Picture of the Week *32 Weeks*

For the picture of the week I thought I should do a Bump Update aka Bumpdate!

Well, here she is...  Not me, Beanette (she's not able to be in a picture without me, so you get me by default).  Then Lexi heard that we were taking a picture of the cutest little girl in the house and she jumped in too.   

Beanette is growing and growing (aka I am growing and growing, eek) and getting closer to her big arrival day. 


32 Weeks!

Up Close 32 Weeks, whoa! 
Apparently the camera does add 10(ish) lbs    :)

I've been getting all kinds of questions from friends and family so I thought I'd do my best to answer them all in one post.  Here goes...

The Good: Mostly everything!  I have really loved being pregnant.  It's been pretty cool to feel her move around and know that there is a little girl in my belly.  She kicks the most in the morning and late afternoon.  I think I even felt her hiccup the other day.  So cute!

The Bad:  Other than a few regular trips to the chiropractor for some back pains, I've been feeling really good still.  Let's hope it continues.

The Ugly:  My sausage feet.  They don't hurt but they some nights they get quite puffy.  Gotta love Denny for being an amazing hubby and making me foot baths with Epsom Salt.  :)

Heaven!

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The Name:  Still a secret (mainly because we still have not decided on it).  You can keep asking us, but we won't say a word until she's here.

The Heat:  Still not bothering me, but I get asked all the time if it does.  Luckily, I'm fine with it.

The Prep:  Maybe I'm biased but her room is looking SO cute!!!  Some days I sit in there and get teary imagining the first time we get to bring her in there and all the nights we will read her books and rock her to sleep.  Just a few more projects to go and I think her room will be totally Beanette ready.  I'll post lots of photos once it is complete.

The Waiting:  We've had a lot of people ask us if we are ready to meet her.  Honestly, I don't mind being pregnant and we are enjoying these last few months with the two of us.  We would love to meet her if she surprises us in September.  If not, we are fine waiting for a little October baby.

Nesting:  Yes, Yes and Yes!  I'm getting a little nuts with the organizing, but I guess it's all part of the fun.

Cravings:  I haven't had too many crazy cravings during the pregnancy, but I definitely won't turn down a Popsicle or ice cream.  I also have been loving those neon gummy worms.  Perhaps Beanette will glow when she arrives?

Yum! 

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So stay tuned and we'll keep you all posted during the next few weeks as the countdown continues to parenthood!   



Baby McGee Shower ~Pictures of the Week~

Last Sunday Denny and I attended the most AMAZING shower for our little girl!! 

Our Moms, Melissa and Sara worked really hard to make it perfect, and it was!  

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It's hard to find the words to begin thanking everyone that made it so special.  Beanette is one lucky little girl!

The decorations were gorgeous, and the room was beautiful!  Sara and Melissa even had a Price is Right game complete with music and props.  So cute!

Here are some of the pictures show exactly how cute everything was!  It went so fast that I didn't get to take any pictures but luckily a lot of our friends and family shared pictures.  Thanks to those who sent these our way. 



Adorable invite (with Beanette's picture on it).  Everyone brought a book to help grow our little girl's library!

The shower was held in a room called the Mama Q room at Caffe Capri, so perfect!

Super cute banner 
~Welcome Little Lady!~



A~M~A~Z~I~N~G Desserts!!   The dark ones were Peanut Butter Cup.  Beanette loved them!

Dad with the adorable drawing her did for Beanette's room.  It was such a great surprise!

  ~~~  Some of our Wonderful guests!!  ~~~

            

Sara & Kelly, the best Aunties ever!

Jenn and Fynan even made it to the shower from Germany!!

  ~~~  The Proud Grandmas!  ~~~

Aunt Kathy, BJ and Soon-to-be Grandma McGee

Melissa, me and Nana-to-be

~~  We were so lucky to get so many wonderful gifts for Beanette, and Denny helped me to open everything.  He is very excited for his little girl.  ~~ 

