23 Weeks

It has been so long since we've updated our site! Thanks to all of you who continue to check in spite of our lack of posting! We appreciate it. As I am writing to you the little monkey is kicking away. It is really busy in there! It moves all the time. And David and I would both agree that it is probably the best thing you could ever ask for. We are able to bond with it already. My favorite part of the day is when we are winding down in the evening and David has his hand on my belly and we both feel it say hello to us. I think there's an incredible intimacy in those moments.
We had our ultrasound on Tuesday. Completely surreal. The tech puts the jelly stuff on my stomach, and instantly we see a picture of our baby! I think we would both agree that it is a very intense time because you are focusing so hard on making sense of what he's telling us, and you just want to take it all in without missing a thing. We saw its heart beating and the 4 chambers of the heart, all of its limbs, its spine, its little face. It's crazy. The tech said that from what he could tell the baby looked completely healthy. What a relief to hear.
I think the ultrasound made this pregnancy seem even more real, and since Tuesday I have been so much more concious of the fact that it is this tiny little human being that is living in my stomach! I feel so blessed to be experiencing this. Pregnancy is amazing. I have been reading Psalm 139 lately, and I choke up every time I read that "For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" There is so much more meaning behind those words. To think that God purposefully created our child, and has a specific plan for him or her, is truly unbelievable, and as a parent to be, it is very reasurring and comforting knowing that He loves and cares for this baby that much.
So what else can I tell you? I bet you are all wondering whether we know the sex. And.....we weren't able to find out. Our records are being sent to our doctor and so if they were able to tell, we could know in January sometime. The techs aren't supposed to tell us, so they wait for the doctor to share the news. Did you all know that we hope to find out? We are dying to know. So if we find out we'll let you know! Any guesses?
So things are going wonderfully. The ultrasound changed my due date slightly, to April 20th. We aren't sure if we should count on that, or just stick with the original date, but anyhow, according to them I am 23 weeks today. Do you know what that means? In one week I am 6 months pregnant. whew. It's going so quickly. I think I will miss the little pea inside of me.
We will try to post new pictures shortly. We are spending Christmas with David's family in Lethbridge, and then heading to Ottawa on the 26th to see my family. We are very excited to see each of our siblings and nieces and nephews during this season. We wish you all a Merry Christmas!
~Carmen
p.s I felt hiccups yesterday! I wasn't sure what this steady little rhythm was and so I looked it up. Sure enough. The little babe is having hiccups. So cute.