Guess What?!?!

Yep. A girl. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure how I felt because I had always envisioned myself having a boy first. But as the day went on, I got excited. Super excited. I started thinking about all the fun things that girls bring to life that boys can't. There is a reason we are having a girl first.

It was so fun to see our baby move. See her hands. See her spine. See her legs. To see that she really is alive and moving. I have felt some movement, but I'm sure it's hard for the husband to imagine until they can see a real life moment. It was fun to see Kuso get excited about all those little things too. Earlier this week, we weren't sure he would be able to be there for the ultrasound due to his work schedule. He was able to take the day off so he could be there. I'm SO GLAD that he was able to share this experience with me.

I had an ultrasound on February 7th when we went to the ER when I thought I was having a miscarriage. At that time, the measurements suggested a due date of September 12th. Today's measurements estimate the same due date. It's nice to think that our daughter is growing at the expected rate. The tech was a little frustrated that we were there at only 17 weeks. He likes to take a look a few weeks later. They got a good measurement on everything but the bladder. But the student tech is pretty sure she got a good look at the bladder earlier, but by the time the certified tech came, the baby probably peed everything out so the bladder was small and hard to see. Otherwise, everything measured well and looked to be healthy!

Last weekend I started having "growing pains." Stretching on my right side that at first felt like a pulled muscle. Then I figured out what it really was. It was just a dull aching pain that came and went over about a day and a half. During the ultrasound, I started feeling what I thought was the same feeling on my left side. However, this dull aching pain turned into a sharp intense pain. Apparently the ultrasound tech could see my pain. She asked if I was feeling light headed and I told her "No. It just hurts. I'm hot." My ears and neck had gotten hot and I had broken a sweat. The tech suggested I roll onto my left side. After a few minutes in this position, the pain subsided and I felt fine again. The tech suggested that I was having contractions. When I asked if that was the same thing as "growing pains" she said "yes. Just more intense." She then confirmed that it was nothing to worry about having contractions this early. "It's just part of the uterus preparing itself for what's to come."

After we left the hospital, Kuso went home and I went to my mom's work. While I was there, I called my dad and told them both at the same time. Then we proceeded to call brothers, sister-in-laws, and send messages to friends. I went back to work and finished out the day. When I got home, Kuso gave me a big hug and said "Let's talk about names." I had told him several months back about a name that I had liked. So I repeated the name. He said that name had been on his mind all day and thought that is what we should go with. The first name is just a pretty name that I liked. The second name is my middle name. The third name is the name of a little girl that was born during Kuso's mission. The family took part of Kuso's last name and part of his companions last name and named their daughter that. Then the last name.

So the name is.....Leila Marie Onolei Aiono. Of course that's subject to change, but for now, that is what we both love and have started referring to our daughter as Leila.

A word to the wise...any of you that read this that are pregnant with a girl, or have friends or family that are having girls...this name is OURS. Don't touch it!!!