IT'S A GIRL!!!

Say hello to Hailey Makena Tune!!

We had SO MUCH FUN getting at our ultrasound today!! I can't believe how different the baby looks from the first ultrasound. It was so awesome to get to see all the different body structures: tiny fingers and toes, the four chambers of the heart, the little nose and mouth! Unfortunately, she is a modest little thing and had her legs crossed at the ankles THE WHOLE TIME!! I tried everything to get her to show us the goods, including jumping up and down, jiggling my tummy, pushing against my uterus, and drinking juice. Bryan even got next to my belly and told her to open her legs, just this once (haha!). FINALLY, she opened up a little and the ultrasound tech was finally able to declare "GIRL!" We are both SO EXCITED, we thought it was a girl all along but it's so incredible to know! Now instead of saying "it" and "baby" all the time, we can say "her" and "Hailey"!! I instantly feel closer to her after getting to see her on the screen...she's not just a vague idea of a baby anymore, she's my daughter!!

(p.s. Joanna, does this mean I get to join the IBFC??)

Iguanas and Turtles and Stingrays, Oh My!!

We're baaa-aack!! What a FANTASTIC vacation!! Grand Cayman is one of the most amazingly beautiful places we've ever been!

We stayed at the Marriott resort on 7 Mile Beach, which is a gorgeous stretch of white sand beach with sparkling turquoise water that looks like a picture straight out of a calendar. We spend a good part of the trip stationed on lounge chairs, soaking up the sun, and having drinks delivered to us (virgin daiquiris for me, naturally). It was exactly the relaxing trip we were looking for.

We did manage to tear ourselves away from our lounge chairs long enough to do some exploring. One day we rented a car and decided to check out the rest of the island. Just driving was an adventure in itself since the steering wheel is on the right side of the car and they drive on the left. I left that job to Bryan and settled for being navigator. Our first stop on our tour was at a little patio cafe on the beach. Bryan and I just looked at each other in amazement throughout the entire meal because the beach was SO INCREDIBLE!!

After lunch we went to Boatswains Turtle Farm, which turned out to be one of the coolest things we've ever done! The Turtle Farm breeds endangered sea turtles and tracks and studies them once they are released back into the ocean. We learned all about their program and some interesting facts about the turtles themselves. The best part about the tour? You get to hold the turtles!!! After the turtles, we made our way to the other side of the island to check out Rum Point (which turned out to be basically a tourist trap). We also attempted to check out downtown George Town, but we were out of luck because the whole town shuts down at 5:30pm!! If you're a party animal, this is definitely not the island for you.

On our last full day on the island, we had another amazing experience when we went on a snorkel excursion to the Stingray Sandbar. The water is waist high and the stingrays are super friendly (which could have something to do with the fact that all the boats bring food to bribe them to hang out there). As long as you keep your feet on the sand, you are in no danger of them stinging you. The guides from our boat held one of the stingrays for us and we got to take turns holding them and giving them a "kiss" (for photo purposes only, no actual lip to stingray contact occurred). It was so cool to stand in the beautiful water as the stingrays swam around our legs, we couldn't believe we were actually there! The boat also took us to the barrier reef and the coral gardens, where we saw colorful fish and even a giant green eel. It was an incredible day!!

We had such a wonderful time on this trip and knowing it was our last big trip before we become parents made us appreciate it even more!

Halfway!

I am officially 20 weeks pregnant, which means I am halfway to a baby!!

At the risk of jinxing myself, I must say that I have been EXTREMELY lucky with this pregnancy so far.

Here's a quick recap of the first 5 months of the belly journey:

• NO PUKING!! No nausea at all! Thank god!! (considering I get nauseous just looking at a mode of transportation, I was convinced that I was going to spend the first three months with my head inside a toilet bowl)


• I managed to make it all the way through winter without having to buy any maternity clothes, which means only 1 season worth of spending money!


• I have been consciously trying to make healthier food choices for the baby (and my only craving so far has been fruit) so I've only gained 3 lbs so far. I'm sure I'll be packing it on during the second half of the pregnancy so I'm glad I didn't go crazy during the first half.


• Sleeping has become a little bit more uncomfortable... I'm normally a stomach sleeper and that just aint happenin' anymore.


• I have had a HUGE knot in my back for the past 2 months that I think is finally starting to go away.


• Everyone says I'm "glowing". I don't know if this is true or not, but I am definitely smiling a lot. I am so happy to be having a baby and become a mom that I am enjoying every moment along the way!

Bryan and I leave Monday night for Grand Cayman for our last trip as a family of 2. We are so excited to be taking this trip to enjoy each other and relax before our lives are full of bottles, diapers, and playdates! It will also provide quite a nice distraction while we wait for our next ultrasound to find out if we are having a girl or boy!!!

So let's have a little more audience participation...what do YOU think we're having??

(p.s. Ask and you shall receive Joanna! :) )