You’re a GIRL! I was certainly surprised. I thought for sure that you would be a boy. Dad and I went for the ultrasound yesterday morning at 8:30. The technician, Kaylene, who did the ultrasound, was great and answered all of our questions. She asked us whether or not we wanted to know your gender if she was able to determine it and we both said, “Yes.” I was completely prepared for her to say that you looked like a boy, but instead she said you were looking like a girl. I didn’t believe her at first, but she said that she was 99% certain. The transition was amazing. We immediately started referring to you as “she” and “her”.
As I laid on the bed watching the ultrasound, seeing your heart, hearing it beat, seeing all of the parts of you working so wonderfully, little tears kept spilling out the corner of my eye. We are so thrilled about you.
You were lying face down with your head on my left side and made it very difficult to get a good view of your face. Kaylene finally captured your face and then your profile on the screen. You were so cute and it looked as though you were blowing bubbles. We spent at least a half an hour watching you on the screen and were able to video tape the whole thing. We also have printouts of your face, profile and back. The ultrasound predicted your birth date to be December 7th. Kaylene said that you were probably about 10 inches in length now.
As we left the doctor’s office, I got in my car to go to work, and your dad got in his. He kissed me goodbye before we left and I kept saying, “I can’t believe it’s a girl.” When we talked later, he thought I was upset because you were a girl, but I told him that I couldn’t be more thrilled. I had just thought he might be disappointed. He’s not. He says he can spoil a little girl just as easily as a boy. We are both so excited about you.
I am excited to begin shopping and preparing for you. I haven’t let myself buy anything before now because I wanted to know what “flavor” you were first, and to be honest, it still took time for the idea of you to become real. We haven’t told any of our families yet about you being a girl, but I know they too will be happy. We did send them some of the pictures of your ultrasound though. We scanned and then emailed the pictures, but we didn’t tell the gender. We told them to guess and then we would let them know.
Your Uncle Kevin is getting married. Right now the tentative date is December 18, 1999 but it is still subject to change. I hope that he and Candace will be as happy as Chris and I. Grandpa Kline wishes that Kevin would wait, but that is also the way he felt about Chris and I getting married. I am sure that he will be supportive regardless.
Your Uncle Shane, one of my younger brothers, has now been on his mission in Tucson, Arizona for one year. We took him to the MTC a year ago yesterday. We don’t hear from him much since he doesn’t seem to be much of a letter writer, but I try to send a letter to him once a week. I am usually pretty good about it, but miss a week every once in a while. I set a goal for myself when he left to write to him often, mostly because I would then incorporate the letters into my journal. I haven’t been so diligent at journal writing since I was married.
My youngest brother, Mitch, just graduated from high school this Spring and will be off to Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho this fall. He will probably leave on his mission next May. Unfortunately he and Shane won’t be able to see each other for a very long time. My parents will be at home this Fall by themselves—a first for them in 30 years probably. They depend on Mitch a lot right now, so I am sure that it will be a lonely transition for them. Their house is just emptying and mine is beginning to be filled.
Monday, July 26, 1999
Wow! We are half way. That is if you plan for a timely arrival. Our parents are excited to know more about you—well, mostly whether or not you are a boy or girl. Your dad and I call you “he” all of the time. I suppose that’s because I have always felt you were a boy.
We talked to Grandpa Kline the other day and he compared all of this waiting to having a big present under the Christmas tree and having to wait until Christmas morning before he could open it up. Hopefully we will know in a couple of days from the ultrasound.
We suspect that Chris’ brother, your Uncle Kevin, will be getting married during the Christmas holiday. He hasn’t made any big announcement to that effect, but we expect it soon. He has been home from his mission since the end of May and has been dating a girl he knew before he left. Her name is Candace. I really don’t mind if they choose Christmas because it will take some of the pressure and attention off of me. The one drawback would be that Christopher might possibly have to miss all of the wedding festivities. He would prefer to be a part of your grand arrival, and I would prefer to have him there as well.
We talked to Grandpa Kline the other day and he compared all of this waiting to having a big present under the Christmas tree and having to wait until Christmas morning before he could open it up. Hopefully we will know in a couple of days from the ultrasound.
