Third Trimester Wrap-Up

Today is my little guy’s due date…9 months of preparing all for this long awaited day.  It feels a little surreal that at any moment Baby Hoov could make his arrival into the world!  As I am sitting here writing this I am having contractions lasting about 30-45 seconds every 7-10 minutes apart.  They feel mostly like period cramps and it’s hard to tell if I am really starting labor or if it is false labor.  I lost my mucus plug over the last 2 days as well so that’s a good sign too!  At first I was like, “What the heck is this stuff?”  It looked like jelly and kept coming when I wiped.  Looked up mucus plug and sure enough…that’s what it was!  Then, last night when I went to the bathroom I felt something “fall out.”  Haha, looked in the porcelain bowl and there was the rest of it!  It made me happy because that meant I was progressing.  (I should mention that at my last doctor’s appointment 4 days ago I was only dilated ½ centimeter and my cervix wasn’t effaced much, so I thought that I had awhile and was going to have to be induced.)  So, with probably having already said too much I am excited about today!  Wouldn’t that be something if he actually came on his due date?!  So fun.  Ok, so here are the highlights and lowlights of the third trimester!

Highlights:

1.       Preparing Baby Hoov’s room: It was a lot of fun planning and preparing his room with Greg.  I love all the little owls and special touches that went into making his room special.  I painted the tree, Greg put up the wood wall, my mom pained the frames and wall art, my grandma Lee made the curtains, and Greg’s mom got us the bedding!  So much love went into this room! 

2.      Baby Showers! I was able to have three showers with lots of friends and family.  I felt so blessed to be able to receive such wonderful gifts for our little boy to prepare us for his arrival.  Organizing it in our house and his room was fun too!

3.      Watching Baby Hoov grow in my tummy: I love that this trimester my belly has grown immensely.  Although it does make sleeping and moving more uncomfortable I love being able to feel my stomach for “body parts” and knowing where he is in my tummy.  It makes being pregnant more “real.”

4.      Maternity Leave!  I decided to go on maternity leave at 36 ½ weeks because working all day was getting very tiring with kids, and with the holidays the weeks were busy busy busy!!  So, over the past month I have been able to rest and get so much done at the same time it’s fantastic!  I also have been able to focus more on Baby Hoov which is wonderful as well.  Thank goodness for maternity leave!

5.      TODAY!  Today is one of my highlights as well because it is his due date!  For 9 months I have been looking forward to today. J  Whatever happens I am so glad that I have made it to today!

Lowlights:

1.       Continued Restless Leg: So I didn’t think it was possible to get this any worse but I was wrong!  Anytime I wanted to lay down to rest my leg wouldn’t let me.  I had to either stand, walk, bounce on my exercise ball, or stretch.  SO ANNOYING!

2.      Breathing, or lack there of!  As the Baby Hoov grew he began to be pushed into my ribs.  This not only was uncomfortable but made it hard for me to breath at times. I would be talking to someone and just start running out of breath.  Can you say awkward?!

3.      Insomnia: Well, I guess it is a good thing that God starts to prepare you early for having a baby because at around 32 weeks I stopped sleeping through the night.  I would wake up to go to the bathroom in the beginning but as time went on I would just wake up!  Every 2 hours like clockwork my little peepers would open.  Sometimes I would just lay there and stare at the ceiling and other times I would watch a movie or eat a snack.  Either way waking up several times during the night is not fun.

4.      Getting dressed/finding something to wear.  So as my stomach grew bigger it became not as fun anymore to wear clothes.  When you start to outgrow your maternity clothes you know you are getting huge!  Putting on shoes, finding clothes that are comfortable to wear- all struggles of having a huge baby hanging off your front side.

5.      Contractions..although they just started about 2 days ago they are pretty consistent now and I must say that having cramps every 5 minutes is not the most fun thing in the world.  Although I am putting this as a lowlight it will soon be a highlight because I get a prize at the end…my baby boy!

Well, we have our bags all packed and in the car waiting to be taken to the hospital.  We had them packed a week ago just in case Baby Hoov decided to make an early appearance.  I hope I have everything I need and if not, then we will find out soon enough!  (Oh man it is hard to focus and write when I am having contractions!...so if this blog is random that is why…)

            Can’t wait to share my labor story with you all and hold my little boy in my arms. J  Good times are coming…yahoo!!  Here is a picture of me on New Years Eve-his due date!

Full Term - 37 Weeks!

Well, it has been 2 months since I have posted anything and this blog is WAY over due, but with working, showers, and trying to get everything ready for Baby Hoov to arrive it has been busy!  I guess this is a little taste of what it will be like to be a working mommy! :-/  Lord help me!

