Couple of the Month

So, each month our Sunday School class does a "Couple of the Month" feature. Well, Charles and I were the featured couple this month...so for more interesting facts about us, our goals and how we met...check out our class blog at: http://www.cfbcstartingpoint.blogspot.com!

Want to know the NAME????

SO...are you ready for the big news??? WE HAVE DECIDED ON A NAME!!! Baby Hall's real name will be: Cade Beatty Hall!! Charles and I really like the name Cade, and Beatty is a family name and also Charles' middle name. SO...our little one will have the same initials and middle name as his Daddy!! We just couldn't be happier and are so excited for Cade to get here!!

Now, here is an update on how Cade grew this last week while Mommy and Daddy were deciding on his name!!

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Easter Weekend...WOW!

So Easter weekend was packed with family and excitement! We headed to Round Rock on Thursday night to visit with my parents over the weekend. To start it all off, my Sister and Mom helped us register at Babies R Us for over 4 hours on Friday!! That was not only exhausting, but a little overwhelming looking at all the choices and options. Several times I remember thinking, is this for real? The excitement kept me moving and thankful for the angel in my belly! Not to mention controlling Charles and my Sis with a gun around a huge store...We did have to delete a few things that got initially scanned! :) Then, on Saturday, My Sister and I spent the majority of the day going through Mackenzie's old clothes and finding "non gender" items we can use. I would say we were successful by the look of our Honda Element driving away! See pic below!

As if those days were not exciting enough...the best day of all was Easter Sunday! We had a brunch with homemade quiche and ham, and then watched Mackenzie open all her Easter baskets. We left about noon and got to spend the rest of the afternoon with Charles' Family back home in Spring, TX. Charles' Mom had prepared an AMAZING dinner of Brisket, homemade cheese grits, asparagus, fruit salad, and so much more! It was an eventful/tiring weekend, but one I will never forget! God is so good and we thank him again for being our Savior and rising from the dead to save us!!

Mackenzie reading someone's Easter card...of course her translation was pointing to each word and singing "Happy Birthday". She is my Princess!
The Parks Clan

Me at 22 weeks prego...

The Fam

Charles as a Baby

Everyone knows how much I love my hubby. He really is my favorite dream come true and I am sincere when I say I am so lucky to have him. He is simply perfect and is the most genuine man a woman could ever ask for...but MAN was he a big baby...here are a few pics in case you do not believe me that he was 30 pounds by 3 months! Heehee! Now I do pray that our baby boy is EXACTLY like his Daddy...just smaller coming out of the womb...can I get an Amen, PLEASE! I will post pics of me as a baby when I get pics from my parents!! This Christmas pic was taken when he was about 3 months old
This pic was taken in the Spring, so we are guessing he was about 6-9 months old??

Easter's almost here!

I get giddy about this time every year when i think about how our Lord rose from the Dead to save US! It still brings emotions to me and i pray that everyone takes this time to reflect on the reason for Easter. Sure, we love seeing the beautiful lil girls in Easter dresses, boys finding eggs with their baskets, the loads of candy, and the Easter bunny coming to visit...BUT, I believe I get more excited about the real reason, our LORD rising from the Dead!! Anyway, that is my "blog"...just wanted to leave you with a reminder about what Easter is.

Now, here is what Baby BOY Hall has been up to this week. We are starting week 22, so here is week 21's information. As for names, don't worry... we will share names when we get some...but for now, no names are even close (remember we have both worked in schools for over 5 years!)!

"How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better."

I have noticed the "nudges" in the last few weeks and they are my FAVORITE! I missed the whole butterfly stage...but my little boy is definitely nudging his Mommy. Now, he just needs to be compliant and do it when Daddy is feeling for it! I think he believes it is a game to hide from Daddy!

The circle of life...

Ok, so I sit here and wonder how in the world do I express the feelings I have had in the last 48 hours?! First of all Tuesday was filled with excitement and NO SLEEP that night in anticipation for the big day on Wednesday. My parents had come into town and my sister and Mackenzie surprised me yesterday morning as well! Of course this started a long crying fit of excitement! Charles' parents also took off work, so everyone could be there to find out the sex of Baby Hall!! There is nothing better than having the entire family with you! So, on the way to the apt, Charles and I prayed for a healthy baby from God. We did not care whether it was a boy or girl...just a healthy angel from God. And our prayers were answered! We got a very healthy baby BOY!!! That's right, the Hall house will be overflowing with manliness! Below are a few of the sonogram pics from yesterday.

This is a profile shot of our boy laying down. You can see the facial features, spinal column, and even the 4 chambers of his tiny heart. He has a big heart already, just like his Daddy!

This picture is looking from the bottom up. His legs look like frog legs and the arrow point to the treasure!!

Here is the confirmation picture. I wanted to be SURE it was a boy, so here it is from another angle. The picture is looking up from the bottom. His legs are crossed and moving so it looks blury...but where the arrow is pointing is the "money shot" that proves we are in fact having a little boy. His daddy was very proud that it was so noticeable...must be a man thing!

So, as if there was not enough excitement yesterday, I got to spend the whole day telling all my friends/co-workers at school that it was a boy. I had a black dress (Target is having a great sale!) to wear today and was ready to tie a pink or blue ribbon around it depending on what the sex was. Well, we did not use the pink ribbon! Here is me at work today!

ALSO, Saturday morning our furniture came in! So, we officially have a place for our little man to sleep now! Here are the furniture pictures! Don't worry, I know the room looks empty, we will get there soon! FINALLY, Here is what our Baby Boy has done this week! Can't believe we are officially half way through! I just want to hold him in my arms!

"How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery)."

Week 19 is GONE!!

Here is what Baby Hall did this week. I know this took place cause I FELT IT!!! That's right...I had been thinking I was feeling stuff...but it was definitely confirmed NOT to be gas and I LOVE IT!! I feel it several times a day...and sometimes longer than others, but it is DEFINITELY there! Now I feel a whole new level of comfort as I can feel my baby is ok! We are still anxiously awaiting this Wednesday when we find out the sex! Stay tuned!

"Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid."