Colson's Baby Journey

3 Weeks Today...

2008-12-17T19:44:00.001-08:00

It is so hard to believe - I already find myself as one of those sappy mommies who says "the time just goes by so fast!" "Where does the time go?"

I can't believe that Abigail is already three weeks old. What an incredible three weeks it has been. It seems like she's just always been here with us and our lives make perfect sense with her in them.

Her first night home was your typical first night :) She just cried and cried, Joey did all he could for her, and I sat in bed feeling so helpless (because of c-section issues)! Praise God Aunt Dawn was here, and came to the rescue about 3am. The second night was much better, and it's just gotten better since. She sleeps about 2-5 hours at a time at night, and we appreciate that :) (especially when she goes for 5!)

To catch you up, I ended up having complications from my c-section and got an infection after surgery. This infection and the pain caused problems with nursing, and Abigail lost about 17 ounces, dropping just below 6.5 pounds. Her newborn clothes were so big on her! So, we've switched to formula and now our little Abigail is adding those ounces back and is almost back to her birth weight.

But, we just LOVE her littleness. Even though she is still smaller than she was when she was born, she has changed so much just in 3 weeks. Her face looks different, she is so much more alert, and she just doesn't seem so "newborn!" In some ways, I want her just to stay teensy and tiny forever.

Abigail loves to be read to and sung to. She definitely knows mommy and daddy, and that is such a special feeling.

Joey went back to work about a week and a half after Abigail was born, and so far Abigail and I are doing ok at home. Again, the complication from the c-section made things a bit interesting, but it all worked out. What a blessing it is to be able to stay at home - truly a dream come true.

Abigail is amazing, and we love holding her and just looking at her. (It's really hard to believe that she is what was inside of me! That's such a cool concept it's hard to wrap your brain around.)

What a miracle she is in our lives, and how blessed we are to have her in our arms!

2008-11-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

Now Introducing: Abigail Mia Colson!

2008-11-27T09:03:00.000-08:00

She's finally arrived! At 12:52PM on Wednesday, November 26th, 2008, Abigail Mia Colson was born. She weighed 7 lbs., 9 oz., and was 20 inches long. She is absolutely beautiful, passed all of her tests, and the pediatrician says that she is perfectly healthy. As a proud daddy, I'm glad to say, without bias, that she is absolutely the most beautiful baby that I have ever seen. :)

So, we've asked alot of people who she looks like, and the jury is split. However, I'm sure her good looks come from her mom.

11/26 - Abigail's Official Birthday

2008-11-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

Well, today is officially Abigail's due date, and we are 40 weeks pregnant. We went in to see the doctor today, and were given much surprising news.

The doctor said I had increased to a "good 4," and the baby was good size. But, he wanted to check on things before he made a plan to "interferre with Mother Nature."

So, we were taken to ultrasound, and as I laid down, the nurse got the first frame. Here she typed in a few words and also "breeched." Then she did the next picture and typed in another word or two and "breeched" again. I started just crying. We saw Abigail's beautiful face, which was up at the top of the uterus under my ribs, and sure enough, she was breeched. In fact, she's pretty much bent in half with her feet up by her head and her bottom down where her head should be. I knew this inevitibly meant C-section, so I just laid there crying, mostly upset about all the unknowns and because this was so surprising, yet reminding myself that God was in control.

We were then sent back to meet with the doctor, who took us into his office. He said not only was Abigail breeched, but the amniotic fluid was low. Normal is 10-20, and hers was 7. This resulted in planning a c-section for tomorrow. So, while this is not at all what we expected, God knows. He knew last Friday when I was sent home after hours of contractions that she was breeched, and prevented things from happening further. And, while I cried this morning and tried to wrap my brain around the news, it was still a comfort to know that, as we've learned time and time again, God was with us and He was NOT taken by surprise. It's a comfort to know that in those moments Joey and I could stop and pray for wisdom, guidance, and peace.