So, I am offically full term!!  Baby Hoov could come anytime from here on out and be fine-Lord willing!  When I look back over the last 9 months they seem to have gone by so slow and taken FOREVER!  I remember wishing so many times that I was to this point in my pregnancy.  But, now that it is here I am starting to get sad that it is all going to be over in just a few short weeks.  That could just be the hormones talking but I have come to realize that I dont want to wish away having Baby Hoov in my tummy because he will never be in there again!  Once he is out, he is out for good!  I want to spend these last few weeks enjoying the movement I feel and dreaming about what he is going to look like :-)

Over the last couple of months I have had the privilege of having 3 showers to help get me started on items for Baby Hoov.  I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such great family and friends who support Greg and I and want to help our transition into parenthood that much easier.  Thank you for all of your prayers and support, it means more than you know!  With getting little clothes and items for our boy it stirred up so many emotions.  I was excited, overwhelmed, anxious, in awe, and sometimes sad.  Again, I blame it all on those stinkin hormones!  When you're pregnant you really are a rollercoaster ride...lol.  I was excited because I can't wait to meet my son (that still seems so weird to say!)  I was overwhelmed because I kept thinking what if I do not know what to do?  I was anxious because I felt like time was running out and I still had so much to do to get ready.  I was in awe because I still cannot believe that God has given us such a precious little gift and what an amazing process growing a baby is!  And I was sometimes sad because of the fear of the unknown.  It will never be just Greg and I again, and I know this is ok and it will be good, but just not knowing how different life will be makes me nervous and sad to miss our alone time together :-)  But through all the emotions God has placed a wonderful husband in my life who reassures me that things are going to be wonderful, and family and friends to give me encouragement and advice.  I can say that as each day passes I am feeling more and more at ease about the arrival of Baby Hoov and calm about being a mother.

Some other things that have helped me prepare for this little guy is taking a birth class at the hospital.  Now, in the beginning I didnt know if this was more helpful or hurtful because after the first one I was freaking out!  Watching those videos are terrifying and nobody should have to see so many nasty vaginas in one sitting!  lol.  I got nauseous after the first video and almost had to walk out of the room, lol...but I told myself to hold it together and I did!  And although at times I felt the instructor gave us way too much information and was a little strange, looking back on the class it was very educational and at least now I will know a little more about what is happening to my body.  And Greg knows what to expect from me as well.  It was a great experience for the both of us, but I must say I am glad it is over!  And now I have a little certificate of completion to add to Baby Hoov's scrapbook..lol.

The last thing that has been awesome this past week is I am finally off on maternity leave!  I cannot tell you how wonderful this has been!  Since I wake up every 2 hours to go to the bathroom, move my legs, or stare at the ceiling, I never really feel fully rested.  However, now if I need to, I get the option of sleeping in a little more!  I can totally tell a difference in the way my body is responding to this rest.  My legs dont look like I have elephantitis as  much at the end of the day, and my vagina doesnt feel like somebody punched me there all day long.  It's glorious!  I have also had a chance to get caught up on things around the house, finish Baby Hoov's room, and wash all his clothes/organize them.  I thinking this is what they call nesting :-)  Thank goodness for maternity leave!

Well, I only have 17 days to go as of this point, and Im telling you I plan on enjoying every minute of it no matter how miserable my back may feel or huge I get!  (I say this now cause I am feeling in a good mood...dont ask me when I am not!)  I am looking forward to the coming holidays to spend it with family and as I celebrate the birth of Jesus, I am looking forward to celebrating the birth of Baby Hoov!! 

Here is a picture of me and Baby Hoov at 37 weeks :-)



Im starting to get the pregnancy dark spots on my cheeks and nose. 
They look like little freckles and you can kind of see them in this picture. 
I kinda like them because its a sign of motherhood!



3D/4D Pictures!

Today was a special day because we got a sneak peak at what our little guy is going to look like!  It was 30 minutes of pure bliss :)  Unfortunately the umbilical cord was in the way most of the time so he looked like he was being strangled in some of the pictures, but it was still fun to watch.  I think he felt the cord around his face because he kept bringing his hands up to his face either to swat it away or to tell us to leave him alone.  lol..If he is my son he cannot be camera shy!  I wont allow it!  ;-) 

Its pretty amazing that one minute a baby can be growing inside of you and the next they can survive outside in the world.  I love hearing his little heart beat too :)  So Greg and I decided that Baby Hoov just looks like a baby and it is still strange that what was on the screen was OUR baby.  Its hard to determine his features right now and I guess that will just have to be part of the surprise come December!  I think he will have Greg's strong brow line though and my nose.  tehe...  Here's for you to decide for yourself...  Verhoeven or Carney???

