the missing baby doll

We had a funny instance tonight that I wanted to document. Chad, Greta, and I went to Kohl's tonight because Chad wanted to buy some new work clothes. Greta loves shopping and usually brings her purse and her baby with her. She likes to walk around the racks and look at the clothes. She's usually really good about staying right by us. After Chad was done picking out clothes he went to try on a few items and Greta sat in the stroller while we waited to give daddy a thumbs up or thumbs down on his outfits. A man commented on how good Greta was being and that she had a cute baby doll.

After Chad finished trying on clothes we went to customer service to return a few things. Greta started getting a little fussy because she wanted milk so Chad held her. They split from me and went off to look at socks and shoes. We then met up in the shoe section and we picked out a pair of shoes for Greta. She had fun walking around the aisles and testing out her new shoes. After this we went to the checkout counter where I realized Greta didn't have her baby doll. I knew we had it when we went to customer service and was suspicious something may have happened to it when she was on her dad's watch in the socks and shoes section. Chad and Greta went back to look for the baby while I paid for everything. As I was finishing they came back to the register and Chad said they couldn't find it. I knew it had to be somewhere in the last area we were just shopping at and went back to take a look for myself. Chad reminded me that it's just a $3 doll but I felt a sentimental tug on my heart to find her baby because it's her very favorite toy. She loves that doll so much and I couldn't bear to have the poor doll sitting lonely in Kohl's all night probably under some clothes rack. My search came up empty and I went to customer service to see if they had a baby doll turned in. Nothing had been returned so we went to search again. Again, no sign of the baby. I went back to customer service to leave my name and number in case the doll was found. We were about ready to leave but I felt like we should take just one more swing through the shoe section. I put Greta in the stroller because she was getting heavy. As we walked through the shoe section for probably the 10th time looking for the doll I hear Greta say "uh oh, baby". I look down and there on top of a box of shoes in the shelf is her baby doll. How funny is it that both Chad and I had been down that aisle numerous times looking for the baby but it took Greta to find it for us? I just can't get over her finding that baby.

While we were searching for the doll, Chad questioned that she had even had it with her at Kohl's but I told him I had photographic evidence:)

Shopping with her baby before the doll went MIA.

day trip to rochester

Two weeks ago, we traveled down to Rochester for the day to visit with Greta's grandma and great aunt, Lorrie. They had made the trip to Rochester so Lorrie could show her afghans in the dog show. We met at the mall and ate lunch at Applebee's. After lunch, we stopped by this fun play area in the mall. Greta had a great time.

She loved this little house.

Getting chased by Grandma.

Always on the run.

All the running around proved to be a good idea because she fell asleep on the car ride home. Ahh... a nice peaceful car ride. It's the little things. 

It's a...

BOY!!

We had our 20 week ultrasound last Monday and one of the first things the tech was able to check off the list was gender. We are very happy to have a little boy join our family next February. Hopefully, Greta won't mind carving out some space in her toy box for some trucks and cars. She is so incredibly girly so maybe having a little brother will tomboy her up a little. Everything looked good on the ultrasound. Our little boy was hanging out pretty low in my pelvis so the ultrasound tech had a hard time getting a good view of a few things. We're going to go back at 24 weeks to see if we can get a better view. This happened with Greta too as she was sitting very low in my pelvis. I was also surprised to find out I have an anterior placenta. Surprisingly, I've felt more movement this pregnancy that I did with Greta.

I'll be 21 weeks tomorrow and I've felt really good so far. It's so weird to have almost the exact pregnancy up to this point as I had with Greta and then find out we are having a boy. I guess I just expected to feel different if I was having a boy- morning sickness, different cravings, etc. But so far, everything seems to be the same as when I was pregnant with Greta.

My friend, Rachel, watched Greta while we had our ultrasound and we were so appreciative of that. She is due a day after me and has her ultrasound this week. I think I'm more excited to find out what she's having than I was for my own ultrasound. I'm weird like that. It would have been fun to have Greta at the ultrasound and for her to see her baby brother but I'm not sure she would really grasp the whole thing either and it could end up going badly. They recommended against us bringing Greta and she was so happy to have some play time with her friend Elle.

I really can't believe how fast the first half of this pregnancy has gone. I think this little boy will be here before we know it!