First Trimester Recap

I am still in shock that this is happening. I am waiting for my belly to grow and the baby to move before I think I will be fully convinced. Granted I’m not feeling 100%, as to be expected, but it’s not too bad compared to what most women go through the first trimester. I never had traditional morning sickness but I certainly was out of it at night. I don’t know how women go to work in the morning if they felt has horrible as I am at night. The last 12 weeks have been quite the ride. From trying, to waiting and hoping, to complete shock, to happiness, to sickness! I’ll never forget all the fun ways we came up with to spread the news. We did something different every time and got all but one reaction on video. I smile every time I watch them and will cherish those moments for the rest of my life. Everyone is so excited and happy for us. It’s such a beautiful thing to have so much love and support surrounding us. Overall my first trimester has been great despite not feeling too good. Filled with the fun of telling people, my little belly starting to poke out a teeny and Chris being the most supportive husband a girl could ask for. This is the baby we were meant to have and I am so excited for the rest of my pregnancy and meeting my little miracle baby.

11 week ultrasound

We had an ultrasound today at A Glimpse Before and After. It was absolutely amazing. Our first ultrasound with our doctor just showed a tiny ball of baby; that was at 7 weeks. It is unreal how much the baby has grown (and looks like a baby!) in just 4 weeks. I can't imagine what he will look like in June!

The tech was so sweet and excited that I was so early. She doesn't normally get to see babies that small. The room was cute; it had a big couch for people who were bringing their families and a comfy little bed for me and a chair for daddy. There was a flat screen TV in the corner and then a huge projector screen right in front of the bed. She put the goo on...it was nice and warm...I can imagine cold goo being terrible! And then, there came the baby! I was in shock. I didn't really know what we were going to be able to see but it was a baby clear as day. It was moving its little arms and legs all around. At first it was curled up into a little ball, and then it stretched out. We also got to hear the heartbeat...totally amazing. It was so fast. We go in Friday to the doctor to hear it again so we'll find out the BPM. Our session was only 20 minutes (though I think we were in there less than that) and we were only supposed to get 4 pictures, but we got 6 instead. At one point I could see 5 toes on the foot that we could see! I could count them over and over again! We also got to see the arms. She tilted one way and we could see the left arm and then she tilted the other way and the dimension changed and we could see the right arm. Technology is amazing! I am so glad I have these early pictures of our little baby.

This is the picture I can see the five toes in

My sweet baby has stolen my heart right out from under me. How can you love something so unconditionally that you haven't even met yet? Pregnancy is already amazing and I have so far to go (204 days to be exact!). I love this baby so much already. I am so lucky to be given this miracle of life and be chosen to be this baby's mommy.

Bangers and Mash

We went to Kilkenny's Irish Pub on Cherry Street in Tulsa for my birthday dinner with all our friends on Saturday, April 10th. There were 21 of us in all! I have the most wonderful friends. I couldn't ask for better people to have in my life and share in celebrations we all have throughout the year. Dinner was really good and I hope everyone had a great time. I was so nervous for the news I was about to share! Amber and Neil and Annahita and Bob Gomez (names changed to protect the innocent, the rest of you are just screwed!) were the only people that knew going into the restaurant and soon, everyone leaving would finally know!! I wanted a group photo, which is not out of the ordinary if you know our group, so it was the perfect opportunity. I have had this planned since January and this was my last chance where we would all be getting together for a while so it worked out perfectly. I asked the hostess (a girl whom I thought would be a good picture taker) if she wouldn't mind to take a few pictures. I told her that right before the "fun" picture, I was going to tell everyone I was pregnant. So, everyone gathered together and she took a few pictures with Toni's camera (which she had problems with because she didn't understand you push down halfway and then full to take the picture...duh!!). So, right then, I knew my plan was not going to work out exactly as I wanted. I should have set the camera on the timer and told her to her it still! Anyway, she took two pictures with my camera and it was time!! So I said, alright everyone, let's do a fun one...count us down! 3...2...1... and I said, Hey guys, we're PREGNANT! No one moved!!!!! I couldn't believe it; did the words not come out of my mouth??? Finally I got some, "what did she say", "is she serious", and my personal favorite from Cara, "get the f^*$ out!"  (Check out Toni's facial expression in the second picture...I love it!) I turned around to Toni and said, yes, I'm pregnant! Finally it caught on and we got tons of congrats and hugs from everyone. Some people thought I was just trying to get them to smile at the camera! I was shaking like a leaf!! I'm so glad our friends are finally in the loop! Of course, they were all under strict orders to keep it hush hush until I posted on facebook. And thanks to all of them for keeping their promise (I know of at least one person I told...not a part of this fabulous group...already blabbing it to someone else so I guess I'm lucky more people didn't find out early). After the picture fiasco, I sat with Toni, Jessie, Devan, Kylie and Anna and told them about my first few weeks. Toni was squirming around the whole time! It was so cute. I told her, to put it in perspective, that the very week before when she was 31 weeks, I had 31 weeks to go! November is such a long way away!!

