Week 9....AGAIN!

Well, we went to the doctor the other day, the same day as the recent ultrasound, and they took measurements of the baby on the ultra. According to the baby's size, Lisa was at about 9 1/2 weeks, so she adjusted our due date to October 25th. Please Lord, don't let it be a Halloween baby! That means that we are still in week 9 until Tuesday, so I'm very sorry to announce that I have no news to add, no new sizes or descriptions, and sadly I have to wait 6 more days for my baby! I already have to wait 9 months, but to make it even longer?!?!?!!? Sometimes science is just cruel!

I wasn't able to add pictures for week 8 and 9 because of some drama. Lisa's granddaddy had a stroke and passed away 2 weeks ago, which we found out last second, and we had to fly to the US to be with family. We took pictures for these two weeks, but because of the traveling we couldn't upload them. So, instead of putting new information about how my baby is growing and developing, I'm going to upload the pictures from those two weeks. So, at least all my followers will have something to look at and read. =)

WEEK 8

WEEK 9

Enjoy the pics and wait anxiously for next week's post! Blessings friends!

Meet Baby Sears!!!!

So, today we went in to see the doctor and took our first Ultrasound picture. Originally we thought we were gonna do an ultra, then they said we weren't because she normally doesn't take a pictures until week 12, and then she said she wanted to take a quick look around to make sure things were going ok. Well, let me just say that I about cried.

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when we went into the room to do the ultra. The last image we saw was just of a little black spec where the sac was forming. So, today when we went in, I was kinda excited but at the same time not knowing what to expect. She started the ultrasound and originally all that I saw was this little black circle, which I assumed was the sac continuing to form. It was quite a bit larger than it was a few weeks ago. As she continued to move around a white shape came into view and got clearer. Suddenly, there was my little baby, her beautiful little head appearing on the screen. I started to laugh and got a huge smile on my face, while at the same time my eyes started to mist and a single tear started to fall from the side of my eye. I couldn't believe that this little being starting to form was the miracle that God started. It is absolutely amazing to see the tiny little thing that will one day grow to be a mighty man or woman of God. To think that only 30 short years ago I was in the same position, growing and forming in my mother's womb, God carefully knitting together my frame and my DNA to make me who I would be today. I wonder, what will my child think in 30 years? What will they look like? What will they be doing?

Well, as the doctor continued to look around, we got different views of the baby and were able to see clearly the little head and what looked like the arms and legs forming, the little umbilical cord that was attached to the placenta wall, and even saw her little heart. Yes, I saw the heart moving and beating. You could see a small part in the center of my baby, a little white part that started to pulsate and move with the beating of her little heart. I actually did start to cry a little and even now I'm getting misty eyed thinking about it. How amazing is our God! Then, I thought I saw a little movement or maybe it was just me, but the doctor pointed it out as well and we saw our little one move around a bit, as if to say, "Yeah, mom and dad, it's me. I'm alive. Can you see me? Jesus is taking good care of me and making me beautiful. I can't wait to see you and have you hold my little hands."

I'm starting to cry right now and I need to bring this blog to an end. I can't wait to see my baby! God, you are such an amazing and wonderful Father, to create something so wonderful, carefully piecing together a little body. You are truly a God of wonders, who loves His children. Even now I can feel swells of pride as I think of the beating heart inside of Lisa's womb, seeing her move made my heart leap with joy and pride, and imagine that is only a shadow and fraction of the pride and joy our Father takes when He looks at us, His children.

Registry Check....DONE

We went and did our first baby registry today. I must admit, as dads we don't get to go through much of the changes and process of a baby, as we do our thing to kick it all off and then have to sit back and watch all the magic happen. But registering for gifts if one of those "daddy gets to do it" kind of things. I remember doing our wedding registry and that was the same feeling as this.

It seems like most of the "rite of passage" moments for women, engagement, wedding, children, to name a few, guys don't really get to be a part of even though they are a part of it. We're both getting married, but all the hoopla centers around the bride. We're both having a baby, but all the ado is about the mama. EXCEPT the registry.

There is something fundamentally exciting about walking around a store, looking at stuff, and pulling the trigger on the scanner gun. Maybe it's the inborn desire to pull a trigger, the same reason little boys play with fake machine guns and cowboy six shooters, youth like paintball, and real men like to hunt. We have the desire to point and shoot. It's like the feeling of shooting coke cans off a fence, walking through the store, aiming the little laser at the UPC, and *BEEP BEEP* another pack of burp rags bites the dust! *WHEW* blow the smoke from the scanner and strut down the next aisle.

I think the registry has to be a man's invention and is the most ingenious invention to hit the couple's market. The lady gets to walk through, browse, shop, dream, drool over, and play with all the fun knick knacks, toys, clothes, etc. and the man gets to shoot the gun. It really is amazing. Otherwise you'd have to have a "man corral" with PS3 and Xbox at Target for the guy to sit at while the lady does her thing. It's not to say that I don't enjoy picking out cute things for my little baby because I love to walk through and imagine my little one in the "Daddy's little princess" bib or "You think I'm cute, you should see my dad" onesie, but I wouldn't have near the stamina in shopping that I do if I didn't get to carry the gun. I'd last about an hour in that massive baby item filled store if it weren't for my little laser six-shooter. It makes me feel like a kid in one of those Old West Style Saloon Shoot out games with the moving pieces and flashing targets. It gives a man power and purpose. "Baby, is that the color of lacy, fru-fru crib set you want? Aight...*BEEP BEEP* Done" (insert sound of spit hitting the spittoon).