God's gift to Greg and I :)

Baby Hoov crossing his feet.

Sweet boy

I love this picture although it looks like someone took a bite out of his head. lol.

Squishy face!

All tangled up in the cord.  Dont worry he's not choking! :)

I cant wait to hold this precious hand :)

Sleepy boy...

So, what do you think?  I think its a pretty good mix :)  Stay comfy Baby Hoov!  Until next time...;-)

Second Trimester Wrap-Up

Hello! It has been awhile since my last post but with school and work starting back up I have been a little busy/emotional and have not had the time to sit down and write.  But...here I am now!  So, I cannot believe that I have started my LAST trimester!  I would like to say that the time has gone by fast, but that would be entirely untrue.  Haha...it has gone by SO SLOW!  I think its because I am so excited to meet Baby Hoov that each day I am constantly thinking about what is he doing? is he moving? is he getting bigger? am i gaining too much weight?  So many questions that my time literally crawls by....lol.  But with all that to say I am finally enjoying being pregnant!  My belly is getting bigger, my sickness is completely gone, and I can feel him move a lot more now which is so much fun.  I actually FEEL and LOOK pregnant and I love it!  I have always though pregnant women were beautiful and I am attracted to their bellies...haha.  Yup!  I am one of those girls who would just start touching baby bellies because I thought they were so cute and intruiging!  And now, I am one of them.  Kinda sureal, but now I can touch my belly all I want!  It's fun :) Below is a picture of me at the end of my second trimester!  28 weeks...

   Now, for the highlights of the second trimester!
1. Feeling my baby kick for the first time!  I was 18 weeks and camping with my family near Sequoia.  Greg and I got into our tent and layed down on our airmatress.  After about 5 minutes I felt something on my stomach.  I thought Greg had tapped my stomach ever so slightly and I looked up.  But Greg was just laying there probably already half asleep.  I asked him if he touched my stomach and he said no.  I then decided that it must have been the baby kick!  I was so excited that I layed back down and waited for another one.  And sure enough, a few minutes later...tap!  The littlest foot kicked me in my tummy.  The feeling was so slight but yet so comforting because it was reassurance that there indeed was a baby growing inside of me and he was doing good :)  I will never forget his first little movement!
2. Getting over the nausia!  So I was throwing up until about 20 weeks which is awful!!  I cannot tell you how much that sucked!  I am very much affected by how I feel and so with not being able to control my nausia those first 5 months were not fun.  But...I know that the end result will all be worth it!  I have my appetite back and most of my energy back!  So wonderful!
3. Finding out we were having a baby boy :)  You know the story...we, or should I say, I, was nervous at first but now I cannot wait until I get to hold him in my arms.  I know that God has given me this boy for such a time as this! 
4. Watching my belly grow.  Like I said I LOVE pregnant bellies and from the beginning I have wanted mine to get big!  (I think I have been eating more too so that it will get bigger faster and I will look pregnant faster.  However, I have learned the hard way that this is not how it works...haha.  My butt, arms, legs, and face have all gotten bigger and my tummy has been right on track taking its sweet time!  lol.  Note to self for next time around!)  Anyhow, my belly is nice and round like a basketball carry my precious child in it and I love it!
5. Getting hit on at the Walmart...HAHA.  So...I was walking up to Walmart after work when this truck was driving by.  The dude in the passenger seat who was all tatted up, hat on backwards, and lookin awfully Walmarty (if you know what I mean) was practically breaking his neck following me as I was walking up to the front.  He finally shouts out, "Hey, hey, hey!"  I was so dumbfounded that a dude would yell that out at a pregnant woman that I started to laugh and yelled back, "I'm pregnant!"  He then proceeds to tell me, "I can see why!"  Haha, I couldnt stop laughing.  Only at a Walmart would a pregnant lady get hit on.  I would have been more flattered except, well, it was at a Walmart, and the dude was dirty. lol.  But, still a funny story that made one of my highlights for the second trimester!