We suspect that Chris’ brother, your Uncle Kevin, will be getting married during the Christmas holiday. He hasn’t made any big announcement to that effect, but we expect it soon. He has been home from his mission since the end of May and has been dating a girl he knew before he left. Her name is Candace. I really don’t mind if they choose Christmas because it will take some of the pressure and attention off of me. The one drawback would be that Christopher might possibly have to miss all of the wedding festivities. He would prefer to be a part of your grand arrival, and I would prefer to have him there as well.
Tuesday, 20 July, 1999
I had my first major leg cramp last night. Ouch! Most nights I can catch them before they get started and stretch my foot in the opposite direction to counteract the effect, but last night I wasn’t too successful. It feels like someone kicked me in the leg even now.
I have begun to notice a routine in your awake, active times and the times when you are quiet and sleeping. I was reading in a book that the schedule you are on now will most likely continue once you are born. You are normally quite active in the morning around 7:30 and again at night after 9:30 pm. It is harder to tell during the day when I am at work, but I can feel you moving around right now and it is about 3 pm. I am not much of a night person and told your dad that after I feed you at night, he gets to stay up and play with you and then put you to bed. Although I imagine my schedule will completely change with your arrival.
The other night as we were lying in bed, your dad was talking to you and every time he made a comment, you would move. I am not sure if you can hear yet, though I have read that you will recognize our voices when you are born, but your dad feels more excitement and involvement when he gets such fun responses. He hasn’t been able to feel many of your kicks again, but that is sure to come.
We are planning a much-needed vacation in August. Actually we are going to Canada to my home. Because of all the hoops we have had to jump through in getting a visa with Immigration and Naturalization Services, I have not been home in 2 ½ years. Chris has never even been to my home. We plan to leave on Thursday the 12th (I’ll be 5 months pregnant then) and drive to Idaho Falls. We won’t be returning until the 23rd. Chris has been working so hard with school and jobs and desperately needs a break to be ready for the fall semester at BYU.
We will celebrate our 2nd anniversary while visiting my family and plan to spend a couple of days away by ourselves. One of the places that I want to show your dad is Waterton Park, about 2 hours from my hometown of Stirling. It is a Provincial Park and is beautiful. Every year of my childhood, my family spent at least a week camping, hiking and fishing there. I have such great memories of it. It is a small resort town surrounded by mountains and lakes. I am sure that he will love it.
If the Cardston temple is not closed for its summer break, we will hopefully be able to attend a session there as well. Its style is so different from any other temple that I am sure Chris would appreciate the opportunity to see it. Most of all we just hope for a relaxing, peaceful vacation away from the normality of our lives.
Classes at BYU begin again on August 31st. It will be one of Chris’ busiest semesters to this point since he gets heavily into the core classes of the Masters program. Your due date unfortunately is the Sunday before finals week—December 13-17. By that point I am sure that I won’t want to wait any more than I have to for your arrival, but it would be nice if you would wait until Chris’ finals are over to make your appearance. Then again, maybe you will come early and surprise us all! My hope is that we have a couple of weeks of uninterrupted holidays to enjoy you before your dad has to go back to school.
My parents have come to Utah for the past two years for the Christmas holiday, so they won’t be coming down this year. Plus, before we ever knew about you, Dallin and Donna (my brother and sister-in-law) had already planned to spend Christmas in Canada this year. As far as Chris’ family, we are not sure. We had originally planned to spend Christmas in Washington, but we won’t be going anywhere this year. Whether they come to visit us, we have yet to see. I know Chris’ mom would like to be here and is trying to make plans now. We’ll see.
I have begun to notice a routine in your awake, active times and the times when you are quiet and sleeping. I was reading in a book that the schedule you are on now will most likely continue once you are born. You are normally quite active in the morning around 7:30 and again at night after 9:30 pm. It is harder to tell during the day when I am at work, but I can feel you moving around right now and it is about 3 pm. I am not much of a night person and told your dad that after I feed you at night, he gets to stay up and play with you and then put you to bed. Although I imagine my schedule will completely change with your arrival.
The other night as we were lying in bed, your dad was talking to you and every time he made a comment, you would move. I am not sure if you can hear yet, though I have read that you will recognize our voices when you are born, but your dad feels more excitement and involvement when he gets such fun responses. He hasn’t been able to feel many of your kicks again, but that is sure to come.
