in with a VCR tape and an envelope for keeping the news a secret till we could get together as a family. As I said before, the appointment went very well...all is normal, and normal is good. My sonogram tech took a picture of the baby's privates, made sure it said either boy or girl, slipped it in the envelope, and sealed it.

After I came home, I let Chester the Wonderdog out for a bathroom break, then brought him back in so the two of us could take a nap together. I was running on about 4 hours of sleep and was really ready for some rest. Ten minutes into our nap Wonderdog let me know in no uncertain terms that he needed to go back outside for another potty break. I reluctantly got up and took him back outside. After all, it beat having pee or poop on my bed. Unfortunately for me, a short section of our fence is missing and in the process of being repaired, so he ran to one of his favorite places to potty: our next-door neighbor's yard. As if that weren't bad enough, he hasn't mastered the art of coming when called and COMPLETELY ignored my desperate pleas to come back to our yard. Right as he squats for a poop break, my neighbor walks out of her back door. Oh, how embarrassing!!!! I cringe. "I am so sorry! I will clean this up...I PROMISE!" She told me that she was only coming out because she saw me and wanted to find out what we were having. (She really is a sweet neighbor.) I explained the situation, that I didn't know and that results were in a sealed envelope, but that I would be glad to let her peek inside. (I felt a bit obligated since Wonderdog had soiled her lovely lawn!) So I cleaned up the poop while she checked the envelope. She made one comment that made me think it was a girl, then said something else that made me think boy. She was nice enough to keep the secret.

We went to dinner with some close family friends to share our big news. After ordering our meal, we handed the envelope to Little Bit to let her reveal the Big Secret. It took her a minute to figure the picture, but then finally found the answer to our question:

"GIRL!"

Her name is Sarah Grace.

Baby News...Again

As you can see from my counter at the top of my blog, I'm at 19 weeks, and all is well. Nothing much new so far. My last appointment (that I CLEARLY neglected to blog about!) went smoothly...heard the baby's heartbeat, which is WAY COOL!!! This week I go and find out if we're having a boy or a girl, and I promise to post a belly shot before the end of the week. I am rather rotund these days!

A funny story about the sonogram scheduling: The HOFFER was leaving his office last week and was half-way out the door when he stopped to check with his lovely assistant (who will now be referred to as the Lovely Assistant) about his upcoming appointments. An older woman was on her way past him to the dentist's office next door when he asked his Lovely Assistant, "When is our sex-thing scheduled?" It was at that point that The HOFFER realized someone had overheard his question. The Lovely Assistant just laughed as he sped out the door and ran right into the elevator to be alone with his humiliation.

Okay, so that's all I have for now. I'll have more after Thursday!

My Own Personal Presidential Candidate

I never really considered myself First Lady material. After all, I'm waaaaaay too casual to dress in a suit every day. If I was First Lady, jeans and flip-flops would be the new business suit, and I see that going over about as well as a pregnant polevaulter! Additionally, I'm not terribly interested in politics. I get way too irritated and angry because some of the people in office say and do some of the stupidest, most ignorant things ever imagined and there's not one thing I can do about any of it, except to cast my vote to get them out of office. But The HOFFER has made a post on his blog that, pretty much, gives his candidacy speech. I don't know exactly how serious he is about all this, but there are his thoughts on how this great nation of ours should be run in black and white. It's okay to disagree...I'm not going to refuse to speak with someone just because we don't believe the same way. (If we all believed the exact same thing, one of us wouldn't be necessary.) So go over and read what The HOFFER has to say about being President of the United States of America. Little Bit will love you forever if you vote for him...she's already making plans to move to D.C., remodel the White House and call it the Rainbow House. I don't know how I would feel about it all...guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. :-)

I AM STUNNED

Are you an American Idol devotee? Did you see Thursday night's show? If you did, are you as shocked as I am? I am absolutely REELING! What is up with this???? What is going on???

Last season, after their Idol Gives Back show, they decided that every contestant was safe that week, but that two contestants would be eliminated the following week. This year, they decided to not do it again that way, and who was eliminated? Michael Johns.

What is up with this??? This just goes to show that ANYONE, regardless of how amazingly talented they are, can be kicked off the show! I was absolutely certain beyond any shadow of a doubt that Michael would end up one of the final two contestants (with David Cook as the other). Did you SEE his performance of Bohemian Rapsody during Hollywood Week? Did you SEE him sing Light My Fire better than Jim Morrison ever thought of singing it? Have you ever heard ANYONE else even ATTEMPT to sing ANYTHING by Queen and do it justice? Michael Johns not only did We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions justice, HE KICKED IT IN THE (fill in the blank)!!!! This is so weird. So much so that I think Idol has something up its proverbial sleeve. I won't be terribly surprised if they somehow manage to bring him back next week. If they don't, well, they're just morons. I am certain that, whether or not he's really off the show or Idol's just messing with us, Michael Johns will come out with a CD some time over the next year. And I will be standing in line to buy it. Rock on, Michael!!!

Another Video--This One's REALLY GOOD!!!

I had hoped to do more posting over the weekend, but we had a friend in from Wisconsin as well as a shin-dig in his honor, and I am still pretty much a worn out cookie. So for your listening and viewing pleasure, and until I get back to posting more stuff, here is a video of our friend Jessica. She is a senior in high school and is performing here at her school's version of American Idol. Not only is she lovely inside and out, she has a beautiful voice. As if that's not cool enough, she also races BMX with us and is rated #3 in the nation. She's the whole package. I think you'll enjoy hearing her sing, even with Grandma's cell phone going off in the middle of her song!

More stuff--baby, Chester and otherwise--to come soon. Oh, before I pass you on to the video, I have to tell you about what The Hoffer did today. He left for Augusta, Georgia this afternoon. Those of you who are golf fans have a pretty good idea of what I'm about to tell you: YES HE'S GOING TO THE MASTERS!!!! Tuesday only, but WHO CARES???? If you're not a golf/sports fan, The Masters is the most prestigious PGA tournament of the year, as well as the most sought-after and difficult ticket to get in ALL of sports. I can assure you he will be driving up Magnolia Lane in tears Tuesday morning. I'll be in tears with him. He made a short post about it on his blog, so check out Cash Flows when you get a minute.

One final thing: if you are in the mood for some good romance, check out the blog site for Christian romance writer Kristy Dykes. I must embarrassingly confess I have never read Kristy's books, but after reading her blog about her and her husband, WHO NEEDS TO???? (No offense, Kristy!!! I promise to read your books, but are they half as romantic as you and Milton???) These two are the sweetest couple I have ever seen. Kristy was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, and you should read some of the posts her husband Milton has written. Even before her diagnosis, these two are just sick in love with each other. I have been lurking around her blog for a good while, posting only on occasion, but since her diagnosis all I can do is watch and pray. Their absolute devotion to each other is a beautiful thing to see. Please check it out, and keep them on your prayer list.

Alright, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, performing Misty, I give you the lovely and talented Jessica.