Here are some of my lowlights for the second trimester...
1. Starting back work.  It was so nice to have the summer off and to get to spend each day resting and dreaming about my baby boy that it was almost fantasy land.  As soon as work started, BAM! back to reality.  I am actually having a harder time than I thought being motivated to go to work.  Something that I would definately appreciate your prayers on!  I love my students (well, most of them), and I have a great staff, however, my attitude hasnt been the best and it has been hard getting up in the morning to go to work.  It just seems so meaningless compared to what God is creating inside of me.  However, I need to remember that in everything I do I need to do it for the Lord.  My baby will be fine and I will get to spend lots of time with him soon enough.  When I pray and ask for God's strength to go each day, He gets me through it.  Praise God!
2. The Hormones!  Oh my goodness, one minute I am laughing, the next minute I am crying!  I am like a three-ringed circus over here!  I get on my own nerves!  It is the weirdest thing suddenly being overcome with emotions that seem uncontrollable.  Just the smallest thing can make me sad!  For example, low tire pressure combined with low gas turned me into a freakin crazy person!  You seriously would have thought the world was going to end!  Thank goodness for my super wonderful and gracious husband for hugging me and talking me off the ledge.  I am already a sensitive and emotional person so adding some additonal hormones in the mix is just wack!  But, Lord willing this too shall pass :)
3. Increasing Restless Leg Syndrome.  Oh man is this ever a lowlight!  Before I was pregnant I used to get what I call the "jimmy legs" every once in awhile.  But now, it is every single day and night at least 4 times a day.  I seriously cant get away from that creepy crawly feeling and it drives me insane.  I will lay in bed for at least an hour each night just moving my legs.  I swear if I didnt need them I would chop them off.  Seriously.
4. The increased weight gain.  Soooo.....I was hoping that I would be one of those girls who just gained the weight in their tummies and would look all cute and pregnant.  But, again this is not the case for me.  I am currently 28 weeks and up 40 pounds.  My entire body has blown up and I honestly dont know why!  I have been trying to watch what I eat for awhile now because the doctor wanted to make sure that I do not get too big, but I just keep getting bigger!  I look like a cow in pictures!  haha...that has been hard to cope with but I just have to remind myself that everyone's body is different and each pregnancy is different.  Once I get over the fear of being "fat" then I am ok :)
5. Not having my family here to encourage me, rub my belly, and take me to dinner when I get sad.  I have really been missing my family recently and maybe this is because of my crazy hormones and work being difficult but I just wish they were here to watch me grow :)  I cant wait for them to meet their grandson and I just want them to be apart of his life so bad.  I need to start praying that they will come out and visit more often!  I need me some grandparents!

Well there you have it!  The good, the bad, and the ugly!  But, mostly good :)  I still feel so blessed to have a healthly baby thus far.  God is great and I feel so honored to be a woman :)  Baby Hoov makes me smile each day and I am so thankful for that.  Here is a picture that made me smile the last time we saw him:


So adorable, Baby Hoov was sucking his thumb!  I love it!  He is just precious :)

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and go on this journey with me!  Only one more trimester left until Baby Hoov makes his arrival!  Let the countdown begin!

Halfway There!

Well, I am officially halfway through my pregnancy!  Thank goodness!  Up until now the pregnancy has gone by SOOOOO slow!  I think that’s because I am counting every single day and every single hour that passes by waiting for this little guy to get here!  I am just so excited for all the firsts that have occurred and will keep on occurring that I am thinking about it way too much!  Thus, the time goes by very slow.  However, since I have started school back again I think the time will go by faster and as I start to “show” more I will find more enjoyment in being pregnant.  So, here are the highlights and lowlights of the first half of my pregnancy!

Highlights

1.     Seeing the two little lines on the pregnancy test and seeing Greg’s face when I told him.  Priceless.

2.     Being able to tell me parents they are going to be grandparents for the first time!

3.     Seeing my baby for the first time at 12 weeks.

4.     Finding out we were having a boy!

5.     The first time I felt him move.

6.     The little kicks that get stronger and stronger as each week passes.

7.     Registering for all the fun baby stuff!

8.     Getting my stroller and car seat from Momma Verhoeven in the mail.  I had so much fun putting it together, figuring it out, and pretending to push my baby around the house!  It got me excited to be a mom J

9.     Finding out that our little boy is a “textbook” baby…healthy!

10.  People telling me that I have a glow and touching my little baby bump.  So fun that I am getting to experience the miracle of life growing inside me!

Lowlights

1.     Being sick for a LONG time…last time I upchucked was week 20 L

2.     Heartburn/Acid Reflux

3.     The feeling of being tired ALL the time.

4.     NONE of my clothes fitting anymore because every part of my body has become larger.  It makes it hard to want to get dressed in the morning.

