Welcome baby GIRL!!!!

(not our actual picture...ours looks like a grainy half skeleton!)

I am sure you all already know this but we are excited to announce baby GIRL number 3 to the Heald house. Due to arrive 2/4/13 we are so thrilled to be adding another little one to the family. Our girls were with us at the ultrasound - Matney was convinced it was a girl from the beginning so she didn't pay any attention to what was going on. HK doesn't want a brother or sister, she wants it to be a baby boy lion named Jack, so there was no acceptable information for her. That poor ultrasound tech probably wondered if it was smart for us to procreate again after listening to Halle Kate! I was convinced it was a boy and Jared just wanted to know one way or the other so that, if need be, he could start preparing himself for another girl as soon as possible! Needless to say we both left kind of quiet!

We've talked a lot about names, remembering with Halle Kate's name we really struggled. This time it was much more simple and we pray Matney Rose, Halle Katherine and Evelyn Claire will be best friends forever! My Grandmama was one of my most favorite people ever and, while her name was Fanise, Evelyn's was the name of her store and where I spent much of my life growing up. I am sure for her and my parents that "Evelyn" means work and all sorts of things I never knew about but for me it means "Grandmama and the coolest place to grow up". (Gracious, I just tried to read that blog post and I can't do it without tears!) Matney is often Mat, Halle Kate is Hal so I am sure Evelyn will end up Ev or Evie. Claire is a name that Jared and I both really like.

I can't say that I'm not totally intimidated by the thought of a new baby. Three kids doesn't seem like it will be that different but a baby and a baby schedule again is a little bit overwhelming to think about! All that said I am halfway through this pregnancy, the days are flying by and (as long as there are no funky smells around) I am FINALLY not sick anymore. Each day, as I feel her moving more and more I get a little more excited to snuggle her. Somehow this is different than both times before. With Matney everything was new and kind of scary. With Halle Kate we wondered if we'd survive and how we could love another little person as much as Matney. This time I think it is just all fun. There is no doubt I can adore three little girls with all my heart, I know that sleep deprivation won't kill me and I know that someday I'll button a pair of pants, have clear skin and be able to smell meat again (ha!). There is a lot to do...just ask Jared, I've got pages and pages of color coded to-do lists but oh my goodness! I cannot wait to meet her and get to be her Mommy!