Boy or girl!?!

Week 16
So such an exciting day yesterday. Saturday night felt like Christmas, Cam and I both had a hard time falling asleep, thinking about the excitement of the day to come. Finding out whether our lil bean was a boy or girl!
Luckily we had church in the morning to keep us occupied and focused on something. Of course I had a melt down when we got the sweetest encouraging text from Corey, Cam's brother. He lives in Ohio and we miss them so much. His text was so sweet then I was reminded how much I miss them and their five adorable kids.
After church and promising some we would tell them immediately we headed down to Newport where we were having the sonogram done. We had time to spare so we decided to browse Target, who doesn't love browsing target. We decided to snap some pictures, boy and girl things we found and made a little collage.

Yeah we had a little too much fun with this.
So we arrived at the place after turning around a couple times because we passed it. We pulled in to a old and ugly strip mall. I started questioning the place. We found out about it from Corey and Tiffany brother and sis-in-law. They went there so we will be fine. We walk in and it is nice inside and the girls were nice and friendly. We go in to this room with two big TV screens and a leather couch. They find they baby and look around for a while. Baby was moving a lot but did not want to show us privates. I started to think maybe we wasted $25. She then had me shake my hips and checked again. Baby finally moved and showed us. She said, " are you ready to find out." We both said yes me a little hesitant. So she said girl, I was in doubt and they moved things around and double checked, pointed the pelvic bone out and confirmed it. They printed lots of pictures and sent us on our way.
I still doubted but Cam confirmed it was right and said he was so happy. He immediately called our friend Maddy who we promised to call and tell. I didn't really want to talk I had yet talked to him
about it.
It started sinking in as the night went on and we enjoyed strolling around Huntington Beach shops looking for something pink. We found some pink sunglasses and decided to go down to the sand to do a cute picture in the sand.

We then enjoyed dinner and went home. Such a fun and exciting day.
It feels even more real and now we can start calling her by name.
Daddy and I are so in love with her already.

Hearing a heart beat

So I finally went to my first doctor appointment yesterday. Cam was there with me and we got to see and hear the heart beat. So crazy. It took my breath away and was just beautifully amazing. I am so in love already and Cam is just as crazy in love. He immediately was texting people the sonogram pictures. My heart was so full of joy, spending time with my husband that I am madly in love with and seeing my baby for the first time that I am just as in love with. Boy my heart cannot be more full of love and joy! (Sorry for being so mushy, pregnancy hormones)
We both were talking about it when you hear others say they got to hear the heartbeat for the first time you do not realize the magnitude of this simple action at the moment until it is your own baby's. God is simply amazing. His beauty is indescribable.
We then meet Ryan and Ashley the boys and Gwen and Clare for lunch at Chipotle.
I ate a whole burrito bowl by myself something I do not usually do....my appetite is increasing.
We also found out I am farther along than expected and my due date is the day after my birthday.
We are planning to go this weekend to go find out what lil bean is, boy or girl. I cannot wait to start calling lil bean by name.

Second Trimester

Week 13
Officially into the second trimester.
Still tired, could use a nap every afternoon. Tonight I could barely finish dinner and dishes I wanted a nap so bad.
Cravings, junk food. I'm over anything healthy and just want candy and snacks. Cam has noticed too, our cupboards have snack food which we never had before!
Getting more and more excited to find out if our lil bean is a boy or girl.
Can't wait for my first appointment next Monday, Cam can come.
Still not quite showing maybe month four I will post a picture.

We went to my cousins wedding last weekend, turned out nice in my aunt and uncles backyard. We danced and had delicious cupcakes!

So Grateful

So grateful for all that God has blessed me and Cam with this past year.
A fun filled trip to Arizona with my parents and brother for baseball spring training.
A wonderful Easter with the whole McCullough family.
A fun filled day with all the nieces and nephews mini golfing and pizza before half of them moved to Ohio.
A trip to San Diego for my birthday, beautiful weather, tandem bike ride, my first ever shot and a long walk to our hotel with lots of laughs.
A trip to Solvang and Santa Barbara for our anniversary, wine tasting tour, walk on the beach, beautiful sunset, delicious Italian dinner and good laughs.
A wonderful thanksgiving dinner with the McCullough half and a night camping in Newport with my parents.
The news that our family is growing.
A relaxing Christmas staying in San Bernardino, spending the morning with Gwen and Clare and the evening with my family.
We are blessed beyond measure. Can't thank God enough.

