We're getting pretty close to the end of the first trimester (today marks 11 weeks). In the last three weeks, we've gone from a grape with tiny "touchpad" hands and fingers to a fig with tiny bones that can not only open and close his/her fists, but is actually starting to move around and can hiccup. The baby is too small for Selina to feel any of this yet, but it's amazing what's going on inside her belly. I think all the fruit references are a little funny (week 10 was a kumquat), but they do give you a very tangible idea of how fast the baby is growing.



Oh, and Selina started her new job yesterday, which is exciting because since she now works less than 10 minutes from where I do, we can carpool again. It's nice not having to drive home by myself, but it also means we need to hurry up and replace the sliding glass door that lead to our backyard with French doors so that we can install a real doggie door. Poor Dakota and Ratchet -- I'm sure they get tired of holding it all day!

With all the hormonal changes her body is going through right now -- not to mention the fact that she's basically building a tiny person inside her belly -- Selina spends most of the day feeling pretty worn out. I feel bad because there's nothing I can do except tell her to go take a nap. Hopefully once September rolls around and we enter the second trimester she'll start getting a little energy back.

Since the families already know and hints are beginning to surface from friends on Twitter, I went ahead and let the world know...

We broke the news to the future grandparents this weekend -- first Selina's parents, then mine. We bought two sets of Texas pacifiers , wrapped them up in tissue paper and placed them in small gift bags. Our plan was to hand it to them and kinda nonchalantly tell them, "We saw these and thought of you guys -- we hope you can use them", and then see how they reacted...

We gave Selina's parents theirs on Saturday. I was smiling from ear to ear during the few minutes of them trying to figure out what we had given them -- Selina's dad initially thought they were wine/beer toppers and her mom initially thought they were headphones/earplugs. And then it suddenly hit Selina's mom -- I've seen her happy before, but this was beyond happy. This was surprise, joy and overwhelming excitement all rolled up into one emotion. I can't blame her; this is going to be their first grandchild, after all. I really wish I could have had my camera at the ready, because it was priceless. We shared the news with Orlando (who was in the other room playing games with his headphones on, so didn't hear it the first time) and Marcos via Skype (he's in Boston right now). After lots of hugs, chatting, smiling and laughing, it was time to go home to prepare for the trip to Waelder to share the news with my family.

My parents are already grandparents (one grandson from my sister and one grandson from my brother), so while I knew they would be happy, I also knew the excitement level wouldn't top that of Saturday night. We caught them both in the kitchen getting ready to start making lunch. When my dad unwrapped the gift, he looked at it and said, "Pacifiers? Why do we need...oooooooooh!" My mom thought that we had given them two pacifiers (it was a set) because we were having twins. We're not, but twins do run in the family on my side, so it wasn't a stretch to ask. Most of the family, including Jacob, my grandparents, my aunt Becky and uncle Richard were there, too, so we kinda get a lot of birds knocked out with one stone. In Waelder, news travels fast -- and with this many people in town knowing, I'm sure the rest will know by tomorrow.

As for the rest of you non-Waelder people out there, it's only a matter of time before I unhide these secret posts I've been keeping from you...should be real soon!

Selina had an appointment with her doctor on Thursday and it's official - she's pregnant! She even came back with a souvenir picture of our little "bean". Isn't it amazing that something so tiny will eventually grow up to be a person?



We're scheduled for another appointment in two weeks -- and this time I've been invited. The main reason is to answer family medical questions and to get to know the doctor, but I've also been told we should be able to see the baby' heart fluttering by then. Wow. We're going to be able to see our baby's heart fluttering. I can't believe it. I mean, wow. It's so exciting and so scary at the same time...but mainly exciting! :)