Goodbye Abs!

I'm currently 6 weeks along and am saying my last farewells to a flat belly! Goodbye wine. Goodbye sushi. Goodbye belly-button ring. Goodbye skinny jeans. And goodbye distance runs.

I received this chalkboard idea and questions via another blog (thanks for the referral, Allie!). Mine will serve to show you my belly growth and how far along Baby Z is. I'll try to keep up with the baby's size in relation to fruit as well. We find it to be a fun comparison. This week Baby Z is the size of a sweet pea!

Our first ultrasound is October 9th when we'll get to hear the heartbeat :)

I'll also try to post the answers to these questions sporadically:

How far along: 6 weeks

Baby size: sweet pea

Starting Weight: 125 lbs

Maternity clothes? - hopefully not for awhile!

Sleep? - anxious

Best moment: positive pregnancy test!

Miss anything: being able to run long distanceà exhausted!

Movement?

Anything makes you queasy or sick: been nauseous all week but not 'sick' yet

Showing yet? - I'd hope not!

Gender: should find out around Christmas

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: excited!

Looking forward to: the next 9 months J

Blessed!

As planners Steve and I had been discussing growing our family for quite awhile. We'd decided the end of the year would be a good time after being married two years and so that, by the time we had the baby, we'd (hopefully) be in a bigger home. But after holding our precious nephew, Landyn, we kinda got 'the fever'. We decided that our trip to San Diego would be our 'Baby-moon' before we'd stop preventing and let God take over. We were convinced that it would take quite some time so we'd still be on schedule for the end of the year. God had other plans for us :)

As we neared our second anniversary, I began to struggle on my runs. I attributed it to the excessive heat we'd been having and my crazy hormone imbalance. Of course, as Steve would tell me, I'm stubborn so fought through it and continued to run. A few weeks later I came down with a cold/sinus infection and began having some cramping. I assumed I'd be starting soon so again, brushed it off. At Steve's softball game, I was discussing these issues with a nurse friend of ours as she gave me strange looks. She responded with 'have you taken a pregnancy test', which of course received a quick, 'Of course not! I'm not pregnant.' I'd told Steve about this which led him to return to what seemed like everything I said 'Oh, it's probably because you're pregnant.' (little did he know!) 

The next evening, Wednesday, September 12th, I began to replay her question incessantly, prompting me to research all the known pregnancy symptoms. Mind you, this is at about 10 pm when Steve is determined to go to bed. I begin to read off about 4/5 symptoms that match mine perfectly including susceptibility to colds, extreme fatigue, breakouts, cramping and constant urination (which is really nothing out of the ordinary if you ask my father-in-law who calls me the 'water sprinkler'). Of course, I enter freak-out mode. "Should I take a test?!"; so Steve decided for me . That way we'd know for sure and he could get some sleep and I'd stop driving him crazy.

As we waited for the results, I paced back and forth saying how I knew it'd be negative and I was completely okay with that; Steve's still trying to sleep----longest two minutes ever. From the guest bathroom, I yell, "Hon, can you come in here?" As Steve stares at the test dumbfounded (because of course he's never seen a test, let alone knows how to read it), and his first response, in true Steve fashion......"Is that your urine on the stick?"

I slept very little that night, just waiting for 7 am when Renee's (if you know me, you know I'm on a first name basis with my amazing doctor!) office opens. I was at the office by 7:45, taking a test. Renee takes me into the testing room and tells me that she still has two minutes remaining on the test and can already affirm that I'm pregnant. Naturally, the two of us shriek and hug. I can honestly say, it was my favorite trip to the doctor...so far :)

A whirlwind of emotions ensued for us after this---shock, a little stress, anxiety, worry but mostly excitement. We quickly sprung into action making a list of our family and friends to share the news with and when we felt appropriate to do so. Convenient for us, we would be having dinner with my parents the next evening and with Jan's birthday the following week, we'd be making our trip to Charleston! We couldn't be any more excited to share the news with Baby Z's grandparents, aunts and uncles!

Ive decided to begin this blog to keep family and friends updated. Don't worry, posts will not typically be this long. This will give you each the opportunity to see Baby Z's progress and how he/she is making me feel as we go along. While we aren't quite ready to make our news public just yet, we appreciate the prayers and support of those who know.