The Christmas Whirlwind

Christmas was a whirlwind :0). This year my family came to visit for Christmas. They arrived on the 19th, and just left a few days ago. It was awesome! I just love having a full house. There is so much to do. :0) The events were non stop between Joey's family and my family. Let me see if I can remember what all we did. Dinner at Eva's for my Mom & Ben, Marissa's baptism, helped at the Love Kitchen, DQ party, Christmas Caroling, Christmas Parties with both families Christmas Eve, Christmas parties all day with Joeys family Christmas day, Allen's wedding, fight night & Skippys farewell. Keep in mind each day had a seperate event :). It was a family marathon & we loved it! I will try to post some pictures of all these fun events. I didn't take any... but I know they are out there. So when we did have a few minutes we just chilled at home with Ben, Mom, Kirsten, Hayli, & Lane. We had a blast. It just felt like we had never lived apart. They stayed with us part time, and part time with Cari in Joseph City. What an awesome Christmas.

Well... today is the 11 week mark. Here is whats up with our baby.

11 weeks-WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY Your baby-to-be is about 50 millimeters crown to rump and weighs about eight grams (about a quarter of an ounce). The irises are now forming. The liver, intestines, brain and lungs are beginning to function on their own. The primitive "tail" is now gone. The intestines are beginning to migrate into the abdominal cavity and the external genitalia are present but difficult to distinguish. Now that most of the major organ work is done, your baby adds such details as hair, fingernails and toenails. While your baby's head is nearly as large as the rest of her body, head growth begins to slow during this period.

Next Wednesday I should be able to give you a rundown of our appointment. We should be able to hear the heartbeat! I'm so excited!!!

Talk to you soon!

Moving right along

Hey guys,
Things are going great with our little one. I have had a few episodes of crazy sickness, but with you in mind I will keep them to myself :0). Other than that, all seems to be going well. Our next appt is in two weeks, so until then there is no real update. Here is a the blurb from Ivillage (which I love by the way).

10 weeks-WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY
By the end of this week, your baby will have verifiable fingers and toes. The tadpole appearance diminishes as the tail completely disappears. Eyelids fuse and will stay shut until weeks 25 to 27. Both the external ear and upper lip are complete, and the beginnings of external genitalia appear. The average size of your baby-to-be is 27 to 35 millimeters, crown to rump, or 1.06 to 1.38 inches. Your little one weighs in at a hefty four grams! At the end of the eighth week of gestation your little one is no longer an embryo; from now on he or she is refered to as a fetus.

Helping out

I love Christmas! People are so giving. I wish people behaved this way all year round (only exception being the crazy shoppers that steal things from your cart, and insist you stole something from theirs). We have had so many family events in the past few days, and are packed full for the rest of the year. I love it! I just can't help but wish it was this way all the time. Everyone is thinking of someone else, and what they could do for them that would make them smile... I mean it's just right isn't it?

This Saturday I got the opportunity to serve at the Love Kitchen. My Mother in Law and sister also readily voulenteered to help. I was really touched at what a little effort can do. Not many showed up because they are not used to getting food on the weekends, but the few that did show were very appreciative. It felt really good to help, and we had a lot of fun planning & preparing the food. It made me want to book myself every weekend for the rest of the year, and it also made me feel very grateful. For my family, for my husband that works so hard to provide for us, and just for the abundance that so many of us are blessed with everyday. We may be in peralous times, and have no clue what will be happening in the near future, but what a blessing to not have to worry about catching the bus so we can make it for dinner tonight. I am usually a believer that people make their own circumstances, but right now so many people are trying, and they just can't make it work. Regardless of my prideful outlook of who does and doesn't deserve assistance, I know that helping out is Christ like. No matter what those people are or are not doing, he would serve them. I am planning to set up a program after the new year to where we go every weekend to serve. I am not asking every weekend of you, but if you would like to spend an afternoon doing something truely fulfilling please let me know when you would like to participate, and who will be coming and I will be happy to sign you up. Also, if you need to get rid of any canned goods, or boxed food that you just are never going to use you would be surprised what they can do with it. Let me know and I'll be happy to let you know where to drop it, or take it up for you.

Merry Christmas

The unicorn!!!

No really... he was a unicorn. We were joking that he is a duck. If you have never seen "open season" the name comes from being half doe, half buck... making him a Duck. Just a little guy, but like I said he was my first deer and i couldn't be more proud. Very true to my style to end up with the smallest one with half a rack, but what can I say. Some things are just classic.

Our new addition...

Truth is I'm just not that great at blogging. This is my attempt to keep everyone posted on what is going on. Last week Joey and I found out that we are pregnant! Yeah!!!!! It has been a long wait for sure, but now the wait doesn't feel like it was all that bad.

Also on the MacGregor bullitin is my first Deer kill. With my bow at 62 yards none the less. Joseph is ever so proud :). It is just a little guy, but I'm sure he'll be good eating. We are looking forward to heading down in January for more deer, and pig hunting. It really is a good family adventure :).

Back to the baby news (WARNING: It is likely that baby news will be almost all I blog about for the next 7 months). Which brings us to our first question. How far along are we? Tommorrow will be the first day of our 9th week. Below is the technical breakdown of what is going on with our little one.

9 WEEKS-WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

This week, your baby-to-be grows to between 20 and 28 millimeters from crown to rump, or about an inch. Weighing in at one gram, your baby is very active, although you can't feel its movements. He or she now has all the major organs, muscles and nerves. A Doppler may be able to identify the heartbeat. While testes and ovaries are formed, external genitalia appear sexless, which is why it is too early for an ultrasound to reveal gender. Eyelids are beginning to form and the trunk is straightening and elongating.

As for personal experience... I'm feeling a little sick throughout the day, but it really gives me confidence that we are actively moving forward in a healthy pregnancy. Our next appointment is January 7th which should allow us to hear the heartbeat. Wow! I can't believe all of this moves so fast! I'm reading every article, book, & magazine I can get my hands on :0).

Well thats about it for now. I will try to keep you posted as much as possible. Thanks for stopping by :0).