Less than a month to go!

Merry Christmas! I hit the 36 week mark on Wednesday. It is so hard to believe that less than a month from now we will be holding our baby girl. Chad has forced me to pack my hospital bag in the case that I go into labor before my due date. I did it, but feel that for some reason she is going to be a typical girl and be fashionably late. The due date is the 21st, but I am thinking around the 27th or so... who knows though!

Austin Baby Shower

Last weekend we had our second baby shower which was held in Austin. The shower was absolutely beautiful and all the hostesses did such a nice job with the food and decor. Thanks to Carrie for opening her house, and to Irene, Heather, Jenny and Missy for the wonderful food and beautiful flowers. Chad missed out on this one since it was just for ladies, but somehow he didn't seem to mind! It was nice to see so many friends and family make the trip from outside Austin - thank you for spending your Saturday with me and helping us prepare for Baby Martin. We are still trying to decide on a name and welcome suggestions. Hopefully we will agree on something before she arrives!

30 Weeks and going strong

So the countdown to 40 has begun. I officially have less than 10 weeks - hopefully! - before Baby Martin arrives. It is hard to believe that in just over 2 months we will have our baby girl with us and no longer wonder what she will look like! Chad and I had our first baby shower this past weekend in Houston and we had such a great time! Thanks to the hosts - Sinead & Tom for hosting, Yvette & Scott for the fun game, Elizabeth & Todd for the tasty beverages, and Maegan and Eli for the adorable invitations - not to mention all the great food! And a special thanks to Maria for all her added help! It was so good to see everyone that was able to attend and we appreciate you helping us get ready for this big change in our lives.

3rd Trimester Already!

Things are moving along and I am definitely getting bigger. I am officially in my 3rd trimester with only about 80 days to go! See my 26 week picture for latest on the belly. Doesn't seem like it will be that long until we will welcome our first child into the word. We are doing our best to get prepared and thanks to several friends with great advise and hand-me-downs, we are in a pretty good spot. The nursery is coming along as well and just needs a few finishing touches before it is complete. I have uploaded a couple pictures to show off Chad's painting skills and my sewing abilities.

Our First Portrait

We went to the doctor for our monthly check up last week and all was well. The doctor had just gotten a brand new ultrasound machine and asked if I wouldn't mind being her guinea pig while she practiced using the machine---mind?! Not at all... We ended up getting to see some really cool stuff and she gave us a 3D ultrasound picture. "Baby Girl" is growing and developing on schedule and according to the doctors "sooo cute"! This picture doesn't scream cute to me, but I know she will be in a few more weeks!

And the sex is...

Okay, so I know we said the ultrasound was scheduled for Sept. 4, but we (really I) couldn't wait! We did the ultrasound yesterday afternoon and it is unanimous: IT'S A GIRL! These are the pictures from the ultrasound: one is of her little girl parts (hard to see, but was easier on the big monitor! - bottom left corner, with arrow pointing), one is of her beautiful smiling face, with her little hand above her head, one of her long legs and the other of her little right foot... pretty cute, huh!

Guess the sex of the baby...

So we thought it would be fun to have a little game to see how many people guess the right sex of the baby. We will find out on September 4th and will update everyone at that time. Take your guess and see if you are right!

Here are some things that may affect your vote:
1. I have had absolutely no morning sickness
2. Last week at the doctor's office, we were told the heartbeat was 160
3. My wedding ring on a string, swings in a circle and side to side when put in front of my belly
4. I crave cheese, milk and other dairy products (but always have! :-)
5. Chinese Calendar says Girl

It's Official

So, the time is finally right to share our news. We have had a tough time keeping our secret over the past few weeks, but after the doctor's appointment today, we are in the clear and safe to tell... we are pregnant! Here is a picture of our first ultrasound.