So, I’m not sure how long it will take for the disbelief to fade, but I’m still right smack in the middle of it!! I was SO sure that this was Boy #3 for us…I just knew it!

We got to know the sonographer really well with all of Parker’s cord issues that we had to keep checking on, so it was very fun to catch up with her and see how she’s been. We talked and talked and I told her that I just knew it was a boy but Jon was convinced it was a girl. She told us when she was going to start looking for the gender and we both looked away. When I asked if she saw it, she said, “Oh yeah, definitely,” and I just knew it was a boy. She printed out the gender picture and put it in an envelope for us to open at dinner.

We have the same (though to a lesser extent) issue with the cord as we did with Parker, so we would so covet prayers over our baby’s protection in there! We’ll have another ultrasound at 28 weeks and a few more between then and delivery just to check up on her.

Fast forward to dinner, Jon and I ordered as fast as we could and then finally got to open the envelope! Our sweet sonographer had written a congratulations note and then put the picture of the ultrasound in the envelope. I unfolded the page, saw the word “GIRL” on the ultrasound picture and just started bawling right into Jon’s shoulder. Oh friends, I so thought that this little one was a boy and I honestly would have been completely overjoyed for another son but it is so so fun to think about having a daughter!! Jon and I just hugged and cried and Jon prayed for our sweet girl and it was just a wonderful, precious time!

Our poor waiter showed up right then to ask a question about our order and saw me crying and got all worried and I choked out, “We just found out we are having a girl!” and started crying again. Bless his heart. He was so cute. He was just a college guy so he had no idea. I felt so bad for him. Ha!

Anyway, I cried off and on throughout dinner (Jon was all teary too – it was so sweet!) and then they brought dessert out and set this in front of me and I just lost it all over again.

Such a sweet waiter! He even made sure he gave us pink handled fondue forks. We tipped well. 😉

We went over to Mom and Dad’s house and controlled our emotions and we had family over and skyped with a few out of town family and friends. Nathan got to cut open the cupcake that would tell everyone what it was…

And everyone FLIPPED OUT. The screaming totally scared poor Parker to death. Ha! We are all so excited for this little one! I think everyone thought this was another boy, so it was really fun to surprise everyone again!!

I was in so much disbelief still that I had to call our sonographer the next day just to hear it from her. She just started laughing and said, “Yes! It’s definitely a girl!” 😉 Ha!

And, I mean, I just had to go buy something girlish… 😉

The following week, we went and got a 3D ultrasound done. I always wanted to do this with the boys and never did and so we made sure we scheduled it this time around. It was SO fun. And she’s definitely a girl!! Love this sweet face!!
 

We are SO blessed!! I cannot stop praying for this precious baby girl. So thankful for the surprise of this pregnancy, the surprise of this little girl and this wonderful adventure we are about to start all over again. Please keep our sweet girl in your prayers!!

So much love to you all!!

Thank you all so much for your participation in guessing along with us!! We are SO excited for this precious baby girl to join our family! 🙂

And the winner of the guessing game is… (Edited to add: If you checked this morning, I totally forgot to put the winner down. Can we say pregnancy brain??!) Daneen Roberts! I just emailed you! 🙂

I have lots of pictures of the reveal, but first up, a few pictures from the past week or so…

So fun to see Aunt Nicole and Uncle Caleb for a whole week! Next time we get to see them, they will have a little boy of their own! So crazy!

These two. They were both sitting there trying to learn how to tie their shoes at Evie’s house the other day. When did they get permission to grow up so fast? They are still supposed to be fighting over sippy cups.

The real estate company that Jon works for had a little barbecue and I won free ticket to watch the minor baseball team in town play! We had the best time! 🙂

Me and soon to be middle. 😉

Someone was VERY intent on watching for foul balls.

VERY intent. And he dragged his little brother into it too. 😉

The stadium was basically empty, so Nathan talked Jon into going a little closer to see if they could catch one down there. Seriously the play after they came back up to our seats, someone hit a foul ball that landed right where they were standing and then rolled onto the lower decks. Nathan was completely heartbroken. It’s all for the best, I’m not sure Jon could have caught it and kept both boys on the right side of the rail! 😉

The best part of the game – watching “Ohbit” (or Orbit), the team’s mascot. That’s all Parker said during the game. “Bayball? Ohbit? Bayball! Ohbit!” Ha!

Me and the lopsided lump busy at work during rest/nap time. 😉

Nathan was messing around after rest time one day and slammed his forehead right into the window sill corner. So, we had to spend the rest of the afternoon in and out of ice packs and I kept checking his pupils. We had Awana orientation that night too and he bloodied up his knee on the monkey bars while we were there. It was a rough day.

This little is just asking for a goose egg of his own… every time I turn around, he’s climbing on something! He discovered the water button on the fridge this day and we started being a LOT more diligent about closing the kitchen baby gate.

Showing off the bruise/scrape. #chicksdigscars

This one. This one is a MESS. I don’t even know whether or laugh or cry at him most of the day. He’s just a complete disaster and I love him dearly.

Jon sent me packing after an open house and I got a little over two glorious hours alone. So, I did a few errands, wandered through a few stores by myself and then spent an entire hour eating this sea salt caramel bar, drinking a chocolate milkshake and reading my Bible and Calm My Anxious Heart. So, so wonderful and SO needed!! We have been having a rough time lately with my very strong-willed eldest and now Parker is starting into the terrible twos with “no” and “mine”. It’s been difficult to be level-headed and able to deal with these emotional issues when I’m so tired physically! The break was amazing.

