Boy or girl?

Just 3 days left until we find out if Junior is a boy or girl! Well, as long as baby cooperates and uncrosses its legs. Don't worry - I'm drinking my sugary juice and getting some donuts to do my part!

So, what is your guess? Boy or girl? Don't you want to be able to say "I told you so" ?

Growing baby

Here's some photos from Junior's latest photo session this morning!

Baby Connell at 13 1/2 weeks. His/her head is on the left and you can make out the nose and mouth really well here. Plus, its little hand is up towards the face. Shy one!

Close-up of Junior's profile. His/her hand is going towards its mouth.

Our little one was squirming away like crazy at first (guess it liked what we had for breakfast this morning). And then after the ultrasound tech finished its measurements and was going to look for any boy parts (or lack of), Junior fell asleep sitting on its feet with his/her legs crossed! Almost cause for its first spanking! But we are going back for just a quick look next Monday and as long as Junior cooperates, we might know if we are having a Dash Jr. or Shae Jr.! That makes my week!

Family Camp Fun

Dash and I spent time last weekend in New Braunfels for T Bar M's Family Camp 2008. However, this year we went to date night instead of being on camp watching campers - a nice switch! We had a good time with all of Dash's family.

Tommy and Ruth were great to let us stay with them for the rest of the weekend too. We caught up, shared pregnancy stories, played Rock Band, and we even got some great hand-me downs for Junior. Such a blessing! One of our favorite parts was watching Betsy, our niece, Saturday night. She loves her Uncle Dash and fell asleep in his arms. It was a great warm-up for Junior and we left with confidence that we can handle a baby (soon!).

I also celebrated my 26th birthday last week with a great dinner with Dash and my family. I got some perfect presents, including a Snoogle, Target gift cards to spoil Junior, and a great new digital camera, but one present brought tears to my eyes. When Dash and I had gone to Galveston back in July, I had spotted something I really wanted for our nursery. But it was very pricey so I decided I was going to try and make it myself. Dash must have made a mental note because my family surprised me with our nursery's first decoration - and something we will treasure for years to come! The large photo box (about 2ft x 2ft) is made by Sugarboo Designs and has a prayer for our child. You can see samples on the Sugarboo website of similar designs.

12 week bump

My little sister, Sterling, took some photos for Junior's scrapbook of his/her mama at 12 weeks pregnant. I thought I would share one with some of you who we have not seen in awhile. You would think it was twins with how big my belly is! I have a friend at work who is due a month before me and is just now feeling her pants get tight. I have been in maternity clothes since week 7! I know I have always been thin but watching your belly expand this quickly is quite a shocker.

Telling the parents

What fun to be able to break the news to our parents, some were caught off guard more than others! To our surprise, both sets caught on to our new t-shirt rather quickly.

Shae's mom reenacting her surprise face (and her dad's arm - sorry Dad!)

Dash after telling his parents he was going to be a proud dad soon

Frequently Asked Questions

When are you due?
Shae is almost 3 months pregnant so our baby's estimated due date is February 21, 2009.
Will you find out if its a boy or girl?
Of course! We are too much of planners to not find out. We should be able to find out towards the end of September.
Do you want a boy or girl?
Either would be great since this is our first, but Dash does need a boy sometime, more than Shae needs a daughter. A random lady told Shae that she was having a girl because her belly is shaped like a football. Hmm, what do you say to that?
Has Shae been sick?
Not too bad surprisingly since her mom was horribly sick with Shae and her two sisters. Maybe that means it's a boy ;) Just some nausea, headaches and being really tired!
Will Junior play tennis?
Yes, because he/she will be naturally a champion. Seriously though, it is up to Junior, but as Dash says, he/she will go pro in one sport, and tennis is just one option.
Is this the first grandbaby?
Yes and no. It is the first for Shae's side and the sixth for Dash's family.
Where will your baby be born?
Our doctor delivers at Cy-Fair Hospital, about 20 minutes from our house. The maternity care at Cy-Fair is rated in the top 10% in the nation and has received a 5-star rating for the past 5 years so we feel we are in great hands.

And for a good laugh, here are the top 12 rudest questions to ask expecting parents (note: excuse the profanity!).

Our home is growing by two feet

Two little tiny feet. We are anxiously expecting our first baby this coming February and are filled with many emotions. We cannot wait to meet Junior in a few short months and look forward to sharing him/her with you all too! We'll keep you updated with Junior's news, so check back frequently.