Proud Dad!

  ~~~  Some After Pictures   ~~~

Just a few snapshots of Beanette's room with some of her wonderful gifts!  More pics to come as we finish her nursery.

Poor girl has nothing to wear!

 She has so many cozy places to nap, lots of blankets for snuggling, and tons of stuffed animals!   Can't wait to read her all these books too!

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We can't thank all of our friends and family from Ohio and Pa enough for all you did to make us feel so loved!!  We can't wait to make the trip to visit everyone once she arrives!!

A Day in the Life of Beanette

Despite having never met my daughter, I've become very familiar with her daily schedule.  I'll have to confirm this with her when she arrives but here are my thoughts on her daily activities

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5:30 AM 
Beanette wake up call because her big sister Lexi is dancing on my head for her morning Fancy Feast buffet.  Beanette can't wait to meet her sister, kicks me in excitement and sends me to the bathroom.

6:00 AM
I'm pretty sure she is back to bed by this time, she apparently takes after us and likes to sleep late. 

8:30 AM
Wide awake and ready for another Bring your Daughter to Work Day.  She grows brain cells (250 per minute) while I try to make my way through morning e-mails.  I'm not sure where she gets her ambition.

11:00 AM
Beanette kick boxing lessons.  It appears that she is going to have a really strong core by the time she is born.  I make trips #11-25 to the ladies room.

1:00 PM
More napping.   She seems to do this during much of the afternoon gearing up for a fun evening of activities

7:00 PM
Beanette playtime!!  I'm quite certain that this is how my bladder looks to her:

I can't blame her for being excited.  I would want to bounce too!

10:00 PM

She's been jumping and kicking for a few hours now and finally seems to be tuckered out! 

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Sweet Dreams Beanette, can't wait until we really get to tuck you in bed!

Jingle All the Way to the Weekend!

It's Friday, the weather is beautiful and Pandora is playing... Christmas music, hmm?!?

Normally this annoys me like no other.  C'mon Pandora!  If you are brilliant enough to figure out my favorite songs how do you not know it is currently summertime?  

Today seems different though.  Today Christmas songs are actually putting me in an extra good mood.  I'm not ready for Santa to visit, and I'm definitely not ready to get out the winter clothes.  (Heck, my summer clothes barely fit!  Imagine me trying to squeeze into turtleneck sweaters right now... Hello Jaws of Life!)

But today Christmas music makes me really excited for what our holidays will entail this year!!  A cute little girl all dressed up in adorable red and green dresses with matching tights (thanks Auntie Melissa for her outfit)... a new stocking on the mantle... lots of toys under the tree.  Beanette probably won't know or care much about the holidays but it is still really fun to think about all the new meaning the holidays will have with a cute baby girl in our lives. 

This will be the ninth Christmas Denny and I will spend together and I'm pretty sure it will be one of the best yet.  Now if only we could figure out her name so Santa can be sure to add her to the Nice List!

Happy Friday to all,

and to all a good weekend!!



Picture of the Week ~Cravings~

 ~~  Happy Weekend everyone!  ~~

I hope you are enjoying these lazy days of summer.

For the picture of the week I thought I would focus on the one thing I'd been craving for the past few weeks...

Y-U-M!!

I can't get enough of Popsicles lately (in particular the orange, lime and grape ones).  They are cold, flavorful and delicious.  I've always loved ice cream so maybe Beanette has inherited my love of cold treats during the summer. 

If this makes you hungry, feel free to stop on over.  I bought the 100 popsicle value pack lately and I'm glad to share, especially if you like cherry or blue raspberry. 

Have a great Sunday and enjoy this gorgeous weather!

Declaration of Bean-Dependence / Constitution of Overprotective Parents-to-be

Happy Birthday America! 

We hope you had a great day, got tons of Happy Bday posts on your Facebook timeline, 

and finished the day feeling full of cake and ice cream! 

In the McGee house we celebrated in a low-key manner.  We slept in, Denny golfed and I spent a little time at the neighbor's pool (nothing shows patriotism quite like watching your pasty skin go from white to red -- if only I had a blue tattoo and I'd be all set!).

Then we ventured down to the Lancaster Festival for some incredibly healthy dinner options.  An elephant ear is a pregnancy super food right? 

But as we enjoyed a great night, we couldn't help but notice the clothing, or lack thereof, that some of the young girls at the festival were wearing.  Turns out that finding out the cost of daycare is NOT the scariest thing for soon-to-be parents...  the scariest thing for a parents-to-be of a daughter is to see tweens showing more skin than Madonna in the 80's.  Yikes, get out the shotgun!! 

