Pregnancy

Bailey 15 weeks

Due Date: May 13th, Actual Date: May 9th

Mark and I agreed from the start (of our marriage) that we would have kids about three years after we were married. We wanted some time for ourselves and be more established before bringing a child into our lives. So we decided that after I worked for three years we would start our family.

Well it happened pretty fast! I couldn’t believe it! I took so many pregnancy tests just to be sure. Mark came home from work and I told him there was something in the bathroom he needed to see. He went in and looked around and couldn’t find anything so showed him the test. He was so nervous but happy! Nervous because he has always been worried about being a good provider for our family – don’t I have a great husband? He’s so caring and I know he’ll be a great provider.

Anyway, I still couldn’t believe that I was pregnant. I had a mix of emotions: of course EXCITED, but also a bit sad because some of my close friends had been through so much disappointmen to have children and my sister Allie going through five years of pain and disappointment and getting nothing. I felt like “Why me? Why do I get it easy and the ones I love have to suffer?” Then I just began to feel grateful that I could have this blessing in my life. I had to remember that, but also be careful of other’s feelings.

Mark and I kept it to ourselves for a while, until I couldn’t keep it a secret from my sister and mom during our trip to visit Allie in Oregon. We were at lunch one day and I just couldn’t take it. I spilled the beans! They were so excited!

From then on pregnancy was pretty good to me. I never was nauseous or sick, I kept teaching school just fine, and I didn’t have any crazy cravings. Life was pretty much normal, I would even forget I was pregnant until I looked in the mirror! My 8th and 9th month got a little harder but I kept on moving around like normal and never really slowed down. It was just difficult to put socks on and paint my toenails. My feet swelled up pretty good the last few weeks and I had to wear flip flops to work, but other than that I really enjoyed being pregnant and feeling our little girl move around.

I must mention that in January Allie sent us an e-mail with an ultrasound photo saying “We’re having a baby!” Allie called me and I thought she was joking! She had been though just about everything to have a baby and nothing ever worked, then all of a sudden on her own she was pregnant?!? Crazy! I was so happy for her I cried. She’s due July 28th with a little boy!

Here are my photos!

Week 10, our first "Family Photo" the baby in this ultrasound photo is about the size of a cashew.

Week 15

Week 19

Week 20, Christmas Eve, we found out it was a GIRL!!!

Week 21

Week 22

Week 24

Week 24 at work, all four of us were pregnant! Angela, Lesha, Me, Cassie. How fun huh!?! You can image what our lunch conversations were like! Angela went into labor 3 days after this was taken.

Week 25

Week 26

Week 28

Week 30

Week 32

Week 33

Week 34

Week 35

Week 36

Week 37

Week 38

Week 39

I was in early labor on this day (Thursday) having contractions 20 minutes apart. Early labor lasted 3 days and I had her on Sunday, May 9th which was Mother's Day!

Here's all of them! I had a great 9 months!