Bought the shirts for the reveal while I was out – time to return one!! 🙂

Parker finally got another haircut – it was needed! A friend was telling me about this shop for kids and it was pretty cool! He got to sit in a yellow Hummer and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse the whole time. And they had us in and out in 12 minutes! Not bad!

Little love. He did great!

His face in this picture just cracks me up. He did not know what he thought about the clippers. 😉

Backpacks are here which means we are on the countdown to Nathan’s first day of school. Cannot, cannot believe my baby is so big!!

Mental note: Do not let Parker feed himself blueberry oatmeal ever again. The kid was stained blue all morning.

And that’s what we’ve been up to lately!! Reveal pictures coming tonight or tomorrow – we are just still in so much shock over here… so, so excited!

It’s a girl!!! We are so completely overjoyed, overwhelmed and overcome (and in a lot of disbelief!!) Jesus is so good to us!! Thank you so so much for your prayers! Jon and I are so thankful for you all.

This sweet face! I can’t wait to see it in January! 🙂

Oh my goodness, a girl….

 On the one hand, it is totally taking FOREVER for this day to come, but on the other hand, how are we possibly this close to finding out what we are having??!

Yep, tomorrow we find out boy or girl!! I’ll be sure to update on here as soon as we tell friends and family. The plan is for Jon and I to go to the ultrasound and have the sonographer write what it is in an envelope and then the two of us will open it at dinner. And then we’ll go let our friends and family know that night. 🙂 Can’t wait!! I’ll post on here tomorrow night as well.

So, for the fun of it (I did this when I was on the verge of finding out with Parker too) – what is your guess??  Leave a comment with what you think we are having this time and you’ll be automatically entered to win an autographed copy of one of the Paige novels or a Kindle copy of one of the Miss Match series (your choice!).

A few pregnancy tidbits to help you guess:

* I threw up a few times in the early weeks but haven’t really thrown up or even been nauseous since about seven weeks. With Nathan, I was moderately sick from 7-16 weeks and with Parker, I was horribly sick from 5-25 weeks.

* I haven’t had any real cravings or aversions this time around. With both boys, I loved the smell but couldn’t handle the taste of coffee and the taste hasn’t bothered me this time around (and actually, there have been a few days where that is the BEST tasting thing I’ve had!).

* This baby’s heartbeat has consistently been 148-152bpm. Nathan’s was always in the 140s, Parker’s was always in the high 140s as well.

* I feel like I am carrying higher this time around. I was able to zip my pants still for a long time after I was definitely showing!

* This one isn’t as active as Nathan but is possibly more active than Parker…although I mostly feel him/her when the kids are down (not that activity level inside the womb has any effect on their activity level outside the womb, as evidenced by my two never-stop-running kids). I’ve quit hoping for a calmer child. I don’t think it’s in our DNA. 😉

* My face was void of any and all acne for both of the boys and I’ve had one breakout after another this time around. This likely has something to do with the chocolate from Trader Joe’s that I can’t stop eating, but it’s worth a mention. 😉

* I think it’s a boy. But, I had a dream a couple of nights ago that it was a girl. Not that my dreams are to be trusted right now. I’ve had some doozies. Either way, I am SO excited!! Honestly, I verge on incredibly, overwhemingly, when-will-January-just-get-here excited and completely, totally, one hundred percent terrified of having three kids, which I’m hoping is normal. 😉 And I’m also praying, praying that Parker especially adjusts well – he’s been very clingy and very Mama-only lately and throws a huge fit when he sees me holding another baby. It only makes me more nervous!

So… there you have it!! What do you think we are having?? A guess gets you three entries into the contest – just use the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until tomorrow!! Augh! So fun!!! 🙂

We just keep on moving over here!! Which is a good thing, because anytime I sit down, I fall asleep. 😉

This little stinker head has had a language EXPLOSION lately – I’ve lost count on how many words he says. His new favorite thing is to tell knock-knock jokes (thanks Nathan), only he made up one and it made us laugh so now, he just says that over and over again. 😉 He’ll say, “Knock-knock!” We say, “Who’s there?” “Me-Nee-Na” (aka, Banana). “Banana who?” “Cheesestick!” Ha! Such a goof. He LOVES to read and the second you sit down, he’s in your lap with a book.

Nathan is SO excited to start school and he starts in just a little over a week!! (Insert the tears) We are going to be doing a program that has him going to school one day a week and then being homeschooled for the remaining four days. We went school supply shopping yesterday and his new backpack is in the mail and he is STOKED. He loves to pull out his school stuff and look at it all. 😉

Baby #3 is growing like crazy (and so am I!!). I’ve been feeling him/her more and more and I’m so excited for Jon and the boys to be able to feel the kicks too! Almost halfway there!
We have our gender reveal ultrasound in a little over a week as well and the days are just going so so slowly right now while we wait for it. I’m still pretty convinced it’s a boy, but I’m excited to know for certain!!

I spend 90% of my days telling the boys to “be kind” or “keep your hands to yourself” or “Parker, stop hitting” or “Nathan, get out of his face!” They are inseparable and have so much fun together while also making each other insane. Typical siblings, right? 😉 It’s so fun to watch Parker being able to do more and more with Nathan.

Loving this time with my boys!! Hoping to get back into the regular blogging routine here with our regular fall schedule picking up. 🙂

Also, SO excited to show this fun thing that is coming up…

YAY! As soon as I have a release date for the first of this new series, I will let you know!!