Flutters... I think so!

So it's currently week 17. We didn't find out if Baby Harbin is a boy or girl yet, but we might be able to find out on Nov. 16 at my next ultrasound. Even more exciting than that is the realization that I think I've experienced the "flutters" of this little baby making itself nice and cozy in its temporary home! This is the second night this week, while laying on the couch watching TV, that I felt a funny feeling in my abdomen. Everyone says it feels like gas... well... this didn't quite feel like that. It did kind of feel like a couple of little bubbles, only it didn't hurt, and it didn't travel all the way through my intestines. Therefore, not gas, right?? If it continues to happen, I guess I'll know if what I felt was the baby or just an odd case of something else.

On a different note, (as pregnancy has made me more ADD than I ever thought possible), my friend let me borrow Jenny McCarthy's book Belly Laughs. I read the entire thing in one night. So funny, and thankfully very honest and frank about certain things pregnant women really wonder about! I loved it! I laughed and I cried. PS- DON'T watch Grey's Anatomy while pregnant. #1- Your emotions are even more out of control than usual, and #2- they seem to always have a story you feel you can relate to, making it harder to avoid the tears. Tonight's episode included a story of a preemie who started to thrive after Kangaroo therapy (resting against a bare chest to feel the warmth and heartbeat of another person, usually the parents, but this time it was cutie Dr. Krev.) After the Allen family's recent loss of their son, who had been born about 14 weeks early, I broke down, sobbing madly! So pregnant+Grey's=bad combo.

Every day I feel more and more love for this little tiny person. No matter what all your mom or your friends tell you about their pregnancies, it doesn't make sense, it doesn't "click", until you go through it. Sometimes it feels so incredibly surreal that I'm afraid I'll wake up and it was all a dream. But luckily, I wake up, and I see my little belly and realize that we really are almost half-way through this pregnancy! We are just a few weeks away from the mid-point. Can't believe it. Seems like yesterday, it was August, and I saw those two blue lines appear. Now it's November, and my pants don't fit so well, and everyone can finally see my bump, and I feel like it's rushing by. There are so many words, none of which I can think of at the moment, that could describe the many facets of my emotions. One word sums it all up though: blessed.

Love you all. :) Good night.

Can't Wait!!!

Monday afternoon (tomorrow for those of you reading this on Sunday) I have my 16-week appointment! My doctor is hoping to see enough to give us the verdict on if we are having a girl or a boy! She even said at my last checkup - almost 5 weeks ago - that she thinks it's boy. I totally think it's a boy... the school where I work has teachers who seem to produce boys at least 85% of the time... not kidding! I can only think of maybe two or three girls that have been born from teachers at my school in the last couple of years. And there's been a bunch of babies! We also have a few friends who either had babies last year or will have babies this school year, all of them are boys! One my cousins had a boy several months ago. Two of Craig's cousins' wives recently had girls though... so there is still a chance I guess.

I can't believe that in less than 24 hours we might actually know! I am such an impatient person sometimes that I could NOT have waited till birth to find out. I wouldn't have lasted 40 weeks not knowing what we were having. Now, I know, the baby might not cooperate during the ultrasound, or the doctor might not get a clear enough view, but I can still hope all goes well. We can always try to take a look at the 20-week visit if tomorrow isn't clear enough. Craig will be with me tomorrow, too! This is his first time to come with me to a prenatal appointment. :)

I'm so excited! This journey is so full of wonder and joy. I'm loving every minute of it.

Much More Exciting Posts Headed Your Way...

Since August 5 I've been keeping a big secret... It's safe to announce that we are pregnant with our first little miracle! The due date is set for April 11, 2010, just two days before my birthday. This is also the birthday that I share with my younger brother Geoff, who just got engaged to Haley last night! It's been a hugely exciting week in our family. I feel so blessed in so many ways and truly love life right now! So for the sake of my blog readers, I won't be posting so much about my washer and dryer! I've got more interesting posts coming in the future! :)

YES! :)

The new washer and dryer were installed yesterday- they are AWESOME! I love them. Zeus' blankets were the first load of stuff to go through to test it out. It is crazy how fast the drum spins- like a million rpms. Well, that's an exaggeration, but you get the picture. I'll have to post a picture of these super machines- they are so cool!

Bye Bye Dryer!

Our clothes dryer officially went dead yesterday. My dad, who can usually fix anything, said it's done. Craig and I had just been kidding around at Lowe's the other day about what fridge, washer, and dryer we eventually want... looks like we are getting the last two sooner rather than later. Just paid off both cars, and what do you know, time to make another big purchase. I guess that happens a lot though.

Any advice on what brand to buy? Any specific questions we should ask or features you find you just can't live without? This washer and dryer need to last us a long time, so we want to get something that won't go on the fritz after just a few years!