We are planning a much-needed vacation in August. Actually we are going to Canada to my home. Because of all the hoops we have had to jump through in getting a visa with Immigration and Naturalization Services, I have not been home in 2 ½ years. Chris has never even been to my home. We plan to leave on Thursday the 12th (I’ll be 5 months pregnant then) and drive to Idaho Falls. We won’t be returning until the 23rd. Chris has been working so hard with school and jobs and desperately needs a break to be ready for the fall semester at BYU.
We will celebrate our 2nd anniversary while visiting my family and plan to spend a couple of days away by ourselves. One of the places that I want to show your dad is Waterton Park, about 2 hours from my hometown of Stirling. It is a Provincial Park and is beautiful. Every year of my childhood, my family spent at least a week camping, hiking and fishing there. I have such great memories of it. It is a small resort town surrounded by mountains and lakes. I am sure that he will love it.
If the Cardston temple is not closed for its summer break, we will hopefully be able to attend a session there as well. Its style is so different from any other temple that I am sure Chris would appreciate the opportunity to see it. Most of all we just hope for a relaxing, peaceful vacation away from the normality of our lives.
Classes at BYU begin again on August 31st. It will be one of Chris’ busiest semesters to this point since he gets heavily into the core classes of the Masters program. Your due date unfortunately is the Sunday before finals week—December 13-17. By that point I am sure that I won’t want to wait any more than I have to for your arrival, but it would be nice if you would wait until Chris’ finals are over to make your appearance. Then again, maybe you will come early and surprise us all! My hope is that we have a couple of weeks of uninterrupted holidays to enjoy you before your dad has to go back to school.
My parents have come to Utah for the past two years for the Christmas holiday, so they won’t be coming down this year. Plus, before we ever knew about you, Dallin and Donna (my brother and sister-in-law) had already planned to spend Christmas in Canada this year. As far as Chris’ family, we are not sure. We had originally planned to spend Christmas in Washington, but we won’t be going anywhere this year. Whether they come to visit us, we have yet to see. I know Chris’ mom would like to be here and is trying to make plans now. We’ll see.
Wednesday, 14 July, 1999
It is pouring rain as I watch out my office window. It is nice though to have a day that is cooler than the 90 plus degree weather that we have been having. Plus it is great for our small garden.
Chris arrived home from work this morning just before 6:00 am. He had worked throughout the night trying to install a new server for one of his work’s clients. I must admit, I didn’t sleep all that well with him gone. He wasn’t certain when he would be home, and I woke quite regularly throughout the night to check if he was lying beside me. I finally heard him come in a couple of minutes before I was planning to get up. Instead of going on my usual walk, I stayed in bed with him and massaged his tired back. One of the many positive qualities about your dad is that he works hard, and he finishes what he starts. His co-worker, Brad, called it quits about 11 pm last night.
I feel you moving and stretching within me more often now. Usually I don’t notice you too much while I am at work; when I lay quietly I feel you the most. I am looking forward to the ultrasound in two weeks. It will be exciting to see even a small glimpse of what you look like.
Chris arrived home from work this morning just before 6:00 am. He had worked throughout the night trying to install a new server for one of his work’s clients. I must admit, I didn’t sleep all that well with him gone. He wasn’t certain when he would be home, and I woke quite regularly throughout the night to check if he was lying beside me. I finally heard him come in a couple of minutes before I was planning to get up. Instead of going on my usual walk, I stayed in bed with him and massaged his tired back. One of the many positive qualities about your dad is that he works hard, and he finishes what he starts. His co-worker, Brad, called it quits about 11 pm last night.
I feel you moving and stretching within me more often now. Usually I don’t notice you too much while I am at work; when I lay quietly I feel you the most. I am looking forward to the ultrasound in two weeks. It will be exciting to see even a small glimpse of what you look like.
Wednesday, July 7, 1999
Today, the sky is rather overcast and the weather balmy. I imagine that we will have thunderstorms this afternoon. Yesterday it was soooo hot. Chris’ car started to overheat even.
The long 4th of July weekend was okay, but not particularly wonderful. We tried to watch the fireworks on Saturday the 3rd, but they didn’t even get started until almost 11 pm. We stayed for about a half an hour, but they kept starting and stopping.
