It's ME?!?!? Are you sure?!?!?

Okay, so it's been over a month since I've last posted anything. Everything is going well for the Grays, more or less. As for the ups, Casey is FINALLY done with school, at least until we can save up for him to get his PhD in Economics; we're closer than ever due to the budding boy growing healthy and strong until his due date; we're making the move off the campus in the New Year and starting a new chapter in our lives.

Not that there are really downs per se but I've come to realize a quality about myself as I was fretting the upcoming arrival of our little boy. I am not behaving like the leading lady in my own life. I regret to say that I've been this way for a while now. When I got married, by the end of the reception my mother had to push me out the door; I wasn't used to being the person that left the party to a farewell from the guests. I've Always Been The Guest! And now that I'm pregnant, which still seems surreal to me, I'm the one who'll go into labor, I'm the one who will be the mom. I have a feeling I will be freaking out when my water breaks, shouting, "Really?!? It's time? I'm going to have to do THAT?!?!" I'm so used to other people experiencing life and I think for the most part I've been really okay with watching from the sidelines and enjoying other people's happiness. Sometimes it's hard to believe that it's my turn.

For those of you that know me, I don't mind the limelight (at all) and in a lot of circumstances, I search for it, crave it. But when it comes to the "serious" stuff like getting married, having a baby, etc. I don't know if I want all the attention anymore. What I think I'm really afraid of is my water breaking while I'm at work and have an ambulance called for me to take me to the hospital. First of all, babies aren't born that quickly after the water breaks and secondly, an ambulance ride is a ridiculous amount of money regardless of insurance. I haven't had a lot of drama during my pregnancy thus far and I would like it to continue that way.

Christmas Music

I don't know why, but I can't seem to tear myself away from selecting the "Christmastime" playlist on my Ipod. I've never been ready this early to start the Holidays, but I am glad for the welcome change.

One of my favorite Christmas composers is Mannheim Steamroller. With music so upbeat it's hard not to get into the spirit of the season and a nice boost for getting the house tidy :) This group also reminds me of my mother. You knew it was Christmastime when you came home from school, heard the music blasting from the speakers and all the decorations out on the kitchen table waiting to be displayed. I can still see my mother dancing to the beat at the kitchen sink or counters. Maybe that's why I play it so much...I miss her.

I hope you're enjoying the days leading up to the holidays!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

FROM THE BLUES BROTHERS

We hope you had a smooth Halloween too!

The News You've All Been Waiting For...

I have to preface this post by saying how grateful I am for this wonderful opportunity in becoming a mother. I'm still a little apprehensive about some things, but I have the faith and confidence that will help me to get through this whole process. Now that I know who Casey and I will be welcoming into our family in about four months, I'm so excited to be a mother!

Casey and I will be welcoming a precious baby BOY into our lives in four months!

(Highlight the blank space to find out what we're having)

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We are so excited and I must say so pleasantly surprised that we got a boy right out of the gate. For generations, the Gray line has depended on a single heir to carry the name on. As of now, it still is one boy, but who knows what will happen in the future.

I'm not one to post pictures that make my boy a boy, but I have a couple pictures here of my little man.

A precious little foot

A profile shot, he looks like a real baby now!

That's my son!

P.S. I still don't show like I'm almost five months pregnant, but hopefully by next week, I will have a belly picture worth taking.

S is for Slacker

No, I'm not trying to write the next Sue Grafton novel.

I really feel like I've been slacking on posting lately. Sometimes I wonder, "Is there anything I need to say?" and then I push it aside and turn on the television or try to do housework because that seems more productive than blogging.

I guess one thing that I definitely want to say is how grateful am I for my husband. He is my match and because the writers of Jerry Maguire thought of it first I have to give them credit, "[He] completes me." As cheesy as that sounds, I am truly grateful that my children will get to have him for a dad. He is an amazing man and one that I am proud to call my husband (and other sweet nothings that nobody really needs to know about). I couldn't ask for a better companion to share my life and the rest of eternity with.

With pregnancy comes moodiness and he has been so understanding. If I blow up at him about something, he just holds me. Sometimes I think he's just so overjoyed that we're having a baby that he couldn't care less what I said in the heat of the moment.

In short, I love my husband dearly and I am so glad that I met him. I was supposed to be with him all along, no question.

In other baby related news, we get to find out the sex of the baby at the end of the month! We are so thrilled to find out what we're having, me especially. I'm running out of pet names for this little thing inside me.

Cravings

I figured it has been a while since I've posted anything so I thought I would post about something different.....about my pregnancy. Sorry that's the only topic occupying my brain lately.

A couple of days ago, my parents came into town and had dinner with us so that they could watch the final results show of HGTVs Design Star. At nine when Design Star still hadn't come on, they decided to head out. (If you know who won, please don't post it in your comment, I don't want to ruin it for my parents)

Since my parents are still excited about me having a baby, one of the first things they asked me, was if I had any strange cravings. Like I mentioned before, I have to think a lot harder about what foods I want to eat. My appetite for certain foods hasn't really changed, but for two, they have been heightened: pickles and nectarines. These two aren't eaten in succession, they are just foods that I could eat everyday. One day, I almost went through an entire jar of dill hamburger chips; I COULD NOT STOP EATING THEM (oooh, I could go for some pickles).

For you expectant mothers or veteran mothers, what have you craved during your pregnancy/ies?

Q & A

First I have to say how moved I was at all of the congratulatory comments. I was brought to tears, which is not difficult to do now that my hormones are in overdrive. I am really blessed and grateful to have such loving support from family and friends as Casey and I get ready to welcome this little person into our lives (starting to tear up again).

A few of you have asked some questions about my pregnancy and I am hear to answer:

1. No morning sickness at all during my pregnancy. I do have to think a little harder about what foods I actually want to eat that will satisfy my hunger.

2. I am around ten weeks pregnant. I can't say with perfect clarity how far along I actually am because I get confused. Technically I'm not eleven weeks pregnant until I start the first day of twelve, or something like that. Can anyone explain that to me? So I'll take a stab and say I'm 10 weeks and five days pregnant.

3. We DO want to find out the sex of the baby.

I think that is the extent of the questions so far, if I missed any it's because I have the terrible side-effect of pregnancy brain! I never thought that would happen to me.

Since I only posted one picture and the cutest video in creation in the last blog, I decided it would be fun for you to see our initial reaction to the happy news that we are having a baby.

The positive result! When you're really pregnant,

that result happens almost instantaneously.

The happy TO-BE parents with bedheads

Casey's mug shot...

...but he is genuinely happy about it.

Okay so these next two, I have to preface, are of my parents. Sorry mom, I couldn't resist and you should be happy with who you are and what you look like on camera. You are too cute! Casey and I weren't sure how we were going to break the news to my parents, so we did some online research and I found the cutest way of telling them. I wish I could give this person the credit but I can't remember where I found it. What she did, that I copied, was placed the positive pregnancy test in a bracelet box and presented it to the receiver. I immediately thought to myself, "I have a bracelet box! This will work!" As Casey was poised with the camera I told my parents how Casey and I were sorry that we hadn't been great about giving presents this year, but that we're trying to get out of debt and be good about our finances so we found something that both of them would like. "Consider it a combined Father's Day/Mother's Day gift," I said. And here was their reaction.

Priceless!

One happy set of parents

Okay, so this isn't my best picture by far, but I wanted to show off my new hairdo. Thanks again Annie, I absolutely love it!