20 weeks and a lot of firsts!

Since we last posted two weeks ago, we have experienced a multitude of many firsts. As you can see from the picture, the belly is still growing and is definitely noticeable now. Thankfully, people are asking me if I'm pregnant now vs. looking at me like I shouldn't be eating as much as I am. I'm so glad that stage is over. Secondly, Peanut has been kicking up a storm. Ed has even been lucky enough to feel him kick a few times. Those of you who are moms understand the novelty of this experience. It's amazing how much development occurs in just one day in a baby's life.

So now we are busy debating nursery ideas, childcare options, etc. All I know is it's a good thing this is a 9 month process because now I understand how long it takes to get ready for the baby's arrival.

And the survey says....

....it's a boy! Not more than 2 minutes into our ultrasound the technician says "well, it's a boy". After Ed finished doing cartwheels he asked "are you sure?". She laughed and said "yes, it's definitely a boy". As you can imagine, this made Ed's chest puff out and his response was "that's my boy!". Boys will always be boys I suppose.

The doctor's appointment went well. Apparently not only are we having a boy but we also have a big boy right now. He currently weighs 9 oz, putting him into the 95th percentile for his weight. The doctor wants to have another ultrasound at 30 weeks to see if we just caught him on a growth spurt or if he is indeed going to be a big baby. If he is still big, we may schedule a C section or induce early. The doc doesn't think I can carry a big baby to term. So we'll see.

Nevertheless, we are super excited and can't wait to start shopping for our little guy. We have already named him and can't wait to actually meet our little guy in person in a few months. His name will be Strickland Campbell Priest. We are so blessed and so thankful to share this moment with all of you.

The next major milestone

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone! Ed and I are extra thankful this season as we continue preparing for the welcoming of our little Peanut. This coming Tuesday (Dec. 1st) is an extra special day for us as we will be finding out the sex of the baby. We are like two little kids waiting for Christmas to arrive. This is the best Christmas gift we could ask for. So please check back Tuesday afternoon for more updates on Peanut Priest. We are crossing another major milestone in the baby's development and we are so excited and blessed to share this with each of you.

Here are some of the latest pictures of the growing tummy. This is 18 weeks and as you can tell, the tummy is a bit more developed.

16 weeks and growing!

We are now at 16 weeks and the little belly is still growing. Last week my belly went from being flat to popping out. It seemed to just pop out overnight as well. Things are going well still. We had our monthly check up yesterday and all seems on track. We are still scheduled for our gender ultrasound on Dec. 1st and we can't wait. We are so excited. Still no major side effects to date, which we are extremely thankful for. But in the past few days, I definitely think the appetite has kicked in because I feel like I'm always eating now.

We will be sure and post pictures from the next ultrasound on the afternoon of Dec. 1st. So please plan to check back soon.

Trick or Treat

Lou and I enjoyed a night of candy and great friends for Halloween. She dressed up as a queen, her loop hole find for not being allowed to be a princess or fairy (her standard costume of choice). She completed her queen costume with an oversized lollipop for her wand.

Enjoying her evening with her buddies.

Looking over the loot, piece by piece.

Growing Little By Little

Hi everyone. I was thinking this morning that I need to start updating this blog a bit more. Unfortunately, I can't wait until I have more ultrasound pictures because the ultrasounds are few from here on. So you'll just have to enjoy the pictures of my growing belly in the meantime.

As for updates on little Peanut, things are going well. We finished up our first trimester screenings this week and all seems on track. Thank you God for a healthy baby thus far. We are scheduled to find out the baby's gender on December 1st. So mark your calendars. Ed is still convinced it's a boy.

As for me, I am still doing well. I am so thankful for an easy pregnancy thus far. I keep thinking I'll wake up with morning sickness but nothing so far.

So enjoy the pictures of my growing little belly. Still no maternity clothes but I think some larger clothes are just around the corner. For now, I stay in pj's as much as I can.

Love to everyone!


8 weeks and no major changes

11 weeks and a little softer


12 weeks and a little bulge is starting to form

Peanut Priest - A mover and a shaker!

We had our end of the first trimester appointment today and were fortunate enough to get to see our little peanut. As you can see from the pictures, our little peanut is growing very quickly.

First, a couple of exciting things from the ultrasound. The technician asked us if we were going to find out what we were having. We both said yes. She then said "well, it's still very early to tell but it looks like you're having a boy". But before we start buying blue everything (mom!), we must keep in mind that this is the time when the baby's tail is changing and by the end of the 12th week, they shouldn't have a tail any longer. So she said that there's a chance she misread the tail for the other. But I must say, Ed was beaming in the room at this point.

Second, the little peanut is a mover and a shaker already. Peanut didn't enjoy the ultrasound machine putting pressure on the belly so s/he kept moving around, away from the machine. It was quite funny. But the not so funny part was the flips s/he was doing in my belly. Those are going to be painful in a few weeks.

We are so excited. Today was definitely a special day, getting to witness the greatness of God through our little peanut. Love to all!


A profile shot of Peanut...the head is on the right and the little hands are in the air.
A picture of the hand. I'm convinced already that Peanut has Ed's fingers because they are so long.

