Bumpdate: 18 Weeks & Trip to Harper's Ferry

This Week's Details:

How far along? 18 Weeks

Size of baby? An Artichoke or Sweet Potato (but let's be honest...they can be found in different sizes so it's hard to know exactly)

Stretch marks? Still nothing. I've loved my nightly ritual of putting on cocoa butter.

Sleep? Still doing okay at this point.

Best moment this week? Kyle and I finding out this little one is a GIRL! We had cupcakes made with the gender color inside and opened one together. I'm so glad we did it this way and I hope we continue this tradition for each baby.

Maternity Clothes? I am still holding out on not buying any!

Missing? Still missing deli meat sandwiches every now and then.

Movement? Not yet! I'm sure they are moving a ton but it may take a bit for my body to register what the movements are.

Food cravings? After opening up our cupcake on Monday, I've found that cake in general has been a craving. I now see a pattern with sweets although I've always been a sweets lover.

Food Aversions? I find that hamburger meat is still hard from time to time. It also depends on the day. Sometimes I will be wanting milk or something with calcium and other times, that is the last thing I want.

Bump? A tiny one! It still just feels like my stomach to me but I think I can see something starting to poke through.

Gender? Girl!

Names? Now that we know the gender, we have really started focusing in on names. I'd say we have about 5 that we are seriously considering. Kyle has given her the nickname of Squish from the get go and that has stuck for now.

Labor Signs? Nope! Although I do tend to get cramps every now and then but I think that is just my body getting used to the new weight.

Looking Forward To? Our baby moon in two weeks to Miami and the Florida Keys!

Kyle and I took a day trip out to see Harper's Ferry and it was the cutest little town. It started to rain on our hike so we warmed up with some hot chocolate....and maybe some ice cream afterwards. 

Baby is a.....

...a GIRL! 

I can hardly contain my excitement. The morning before we found out, my nerves were all tied up in knots! I somehow got through the first part of the day and then went to pick up Kyle where we had the most amazing ultrasound with the sweetest technician. We told her from the get go that we didn't want to know the gender and when the time came for her to find out, she asked us to look away. Kyle kept joking that he was peeking and it was so hard not to look! It seemed that she was able to find out pretty quickly. At that point, I was sure it was a boy and up until we found out, definitely felt like it was a boy based on my lack of symptoms. We had her write down the gender and seal in an envelope. We went to our favorite Sprinkles Cupcakes where they filled cupcakes with the brightest pink fluff. Kyle and I drove around trying to decide where we wanted to do the reveal and found a quiet spot down by the Potomac near the Lincoln Memorial. I'm so glad we filmed it because there is no way to describe my reaction. Kyle knew it was a girl which is why he doesn't seem that surprised, but I was expecting to see blue. Oh little girl...we can't wait to meet you! You already have our hearts and we think you are the sweetest and best thing that has happened to our little family.

All different types of cupcakes filled with pink! 

You can't hide that color.

We also got to take home some pictures of her beautiful profile. 

She definitely has my thighs.

Before we found out, my mom had sent me these. She knows me too well. She said even if we were

having a boy, I should hold on to them for the future because a child of ours would need to have kitten things.

Once we found out, she sent us the cutest little dress and baby's first running shoes!

I found the BIGGEST balloon ever for a picture to document. 

We are seriously so excited and can't stop talking about it! Can't wait to meet you baby girl!

10 Years

I still remember May 2, 2006 as if it was yesterday. I had gone to school that morning and was called out by my best friend Natalie's mom to hear that my Dad had been in an accident and that I needed to go to the hospital. In the end it was a blessing to me that I knew deep down inside that my Dad was already gone. It didn't make it any easier though when my mom had to kneel down and tell us he had passed away. Most of the time after that is a blur but at the same time, it is vivid and very powerful. At this time of my life, there were already big changes ahead: high school graduation, moving down to BYU to start college... but THIS was a big change I didn't plan for. As hard as it was, looking back 10 years later, I see it as one of the most defining events of my life. And for the better. I still ache for him to be here but I know I've become a better person for having known him and take comfort in knowing he still watches over me. 

This 10 year anniversary was one of the hardest ones. Even harder than the first one. I didn't want it to seem that we have moved on...but we have. And it's a good thing. But on this day, I still wanted to make sure we took a moment to remember my father Sam Love and the amazing person he was and is. My family and I decided that we would release balloons at the same time even though I was on the other side of the country. Kyle and I got three balloons....one for each of us and one for the baby. As we walked outside, a crash of thunder told us that we would probably have to wait to release our balloons with the rain coming...but it was so beautiful to watch my family release their balloons and talk about him. Kyle and I waited for the rain to clear out and then released our balloons a little later. 

I miss you Dad but am so grateful for the time I had with you. For the many dance recitals you came to see me in to helping me with my math homework because it was your favorite thing to do. For teaching me how to ride a bike and teaching me hard work ethic. For coming to pick me up when I ran away and got lost to showing me how much you loved me in so many other ways. For teaching me the beauty of the gospel, reality of our Savior and that the relationships we have with others is what matters most in this life. I can't wait to see and hug you again. I can't wait to introduce our little daughter to you. I'm hoping she's had the time of her life playing with you before she meets us. ♡

Miss you Dad.