It's a....

BOY!!!!! I just knew that it was a boy...had a feeling I guess! :)

He is so precious and wonderful. I am tearing up just typing this...wow, what an amazing adventure last night was! My mom and Nicole went with us which was so great. Nicole won't be here for any of my showers or the birth so this was a neat way for her to share a special time with us. It was also Lee's stepmom, Kim's birthday so what a surprise for her! We went over there and had dinner and dessert to celebrate. My mom is overjoyed! My dad is in Mexico on business but I called him while they were still doing the ultrasound. He is so proud and excited...and of course he cried! (he always does!) We are having Lee's mom and family over tonight to celebrate. Everyone is just thrilled!

No...we don't have a name yet. We have some favorites and are trying to make our mind up by this weekend. I want to start calling him by his name instead of monkey, little man or buddy. We will definitely let everyone know when we figure it out! It is stressful picking a name for a child. So much pressure!!!

Here are some new pictures...I am 18 weeks today so almost half way there. Only 22 weeks until I can hold this sweet one!!

Waiting...waiting...waiting...

It is like I am 5 years old and it's the night before Christmas! We find out what we are having tomorrow and I can barely concentrate on anything. The poll closed a couple days ago on what people thought we were having - majority thinks it is a girl. Lee and I think it is a boy but we only have a girl's name picked out so who knows?? I am ready for either...I just want to know what it is so I can start calling it by it's name and SHOPPING! My mom and I ran into Kohl's on Saturday and both of us could barely contain ourselves in the baby department. I kept picking up cute things and oohing and aahing...but then reason stepped in and I put them all back. Well, except for one set of onesies that had firetrucks on it....girl or boy my child will have to wear them in honor of my dad - Cap as he is going to be called. (Short for Captain - what they called him at the fire house)

Anyway, check back tomorrow night or Wednesday morning. We will post the BIG NEWS and some pictures of the little one. I am really excited about finding out but even more thrilled to see my little monkey (Amber, I am stealing this!) and see how big he or she is!!

So Thankful

I am so thankful today...for my sweet little angel growing in my belly. I am 17 weeks today and have known for 13 weeks about this miracle. Most of you may not know what it was like for me to find out I was pregnant. It was an ordinary Wednesday morning and I was working from home. Around 10:30am I decided to take another test (the previous one a couple days before was negative)...I really wasn't expecting for it to show two pink lines. But it did! It was a beautiful day and I remember looking out the window and crying out to God and thanking him for this precious child. I then fell to my knees right there in the bathroom and started praying and crying and laughing all at the same time. God had blessed me with a child! Now there had been no hardships before...no miscarriages, no years trying, no fertility drugs....we had been TRULY blessed!! But I still felt like it was a miracle...I guess we all do.

The other day I was searching thru my daily blogs and came across this blog...and my life was changed. I was blown away by Todd and Angie's love for their child and trust in God. I went back and read all the posts and cried the entire time. I promise that if you read this you will never be the same person again. Angie just like me had that moment in time where you find out you are going to have a child and you are thanking God. Then weeks later her life was changed....her baby was not going to make it. Instead of giving up on this child she decided to do what so many of us would not do...she decided to carry this precious girl until she was full term no matter what. This entire family pulled together and loved this sweet baby just as if she were already here. They knew that she would not live past delivery but that didn't stop them. Audrey Caroline was born on Monday and spent about two hours with her parents and three sisters...to read about it will both break your heart and inspire you.

I wanted to share this with you to remind you how thankful I am for this blessing that I have been given. I will not take this role of mother lightly and will try even harder in memory of sweet Audrey. Please if you get a chance...read this blog and let it change your life.

http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Yes...I am addicted to General Hospital! I am fully admitting to my addiction that started about two years ago. I have never been a huge fan of soap operas but this one sucked me in real quick. Thank goodness for DVR...now I don't have to make up elaborate stories of why I can't come to work when something big is going to happen on GH. (Not that I ever did that!) Here are some of my favorite episodes:

Maxie's Eulogy at Georgie's Funeral


Kate the Fashion Queen and Claudia the Mob Queen


Maxie and Robin Talking About Pregnancy


Sonny and Carly Let Go (just first 5 minutes or so until Carly leaves)

All you need is love...

