It's a.....

BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our home will soon be filled with trucks, balls, and all things boy and we couldn't be more thrilled!  Hope you enjoy the pictures of our little bundle of joy. 

 Face shot from the top.  Kinda skeleton looking!

 I love his little hands!  Have a feeling he might have dad's fingers.

Boy through and through!

16 Week Baby Check In

We had our 16 week baby check up this week.  No pictures of the baby to share with you this time, but everything measured great.  We were able to hear the baby's hearbeat once again.  Fast little thumper.  The good news...we get to find out on November 22 nd what we are having!  So we are going to start a baby stats trivia game real soon.  Stay tuned.  In the meantime, some of you have been asking for a baby bump picture.  Not the greatest and not sure why we mothers to be must document these pictures but here you have it.  I've included some pictures of our latest adventures as well.

 My sister Kaly and me. 

 Tim as Pop Eye for Halloween Dance.  Oh Pop Eye!

Picking pumpkins at Greenbluff. 

Week 11 Ultrasound

Everything looked great and we even got to hear the heart beat this time.  An even 170! 

Baby Challenge #2 - Capture the Moment

I have to give a special shout out to my sister Kaly here.  She was the only one to particpate in Baby Challenge #1.  Challenge #1 is an ongoing to challenge so if you'd still like to participate, please do.  If you've forgotten what Baby Challenge #1 is...go back and read it my friends. 

But on to Baby Challenge #2 - Capture the Moment.  Very few things can top a cute baby...baby crying...baby laughing...baby sleeping.  So for this challenge, we want you to capture the moment by coming up wiht the best caption for these photos.  Email your captions to stacy.l.allen@gmail.com and the person who we think captures the moment the best will win a prize. 

Utah Trip

McKay and I got back from our visiting Utah a few weekends ago.  There were multiple reasons for this trip. 
1) To see the family, of course
2) To go to the BYU vs UW game
3) To show my brother Tim BYU in all of its splendor

The trip was a success by all three accounts.  It was great to spend time with Tim, something that doesn't happen as often as I'd like it too these days.  We had an awesome time at the game surrounded by UW fans...good thing we won!  And, we had a fabulous time catching up with the family and throwing in a little round of minature golf  to boot.  As always the time went by way too fast...but Thank You to everyone for making it such a fun trip!

Week 7 Ultrasound

I'm a few weeks behind in updating you all with our latest adventures and the latest baby news.  Sorry about that.  I am currently at Week 11 and Wednesday of this week, we get to see our baby again!  But I thought I would post our Week 7 Ultrasound Picture for your viewing pleasure.

The most fascinating part of this Ultrasound was the baby was moving...like CRAZY!  Of course I can't feel it yet with it being so small still, but it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.  We like to think it was doing a little dance just for mom and dad.  As long as baby is healthy...it can dance its little heart out!

Ma'am You Can't Sleep Here

For those of you who have never been pregnant, but hope to be at some point in your future life, allow me to let you in on a little secret.  You probably will be told that a sign of being pregnant is that you might feel more tired than normal.  That is the biggest understatement of the century!  You will become more tired and dramatically so.  Pregnancy tired is something that only those who have dared to go where not just anyone has been can experience (aka pregnancy).

The best way I know how to explain it is...hit by a bus tired.  You know you're pregnant when:

• staying up late means going to bed at nine
• you can take a 5 hour nap during the day and still being able to sleep for 10 hours that night
• the first thing you notice when you go into a store is the cozy couch by the dressing rooms
• finding yourself surrounded by old men on that cozy couch you spotted trying very hard not to close your eyes because you know you'll be asleep as soon as you do
• when you're pretty sure you just fell asleep at your work desk because you don't remember those people being in line a second ago  
• when you develop a new found respect and understanding for your grandparents and just how easy it can be to fall asleep mid afternoon
• when it suddenly dawns on you that your husband could very easily be living a double life from nine to  eight in the morning and you would have no idea (this was McKay's contribution...not mine...should I be worried?)

So my friends...be prepared to be tired...very tired.  And the best part...I hear its just preparing you for just how tired you'll be for the next "oh 15 years of your life".  But, trust me, it is oh so worth it.

Meet Baby - 7 Weeks

We are so excited to introduce our little bugs to all of you!  World....meet our baby.

We had our first doctors appointment this week.  Baby was 7 weeks 1 day old when these were taken.  So our official due date is April 11, 2011.  Feel free to circle it on every calendar you have!  Our little peanut looked like...well a little peanut.  The most fascinating part was we when saw his/her heart beating.  There was a little dark spot in the middle of the peanut that was beating - and really fast!  If that doesn't bring a smile to your face, I don't know what will.  Our next  appointment is in two weeks!

Tip of the Week

Pregnancy is a mystery.  Sure, we read the books, talked to friends, took health in 9th grade.  But, I have some news...the books, friends, and teacher don't tell you everything.  So, while I will refrain from telling you anything that will make you say "TMI" (although don't worry sisters...I'll be your biggest Girlfriend when this time comes for you), we do want to pass along some Expecting Parents Advice.

Our Tip of the Week:  Husbands don't let your wives do the grocery shopping, especially not alone, and especially not while hungry.

Allow me to let you in on a pregnant woman's secret - it's called CRAVINGS and it starts early (at least for me).  The weird thing about cravings is whatever sounds good is the ONLY thing that sounds good, but that urgent, got to have it now craving that I'm convinced turns you into something closer to an animal that human, can change at any given time.  So, aisles and aisle filled of deliciously appetizing food, makes a pregnant woman's taste buds go CRAZY!!!  You wouldn't think that Peanut Butter sandwiches, Veggie Delight pizza, Nachos, Banana split, Mint Dibs, and a salted cucumber could every sound good together, but trust me...it can...and just forget about trying to rationalize not buying all of the above.  Next thing you know you're at home surrounded by your grocery bags full of food that no longer sounds appetizing consoling yourself of all the money you just spent with the brick of cheese and loaf of bread in your fridge that may or may not be moldy.  Moral of the story: Stacy is banned from grocery stores for the next 9 months. 

Baby Challenge #1

Being the overzealous first-time parents that we are, we are still under the illusion that our baby news never gets old to those around us.  So, we apologize up front for the many times we're sure you will want to tell us to "shove a sock in it" over the next nine months.  Give us a few years and a few kids and I'm sure we'll simmer down.  But for now...we want to keep everyone as involved as we can!  (It's okay to yell "YEA" here...I did)

Which brings us to Baby Challenge #1

We have already begun putting together our baby book, with a theme of "Dear Baby".  Since it is still awkward to talk to the non-existent bump at this point, McKay and I have decided to write letters to the baby instead, which we will include in the baby book.  So, the challenge...we want to invite you to write a letter of your own to our baby.  It would be a neat way of capturing the emotions of this once in a lifetime moment.  If you're not comfortable writing a letter, even just some words of a wisdom or a simple thought would be great!

You can either email your love notes to stacy.l.allen@gmail.com or mail it to us at:
 McKay & Stacy Allen
1460 W Northstar Ln
Spokane, WA 99208

And we promise, no one will read them but us and the baby.

Breaking News!

Dear Family & Friends,

If you haven't heard...WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!  We couldn't be more excited for the new addition to our little family.  Mom is blissfully unaware of the catastrophic change to a woman's body called pregnancy and birth she is about to experience over the next nine months.  Dad is excitedly adjusting to the whole idea of having another mouth to feed and now refuses to let mom gas the car or go anywhere near a grocery store (more on that later).

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful support system.  So, to all of our family and friends - Thank you for being there for us!  We are excited to share our adventures over the next nine months with you.

Love You All!