Belly Tuesday!

Following the advice of my sister-in-law, Carrie, I have decided to start doing "Belly Tuesdays" and provide a picture update of my belly's growth progress. I feel like my belly has just POPPED! Seriously. I feel like I woke up last week and thought, "well, this isn't a pee belly". Its really there. The baby is growing and is healthy, as far as we know!
Here's me at 15 weeks:

Crazy, huh? You probably can't see it like I can see it. Its strange to have this new belly on me. But, be excited! I will try my very best to post a new picture every Tuesday!



In other news, I had my 15 week check up and Triple Screen on Monday. This test is to test for birth defects and genetic disorders like Down Syndrome. This test is optional to everyone, but is becoming more of the "norm" for expecting mothers now a days. The heart beat was strong and healthy at 140! They say (whoever "they" are) that a heart beat at 140 and below may be a boy. We'll see! My ultra sound is March 23. I'm super excited.

Chad and I just returned from Oklahoma to celebrate his grandparent's 60 wedding anniversary. Isn't that amazing? 60 years! I pray that Chad and I can be celebrating that one day with our family surrounding us.

Also, Papa Jim and Nana Sue (my parents) are coming to visit this weekend. We are very excited. The hope is to get the nursery cleaned out so it can become a "blank canvas".

I also thought I would add a few more pictures of my life as of late.


Here is me with Nana Arnold this past weekend:









Then, here is Shelbs and I at the boy's b-ball game last week. Shelby is getting married August 15 to Chris. We are so excited for them. I love having one of my very best friends so close. I love her, for sure. As a side note, as you can tell, I obviously love that hoodie.





Well, I'm off to take a nap with the newly groomed puppies, Willis and Ripley.

Blogs to come (and I promise, they will come eventually):

The Should Dos
Belly Yoga
Nursery Updates
Belly Tuesday!

It'll make your heart skip a beat

I've been trying to describe this part of my pregnancy to folks, but I find it hard to describe most times. I am 11 weeks pregnant now, and its a time where I feel pregnant. I am exhausted and, at times, I have to put my head down on my desk for a 10 minute nap. I even fall asleep typing my notes at the end of the day. I know that my office-mate, Megan, has caught my head bobbing as I try desperately to stay awake through the last couple sentences. My chest hurts, and I'm experiencing, for the first time in my life (as my dad has so graciously reminded me) what having larger breasts feels like. My roomates in college and I would always joke that I have always been the president of the A club.

So, yes, I know I am still pregnant, because the tests and my body says so.

But, I just don't know what is going on down there. I cannot feel the baby growing (although, my books say that Captain Jack is now the size of a plum), and I'm not really "showing" yet. Chad a and I were so grateful for my doctor's appointment this past Monday.

I went in to see my PCP (whom I think is quite wonderful) for a OB Exam appointment. They do the typical urine sample and a physical exam to make sure things are moving along all right. When we went, I was under the assumption that we would be able to hear Captain Jack's heartbeat at this appointment. However, the CNA said that they could try, but tell women that it might take until the 12th week to hear the heartbeat (a precaution, i guess, against worry). My PCP did the exam, and notified us that all my labs are normal and things were "progressing just fine". Not a lot of comfort when, again, I just have no idea what is going on in my belly. My PCP was able to get out the dopler and in less than 5 seconds of trying, was able to pick up the heart beat.

It was incredible. I cried. Chad and I giggled a bit, knowing that a baby was in my belly and not knowing, really, how to react to this moment. Our baby was healthy. There was a heart beat in this little person no larger than a plum. What a miracle. What a blessing to know that all is well.

I'm told this feeling will never get old. I hope it doesn't, because it reminds me of God's ability to create and to be in that moment with us, two very frightened, excited, emotional (ok, maybe crabby more than emotional for me), people. That He is able to venture with us through this incredible experience. We are truly blessed. I really hope hearing our baby's heart beat does not get old.

On another note, I have discovered that I still love, and I do mean love, Sonic cheese burgers, McDonald's chicken nuggets, french fries, and Dad's pot roast. I'm currently waiting on homemade trail mix recipes from my Mom and Dad (or Captain Jack's Nana and Papa)

Also, I am reading a book given to me by an amazing co-worker, Amy, called "Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay" by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. Very funny and refreshing. Quite the change from the typical pregnancy books (which I am very thankful for). Reviews to come.

For now, I think I'm heading to bed. I'm not sure what it is about typing that makes me so sleepy, but my head was definitely bobbing these last few sentences.