Our adventure in registry is done today, with Babies 'R Us off the list. Tomorrow we're gonna hit Target. Diaper Rash Cream and Nursing Pad Gang...Sherrif Scanner is setting his laser sights on you next! If only I could have a scanner gun for everything in life...

Week 9 - We have a Fetus!

So, Baby Center says that today we no longer have an embryo, but our little grape-sized bundle is now officially a Fetus!! Woohoo!!! I'm the proud papa of a fetus! She is officially an inch long (still hanging on to the "it's a girl" thing), and is about the size of a grape or green olive. You know, it may sound a bit morbid, but all this use of food references when talking about my baby just make me hungry. What's it gonna say at week 38, 39, and 40? "You're baby is now the size of a seedless watermelon" "Your baby is now the size of a TurDucHen (check your grocer's freezer for an accurate description and size of a TurDucHen)" Our little grape weighs just a fraction of an ounce and is finally starting to look more human than tadpole/alien. That's a good thing, because I was starting to get worried about having an ET instead of a little me.

All the essential body parts of our little munchkin are accounted for and will continue to develop over the next weeks and months. The baby's little heart is finishing dividing into 4 chambers and the valves are starting to form, as are her little teeth. Her muscles and organs are starting to function and work as they develop more and more, and the sex organs are there but still undistinguishable. Still have to wait a few more weeks before we can find out the sex, which of course we already know...by faith. Her eyes are fully formed, but are covered by the fused eyelids, which won't open until week 27. She has tiny little earlobes, mouth, nose, and nostrils that are becoming more distinct. It's at this point that she will begin some major weight gain and growth.

This whole process is really exciting. It's cool to read about the growth of my baby, even though I can't see anything happening. Lisa isn't really showing, unless you count the bloated stomach look as showing. I can't wait to see our little bump start to show and grow day by day.

217 Days to go!

Week 8...a little late =)

Well, week 8 has come and gone without a posting. It's not that I've lost my blogging bug, as has happened with so many other blogging attempts, it's just that things happen we don't quite expect. Lisa's grandfather had a stroke and passed away and we found this out on Wed. March 10th, week 8. So we flew out from San Salvador to be with family and I haven't exactly had the ability to sit down and blog about my baby, but don't get me wrong, I'm thinking about her.

So week 8, let's see what we got this week. Baby Center says that my little baby is now the size of a kidney bean. You know, all the different websites have something different to say about the size of my baby, but oh well. I guess you could think of a bunch of different things that are that small. At least we're not getting things like, "You're baby is now the size of a normal rabbit poop." The paddles she once had for hands and feet are now forming little fingers and toes, that I can't wait to play "This little piggy" with. Her eyelids are covering her eyes and her little "tail" of a tailbone is almost gone, which means she is almost no longer a tadpole and more of a human. Darn it! I could have made some money with that little tail....=) Well, the picture for week 8 has been taken, but I don't have it here with me to upload, so it will show up later.

224 days to go!!!

Week 7

Well, we've only known for 2 weeks now and it seems like an eternity. I'm soooooo ready for this baby to get here and yet for some reason I have to wait 7 more months! What in the world? Why, oh God, why did You make this process so long? Do you think this is a hidden part of the curse? Not only would women have to endure the pain of childbirth but expectant parents would have to wait 9 interminable months to see their precious little one. Well, emotionally I'm ready, but mentally I still have a LONG way to go.

There are days when I'm so excited and can't wait to get there, but honestly other days all the logistical and practical things of having children start to get to me. How are we gonna pay for insurance? Where do we get her social security card since we live overseas? Where do we buy furniture? How does feeding work? What kind of diapers are good? Will I be a good dad? What if...how...when...where...why... All the questions and unknowns come flooding in. It can be quite overwhelming to be perfectly honest.

Aside from all that, Pregnancy Center has exciting news for us this week. Our little bundle of joy has doubled in size since last week and is now the size of a blueberry. The hands and feet are emerging from her developing little stubs of arms and legs. All these tiny little adjustments and growths that are appearing as she develops and I can't see a thing. It really is amazing how intricate the growth of a human being is, the amazing work that God does to create this tiny little person that will one day be born. I don't understand how people can look at the process of how a child grows and develops and NOT believe in God. That stuff doesn't happen by chance or coincidence. There is definitely a divine Supreme Being who puts our bodies together, like a neat little puzzle. "Before I formed you, I knew you, I knit you together in your mother's womb." So comforting to know that even though I have no idea really what is going on in my sweetheart's tummy, God is present even in the womb, actively at work creating another perfect little baby in His image, a child that will grow up in a Christian home and will one day be a witness to His glory and greatness. Truly our God is an amazing God that works wonders no man can fully know or understand.