5.     The mood swings…sorry Greg.

6.     Not knowing what I want to eat and nothing sounding good.

7.     Not being able to sleep on my stomach, so sad!

8.     Having to get up in the middle of every night to pee.

9.     Having to ask people for help all time with lifting, I don’t like to do it!

10.  My body just doing wierd things!  I dont think Ill ever get used to that!

Here are some pictures from my 21 week ultrasound.  Praise God everything looks normal and we are going to have a healthy baby boy!

I love this picture because he looks exactly like he did in his 12 week picture only bigger!

Here he is getting a good stretch in!

A picture of the little foot that has started to kick me :)

God is so good and I praise Him for what He is creating inside of me!!

Boy or Girl? The Reveal Dinner...

The moment I have been waiting for since I first found out I was pregnant....boy or girl?!?!  We had all of our ultrasounds planned out and the dinner party with our families prepared.  Now all we needed to do was wait till the day we could finally find out what we were having.  And the wait seemed like FOREVER!  People always told me that your first pregnancy seems slower because you are counting each day and boy are they right!  I feel like this pregnancy is taking forever!  Everyday I am counting down and the days seem endless...however, I know that our little bean will be worth the wait!

So, here is how it went....

Greg and I had an ultrasound planned with Baby Sightings, a place in Bakersfield that does an ultrasound, gives you pictures and a DVD of your baby, and just treats you very well.  We had heard good things about this place and so we decided to check it out!  About 3 weeks before our appointment a friend recommended that we get an ultrasound through our doctor as well so they can take the measurements, etc.  Although I didnt want to go back to the mean lady I decided that it might not be a bad idea to get two opinions.  So, we scheduled both ultrasounds. 

Greg and I were on vacation a lot in July, which you would think would pass the time by faster, but NOPE!  Still went as slow as can be!  lol.  But at last the time finally came for us to have our ultrasounds.  I was so nervous!  Which some of you are thinking, what is new?!  I think I was nervous because I knida thought it was going to be a boy, but secretly thinking I would be a good mom to a girl and you know when your pregnant you're just not in your right mind anyway so I just had all these emotions running through me.  As always it was so great to see our little baby on the screen kicking and moving and growing.  We had our results placed into an envelope and it was off to the bakery for me!

How we decided to reveal the gender was through a cake. We found a bakery that would make a cake for us and put either blue or pink frosting in the middle of the cake so that way when we cut it open, we would see what we were having.  The cake was white with white frosting on the outside and pink and blue polka dots on it.  Here is a picture of it below:

When we reached Greg's parents house I was all smiles!  I couldnt help but be excited to be with everyone and share in this joyous occasion! We had a yummy dinner with all my favorite things and it was good to be surrounded by family.  The second dinner was over I announced..."Who wants dessert?!"  We had waited long enough and Greg and I wanted to know what little alien was inside my stomach already!  So...we gathered around the table and took some pictures as I prepared to cut into the cake.  For some reason I felt sick to my stomach because there was no turning back now!  It was do or die!  haha...ok maybe not that but I did feel kinda sick.  And, the result was....

IT'S A BOY!!!!  It may look like Greg is mad in this picture but he's actually holding back tears :)  I love my sensitive husband!  So, now that we know it is a baby boy that I growing in my stomach, let me tell you all the myths that pointed toward me having a girl...
Myth 1: Chineese Baby Calendar said I was having a girl.
Myth 2: I peed on baking soda and that said I was having a girl.
Myth 3: I was sick up until week 16, also signs that you may be having a girl.
Myth 4: I am carrying my weight all over!  In my arms, legs, face, everywhere!  This is said to be common with girls.
So...if you are pregnant NONE of these things may be true for you!  Although for some people it may be true, for me it was most definately not :) 

Now the truth is, since all of these things pointed toward me having a girl, and thinking that I would be a much better mom to a girl because I understand them, I think I was secretely hoping for a girl (maybe 51% more).  So when we found out it was a boy I was in shock (because it was set in stone, lol) and most of all nervous!  All these thoughts were running through my head about being able to raise a boy and my capabilities as a mother.  I so badly want to be a good mom and doubts were swarming my head!  However, over the next few days God reassured me that His plans are good and He knows me better than I know myself.  I have a peace about raising a little boy now and could not be more excited!!! 

I cant wait to start the process of registering and preparing for our little guy's arrival :) May God continue to give Greg and I peace and assurance as He prepares us for parenthood!  Here are some more pictures from our special evening...


It's a BOY!



Opening my Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag from Nani!  (Greg's mom)



Pure happiness :)



The grandma's and grandpa's! 
From left to right: Poppy and Grammy,  Nani and Grandpa



Second Ultrasound

            Tears.  Tears.  And more tears.  That’s what went on during our second ultra sound.  And, there are two reasons for that: One, being that Greg and I finally got to see our little egg look like a baby, and two, because the ultrasound technician is kinda mean.  So here are my two stories!