So rather than focus much more on fireworks and picnics, I'm switching gears with this post and paying homage to our forefather's Declaration of Independence with a twist...  the Declaration of Bean-dependence.  Yes, this is for you Beanette.  We are sure you will be a great kid and you will always exhibit excellent taste when it comes to choosing your clothes.  But if you get the temptation to buy too-short shorts or wear a shirt that is less than wholesome, you can refer to this friendly declaration, and then recall that if you don't follow these simple rules, we will revoke any future Independence. 

So without further adieu:

The Declaration of Bean-dependence

Preamble
Dear Bean, Your father and I hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all fashion is created equal, that clothes are endowed to you by their Creator (aka your parents) with certain alienable Rights, that among these requirements are full coverage of your back, mid-section and the pursuit of coverage of your legs (all the way to your ankles). 

Indictment
The history of some of the girls in our current culture is a history of repeated fashion offenses and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny and complete fear of your father and me. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world (all of which you will not be permitted to wear)

• Shorts in which exhibit butt cheekage
• Shorts in which the pockets hang out more than 6 inches from the bottom of the shorts
• Shirts that resemble cobwebs in the back
• Shirts that have slits, holes, or slots
• Shirts that are see-through
• Shirts or shorts that cause boys to look at you in any way before you turn 32

Conclusion
We, therefore, the Representatives of you, the Beanette (our sweet baby girl), do, in the Name, and by Authority of the our attempt at being good parents, solemnly publish and declare that we hope you always make good judgements.

We love you so much already, and although you may roll your eyes at us and consider us overprotective, crazy and ridiculous we hope you know it is for good reason. 


Signatures
Denny McGee
Erin McGee
Seymour Turtlenecks
Abraham Fullyclothed
Ben Dover NeverInASkirt

The Name Game

Bean Bean Bo Bean

Banana Fana Fo Fean

Me Mi Mo Mean

Bean!

We've had a lot of people asking us Beanette's real name, and the truth is we really don't yet know it.  We've narrowed it down to about 10 or 15 names but we can't seem to commit to just one name.  It's a pretty big decision and we don't want her to ever think What were my Parents thinking when they named me so we just keep sleeping on it and eventually we'll decide. 

Don't worry we promise that we won't allow her to grow up and have panic attacks when she walks into a company meeting because she needs to fill out a nametag but does not yet have a name. 

But as much as I'd love to have her embroidered Pottery Barn chair ready and waiting when she arrives home from the hospital, we are going to wait to confirm her name 100% until we meet her and hold her just to be certain that her name fits her. 

So for anyone trying to get the big secret out of us, stay tuned!  You'll just have to be patient for a few more months... but we are pretty sure our cute little Beanette (and her name) will be worth every second of waiting. 

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Our June Bug

  ~~  June 23, 2012  ~~

A date that we will always remember.  A day that we thought we be a lot different.
Today is June 23, 2012 and we are here.  I was wondering how it would feel to get to this day but it's not too bad. 

Eight months ago today we found out we were going to be parents!!  We were having a baby!!  Exciting and crazy and overwhelming.  It was finally our turn!  We felt we were patient and we did it right... got our degrees, got married, bought a house,  got more degrees, had good jobs.  It was finally time to make our family a family of three!  It was October 23, 2011 and within minutes I looked at the calendar and figured out June 23, 2012 would be the day we might welcome our baby.  A sweet little June Bug!  Even if if he or she didn't arrive on that day, we knew the day would symbolize a pretty big milestone. 

We bought baby clothes, made our lists of names, told our families and pinched ourselves.  It's amazing how many dreams can play out in your mind over the course of a few weeks.  And it was all becoming real.  We could not wait to decorate the room, meet our little one and spend our lives enjoying every second of a sweet baby. 

As quickly as we found out the good news, we realized something wasn't right.  An awful trip to the hospital in the middle of the night, a few tests, some agonizing days of waiting, and our worst fear was confirmed.  We lost our June Bug.  We always knew it could happen, but being naive we didn't think it would happen.  The medical explanations didn't make much sense and certainly didn't help to heal two broken hearts.  Denny became my rock and he supported me when I couldn't support myself. 

