A BABY GIRL!!

Oh my goodness we are so happy!! 

PINK PINK PINK 

Bring on the PINK! 

We love this little girl with all our hearts. 

It was an amazing day to find out that we are going to have a daughter.

We woke up, (actually I hardly slept the night before so I was just kind of "up") and we were off to make the 40 minute drive from Idaho Falls (where we were staying for the weekend) to the doctor's office in Rexburg. (longest drive of my life). I squeezed Brantley's hand the whole way.  We were so luck to share the moment with our family, including my mom who was in town to help my sister with her new baby! (perfect timing or what?) We had my dad and brother on skype as well as Brantley's brother and his family. 

Our little babe was flipped around so we had to wait a little while to get the news.

But we were so happy to know that baby was healthy and wiggly first and for most. 

Brantley had been convinced it was a girl for about a month and so when the technician asked, Brantley said, oh, its a girl.

Then she said with the sweetest smile,

"Its a girl!" 

My heart burst right there! 

My amazing sister Anna took these pictures, I love that she captured the one above, RIGHT after we found out. I will treasure that picture! 

Dear little girl we love you!

The Old Wive's Tales

Tomorrow is a big day. 

We find out the gender of our sweet baby! I cannot wait. 

When I had my 14 week appointment 6 weeks ago and scheduled this appointment to find out our baby, the sweet receptionist gave me all the available times. 

I immediately asked what was the earliest time possible.

You think I am going to wait one second longer than I have to to see my cute little peanut again?? HA.

So we scheduled it for 8:00 am on a Friday :) 

{My sweet sister Anna took this picture, and I shamefully took it from Instagram. But how cute right?}

It has been a long week, and I'm so excited to know what we are having, but i'm most hopeful that our baby is happy and healthy! That is the most important thing.

My sweet friend Alisa came over the other day with her cutie of a baby Ella. I love those two! She makes me so excited to be a mom seeing the way she cares for her sweet girl! 

We were on a walk after getting some ice cream and talking about being moms and how wonderful it is. She then asked me if I had ever done the Old Wives Tale to see if you are having a boy or a girl by dangling a string with a ring over your hand. I hadn't even thought of it! But i'm so glad we did this little experiment! 

We went back to my apartment and did the test (it was so funny how nervous I was HA). 

and then I thought...why stop there?! 

So my ambitious self turned it into an all night affair to carry out all the old wives tales to predict if I'm carrying a little boy or a sweet girl! 

Poor Alisa, thanks for putting up with me. 

Here are the results:

1. Ring on a String: The ring swung in a circular motion signifying a GIRL

2. Bump Position: I am (according to Alisa) carrying low which predicts a BOY

3. Heartbeat of Baby: 140+ signifies a girl, last time we checked about 2 weeks ago baby's heart beat was 154= GIRL

4. Craving Salty or Sweet: HA both. But mostly salty, so a BOY

5. Draino: This is a weird one but I wont go into much detail but it signified a GIRL haha

6. Key pick up: I picked up a key by the handle signifying a BOY

7. Got Zits?: Yup= GIRL

8. Sick?: Yup=GIRL 

Tallies: 

Girl: 5

Boy: 3

What the heck baby?! I was split right down the middle every time! 

I guess we will have to wait to see tomorrow for sure! 

I just keep thinking about what it will be like to have a little boy or a little girl and either way I think my heart would burst from how wonderful either one would be! I am just so grateful to be carrying this little one. We love baby so much already! 

Dear Baby

Dear Baby,

How are you doing in there? I hope good. I can feel you moving just a tiny bit when I drink cold water and eat spicy foods. I don't think you like those very much.

Right now, you are the size of a small orange and in just a few days you will be an avocado! (I think the fruit sizes are a little hard to measure with sometimes). My pants seem to be getting tighter these days, but I'm glad your growing little one!

Food doesn't really ever seem good. Unless its french fries or Chinese. I am always up for that combo.

I sometimes get sad when I'm all alone at home, but then I remember I'm not alone because I have a new best friend growing right inside me! Thanks for being there little babe.

You are about to get a cousin! He is so cute from his ultrasound pictures. He is coming in about a month. I know you two will be the best of friends!

Sweet child, are you a boy or a girl? Daddy and I can't seem to make up our minds to what we think you are. Somedays I think you are a girl, others I know you are a boy! Grandma and Grandpa Brooks and Mamere and Papear Freeby all think you are a girl. I guess we will have to wait and see until next month!