            Ill start with the ultrasound tech… At my last doctor’s appointment I asked my OBGYN, whom I love, if I could have an ultrasound at 12 weeks because I want to scrapbook the process of being pregnant and my progress.  She said of course and so I made an appointment to have my ultrasound right after my 12^th week.  So, today I walk into the room and the technician says, “So why are you here so early?”  I told her nothing was wrong I just wanted to get some pictures for our scrapbook because our first pictures looked like an egg.  She then proceeded to say, “Well, this is the worst time to get an ultrasound done because you can’t really see anything.  You’ll see, it’s just foggy and not that great.”  After telling her that I have seen some friends’ ultrasounds at 12 weeks and they look great she again proceeded to say, “I’ve been doing this for 19 years and this is the worst time.”  Being that my hormones are already crazy right now I instantly got sad because the way she said it made me feel bad for wanting to see my baby growing inside of me!  I felt like saying, ok lady this may be your millionth baby but this is my first so can you please pretend to be excited for me?!  After that I just shut down and didn’t say much to her the rest of the time.  I really just wanted to get out of there so I wouldn’t let her see me crying.  But, that is what started the sad tears…now, for the joyful tears!

            That mean lady put the probe on my stomach and wouldn’t you know it…you could see a baby!  HA!  I wanted to tell her, but I was so wrapped up in what I was seeing that I had no words.  It was the coolest experience I have ever had.  There on the TV screen was a tiny baby, moving and kicking up a storm in my stomach.  I wish I could feel its movements.  There were tiny arms, tiny legs, a tiny body, and a tiny head.  Amazing.  Despite her negativity about getting a good picture I was pretty pleased with what I was able to see.  We got an excellent profile picture and an excellent full body picture, and I can’t stop staring at them!  It’s amazing how much love I instantly felt for that little baby in my stomach.  Again, God is so good. J  I can’t wait for our little baby to grow so that in about 6 months I can meet him/her!  I pray that our baby is healthy and enjoys the comfort of my uterus!  Tehehe…enjoy the pictures!

It actually looks like a real baby this time!  Amazing!



Here is a great profile picture of our little one's head.



First Trimester Wrap-Up

Well, I made it through my first trimester!!!  I am so excited and thrilled to be entering in to what some people call The Honeymoon Phase. I feel like I should give myself an award for completing the first 12 weeks!  Haha…  So, here is the wrap-up of my first trimester.

I’m not gonna lie and pretend like everything was peachy kean…it was tough at some points!  And, when I talked to friends that told me, “I had such an easy pregnancy,” “I didn’t feel nauseous at all,” it made me envy them, but ya know, I wouldn’t trade it for one second!  I only had about 3 weeks of throwing up every day and then it kinda trickled into only 2 times a week and now it has been a whole week since I have thrown up!  Yahoo!  I still feel nauseous in the evenings but I am holding on to the hope that it will also fade very soon.  Feeling icky lets me know that my little baby is growing and developing and everything is working as it should!  I am so thankful to God for that!

Something else that I had to get used to during my first trimester was my growing boobs!  Holy moly it is insane!  Some girls pay good money for these knockers!  I must say that although I feel like I have two large tumors hanging off my chest Greg seems to enjoy them, and quite often I might add. J  I recently went to “The Bra Shoppe” in Bakersfield and got fitted for a new bra that can grow with me as I progress into my pregnancy.  And, guess what size I was?!?!  34E.  I’m sorry but there is nothing sexy about a bra that large!  And it’s kind of uncomfortable but hopefully I’ll get used to it soon.

Well, besides the growing boobs and nausea the only other symptoms I have had to endure are gaining 8 pounds and bloody noses/boogers.  The 8 pounds I can deal with, but the bloody boogers were gross.  I am glad that has also settled down a bit. 

God has been so good these past 12 weeks and when I think about what is growing inside of me I am still amazed at the creativity, wonder, miracle, power, and goodness of God.  My mind cannot even fathom how He is able to take my body and use it create life.  Wow.  What an honor and privilege it is to be a girl!  

Video: What's Been Going on Inside Me These Last 9 Weeks!