Sunday was Jenna’s birthday. Susan invited us for a family dinner. Jenna was excited by all of her gifts. We gave her a mood ring which most everyone tried out. Uncle Brad came down and stayed over at our house on Sunday so that he could spend the next day with us. Monday dawned way to early for a holiday. We got up around 6 am to go to the balloon launch and to save spots for the parade. The parade was not fun at all. We kept having people stand in front of us giving no thought to the fact that we were sitting behind them. We asked a lot to move and most did, but there were a few stubborn ones. We left early with Brad and Aunt Maureen. We slept for a little bit while Brad took Maureen home. We didn’t have any great plans for the rest of the day, so Brad went home around 2 pm.
We finally decided to go see the 4:45 showing of Tarzan at the Spanish 8 theatre in Spanish Fork. It was great. One of Disney’s better ones in the last years. Afterwards, we decided to drive up the canyon and ended up in Price about an hour and a half away. Neither of us had been there before. We stayed for dinner—Mexican food at Ricardo’s—and then left for home around 9 pm. The unfortunate thing is that we hit part of a deer. We were in the middle of a long line of cars and never saw the deer in the road until too late. It put a hole in the resonator of my car. I just had it fixed today but it sounded much like a hot rod turbo-charged car. Fortunately the repairs weren’t as much as I expected. That doesn’t happen too often.
Over the weekend, Saturday I think, both your dad and I felt your first strong kick. I have felt little fluttering feelings from you before but nothing like a kick. Chris’ hand was lying across my lower stomach, right on top of you probably, and you must have had a great stretch. I think it helps your dad to feel more a part of things.
The long 4th of July weekend was okay, but not particularly wonderful. We tried to watch the fireworks on Saturday the 3rd, but they didn’t even get started until almost 11 pm. We stayed for about a half an hour, but they kept starting and stopping.
Sunday was Jenna’s birthday. Susan invited us for a family dinner. Jenna was excited by all of her gifts. We gave her a mood ring which most everyone tried out. Uncle Brad came down and stayed over at our house on Sunday so that he could spend the next day with us. Monday dawned way to early for a holiday. We got up around 6 am to go to the balloon launch and to save spots for the parade. The parade was not fun at all. We kept having people stand in front of us giving no thought to the fact that we were sitting behind them. We asked a lot to move and most did, but there were a few stubborn ones. We left early with Brad and Aunt Maureen. We slept for a little bit while Brad took Maureen home. We didn’t have any great plans for the rest of the day, so Brad went home around 2 pm.
We finally decided to go see the 4:45 showing of Tarzan at the Spanish 8 theatre in Spanish Fork. It was great. One of Disney’s better ones in the last years. Afterwards, we decided to drive up the canyon and ended up in Price about an hour and a half away. Neither of us had been there before. We stayed for dinner—Mexican food at Ricardo’s—and then left for home around 9 pm. The unfortunate thing is that we hit part of a deer. We were in the middle of a long line of cars and never saw the deer in the road until too late. It put a hole in the resonator of my car. I just had it fixed today but it sounded much like a hot rod turbo-charged car. Fortunately the repairs weren’t as much as I expected. That doesn’t happen too often.
Over the weekend, Saturday I think, both your dad and I felt your first strong kick. I have felt little fluttering feelings from you before but nothing like a kick. Chris’ hand was lying across my lower stomach, right on top of you probably, and you must have had a great stretch. I think it helps your dad to feel more a part of things.
Friday, 2 July, 1999
What a beautiful day. It gets even better since this is a long weekend. Dad and I both have Monday off from work. We still haven’t made any concrete plans as to what we will do for the 4th of July celebration, but I am sure that we’ll come up with something. Maybe even go see the new Disney movie “Tarzan” (animated version) at the drive in. This is the first time, except for his mission, that Chris has not been in Washington for the 4th. Even I was there with him for the last two years. Two years ago, we were planning our wedding and spending a lot of money to get ready for it. It was no where near as relaxing as last year when we just went to have fun.
You appear to be growing at a normal rate according to the doctor. He usually measures my stomach to check your progress and to make sure that you aren’t growing faster or slower than you should. If you were growing too fast, that might indicate that there were two of you in there. As novel an idea as that is, I think one of you will be wonderful and more than enough.
