Getting him started early...

I could not resist when I saw this jersey online. I figured the baby needed some attire to watch the Bears beat up on the Packers again in 2008.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday's

Jenn and I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Baby's Room is Complete

This week I finished painting the baby's room and I am ecstatic on how it turned out. It was my first attempt with putting up a chair rail, and I only had to make 1 extra trip to Menard's for more wood. It is definitely looking like a little boys room, and I think the colors will grow with him. I am sure you may be able to see where the color scheme is going...........

On the Downhill....

We are entering into the 3rd Trimester and the time is flying. Jenn is doing well and the baby is growing and growing and growing. I think he is going to be Husky just like dad. It will soon be time to visit the doctor every 2 weeks. We have signed up for 3 child birth classes, and I am most excited about the breastfeeding class. With all the different types of bottle nipples to choose from in the baby aisle at Target, I can't wait to see what this class has to offer.

I am convinced the baby will grow up to be an NFL kicker or an Ultimate Fighter because he has some powerful kicks and punches. It is surreal being able to put my hand on Jenn's belly and feel the baby move. Our animals are becoming more accustomed to the baby also. Throughout the night they rotate lying on Jenn's belly, and they seem to be mesmerized by all of the little movements.

The NAMING Debate

Jenn and I have started to think about baby boy names, and we each have a secret list going. We bought one of those baby name books that includes only oh.....60,000 or so. Being of German decent, I am partial to the names like: Blitzer, Adolphus and Kermit.

The middle name will definitely follow family tradition; the first born son having the fathers first name as the middle name. So, when trying to pick out a name we have to ensure that the initials don't lead to something inappropriate. The quote of the year comes from my Grandma Jean, "You can name the baby something that starts with a B, so its initials will be BM'S."

Time for the Holiday's

Well, it is mid-December and our lives are chuggin along. Jenn and I are continually busy at work and the holiday's are rapidly approaching. We do not plan on travelling for Christmas, rather the Smith's are coming to Coralville, and we are going to Cedar Rapids to celebrate with Jenn's parents. It will exciting to see all of our families and to relax a little.

At the halfway mark

We are officially at the halfway mark of the pregnancy!!! We just went to our monthly doctor visit and mom and baby are doing well. We got to hear the heartbeat again and the baby was moving around quite a bit. Jenn did say she had a Diet Pepsi before the visit, so the little guy was probably hyped up on caffeine. Jenn said she can feel him moving and kicking, and I can't wait to experience it.

We made a trip to Des Moines a week ago and purchased our nursery furniture. It was exciting looking at the different styles and configurations, but at the same time it was a little mind boggling. I couldn't wait to get the crib set up, so I spent one morning putting it together.

And it's a.......

BOY!!!!! We had our second ultrasound today and they were able to determine that we will be having a baby boy. This ultrasound was very difficult to see, and the baby was moving around like crazy (Jenn did admit to having a little glass of caffeine, so that would explain it). It was pretty cool seeing his developed bones and face, and of course when he showed us the goods. At one point the sonographers started laughing and said he was grabbing his butt (like father like son). Overall, we are REALLY excited and the baby and mom are doing well.

Growing and Growing and Growing......

Jenn is in her 16th week, and we have entered into the world of maternity clothes. We want to thank our friends and family for sending us boxes of clothing, since there aren't many stores in the Iowa City area that sell maternity items.

Another Good Check-Up......

We went to the doctor today and had our monthly check-up. The doctor told us everything is looking good and the baby is growing at a very rapid pace. Apparently the baby is now the size of an avocado (about 4 1/2 inches long from the top of the head to its butt). We again heard the heartbeat and it is ticking away at an amazing 150 beats a minute.
It is about time for us to find out the sex of the baby and we are getting really anxious. I am looking forward to getting the baby's room ready, and I have already made an important decision: if it is a baby girl, the room will not be pink :)

Our First Ultrasound

We got to see the first pictures of our baby today during the Ultrasound. The doctor said everything looked normal, and the baby is big for his/her age (a huge 7cm from head to butt). We were very excited to see the head, arms, fingers, the heart beating, etc. It is just baffling how fast the baby is growing. Here are some of the pictures from the Ultrasound, including one of the baby sucking its thumb. Enjoy!!!

Week 12 and counting...

Jenn has reached the 12 week milestone, and the days of not showing are limited (ha,ha) !!

You know you're getting older when.......

You find out you're having a BABY!!! It is official, Mike and Jenn Smith are adding another member to the family (this time it won't have fur). We recently learned of the news and we are completely ecstatic to be having our first child .

The little one is expected to join the Smith family on March 30th 2008, and we are SO ready to be parents. This experience has been totally surreal, but it finally hit us on September 5th when we heard the baby's rapid-fire heartbeat.

For those of you who are interested, check back regularly for updates on our first pregnancy experience. Feel free to comment on your own experiences and wish us luck!!