Chicago

On Friday Matt and I headed to Chicago. Of course we couldn't leave before having a check up at the doctor. The baby's heart rate was 170.... evidently eating Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast isn't a good thing. Anyway, after getting an injection and some blood drawn we were on our way. We got there about 4:30, and that even included stopping every hour and a half or so for potty breaks! After we got there we picked Jen up on the side of the street and headed to her condo. I had my first encounter with The Land of Nod. Cute, but very pricey. After the Nod we headed to Create and Barrell and then had dinner. On Saturday we went to the Museum of Science and Industry, which I recommended going to if you've never been. We had lunch at my favorite place, The Corner Bistro. Delicious!!!! Then it was back to the condo to relax. That night we headeded to Naperville to hang with Jen's parents and ate at Lou Malnati's Pizzaria! Before we knew it, it was Sunday and time to go home. Thanks Jen for a wonderful weekend! The next time we go to Chicago we'll be 3 instead of 2. I can't wait!! Unfortunately there are no pictures of this weekend trip, but we've got lots of memories!

Growing belly

Matt, Papa, and Me at 10 weeks, barely showing


Me at 20 weeks! Getting bigger!

The nursery

For those of you who don't know, we do not know the sex of the baby nor do we want to know. The nursery is coming along great! We've got the furniture put together and the walls painted! We have some minor details, such as closet doors and painting of the trim, that needs to be done but as for the big stuff, we've got it!

I am now 22 weeks pregnant and growing every day. We go for our next doctors appointment this friday and then we're off to Chicago for a fun weekend with Jen!!! For the past 3 or 4 years we've gone to Chicago. It almost feels like our second home. This weekend's agenda consists of eating at The Corner Bakery and eating some delicious chicago-style pizza!!! Other than that who knows what we'll do!

Getting Ready for Baby Hinton

So our lives have officially changed... for the better. God has blesses us with a little one on the way!!! Baby Hinton is due on February 22, 2010. I found out the good news when I was 3 weeks and 4 days. We told my parents when I was 7 weeks along. We knew that we wanted a special way to tell our parents, so my parents just happened to come in right after Father's Day. So we wrapped up a few onezies, a baby toy and a few other items and gave it to my dad as his Father's Day Present. I told him that it was for both he and my mom so I made sure to have them sit together when they opened the present. As my dad tore open the box and pulled out a onezie he had a look of confusion on his face... a look that was priceless! My mom on the other hand knew in an instant and looked at us as if to say, "really?" My dad soon figured it out and we were all on the same page! The next weekend we made a trip to Murray and told Matt's family. Everyone seemed so excited! We agreed that after telling family we would tell only a select few and try not to tell the world until we made it through our first trimester. That didn't last, we just couldn't wait to share our news!!!!! We ended up telling both of our work places at about 8 weeks (after we had our first ultrasound) and our Sunday School class at church at 11 weeks!

Our lives..... in the blink of an eye

You never really appreciate what you have been given until it's gone... right? Wrong. Over the years I have been blessed beyond what I could have ever imagined. God has provided me with a wonderful Christian husband, an incredible family, and the most amazing friends. Now He has blessed us with a perfect little person, whom we are anxiously awaiting to arrive into this world. When Matthew and I first met, back in 5th grade, I was head over heels with him. He was the sweetest, cutest guy at my church and I dreamed about having a future with him. Little did I know that just seven years later we really would have a future. We started dating in February 2001 and 5 years later we were married!!! It was one of the happiest days of my life. We always knew we wanted children but we also wanted time to ourselves before we joined the parenthood club. After our Florida vacation in May of this year we decided that the time was right, if it was God's will. A few weeks later we found out we were pregnant!!! We were shocked and excited all at the same time. When we first found out we kept it our little surprise a secret.... well we tried. We ended up telling our neighbors beside us because we just had to tell somebody. We would have told my parents but they were coming in from South Carolina in just a few short weeks. So we decided to wait and surprise them when they arrived in town. And so our blog begins.