Baby Girl

We are having a girl!!!

Yes, I've already picked out shoes for our little one

My heart has never been so happy and full. Jordan and I went into Fetal Fotos this past week (since I was way too impatient to wait until 20-21 weeks to find out the gender!) 

The night before the ultrasound, I was having a minor anxiety attack as I suddenly had the realization that I hadn't mentally prepared to have a boy, since I was so convinced we were having a girl. I told Jordan that I wanted to be content no matter what.

It sounds silly, but I prayed to be completely happy with whichever gender Heavenly Father was so graciously blessing us with. The next day, I felt so at peace and knew I would be excited either way.

Jordan and I invited our cute moms to go with us, but we swore them to secrecy until our "gender reveal party" on Saturday. Savanah came too--she's the baby in our family so she's never gotten to experience this with any of her own siblings. She is the one that named the baby "Popcorn" and tells me all the time, "Ash, I just can't wait for baby Popcorn to get here." 

I was so nervous/ excited for the ultrasound! I seriously had butterflies. As I laid down and the ultrasound tech started the ultrasound, I was holding Jordan's hand and about squeezed his fingers off...he's used to it, bless his heart :) The tech pointed out the baby's profile, which is so stinkin' cute! Baby must had known it was picture day, because her little legs were spread wide open. My mom kind of gasped out of excitement (anyone that knows her knows the exact "mom" sound I'm talking about), and she said, "Oh! I know what it is!" I had no idea, I assumed since my mom guessed so quickly that it must be a boy...but I can't tell what in the world I'm looking at on the ultrasound until the tech points it out to me--I'm obviously a little new at this! The tech smiled and said, "Yep, it's a girl!" I squealed out of excitement and just about jumped off the table!

I had felt like she was a girl the whole time, so I wasn't too surprised, just over the moon excited to to finally know! Both Jordan and I's families humored me by coming to my gender reveal party---my dad said something like, "Is that a real thing? I didn't know they had those." I think he is kind of amused by me sometimes. He is always good about supporting me even if I'm crazy :). And Nora, Jordan's cute mom, smiled when I gave her the invitation and said, "I've never been to one of these before!" I laughed and told her I hadn't either.

My invite I made for our little party

I made pink and blue sugar cookie bars (thank you Si Foster! I use your recipes all the time and I always get SO many compliments.) Jordan was so sweet and stayed up with my the night before on our date night making pink and blue, white chocolate popcorn (again, since Savanah has called the baby Popcorn ever since she found out I was pregnant.)

My mom and I ordered the cutest little polka dot cake and had it filled with pink, strawberry ice cream. Everyone gave their guesses one by one before we cut into the cake--most everyone guessed a girl--so I figure this little girl of mine must have a pretty feminine little spirit because it seems like EVERYONE I've talked to has guessed a girl. We cut the cake and it was so fun seeing our family's reactions--they cheered and Elise (my sister) gave her usual little high pitched squeal she gives when she gets excited. And I was so proud of Savanah for keeping such a big secret!

Baby size cake for baby girl

My mom had everyone grab pink cups and head to the backyard for a group shot!

Our "Gender Neutral" sign..I have a hard time making things not look girly (thank you Pinterest!)

My darling and supportive mother, holding the famous pink sugar cookie bars

Jordan holding the itsy bitsy diapers his mom gave us as a gift :)

I feel so blessed. Logan left on his mission (it's almost been a month now) and he told me that he knew all along our baby would be a girl. He told me that our baby girl has already been his tiny guardian angel all the way in the Accra, Ghana, Africa mission. I'm so grateful that they already have a special bond. Logan is so important to me and it means so much to know that my little girl is carefully taking care of him. I am so grateful for eternal families. He kissed my tummy at the airport the day he left, saying, "I love you Popcorn," and I couldn't help but cry. He is the sweetest boy in the world.

Elder Van Wagoner just before he headed to Ghana with all of the siblings

Disclaimer if you'd asked me up until about 16 weeks how I felt about pregnancy, I would have told you that this baby would probably be an only child! Now that the nausea has subsided, it's a lot easier to be excited! It makes me SO SO grateful for my mom and what she went through for each of her babies.

17 weeks!

I'm showing, I wore horizontal stripes so there would be no mistaking!

I felt baby girl kicking away this week for the first time! It is the most incredible feeling. It almost feels like a butterfly fluttering in my tummy--soft and delicate. Sometimes I'll gently poke on my stomach a bit to see if I can get her to move. I don't think I'll ever get over how amazing that feeling is. 

18 weeks today!