I hope I will be a good mom for you. I know I wont be perfect, but I know I will love you more than anything!

Daddy and I love you sweet one!

Love, Mommy

15 Weeks

How far along: 15 Weeks, 3 days

Baby Size: An Orange! 4.5in, 2-3oz

Due Date: November 14

Total weight gain: Nothing yet 

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but my pants are getting a bit tighter. I did wear a belly band for my tight fitting slacks last week.  

Sleep: Lots of funny, random dreams. I wake up at 5am every morning because the pressure baby puts on my bladder. 

Best moments: Sharing with the world baby is coming, feeling teeny tiny movements in my belly!

Movement: a little! Best thing ever! I can't wait for Brantley to be able to feel!

Food Cravings: POTATOES. 

Wedding ring on or off: On 

Happy or Moody: Pretty happy, but every so often I get very emotional.

The best moment yet.

I am so glad I finally get to tell this story! For a few months now, our little family has been keeping a secret, but now I am happy to shout it from the rooftops that we are having a little one!  I can't begin to tell you how full my heart has been these past fifteen weeks. I can't believe it still! 

Here is the story: 

It was one day before my birthday, March 13. The past few weeks I had been feeling pretty tired and a sick. I was training for a half marathon, but running seemed to be getting harder and harder. I was out of breath on my second mile when I had been running up to 8 a few weeks earlier. 

I follow a blog who's author had a similar experience when she was expecting her first child, but didn't yet know it.

Could it be??

I was secretly wondering if maybe there was a little human growing inside me...but then I remembered the 3 earlier negative pregnancy tests that I had hoped would be positive and denied it a couple of times...but the thought never left the back of my mind

My sweet husband, although I didn't voice my wonderings, knew exactly what I thought.  

He drove me to Walmart and we picked up a pregnancy test before our date that night. 

We went to an NBA game where the Denver Nuggets were hosting our FAVORITE team the Golden State Warriors. We had been so excited for months, but it was hard to sit through that game knowing the test was just sitting in the car! 

When we got home, my heart was pounding so fast! Brantley waited while I took the test, then I came and sat on the bed, and hugged him for the longest three minutes of my life. I picked up the test, covering the answer so Brantley and I could see it at the same time, and came back to sit on the bed. We  counted to three and I turned it over. 

+

The most surreal moment of my life was seeing that little purple plus sign. Was I really going to be a mom? I covered my mouth and looked up at Brantley. He had a big smile and gave me the best hug I think he's ever given me. 

After the initial shock wore down a little, I took another test, just to be sure...

+

That moment, my goodness, was the best moment yet. I am so grateful for my wonderful husband who I know is going to be the most incredible dad. We could not feel more blessed and humbled at this amazing calling to be parents. Our hearts are full and our love for this little one is so strong already! What a miracle it is!

A Photo Shoot

I scored big when I got Anna as an older sister. 

She is such a gifted photographer!

 I am so glad that she has found this talent of hers

(and that she sometimes takes our pictures for free) 

I also scored big when I got this babe as my husband.

What a STUD!!! Seriously I'm convinced he is the most handsome man in the world.

We are back in business

Well hello friends!

It has been quite a while, but what a while it has been!

Since I last posted, the Brooks have...

• Moved back to Idaho
• Joined a softball team (ha)
• Gotten a puppy!!!
• Gone back to school

Yeah its intense! Lets start with number one:

We moved back to Idaho! I love Idaho. It feels almost like home (would feel totally like home if everyone from Kansas lived here but that's ok). And the best part? We are living NEXT DOOR to Anna and Kent. haha its literally the best situation ever. We just go hang out at each other's houses whenever we want just walking in, hoping every one is dressed. 

Anna and I are ALWAYS having sister dates and its the best!

2. We are on a softball team. HA 

This is just hilarious because we did it for fun and now its our favorite thing. We are going to do batting practice tonight!

3. We got a Puppy! WHAT?! I know its crazy! The moment was just perfect and it worked out that we could take this little guy home! (He is actually too little right now to actually take home but he is ours!) His name is Lenny and we could not be more in love :)

4. We back in school

I love school. Its nuts because I am so stressed all the time but really BYU-Idaho is one of my favorite places in the world.