It's a GIRL!!!!

Super exciting day today!
We knew that they were going to do an ultrasound but we were not sure if they would be able to tell the gender. So when the ultrasound tech got started and immediately snapped a few shots I remember thinking "Oh she is just going to go through this super fast, there is no way we will know if it's a boy or a girl." Well, 2 seconds after that, she was showing us her legs and explaining the position the baby was in and she said so you can definitely tell it's a girl here. I was shocked. I was already teary eyed just from seeing her and then she was just saying it like saying "the sky is blue, grass is green, SHE IS A GIRL!" I thought it was going to be a girl, but to have the tech reassure me about 3 times, "Yes. It's for sure a girl." I couldn't stop squeezing Michael's hand. Every time the tech would click another view, I would squeeze. We got the entire sonogram on dvd, I guess I will have to figure out how to upload videos and maybe I can share it. In the meantime, here is her first shoot. She will probably be asked to model for Gerber next spring- haha. XOXO, Dannis

Beginning baby bump

This is my baby jelly belly at 15 weeks:)






Have Happy Weekends!
Michael, the pups and I are at my moms trying to clean up some old tree branches. It's not going too good right now...I'll take pics if we make any progress.

XO, Dannis

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Preggo!

The surprise of a positive pregnancy test.

It is still amazing to me that even after trying and having a such disappointment how amazed I was that I was pregnant. How it still amazes me that I am pregnant. Words cannot the begin to describe the flood of emotions that I felt on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 when I saw the + on the CVS generic pregnancy test. I had taken one on May 31st and it was a nice bold digital NOT PREGNANT on the screen that day. I had taken about 7 others that read the same in previous months. But, after eating a cadbury egg and a couple sleeves of Peeps bunnies I decided I WAS going to take one even though Michael was in Arizona, 3 time zones away, even though I was cramping like the mother of all periods was about to come, even though I had had spotting about 8 days ago, even though I was ready to just start taking Clomid already and figure out what was wrong with me. Astounded when the plus sign magically appeared on that plastic stick. Tears, laughter, relief, joy and guilt. I felt so guilty that Michael was not here, he didn't get to see the magic + appear. How was I going to tell him?! I can't really say all the thoughts that ran through my head for the next few hours. I cannot see how teenagers and other adults hide their pregnancy from their loved ones for months. I was exploding to tell any and every person I could.

I finally told Michael while we were talking on FaceTime and he got to see the magic + and he said I KNEW YOU WERE! He started telling his Ortho people that same night.

Here is the magic +:

We went to our new OB/GYN on Friday, April 15, 2011 and they took the most beautiful picture I had ever seen:

We talked to the Nurse Practitioner that day, Kay Medford, and they drew blood, I had to go back on Monday and they drew more, We went back about 2 weeks later on April 28, 2011, when they did another ultrasound, the heart rate was 146 and they said while everything looked pretty good, they wanted to put me on Prometrium to make sure the baby got enough support until the placenta took over.

I went back again on May 27th and they did more bloodwork and a doppler the heart rate was 176! My mom was with me for this appointment and she said "Sounds like a girl!" and Dr. Childs said, yeah it kinda does:)

I can't wait to go back on June 30th to have our next ultrasound!! We may be able to tell if its a boy or girl:)

Thanks for all the prayers and sorry to just now blog about this great news, I hope to have made it over the hurdle of the exhausting first trimester and will keep you posted!
Love, Dannis

Mobile uploads from Chicago

These first few are from the stained glass exhibit.








Funny tee shirt








Gino's east


Cloud gate




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MaY DaYs

May has been especially fun mainly because Michael and I took a super long weekend to go to Chicago!

Although we didn't run into Oprah or any of her friends we saw the sights and ate our way through the city.

The weather was pretty horrendous the first few days but we didn't let that stop us from seeing a Cubs game, shopping, eating, seeing the bean (cloud gate) and of course getting our learn on at the Courses for the American Association of Orthodontics (why we were there in the first place).

pretty tulips lined the roads

cubs v. giants game from the rooftop across the street

getting settled on the ferris wheel at pier park

view from the top

scary smile from top of ferris wheel

 Michaels is laughing at me because I am so scared

cool sculpture

 amazing stained glass exhibit at pier park this one switched from milky white when not back lit to full color when back lit!

super windy city

awesome stained glass tree trunk

 mikey's getting a little tired...

the bean. really it's called Cloud Gate

We also enjoyed some great eateries. We ate at the 95th floor of the John Hancock building, Tavern on Rush, Giordano's, Gino's East, and Sprinkles Cupcakes...again, I took pics of these but I can't find my mobile upload photos on my macbook. arg. maybe another day. 

Right now, we are at Myrtle Beach, about to shop and lay out and maybe I will get another post in before we leave:)

XO, Dannis