And for those of you that know our story, we were even joking that getting this baby IN wasn't easy, so getting her OUT would only seem normal to be a bit complicated too :)

So, tomorrow at 12:00 we will have our c-section, and just a few moments later we will be meeting our Abigail, our precious baby girl. We are thrilled to meet her, and can't wait to hold her, count her little fingers and toes, and figure out if she looks more like mommy or daddy.

Please pray for Abigail to be safe for the next 24 hours, for Dr. Neimann as he will be doing the csection, for me physically as I have the surgery and recover, and for Joey as he plays caregiver to both baby and mommy.

38 Week Doctor's Appointment

2008-11-13T08:32:00.001-08:00

Today we went and saw our incredible and wonderful doctor, Dr. Phemister. I am officially 38 weeks and two days and at this point nothing has really changed from what it was at 35 weeks. She has dropped lower though, which I could have told you without a doctor's visit :) Ultimately, Dr. Phemister said everything was fine though and told Joey and I that he hopes not to see me for a 39 week appointment next week because he wanted this baby to be here instead!

It is pretty crazy to think about how much our lives are going to change in an instant. A few nights ago we were laying in bed and I asked Joey, "Have you just stopped to think about how much everything will change in just a few days, and then in a few minutes?" And it was just pretty surreal. It's just been Joey and I for over 10 years, more than 5 of those married, and it seems we have waited for this moment for so long, yet now that it's so close it seems almost hard to comprehend.

But with that being said, we can't wait and are full of anxious anticipation. Joey told me last night he was just so ready to meet her... He's going to be an amazing daddy and I'm sure will be wrapped tightly around her itty bitty finger, madly in love from the moment he sees her.

Since we found out I was pregnant I've been praying everyday for a healthy delivery, as easy of a delivery as possible (one can hope, right :)), for my body to cope, for Abigail to be safe, Joey a wonderful coach, etc. But the other day I was praying about those same things, and started to cry. I guess it just seemed for the first time that I was praying for something that was imminent and really happening and not far away in my distant future.

With only 12 days to go, it could be anytime. Who knows, maybe the next posting will be pictures of our little one, introducing you to Abigail Mia Colson... We'll see :)

Two Weeks to Go!

2008-11-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

So, as of today we are only 14 days away from Abigail's due date. That seems crazy, but we are ready for her to come as soon as she's ready. Lately I feel like my brain is mush, I'm super tired, I'm having really specific food preferences, and my body is just completely not normal. So, if these odd changes are any indication, it seems my body is going through weird hormonal things in these last few days.

We're keeping busy trying to go about life as normal. Seems like a better option than just sitting around waiting and driving ourselves crazy! Last Saturday we went to a fall festival for church and that was lots of fun. Here's a picture....This week we'll be putting up our Christmas tree (don't laugh - I'm really excited about it!), and I'm still teaching Freshman English at LU 2 days a week.
Our next doctor's appointment is Thursday. We'll keep you posted!.....

Early Progress and False Alarm #1

2008-11-02T08:10:00.001-08:00

Well, much has happened in the last two weeks to get ready for Abigail's pending arrival. The day after our 34 week appointment, I woke up and thought my stomach looked so different! At first I just thought I was losing my mind, but then I realized that Abigail had "dropped." When Joey got home from work it was the first thing he noticed too. So, we knew that we were making progress, at least a little, to the due date.

A week and a half later, at just 35 weeks, we had a doctor's appointment where we were given some pretty shocking, yet exciting, news. The doctor said that Abigail was coming, and maybe sooner than later. Basically, I wasn't in labor, but my body was already through the first stage of labor so to speak. Things had progressed more than I thought possible at this point. My first reaction was to cry, and I'm still not sure why. But, I didn't cry - instead I just stared at the doctor and tried to take in that he was saying there was a possibility Abigail could be here more than a month early! I had been discomforted, but didn't realize such progress could be getting made! So, the frenzy started... We went straight home and packed our hospital bags so we'd be ready no matter what. We cleaned the house, put batteries in anything that needed them, and went to the stores for some last minute items.

Then, 3 days later I was teaching my Freshman English class at Liberty and started having contractions. They were only a few minutes apart and weren't stopping so I sent my students home and called Joey. I got home from LU and waited a bit, but they still didn't stop. So, we loaded our hospital bags and went to the hospital... only for the contractions to stop once we got there :) So, that was officially false alarm #1.

