Hello, friends! Can I first just say an enormous “Thank You!” to you all for your sweet comments and congratulations and encouragement! What a fun time to get to share with all of you – waiting to tell was hard enough, but if I’d known how much fun it would be to celebrate all together it would have been even tougher!
Thank you!
Now comes the part where I announce the winner and what we’re having!
First, the winners (it was a tie):
Congratulations to….
Laura!!!
(who does not have a profile so I cannot link her – Laura, can you please contact me with your info so I can get the book to you?)
…who was only 3 days off with her guess of March 18th.
(And, since she guessed a day earlier than the other winner, gets the prize!)
-and-
Mr. Nordmann
(who guessed specifically that the baby would be born at 3:09pm – and the last time he guessed a birth date/time was only off by 3 minutes!)
…who was also only 3 days off with his guess of March 12th.
(I am due March 15th, 2010) :)
(Though don’t expect the baby to be born until at least the 22nd if it’s anything like Oliver was.)
I’d also like to give a special shout-out to Chantelle who was so sweet to guess April 2nd and made me feel like I was not as enormous as I actually am for my due date (3rd babies like their space, what can I say?)
Oh, and another special shout-out to Jen who is practically my due-date buddy! She guessed her own due date and baby’s gender and was only a day off with March 14th. If we were both having the same gender she’d have won!
And now, for a fun announcement!
The Lord has blessed us with another…
GIRL!!!!!
That’s right, we’re going to have a daughter! We’re over the moon! And, busy nesting for our sweet baby girl!
We’ve been dying boring old white burp cloths and baby clothes
pretty, girly shades of pink and green…
…busy interviewing friends to keep our daughter company…
…busy at the fabric store buying girly patterns that will become lovely dresses and things…
… busy filling her side of the closet with sweet girly clothes…
… and busy grow, grow, growing a sweet little miracle!
(And after this photo was taken, busy hunting for better fitting clothes…) :)
And don’t forget – we’ve been busy enjoying our days as parents of this little boy as well! (who, if you inquire, will excitedly point to his Mama’s tummy and tell you all about his baby sister!)
We are so blessed to be the parents of so many sweet babies. We love all our babies in Heaven, the baby we had on Earth for only a short time, the baby who’s becoming a big boy, and this new miracle of life that is growing inside of me! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward!”
Psalm 127:3
>Ever since you announced that you were pregnant, I've been praying that you were expecting a girl. What a blessing from God!
Congratulations again! :)
>CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
>How exciting!!
God is GREAT! :)
>Congrats. That is amazing. You're just a month ahead of me i'm due April 19th. hoping for a girl.
God bless you all.
>I am sooooo excited for you and your sweet family! Take care of yourself and your sweet little girlie and enjoy this awesomely special time! :)
>Yay. I had a feeling you were expecting a girl by following your twitter early during the months.
As a mommy of a trisomy 8 baby I know that loss, I can't imagine the happiness you must feel to be blessed with healthy daughter.
I know ya'll are so excited. I will pray for a healthy pregnancy and speedy delivery :)
Oh and I guessed the 22nd so I think that is the day she will come ;)
>Such a blessing!! March 15th will be my sons 5th birthday!! Congrats on your precious daughter!!
>So, so, so very excited for you all! What a wonderful blessing! I can't wait to follow along on this journey with you…
>I am so unbelievably happy for you my friend. Warmest hugs and congratulations being sent across the sea to you. xxxx
>Personally I am hoping that she's born on my birthday the 21st.I really can't think of a better gift to see your family blessed again with the joy of another baby girl.
>Miss Raechel…ah–my heart is overwhelmed right now.
SO genuinely happy for you all. Praying for continued protection for you and your precious daughter these next few months. Such redemption and blessings. Congratulations, sweet girl.
Love in Him,
Mis
http://www.miskamiller.blogspot.com
>CONGRATULATIONS!!! This brings me to tears!! I am SO happy for you guys!! Yay!!!!! :D
>You are adorable! Congratulations on your baby girl. God is always faithful. May He continue to bless you abundantly. ? ? Deb
>ahhhh – I almost guessed 3/16 because that is my mom's birthday and my grandma always said she thought she was blessed because of John 3:16.
