Kinsley's Nursery!

Wow, we got so much done this weekend! I feel like we are so on-the-ball! But with the holiday's approaching and not knowing exactly when Phil might have his knee surgery, I would rather be ahead than behind on this one! Last Sunday, Philip and I picked out Kinsley's baby bedding pattern, and we were blessed to receive Pottery Barn Kids crib and changing table from our friends, The Scully's. With baby pillow in hand, we went to Home Depot on Wednesday evening to get our paint for the nursery, and here it is, Sunday night, and we are well on our way to completing a perfect bedroom for our baby girl! Everything...the colors, the furniture...is falling into place. BUT, we could not have gotten this done without help from our dads: my dad helped Philip paint on Friday and Philip's dad helped him assemble the crib on Saturday. I was able to add the bedding and some small touches in the room today, including painted letters with her name above the crib. I am unbelievably happy with the outcome so far! Is it normal to just sit in your future baby's room and just like that - it becomes the most pieceful, quiet, comforting, and favorite room in your house? Philip and I are loving every memorable step of this journey, and this weekend was a big turning point in making everything about this pregnancy sink in a little more!

Halfway There...20 Weeks!

Well, we hit the 20 week mark on Thursday, Thanksgiving. I celebrated by eating lots of delicious T-day food! :) It's amazing that we are already halfway through this journey, and so looking forward to what's to come. Kinsley is moving around a lot more these days, and I hope that we are only a short time away from Philip being able to feel her kicking and punching as much as I do. We are constantly talking to her like she is already in the room. I have also discovered how much fun it is to sing to her. She tends to move around more when there is music in the air, so it is not uncommon to catch me singing Christmas music to her in the car!

My belly is also definitely starting to show more, especially at night. This picture is of me holding up one of the pieces of her crib...wow, what a difference a few weeks makes, huh? I swear that the old saying is true..."the camera adds 10 lbs"...and 10 inches to my waistline, for that matter. It doesn't help that I had just eaten another huge Thanksgiving-leftovers dinner and was wearing a tight shirt...but the camera doesn't lie - Kinsley and I are definitely growing!

We've decided on a name (and the spelling)!

We have officially decided that our little girl will be named: Kinsley Elizabeth. We went back and forth about changing the "ley" to "leigh," but have decided on the more traditional spelling (for a not-so-traditional name) of "ley." K-i-n-s-l-e-y. We love it...and love calling her by name these days! We can't wait to meet our sweet girl on April 15th. :)

Kinsley's First Photos at 19 Weeks!

We're having a GIRL!!!

Look out world! Baby-GIRL Stanford is on the way!!! What a perfect day. A great doctor's appt! Not only did we find out that we are having a baby girl, but she is healthy and growing at a great pace so far! At 10" and 10 oz, we got to see her profile, her fingers, her toes, her feet, her heart...everything...and wow is she an active little thing! Moving all around in there the entire time they were trying to measure everything! Now I know what all those little flutters are...those arms and legs never stopped moving!

I will post her ultrasound photos later once we get them on email (the hard copies of them are amazing and hanging on our fridge...all 11 of them), but for now, here are some great photos of Philip and I at the OB office after the ultrasound, and some more from our "Reveal The Gender Dinner" with our family tonight! Everyone got gift bags (neutral colors of course, as not to give anything away) with a photo of one of her profile photos in a "It's a girl" frame! Right now, we are thinking Kinsley (or

Kinsleigh) Elizabeth for the name..we'll see!

18 Weeks!

He's my belly shot (a few days late) from our 18 week mark a few days ago! Getting bigger! And please disregard my horrible choice of incredibly baggy sweatpants...they certainly are not the most attractive things in the world, for sure, but I wasn't thinking about that when I took this shot...I was just thinking about how comfy and oh-so-inviting they looked when I got home from wearing a dress, pantyhose, and heels all day at work. :) Kind of a "milestone" today...someone at work who I do not know (and who definitely did not know I was pregnant beforehand) actually asked me when I was due?! I was a little shocked...guess I am officially looking preggers now and showing a bit more than I thought!

So, BIG week this week! We find out the gender this Wednesday!!! We have our 19 week ultrasound appt where we not only finally find out the gender of our little jelly bean, but we are also prayerful that we get a good report on the baby's health and growth progression so far.

Will our next blog post be in PINK or BLUE!?!?!?

In the 18th week...here's what is happening!

Your Baby
Your baby's ears are now facing forward and are completely formed so she can actually hear you talking now. You don't need to abandon your potty mouth just yet, but you might want to start thinking about it! Other highlights this week:
This week is also the beginning of ossification. And while that sounds like some long and involved paperwork you'll have to fill out, it's really a fancy medical term for the hardening of your baby's miniature bones. And that's a good thing.
Your baby's nerves are making more and more complex connections. Her sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing are all developing. A substance called myelin, which makes nerve connections travel faster, is now coating your baby's nerves.
Your baby now weighs between 5 and 7 ounces and is about 5½ inches long—about the size of a pickle from the corner deli. (You're familiar with pickles, right? Your regular accompaniment to a big bowl of ice cream?)

17 Weeks!

We are 17 weeks as of this past Friday - here's a look at my growing baby bump! As of today, we only have a week and a half left to go until we find our the gender of our little one! We got LOTS done this weekend around the house - ahem, my sweet husband, dad, and some other helpers did, that is! People always told us to get the little jobs around the house completed BEFORE the baby arrives or they'll never get done, so that's what we did...2 new toilets, new garbage disposal, new ice maker, trees chopped down, backyard hedges pulled up, tons of dirt added to the side yard of our house (no more flooded basements we hope)...you know, the glamorous stuff! But Philip got a bunch crossed off our our "honey-do" list!

I also had to add this picture of Hunter to the blog...I came downstairs to find him sleeping on not 1, but 2 of his dog beds and curled up around his favorite red pillow. It was TOO cute not to grab a photo! He is the best pup...I love every ounce of him. I can only imagine how strong our love for our new baby is going to be, when we love this "baby" so much!

In the 17th Week...here's what's happening!

Your Baby
Speaking of packing on the pounds, that what it's all about for baby this week. He's adding fat stores that will keep him warm and cozy after he's born. Your baby's weight will increase approximately six times over the next four weeks. Good to know you're not the only one tipping the scale. Also this week:Your baby is hard at work honing his sucking and swallowing reflexes—all the better for eating that 2 AM (and 5 AM, and 8 AM ...) meal in a few months! The finger- and toenails are beginning to grow from their nail beds, which would explain why he'll need them trimmed almost as soon as he's born! Your baby weighs nearly 5 ounces and is a little over 5 inches long—about the size of a baked potato (load on the butter and sour cream, please).

16 week belly shot!