My blood pressure is a little high, but I think it is probably due to some stresses with work. I hope so because I wouldn’t want to go on any kind of restricted diet. Right now I love to eat fruit. Watermelon is in season, and it is wonderful. I have been trying bananas again and I can usually handle half of one. I leave the rest for Chris to eat for his breakfast. I asked your dad to pick up some milk last night on his way home from the store and he came home with milk, grapefruit, grapes, a whole flat of strawberries, nectarines and bananas. It is so thoughtful of him to think of me. He is a very good husband, and I know that he will make a wonderful daddy.
He did get to hear the sound of your heart beat and thought it was neat. He can even imitate the sound pretty accurately. I hope every once in a while he will take time to add some of his thoughts to this journal so that you will be able to know and understand both of our feelings and experiences with pregnancy.
We have an ultrasound scheduled for Thursday, July 29th. We can take a video tape and have the ultrasound recorded so some day you could even watch it! It should be able to tell us, and the doctor, a lot about your growth, health, and hopefully gender. I figure knowing whether you are a boy or a girl will be just as exciting then than if we were to wait until you were born. The technology today is so remarkable.
I was talking to Grandma Rice a couple of days ago and asked her about her childbirth experiences. She said that each one was a little different and improved than the previous. She had her last three children—Dallin, Shane and Mitch—by cesarean and said that with the advancements in technology and knowledge, she probably would have been able to have them normally today. I imagine that when you begin to have these experiences in your own life things will have changed even more dramatically.
We toured the new Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo last Saturday. They just finished building a new wing, and it is wonderful. When they were in the process of building it, and even before I was pregnant with you, I always had the feeling when I drove past it that I would have a baby there.
We loved the new building. My sister, Susan, had her two boys at UVRMC in the old wing and it always seemed so old and crowded when we went to visit. The rooms are more spacious, allowing for many people to be in the delivery room if that was wanted. For me, it will be just me and your dad, and all the nurses and doctors. They have jacuzzi tubs, a tv, vcr, and lots to make our experience and stay more comfortable.
You appear to be growing at a normal rate according to the doctor. He usually measures my stomach to check your progress and to make sure that you aren’t growing faster or slower than you should. If you were growing too fast, that might indicate that there were two of you in there. As novel an idea as that is, I think one of you will be wonderful and more than enough.
My blood pressure is a little high, but I think it is probably due to some stresses with work. I hope so because I wouldn’t want to go on any kind of restricted diet. Right now I love to eat fruit. Watermelon is in season, and it is wonderful. I have been trying bananas again and I can usually handle half of one. I leave the rest for Chris to eat for his breakfast. I asked your dad to pick up some milk last night on his way home from the store and he came home with milk, grapefruit, grapes, a whole flat of strawberries, nectarines and bananas. It is so thoughtful of him to think of me. He is a very good husband, and I know that he will make a wonderful daddy.
He did get to hear the sound of your heart beat and thought it was neat. He can even imitate the sound pretty accurately. I hope every once in a while he will take time to add some of his thoughts to this journal so that you will be able to know and understand both of our feelings and experiences with pregnancy.
We have an ultrasound scheduled for Thursday, July 29th. We can take a video tape and have the ultrasound recorded so some day you could even watch it! It should be able to tell us, and the doctor, a lot about your growth, health, and hopefully gender. I figure knowing whether you are a boy or a girl will be just as exciting then than if we were to wait until you were born. The technology today is so remarkable.
I was talking to Grandma Rice a couple of days ago and asked her about her childbirth experiences. She said that each one was a little different and improved than the previous. She had her last three children—Dallin, Shane and Mitch—by cesarean and said that with the advancements in technology and knowledge, she probably would have been able to have them normally today. I imagine that when you begin to have these experiences in your own life things will have changed even more dramatically.
We toured the new Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo last Saturday. They just finished building a new wing, and it is wonderful. When they were in the process of building it, and even before I was pregnant with you, I always had the feeling when I drove past it that I would have a baby there.
We loved the new building. My sister, Susan, had her two boys at UVRMC in the old wing and it always seemed so old and crowded when we went to visit. The rooms are more spacious, allowing for many people to be in the delivery room if that was wanted. For me, it will be just me and your dad, and all the nurses and doctors. They have jacuzzi tubs, a tv, vcr, and lots to make our experience and stay more comfortable.
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