We are having a baby Girl!
After we found out that wonderful news we headed straight down to California to be with my side of the family for Christmas! And I kept the gender a secret the whole way! I had planned how to tell my family the gender of our baby for over a month now, and there was no way I was going to spoil it haha. I had bought almost 280 jelly beans (140 in green and 140 in red) and the game was: Each color stood for a gender (green=girl, red=boy) and whichever color has more, thats what the gender of our baby is. Jared would eat one jelly bean of the color its not (so he ate one red because our baby was not a boy, therefore green would have more jelly beans, telling the family it was a girl)
We got to my parents house around 10:30pm and the little boys were already asleep, so we decided to wait until morning to let the family find out. It was good, and everyone agreed to it, but it did make Mom and Kalyn want to know even more. They were just dying to know. haha And at that time I had not decided which color was going to represent which gender, so I appreciated the extra time. In the morning I set up this white board and put the jar by it so they knew which gender the colors represented.
279 jelly beans for the counting. We waited until everyone was awake and home and then we let them have at the counting!
My dad was video taping the whole event and Jared and I were standing back and watching the madness. And let me tell you, it was quite the funny thing to watch. Everyone was so anxious and excited and trying to move so fast, it made for some good amusement.
The tactic they came up with was to put the beans in piles of 10. But they were so excited some piles had 11 some 8 or even 12. And occasionally piles would be scattered into big ones.... so they had to recount a couple times. =>When they finally felt confident enough in their number Mom and Kalyn just about couldn't contain themselves, and when we told them that they were right, that there was more green and that it was a GIRL Mom and Kalyn let out the biggest screams and jumped all around. I am so glad my Dad recorded it, because that is definately something you want to keep for all posterity to see. haha
Jared and I are very thrilled to be having a girl, but truth be told we would have been fine with any gender as long as it is healthy! And according to doctors our little girl is very healthy and even a week bigger than the average baby her age (although they changed my due date from May 7 to May 12, so pushing it back almost a week.....) That makes me a little more nervous for delivery, but how can Jared and I NOT have a bigger than average baby? haha And as for the due date, I still say the baby will come around the 7th, so we will see who is right me or the doctors haha. But the baby will come when she is good and ready => We are excited to be having a little girl and evevn more excited that she is healthy!
As for names, the middle name will be Arlene. Both Jared and I have Grandmas named Arlene (and they are both ones that passed away prematurely) so we feel like that should be the middle name. As for the first name, we haven't chosen yet, and our list changes from week to week. The list this week is: Makayla, Lia, Callie, Keira, and Miley (ok Jared doesn't liek Miley but thats my favorite, so I jeep it in there anyways) =>
It was already late, but the boys were so excited they could not go to sleep. It was so funny to see them all giddy and anxiously excited like that! Then they decided to clean their guns, at like 11:30! We didn't get to sleep until around 12:30am, and we had to get up at 4:00am!! It was like being a kid waiting for Christmas morning, but with ducks! haha
By some wonderous happening we were able to get up and actually be at the hunting spot like 45 minutes before we were supposed to be! Being all crammed into a truck at four thirty in the morning is definately an experience everyone should have. haha
The boys had blinds (and one of their wives) but I didn't, so they rigged up this sweet set up for me! I was in a sleeping bag and even had a pillow. It was suprisingly comfortable and super warm! I loved being in there! And Jared's head was right by mine so we could talk and I could see him shoot! I must say, I really enjoyed duck hunting! It was so cool!!! The only downside to my set up was I couldn't get out until they shot all they ducks they were allowed to (21), and of course I had to go to the bathroom when they had 8 ducks left, and of course at that time no ducks were flying over. haha Just my luck.
But the boys did hit their limit! (Seven ducks a person, so 21 total) and my bladder did get relief, and they boys were so happy! They had over 60 lbs of duck! It was fun to see! =>
Jared got his opening hunt and enjoyed it very much! I loved seeing him in his element and having a blast! And I really enjoyed it too! One day I might even get a hunting license to be able to actually shoot things out there! => But until then, I will be perfectly content with just lying beside him watching him 'bring the rain' haha (ok so I don't know if thats the right place to use that phrase, but it sounds cool => )
Jared and Jed leaving bright and early!!! They were so excited!! (and Jared is blowing me a kiss)=>
Jared and the goose! That is one big bird!!!!
Jared and Jed with their dead ducks!! That is just so cool!
The boys getting ready to clean the birds. They set up a little station behind our apartment!