Today is 36 and 1/2 weeks, and Abigail still isn't here. So, I guess she changed her mind and has decided to hang out in her nice little home a bit longer. We're fine with that because we know the closer she is to her due date the better for her, but, no matter what, we're ready for her to come, and to meet her and hold her.

Pregnancy Pictures

2008-10-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, October 10th, Joey and I had maternity pictures taken by a friend who owns her own professional photography business. We won't have all of the pictures available to look at for at least another week (she's busy doing touch ups, lighting, etc), but she went ahead and put 5 of the pictures up on her blog, just enough for a sneak peak :) We love them and can't wait to see the rest!

Here is the link to her blog to see the first five:
http://www.simplereflectionsphoto.blogspot.com/

Just scroll down until you see the title "Cynthia: Expecting" and there you'll be!

By the way, today is 34 weeks. Not long to go at all!

A Letter from Joey

2008-10-13T17:43:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday, a dear friend, Becca Gibson, threw another shower for me (I will post details and pictures from the shower in the next day or so). One of the special things she did for the shower was she asked Joey to write a letter to me, and then she read it out loud at the shower. This was a complete surprise to me which made it even more special. I cried and cried, Becca cried while reading it, and I think most ladies in the room were crying. I couldn't resist putting his letter up on the blog right away.... What an amazing man I have!

My Dearest Cynthia,

It’s hard to believe that it has been 10 years since you and I became “we.” Looking back on those good and fun times, we never could have imagined where God would take us on our journey. Through every turn and challenge, though, we have come through all the stronger and all the richer, and often times God had some pretty special things planned for us – even some miracles.

I know you remember well the days when I left Goose Creek to come to Liberty. Getting into that Jeep was so hard that day! But after 10 months of being apart, God grew our love so much tougher and stronger – (and he miraculously got us through 10 months of $200 phone bills!)

We have been in some pretty tight spots, too. I remember a time when we were newly married, with no jobs. One day when nobody was responding to our résumés and the bank account was running dry, we prayed together. Soon after, we were hired, and God took care of us.

God has kept his hand on us, even as we went through some dark hours with cancer treatments. You were so strong for me that year – as you always have been. Even when our lives were changing and our dreams seemed so far away, you stayed the course, and you took care of me. We trusted God, and he delivered a miracle.

Even after God delivered us from cancer, I remember being very tired, and unsure of what would be ahead for us and our family. But just as the times grew the hardest, God has brought a miracle into our lives.

Ten years ago, it was a distant dream;
Five years ago, we could hardly wait for it to happen;
And Three years ago, we marched ahead, not knowing if it would come true.

But TODAY, God has brought us our “long awaited child,” Abigail Mia. She is our little joy, our miracle.

I love you!

Joey (Daddy)

Abigail - The Newest and Tiniest Panther's Fan

2008-09-30T11:34:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend, we went to Charlotte, NC for the Carolina Panthers football game. We figured at nearly 32 weeks this was one of our last major events before Abigail's arrival, and possibly the last NFL game we would get to go to together for a couple years (although Joey is determined Abigail is going to a game as soon as he can get her to one :))

Here are some pictures from the weekend. Abigail is still growing, but my jersey stretched over her just enough :) While we were at the stadium, we bought Abigail a bib that said "Newest Panther's Fan" and also this little teddy bear.

Just 10 Weeks to Go...

2008-09-17T18:36:00.001-07:00

That's right - today marks 30 weeks in our pregnancy. So, if Abigail comes even a little close to on time, she'll be here in just about 10 weeks. We are thrilled, and are still doing everything we can to be as ready as possible.

We have been attending our Birthing Classes at Virginia Baptist, where she'll be delivered. We also rearranged our living room to make plenty of room for a rocker and eventually her pack n play. This weekend Joey is painting the letters for her name to hang up above her crib. It's just the finishing touches now!

