This beautiful boy of ours has officially been out as long as he was in. I have a lot of feelings about this. Feel free to quit reading now if you would rather not hear about them.
In some ways I can't even remember what our life was like before Charlie came into it. Parenthood is different than I imagined it would be. I was prepared for the sleepless nights, endless diaper changes, and puke on everything you own (not that being prepared actually makes things easier). But I feel like no one tells you all the good stuff. Like how your heart somehow grows ten sizes and you not only fall in love with this little squishy human you just met five seconds ago but how you also fall in love with your husband all over again in a totally new way.
We found out I was pregnant on June 1st last year and after going through an early miscarriage a few months before that I have to say I didn't want to get my hopes up again. But two weeks after that positive test I woke up one morning to horrible "morning" sickness. For some reason that just really set my mind at ease (maybe because I couldn't think of anything else but where is the closest trash can so I can throw up?) and every day felt like a small victory.
Now I put morning sickness in quotes up there because for me, it started in the morning and about nine pm I would start to feel better. Then I would go to sleep and start it all over again the next day! Luckily my dr prescribed me some meds which made my life much more bearable! By the time I was about sixteen weeks the constant nausea started to subside. But then a whole new round of sickness found me. I wasn't sick all the time anymore but I would just randomly get a wave of nausea and throw up. Sooo pleasant. I can't even tell you how many times I had to run down the hall at work to the bathroom to throw up my breakfast. I still can't eat cheerios.
When I was ten weeks we flew home to Idaho for a family event and we were ready to tell our families! That part was probably one of the best things about being pregnant. Every one was so excited and happy for us. It was so fun to see the looks on all those faces when we showed them our ultrasound picture!
^^ This was the picture we posted to tell all our friends about the baby! (I am about 16 weeks in the picture.)
^^ At our anatomy scan appointment when I was 19 weeks we had the ultrasound tech write down on a card if I was having a boy or girl. Then we took the card to hyvee and had them fill a box with blue or pink balloons based on what the card said. The lady who did it couldn't believe she was going to be the first one to find out what we were having and she said it was the coolest thing she had ever done! So we got our families on FaceTime and opened up that box to find blue balloons! We had everyone "wear" their guess by wearing pink or blue.
I had a feeling I was having a boy but you just never know until you actually know! We were so excited!!! We both really wanted to have a boy first.
^^ September 20, 2012
(20 weeks)
Then my belly started to grow and grow and grow! I'm really glad I took some pictures to document the growing bump.
^^ September 28, 2012
(21 weeks)
^^ September 30, 2012
^^ October 3, 2012
(22 weeks)
^^ October 5, 2012
^^ October 19, 2012
(24 weeks)
^^ November 3, 2012
(27 weeks)
This was right around the time I started feeling so much better and actually started to really enjoy being pregnant. Aside from the puking thing, pregnancy was actually really good to me. My hair was thick and long (and not falling out like it is now!) and my skin was soft and clear.
I really loved being pregnant. I loved getting to carry my boy around with me everywhere and feeling all those kicks and flips. I honestly felt like I was meant to be a mom. Pregnancy just felt totally right for me. I felt like I was really myself when I was pregnant.
Now being a new mom some days I feel a little bit lost some days but I look back on those months of being pregnant and I remember how I felt and it sort of centers me again.
^^ November 6, 2012
^^ December 8, 2012
(31 weeks)
^^ December 22, 2012
(33 weeks)
Annie's wedding!
^^ December 24, 2012
Bowling on Christmas eve!
^^ December 30, 2012
(34 weeks)
Not long after this I was in a store and a woman asked me if I was having twins (pretty much a daily occurrence my whole pregnancy) and I told her no it was just one. Well then she proceeded to tell me, "I bet it's twin girls." Uhhhh nope. It's just one and it's a boy thanks for asking. I will never understand why people think it's ok to say certain things to pregnant women. I thought of lots of witty comebacks to rude people but I usually just smiled and held my tongue. Now whenever I see a pregnant lady I just tell her how great she looks because let's be honest that's the only thing you want to hear when you're pregnant.
^^ January 16, 2013
(37 weeks)
This was the day they did an ultrasound and told me he was measuring in at nine pounds! I can believe it looking at the size of my belly! This was also right around the time I lost the ability to take a deep breath and about the time my belly button decided to rebel and a couple of stretch marks showed up. (And I obviously could only fit into like two shirts at this point! Haha.)
^^ January 24, 2013
(38 weeks)
^^ January 31, 2013
(39 weeks)
^^ February 4, 2013
(39 weeks 5 days)
I feel so lucky to be this boy's mama. Everyday I look around at my life and I am just so grateful for our little family. It feels like we have crossed a line now that he has been on the outside longer than he was on the inside. Like he really isn't a tiny newborn anymore. I mean, I know he isn't (have you seen the kid?) but I could pretend until now. He is officially past that stage and while it's nice that he can sleep through the night and big kid stuff like that I would love to have just one day of newborn Charlie back.
It feels like this picture was taken five seconds ago and also five hundred years ago. I can't believe how much he has grown in the last nine months. He is just the best and every day spent with him is a good day. I don't want to say that my life didn't begin until he came into it, because I had a really great life up until that cold February day!
But having him changed everything and once you know, you just know.
No comments:
Post a Comment