Ok, so by far my favorite website/app on my phone is called Baby Center.  This app on my phone tells me each day what I should be doing or things I could be doing.  They give me videos, articles, and a checklist of things to do.  It is SO helpful!  For someone who has no idea what to do during pregnancy this is a great start!  I am so thankful for this app!  They have a website too for those who do not have a phone with apps on them.  So, the following is a video that baby center put together to sum up the first 9 weeks.  It is so awesome!!  And again a miracle to watch what God is doing!  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l9GE_eaMSs

Weeks 6-9

Well, these last 4 weeks have been crazy let me tell you!  Thanks goodness for a loving husband and supportive family members who pray for me because being sick is no fun!  Now, I know some of you mommies out there have had it way worse than me but I am a wuss and do not function well when I am not feeling good.  Between the morning sickness, feeling extremely exhausted, gaining 8 pounds already, heart burn/acid reflux, and not having an appetite for much food, so far pregnancy stinks!  haha...I have quickly come to learn the first rule in becoming a mommy, "It is not about me anymore."  My body is not my own.  This was a difficult realization (especially when I stepped on that scale!), but I have a peace about it now and need to remember that there is a miracle growing inside me and God has trusted me with this miracle.

One book that I have absolutely loved these past few weeks is one my mom got me called Expecting.  This book goes week by week and helps you pray for your child's development-body and soul.  There is a section on mom's development, baby's development, a prayer for baby, and then a spot to journal.  I absolutely love it because it is accurate, simple, and keeps me in the habit of praying for my baby as each part develops in him/her.  One quote from the book that helped me get through one of the weeks was in week 8, it said, "You might be feeling bloated and sick to your stomach.  This is actually a good thing-for your baby at least!"  It was a great reminder that my body is doing crazy things and if I have to feel sick for a little bit for my baby to develop then so be it!!

The Reveal!!!!

Ok, so the moment you've all been waiting for!!!  Or mostly I've been waiting for...lol...the REVEAL!!  So, I am the worst at keeping secrets because I feel like I am hiding someting and the guilt is just written all over my face!!  However, I was able to keep it a secret from my parents until we had our first ultrasound just to make sure everything was good.  We told our families on mother's day because it was a good excuse to give them a gift and no one would expect that we were pregnant from that.  So, the day before mother's day we were with my family.  I had told my mom that I wanted to come make her dinner for mother's day and us kids would give her a gift then too.  So, here was the menu for the dinner that I made her....

1. Baby Back Ribs
2. Baby Carrots
3. Baby Potatoes
4. Salad with Baby Tomatoes in it
5. Dessert: Baby Cupcakes

Now, most of us do not look at our food and think it is trying to tell us something and therefore, neither did my mom.  She just made the comments that everything was so cute and so little!  So, we ate our dinner and Greg and I anxiously awaited the time for presents.  (It was so hard to just be relaxed and act like nothing was planned!!)  Well, the time came and after I practically begged my brother to give my mom his gift first it was our turn....  Drum roll please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Greg had thought of the idea to give our moms a figurine from Willow Tree that was called Grandmother.  So, my mom slowly opened the present...she read the title Willow Tree and said, "Oo, I love these!"  Then she read something else and got to the word Grandmother.  She immediately was overwhelmed with emotion and crying she said, "Are you serious?!"  I said, Yep!  And with everyone crying we exchanged hungs and kisses :)  It was such a special moment for us.  My favorite quote of the evening was when my brother said, "Im nervous."  Hahaha...oh brother :)

Anyway, the next day, on actual mother's day was Greg's family's turn.  We got his mom the same wooden carving figurine and we got his nephews t-shirts that inside the superman logo said "Cousin."  The reaction was again priceless and it was such a special moment :) 

Fewwww!  I felt so much better telling everyone!!  Now, I could relax and know that I have support and prayers coming my way :)  Thank you God for wonderful family and friends to share in the joy of such a great miracle!

Our First Ultrasound :-)

Oh, this was so fun!  So after Greg and I found out we were pregnant we tried to calculate how far along I was by the first day of my last period which was March 21st!  So, if it is accurate then I thought I was about 5 weeks along.  I called my doctor and asked when I should come in for an appointment.  She told me around 7-8 weeks.  Well, me being so excited I opted for the 7 weeks :)  So I made my appointment and just waited...

The time came for my doctors appointment and everything went great!  She stated the obvious, that I was pregnant and when I asked if I could have an ultrasound she said that I would have to come back because the ultrasound tech was gone for the day.  So, a few days later we went back and we were SO EXCITED!  Greg kept texting me all day saying how nervous he was and we both went to the bathroom a ton!  As we waited for our names to be called in the waiting room it was like we were waiting for the news if the world was gonna come to an end!  lol...but, sure enough our names were called!  We walked into that room, I got naked (well almost), and waited for her to come back.  Well, I dont know what we were expecting but what we got was something that looked like a circle!  haha...like a seed had been stuck in my uterus! It was so tiny!!  She said that we were only 6 weeks and 5 days, earlier than we had thought.  So our baby didnt look like anything really.  Haha...but, the coolest thing ever was that we got to SEE and HEAR the heartbeat!  Proof that there is something alive inside of me!!  That was the coolest thing ever and any fears that Greg and I had were eliminated at that moment.  God is in control and there is nothing that I can do or not do to keep Him from doing what He does best, create life!