a few of my favorite things

I'm 10 weeks now. So crazy! This pregnany thing has been so strange on many levels. It was a complete surprise, so I wasn't ready for some of the changes that come with a baby growing inside of me . Of course I've been emotional, which is no surprise. I cried during the 10 o'clock news the other day. During the ENTIRE 30 mintues. Chad said, "the news is really tough for you today, isn't it?".
I've certainly had some conflicting emotions about having a baby. Its scary. Terrifying, really. I've had fears about things not going well with the baby. We have our first OB exam on Monday, and we'll get to hear the heart beat. I think that will relieve a lot of the fears I have about something being wrong with the baby and pregnancy. On the other hand, I've had a fear that everything will go perfectly with this pregnany and we will have a baby in August, something I have not been able to wrap my mind around. After talking with many friends and family, I've found that these emotions are something a lot of women experience. I'm sure i'll write a much longer post about this in the future, as I think being honest about pregnany and motherhood is something all women should promote. .
I think the strangest thing, and something that affects me on a daily basis is this "adversion to food" that has overcome my belly. I haven't had any morning sickness (thank goodness!), however, there are some foods, foods that I LOVED perviously, that make me feel queasy. Here are some of the following of my very favorite foods that I just cannot force myself to eat: Mexican food (except for chips), soups (of ALL kinds), a cut of meat, noodles, cream sauces, and, most sadly, bacon. I've had to completely re-adjust the way I eat. I've been aiming at eating more fruit, sting cheese, and yogurt. I start my mornings wtih a bagel and yogurt with frozen mixed berries in it. Below is a picture of my favorite foods so far in this pregnancy:



I love hot chocolate during this time. I've cut WAY back on caffeine, but during this extremely cold winter (-31 windchill? Not too pleasant for this Louisiana girl), hot chocolate has certainly soothed my soul. I know I love these things so far (I call them Captain Jack's energy food): ice cream (expecially orange push pops), pickles (yes, its true!), clementines, fruit strips (all natural, of course), orange juice, gold fish and all crackers in general, chips, bread, artichokes, and pistachios. I hope I discover more things, as these foods cannot sustain me and I have to force myself to eat more.
In other news, we will be seeing the Baudiers in Breckenridge tomorrow. I'm super excited to see my old friends. We got a new clutch for the Corolla (White Thunder as I affectionaly call it). The Corolla has been with me since I was 16 and has 176,000 miles on it. Hopefully it keeps going for several more years (another car payment is not in the plans at this time). And we bought a new couch for our sitting room upstairs. We've had loveseats for the last couple years, so this was very exciting for us. I think the picture below is a bit dark, but hopefully you get the gist. Its a green color, and we love it quite a bit.

I plan plan to post more often, and espceially more after our doctor's appointment. Right now, I'm heading upstairs to get an orange push pop.

Here goes our security net.

It all started when Chad came home a few weeks ago saying, "well, i'm quitting my job" (for many many reasons). SURPRISE! Our whole world was turned upside down in a day. THIS was our FIRST crisis as a married couple. Apart from buying a house, this had to be the MOST stress our marriage has seen. I, trying to keep my cool (because, if you know me well, I am horrible at keeping my cool), took off the next day to help Chad find a new, better, more fulfilling job.

The next day, I dressed in my favorite grey sweatpants from freshman year of college and my favorite sweatshirt from graduate school and sat in the car all day while Chad went in and out of places dropping off his resume. This will be fine. I kept my cool. I was encouraging. I was optimistic. I was just trying to love my husband, I told myself. Until that night when I broke down sobbing feeling very out of control of our lives. Our Plans. Our Dreams. A tad dramatic, maybe. But, my faith felt very weak.

That very week, just four days later, Chad was offered a job! A management position! AMAZING! The stress was lifted. Our shoulders felt a little lighter. Our plans could be put back on track. God provided us with lessons to be learned and undeserved blessings.

Although the stress of Chad finding a job was over, I still felt like an emotional wreck. The stress is a lot to come down from.

I was ashamed that I didn't trust God more. How could I not? He has provided us with so much, far too much to count. I learned a lot about my faith during this stressful, but short crisis (or surprise!). I must start praying for faith. I must trust more. I must relinquish control, because, honestly, why do I have to be in control all of the time?

I was incredibly proud of my husband. Chad was hardworking, dedicated and aggressive about finding a new job to provide for us. He is more than I could ask for in a husband.

I was overjoyed. We could start planning for everything we wanted to do. Go on a Mexican vacation. Re-do our room to become a sleeping oasis. Make our home comfortable and feel like home. Pay off student loans. Save for the future. Our plans are very important to us and I was elated, excited, and incredibly relieved. We could start striving to complete our goals yet again.

I've learned and am still learning a lot from this surprise. I've discovered what is important to us in the future and what our plans and goals are. I've learned what we can do without (going without that second paycheck for 6 weeks can be a challenge). I've learned about my faith and how I want and need to grow. I've learned that our marriage is strong and perseveres and that I have one pretty amazing husband. I have the confidence that we can handle any surprise that comes our way. First Surprise? Check. No Problem. Moving on.

Here's to a new blog beginning!

I've always wanted to start a blog. I have so many dear and amazng friends and family that are so far away that I wish I could keep up with more often. I never thought I would be "good at it". I have some friends that are, if I do say so myself, pretty amazing bloggers, writers, honest sharers. I, however, have always been intimidated about writing for a large audience (by large, I mean more then just me). Sharing my thoughts, making them open for discussion. Being honest about subjects that are just hard and uncomfortable. Our life has been stuffed full of surprises lately. And adventures. And new and unexpected turns. Now, I've told myself, is when I should start blogging and sharing.

So, as I raise my decaf GoodEarth chai tea, here's to my blog (with occasional insights from the husband, Chad)! Here's to being open and honest about life and it's struggles! Here's to documenting our current life's story! Here's to celebrating life and surprises with friends and family! Here's to me, just being me.