13 weeks

I am 13 weeks pregnant today! We had an ultrasound yesterday and the doctor said everything looks great. Robbie and I could see the little face with nose and lips and hear the heartbeat! It was amazing. The heartbeat is 150 beats per minute, which is very normal. He/she was just jumping around like crazy. I can't wait until I can feel those movements.

My weekly email:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head -- which makes up just a third of her body size now. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed.

Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Frances

12 weeks

The first trimester is over!! I can't believe how time has flown.

Here is my weekly email I receive about the baby's growth and development. He/she is the size of a lime!!

"The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce."

I love getting these emails on Fridays - it makes my day. FYI - one week it will use "him" and the next it will use "her". They just alternate to avoid using "it". Enjoy reading about how our little bug is growing!

Love,
Frances

Christmas 2009

I wanted to backtrack and do a separate post on Christmas, because it was so much fun to open presents for Baby Raybon and start spreading the news to more family members and friends.

Arriving in Americus for Christmas!

I was very homesick and SO glad to finally be there!

Robbie and Lady

Lady and her Mommy

After telling Sarah the BIG news!

Frances and Robbie on Christmas Eve

The Gatewood Girls

Aunt Virginia!

Daddy and his girls

I wrote "You are going to be a GREAT Grandmother" on a piece of paper and wrapped it up for Dee to open. She opened the gift on Christmas Eve and Robbie captured her reaction!!

Baby Raybon's first toy!

Christmas morning...

Tory Burch Baby Bag!!!!!!

Going to the Peagler's Party

Raybon Family Picture

New Years Eve

Frances and Katie

Frances and Robbie

A tired Daddy after returning to Atlanta

Baby Raybon

I created this baby blog to document my pregnancy and update our families with all the important news. I will be 12 weeks pregnant in a few days, so we are almost at the end of the first trimester! Time has truly flown by! I have felt great and have been so lucky to not have been sick. Of course I am super tired, so hopefully I will get my energy back after we enter the 2nd trimester.

Let me back up a little since I am starting 3 months behind...Robbie and I found out I was pregnant on Thanksgiving Day!...at 5:30AM to be exact! We truly had so much to be thankful for! We went to Charleston to be with the Raybons for the weekend and were able to share the good news with them even though I was barely pregnant!

We told my parents a couple of weeks later when they made a trip to Atlanta. As hard as it was to keep this from them for 2 weeks - it was worth seeing the looks on their faces in person! I bought a Christmas ornament that said "Mom to Be" on it and waited for them to spot the ornament on our tree...it was priceless! We had a great time celebrating!

We kept it a secret from everyone except family for awhile. I told Sarah and Dee over Christmas and that was wonderful. We had our first ultrasound on December 29th and could not keep it a secret any longer! We spread the word to all of our friends at 9 weeks after seeing this picture.

What a miracle!