GENDER REVEAL PARTY & 20 WEEKS

A BIG thank you to all the friends and family who helped make this day so special! It means the world to us that you were able to join in such a wonderful celebration! <3
A BIG thank you to Marina and J.C. for hosting the shower and Danni for being such a wonderful helper to Marina.
We love you all!

How far along? 20 Weeks

Total weight gain? I have officially gained 10 lbs on the nose as of my appointment a week ago. 

Maternity Clothes? I am alternating between Motherhood Maternity tops and Target tanks. I did find this amazing website for maternity clothes in the UK! I ordered two dresses from there hoping they would arrive before the reveal party because all maternity clothing stores here SUCK. BIG. BALLS. I mean seriously, have you seen the things they are selling!?

Stretch Marks? None.

Sleep: Sleep was good, until halfway through the week. Our baby enjoys doing acrobats and tap dances all around my belly...particularly on my bladder. 

Best moment this week: Finding out the Baby's Gender!!!

Miss Anything? Missing alcohol, particularly rum, and sushi. However, we did stop at Naked Fish in College Station on the way home. I was able to order two rolls with cooked salmon, not the same as raw, but good enough!

Movement: YES!! Refer to Week 17 for my first experiences with movements. Then week 18 for Henry's. Also, our baby officially has a gender! Although, we don't find out until week 20 at the Gender Reveal Party! Whoop!

Food cravings: Fruit, Thai food and Kit-Kats! I have probably eaten 10 kit-kat bars this week. Don't judge. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Textures of things are making me queasy. If they are too gummy or taffy, I can't eat it. Also, Orange Juice. I have had multiple episodes where I have thrown up rather soon after drinking orange juice. Too sugary?

Gender RESULTS: BABY GIRL!!! My gut feeling was right all along!

Labor Signs: Too soon

Symptoms: Decreasing belly button, baby bump, nails and hair growing like weeds, baby movements (the best!) and my boobs have drastically increased - oh and the lovely frequent bathroom breaks have begun!

Belly Button in or out? Innie - barely.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy! Especially because I know what to buy for now! 

Looking forward to: More baby movements and finally finishing out the nursery since we know it's a girl!

Baby Names? Well boy names are scratched. haha We are torn between Claire, Hayden and Coraline (Cora/Coral). Why do girl names have to be so cute and difficult?

Thoughts: I have to admit, I was upset when I saw those pink balloons peeking out of the reveal box. Now don't go judging and hating me - I am beyond excited to have a little girl - but I wanted so badly to give my Father-In-Law his first true grandson - since the other 3 are step-grandsons and the other 13-16 are girls. Not to mention, Henry insists we try until we have a son so he can have someone take over the family business like he did for his dad. However Henry really did want a little girl, and I am happy knowing that now I will have someone to take shopping and get pedicures with. I can buy all those adorable baby girl outfits and accessories, future ballet recitals or even barrel racing or track meets! I am terrified of meeting our little girl, yet overwhelmed with joy all at the same time. Wondering if she will have my nose or Henry's, hoping she gets Henry's lighter blue eyes and either way she will have rockin' hair because Henry has amazingly soft hair for a dude and my hair is perfect. HAHA

**NEW** About the Board: I wet the board down with a damp rag and then wrote with Walmart brand skinny chalk. 

I chose to alternate between blue and pink since it is Gender Reveal Week! I used our Gender Reveal Invitation as inspiration for the design. 

When editing I increase the "saturation" to make the colors even more bold.

The fonts this week is:  Harrington (my favorite)

I pull up word, type what I want in the fonts chosen, then eyeball it onto the chalkboard. :-)

**NEW** Pregnancy/Maternity Fashion: I am wearing a navy blue eyelet dress from Motherhood Maternity (there were absolutely no cute blue dresses ANYWHERE! The color of the season right now is Coral and I really wanted a blue dress). The wedges are Gianni Bini - Very comfy!

GENDER REVEAL PARTY PHOTOS

Gender Reveal: How To Announce Baby J As A Boy Or Girl

If you ever browse Pinterest, then you will see the Gender Reveal Party ideas taking over people's baby boards. Some old fashion folks prefer the idea of waiting until the baby pop's out, but the latest generation trend is the Reveal Party/Shower. Henry and I have decided we would like to jump on this bandwagon, but don't know exactly which of the many fabulous ideas to use! That is why I have listed some of our favorite ideas. We need your help in voting, or suggesting alternatives, to help us decide how to reveal Baby J's gender to family and friends.

We find out the gender in just under 8 weeks, with the reveal shower to follow shortly after the doctor puts the gender in a sealed envelope where even we won't know until the shower.

This means we need to come up with an idea, so the shower planning and theme can begin!

Ideas:

1) Gender Reveal Scratch Off:

Etsy Source

If we chose this idea everyone would receive a scratch off, but only ONE would have 3 bows or 3 mustaches (or feet or anchors or bees, whatever the theme may be). This way everyone gets to be involved. We can either buy them pre-made off Etsy, or use one of the many How-Tos that can be found online.

2) Fizzy Drink Gender Reveal:

Pinterest Baby Board

The science nerd in me loves this idea!

Henry suggested as a way to prevent some party-pooper from spoiling the surprise before everyone is ready by being an eager beaver, was to get a pretty vase in the center of the room, fill it with water, and everyone toss the fizzy into the vase at once.

Wishing Well Style. 

We could opt to give everyone a fizzy or a select few. Or hell, just Henry and I could drop one in together in the front of the room.

3) Box of Balloons Gender Reveal:

Pinterest Baby Board

Etsy Source: Balloon Reveal Box Vinyl Decor

 This is a pretty common reveal along with the cake/baked good reveal.

You take a decorated box, have the balloon place fill the box with the correct color, then release the balloons in front of family and friends. Simple and sweet! You could opt to do regular latex balloons, get different shaped balloons in the correct color, have streamers attached to the balloons, etc. All different ways to dress it up!

4) Confetti Balloon Gender Reveal:

GreyLikesBaby Blog

 This idea could get messy, but I love it! I do not know exactly how this couple had the confetti release, but this is what I have pictured in my head.

You get some pink balloons, some blue balloons, then two black balloons.

Have the balloon store fill the two nice sized black balloons with the correct color confetti.

When it is time to reveal, you each pop the two black balloons and down rains beautiful gender colored confetti! Partay!

5) Bubble Gum Gender Reveal:

Frosted Petti Coat Blog

 For this one, the photographer was the only one who knew. Everyone closed their eyes, photographer placed the correct color gumball in the parents-to-be mouths, and then everyone opened their eyes.

My sister also had the idea of instead of revealing the gum-ball, you could blow a bubble. 

Super Cute! 

6) Cake/Cupcake/Cake Pop Gender Reveal:

Pinterest Baby Board

 This idea you could do one whole cake, where Henry and I would slice into the cake and the cake or filling would be pink or blue. You could do cupcakes, everyone bites into it to reveal pink or blue. You could do filled cupcakes, where the filling is pink or blue. Cake pops, cake balls, etc. Lots of yummy edible options here. This is also the most traditional way people have done it.

7) Party Popper Gender Reveal:

Pinterest Baby Board

This is a new idea I haven't seen used yet.

Everyone gets a party popper filled with the correct color, count 1,2,3 and POP!

Out comes pink or blue!

8) Gender Reveal Pinata:

Etsy Source

Who doesn't know how a Pinata works?

Hang piñata in a tree, everyone takes a whack at it, colored candy/confetti/glitter, etc. falls out!

Gender revealed! Voila!