Dave and Kylie...the newlyweds...so glad you could make it!

Nate and Sily...so sad we won't be making it to your wedding! We love your countdown!

Tommy and Jessie...we got you out of the house!! Thank you for the cute green slippers!

Cara, Jared, Toni and Ryan...so much has changed since Mexico!!

Toni and me...she got me frog tape and a cow that grows grass from his head!

Mommy's and Daddy's-to-be

So, the night was perfect and all that I could have asked for. Thanks to all of our amazing friends for coming to celebrate my birthday and our wonderful news. What a fantastic birthday it has been. Being able to spread the news to our loved ones over the last few weeks has been the best birthday present I could ever wish for. Now when I blow out the candles on my cake, I can wish for a healthy baby and a happy family!

<3

Telling his Grandparents

Since we weren't in Tulsa on Easter, we had to wait yet another weekend to spread the news.  Both of Chris' grandparents were still in the dark.  Jim and Arlynda were under strict orders to keep it hush hush.  So Saturday, we drove to Jenks and Grandma and Grandpa Sparkman were at the office.  They were so excited we stopped by.  We told them we were in the area and saw they were there and decided to pop in.  We chatted for a little bit and then Chris handed them the sonogram and said, April's pregnant!  They both had huge smiles and just stared at the picture.  Grandpa turned to me and said congratulations and Grandma asked when we were due and I told them 11/11, November 11th.  Then his Grandpa said well, the girls will be at the right age to really enjoy a baby.  hehe.  After that, I took a nap on the couch!!  Have I mentioned I'm exhausted!  I definitely don't get enough sleep.  Then we took a couple of pictures to remember the moment! In the first picture, Grandpa wasn't smiling at all. He looked like he was in one of those old time photos where you had to stand for an hour so no one smiled!  Then we tried again and he talked right as the picture was taken (see below).  Then we tried again and got part of a smile but I like this one the best so I picked it to post.

Then we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Bright's to deliver the news. Oh, and how many Jenks police officers does it take to change a tire?  How about 3!  Sheesh.

We got to Sapulpa and Grandpa Bright was out working on his tractor.  He's so stinkin cute!  Grandma was doing the dishes so I'm pretty sure we were a pleasant surprise.  We sat at the kitchen table and chatted for a little bit.  Then Chris handed Grandma the sonogram and said April's pregnant...she's about 9 weeks!  Grandma laughed and clapped and smiled and Grandpa was all smiles too. I was recording the whole thing and Grandma didn't realize so she sat there thinking her picture was going to be taken.  Oh how I love doing that to people! Then Chris said, she is recording and she laughed out loud.  She asked if we knew what we were having and Chris said we didn't know if we were going to find out at all and Grandpa said, it's probably a baby...oh those Bright boys, how they love to joke! Then we told them the due date and Grandpa said, then your trouble starts!  We had a great time chatting about kids and they are hoping for a boy too. :O)

Telling his family

We had planned on telling his parents the weekend my mom found out, but no such luck.  Arlynda was at the lake and Jim was on the station.  So, we changed our plans and decided to tell them on Easter along with Tonya, Anil and the girls.  We went to Easter service with the family and then went back to Tonya's for lunch.  It was such a beautiful day so we got to eat outside.  After lunch, we were just chatting and Jim had just come back outside from getting a band-aid for Kaly.  So Chris handed Arlynda a gold box, and then Jim proceeded to go back inside!!  There was no stopping this process and I think Arlynda knew right when Chris handed her the box what was going on.  He said it was a late birthday present but she wasn't buying it!  So she untied the ribbon and inside was a card that read "You're expecting a Grandchild!".  She said "I knew it, I knew it.  I knew last weekend...I told Jim, Chris and April never stop in to see us, so she just has to be pregnant." We were all smiles. Under the card were two heart shaped picture frames with the sonograms in them.  One said Nana (warms the heart and soul) and the other said Papa (makes everything fun).  Then Jim FINALLY came back outside and Arlynda said, "well, you missed the big reveal".  I can't remember exactly what he said (Chris didn't record this reaction to the news at all...sad), but he said something along the lines of That's good news, congrats, etc.  Tonya gave me a hug and both her and Anil said congrats.  We told the girls they were going to have a baby cousin and all Sandyha could say was, we already have one, Kavela!!  Silly girl.  So I told her I would return this baby cousin if she didn't want it.  She said it was alright to keep it...thanks for the blessing!  It was cute!  Then we had birthday cake and I got some great presents.  It was a perfect day and so fun to be able to tell family on Easter.

It's so nice to finally have told some more people!  It's fun that Tonya knows because she will be so supportive when I need advice or just to chat.  She has already let me borrow most of her maternity clothes (though I can't quite wear them yet!) and a few books. It will be so fun for our kids to grow up together.  I am most excited about the next 20 years at the lake!