so dedicated...

jackson was dedicated on mother's day...AWWWW...we didn't think a self-portrait was appropriate...the kind where you take a picture of yourself--arm extended out in front of you hoping that everyone makes the shot...so these were taken when we got home...

CHEESE!!!

so accomplished...

the tongue hanging out...so nervous he's going to bite it off...but it seems to help his concentration...

fishy-face...

this little monkey LOVES to bounce in his bed...

cracker jack...

popsicle...

if you haven't heard...we have a little freezer pop on the way...he/she will be here...appropriately...in december...december 12th is the official due date...due dates don't mean much to me anymore...in my mind i'm telling myself "by the end of this year"...

the verse that continues to come to my mind is joel 2:25..."then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten" HE has done it...with jackson alone, i've had enough laughter and smiles and heart-squeezing happiness to make up for every tear shed during my barren years...and i get more??? His love feels extravagant...more than i dared ask for...

the story is long...a trip to FL--where we left our baby-sicles...MANY shots--and for some reason i could NOT give them to myself this time--thanks, katie...MANY delays--what was supposed to be a 2 1/2 week trip turned into 4 week trip...MANY emotions--it felt like i had made a plan to have a miscarriage--since IVF didn't work the first time, i didn't expect it to this time...GOOD news the moring of transfer--BOTH embryos were growing...FINALLY going home...and two weeks later...a POSITIVE pregnancy test...followed by a blood pregnancy test and ultrasound...confirming that one of the embryos had implanted. i wanted BOTH of them...so it was very difficult when the ultrasound tech only found one...a sad and a happy...i think it's called bittersweet...i'm still HOPING that the one is just hiding and will show up on the next ultrasound...

i'm feeling sick most of the day...but i prayed for morning sickness--doctors tell you it's a good sign that things are going well--so i'm trying to do a better job dealing with it...not complaining as i might want to. how blessed am i to even be pregnant?!! i'm tired...which makes no sense to me...with jackson, i worked full-time and never felt as tired as i do now...i cannot believe that an 8 month old baby is more work than twenty 10 year olds...not possible...

so YIPEE!!! we're pregnant and we couldn't be happier. no preference...boy or girl...we're blessed either way...