Despite feeling totally lost, we realized how lucky we were to have so much love and support.  Tremendous, unconditional support.  Our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers wrapped their arms around us and helped us get by.  And we slowly did.  The good thing about life is that the sun will continue to rise every day.  Eventually we noticed this. 
  
Saturdays were normally  the toughest because I always seemed to wake up thinking Today should have been 14 weeks, or Today could have been spent preparing for our baby.  That and a day without a busy schedule often means the most time to think about things.  But we eventually let go of the would haves and should haves.   It took a while, but slowly the journey didn't seem just so dark anymore.

Four months and two days after the first round of good news, we found out that we were very lucky.  We got good news again!!  We were a lot more cautious and much more nervous, but this time was different (as shown by my growing belly). 

Today we are in a good place.  It has been a bit bittersweet but we have taken this day to relax and enjoy each other.  We are really lucky to be able to focus on a sweet baby girl arriving in about three months.  We have each other and we have an added appreciation for the miracle of a new baby.  We will never take this experience for granted, and we will never underestimate how important it is to share our story with friends and family. 

One reason I really wanted to write this post is to thank all the friends and acquaintances came to me and told me their story of loss (I still hate the word miscarriage and avoid writing or saying it as much as possible because it seems so cold and clinical).   I was astounded at how common it is to lose a baby, yet it seems to be something that is not commonly discussed.  I found a lot of strength knowing that it wasn't a road I was walking down alone and I think that if talking about it helps even one person feel better, it is absolutely worth it.  

Ironically our sweet baby girl is due October 2, just 13 days before Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, a day created to provide support for anyone who been down this road.  It brings me peace to know that perhaps the Beanette will have a an extra little angel watching over her in life, not just on October 15, but everyday. 

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(On a side note, I always thought that our first baby would be a boy, and maybe he was.  About 90% of the people I talked to that lost a baby went on to have a baby girl right after their loss.  It makes me wonder if that is why we are now filling our house with pink.... )

Oh Monday

..............................

Today was really good at being Monday.

I woke up and thought it was Sunday... bummer, I was wrong. 

I snoozed... too much. 

Then I slept... too late.

Then it turned into more of a Monday.

We realized the oven likely needs replaced.

Lexi got sick.

Lexi got sick again.

And Lexi got sick 2 more times.

It was only 8:18 AM.  Oh Monday.

 ..............................

BUT then...

Work went fast. 

The jeweler called and my rings were cleaned and ready early. 

We got a great coupon on the mail. 

Our doctor's office was actually running ahead of schedule.

AND...

We got to see the Little Beanette!!!

We had her six month sonogram and she looks super healthy & way cute! 

Her heartbeat is perfect and her size is great!!

We are SO lucky!!!!

..............................

As a bonus we got home and Beanette was thrilled to see some of her Signal Drive Aunties.  She put on quite the performance and they got to feel her kick.  So cool! 

Perhaps she will someday live out my childhood dream and be a Radio City Rockette.  I would be one proud Momma to spend my Thanksgiving morning watching our Little Beanette (I promise we will name her by then) kick her way down 6th Avenue. 

My goal in life during much of the 80's and early 90's!

But then again I'll be proud no matter what she does.  I'm learning that I'm pretty darn lucky to have her, and I'll be even luckier if I can make her life even half as amazing as she has made my Monday. 

..............................

Little Kicks & Big Steps

Memorial Day weekend is here, hooray!!  Summer is arriving and so is the McGee Staycation.  Denny and I both have the next week off of work to relax, work on the Beanette's room and enjoy this beautiful weather.  We are SO excited and ready to relax!!

But before I chat too much about 10 days of no alarm clocks, I should acknowledge some big events this past week.  For the first time, I felt the Baby Girl move!!  I'm 21 weeks and and I was starting to worry since all the books say you should feel it between weeks 16 and 20, but she is officially fluttering around and I can feel it!  Denny kept telling me not to worry because it was possible that she is lazy like us, and his dad instincts one again prove to be correct (about not worrying, not about her being lazy).  Plus according to our nurse practitioner the Beanette is a bit lower, which can make it harder to feel her moves.  Apparently she decided on seats directly behind the dugout versus sitting in the nosebleed section.  Smart girl!

