I'm gonna be an Aunt!!! :)

Yes sirree bob, my little bro and his wonderful wife are having a baby!

That was our big vacation news!!!! We're so excited for them and for us too (we're finally gonna be an aunt and uncle and our kids will actually have "real" cousins!) Awesome!! The big news didn't come as that much of a shock to me as I know my sister-in-law has been itchin' to have a bigger family ever since she and my bro tied the knot in March (and if I do my calculations correctly this baby was in the works shortly after their GA wedding :))....but I'm so excited to watch their little family grow! The big news is that Candy is already 14 weeks along (already out of first trimester or close!) and she kept this baby a secret from us all for all these months (even from her own family who sees her all the time). The reason being is that she wanted to tell Jeff in person and when he's a million miles away in Qatar on official air force business...well, you can see her dilemma (she had to wait and endure all that morning sickness on her own...poor girl, but maybe that was lucky on Jeff's part...he missed most of the sickness of the 1st trimester). She must have some undying patience to wait that long to spread the news. She secretly went about her business of dr's appts and ultrasounds and maternity clothes'/baby shopping...and she did most of it by herself. Hats off to her!

So, I'll be an aunt shortly after 2009 rings in! Yep, the first Gritz baby of my generation is due January 7! Not only that, but it looks like I'm gonna have a NEPHEW! :) Yep, an early u/s showed that there is a 75% chance this sweet Jeff/Candy creation is a BOY! :) So, we're excited to meet little Jeffie Jr. (that's just my name for him, I don't think a Jr. is in the name cards for the newest JC baby). So, WOW, isn't that awesome news??!! I tell ya' there sure are a lot of people on the "baby train" lately, and I'm excited a family member has joined the ride! I'm especially happy that our newest Steg baby girl will have a cousin so close in age (4 mos apart!) I always hoped my kids would be blessed with cousins as they've been the sole kids in the fam. for 8 1/2 years.

We can't wait to meet this new baby next year and to have both our babies together on our next NC vacation (while this vacation was awesome both Candy and I had our baby issues...she was nauseous a lot and I was just uncomfortable!) So, we're looking forward to meeting our newest additions in the coming months and I know Nina and Pops in FL are beaming with the joy of a new granddaughter and grandson-to-be (I know they will be in their element surrounded by 5 grandkids this time next year!)

So, YAY and CONGRATS to Jeff and Candy! My little (and only) bro is gonna be a daddy! I know he'll shine at his new "job" as he's been an awesome uncle since the day Hailey was born......and I know Candy will be the best mom around...she's just got that natural motherly instinct! We're so excited for our expanding extended family! We wish them all the blessings in the world as they enjoy their first pregnancy/baby!