Sunshine, Rainbows and Bananas

We headed back to the doctor for our "12 week" appointment...even though we were only 11w4d.  We met with one of the nurse mid-wives this time.  Daniel loved her because she basically told us how it is, cursed like a sailor, and wore sweatpants (seriously).  She told me to burn "What to Expect When You're Expecting" because it would make me think things about my pregnancy that weren't true.  Interesting character, but she's good (the first baby she delivered just turned 30!).

After the Q and A session (much more on my part since I made her play that game), we got the doppler out.  We were both so curious to see if the heartbeat had changed much since the first appointment.  She bragged about how she can hear a heartbeat a mile away because she has such a trained ear.  After gooping up my belly with gel, she got started.  Nothing...

I saw on her face she was confused, and reassured us by saying "I think it's this machine, I can't find a heartbeat.  Let me go get another one"  WHATTTT?!?!?!   Ok Sara, hold it together!  Nope...bring on the tears.  No heartbeat?

Second machine....NOTHING.  Ok, officially FREAKING OUT MOMMA OVER HERE!

By that time, it was 5:30, and everyone had left the office.  I was determined not to leave until I knew there was a beating heart in my belly.  We went into the sonogram room and fired up the machine (which was also turned off since she had left for the day too).  Now the third round of goop on the belly, me laying in tears, and all the sudden...Daniel screams!  I looked up to see what he could see.  There it was...our baby, doing about a million summer-salts and flips.  Pretty sure the heart is fine. :) haha  Everytime I would bend up to see, the baby would go out of view.

GREAT, so we have a stubborn and crazy baby....are we surprised?  That's what we have to look forward to! :) haha

The Gilbert grandparents to be were in town for a long weekend, and coincidentally...so were the Cincinnati REDS!  They brought us our Easter gifts, and I received a Reds bib for baby G.  It was adorable.  But what would make it sweeter?  Only a signature from my favorite player of course.  And that's just what my husband got at the game we all went to!  I love that man (my husband of course...but Brandon Phillips is a close second! ;))

Since I had been shaking in my leggings to tell my family the big news, I had to find the perfect opportunity to go home.  For those that don't know...it's a nice ten hour drive.  Welcome opportunity....my nephew's first birthday party!!  The only challenge was waiting over a month without spilling the beans.  I mean seriously...I chat with my mom and sisters almost daily!  We both knew we had to reveal the news to both families in person to see their reaction and get hugs.  So like good parents-to-be, we waited patiently and did everything in our power not to slip in the meantime.

Then before we knew it, the weekend to leave was here.  We found a cheap last minute flight which worked out perfectly because it was flying into Cincinnati (hubby's home town).  So...first stop, the in-laws house.  And there were SURPRISED to see us!!  We pulled into their neighborhood and caught them walking the dogs.  I wouldn't let Daniel stop the car though because I was about to have an accident in our little rental!!  We drove back to their house so I could relieve the pressure on my bladder, and set up the reveal.

We framed a picture of our ultra-sound and wrapped it up.  We told them it was our congratulations on becomming grandparents, since Daniel's twin brother had told them he and his wife were expecting (two weeks before us actually!!) just a few weeks prior. 

Check out their reaction!

Next up was my family.  We drove three hours north to my house, where my family was expecting us to come bearing gifts for our newphew's first birthday (which reassured, we hadn't forgotten in our suitcase!).  For whatever reason, the video-camera did not record their reaction.  I was in tears when I got home to upload it and have tried everything to retrieve it from the disk.  Stay tuned on this...fingers are crossed.  My mom reassured me that it would probably break the speakers on some computers because of the screaming and bouncing involved! :)  She always knows just what to say.

We made my nephew a t-shirt, and wrapped up a picture of our ultra sound.  After dinner with the family we told my sister we wanted to give Waylon (my nephew) a gift early before the chaos that would surely be his party the next day.  So my mom and I put on the t-shirt we made....then I watched as my mom took another look at what it said.  "What's kickin'"????  Her face said it all.  She was confused.  I turned him around and asked my sisters...."Do you want to know what's kicking?"  Then the screaming commenced!!  Hugs all around, and luckily my nephew didn't get stomped on in the process.

Here is a picture I had my mom send since the video didn't come out:



Overall...the weekend was a success.  We enjoyed the birthday party, and managed to only tell our parents, siblings, and my grandparents (well, actually one of my grandma's figured it out after watching me for a bit, then patted my stomach and asked me how long I was planning to hide my little secret!!).

Here is a picture my mom took of my sisters pointing at my secret.  I plan on making this my facebook profile picture to announce it to our friends that won't get the postcard we are sending.