A great profile picture....you can see Peanut's little nose perfectly. This is my favorite.

Yup...it's a Peanut!

Today was our 8 week appointment and as you can see, our little peanut is growing like a weed. And much to Ed's dismay, there is only one baby inside (hooray!). I'm hoping that I'm making things up when I say that the majority of that blob looks like a head. The Priest family is known for producing babies with large heads. I'm fearful of the Priest head! Nevertheless, the doctor said that things are progressing just as they should. The baby's heart sounds good and the length is right on track. For now, we just eat, sleep, and wait. I go back to the doctor in 2 weeks for my first trimester screenings and tests. At that point, we will be able to do another ultrasound and get to see even more. As of now, our due date is May 4th. As for the pregnancy thus far, I can't complain. I haven't thrown up (knock on wood) and for the most part, am regaining some of my energy. I have been super tired but the last couple of days have been better. All in all, I am blessed for the minimal symptoms and can only hope that they continue. Stay tuned for more. Love to all!

It's a Baby!

Surprise surprise! Ed and I found out a few weeks ago that the stork will be coming to visit in a few months. After the initial surprise, we are now excited and looking forward to beginning a new chapter in life. We will have our first major doctor's visit next week - our 8 week appointment. Stay tuned for more information. In thinking about the best way to share this experience with all of our closest friends and family, who don't live near us, we thought it best to document the next months through our blog. We plan to post regularly so please book mark this page and check back often as we share with you our journey in getting ready to welcome the Priest Peanut.

The trip of a lifetime!

Ed and I recently took a trip to Alaska to celebrate my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. We had an amazing time! We took a cruise through the inside passage and saw everything from whales to sea lions to glaciers. We went salmon fishing and hiking. And last but not least, we ate like it was our jobs. We all know how cruises can be.

These are just a few pictures from our trip. If you would like to see more, please visit our google picasa website at: http://picasaweb.google.com/edandjody/Alaska2009?feat=directlink


My catch during our salmon fishing excursion.

Ed and I with Grandaddy and Grandmomma at their anniversary celebration.Grandaddy and I at dinner.

Ed and I lounging by the pool.

Ed and I hanging out in Vancouver waiting to board the cruise ship.

Texas meets Bar Harbor

Mom and I traveled to Bar Harbor, Maine for one of my best friend's weddings. It was quite the treat - Texas meets Bar Harbor. Shortly after arriving in Maine, I called Traci (the bride) to tell her that there were real Christmas trees on the side of the road. She laughed hysterically and said "Welcome to Maine". Us Texas folk aren't used to seeing trees, much less a real Christmas tree! Mom and I also didn't plan for the cool weather (actually, I think it's the equivalent of winter weather in Texas) so we ended up being cold most of the time. But overall, we had a fantastic time and would love to return to visit someday. Traci and Scott's wedding was a fairytale wedding.

Traci and I at the salon the day before the wedding.
Scott, Traci, and I after the wedding.

Me in front of our hotel.

Me posing in the Acadia National Park. Absolutely beautiful scenery!

Standing outside the Bar Harbor Inn.

Summer's Here!

Lou and I enjoyed the traditions of summer this past weekend. We played in the lake, went rafting on the boat, and ate smores around the campfire. A great weekend. Now we are looking forward to Ed coming home in a few short weeks.

Lou posing with Mr. Pat
Lou and her buddies on the raft.

Playing in the lake

Let's go have some summer fun!

A Family Weekend in Texas

While Ed was away, I took some time to go to Texas for a long weekend and visit family. We played with little Jayden for the weekend. Grandmom and Grandaddy were able to come down to Corpus Christi to visit. All in all we had a great time!


Grandmom and her little buddy. He loves his Gigi.
Jayden and Poppa getting ready for bed.

The family dinner.

My little buddy

The European Whirlwind

I have finally returned from two weeks of traveling for school in Europe. I had a fantastic time and experienced truly unique adventures. We traveled to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Istanbul, and Paris. Here are some snapshots from the trip. You can also always visit our google page for more pics. Enjoy!

Touring Paris by bike.

My UNC teammates

Meg (my girlfriend also in the program) and I toasting our last night in Paris

A view of the Eiffel Tower

A Girls' Weekend

With Ed away, Lou and I are spending our weekends together. We had a girls' weekend this past weekend, complete with a sleep over, nail painting, and shopping. We enjoyed ourselves and can't wait for our next weekend together. She sure is special and the older she gets, the more fun she is. Crazy how that works!


The bluest eyes..... I love them!

Lou climbing the rockwall at her friend Kayla's birthday party.


Lou getting her gear on to climb the rockwall.

Lou and our neighbor's little boy having a sleep over.

Lou in her Sunday best, posing for the camera. This is becoming a regular occurence before church.

Look at that hair!!! I'm JEALOUS!

The Circus and then some

Ed and I took Lou to the circus earlier this week. It was an early Valentines gift for her. She enjoyed it, especially the cotton candy. I've also included some pictures of everyday life below. Thought some of you might enjoy!


Talking on the phone to Mimi while cooking dinner
She's quite the helper in the kitchen. She likes instruction and then hands on practice, including chopping up an onion.

Wearing her circus hat while eating cotton candy.