Lillies

Little one,
Today we went to the butterfly house at our favorite museum. The minute Mama walked in the door, she could smell something so beautiful; it literally made me close my eyes and sigh with delight.
I asked our friend if she could smell that wonderful smell and she just laughed. She couldn't smell anything!
I followed my nose around the path, seeking out this amazing smell and just around the bend was a beautiful tree I've seen many times before but never in bloom. The lillies hung nearly a foot long each from the upper branches of the tree, a light orange color like orange creamsicle! And the smell was so amazing! I sat on a bench and just breathed in and out for 5 minutes.
My friend came by and still could not smell the lillies, not unless she put her nose right in to the flower. She laughed again and said you were giving me a super sense of smell.
I remember smelling everything when I was pregnant with your brother Christian too. But this was so wonderful. All I could smell was lillies, lillies everywhere! :) THANK YOU!
Mama will be buying lots of Easter lillies this year to fill the house with something as close to this smell as I can get. You must love flowers as much as your Mama so we will enjoy them together!!

Hearts a Flutter

A first flutter!!!! As if the excitement of telling the boys about their Valentine surprise wasn’t the best Valentine gift ever, my little one decided to make his/her presence known very clearly while Mama and Papa were having a beautiful Valentines dinner at church. During the quiet dinner, Mama shifted in her seat and all of a sudden felt a flutter!! I thought at first it was a gas bubble but it happened a second time only moments later and it was most certainly the most beautiful baby flutter. I don’t remember much more from that dinner because your Mama was aglow with love sitting there knowing there is a little beautiful person growing inside me. I love you, my little Valentine!

The best surprise of all.....

Amidst all of the love and support we received from family and friends after sharing your announcement; Mama and Papa capped off an amazing Valentines day by sharing the news of your pending arrival with your big brothers. It was THE most precious moment little baby and we will cherish the excitement and wonder in their eyes forever!
During dinner, Papa told Benjamin and Christian that we had a surprise for them for Valentines day. Benjamin went through a very long list of guesses of what that surprise might be....all toys he had been dreaming about :).
After dinner, the big brothers raced to the couch and sat there with their eyes covered waiting anxiously. Little did they know we weren't going to hand them a toy :)
Mama brought them a special Valentines card we had made with two pictures of you inside.

I read the front of the card and then opened it. The first thing Benjamin saw was your photos.

He furrowed his brow, pointed, and asked, "Did you get us an oviraptor?" (You will quickly discover how much your big brother Benjamin loves dinosaurs and how very much he knows about them :). Apparently your photos reminded him of oviraptor bones :)).
Mama read him the rest of the card and then watched as the news sunk in. Benjamin jumped off the couch, came around to Mama, placed his hand on Mama's leg and with big brown eyes, asked "You have a baby?" "You have a baby inside you?"
When Mama nodded her head and said yes, Benjamin's eyes opened wide and with a squeal he jumped and wrapped his arms around Mama's head. PURE JOY!!!
Your big brother Christian may not have fully understood what we were talking about right away, but shortly after watching Benjamin's joy and excitement over Mama's belly, the news seemed to make sense to Christian. He jumped up and down on the couch and proudly announced that he was going to name his baby "Farm Animal." (The very next morning, when Mama went to get Christian from his crib, he pointed at Mama's belly and announced, "I want a goat!")
We will cherish the video we have from these precious moments of your first official welcome to the family!!! It was the very best moment for your Mama and Papa! Your brothers bring us so much joy and we can't wait to have you see how much they already love you!

That evening, as Mama was reading Benjamin stories before bed, he was gently rubbing my belly and clearly thinking about things other than the story. He finally asked me how you were going to eat? What you liked to eat (your big brother is a very big fan of food :)) and what you wanted for breakfast tomorrow. His little heart is bursting so much with love for you right now that he can't contain it!
We are just so excited my little one. We love you so much!

Welcome to the family!! :)

A Valentine's Day Surprise

It's official to the world! :) We have a little sweetheart on the way! What a wonderful way to celebrate our Valentines this year...filling the world with a whole lot of love! :)

We shared the news of your beautiful life with all of our family and friends with a VERY special Valentines card :)

Mama has saved all of the notes we have received; your family and friends thought it was the cutest announcement they have ever seen :).

Watching you Dance! 12 WEEKS!!

Oh how beautiful you are!!!
From just a small fluttering heart on the screen not that long ago to the most beautiful little person; arms and legs moving all around. A beautiful spine, a face I just can't wait to kiss. You have no idea how much I long to hold you when I see you there growing so strong!

I loved how you crossed your legs so perfectly just as both of your brothers did when they were in there "hanging out". And you showed us all five of your fingers as if to wave and tell us to let you sleep :). And I loved that stubbornness, not wanting the camera to bother you, turning and flipping every time they pressed down with the ultrasound and needed to get your profile. Your little nose bone looks perfect sweet one.  I am praying that you will continue to grow strong and healthy!!

I could stare at your pictures all day :)

 

So what's been staying down??

The whole month of January, food was pretty much the enemy. All I could even think about, if it was a good day, was pasta, or French fries, or on occasion, a hamburger (nice selection, right?!). But suddenly, in late January, despite how horribly ill Mama has been, the life-saving food of choice, what you gladly take down and never send back up :) any time of day or night, is cottage cheese with strawberries…yum! And salads galore. Mama eats a plate of cut up avocado and sliced tomato every day and you love it! I still think about French fries :) (those have always been Mama’s favorite!!) eat lots of mashed potatoes, cereal is safe, and lemon chicken has been on my mind a lot :). I think this means Mama is slowly getting a little better each day. Either way, Mama doesn’t mind as long as you are strong and healthy! Now….I’m off to eat some more avocado; I wish they would ripen faster! :)

Growing so Strong

Mama and Papa got to see you on camera today little one and oh how you have grown since that first photo!!

Beautiful long legs, hands and fingers, big ol' cheeks, such a beautiful face, gorgeous heart, and even that spot of fluid in your stomach showing us everything is looking wonderful! There you were, bouncing and spinning around, crossing your legs, beating your little heart, and waving at us with all of those beautiful little fingers!! How amazing you are!

Mama could not stop smiling and crying. And your Papa was in awe of every part of you.

You are just the most amazing little thing and I love you so much my heart hurts. Keep growing stronger and stronger, bigger and bigger!!