It's a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, it looks like the little sprout that has been growing in my belly is a sweet, precious, baby GIRL! As we were sitting in the room getting the ultrasound we just couldn't believe how big our baby had gotten since last time! About fifteen minutes into the ultrasound, Brett looked up at the screen and said, "it's a girl isn't it?" and immediately the tech said "yup, it sure is!"of course I just started crying! I was so surprised, I would have bet money that it was a boy. The rest of the scan went very well. She has ten fingers and ten toes and was bouncing all over the place! At one point she was standing on her head with her butt in the air! It was so amazing to me to see her heartbeat and squirmy little arms and legs!Ahh, it was sooooo cool!!! We have decided to name our little lady Ellie Rose. After Brett got off work we headed to the mall and bought some cute stuff for baby Ellie. I am pretty sure after that trip that I will be the one doing the shopping for baby girl since Brett and I have completely different tastes plus he rather shop for camo and guns then dresses and shoes! I will post the pictures of the ultrasound soon.

We wanted to tell our parents in a special way so we went to dinner with Brett's mom and let her know the news. Since my parents were in Myrtle Beach I arranged for a cupcake bakery to make cupcakes that read "It's a girl" and deliver them to my parents. They came out great!

Anyway, sorry for the quick post but we are headed to Baton Rouge for the UT v. LSU game on Saturday and New Orleans on Sunday and Monday so I need to get packing! I promise pictures next post!!

Movement, Gownies, and Dolly

A few nights ago I was laying in bed when all of the sudden I felt what felt like someone running their finger gently across the inside of my stomach. I jumped up and told Brett I thought I had just felt the baby move and he was very excited. As I laid back down I started to question whether or not that really was our little sprout or just a gas bubble and went to bed thinking it was the later. Two days later (Tuesday) I was standing in line at the grocery store and I felt three itty bitty taps on the inside of my belly by my belly button and I knew that wasn't gas, it was Baby E! I started laughing because Baby E definitely has Brett's patience. I just pictured this little baby kicking me because it was ready to go. I called Brett (and texted a few people in excitement) when I got in the car and told him it was no doubt the real deal this time, so cool!! Then yesterday we went to the doctor to hear the heartbeat again and while I was in the restroom I felt a tiny tap again!! Baby E seems to be living it up in there (my guess is either training to be the next Peyton Manning or preparing to be the first female president)!! We listened for the heartbeat and the doctor found it right away. It came in strong at 150 bpm. I could listen to that sound over and over and over and over. It never gets old! We have our big sonogram appointment on Wednesday afternoon so we are super excited! We are just praying for a healthy baby with ten fingers and ten toes!

My new gownie from the Gowers

Our fabulous friends Evan and Jessie came over on Sunday and brought their beautiful baby girl, Audrey. Brett and I were really interested to see how our dogs would act around a tiny baby and they seemed to be very interested in Audrey. Our golden retriever, Cristal, jumped right up and gave Audrey a sweet kiss. Good thing Momma Jessie is an animal person and didn't mind. Cristal did not want to leave Audrey's side! Our yellow lab, Miles, just wanted to sniff around and see the thing that was getting more attention than him. Overall I think Brett and I feel much more comfortable about the dogs and Baby E living under the same roof. Evan and Jessie also came over bearing gifts. They gave us the most adorable LSU jersey onesie that Brett LOVES (and I love too, of course)! They also gave me a very comfortable maternity t-shirt that I LOVE and a gownie for the hospital when I go in to have Baby E. Jessie had one when she had Audrey and it was so cute so I was very excited when they gave me the same one! Not only is it much cuter than the horrible hospital gowns they give you but it covers up the backside, is super comfy, and has buttons that give easy access for feeding. I am going to order another one but I just can't decide on which, they are all so cute!!

Last night I went to see 9 to 5 with my friend Lindsay, her very funny mom, and their sweet friend. We started the night at the Melting Pot (they have the best happy hour!! $5 cheese and chocolate per person and $4 salad!) which was delicious. We headed over to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) for the show which was absolutely amazing!! The songs were great, the actors were great, the set was great, everything was great!! Diana DeGarmo from American Idol played Dolly's character from the movie, Doralee Rhodes, and she was dead on! The best part of the whole night though was at the very end when Dolly Parton herself came out! She sang a little bit of "9 to 5" and thanked everyone for supporting the show. I think Dolly is just fabulous so it was very cool to see her in person! If 9 to 5 come to a city near you, you MUST go!

Yoga

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I started prenatal yoga last week and I LOVE it!!! I consider myself an active person. In the last couple of years I have done aerobics, zumba, played on a kickball team and a flag football team, but I have never even attempted yoga! I may be able to run a mile under seven minutes but I couldn't touch my toes if you paid me too!! After looking online at every yoga studio in Nashville and the surrounding area I settled on Half Moon Yoga in Cool Springs. I was nervous my first time because I was gong by myself and I was terrified of making a fool out of myself because I am so not flexible! As soon as I walked in I felt calm. There were five other women there in all different stages of their pregnancies and the instructor was super nice.  After an hour of positions my body has never even thought of being in, it was relaxation time!! It was so nice because you really just lay there and think about the life growing inside you. As crazy as it sounds I really feel like I "connected" with my little sprout, it was awesome! I went for the second time last night and I am officially hooked! All the stress of everyday life gets left at the door when I am in the studio. I swear the instructor is like a little Buddha, she's great! So now it looks like every Monday from 5:30pm-6:30pm for the next five months I have a new role; peace loving-tree hugging-hippy!