Feeling our little girl kick inside me has inspired me to get my legs moving, so next year I'm officially committing to running either a half marathon or be part of a 4-person marathon team (if anyone is interested in being part of a marathon team, let me know!).  Running a half marathon was my goal this spring (if we didn't first get good news), so now I've decided to hit the Reset button on my goal.  I realize this is a big committment to announce it on a blog because all my readers will now be able to hold me accountable... so if both of you could do your best to get me moving once Beanette arrives I would greatly appreciate it.  It might be a long journey to get to the finish line, but I'm glad to have a little pink bundle of joy (and her cute Dad) to give me some extra motivation. 

Speaking of getting moving, I better head across the streets.  Our awesome neighbors are hosting their Annual Memorial Day bash and the party is in full-swing.  Wishing everyone a wonderful and relaxing Memorial Day!

The Power of Pronouns

I'm very much an English geek.  It has always been my favorite subject in school and my someday dream job is to be a professional blogger.  But this weekend made me realize how much I LOVE pronouns.

She ~~ Her ~~ Shes ~~ Hers

What beautiful words!!  These are music to our ears! 

Let me take you back to Saturday morning...

Denny and I had the long-awaited ITSA party to find out if It's A Boy or It's a Girl!  It was hands down one of the most amazing weekends we have had in years. 

I was wide awake by 6 AM!  I could barely sleep because I was so excited to find out about the little person joining our family.  I was 99% certain it was a boy but I wanted to see the blue balloons to be sure.  I thought Denny was 99% certain it was a boy too, but at the last minute he came downstairs in a PINK shirt with a blue vest.  Pink shirt?!? I was shocked, but he said he had a last-minute feeling it could be a girl. 

Denny and I were so fortunate to have a lot of friends and family join us for the big reveal.  By 11 AM, the excitement was out of control, and our neighbor Theresa brought over the box (she was kind enough to pick it up from the florist). 

Here it is, YAY!!!

Our friends and family were really anxious and almost everyone dressed in either pink or blue.  It was so great to see that everyone was excited as us.  Check out this spirit!

By noon we were ready for the reveal.  Our hearts were racing as we realized it was time to find out if we were having a boy or girl!  I'll let the pictures tell this part of it...



"Ready to do this?"
"Hold my hand, I'm nervous"

 

PINK!?!?!?



So Shocked, So Happy...



So Emotional!

 

We're having a Little Girl!



Everyone was beyond thrilled!  The rest of the day was a blur filled with phone calls, texts, and a trip to Babies R Us. 

It is still sinking in for Denny and me, but on a walk tonight we discussed what this means to our friends and family.  It's fun to see where she fits in our little world.

• Baby Girl McGee will be the first grand-daughter to both sets of our parents  (Denny's Mom never thought she would have a granddaughter, and already promised to buy her diamond studs when we get her ears pierced)
• She will be the first girl to be born to a Quilty cousin in about 10 years (this ends the streak of about 9 boys).  She will be the first girl to be born on the Synk side since me (but in fairness, my cousin PJ was the only other birth)
• When it comes to my college roomies, she will be girl #4 out of 4 babies total.  Apparently none of us will ever have a boy.
• On our half of the street, there has not been a new baby boy in about 16 years (the few boys that live near us moved here later in life)

So there you have it... One AMAZING weekend! 

Now it's time to Think Pink!

In just one day...

We will officially find out if we are becoming parents to a boy or girl!  This week has been a mix of emotions-- lots of excitement about how our life is changing, an ounce of trepidation about how or if we will ever find all the time and money to be great parents, and a bit of tiredness (let's be real, all this party planning can be tiring for a mama-to-be).  We only want a healthy baby but the reality of this is starting to sink in.
  
Tomorrow our life will change. 
We will find out if...

Denny will have a daughter to someday walk down the aisle,

OR

If I will have a son to teach about how to treat your mom.

We will find out if...

Denny will have a son to take outside and show him the essentials of baseball,

OR

If I will have a daughter to take to dance lessons, cheerleading tryouts and Prom dress shopping.

It is incredibly exciting yet very surreal!  It will be a great day regardless if the box is filled with pink or blue balloons.  We want to savor it and remember every minute of this because I'm pretty sure the next 18 years will fly by, and before we know it we will be spending our Saturdays in May at Graduation ceremonies, college Parents weekends and perhaps even weddings (speaking of, do we need to start saving for that too?)

Have a great weekend everyone, and an especially Hapy Mother's Day weekend to all those amazing women out there that we love, that we miss, and that we admire for their compassion, endless energy, and amazing courage.  XOXO Mamas!



