It's a......

not sure because we didn't find out what we're having. After going back and forth for months now, we decided to wait to find out. We wanted the element of surprise. We had our Ultrasound on Tuesday at Zeeland Hospital. After drinking way more fluids than my body should have had, we had an amazing time watching the Ultrasound. Gary was able to come with me, so he got to see it all with me. We saw it's legs and arms, it's spine, it's little belly, it's heart beating at a strong 164 (which I'm told and have read, that it means it's a boy, hehe), and it's face and skull. You could see the areas where the eyes are, it's mouth was open for a bit, and it's little arm were crossing over it's chest and face while she was trying to get a good picture of the face for us. So cool. It measured at 19 weeks, 4 days, which is right on the mark. It's also 11 ounces at this point, about 7.5" long. She took measurements of the head, brain tissue, spine, bones in it's legs and arms. From there, the radiologist will go over all the images she took and report back to my doctor with any concerns. All in all, it was a great experience and we're looking forward to seeing it grow more and finally come into this world!

Otherwise, we're getting settled more so in the house. Just about everything is put away, gone through, put up or stowed away for a later clean sweep. It's great having our own home, but a lot of work at the same time with all those little things you need to run and get that you never needed before. Oh well, I'll take it. :) Work is slowing down a bit for me right now which is very much welcomed. Gary is still going strong at GFS and enjoying it. The summer always brings on a lot of things going on, but we're looking forward to all the festivities (at least I am for the most part).

Next appointment is June 19. I don't look very pregnant yet, but I am 20 weeks now. The baby has found my bladder as of this week and I definitely feel it moving around more so each day.

We hope this finds everyone well rest after the long weekend and looking forward to another one. :) Enjoy the pictures!

Love,

Gary & Christie

Ready for the long weekend!

I had my follow up appointment on Tuesday for my blood pressure. After an up and down weekend with getting rid of my anxiety and with some extra help of talking to someone, my blood pressure looked fine. Whew. My weight is good, the baby's heartbeat is at 140, which is perfect, and we're all set up for my ultrasound on Tuesday. I feel much better now. I couldn't ask for a better staff at my doctor's office. They are so caring and easy to talk to.

I'm now working on slowing things down a bit, stop and smell the roses if you will. I have a built in go go go machine and I have to take the batteries out once in awhile.

We are still getting settled in at the house. Most of the boxes are unpacked, the stuff now resides in my "organized piles" as some dear family members like to tease me about. With the long weekend ahead, we can get some more of it put away. We're about 80% done with the garage. We have shelves put up, hooks in the wall holding up our tools and other lawn equipment and we also made a garden center for me to plant up pots and keep all the gardening stuff together. It turned out pretty nice! I'll post pictures this weekend. This summer's projects will be a little gardening, coming up with a mural for the upstairs bathroom aka kids bathroom full of frogs and water like things, getting stuff ready for the baby and if we feel up to it, the downstairs bathroom. We have to look somewhat put together as we are hosting Gary and Sheila's graduation party in June.

Gary's work is going well. Learning new things all the time and is getting to know his co-workers pretty well. He's also finding out about the perks of working for a big company, as we are going to a Whitecaps game Monday night and next Saturday night, get %10 at any GFS and other little perks for him at work. Pretty cool, we'll take it. :) Work is really busy for me right now as it is trade show time. We have bout 3 more days of busyness and we'll have a repreve for a few weeks. But it's going well.

That's about all for right now. The baby is as long as a small zucchini now and is about 8.5 ounces. It's getting a lot bigger and I think I felt those little butterfly flutters everyone is taking about. :) I'm feeling good and looking forward to the summer!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Gary & Christie

Moving right along

Well, we're all moved in, not unpacked completely, but we're in. We're taking it slow, not over doing it for my sake and for Gary's sanity. Hehe. The basement is set up very nicely (thanks Dad for the carpet!) and feels like another room we can live in, instead of a drabby basement. The living room, kitchen and our room are pretty close to being done. We got our mailbox in the other day, so hopefully the mailman will start bringing our mail! The rest of the house is still somewhat in boxes and disarray, but we're getting there. It's quite surreal sometimes, that we own a home, a yard, a garage to park both our vehicles. We love it!

We're also figuring out a new routine now that Gary's working full time (sharing bathroom, showers, breakfast, making lunches, etc.). It's coming along pretty well I think. Gary's job is going well so far. He's learning a new programming language, learning the routine, meeting new people and is finally up when I get up in the morning! Love that.

I had another doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Because the week before I had anxiety due to moving, getting into the busy time at work and everything else, the first time the nurse took my blood pressure, it was up. This was only because I was talking fast explaining the week before's anxiety garbage. So that boosted it up. She had me lay on my side for a few minutes to calm down, the doctor took it and it was fine. Then at the end of the appointment, the nurse took it again and it was fine as well. Ugh. They still want to see me again in 2 weeks to make sure I'm alright. So now I'm concentrating on not letting my anxiety get the best of me so I don't have to worry about high blood pressure. Otherwise, she found the baby's heartbeat right away and sounded good. I'm not really showing too much yet. I can tell and can feel where the large onion size baby's hanging out, but as for a little basketball stomach... not yet. :)

The next appointment is the big one, the first real Ultrasound! That's in 3 weeks on Tuesday, May 29. Gary's able to go with me too. We saw the baby when it was just a little alien looking thing. Now it'll be quite a bit bigger. And we get a picture (get ready to fill the brag books with a new picture, family.)! So that's exciting.

Otherwise, we're doing well. Getting settled, getting into a new routine, working, etc. We'll be heading to Chicago this weekend for Mother's Day (and a bit more exciting time for Dad, clean out the garage of Christie's stuff she's had there for years weekend). Hehe.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day to the new mothers and all mothers!

Love to you all,
Gary & Christie

If you didn't my email about our new information, email us at: gctidd@charter.net and we'll get that right out to you!

The Big Move

Well, we're in the midst of the big move. Good thing Gary has this week off. You sure do accumulate a lot of things in 4 years! The lovely folks at Comcast shut off our internet/TV a day early. We are no longer going to have the same email address as we did before and will send out an email for that as soon as we get set up at the house. In the meantime, I can check email at work during the day so email us at christie@paperandinkdesigns.com. Also, because we have Vonage, our home phone number will ring if you call, but we can't answer. Our number will still be the same at the house, but until Internet is set up there, please call our cell phones (sparingly or at night :))

Otherwise, we're doing well. Gary turned 30 on Friday, graduated on Saturday and we closed on the house on Monday. Gary's getting tired, he's doing a lot of the moving one because I have to work and 2 because I can't lift much. But our family and friends have been helping us out this week and will this weekend as well. It's been greatly appreciated!

My next appointment is Tuesday. I'm not sure what's going on during this appointment, but we'll see what happens! I think in another month I get my official ultrasound. And no, we still don't know if we're goingto find out what we're having. :) Shots are going fine, feeling pretty good other than a little bit of stress from moving. I can really feel where the baby is now when I'm laying down. I'm not really showing yet, but I can feel that I'm getting bigger.

The baby is now the size of an avocado, for those who are keeping track. :)

Well back to work!

Love to you all,
Gary & Christie