It's A Boy!!!

Our precious baby boy!

We had my appointment yesterday and the doctor told us we are going to have a baby boy! It's funny because just about everyone has been telling me they think I am having a girl Chris's mom was positive I was having a girl and he says that she has not been wrong until now :-) The appointment was one of the best experiences of my life besides marrying Chris of course! We went in for the ultrasound and it was SOO long the doctor took just about a million pictures of the babys heart and bones and things like that to make sure everything is progressing well, which he is, and to be honest I was just there for her to tell me if we were having a boy or girl, I am a little impatient especially after drinking a gallon of water and having to hold it! So about an hour into taking all these pictures she looked at Chris and said it looks like you're having a boy. Chris was so shocked! He was kind of in a bad mood because I had scheduled the appointment so early, neither of us had gotten any sleep, and he was so sure like everyone else that we were going to have a girl. He would have been happy with a girl but we already have a daughter so he thinks it's only fair that we have a boy :-) After she told him we were having a boy he still didn't believe her so he made her check like 6 more times and get his boy parts from every angle just to be sure lol! He teared up and I think it was the sweetest moment I have ever had the pleasure of sharing with my husband. As everyone knows I really wanted a boy too so we could honor my dad by having the babys middle name the same as his so our son will be named Christian Douglas Volkert. It's funny because whenever I would think about Chris and I having our first baby I wanted a girl sooo bad because I am so close with Sienna, I love fixing her hair, dressing her in the cutest oufits, all of our snuggle time, and let's face it there are so many more cute things to buy for girls! But the moment I found out the baby was due in April having a boy just seemed right. I don't really know the first thing about baby boys except that hopefully they will be alot easier to get ready in the mornings ( I am not a morning person and it takes me awhile to make sure Si looks just perfect before going to school :-) ) but with Chris's help I'm sure it will be a piece of cake, he is such a wonderful daddy already. We could not be happier and we can't wait for Christian's arrival! On another note, we will finally be going home next week! We leave Tacoma on Sunday to start our long journey home. We will be spending Thanksgiving with my mom so that splits our trip in two which will be nice, we will also be stopping by my grandmas Friday after Thanksgiving to visit my family for the weekend and my older brother will be there. I am so excited to see Jeremy and his fiance Charlie, she is pregnant too just 5 weeks behind me so we'll get to compare bellies :-) Thanksgiving is definetly my most favorite holiday this year because I have SO much to be thankful for, we are finally having a baby, I am married to the most amazing man, and we finally get to go home and be with our daughter! Sienna has missed us so much, I talked to her yesterday to share the big news and she was very happy, she is going to make the best big sister! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Christian Douglas Volkert ( He looks so squished! )

Week 16

16 weeks

We had our 16 week doctors appointment today and all is well with baby Volkert! My doctor was out with the flu so I just got to go in and listen to babys heartbeat it was 150 beats per minutes, I was a little dissapointed because I wanted to see if we had time to get an ultrasound and maybe find out our babys sex but my doctor was out so we set an ultrasound date for November the 18th and we will find out the sex then. I am so anxious to learn the sex of the baby! I keep hoping that this 3 weeks will go by fast and I'm sure it will because it seems like before we knew it I was 16 weeks. I am feeling pretty euphoric at this point I can't believe that we are really going to be having a baby, 3 years in waiting I just keep thinking FINALLY. This baby is definetly my blessing and I am so in love. This week I have started to feel the baby "flutter" I guess the technical term for this is quickening, it's pretty amazing to know that our baby is really in there, and Chris can't wait to be able to feel the baby move too! My belly is finally starting to "pop" and I love it I swear I just sit for hours rubbing my belly and imagining the day in April when we finally get to meet our baby. I will write more in 3 weeks to let you know if we are having a Christian Douglas or an Alexandria Marie :-)

Our mini vacation!

We had a somewhat nice trip to Utah, Chris' little brother and sister were sick so we didn't get to spend much time with them or his parents since we were trying very hard not to get me sicker than I already was... The Friday we left I started getting a really bad head cold which I am still not fully over. However I enjoyed my time with Sienna to no end and we got to go visit my nephew and neice in Idaho which I always enjoy! They are getting so big! Kaeden (my nephew) lost his first tooth! I can't wait until Sienna starts to lose her teeth, I always love the school pictures where the kids are missing their teeth.

Chris and I the day we left

Kaeden and I minus his front tooth :-)

My neice Amara is such a princess!

Sienna with the kitty my mommy made her

After our trip to Idaho and on our last night in Utah we finally got to spend time with our family! We all went on a ghost tour, which to my delight was very uneventful despite the fact that our large family was in it :-) The thought of seeing a ghost is exciting but if it actually ever happened I think I'd pee in my pants!

Ash and I (the flash was REALLY bright)

Kelly, Carolina, And Trevor

Frank, Gail, and Kelly :-)

My wonderful husband

Ash and I

The last part of our trip I briefly got to stop by and see my mommy in Ione Oregon. I love staying with her because she always cooks me whatever I want to eat and she is an amazing cook among other things!

My momma and me

Chris and I had such a busy 9 day trip that when we finally got home on Sunday I felt I would go to sleep and never wake up! I miss everyone so much already and I can't wait until we get to come home in November. Although we love Washington I miss Sienna like crazy and being with her for one week a month is just not enough time. Besides by the time we finally get back to Utah I will be halfway through my pregnancy and we will know the sex of the baby! My next appointment is next Wednesday, I can't wait! I live for my doctors appointments I swear :-)

Our little princess being a goof

The beach kitty my mom crocheted for Sienna

Me and my dad right before he passed away

Busy week and weeks to come

So, I am almost to the end of my first trimester! This is my last week, Chris and I could not be happier. We are leaving this Friday to go pick up Si we have been without her for a little over a month now and I must say that I am a little irritated that her mom is already trying to dictate and control our time with her but that has been such a constant in my life I should be used to it. I went and spent the weekend with my mom and I had such a nice relaxing time! She taught me how to crochet and I am making our baby its first blanket, we'll just have to wait and see if it looks like one?!?!?! My mom is so amazing with a crochet needle she makes Sienna all these adorable stuffed animals, and Si just loves them and her grandma Karen. The drive from Tacoma to Ione was an exhausting one though especially when I had to stop and pee every 10 minutes, it made for a VERY long 5 hour drive, atleast I was by myself though so there was no one to complain. I stopped in Plymouth to visit one of my best friends but I still can't bring myself to go out to where we scattered my dad's ashes 3 and a half years ago. I get so much anxiety and so sad just driving to Plymouth so I am scared to see what kind of emotions I will go through when I actually make it there. I think I will go with Chris that might make it a bit easier. I just miss my dad SO much! People always say that when you lose someone you love it takes time to get over it but I don't think that is true, the pain is still as fresh today as it was the day he died the only difference is that I have learned to live through the pain. I just wish he was around to see all of the amazing accomplishments I have made in the past three years. I'd like to think I'd have made him proud...