My Growing Baby Bump

 Not Only Is My Belly Growing 

But So Are My Experiences

and Understanding That God Knows What
Is Best For Us

I still see myself as 20 years old. Someone asked me the other day how old I was and I had to stop and think. I am taken a back every time I am reminded that I am 27. I never thought I would be having my first baby at 27. I know I am not old, and I am grateful for all the adventures I've had. I have been blessed travel, go on an LDS mission,and graduate with a four year degree. All of this in the past seven years. I watched my closest friends start to have babies when they were 19 and 20. I loved talking with them about their pregnancy, holding their babies, and building a relationship with their babies as they grew. I thought I knew exactly how they felt. That when my time came I would be a pro!
I kept thinking the next big thing in my life would be getting married, but for years it wasn't. I understand the pain of being single. The wanting of the unknown and the desire of wanting someone to love you so much that they would choose you forever. But when it didn't happen I would find myself experiencing something new as I learned the Chinese language, climbed the Eiffel tower, cuddled babies in orphanages, and cried with my friends when their hearts got broken. All the while slowly learning to understand who I was a little more. 
Finding Jeff has been the MOST amazing thing in my life, and I must say one of the hardest too. Everything I thought I knew from watching my married friends, from listening to their trials, made me feel like I had learned nothing at all when it came to me doing it myself.
Love is the brightest part of life and the scariest. Fears I didn't know I had crept in and I realized so many faults in myself that I had never seen before. The blessing within this trial is huge though! God gives us a best friend to help. Someone who loves us enough that everyday they will be there to pray with us and give us the courage to continue on. Marriage puts you and someone on the same road together so all your adventures you are now able to share with your best friend!
Being pregnant has definitely been one of those moments when what I thought I knew was actually nothing!! Welcome to my complete roller coaster of emotions :)

My Growing Baby Bump

Story So Far

Jeff and I had a plan. We would wait until we were in Medical School to start a family. That would give us a year to travel and be with each other. Heavenly Father had a better plan with perfect timing. After going to the temple in October we had an EXCITING but nervous conversation. Both of us admitted that we were inspired that it was time to stop taking birth control and see what happens. This was on October 13th 2013. I began to feel ALL the symptoms of early pregnancy right away. We were shocked! I was so nervous and didn't want to get my hopes up so I wouldn't take a pregnancy test until November 13th. We both were speechless when we saw the positive sign. Life couldn't have been better!

This was one of those moments that a girl waits for all her life, well at least this girl :) I imagined kissing and giggles, but what I felt was so different than I ever imagined. It was too good to be true that I was in udder shock and unbelief. Unlike the Amber you all know, I was not loud and dancing around. Instead with all the racing emotions in my head I couldn't find words and I was silent. 

We wanted to wait until we were 12 weeks along to tell anyone we were expecting. I know so many that have gone through the heart ache of miscarriages. Because of this I was hesitant to wait to let myself get to excited and tell anyone until I reached into more of the safety zone of the second trimester.  

We wanted to tell our parents in person to see their expressions. We were going to see my mom at Thanksgiving because we were all meeting at my Uncles in Boise. I didn't have plans to see her again until the next summer. The few days before Thanksgiving my mom kept hinting that she wanted us to have a baby. It was so hard not to exclaim that we were! On Thanksgiving morning my mom was the first to find out, long before the 12 week safety zone. We gave my mom the classic baby book "Love You Forever" with this inside:

  Her reaction was priceless. At first she didn't understand and said "ah, so sweet" and put the book to the side. Then I asked her if she got it and she said "yes." Than her face turned to shock, she picked up the book and screamed, "wait, Are you pregnant?" It was Perfect!!!

Starting the week before Thanksgiving, week 5, I began to be so nauseous!!! It was horrible. I remember thinking, "no one ever told me it was going to be this bad!" Some days it took everything I had to get our of bed and allow Jeff to force feed me. 

Pregnancy Nausea is the weirdest thing. Even the thought of food makes you sick to your stomach. Jeff would ask me what sounded good. Trying to think of different foods was usually worse than actually eating them. I still remember the first smell that sent me running. Two days earlier I had made pesto pasta for dinner. I LOVE pesto, well usually. Jeff put it in the microwave and the pesto smell just about killed me.

I lost ten pounds by the time I went to my first doctors appointment.

Eighth Week Appointment

I almost started crying when we heard our little miracle's heart beat for the first time. It was so strong at 166 beats per minute! Hearing my baby made all the sick worth it. At times I started second guessing that a baby was really growing in there. But now it was real!!!

