The last post about my life was 6 months ago.  I had planned to post wedding photos and didn’t get around to it.  I had planned to post alot of things.  But it just didn’t happen.  I love to write, I love to read and crochet and take photos and travel …but working full time and being busy with friends and family doesn’t allow much time for those things.  But thank god for a job and amazing people in my life to keep me busy!!!  So… this blog ended up being the place I post my best recipes or give an update every 6 months or so.  That ends up being the case most often because I’m a perfectionist.  I’ll work on a blog post for 2 days before I’ll post it.  I am going to have to get over that.  Big developments have occurred since that post 6 months ago…most notably, I became pregnant with my first child!!!  And a good friend of mine recently reminded me that I’m going to have to become a much better blogger now that I have the life of a child to document for friends and family.  Posting photos to Facebook and Instagram and Twitter is great…but those only tell half the story…and I know with this baby will come alot of stories that need to be told.  So my new year’s resolution is this…to document and blog every bit of this journey…the pregnancy, our growing family, all of it.  All of the funny moments, all the issues that get me in a rage, all of the heartbreaks….all of it.  Because a baby will probably make me even more opinionated and passionate and crazy than I already am!!!

So…since I never got around to it…here are our AMAZING wedding photos.  I’m incredibly proud of them.  I can’t wait for Luke and Jackie to continue to document our growing family over the years 🙂 Here is their really cool blog post about the wedding!

So yes, we are expecting.  You’re probably thinking that was pretty soon after our marriage and yes, it was, but that was our plan!  I plan to go back for my PhD and we debated a long time about which to pursue first.  The application process is lengthy and even if I get accepted I wouldn’t be starting until next fall…so going ahead and trying for a baby was sorta a no brainer!  I wanted to at least have my first child before I am 35.  We were very blessed that we were able to conceive so quickly – and on our 6 month anniversary to be exact!  I feel that I HAVE to be a parent, that it is in God’s plan for my life, and Eric feels the same way.  We have felt for a long time an incredible pull to have children.  I wrote THIS BLOG a couple of years ago…my oh my how life changes quickly right?  I became deeply connected to this amazing human being that shares my goals and dreams and values in life… and we are embarking on this journey together.  I couldn’t be more excited and more sure that everything has happened in its right time!  

So…all the things about pregnancy that I didn’t expect to experience until later, started right away.  Apparently all these hormones begin surging and they make you extremely tired and nauseous and bloated and, worst of all, make you have to pee every 10 minutes.  I already peed alot but geez.  The one thing that’s been pretty fun is the cravings.  Around 5 weeks it was chicken salad.  I ate so much chicken salad that I decided I’d be happy if I never saw chicken salad again.  After that the nausea started around 6 weeks and was HORRID for about 2 weeks.  During this time I craved bread, sandwiches and crackers.  I stocked up on gluten free bread and ate alot of turkey sandwiches.  I also discovered that things I LOVE started making me sick….like coffee.  I switched completely to decaf when I got pregnant and was doing fine, then all of a sudden my morning java started making me gag.  So…I switched to hot tea.  Around 7 weeks I started craving crispy and cold things like salads.  I ate a ton of tofu salad from Golden Temple.  It’s like egg salad and it’s heaven.  I also started craving cold milk.  I went through almond milk like crazy.    Around week 9 I
started craving BAD stuff like burgers and nachos.  I got the bison burger at Dram and some really greasy nachos from El Cazador and that settled that craving…I’m glad it didn’t last long.  For the last couple of weeks it’s been back to cold things.  I’ve started eating a ton of fruit; cold apples, grapefruit, frozen blueberries, etc.  The nausea has gotten SO much better as has the fatigue.  Here’s my first belly pic and our most recent ultrasound pic….

Life now is consumed with research about the must have baby products and breastfeeding and cloth diapering.  Eric and I have stocked up on parenting books and books about natural childbirth – which I plan to do.  I’m learning that EVERYONE has an opinion about everything when it comes to babies and pregnancy…and I’m listening and taking advice, while also knowing that ultimately I have to do what I feel is right for my family.  One thing is for sure…everyone is different…every parent and every child is different.  What works for one doesn’t work for all and I’m excited to find my own way on this little path of discovery.  

Love to you all!