Sooooooo thrilled that you are having another girl!!!!!!!
>De-lurking to say: I am sooooo happy for you!
I have been following your blog for ages and adore your attitude to life and babies. My aunt is a doula and childbirth is something I feel very strongly about.
I am so very, very overjoyed that you have been blessed with a healthy baby girl and cannot wait for you to meet the new addition to your beautiful family.
xXx
>Congratulations, what a beautiful post, and I love this last photo of you..you look awesome. :)
Susan
>Congratulations! You look great!
>Congratulations! My DIL is due
March 27 with our first grandchild – her big ultrasound is this coming Monday.
>What wonderful news!! I'm so happy for you and your family!
>Congratulations!! What a sweet, sweet blessing! My prayers are with you as God forms this precious new soul within you!
>Raechel, Even though you think you're unproportionately huge, I think you look great! You should see pics of when I was pregnant with Skyler—now I was huge! From about 30 weeks on, people ALWAYS asked me if I was having twins! I would have given anything to have looked as cute as you! =)
>Congrats!!! You look super adorable!!
>I'm so thrilled for you. Praying. Celebrating. Thanksgiving. Anticipation. How exciting. Praise the Lord.
>Absolutely positively beaming with happiness for you. Congrats Raechel and family on your new little, healthy pink bundle of joy.
>Congratulations! I love pink and green!
>Ahh! Should have gone with a girl and I would have won! :)
Oh well! I am so excited for you and excited we are almost due date buddies. I will have a c-section a week earlier since my daughter was born via c-section 3 years ago (my doctor won't do a VBAC).
Not sure if you know my story but, my baby girl died in my arms 14 hours after she was born (August 2006). She was full-term but had a severe genetic condition that we had no idea about until she was born. This pregnancy has been awesome and terrifying at the same time. I'm not sure if you experience any of those feelings this time around.
I am having a hard time explaining myself (really bad at words – was a math major).
Anyway, just wishing and praying that you have peace during this last 19 weeks and pray for health for both you and your little girl.
BTW – since we are only 1 day apart I can tell you that you look so much skinnier then me! :)
Blessings,
Jen
>As the mom of a sweet baby girl who I waited a long time for, I must say I am overly joyed for you! Such a blessing. You have lots to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. I pray the the rest of the pregnancy is even better and that you are feeling great. I love the colors you have picked out! Beautiful. And, you look gorgeous. Definitely not ginormous! Beautiful and glowing.
>OMG! How exciting. My prayers are with you for the remainder of your pregnancy, and for an easy delivery and healthy princess. xx
>i read your blog often, but i'm not sure that i've ever commented. congratulations!!
>Ok, I am a serious lurker (not just on your blog, but others too!) but I just had to leave a comment when I read your blog today!
I am so, so, so, so happy for you!
It is so crazy to me how many people are having babies right now, myself included! I am due March 30th :)
Anyway, I wanted to tell you how excited I was for your family. I'll be thinking of you!
>Thanks for the "shout out!" haha. I thought you looked small, because when I was pregnant a couple years ago, when I was 20 weeks I looked 9 months – so I am a poor judge of pregnancy timelines. But after I posted my guess, I read a bunch of other peoples and I could tell I was the only one who guessed after march! haha.
I love reading your blog and I look forward to following along your pregnancy :)
You look amazing by the way. I never looked that good pregnant :(
>Hooray!!! So VERY excited for you! We'll certainly keep you in our prayers for a healthy rest-of-your pregnancy!
>I am so thrilled for ya'll!!! Congrats and many blessings over your entire family!
So happy I can follow this journey with you. Such a spectacular time in your life.
Hugs,
Fran
>So happy for you! Wonderful, wonderful news! You look fabulous!
>Raechel…..what wonderful news!!! I am so excited for you and Ryan. God does answer prayer. Oliver looked adorable in his costume! Love you and Ryan and Oliver, Aunt Joy
>Congratulations!!! Ahh, this is what happens when I get behind on blog reading! Thank goodness I didn't just clear out the Google reader and call it a day! I guess the fact that I am at 38 weeks now is excuse enough not to have time to do all of the reading I want, but hey! Congrats again and I look forward to meeting your sweet baby girl in March!