The doctor also surprised us by saying that our baby was actually a week older than we thought. We get little him or her closer to the middle of July than the end!!

The semester in Provo ended so fast. Jeff graduated and we moved up to Coeur d' Alene Idaho. Before I knew it we were celebrating Christmas. During Christmas Eve brunch Jeff and I came up with a fun way to tell his family. We bought three chocolate bars. we changed the wording on them and then wrapped them. We gave one to Jeff's parents, Janneke and Michael, and Jonathan and Carlee.

 

There were screams of shock and excitement coming from every direction!!!! 

It was perfect!

(week 11)

The cutest Husband in the World

The Pregnancy Glow

The famous Pregnancy Glow must be real because starting around Christmas I have been stopped by so many women. Their sweet eyes seem to look into mine and they nod and then say, "Congratulations"

How do they know!?! My only guess is that they can feel or see the beautiful spirit that is so sweet that is with me. 

 I have slowly been watching my belly expand. With each week I am filled with more peace and ahh at the miracle that is taking place. If I didn't believe in God this experience would make me question.

If you have a few minutes follow this link to see the science/ miracle of what is happening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NupIFsk2AFI

Our Little Athlete

The most memorable moment yet was on February 3rd. Jeff and I were sitting in bed getting ready to go to sleep and I felt the flutter. Being pregnant causes me to cry at every sweet commercial and gesture. This moment was no different. I felt our baby! Its little body is big and strong enough to be doing flips and kicking. I could feel it!!! I knew right then that our baby had a personality. It was beginning to explore with it's physical body. everything was new for him or her too. We were in this together. The Spirit that was chosen to come to us, to our little family, was here. It has a purpose and so do we as its parents! I can hardly wait to meet you!!

Over the next week our little miracle would randomly surprise me with a flip or a little "pop". Kind of like popcorn popping. One little pop sensation and it was gone as soon as it was there. On February 7th Jeff and I were watching The Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony and I swear this little athlete was flipping nonstop for over half an hour. This baby must really love sports!! I placed Jeff's hand on the spot on my lower stomach. He said he could feel my stomach muscles going back and forth. I looked at him and said, "That is not me!!" It is one thing to feel it, but seeing the realization and excitement on Jeff's face was priceless!!

Another time our little athlete goes crazy is when we are at choir practice. It must love the loud music, or is mad and wants peace and quiet :) Either way I was so happy to feel all his or her energy!

Our Little Scare

During weeks 17 and 18 my stomach was continually tightening up and hurting. My hips and stomach muscles have been hurting as they have been stretching, but this was different. Janet (my mother in law) put me on bed rest for a couple of days while my test results came in. Relaxing did help a little. Our little one did not move at all, which was scaring me. They could not find what was wrong, but after a couple days on antibiotics I started being able to walk standing straight up again, and the stomach pain began to lessen. So grateful for medicine and Priesthood blessings! 

Cravings

I have two main cravings. The first is lemons. I am always trying to find something that would be good with a lemon on it!! 

Second is chips! I never bought a bag of chips before being pregnant. Now I always want them. Any flavor is good, but Red Hot Cheetos are the best!!

Each Day Gets Us Closer to Meeting Our Little Athlete

 Week 5(waist 30")                  Week 10

                             Week 12

                              Week 14                              (Bahamas)                                                 

Week 15 
(Back in CDA Idaho)

Waist 37"

 

Week 16

 

Week 17 

Valentines Day

Week 18

waist 39"

Our miracle is the size of a Sweet Potato this week!!

In two days, February 20th 2014, we get to see our baby. I can hardly wait to see our little athlete on the 3D ultra sound!! I get to hear the heart beat every four weeks at our doctor appointments, but this time I will get to see its little heart and brain.... And find out if you are a girl or boy!!!!!!!

It is inspiring to look back over my life, what led me here. God knew the perfect timing. We get married when we should and have babies when we should, when we follow the spirit.

 I have chosen to be a mom! 

Maybe I wanted this when I was 20. I am not saying it is easy now, but it is perfect now! I am with the man that knows best how to comfort and care for me, and I hope I do the same for him. I could not see myself go through this incredible blessing with anyone else and without the knowledge that I have gained in the past seven years! I pray I can continue trusting in God's timing!!

I Hope You Know Little One 

That You Are

LOVED!!!