It's a GIRL!

Kinda creepy...but she's smiling or maybe just practicing swallowing.

Here is a foot. I am starting to feel this cute like thing often now.

Isn't she cute? :) Maybe praying or sucking her thumb?

The ultrasound went well. Both of us look really healthy.
She almost ruined our party by hiding behind my belly button. It was like a censor ball.
But in the end we got her to move.

Gender Release Party

I think we've contacted everyone we know in Bellingham. But in case someone will be in Bellingham tonight that we are not aware of or in case anyone feels like making a trip to Bellingham this weekend or for all of you that like a good laugh on a Friday, the following is our invitation for the Sex Party we are throwing tonight.



P.S. If you have any funny stories related to this invitation, please post them under comments. We will be adding ours soon.

P.P.S. The creativity in the invitation is all Brian's! But we need to credit my sister Allison for the original idea.

P.P.P.S. For those of you that will not be about to make the party, I will be posting pictures from our ultrasound and the offical blog announcement tomorrow.

Surprise!

My sister has been knitting since she was really little. In high school, I worked at an espresso bar. Next door there was a yarn shop. Allison, my sister, would come to work with me and knit with the elderly ladies that ran the shop. As she has grow older she has kept the habit and made it a tradition to make a baby blanket for friends and family.

A few weeks ago, I started teasing her about the blanket she would be making for us (has she started, what color will it be, etc.). Smiling, she responded "How do you know that I'm making you a blanket?"

A week ago Sunday, my dad's sisters threw us our first baby shower since my Aunt Tami and Grandma were here from Georgia and Florida. We had brunch, then opened presents and played one shower game in the lobby of a hotel on the Seattle waterfront.

We opened Alli's present first, and were very surprised! Inside was the cutest, softest baby sweater and felted shoes you have ever seen! I've attached a picture but if you ever come over you need to feel it!

My mom pretended it was her baby grandchild and cuddled for quite some time.



My family blessed us with so many cute baby clothes, soft blankets, and stuffed animals. Grandma continued her tradition of buying the first high chair for each family.We are really excited about all of its features.


Almost everything was in neutral colors since we don't know whether the baby is a boy or a girl yet. All the yellows, tans, and greens mean that we won't have a closet full of blue or pink.


We moved everything in to the nursery this week. It is fun and seems strange at the same time to have all of this baby stuff in our house.

Butterflies?!?

I've been waiting for weeks to be able to feel the baby move. Since I am not feeling sick any more it would be nice to have some reassurance that my baby is still alive and well. It would provide some proof that the baby is growing like he or she is supposed to be doing and I am not just getting fatter for not reason.

The nurse asked me at my last appointment at the end of August if I had felt it yet, but I had to say I didn't think so. Everything I've read has said that you start to feel the baby between 16 and 20 weeks, usually toward the end of that window for your first. I was only 15 weeks then, so I didn't worry. But as time went on, I started to pay more and more attention to every little feeling. I have heard it described as feeling like hiccups, gas, butterflies, fluttering...all of which didn't really help me know what I should be expecting.

Almost every mom has told me that feeling the baby move is what they miss most about pregnancy. Some gave me advice to help me feel it for the first time. I tried their different techniques, but nothing. Then last night in bed I did feel this kind of flutter. It was very short, but different than anything I've felt so far. I thought to myself "Maybe, but maybe I am just wishing it so hard I imagined it." Then today while taking attendance 5th period I felt it again. So I'm thinking my time has finally arrived.

Bella Bands - Five Star Rating

Just before school started my normal clothes started to get a bit uncomfortable. I think it was my friend Emily that tipped me off to this great product called a Bella Band. It is a band of spandex that allows you to transition more easily in between your normal clothes and your pregnancy clothes. I got two, one black and one brown with lace. They look like the bottom of a camisole showing below your shirt, which is currently in fashion. Boy, were they life savers! Today was the first day I didn't have to wear one to hold my maternity pants up. :)

August Pictures 1 - Grandparents' 50th Anniversary

The great chef Louie prepares our scrumptious food.

He did have many sous chef though. This is my cousin Sam.

Grandma and Grandpa's long time friends, Guy and Joy joined the party! Joy and Grandpa went to kindergarten together, and Guy and Grandpa were good friends in high school. We had a lot of fun getting to know them and learn a lot from them!

Uncle Mike created a trivia game. This is team La Tigre. They lost, but were stylish and had a good cheer.

G.G. and Orville enjoyed watching all the games. It was great to see them again!

Grandma and Grandpa Robbins...still in love after 50 years!

Brian and Shannon Rush...still in love after 5 years and looking forward to the next 50!

My mom's family: Aunt Becky, Grandma, Uncle Mike, Grandpa, and Mom.

My family: Me, Brian, my sister Alli, Mom, my brother Jeremy, and Dad.

Jeremy and his girlfriend, Lauren - They flew in from Hawaii for the event. It was great to get to know Lauren and celebrate Jer's birthday with him.
The whole gang!

August Pictures 2 - Camping at Lake Osoyoos

Sitting around the best campsite in the park. Notice the sweet RV in the background!Keely scheming on the blanket...maybe another diaper blowout on the way home...

Playing on the beach...

Keely's first swim...a little cold.

Keely enjoys topless sunbathing much better!

Yummy tinfoil dinners!

When we arrived home, Keely got to supervise the unpacking from her cool new Bumbo seat.

August Pictures 3 - Random

Lynden Fair - Demolition Derby - Pre-show...They are trying to pop the balloons on the drivers heads while keeping their balloon intact and staying within the track. Whoever thought this up is crazy.

They lined up and then started smashing each other!

When they couldn't drive anymore they put up the orange flag. Unfortunately, they still got hit. One car caught on fire twice.

Trudy is playing frisbee at our campsite on our anniversary. She spent the entire time swimming and playing fetch. We enjoyed tin foil dinners and looking at baby names. Unfortunately our camera battery died about an hour into the trip.

Bellingham beats cross town rival

Coach Brian Rush leads his JV volleyball team to a victory Thursdsay night over rival high school, Squalicum. In the short season Coach Rush has already seen an improvement in the skill and attitude of some of his players. Being the first win of the season, spirits were high at the end of the night. The team looks forward to travelling to Everett to compete in a tournament this weekend. (Coach Rush is not looking forward to driving a van full of teenage girls at 6:30 am)

Hygiene Poll

A while ago a bunch of our friends got into a surprisingly heated debate about hygiene rituals.

It's time to settle it once and for all.

(hint: the answer is stringy and usually white)