"It's A..."

Who doesn't love Pat from Saturday Night Live?!?!

Awkward, Nervous, Mysterious, Hilarious...  As much as Denny and I love SNL, we didn't want our baby to have a lifetime of uncertainty when he or she needed to use a public restroom, so we figured we'd unveil the mystery sooner than later.  Plus Denny and I decided many years ago (before the Bean was a Bean) to find out boy or girl as long as we had an ITSA party to make it a fun reveal.

Fast forward a few years, a positive pregnancy test and another 18 weeks...

We told the Bean that if he or she cooperated during the sonogram appointment today we would make him or her the coolest room a Bean could ever imagine.  Apparently bribery even works on babies in utero because today our little one shared the boy/girl secret with the sonogram tech.  So now we have a very happy Mom-to-be and Dad-to-be (us), and an envelope full of a delicious little secret.  So far, things are working as planned.

Luckily our families will be in town next weekend so we have a date for the ITSA party.  And thanks to my super creative sister and the brilliance of Pinterest, we have a fun way to reveal it (assuming the associate at the Wegmans balloon counter next Saturday doesn't spill the Beans - yes this was an intentional play on words).  Now all we have to do is wait and hope this plan continues along as planned.  

(Disclaimer:  The couple shown is this photo appear to be J Crew models and are way cuter than what our families will be looking at on May 12.  Plus this couple clearly lives in a house that backs up to a lush park, while our backyard includes a dilapidated shed)

_____________________________________________________

In the meantime, we can stare at the envelope while we speculate and make predictions based on unrelated facts.  So far, here is the current Team Pink vs. Team Blue tally...

Denny and I both think Boy ~ 1 point, Team Blue

The Q family thinks Girl ~ 1 point, Team Pink

Chinese Horoscope says Boy ~ 1 point, Team Blue

When we bought our house it had a pink bedroom and a purple bedroom.  We painted both within 3 months of moving in, so it seems inevitable we will someday end up with 2 girls (and a pink bedroom and purple bedroom) ~ 2 points, Team Pink

Both Denny's parents and my parents already have grandsons, which means we are bound to have more boys ~ 1 point, Team Blue

So there you have it folks, we are 10 days away from knowing the real truth.  Team Blue is tied with Team Pink at 3 points each, and our quarterback is going to be the Wegmans associate at the balloon counter next Saturday.  Fingers crossed all works as planned.  Until then, keep on guessing! 



My Vow to the Bean

Dear Bean,
Eight years ago this month, I was busy finishing my junior year at OU (we can't wait to introduce you to Athens!).  I was busy working at the Phon-a-thon and at the TCOM school, and I was busy trying my best to focus on the rest of the world while I was falling madly in love with your Dad (sorry Bean, this might get sappy). 

Your Dad and I had just met about a month and a half ago and I was giddy about him.  I knew in my heart that he was the one I would grow old with.  I'm not sure if he knew this yet, but I was busy planning Our Someday.  Our Someday when we would live in the same state... our Someday when we would share an address... Our Someday when we would say I Do... Our Someday when we would own a home... and Our Someday when we would bring a baby (or 2 or 3) back to our home and watch them grow up...

Turns out we made it there.  We are living our Someday!  Pinch me!  I'm not sure how eight years have passed but it's been a good ride and we somehow landed in Someday. 

While I was daydreaming away about our Someday, I forgot to include the bumps along the road of life and the uncertainty curveballs that often get thrown our way.  The important stuff is all in check still (the baby's health, our health and our family's health), but looming uncertainty about some other stuff has really been weighing on me.  I am a huge advocate in the Everything happening for a Reason theory, so tonight I'm officially going to begin believing it (and not just saying I believe it). 

You are my main priority, Bean, so I officially vow to do my absolute best to stop stressing about items out of my control and start focusing on stuff within my control.  I'll stop keeping you awake at night worrying about the uncertainty, and I'll start daydreaming more about meeting you and bringing you home.  I'm willing to accept that everything in the world does not have to be picture perfect in order to give you a very happy life (I'm a bit of a control freak, so this is hard for me to accept).  I'm willing to admit that Someday is not a fairy tale, it is a real life journey. 

I can't promise I'll be perfect at this, but I'll give it 200%.  In the meantime, keep on growing and we'll see you again soon. 

Much Love,
Your (somewhat crazy) Mom

PS  If you cooperate on May 2nd and show the sonogram tech if you are a Pink Bean or Blue Bean, I'll (consider) buying you a car when you turn 16.