Millie is finally here! My cousin, Kristin, had her sweet little girl on Friday around 1pm and she is BEAUTIFUL! I am not just saying that because she is family...that little girl is one pretty gal! Kristin was amazing and is loving being a mom. I headed up to the hospital on Friday to see her with my parents...so crazy to think that I am growing one of those inside my belly! Then Lee, Melin and I headed back on Saturday evening to have dinner with the new parents and chill out. It was such a fun night! The boys drank a couple celebratory beers and watched the Final Four as Melin and I oohed and ahhed over Millie.

I am just so proud of Stephen and Kristin. You can tell they are going to be amazing parents to Millie. She is one lucky girl! They already love her so much and are being so patient with her...learning all about newborns and their needs. Kristin just radiated love! I think this child completed her in a way she didn't know was possible.

If you can't tell by previous posts...my family is my world! You mess with them and I am Mama Bear! I am so blessed to have close, close relationships with my cousins which is rare in this day and age. We all make it a point to be a part of each other's lives instead of just seeing each other on holidays during the year. This week I have been even more aware of how awesome my family is....of course by Millie's birth but also hearing about a friend's loss of a child. Lee's current boss and my old boss just lost his teenage daughter in a car accident a week ago. I didn't know her but to hear people speak of her...she was an angel on Earth! Lee went to Jacksonville, FL this week to her funeral and was so moved by the events and words spoken. I am so incredibly lucky that I haven't gone thru anything like this...but life is short and you never know when someone is going to be taken away. Love, love, love your family and friends unconditionally and without reserve!! You will not get another chance...God just gives us this one life to love and make a difference.

To all of my family and friends out there...I love you from the depths of my soul! You are my world and I could not imagine a day or minute without you. I am so thankful for this new sweet, precious girl that has come into my life...I make a promise now to love her unconditionally and without reserve for the rest of her life! Love you Millie!!

Challenge by Melinda

I am responding to Melinda's challenge - but not adding all the quotes like she did!

So, Empire put out a list of the top 50 greatest television shows of all time. Bold if you've seen (almost) every episode, italicize if you've seen at least one. Enjoy!!

50. Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars (Thanks Melin!!!)
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & The City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers (One of my alltime favorites - Thanks Lee!)
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python's Flying Circus
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation
36. Father Ted
35. Alias (Thanks again to Melinda!!)
34. Frasier
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER (when it was still good - first 4 - 5 seasons)
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office UK
22. The Shield
21. Angel
20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs
18. Arrested Development
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who (new version)
15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica
12. Family Guy
11. Seinfeld
10. Spaced
9. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (only once with Melinda - Thank God!)
01. The Simpsons

I Love Lists!!

Ok....so if you haven't figured out by now I surround myself with tons of creative people so that I can steal their ideas. It is genius really! Today I am stealing my dear friend Amber's List idea from her blog and making some lists of my own. I will make some slight changes but this is straight from her idea bank! THANKS DOLL!

I love lists....my grandmother actually saved little lists that I would make as a child. Even at 8 years old I would write out what I wanted to accomplish that day or which chores to do first. They are theraputic for me....LOVE crossing off an item when I am done. What a sense of accomplishment! Today, I have compiled some different lists....some are my regular ones and some are stolen. (as I said before, not ashamed to steal!)

Grocery List

squash, zucchini, and tomatoes

hummus

Quaker Oats Cereal

Dasani bottled water

chedder cheese

organic chicken

Brown Cow Jrs.

Jolly Ranchers Fire Cinnamons

2% milk

Baked Doritos, Sour Cream and Onion

My DVR List

The Hills

General Hospital

American Idol

Grey's Anatomy (April 24th)

Real Housewives of the OC

Any Dateline special that sounds interesting

To Do List (now)

start Lee's laundry

get food together for dinner with friends

give the dogs a bath (YUCK!)

change sheets on our bed

put in order for Comair shirts

To Do List (future)

be a good mother

learn a new language

eat healthy during this pregnancy

have 1 or 2 more children

have a successful marriage

become more creative - sew more

Baby Names (no comments people!)

Priscilla James "Cilla"

Ginny Lou (just for my mother)

Thomas Roy

Cole Thomas

Calvin Thomas "Cal"

Wyatt, Miller, James