As I continue to read all my books and websites, I'm continually amazed at the miracle all of this is. It's truly not comprehensible at times how it all works so perfectly to result in a precious baby. I read just the other day that her bone marrow is now capable of producing her red blood cells, a job that had been done by her liver up to this point. How incredible, despite her small physical stature, that her body communicates at this level. What a miracle.

Overall I'm feeling good. My back is aching and I get quite tired, but it is nothing that's unbearable. I'm not sure how much more my stomach can grow to make room for her in the next ten weeks (I already feel stretched to the max!), but I'm sure my body will surprise me :)

We took these pictures today, marking the 30 week milestone. Baby is definitely growing!

Rest for the Weary.... Or Maybe Not

2008-09-11T02:43:00.000-07:00

So, it's 5:44am as I write this. I went to bed at 10:30pm last night, but for some reason, still haven't fallen asleep. So at this point I've been up for over 20 hours. I should preface all of this by saying that Wednesday I got sick, am awfully congested and can't breathe, and in true Cynthia fashion I've lost my voice (for those of that may not know, that happens everytime I get sick!). So, in a few days when I need rest perhaps more than others, my body decides to have pregnancy insomnia, or whatever it is that causes you not to sleep. And, I should add, that Abigail has seemed quite excited that I haven't slept tonight, and apparently thought it would be good bonding time. So, while I tried everything I knew how to fall asleep, she decided to show off all her latest acrobatic moves, jumping and dancing ALL around. So, instead of sleeping, I'm watching Bill O'Reilly on Fox News and writing on my blog....

So, perhaps God just has a sense of humor, and he's preparing me for the complete lack of sleep and exhaustion that will pervade my life in about 12 weeks. Or, maybe he's preparing me for a long delivery where I won't sleep. So, maybe He's just making me ready :)

Either way, Bill O'Reilly doesn't seem nearly as entertaining at 5:50 in the morning, and I'd much rather be sleeping :) The good news... I can go get a chickfila biscuit in about an hour. If you can't sleep, you should at least get a good breakfast I guess....

Two Good Weekends

2008-09-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

The last two weekends were fun, busy, and quite exciting!

Of course, two weekends ago was our Baby Shower in SC. Jennifer and Stephanie did a great job decorating. For those of you who couldn't be there, everything was pink pink pink! The theme was also princess, and there were princess candle holders, princess balloons, and it was all topped off with a Princess Colson cupcake cake, which was delicious!

My mom gave a bit of encouragement, did a great job, and made me quite teary! We played the "How big is the belly" game and most people didn't guess TOO big :)

We were blessed with so many gifts. We got our pack n play, stroller/carrier combo, Bumbo, a play gym mat, diapers and wipes, gift cards., toys, pacifiers, bottles, SC gear, lots of clothes (including camoflouge from Grandpa Colson :) ), and so much more. My mom also gave me some special "heirloom" type gifts like dresses that were given to my sisters and me by our grandma, and now Abigail can have them. That was extra special.

A HUGE thank you to everyone that attended, helped with food and drinks, sent cards or gifts, and came to show your support and love. It was a wonderful day!

So, this past weekend we spent our time putting all our goodies away, and Joey spent time putting things together. He couldn't wait to get items out of the box. We spent this Saturday unpacking, organizing, putting things in her room, then re-organizing, etc. It was so fun, and we enjoyed looking at all of her things in her nursery. We hope to be as ready as we can be, and we feel blessed to have so much of what we need.

Baby's Got a Name...

2008-09-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

So many people have asked if Joey and I had a name for our baby girl, and often to our own dismay, we kept saying "not yet." We really wanted to take our time and pray about it, and didn't have a clear answer...until now!

As many of you know, Joey and I weren't sure if we'd get to have children due to his cancer and then went down a rough and long road that finally led to this amazing little miracle. So, we wanted the meaning of her name to capture the joy we felt, and the conceppt of God's faithfulness and the miracle that she was in our lives. With that being said, her name is....

Abigail Mia Colson

Abigail means "source of delight" and "a father's joy." Mia means "wished for child" or "long awaited child." After many long lists of names, narrowing that down, then narrowing some more, we were left with just two choices. We prayed and prayed and just kept coming back to this name.

