Baby stuff!!!

So, we're pretty excited to welcome a baby. I've gone hog-wild pricing all the baby stuff I want/think I need, haha. We've been super blessed though. Mitch's Aunt Steph gave us a crib that is still in great condition, Mom Heath gave us the softest cutest baby blanket, Dad Heath gave me an amazing pregnancy body pillow - I pretty much can't sleep without it now, and my mom is throwing a baby shower for me. Wow. All we need now is the stroller/car seat combo and we're pretty much set on the non-refillable items. Diapers, bottles and pacifiers will probably start piling up in our closet as I start building a supply via store sales.

I'm 15 weeks today and finally starting to show! Woot! Mitch is happy to be able to touch my growing "baby bump" and grins like the proud daddy he's going to be every time. He's so cute!

We've had to revise our baby timeline - I'm now due 14 Jan and the gender ultrasound is Jul 27!!! *rubs hands gleefully* Mitch and I have a bet going - if we're having a girl, we get to go to my favorite restaurant (International Buffet), and if it's a boy, we're going to Mitch's (Chili's). Mitch has offered to go to IB either way, haha - we'll see. I'm not a sore loser, especially in this case. :) We were originally going to find out the gender in August but there was an opening earlier that the nurse made me aware of and we jumped at that!

Just the hum drum of college life here. We're not in school til Sept and the rattery has slowed in sales. According to fellow rattery owners, that's normal for summer months. I've planned for the next two litters to be available starting early to mid Sept. We'll see how it pans out, but I'm hopeful.

Just a few more weeks and we'll be in TEXAS!!!! AHHHHH!!! I'm so excited!!! I can't wait to see my family again! It'll be a year next Sunday since I've seen most of my family. Dad and TexAnne came up to see us in February and totally made my month!!! I'm excited to finally be back in Texas, though. Whether Mitch likes it or not, this baby is half-Texan and that's his/her maternal homeland. Too bad I can't have the baby in Texas.

In case some of you were wondering, I'm getting out of the Air Force. :( It was a bittersweet decision but I'm glad now more than ever that at least Mitch is staying in. I don't think I could've given up that service opportunity or lifestyle (yes, I'm excited to move every few years) very easily. I'm glad that I have a husband who is serving his country though - even if I can only serve by supporting him (which is still a big way to serve! Wife-Os rock!). Not quite the hands-on experience I was looking for, but it'll be fun to hold down the fort while he deploys. Not fun that he's gone, but experience either way. Lt Col Hopkinson (our Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies) told us an experience he had when he was called to TDY (Temporary Duty) during Christmas. It was just a week or two (I think) but Christmas was right in the middle of it. He and his wife told their kids that Daddy had to go find Santa and make sure he brought them their presents - or something to that effect. It was so sweet! I think it will be an interesting time for our family to grow closer together.

More updates to come....