Now that my appetite is definitely increasing, my self control when it comes to food is being tested! I know I have the tendency to gain weight easily (just take a look at pictures of me from high school) so it is important that I only gain the recommended 30 pounds. Since I am a smaller frame woman lots of people say to me "oh, you are going to be so cute since you are so little" I would like to think that but I have seen pregnant girls smaller than me really let themselves go and they do not look so good! Now I normally wouldn't care what I look like but thanks to all my raging hormones I am extra self conscious! I can embrace "the bump" but I do not want my cheeks to look like I am a chipmunk storing acorns for the winter!! So far I think I am doing well. I guess I will find out when we go to the doctor on Wednesday if I am gaining the weight properly. Now if you see me stuffing my face with doughnuts and big macs, remind me of this post!! 

So as you can see I am on my way (well, trying to be on my way) to a healthy, peaceful pregnancy! Whenever I get stressed out or upset I just feel my belly and it reminds me that I am growing a life in there and automatically I am at peace and smiling!

Aunt Missy's Meatball!!!

My first Turza nephew has arrived, Brady Everett! My brother,Brian and his wife, Kate welcomed this little bundle of joy into the world on Tuesday, September 14th. He was a whopping 8 pounds 14 ounces! I am so in love with this little guy and I haven't even met him yet!! It is killing me to be so far away but I hope to go to NY in October. I have already warned my sister in-law I will be at their house all day, every day, loving on my little meatball! Here are some of the pictures that my Dad sent me (WARNING: Will induce baby fever because he is sooooooo freakin' cute!):


     

 

Beautiful new Momma!

Raise the roof, Brady in the house!

Look at those sweet, sweet cheeks!

The Turza Family!

Porud Papa! ( I LOVE this picture! He looks soooooo happy and that makes little sister/#1 Aunt happy!!!)

Gramps and his #1/only Grandson!!

I am so proud of my brother and the precious family he built for himself. They are going to be awesome parents and that little squirt is already so loved! Good work Brian and Kate!

Now for some more good news, baby Luke gets to go home today! He was doing very well last I heard and if all goes to plan Brett and I will be meeting the little angel this weekend. I can't wait to love on him and I know Brett is dying to see his nephew. Brett has been dreaming of the days that Hunter and him can take their sons fishing, hunting, and to football games and we are only two weeks away from knowing if Brett's sweet dreams will become a reality soon!

Two Years In The Books!

Today is our second anniversary and I can't believe how fast time has gone by! It feels like just yesterday we met and now we are celebrating two years of marriage and expecting our first baby, nuts! I was woken up with a kiss and some fresh cut flowers (Brett got up super early to cut them for me), which was a super sweet way to start my day. As I drove to school I started reminiscing about our wedding day and thanks to hormones, got all emotional! It was such a fun day/night that I wish I could go back and do it again!

Getting ready

Beautiful flowers

Wedding day stroll

Handsome Hubby

Such pretty ladies

The Church

Just Married! (This is my favorite picture)

One big crazy happy family!

Our HUGE and awesome bridal party!

Precious flower girls

Mr. and Mrs. Brett Elrod

One of many smooches!

Well that was a nice walk down memory lane! We won't be celebrating tonight because we both have stuff going on (I have my first prenatal yoga class which I'm sure i'll blog about!) but we are going out to a nice dinner tomorrow night which I am looking forward to. We are going to New Orleans in a few weeks to really celebrate and I'm so excited. The only time I've been to New Orleans was for Fat Tuesday (yes, only one day!) my freshman year of college so I can't wait to actually see the city. We are also going to the LSU-UT game in Baton Rouge that Saturday and the Saints-Panthers game in the NOLA that Sunday (wow, Brett is one lucky guy that his wife is willing to make our anniversary weekend a football filled one! Not to toot my own horn or anything, ha-ha).

I also want to mention that the newest addition to the Elrod family arrived on Friday morning, Luke Preston. Luke is the son of Brett's brother Hunter and his lovely wife Brooke. He is also the little brother of almost two year old Ava Ann, who is just adorable! When the little guy was born he swallowed some fluid on the way out and has been in the NICU because he was having trouble breathing. Brett just forwarded me an email from proud papa Hunter that the munchkin is doing great and they were able to take him down to 21% oxygen! They are going to wean him off slowly and he is expected to make a full recovery! We have kept him in our prayers and are so grateful God is seeing him through this. Last I heard he should be going home within a week and Brett and I can't wait to meet him! Hunter and Brooke are an amazing couple and great parents (who I'm sure we will have TONS of questions for after Baby E gets here)! We are so blessed to have them in our lives! 

Hello Belly!

