Some Pink Surprises!

Yesterday was an unexpected day off for Ian and I.  We didn't sleep much the night before so we both took the day off to catch up on some sleep, and it just happened to be Valentine's Day.  :)

I started the day by making Ian some gluten free pancakes (and some mini heart-shaped ones) with some Applegate organic bacon (the BEST bacon if you've never had it).  He left to run an errand and came back with some gorgeous white lillies for me, my favorite.  We decided to do lunch at Pei Wei and then head to the zoo, with our special box, to open it and find out the gender of our baby!

Almost three years ago, we got married at the zoo.  It is one of our favorite places to go, is right by our house and we have so many happy memories there.  We can't wait to have our little muffin in a stroller, walking around and showing her all the animals there, so it was just fitting that we open our box near our wedding spot.  However, it was an unseasonably (well at least for this year) cold day and I was in a skirt and flip-flops so I started to rethink this decision as soon as we got there.  It was freezing!

Christine got the envelope from me 6 days before, and all we asked her to do was make a piece of jewelry for us, either pink or blue, that represented the baby's gender.  She didn't tell anyone but her boyfriend, Jeremy, and her mom, but some of our friends did try to get the info out of her.  My mom also contacted her to make us a Build a Bear, dressed as either a boy or girl, with a recording of our lemmy's heartbeat in it.  So, she had a lot to do in just a little bit of time.

Christine actually recorded herself opening the envelope, we cracked up last night watching it, I love it!

And, a couple of days before she dropped off the box, I got this picture sent to me with a text that said, "Is it Tuesday yet?"  It was SO hard to not talk to her for 6 days, especially when she knew something like this.  It was killing me!

My mom was also super anxious to hear the news that she texted me twice yesterday (her texts are in white):

So, off to the zoo we went and chose a bench by our wedding spot to open the box.  (Our wedding spot is now a dirt spot, a teeny tiny place with a road through it.  None of the plants/cactus are still there, just one lonely palm tree, so I wasn't about to sit in the dirt!)  I was so nervous, I think I peed maybe 3 times before we actually settled in.  It was like from that moment on the baby will no longer be an "it" but a "he" or a "she" and that is so cool but such a commitment!  I thought I might actually miss those moments of wondering or that feeling of just not knowing for sure but having a feeling.  Turns out, I don't miss them at all!  Here it is, the big reveal.  Sorry the video is so weird, Ian leaned his phone on a bench to take it and you can't hear or see us very well but you get the point:

Inside the box, in addition to a box for each of us with our bracelets in them, were lemonheads labeled with the date (the candy) and a cute little picture frame with the girly parts in it and a cute pink paper background.  (Thanks, Christine, for taking pictures while you made/built all of our presents - I LOVE them!) 

(My gorgeous bracelet!  Notice the yellow charm attached?  Too cute!)

(Ian's bracelet - he loves it so much he's scared to wear it in case he ruins it!)

(Right after we opened our boxes, it was cold, I told you and I was so happy and crying!)

(We were so surprised and happy.  It was strange though because from the beginning, I just knew in my heart the lemon was a little girl.  My Nani sent us this baby and I knew she would send me a girl.  I told you, a little girl like my mom had me and my Nani had her.)

And, along with all of this - we got our flash drive with the ultrasound videos of our lemon on it!  I was SO excited to watch them because I hadn't really paid attention while we were in the ultrasound room last week (because I didn't want to see any lady or boy parts!).  Here are two of the best videos from the ultrasound (the first I like because she's stretching and in the second she's playing with her foot!):

And of course - the bear!  My mom told me that babies actually find comfort (and go to sleep easier) listening to the sound of a heartbeat (probably because they hear ours while they are in the womb).  So, she had Christine build this bear for us, and put a recording of the lemon's actual heartbeat inside.  Christine also put a stuffed heart inside the bear (if you've ever been to Build a Bear you know what I'm talking about) and wished on it before putting it in.  So cute and thoughtful, both of them!  And such a cute bear for the lemmy!

After opening our box, we headed straight to Target to pick out an outfit for the lemon.  THIS is what I've been waiting for - shopping!  I am so excited for a future of bows, flowers, frills, ruffles and dolls - I can't wait!  I keep asking Ian if he's ready for barbies and doll houses and he says he is.  Now I know that some girls aren't in to all of this stuff, and that's ok too, but while she's little and doesn't really have a say, we plan on dressing her up!  So, here are our first outfits for the lemon, and it was the best money we ever spent!  Now, we gotta get on this nursery!!!

(The cupcake onsie says "Daddy's sweetie" and the pink pajamas say "I love Mommy."  And I HAD to get the Valentine onesie - it was just so fitting!)