The Big Catch Up Pt. 1

Yes, it has been almost a year since the last update, but never fear, the blog posts will soon be rushing in! As I come to the end of this pregnancy, finishing up my last few weeks of work, I realize what an invaluable memory keeper this blog is to us, and will be to our children.  I want to spend the next few posts getting all caught up on the past year, so when our little Sweet P comes, we will be ready to stay updated with posts and pictures.  So let's start where we left off!

Last year, heading into the holidays, Jeremy and I were working hard at our jobs and on our house.  Spending almost all our free time either at Lowes or church, we managed to stay pretty busy.  Seeing children in our near future, we tried to take advantage of free nights together by going to the movies or out to dinner. We went to some UCLA football games and tried to take little weekend trips when we could. We didn't get much snowboarding in, but managed to get at least a few weekends up at the mountain.  The holidays came and went quickly  as always.  We had a wonderful time enjoying the blessing of family and the celebrating the birth of Christ.  

The first week of February we got the news that would change our lives forever, BABY ON BOARD!  We had been trying for this little miracle for quite some time and I was in complete shock that she was actually on her way.  Here is the recap of those few weeks. 

After close to a year of trying to get pregnant, I was completely convinced the task was impossible.  I had become obsessed with my calendar (thanks to some very handy iPhone apps) and taken more pregnancy tests than I could count.  Luckily, I found a site online where you can buy them in bulk for $0.60 each!  I was fully aware that that week in February would be the week I could expect a period or a negative test. I had been staring at the date for 2 weeks, watching the days creep by, wishing it would come faster. Not being the most patient person on earth, I tested 2 days early (after all, the strips said up to 4 days early!) and the test was negative. Crushed yet again, convinced it would be another month of waiting, I spent most of the day in tears. (Pregnancy hormones?)  Friday, the day I should have tested came and went with no period, but I thought nothing of it, knowing for sure I wasn't pregnant and feeling too deflated to take another test.  Saturday morning I woke up around 5 AM and had this burning desire to test one more time. I lied in bed for close to an hour trying to talk myself out of it, knowing it would be negative and it would ruin my weekend with Jeremy.  At about 6 I just couldn't take it anymore. I quietly got out of bed and took the test.  I of course wasn't looking at it, because I knew it was negative.  As I was washing my hands and getting ready to head back to bed my eye caught a glimpse of something I thought I would never see, a second line! After standing there and staring at it for 5 minutes, I tried to casually get back into bed as if nothing had happened (I had already planned how I wanted to tell Jeremy, and I didn't want to spoil it).  Of course, I was unable to sleep, so I got out of bed and went and cleaned the kitchen, trying to wrap my mind around the thought of being pregnant.  Jeremy had to work that day, so I did my best to avoid eye contact with him and get him out the door before I completely spilled the beans.  After he left, I took another test, and this one miraculously said the same thing, "PREGNANT!" I was in complete shock. 

With 4 hours to kill until Jeremy came home from lunch, I decided to head to Barnes and Noble to get him a "Daddy to be Book."  I also stopped and got some balloons and a card.  The real surprise however, was already waiting at my house.  When we first started trying to get pregnant, I found a shirt online for Abbey that said "I'm going to be a big sister." I ordered it and hid it away, hoping one day I would get to put it on her. Today was that day I had dreamed about!  So after watching the minutes of the clock creep by, it was finally time for Jeremy to come home. I put the shirt on Abbey, set up the balloons and book, and hid behind the door with the video camera.

Abbey performed her role perfectly! Waiting at the door for Jeremy to walk in, it was as if she knew she was executing an important task. She sat so proudly as Jeremy read her shirt in total disbelief. It all went off perfectly, and I will never forget that momentous day as long as I live.  

We had previously decided that when we finally did get pregnant, we would keep it to ourselves for the first 12 weeks.  We did tell our parents that weekend, everyone was of course as elated as we were.

Being in the medical field, coupled with trying to get pregnant for a year, I was very reserved and nervous during those first twelve weeks. I did not have a single pregnancy symptom. No nausea, no fatigue, no mood swings, no soreness, nothing. Of course, this is a complete blessing, but also a little unsettling to a first time pregnant woman.  I took a weekly test so that I could see the line getting darker each week as my hormone levels increased. It was as if I needed something tangible in order to believe I was actually pregnant!

After the first trimester,  I finally let myself relax a bit and accepted that no amount of worrying was beneficial to my growing baby.  Jeremy encouraged me to read Philipians 4:6-7, which I memorized and repeated to myself about 400 times a day. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

At the end of the first trimester, we had our first ultrasound. It was unbelievable to see that little baby for the first time.  The most miraculous experience of my life.  We were ecstatic to tell all our friends and family about the new little blessing.

That first trimester was a magical experience and something I had been looking forward to my entire life.  I loved every second of it, and often had to stop and remind myself what an enormous blessing I had received.  I felt euphoric.