The First Trimester: A Quick Summary

After our BFP (as many pregnant women would refer to it: BIG FAT POSTIVE) bliss was one way to describe me.  Once again my big mouth let EVERYONE know.  We were just going to tell close family and friends, but I was soon telling my friends at work and extended family as well.  Everyone was so excited they could hardly contain it as well.  I did however manage to make it to the second trimester before I told my class.

The thing I remember most about my first trimester was the EXHAUSTION!  I was soooo tired every day.  That is why I stopped running mostly.  I could hardly keep up with my day to day, but to add exercise on top of it seemed impossible.

Around week 6 I started to get sick...ALL DAY.  Week 7 I bought Sea Bands, and didn't take them off unless I was showering.  I truly believe they worked.  Wearing them, I only had a few episodes of morning sickness (that would come in the evening) where as before I had it all day, everyday! 

At 7 1/2 weeks we went for our first ultrasound and saw our little bean.  So tiny.  Fluttering away and a strong heart beat of 170 bpm!!  We left so happy and a little in shock.

At 12 1/2 weeks we heard the heart beat again.  My sister Megan got to come along.  It is the best feeling.  Kinda one of joy and relief. 

It's funny looking back now.  With how long it took to get to this point, and now that we are here...IT IS GOING SO FAST!

"Trying" for a Baby: Part 3 (The Happy Ending!)

Over the summer I was at church one day and I realized that God was speaking to me.  I opened up my heart and listened.  He said (well this is how I interpreted it) "Jami...take a breath.  You will be a mother in time, but I have plans for you still."

All year I had been praying for patience.  I prayed so hard for God to give me patience.  And what I learned was that he doesn't just give you patience, but he teaches it to you.  He doesn't just give you patience, but he gives you oppurtunities to try out your patience.

God showed me some areas of my life where I could grow.  And I also decided that there were things I wanted to do myself.  So I set some goals!

The best thing I did for myself was starting to work out.  Keith and I signed up for a 5k in November and I made us a training schedule.  In September I began working out almost everyday after work.  We would run 2 miles three times a week, and then ride our bikes and lift weights.  I was feeling great.  The best part was that I didn't feel crazy anymore.  I was enjoying my life and this new found love with my husband.

As our race was approaching, I was getting excited.  I just wanted to finish in under 45 minutes.  But about a week and a half before the race, I was LATE...I was actually a week late.  So on Wednesday, October 27, I took a pregnancy test and.....

IT WAS POSITIVE!!  So in disbelief we took a few more!  And so we began the 9 month journey.




P.S. I did run my race!  I finished in 24 minutes and ran the whole 3.1 miles.  I was so proud of myself and the hard work I put into it.  We even got medals! 

I have only ran once since...haha!

A "Protruding" Fear

I'm just over seventeen weeks and I am truly enjoying pregnancy.  I try my best to not think about the painful process that will result in my little bundle of joy...seeing as how I probably have five more months.  So I blissfully take in each day and try my best to enjoy it and my growing belly.

Being pregnant does insure one thing...that people genuinely care how you are feeling.  On a typical day at work (being a teacher I am around different people everyday) I am asked

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

probably 5-6 times.  Before pregnancy people only cared after you had missed a day of work or gone home sick.  People ask all the time.  It's very sweet.  I always respond the same way...

I FEEL GREAT...

because I do!  I feel amazing.

Pregnancy has many perks.  The first of course is that wonderful sensation of feeling your baby move for the first time.  I've only felt it a couple of times (at least I'm almost positive that is what I was feeling :) But it is such a high.  Glowing skin is another great perk!  After dealing with ACNE the whole time I was trying to conceive, pregnancy has been the best zit cream I have ever applied.  I just feel like I have a glow.

However, while I love my new skin and my growing belly, those lingering fears of horrible pregnancy side effects still hovers over me.  Actually one of my worse is what I call a "protruding" fear and it will soon be coming true.  This week I was resting my hand on my belly, when I noticed that my once tightly hid inny-belly button, no longer feels so "tight."  It also no longer feels so "in" as it did a week ago.  I know what you are thinking, "Jami how can you be so vain!  It happens to a lot of pregnant women.  It goes back..." But for some reason an "outy" on me, grosses me out.  I don't know why.  However, I do know that I will be getting over that fear very soon...

I give it another month and I will have a "protruding" belly button.

Four Month Check-Up

We just got home from our four month check-up.  This will be our last appointment with my OB as she will be going on maternity leave herself starting next week.  From here on out we will basically just have an assortment of doctors until this baby makes its grand appearance this summer.  Should be interesting to say the least.

The appointment went well.  I got some questions answered and all vitals looked great.  The best part of course was hearing Baby Butler's heart beating away.  The doctor put the doppler up to my belly and found it right away.  Daddy-to-be recorded it so we could share it with all of you.  

Click here to hear the little one!

Makes my heart smile!

"Trying" for a Baby: Part 2

So I last left you with Keith telling me that he would like to "move up the date."  Now he doesn't admit this now, and I am one to get excited, but I'm pretty sure what he was saying is, "I'm ready to be a dad now."  And if that wasn't what he was saying, well that is how I took it.

The happy couple just a few months after making this HUGE decision!

I was on cloud nine.  At first I wanted to keep it a secret.  Then I wanted to
SHOUT IT FROM THE MOUNTAINS!!!  Keith let me do what I wanted, so I told our parents, our close friends, and my siblings.  Everyone was so excited that we were ready to be parents.  You would have thought that I already had a bun in the oven.

I soon learned that this was one of the biggest mistakes I could make. 

See what we didn't know as love-struck, unexperienced triers, is that sometimes, "not preventing" pregnancy does not mean that you get pregnant.  And before you know it, "not preventing" seems to turn into "actively trying" and then that seems to turn into "miserably failing."  And when people would ask, I had to say, "Not yet..."

Fast forward almost nine months and: Negative test after negative test. A basket case wife.  An expensive fertility monitor. Temping. Charting. Praying. STRESSING!!!

Wanting a baby was RULING my life and making me CrAZy.  

But grace was on it's way...