Christmas in June

We got our new video camera in the mail this afternoon. We wanted to try a 'trial' post to see how easy it would be to post videos. So easy! We look forward to sharing videos...especially after the baby is born :)


Much love,
Mark and Allyson

Bumpity, bump bump bump

11 weeks...if you look closely, Allyson's once flat belly is no more. Now, we realize that it isn't a large bump, but it is definitely different.

Allyson (and the baby) are back in Indiana from the beach. As of now, the baby has been in the following states: Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and finally South Carolina. Next week we will add North Carolina for a little lay-over and JAMAICA! We know, our baby is cool:) He/She especially likes sitting in a chair on the beach reading a book with his/her mommy. Mark has just been sitting home counting the minutes until Allyson's return. Oh, he wants to share that he also won a ping pong tournament at church. He wasn't facing people like this nice lady either. Don't be jealous, he is taken.

This week we will be getting last minute things ready for Jamaica. One thing on the list is a tan for Mark (may or may not be accomplished). I (Allyson) however have plans to pool hop all week. Our video camera should be delivered this week so hopefully we will be able to start posting some videos as well.

We love and miss you,
Mark and Allyson

Kume Again?

A kumquat. A kum-what? That's right. A kumquat. You may be asking what's a kumquat? Glad you asked.

The kumquats or cumquats are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, in the genus Fortunella which may be included in the genus Citrus as it is often done. The edible fruit closely resembles that of the orange (Citrus sinensis) but is smaller and is often oval.
(Thanks to our friends at Wikipedia. We didn't know either.)

Got it? Well that small oval is the size of our baby right now. Some nice peach-fuzz is beginning to develop...any predictions for the hair color of our baby? Allyson is convinced the hair will be blonde. That would give Mark's mom and dad 3 grandchildren...all blondies.

Another picture coming on Sunday. Probably won't be seeing Mark again...he looks the same as he did at 8 weeks.

Love,
Mark and Allyson

Baby story and Dads

Flipping through the channels tonight, I (Mark) caught the last 5 minutes of A Baby Story. I have never seen the show before. Allyson has already given up on ever watching that show again (at least while she is pregnant). It's a bit traumatizing for her to watch. I don't think I am going to be able to watch it again either. The dad was taping the c-section delivery. And for some reason it hit me...I'm going to be a dad! The full reality of 'going to be a dad' hasn't quite hit me fully. The first ultrasound was the first time it began to sink in. Hearing the baby's heartbeat definately took it to another level! Today was another one of those days filled with more joy and wonder.

Speaking of dads, Happy Father's Day! This Father's Day is obviously a lot different than years before. Mother's Day was special as well (our first positive test was the day before), but our excitement we had to contain between ourselves. We both have great dads (and moms) who have given us great examples of love and support we can only hope and pray to duplicate. We love you all!

Look tomorrow for another post. Anyone want to guess what fruit our baby's size is compared to this week??

Love,
Mark and Allyson

We love grapes!

This week our baby is about the size of a grape and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. Luckily, he or she is starting to look more like a human. Another plus is that the tail is completely gone. Tails are cool, just not on babies. Summer has officially gotten into full swing this week as Mark and I start our packing, unpacking, doing laundry, and packing again routine. Mark is headed to senior high camp today. It is only about an hour away, so I(Allyson) will go up on a couple evenings this week to catch the evening service and hang out a bit. Mark gets home Friday and turns around and heads back to Indy the next morning to take me to the airport. I am headed to Hilton Head to spend a few days with my parents and the beach. I am so ready for my beach visit:)

We love and miss each of you!
Mark and Allyson

Kidney Beans and Sherbert

So they tell us the baby is about the size of a kidney bean around 8 weeks. The little guy has webbed fingers and toes poking from its hands and feet. Even though Uncle Andy might want them to stay this way, we are hoping the fingers and toes separate some day. :) Her tail is almost gone, and she can bend her knees and elbows. Amazing how many details have been pinpointed throughout the process week-to-week. We won't share all the details every week, but our eyes have been opened to the complexity of our beginnings...the beauty of our Creator.

Allyson is feeling well. We know people experience different things when pregnant. So far, she has not experienced any morning sickness. Beyond a bit of nausea at times, she has felt great. She is walking daily and feeding her sherbet cravings.
For some people it's chocolate. For others it's pickles. For Allyson, it's orange sherbet. Now, this craving led to an interesting dialogue at lunch today between the two of us. We both remember eating sherbet when we were kids. I (Mark) remember eating orange sherbet in little cups while in elementary school with a small, cheap wooden spoon. We have both always pronounced it as sherbert. As we looked at the label, it's not spelled that way. It's spelled sherbet. So, why the bert sound added at the end? Have we been mis-prounouncing it all along??

Love,
Mark and Allyson

8 Weeks-ish

Here she is...

And here he is...

We didn't want Mark to feel left out.

Love, Mark and Allyson

Where to begin?

Here is a rundown of the events from the past month.
1. May 9th: We took our first positive pregnancy test and there were 2 lines!
2. May 10th: Took another test, just to be sure...
3. May 13th: Took another test...ok, we are really sure now!
4. May 18th: First doctor's visit...blood work/ more tests...it is official, we are pregnant! (Ok, Allyson is pregnant, Mark is just happy)
5. May 21st and 22nd: Drove to Georgia and finally were able to tell our parents, all 4 of them!
6. June 1st: 2nd doctor's visit and 1st ultrasound

That brings us to the present! The doctor told us that everything looked great! We are looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you.

Boy or girl? Who knows?!?! Let us know what you think!

Love,
Mark and Allyson

First Picture!

We visited the doctor today and had our first ultrasound. It was so neat to hear our baby's heartbeat so early in the process! More to come later...