We told our families while we were home in SC over the weekend, and couldn't wait to share it with the rest of our family and friends! Abigail will be here in just 12 weeks or so, and we can't wait! I will post pictures and such from the shower soon!

26 Weeks Down...Only 96 More Days to Go

2008-08-20T08:40:00.001-07:00

That's right..... today is the 26 week mark in the pregnancy. And, we only have 96 days (if she comes on her due date!) until our baby girl arrives.

Baby girl is growing and moving all the time! She is now about 2 pounds and around 13 inches long. She likes to do aerobics at night, when I'd like to be sleeping :) We are going to have to talk about that - the whole she's up at night thing! I keep telling her that's when she's supposed to sleep :)

For those of you that are wondering, we still don't have a name, but we're getting it narrowed down. :)

Daddy's Little Princess - It's Only Just Begun!

2008-08-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Joey spent time doing daddy-type things, and he had tons of fun. He sanded and painted the bookshelf for the nursery, painted the baskets for her room (after buying several different kinds of paint/colors because he HAD to have the perfect shades :)), hung part of the curtains, and also bought a great plaque to go on her nursery door.

She isn't here yet, but Joey is wrapped around her little finger! He talks to her every night, and talks about her all the time. We walk into the store and Joey gravitates towards everything pink, and he just loves that her room has shades of pink as the main colors. I can't wait to see him hold her for the first time. He's going to be an amazing daddy to his little girl.

Enjoy these pictures of the daddy-to-be!

Directions to the Shower

2008-08-09T19:00:00.001-07:00

Thank you Stephanie for putting together this great map for the shower. Now no one will get lost.

24 Weeks and Much To Do

2008-08-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Today is officially 24 weeks, which means baby could be here sooner than we can imagine. If she makes her grand appearance on time, she will be joining us here in just 16 weeks! She continues to kick harder, roll all around, and we can see her kicking and moving now when we watch my stomach. It's all pretty amazing... yet it also reminds us of how quickly time passes!

To make sure we are ready for our little girl, we have made a very long "To-Do" list, and being the kind of person that loves to cross things off the list, the quicker it's done the better! Last night we were up until about 1am, cleaning out boxes, going through bags, trashing this and that, and redoing our basement. Our registries are nearly finished, we're shopping for accessories for the nursery, getting material to cover the rockers, having a yard sale Saturday, and Joey will be starting to spray paint some nursery items this weekend. Rearranging furniture and cleaning out/reorganizing closets are next.

We have signed up for all the birth and baby classes, and believe it or not, those start this Thursday night! We begin with Emergency Child and Infant Care. Next week we have our second Emergency Care class, and also our Baby Care class.

Whew... I think that's it - for now anyway :) We are staying busy getting everything in order, but are taking time to relax and enjoy our time together too, trying to savor the quiet alone time we have remaining.

Here's one more picture of the growing baby bump at 23 weeks.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep...

2008-08-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

After much searching, we finally found the bedding for our little girl's nursery. It's exactly what we wanted - girlie, yet simple and not over the top :) The hot pink, light pink, and pale lime green are a great color combination.

We bought this and put it up the same night, and we can't wait to put up the accessories. Even with just the bedding put up, it already looks like a whole new room and is a sweet reminder of what's to come. I can't help coming up the stairs and just looking in the nursery and smiling! It's so cute and I can't wait to see our little one sleeping in there.

And... the little green creature coming out of the crib is Allie the Alligator. This is the lovie that Joey bought on our very first trip to Babies R Us. Daddy loves alligators and thought our baby needed one too :)

Our First Family Picture

2008-07-28T14:00:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Our Baby Girl

2008-07-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

So, here are a few pictures. In the 3D pictures, she is leaning her face up against the placenta, her little pillow :) In the top picture, you can see her feet up coming into the picture. She loved her feet! In case you're wondering where they are, her protective daddy doesn't want to put her "girlie parts" pictures on the blog :) But, she is definitely a girl!

It's a GIRL!!!!

