THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE FAMILY ~ ALANA NIKOLE BARKER

On March 26th, 2010 at 6:36pm our daughter Alana Nikole Barker came into this world. She has brought so much love and joy into our lives already, and is only 5 months old! She was born at 37 weeks, 1 day gestation and weighed 5 lbs, 10.2 oz and was 19.5 inches at birth.

Read our story, watch her grow, & follow our journey into parenthood on our blog!


Alana Nikole Barker



Professional photos provided on this blog, are courtesy of www.KaceyM.com

Our Vancouver, BC Wedding

Our Vancouver, BC Wedding
08.04.2007

Our Valley of Fire Wedding

Our Valley of Fire Wedding
03.17.2007

EMBRACING PARENTHOOD

EMBRACING PARENTHOOD

Friday, August 28, 2009

Our First Ultrasound! 7 Weeks Pregnant

So Chad and I had our first ultrasound today at around 11:00am.  I was a bit nervous upon checking in.  We were running a little late.  I filled out the paperwork and waited for my turn.  We had our first ultrasound at the OHSU Perinatal Center, I was hoping I wouldn't bump into anyone from work!  I am 7 weeks and 1 day and I am measuring at exactly 7 weeks along, so my dates were correct.  I cried when I saw the tiny heart beating and it has made my pregnancy so much more real.  Only one little bean in there and the heartbeat was a strong 132 bpm!  The baby is 0.9cm in length. Chad was amazed along with me!  I am so happy and everything looks great!  We are going back for a 12 week scan.  So for now, here is baby's first photo.  I know it's just a speck at this point, but it's the most beautiful speck I've ever laid my eyes on!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Telling Chad's Parents in Oregon


On Monday August 17th, 2009 we told Chad's parents at their home. They are so happy and his mom and dad both had tears in their eyes! I snapped a photo as Chad's mom was making all the necessary calls to her friends and family telling them that "I'm going to be a grandma!!!!".  Chad's mom wrote on her calendar "BABY NEWS" on the day we told them! So cute! I got to talk with Chad's grandmother over the phone and with his older sister Lindsay.  Everyone congratulated us and we went home with some of Chad's baby clothes! :)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Telling My Parents in Vancouver, BC

Back during Easter time, I made decorative Polish Easter eggs called "pysanki".  Eggs are a strong religious symbol of life in the Catholic/Polish religion so it seems appropriate. Well, my mom wanted me to bring them sometime so that she could see them in person. So we arrived in Richmond, BC at my parent's house on Friday night around 10:30pm.  My mom, dad, and sister were in the livingroom.  After we got settled, I gave one egg to my mom, one egg for my dad, and one egg for my sister to examine and marvel at my work! LOL!  Then I  said, "You know, maybe next year you guys can come down to Portland to spend Easter with us....you know, we can make pysanki, go to the Polish Church to bless them, you can play with the dogs, I will show you around, you can help us with the baby...." I started to tear up....



Needless to say....they didn't get it!  They just smiled and remained quiet.  I had to say, "No, I'm already pregnant and the baby is due mid April!"  Then I grabbed my home pregnancy tests to show them proof!!  My mother, father, and sister all began to tear up and hugged both Chad and I.  Afterwards, they said that they thought that I was talking in future-tense, as if I would be hoping to fall pregnant by April!  They didn't want to upset me because they saw me tearing up!

We snapped these photos right after we told them the wonderful news!  My father got a bottle of Cognac and they all had a shot in my honor (not me of course!).  He said he was saving this bottle for a special occasion!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Our Wedding Website

Stories about how we met, photos, our Vancouver and Las Vegas weddings, our many trips and vacations, etc
 
http://chadewa.weddingannouncer.com/

I'm Pregnant!!

So today I took a HPT because I was having really bad abdominal cramping and thinking my period was on its way. To be safe however, I decided to stop by my local Dollar Tree store and pick up a cheap home pregnancy test. I took it, and only saw one line at first and got upset thinking, "Great....another month of negative tests!" Then I started looking closer and a second pink line began to emerg.....and it got progressively darker and darker until it was purple, darker than the control line!! I couldn't believe my eyes. I took another 2 tests (other brands) and they were positive as well! My pregnancy was confirmed by a blood test a few days later and my subsequent beta results tripled within a short amount of time....I'm definitely expecting!


I told Chad by placing a piece of bread in the shape of a bun in the oven....I told him after he got home from work that there is something in the oven keeping warm for him....He pulled out the bread and was like, "What the heck?! Old bread?" Then I held my tummy, with tears in my eyes....and told him..."Bun in the oven....get it? I'm pregnant!" He immediately told me to get a "real" pregnancy test since I used a Dollar Tree one the first time and then he believed me. He rushed out to the liquor store to get some alcohol to celebrate, but not for me of course.

So I am 4 weeks and 5 days pregnant today.  Based on my ovulation day and my calendar, I believe this baby was conceived in Las Vegas on a recent trip in July 2009.  So, "What happens in Vegas...didn't stay in Vegas!".  I can't wait to tell the world, but will keep this news a secret from my friends at work for 12 weeks if I can.  After two long years of struggling to get pregnant, this is FANTASTIC!!!