19 Weeks!!!

So this is a picture of a 19 week old baby. We will see our baby a week from tomorrow: June 26th, 2007, and find out if we can call the baby a "him" or "her." I look forward to being able to call either by name.

Philip celebrated his 27th birthday, and worked hard on his big day. We put together the Kitchen, and got some more boxes cleared out of our bedroom. He also got to celebrate his first Father's Day.

I read that I should be feeling the baby move now, but have a hard time distinguishing between cramping and baby moving. It will be nice when the movement is more apparent. I can't wait until next Tuesday! We'll get to see him or her!

That is all for now.

Love,
April (for both)

17 Weeks!

According to what I read online our baby weighs about 4.97 oz and is about 5.12 inches long! We had another appointment yesterday. The midwife was able to hear our baby's heartbeat with a Doppler now. The heartbeat was very fast, and the baby kept trying to hide behind the placenta. It is such an incredible sound to hear. I get excited every time because it is just that reminder that our baby is healthy and growing. I am still amazed that I am carrying our child. It feels so unreal, and at times I still think I am going to wake up from a dream.

I can't really deny the fact that I am. I am showing, and having to purchase maternity clothes. (I wore my first maternity dress to the wedding this past weekend.) I was encouraged to hear that I and our baby our healthy. Except for a few "big macs" now and then, I think I am doing alright at eating good for our baby.

I am still working, and Philip has been attending Paramedic school. I am so proud of him in so many ways. He is my hero! I love him beyond words! How exciting it is to think that in about four months we will be looking into the eyes of our child that the Lord has allowed us to make together. It is so incredible.

Well, I think that is all I have for now. Our next appointment is on June 26th, and we will find out if we are having a boy or girl!!!! We are so excited and can hardly stand it! :o)

14 Weeks!!

Yes, I am officially 14 WEEKS! Our baby has a fully functional thyroid gland, and could possibly begin sucking his/her thumb! I am amazed at how quickly our baby has grown... already 3.42 inches! We had our first sonogram on Monday, May 7th, and got to hear and see our baby's heartbeat. (We only saw one.) It was incredible. How amazing it is to know that I am carrying apart of both Philip and I. To have someone that truly makes us bound as one. It is so incredible. A couple of my friends have told me that I am about to enter into the next few most wonderful months. (3 - 7 months.) I am already starting to get more energy and the nausea is slowing fading. I am looking forward to it being gone completely. I am excited to see what the next few months hold. It is also great to know that I will be getting more energy when we have so many weddings and things going on. The Lord certainly has the very best timing! :o)

Philip has been accepted into Paramedic School at Tri-State Business Institute. He starts May 16th!!! He will have a year and a half of school. (Graduation due September of 2008.) We are thrilled, and are amazed at how the Lord has provided Philip with the opportunity to do what he really wanted to do to begin with! Everything has fallen into place, and we are so blessed beyond words! (That means we won't have to live in Mike and Jan's too much longer after the baby is born!) We are very thankful for them opening up their home, but we will be ready to have our own space once the baby comes. God is so good!

Love,
April (for both)

Balloons and Boots

To whom it may concern,

Yes... Our children will wear cowboy boots and they will be allowed to play with balloons.

Sincerely,
DAD

P.S. For example:

11 Weeks!

So this picture is not actually our baby, but it is about what our baby's feet look like. It amazes me at how much growth and change is taking place. Already the baby has all his/her parts, and has begun kicking and stretching. The baby is now 1.5 inches long. (Sorry Adam, much bigger than a peanut!) We have our next appointment on May 7th. We expect to have our first ultrasound, and FINALLY get to hear our baby's heartbeat! We are so excited to see the new life that has been growing for the last 11 weeks. (By the time of the appointment I'll be 13 weeks.) I am overwhelmed by the thought of being a parent, but as Philip always says, "the Lord will be our Guide." I am also so excited for my parents to become first time Grandparents and my siblings to become first time Aunts and Uncles. Amy wants us to have a boy, and Cara thinks we will have a girl. I am just excited to have a baby. We'll see which the Lord blesses us with. We have picked out a few names, but aren't going to "officially" decide until we know what we are having. We'll keep you posted! Love you all!

Love,
April (for both)
1 Timothy 1:12

I can hardly belive it...

I am so thankful that God blessed me with such an incredible wife, who is truly an amazing woman of God and my best friend and love of my life. I cannot even begin to express how fiercely in love I am with her... and now she is carrying our child. Another incredible gift from God, for which I am beyond thankful. Today we are having our second appointment to meet with a Midwife and hopefully we will get to hear our baby's heart beat. I think once we hear his heart beat, then he will be more real. (I always refer to our baby as a "he" because I want a boy, but April says that I shouldn't do that, because if it's a girl I might be disappointed. Of course that's just silly... I will be ecstatic whether it's a boy or a girl!)
I know that being a dad will be a huge responsibility and a challenge at times, but I still can't wait to hold my adorable child in my arms and tell him over and over how much I love him. I know that I will make mistakes as a father, but I desire so strongly to make as few as possible and to be willing to learn how to be an even greater dad. I am so thankful for a wife who shares that same desire and determination that I do to be the best parents we can be and to always make our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the head of our home.
Well... it's late and I should sleep.

Our First Appointment...

So we had our first appointment on my sister's birthday, March 27th. We discussed our medical history and the "dos" and "don'ts" of pregnancy. It was very educating. I was disappointed to find that I cannot wear any type of "fake tan." Amy's wedding is in less than two months and I am soooooo pale! You won't be able to miss me, I'll be the one glowing, because I am so white! It is worth it though. I would much rather us have a health baby, than risk it just for a weekend of "looking tan." We are telling everyone else this weekend! We are very excited to share the news. I have been feeling alright. We got moved in this past weekend to the basement of Jan and Mike's. We are settling in and hoping that we can get the rest of our place set up. I guess that is the update for now. Soon everyone will be reading this!! Fun fun!!
Love,
April