Pregnancy update
Still no sickness thankfully.
No consistent cravings. Still not a huge desire to eat food. Fries always sound good. Cucumber and ranch dip are always delicious. I almost finished a complete box of Van Kemp donuts 😁 I am getting close to showing, right now I think it is bloating but it is a little pouf.
We have settled on a girls name although my dad does not like it. Paisley Grace.
The soonest dr appointment is Jan 20. I can't not wait to see the sonogram picture.
We were blessed by a family in our church who gave us very useful baby stuff, stroller, car seat, changing pad and pack-n-play. So grateful and getting this made it more real.
We cannot wait to become parents and meet our little bundle of joy.

A new chapter of life

Cam and I are so excited we are becoming daddy and mommy this July. We have been blessed with so much excitement and joy from family and friends. We cannot wait to find out what we're having. We both are leaning more towards wanting a boy but would be just as blessed with a girl too. We do already have a boy name but have not decided on a girl name. February cannot come soon enough. 

I have been feeling pretty good, no real sickness, just a lack of desire to eat which is completely unfamiliar to me. Surprisingly no cravings and an overall dissatisfaction with sweet food. Maybe my thoughts have taken over, thinking about wanting to eat healthy to feed nutritious things to our lil Bean. (We have decided to call him or her Lil Bean until we find out.) I have also lost a couple pounds since getting pregnant, my thought and that are that will be my goal for pre baby weight when I start losing after pregnancy. 

Testimony

Well just got with a little training session on how important it is to have your testimony together and have a short version prepared so here it is. 

My name is Jessica McCullough. Before I became a Christian, when I was fifteen and a half, I was shy and confused. I was scared and unsure of many things, especially death. I also worried about what others thought of me. 

Since I was young, I attended church events with friends. I would have fun and I would learn but was still confused. I desired the peace that my friends and the people at church had. 

As I attended more often God began to work in my heart and life. I stopped feeling confused and unsure. I began to feel confident. I was a child of god and he loved me. I no longer needed to worry about pleasing others but pleasing God. He continues to work in me, teaching me to be confident because of his love yet still humble that I need to trust him. 

Days of Thanks

Thankful November

Day 1: Thankful for my mom. She is beautiful, loving and lives to serve God. I admire who she has become and all that she has done for me. (her birth day Nov. 1st)

Day 2: Thankful for my hardworking, loving, musical and funny husband. Greatful I have him as a bestfriend to go through this crazy life with.

Day 3:Thankful for all my nieces and nephew who are all so cute. They make me smile, bring me so much joy and keep me content till I have some of my own.

Day 4:Thankful I have a funny, cute and sometimes nice brother. Glad he could come down and hangout. Made me laugh just taking this picture.

Day 5:  Thankful for the firemen and police officers who keep our neighborhoods safe especially when there are fires.

Day 6: Thankful I live in a country where we are free and have the right to vote.

Day 7: My dad is the best dad. He is loving, jokes around, emotional and strives to honor and love God in all he does. Enjoyed having him walk me home last night. 

Day 8: So glad I have this doggie he keeps me company when hubby is working at night. He always wants to be right by me.

Day 9: So glad I have these two girlies in my life they are always there for me loving me, keeping me company, laughing with me and crying with me. I love them so much and so glad God brought us together despite are age differences.

Day 10: Grateful for the kitchen I have, extremely thankful for the friend that helped make it possible. Cherish all the good memories made and memories to make in here.

Day 11:Appreciate all the people who serve and have served our country. Thankful for the freedom they fought for.

Day 12: Thankful I live within walking distance from my parents so me and Trout can walk over for dinner when Cam is working.

Day 13: Thankful for my healthy and my ability to run/exercise.