2008-07-24T11:37:00.001-07:00

That's right... a little princess is on it's way! We are so excited, we hardly have the words.

The ultrasound technician was a parent of a little boy I had taught, and so she took extra time with us, turning a 3o minute appointment into a 1hour long one! She took TONS of pictures, gave them all to us, gave us a CD/DVD with all the pictures and soundbites of the heartbeat, and we also got some 3-D pictures. We are currently having trouble getting all the pictures up and haven't had time to get them from the CD, but as soon as we can work on that we will get pictures posted.

Baby girl loved having her feet up by her head. She was bent basically in half and was playing with her feet right by her head. She was also swallowing and sucking and at one point we thought she was sucking her toes! She did move around a good bit for us, but then went right back to putting her feet in her face.

We just can't believe we're having a daughter. We are thrilled. I went out afterwards and bought some hairbows first thing :) And of course... .what an amazing birthday present for her daddy, Joey!

We don't have a name nailed down yet, but will work on it this weekend while we travel.

She is beautiful.... Our little princess!

Baby's Getting Bigger! ~ Time to Cast Your Vote!

2008-07-21T06:18:00.000-07:00

We hit the 5 month mark, and it seems like my belly got bigger overnight! Saturday we went out to celebrate Joey's birthday, and took some pictures.

In just three days we'll know if it's a boy or girl!

So with that being said... It's time to cast your vote! Do you think a little boy or little girl is on the way?

Cast your vote now!

Nursery Time!

2008-07-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

So last night was a big night! Joey got quite motivated and decided to start working on the baby's room. (Next on the list is the basement! Yikes!). He started by taking the twin bed out of the room upstairs and moved the whole thing, piece by piece, down to the Panther's Room. Coming down two flights of stairs with the frame and matresses and dealing with those sharp corners didn't look too fun, but he did great. What a manly man :)

Then, after several treks up the two flights of stairs with all the pieces and parts for the baby's room (thanks for the nursery furniture Jen and Chris! Keaton, thank you for the sacrifice :)), he was ready to get started. We went upstairs and Joey read the directions, of course, and then was ready to begin. There was a bit of confusion over what pieces went were at first, but that was quickly resolved and all went well.

Joey was extra patient and let me help screw some bolts in and I felt quite handy!

Finally, the crib was finished and very sturdy. This was so special... to finally have a crib in that room and to actually have a crib up in our house! It was a nice dose of reality to think "there's going to be a baby sleeping in there in 4 months!" It made it all seem very real and closer than we think.

We then arranged the furniture in the room how we wanted it to be. We might change it, but for now we're happy with it. Then, it was on to the changing table. This piece was not as challenging and went together fairly quickly. Again, nice and sturdy and we were able to put it right into place.

We went to bed extra tired, but this morning when I woke up and left our room, I saw a room that's not just a room, but a nursery for a special little baby and just seeing the crib and the changing table made me smile. It was a really neat feeling to see those items in the room just across from ours.

I can't wait to get the dresser in there and start decorating the nursery for this little girl or boy!

Cynthia

Daddy's First Feel

2008-07-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, July 12th, 2008, was a major turning point in my relationship with my baby. For so long, we had seen so many things to tell us that we were having a baby, and we knew that we were. We saw the pregnancy tests that told us that we were going to have a baby. There were the numerous ultrasounds that showed us the little arms and legs, the growing head and spine, and even eyes and fingers and toes. The racing heartbeat we have heard 3 times in the office Doppler machine brings joy to our ears and testifies of a little one who is growing and moving. And Cynthia's new wardrobe and baby bump show that our little one is on the way. Even the past few weeks, Cynthia has told me on many occasions how she can feel little flutters when the baby moves. This was a major milestone in itself, and it made us both so excited that we could know our baby was safe and moving around like it should be at this point.

