I wanna go to....

HAWAII!! And we ARE! After seeing how cheap the flights were ($235 roundtrip) I sold my parents on the fabulous idea of going to Hawaii! Yes I realize we just took a trip to the Bahamas not long ago...but this trip is costing a THIRD of that trip. It's a slammin deal I managed to score for the whole family and we are calling it Ashlee's graduation, my early birthday, Desi's late birthday, my parent's early anniversary, mine and Ben's late anniversary...and anything else we can think of to justify it! :) So be jealous because tomorrow and for the following five days we will be enjoying this...

Can't wait to post our fun pictures! See you all in a week! :)

Baby pictures--the first of many!

Ben and I got to have our first ultrasound on Monday! It was the neatest thing I think I've EVER experienced.  I've had so many friends have babies, and I've seen movies where they do ultrasounds, but I NEVER fully comprehended it until it was for my own baby! My cousin had me all scared they were going to do the "not fun" kind of ultrasound (you women know what I mean) but it was a normal one! I didn't have Ben bring the camera thinking it'd be the gross kind, and I was SO sad I didn't when I realized it wasn't! It was SO AMAZING! I have been nervous all along thinking what if something is wrong, what if there's really not a baby in there...etc...but there WAS! 

Here's the baby's heartbeat! A strong 180 beats per minute! 

I was SO excited we got to hear it as well as see it! I was BLOWN AWAY that such a tiny human can have such a strong heartbeat. 

Here's the head to rump measurements.  Such a cute little peanut isn't it?

The baby moved it's little arm almost as if it were waving to us! We got to see the start of its little hand and then it turned it's back to us! Ha ha...as if to say "Hey, thanks for visiting, but I'm going to sleep now. Thanks for stopping by!" It was awesome.

I felt like such a smiling fool the whole time and walking out of the doctor's office my face hurt from smiling!  I honestly can't believe there's really a person in my tummy, growing, moving and who knows what else! I don't know how anyone can doubt those babies are already alive in the womb- even this early! I'm amazed that this tiny little thing will become my baby in 7 short months! I can't wait to get more pictures of him/her in the future! I'm SO excited to be pregnant and again can't say how grateful I am for the chance to be a mommy soon!

Thanks everyone for your well wishes! :)

Happy Mothers Day to....

ME! That's right! I am the newest member of the soon to be mommy club! :) I had every intention of waiting until a bit later to spill the beans, but it's been hard enough as it IS to keep a secret! I'm actually surprised I lasted this long! So without further ado...the stats:

*Baby Tyrrel is due December 12, 2009. Just in time for Christmas!
*I am nine weeks pregnant as of yesterday.
*I get my first ultrasound TOMORROW! YAY!
*I haven't been sick to the point of throwing up which is GREAT, but I feel pretty icky most of the time.
*I already LOVE this baby. He/She is the size of a grape right now and I gotta be honest, I just can't look at grapes the same anymore. It was the same with lima beans and blueberries.. the week it looked like a blueberry I craved them. Weird.
*Speaking of cravings I don't have any that are amazing. The only thing that comes close is Mexican food. I love cheesy beefy stuff... but for the most part I actually really don't like food at all sometimes. At first I loved onions and hamburgers...not so much anymore. YUCK.
*Ben is SO excited and I catch him reading my pregnancy books quite often. He's prepared for all the weird parts of this pregnancy.
*The baby's due date falls the day after Ben's LAST final in school! Couldn't have planned it better if we'd tried!
*This is why Hawaii wasn't really more than a fleeting thought for our future...

For fun I thought I'd post how we told our parents and siblings about the great news! This is the first grandchild on my side, and a close second on Ben's side! My sister in law's baby and mine will only be 5 months apart! Yay!

I was obviously the FIRST to find out about our little grape. We have been trying for nine months so it was a day like any other. Take the test and go on with life hopeful for next month. Only THIS time...as I was washing my hands I looked over and noticed a very faint line. I got as close to it as possible and my heart started to pound. In my head I was saying "Oh my...oh my..."

Ben was at my parent's old house painting, and my mom was in her room. I didn't know what to do! I didn't even know if it was real! So I hid the test in my nightstand and came to look at it off and on all day. It was for SURE a pink line. This was April 3rd...and I thought I'd have the strength to wait till our anniversary on the 12th. YEAH RIGHT. I was giddy all day but didn't tell Ben yet. I told him I had a special early anniversary present for him, and he said "What, are you going to tell me your pregnant?" In my most convincing voice and with my most convincing lie face I said..."Yeah right...I WISH!" Ha ha...

I gave Ben a gift bag with sparkling cider, cheddar fries (couldn't pass them up, they were my fave in 5th grade) some SUGAR BABIES,and a small box with the pregnancy test! We were SO excited!

It was the hardest thing for me to keep it secret from my fam. I do LIVE with them for crying out loud. So as hard as I tried to wait till my mom's birthday on the 14th, I cracked on the 6th or 7th and gave my mom an early birthday present!

We gave the same frame to Ben's mom, and at first she thought it was for Miranda's baby...then caught on that it was for OUR baby! :)

Anyway...my mom didn't believe us at first, but once she was convinced she hugged me and said "I'm going to be a grandma! I'm going to be so out of control with my spending!" To which I replied.."That's what we're counting on! ha ha". My dad was also excited, but his excitement showed up over the following days with little comments like "Hey prego...are you sick yet...bye preggers...don't you dare move my grandbaby far away...and my favorite...IT'S A BOY." He's determined that this little grape is a boy. And he DOES deserve it with four daughters! I'll do what I can dad!

Next we told my sisters...I wanted to wait til Easter. Of course THAT didn't happen. So a few days beforehand I did a little Easter Egg hunt for them...which ended like this:

"Ewe R Going 2 Bee Ants!"

I was pretty proud of our creativity...

We told Ben's dad that we got him a birthday present (the baby is due on his birthday!)...but that it wouldn't be ready for 8 months. He guessed a basketball...and after a few more guessed figured it out! We told Miranda that we got her baby a Christmas present...a new cousin!

It has been so fun telling our families about our exciting news! Thanks to those of you who found out by accident- or in one of my weak moments- and kept it a secret! :)

Ben and I are SOOO excited to be parents and can't wait for all the fun stages of this pregnancy! Ben's been a real trooper already, putting up with my mood swings, sickness and sleepiness. He tickles my back a lot and does most of the work around here that I sometimes just DON'T feel like doing!

My family has been great too, being patient with me and my inablity to contribute sometimes. They're all really excited to be aunts and grandparents!

As for me I'm just happy the Lord saw fit to bless me with the gift of motherhood. I had fears that it may never happen for me, just silly superstitions I suppose. But I AM grateful for the blessing it is to be an almost mommy!

And of course Happy Mother's Day to my own mom who I love SO much! She is so beautiful, smart, funny and wonderful. I dream of being the kind of mother she has always been! I love you mom!!!

And Happy Mother's Day to everyone else! :-)