Hi, I'm New Here!

In the wake of Alison and I becoming an Aunt and Uncle on the Witbrodt side (we have been now for a few years on the Soppe side) our excitement over having our two boys has amplified. We have begun some early work on the boys room/nursery by moving some furniture out and making room around the house by cleaning out some closets and etc.

Now about three or more weeks ago we had been in Target and had seen some very adorable onsies but were not sure if we were having boys or girls so we passed up on them. When we found out we were having two boys I went back and bought them! Our first baby clothes! Can you tell that Alison and I are excited yet?

It's A Girl!

Congratulations to Erin and Brian on the birth of their daughter Micaiah Noel! Welcome to the world Micaiah Noel! May you find favor with the Lord and kindess from mankind.

For more about Micaiah Noel and to see pictures follow the link to Brian and Erin or click below.

http://wherejesusleads.blogspot.com/

Alison and the boys at 18 weeks!

At our 18 week ultrasound the boys were measuring in at about 13cm from head to rump, which is about 5.25 inches or about the length of a soda can! Their hearts were doing fine beating at around 144 BPM. At the time one of the boys (A) was in a presenting position and the other (B) was lying higher and transverse. As noted below in a previous entry they are both boys!

The lovely and beautiful Alison at 19 weeks!

19 Weeks

So a little over a week ago Alison and I went to see our new friend the ultrasound tech for our monthly check on the babies. Our Tech asked us if we wanted to know the sex of our babies. We did so she looked and then exclaimed, "There's a Penis!" We were excited and now hoping for a girl as well - (though I think secretly I wanted another boy, don't tell Alison). The tech moved over to the other baby and she couldn't really tell. We thought 'Oh well we will have to wait', then the baby shifted and the tech said, "Definitely another penis!" I was jubilant, Alison went into shock. Yep, that's right, the Soppe name shall be carried twice over into the next generation. Alison is a little less in shock but not out of it completely. So needless to say we are no longer refering to the boys as Eugene and Leigh, but as 'The Boys'.
Alison and I went out and bought them their first onesies (Pictures Coming Soon). My friend Jon recommended Rambo and Rocky as good names for the boys. I told him that Alison wasn't so sure. I will post some of the pictures, though there is not much to look at in comparison to our earlier pics. Due to the larger size of the boys they are harder to see. They measured in at about 13 centimeters which is about 5.25 inches or so, about the length of a soda can. That was at 18 weeks, we are now 19 weeks and counting and since our doctors will not let us go past 38 weeks we are officially half way finished! In about two weeks we go for our level 2 ultrasound, the one everyone usually does at about 20-22 weeks.
Tonight Alison and I went on a tour of the Maternity Ward at Lake Forest Hospital where Alison will deliver. We were shown the two different nursuries and the labor rooms and the operating area (for cesarean if needed) and the different lounges for family! We are becoming more and more excited and we are becoming more and more aware of all that needs to be prepared for in the days to come.
We are also anxiously awaiting the news of the birth of a nephew/neice (we don't know which one yet). Erin and Brian, Alison's sister, are expecting to deliver any day now down in Texas where it it a bit warmer (we just got hammered by a fourteen inch dump here in Northern Illinois). Well until next time!

Week 13

Alison and I saw our babies again today at another ultrasound. As you can see below both babies are developing quite nicely. Baby Leigh's (remember these identifications are in place of Baby A and B, the sex of the children is unknown as are any potential names - see previous post for explanation) spinal cord is highly visible due to her faceing away and down (she is the lowest and closest to the cervix). From head to rump she measured in at about 8cm or about 3.14 inches (see picture of my pocket knife for some comparison!). Baby Eugene was also about 8cm/3.14 inches. Both of their hearts were doing well! Baby Eugene was being very photogenic and in his first picture you can see his nose and mouth very clearly. The bridging of his nose was looking very developed and healthy! Also in Baby Leigh's Pictures you can see the seperating wall - thus Baby Leigh for now is lower and closer to getting out and they are both facing head down for now. Yeah, Baby Leigh is lined up to kick at Baby Eugene, so I guess he better behave in there!

Blessings in the Womb!

Welcome to our Blog. This is officially our first post, though we are planning much more we wanted to start with our newest and most exciting news. As many of you know Alison and I (Russell) are expecting our first two children early in the summer of 2008. Currently as of 8:36 pm December 11th 2007 Alison is 10 weeks Pregnant. Below are some pics of our first two ultrasounds. We are planning to do more with this blog later but for now enjoy the photos!

Below is our first ultrasound at only 6 weeks. Heartbeats were detectable and two sacs each with a heart beat were detectable. Of course we were in ecstatic shock!


For the sake of not calling them Baby A and B—Baby A pictured Below first at 10 week ultrasound is for now referred to as Baby Leigh and Baby B pictured below second at 10 week ultrasound is now referred to as Baby Eugene. Now we don’t yet know their sex nor are any names seen here final (or even really being considered) we just want to refer to them personally rather than impersonally. At 10 weeks arms and legs and hands and feet are visible; head and body are obvious—heartbeats are just below the heads!





The Babies are laying side to side currently though this could change and thus Baby Eugene is left of Baby Leigh in Alison's Belly!