The Details...

First things first, THANK YOU for your sweet messages and well wishes on our last post.  If you only knew how long (about six weeks in reality, but it's felt like an eternity) I've been waiting to share our exciting baby news with my blog family!  I LOVE how so many of you can be so genuinely happy for us, and most of us have never even met! Jeff and I are SO excited, and I'm so happy that I'll get to document this journey and share in the joy (and inevitable difficulties) of the next six and a half months on my blog.  It's sure to be a wild ride!

Whew, it feels good to have it out!!  (Truth be told, Jeff really wanted me to wait one more week till the end of the first trimester, but I just couldn't hold it any longer.  Plus, I wanted to use our Christmas card to share with the world.)  I KNOW I have been a terrible blogger the last month or so... I just didn't have anything else on my mind!  What can I say?  Sorry!  But... I've got months worth of blab to catch up on.  So, consider me back in the game!!

So... Baby Chapman is on the way!!!  

Here are a few details...

- We found out on November 13th - my dad's 52nd birthday - during one of the busiest weekends of our fall.  (Of course!)  To be perfectly honest, as much as my (our) heart desired a baby, this came as a bit of a surprise.  With Jeff's job situation and the transition stage we have found ourselves in (yes, our house is still "on the market"), this was not something we were planning...  Needless to say, however, we are THRILLED and trusting in God's perfect plan for our little family! As usual, we are blown away by his graciousness --- summer due date for a teacher?!? --- and sense of humor with this Type A mom-to-be.   

- As of Christmas Day, I was eleven weeks pregnant.  We went to the doctor for the first time at eight weeks and got to see our little bean and hear a heartbeat.  The heartbeat was  nice and strong at 157 beats per minute.  (A little girl?  Does anyone believe that old wives tale?)

- I don't like the terms "preggo" or "preggers."  They make me feel like Britney Spears.

- We told both of our parents the day after we found out.  My dad's birthday was Saturday and Jeff's mom's birthday was Monday, so we took advantage of some creative birthday card wording.  It was simple, but sweet and something they can keep forever.  They were absolutely ecstatic!!  Seriously, they could not be more supportive and wonderful. Cutest.grandparents.ever. (And, yes, they are already spoiling us rotten with baby gear - nevermind that most people don't start buying until at least 6 months.  We're rarin' to go!)

- I was pregnant at Disney World - about six weeks... So I couldn't ride ANY rides.  Oh well, all the more reason to go back with my baby one day!

- Coffee and Diet Coke were the things I was most worried about giving up, but the very thought of both makes me gag. 

- My stomach is HUGE.  I bought maternity jeans at 10 weeks and probably will never go back.  (I promise I'll post a "bump" picture this weekend at 12 weeks -- I had taken one every week, but had a moment of weakness/hideousness and deleted them all.  Thank you hormones!)

- And finally, I've not been too sick - but, I'm definitely not having one of the glamorous pregnancies I always read about on blogs and in magazines...  Mostly, I've been SUPER tired.  As in, I usually sleep more than I'm awake.  Thank goodness for Christmas vacation!!!  I have had a few days/weeks of pretty crummy nausea, but overall, I think I've been very blessed.  The first few weeks I was also hungry ALL.THE.TIME.  (I'm sure that has nothing to do with my huge stomach.) But, even that is getting better.  My hair is hideous. Awesome.

I think that just about does it for now...  I promise not to turn into a strictly pregnancy blog now, but you can expect lots of updates.  We are SOOO excited!