It has started, my belly is expanding! I really thought I had some time left in my regular pants but those days are coming to an end, quickly! When I first found out I was pregnant I had visions of a cute little belly but that is not the case. Instead my belly is more like a bakery, chock full of rolls and muffin tops! This morning when I came to the realization that my belly has "popped' I asked Brett if he could tell I was pregnant or if I just looked fat. He told me I looked beautiful also known as, you do look fat but I don't want you to cry, in husband talk.

I finally broke down and bought a belly band. After doing absolutely no research I settled on the BellaBand that I picked up from a super cute store in Cool Springs called Pickles and Ice cream. I tried it on as soon as I got home and I already love it! It will be nice to wear my normal jeans unbutton (and perhaps a little unzipped) without anyone knowing!





While I was in Pickles and Ice Cream, I couldn't help but take a look around. Here are some of the cute things I made a mental note to come back and get as my belly grows.






I also ordered my first pair of maternity jeans today. I have no idea what to look for so I just went with a pair that I thought were cute and could work with anything. After reading some reviews on gap.com I decided on these:

Along with my maternity jeans I got a pair of yoga pants since I plan on starting prenatal yoga next week. Now this is something I did research and I am so excited to start. A friend of mine is newly pregnant and is going to come with me to Half Moon Yoga in Cool Springs and hopefully my friend Sarah, who is only 3 days behind me, will be able to make some classes too! I've never taken a yoga class but I read so many positive things about prenatal yoga that I am willing to make a fool out of myself for Baby E!









Again, I couldn't help but look around the gap maternity website. They have some really cute stuff! Here are a few of my favorites that I can't wait to order when my belly starts looking like a pregnant belly instead of a beer gut!





And that does it for my maternity clothes wish list. If anyone has any suggestions for maternity clothes please feel free to share! Oh and for all you lovely people who want belly pics they are coming soon (I know you are all so excited!).

Back To School

Classes started up again on Monday which means gone are the days of me sleeping in and relaxing. It has been rough getting up at six in the morning to make it to my 8 am classes but hopefully I will start getting used to it. I like to take morning classes so I have the rest of the afternoon to study and do homework (and nap!). My schedule is as followed:

MWF 8-8:55 Introduction to Accounting
MWF 9:10-10:05 Physical Science
TR 8-9:25 The Experience of Literature
TR 9:40-11:05 Microcomputing
W 11:20-12:50 Physical Science Lab

From the looks of it my schedule doesn't look too bad but I can already tell after the first few days that this is going to be a tough semester. Not only will it be tough because I find my mind wondering to baby clothes and strollers every two minutes but also because some of these classes are very demanding and some of the professors are terribly boring!

Let me start with accounting. I am very excited for this class since accounting is my intended major and after working in account payable for two years I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what things mean. Fortunately my professor for this class is great. She is friendly and really takes time to explain things. The only thing I am worried about is there are tons of assignments due online and in class. I just need to make sure I stay on top of things and I should be fine. Grade goal: A

Next is physical science. When I went to UT I took geography as my science but when I transfered my credits to MTSU they did not recognize geography as a science so I had to take two science classes. Last semester I took geology (aka "rocks for jocks") and I enjoyed it and my A. So when picking a new science to take (MTSU doesn't let you take two of the same sciences) I thought physical science would be fun (and easy) since it's a little bit of everything. That idea was a major FAIL! My professor is old enough to be my grandpa which would be fine if he actual made sense when he talked. Of course the first section we are covering is physics and lets just say I have no idea what he is talking about and it's only the first week! Luckily we get to drop a test grade so I'm thinking that will be the physics test. We also have a lab we need to take. The labs start next week so we will see how that goes. Grade goal: B

On to the experience of literature. MTSU requires three english credits which in my eyes STINKS! The professor for this course looks like the most interesting man in the world from the Dos Equis beer commercials but he might just be the most UNintersting man in the world!! He talks super slow and pauses in between sentences. He didn't have a syllabus to hand out so I'm not sure what to expect as far as work for the semester but I do know if this man doesn't livin' up I will be catching some sleep in the back of class! Grade goal: A

And last but not least, microcomputing. This should be a breeze! The teacher is so nice and the course really shouldn't be hard. I am actually looking forward to it because we are going to learn about excel, word, and access. I know a bunch but it won't hurt to learn a little more! Grade goal: A

On a fun school related note college football starts tomorrow and MTSU plays Minnesota on ESPN U which is exciting for the school. Go Blue Raiders!!

Tennessee plays on Saturday against UT Martin. This will be the big oranges first game with new coach Derek Dooley after that (insert choice word here) Lane Kiffin up and left us to coach at USC. I love UT football!! Go Vols!!!

Lane Kiffin is a bad man!






The hubby's beloved LSU plays against North Carolina on Saturday night. They are playing the game in Atlanta and ESPN's Gameday will be there. Needless to say LSU better win or it is going to be a long night for me! Geaux Tigers (only when they play someone besides UT)!!



College football season really is the most wonderful time of the year!! I know UT will have a tough year but as long as USC and Alabama don't do well I will be a happy camper!


I will leave you with some of my favorite anti-Bama art: