Online Scrapbook of Sorts

Over the next few weeks I'm going to try to catch up on pictures! I plan on doing a post for each month. Surely I can handle that! I want this blog to be an online scrapbook of sorts. Someday maybe I'll print a lot of pictures out and make a real scrapbook, but I really like being able to post lots of pictures along with fun memories and stories and not have to worry about fitting everything on one page of paper. I have a lot to catch up on! Joseph's first few months, his first airplane trip, visiting family for Christmas, cousin Elias' 2nd birthday party, rolling, army crawling, waving, (not) sleeping, exploring foods, and a lot more. I need to get it all down before I forget the details. It has already gone by much too fast for my liking and I know it isn't going to slow down any. 

He's Here! (6 Months Ago...)

As most of you probably know, we had a son! He was born on Monday, August 26th, 2013 at 4:40ish in the afternoon after a lot of laboring! He weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces and was about 21 inches long. I could not have done it without Jake's help and strong support. He was there the whole time...no breaks! Joseph was born into a pool of warm water in our bedroom with the help of two great midwives. Though my labor was long, there were no complications and everything worked out beautifully! We are so thankful to the Lord for the safe and beautiful birth of our son.

We hadn't found out the gender, but we had a feeling it was a boy. I'm sure glad we were right because we still didn't have a girl name picked out when my labor started! We named him Joseph Athanasius. 

Joseph, after both Joseph from Genesis and Joseph, Jesus' adoptive father. Both of these men lived lives that were honorable to the Lord whether or not they were being watched, which is our prayer for him. The name means "The Lord will add" or "the Lord will increase."

Athanasius, after the very important Bishop of Alexandria. (4th century)You should go to this page and read about him! It is a short read that explains his life and his work very well. 

 

We finally meet! Here, he is only seconds old. 

In Daddy's arms, about an hour old

A post-birth nap...being born is hard work!

"Where am I?"  :)

The Bump

Here are a few pictures of the growing bump! (I wish I had thought to take pictures at the very beginning just so I could remember what I used to look like! I can't picture myself without this big belly, even though I haven't had it that long. :o) Oh well!)

18 weeks

27 weeks

34 weeks

I'm 36 weeks today...it won't be long! We are so thankful that I haven't had any complications and that our little son or daughter is growing healthy and strong! Here are a few pictures from the ultrasound we had at 34 weeks:

Our little baby sleeping with its hands curled up by its face

Cute footprint

Hello!

As you know, we'll be meeting our first child sometime in the next few weeks and we are SUPER excited! Jake and I are going to try to keep this blog updated with news and pictures from our life, especially once the baby gets here! We're hoping this will help us keep in touch with family and friends that we don't get to see or talk to often. :o)