On occasion, Cynthia will tell me that she wishes that I could be pregnant for a day, just so I would know how it feels and what it's like. At the same time, I am horrified at the thought of the nausea, pains, food aversions, and other various oddities of pregnancy, and in wonder at the majesty and miracle of it all. Just yesterday morning, Cynthia was telling me that the baby was "fluttering". I immediately smiled and longed for the time that I could feel the baby moving; we are only at 20 weeks, so it will likely be a few weeks yet until the baby is big enough for me to feel. I told my glowing bride that I couldn't wait until I could feel our baby move, and I let her know that I wanted to hear about it whenever she can feel the baby.

I never imagined that I wouldn't have to wait until the end of the day. Throughout the day, the baby was giving Cynthia some punches and kicks that made us wonder if we might have the next Rocky Balboa. Cynthia took my hand and placed it on her belly, and then I felt it. It was like a gentle thump. A sudden, tiny touch from my baby pushed against the palm of my still hand. No sooner had Cynthia affirmed what I had just experienced that it happened again. And again. Our little acrobat was pushing against Daddy's hand, and I couldn't help but glow. After months of talking to our baby, seeing pictures and hearing heartbeats, for the first time ever, my baby and I communicated with each other - we felt each other. My baby was moving, pushing against my hand.

We kept up this conversation for about half an hour, and then the baby stood still. I can only imagine that after all of those crazy acrobatics, our baby was tuckered out and needed a nap, but I was too happy to sleep after the encounter. My baby and I had just shared a moment together where we were completely aware of each other's presence. For all of the times I spoke to our baby before, this was like the handshake. I have officially been introduced to my baby.

Shower News!

2008-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Halfway There

2008-07-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

So I'm really excited about the blog, and being able to post things about Joey, me, and baby as we go through the rest of our pregnancy.

I thought today was a perfect day to post because today marks the halfway point, 20 weeks, in this amazing pregnancy. 5 months... that seems so odd. As odd as it may sound, sometimes I still think it's not real. I can't believe we are half way.

As I think about the first 20 weeks, I can't help but think about the weeks, months, and years leading up to this pregnancy. What comes to mind is how long we've waited for this and how blessed we are to finally be here. I can't wait to tell the baby how God took us through different times of waiting, far beyond what Joey and I had "planned," and unbelievable journeys to get us to this point, and to this very special baby.

I also think about all the ways God's blessed us in the months since we've been pregnant. Not only did we get pregnant, but we also moved into a bigger place to accomodate the baby, and Joey got a promotion. That's all pretty incredible.

I've been journaling to the baby, and there is so much to say. Yes, I've been sick and it hasn't been easy, but that all doesn't really seem to matter when you think there is part of Joey and part of me that's growing into a person, that's just amazing. Hearing the heartbeat and feeling the baby move are incredible moments. I can't wait to see who's eyes the baby has, who's personality, who's height, smile, etc...

We only have two more weeks to go before we find out if this little person, who is about the size of a banana at 10 inches in length, is a boy or girl and we are so excited! What a neat thing to put a gender and then a name - real identity - to this baby!

I can't wait to meet the baby, and I can't wait for it to meet all of our family.
Happy 20 weeks.... Happy Halfway point!

Love,
Cynthia

The News Is Out!

2008-07-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

Last night I called Joey and Cynthia and told them about this blog. They sounded really touched and seemed very excited! I was happy to do it for them. I made them posters on the blog too so expect to hear from them soon. And I think this blog is going to be put on some Facebook and MySpace pages in the next few days. So I expect some more traffic. That's something fun to look forward to. If you're a new visitor, please sign the guestbook and leave a message so Cynthia and Joey will know you've been here. Thanks!

Later,
Dawn

Hi from Cynthia's Sister, Dawn

2008-07-07T13:57:00.001-07:00

Cynthia and Joey don't know about this blog yet. It's going to be a surprise for them, and I can only hope they are pleased. I can't be at any of their baby showers since I live far away, and I'm trying to be a part of celebrating the birth of their first little one. I've taken the liberty of building this for them and adding pictures, and I sure hope they like it :-) I'll let you know . . . . . .

First Post

2008-07-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

Today, we start an online journey to walk with Joey and Cynthia as they prepare for the arrival of their first child. So many of the people who love them live far away and can't share in this process as much as they would like to. But with this blog, all of us can be a part of this exciting time.