woo! Its been a hot second since I last updated and I apologize- but, nothing too eventful has been going on! haha But here's the usual update :)
- Eric comes home in 23 days. yes. 23. and then he is home for good. forever. I wake up and go to bed every day and every night and look to my left and see no one, but knowing that he'll be there soon. I'm so excited I can't even put it into words so I won't try. Tomorrow Eric attaches back onto his Unit. When he got to Japan, he had to start working with a different Unit than his usual Richmond one because of his job. This is all exciting because him reattaching to his old Unit just means that the end is nearer! The Advanced Party comes back to the US in 2 days... Again exciting because if the advanced party of troops is coming back, that only means they are ready shortly to send for the remaining troops to return. Including my husband! Eric is so excited to come home and he never fails to tell me how ready he is to be with me everyday again. He has managed to continue being the most loving and sweet husband even from so far away. He reassures me everyday how perfect things will be when he gets back and how much he loves me and baby. He's perfect and I don't deserve him. 23 more days, baby!
- Baby is almost 19 weeks old (in the womb haha) and is doing great! Newwwwest development is that I felt her/him kick and so did my mommy! I've felt little flutters now and then and then on Sunday at church, I had my hand on my belly and boop! went a little baby kick :) It was the sweetest cutest little poke ever and after my mom felt it, it was all I could do to not tear up. Its taken me by absolute storm how much I've fallen in love with this baby. Every flutter or kick I feel gives me this naturally incredible feeling and I can't help smiling and thinking to myself about how I've never felt something like this. I love this little miracle so, unbelievably much already and its so humbling and truly amazing how much my love still grows for him or her every day. I can't wait for Eric to get home so he can experience this too and so we can feel like a little family again.
- Motherly instincts are starting to take over! So, I always knew that I would be a somewhat picky mom about certain things but I am really starting to develop a natural motherly instinct for things I didnt think I'd care so much about! haha! I spend my whole day reading books about babies. I spend just as much time researching baby things. and then when Im not doing those things I spend my time reading my baby magazines that I now get in the mail. haha Eric says I'm 'drinking the koolaid' and that I'm being brainwashed by everything I'm reading. I dont think thats the case at all because I'm really just trying to be the best mom I can be and get prepared. I like all the reading I'm doing and I love all the things I'm finding out about babies and infancy! Once I can manage to get Eric on board (typical boy haha), I think we'll be the worlds most prepared and best parents ever. He might not want to admit it but he'll get more into it too sooner than later. And I know this because I know he will be the best parent and the best dad. He's too wonderful not to be.
- I managed to find our next home! It was pretty stress-free thanks in large part to my incredible mommy who always seems to be great at stuff like this! I looked at a few houses and a few townhouses and a few apartment complexes and finally found a really great two bedroom apartment for Eric and I to move into this June! We've already started planning the nursery and it will be so cute, I can tell already. :) The apartment is so nice and really spacious. It will be perfect to start our little family in. When our lease is up there next June and life has settled a bit, Eric and I will move into our first real house and it will definitely be easier to do so with Eric here and available to help me with all that stuff. I'll tell you I didnt want to be in another apartment but it's only another year and it'll be great.
- Eric and I are starting to plan a little vacation for when he comes home. Probably for right before we move into the new place. We're thinking about Myrtle Beach and staying in my families beachhouse for a week or so. It would definitely be a nice getaway and probably the last one for us two alone before the baby comes. In July we are going to the Jersey shore with my family on vacation so that will be fun too. We were supposed to go on a cruise but, ofcourse, I will be too far along in my pregnancy and I'm not allowed on the ship. Grrrr....
- We find out babys gender on in 1 more week! Next Thursday, the 26th, I go for my ultrasound and we will see whether theres a baby Eric in there or a baby Mandie. Eric says he hopes it's a girl but I think he's just trying to be nice because he knows I need a girl at some point. haha As the mommy, I don't care what it is- I'm just excited to find out and start buying clothes. haha typical! I did the old wives tale trick (putting a ring on the end of a piece of thread and holding it above your belly) and it started to swing back and forth. They say if it goes back and forth then you're having a boy and if it swings in little circles then you're having a girl-- so if the wives tale proves true, we're having a boy! haha I'm so excited to find out for sure and even more excited to tell Eric. I know that will make things even MORE real for both of us and he will be that much more anxious to get home.
ok well I think that's it for now! God is good and we are SO blessed, bottom line :) Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes for us and baby as always!