The Day We Found Out We Were Pregnant

Well, I thought that it would be fun to tell you all how Greg and I found out we were pregnant.  But first let me tell you that we had always planned on starting to "not" not try to get pregnant in April.  We didnt really tell anyone because we wanted our families to be completely surprised, and we figured it would take us at least 6 months to get pregnant because of my thyroid condition and we just didnt think that we would be so lucky!  So anyway, March rolls around and for all you married people out there, if you arent on birth control sex is really not all that fun because its like "fake" sex!  The alternatives to birth control just plain stink!  haha... So one night we said, oh well!  Lets just do it!  And, so we did!!  It was fantastic and we just enjoyed ourselves without a care in the world!  (lol...I hope this information isnt too much for some of you!)  Well needless to say we got pregnant that month :-)

It was Easter weekend and we had just arrived to my parents house to spend the weekend with them and my brother.  Friday was like any normal day except I noticed that my breasts were a little sore.  "Oh well," I thought.  I must just be getting ready to start my period.  Well Saturday rolls around and as we were sitting around the dinner table I started to have cramps, like the kind you get when you are on your period and hurt!  Except there was one problem...I wasnt on my period!  I thought this was really odd because it has never happened before when I have not been on my period.  I told Greg and he immediately jumped to conclusions..."Well, when was the last time you have been on your period?" he said.  I thought about it for a moment and I couldnt remember!!  So, for those of you who know me you know that with my thyroid I was on my period about every 2 weeks!!!!  And so for me to not remember was a big deal!  I started to wonder and so I looked up pregnancy symptoms online because I thought there is not way that I could be pregnant this fast!  I can remember reading the words: Pregnancy symptoms- tender breasts, cramping as if to start your period, fatigue, mood swings, etc.  I thought oh my goodness I have those symptoms!  So mind you we are with my family in Claremont and I cant get too excited because I dont want anyone to find out so we kinda just brush it off and put it in the back of our minds.

Easter Sunday!  Greg and I woke up that morning excited and ready to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at the Pomona Fair Grounds!  Feeling nervous from my findings the night before I just got ready as usual and headed off to church.  Well, it wasnt even 2 minutes after we started singing the first song "He is Risen!" that I started to bawl my eyes out!  Haha, oh brother, now I'm emotional over a song?!  Well, this isnt always far off from the truth so again I just brushed it off and kept on singing.  The entire day with my family was kind of a blur from there.  The whole day I felt emotional (more than usual), and little things made me angry.  I just wanted to get back to Bakersfield to pee on that stick and find out for sure!! 

Greg and I left my parents house around 5:30 and arrived back in Bakersfield at our house around 8:00pm.  I walked in the door, ran up the stairs (descretely because I didnt want Greg to know what I was doing), took out the pregnancy test, and peed on it!  I set it on the floor and started to unpack as I waited because I was nervous.  After about five minutes I went back to that little stick and guess what I saw........2 RED LINES!!!!!!!  Oh my goodness I had an immediate feeling of awe and shock and a huge smile filed my face!!  I could hardly contain my excited and I immediately thought, should I tell Greg?!  I didnt know if I should wait and tell him a cute way or if I should just tell him.  Well, I am a terrible liar and so I marched myself downstairs with the biggest smile on my face and just help out that little stick to him.  Greg's words were, "No way..."  I said, yep!  And the rest is history...

That night we prayed to ask God to protect our little bean and that He would start preparing us to become Godly parents.  Happiest day of our lives :)

Welcome!

Hello family and friends!
So this is my first blog post EVER!  I never thought that I would be a blogger, however, this is an assignment for my computer class and so we will see how long I am able to keep this thing up!  The idea behind this blog is that I will take you along this journey of my first pregnancy!  I am 9 weeks and 2 days today!  Greg and I are very excited to become parents and we are praying that God gives us wisdom and a peace over the next several months as He prepares us for the biggest job/blessing of our lives!  I hope to make this blog somewhat interesting for all of you!  Haha, Im not sure how good of a writer I am but here goes!  I hope you enjoy!!