Crazy Pregnant Lady Alert

Finally, the word is out, so I can write an honest blog post without worry!

I'm pregnant!!!

I guess I should give a fair warning--this blog will probably contain a lot more info about baby from here on out (and a lot of gross pregnancy details). But somehow, I don't think most of my readers will mind. I couldn't be more happy to be growing our little family. Stephen has been more than wonderful too, and we're both just very excited for this new step in our lives.

I am eight weeks along today, which means baby is the size of a gummy bear. Still, he/she seems to take up more room than just a gummy bear. I'm trying to convince Stephen there are three people in the bed now and I should get two-thirds of the space. He holds up his fingers to the size of a gummy bear and slides over that much. Thanks, sweetheart.

And the morning sickness--that is the biggest misnomer. If I'm awake, chances are I'm feeling sick. I've been trying a lot of different remedies, and some work sometimes, but then not again later. I'm really taking a blow from it though. I vomit daily, sometimes several times a day. I've taken off a lot of time from work lately--going to work when I'm sick is like the last thing I want to do. I'm not sure I can emphasize that enough, so I'm not even going to try. Just know that most days, laying on the couch or in bed doing nothing sounds ideal. But my midwife reminded me that the baby will be so cute when he/she is born, which makes the sickness worth it.

That's another thing--I'm going with a midwife rather than an OB/GYN. I have a lot of reasons for this, and I've done a lot of research, so just trust me. I might write a post about it someday, but today is not that day. But Stephen and I toured the birthing center a few weeks ago and felt good about it, so we're going forward with that plan. I'll have my first visit in a few weeks, and hopefully we'll hear the heartbeat. That will help me confirm I'm pregnant, as if the missed cycle, positive test, and relentless symptoms haven't done that already. 

I'm always tired. My clothes don't fit right. My face has broken out in acne like a pubescent teenager. The stretch marks have begun, along with a really awful looking (but harmless) rash that apparently affects 1% of pregnant women (lucky me!). Food is the enemy. I don't have cravings so much so as nothing sounds remotely edible except one or two foods which change hourly. Even thinking of certain foods can make me gag. Sharp cheddar cheese and I are friends though, and there have been times where that is all I can manage to eat. I am swearing off lettuce and beans for the rest of my pregnancy, if not life. Stephen has already made several runs to restaurants or the grocery store to satisfy my picky stomach. He's a champ.

Another reason Stephen is a champ: my mood swings. I cry for no reason besides hormones. The other day, I had a meltdown sobbing fit because I loved my husband. He held me and gave me tissues and laughed and thought it was cute. At least I haven't had meltdowns because I'm angry or upset. I think the hardest part of this pregnancy on Stephen is his inability to take away my struggles. He tries. He's been taking care of most of the chores while I've been moaning on the couch, and he brings me cheese slices when that's all I can eat while moaning on the couch. He will give me back rubs at a moment notice and reminds me I'm beautiful when I look in the mirror at my changing body. Alright, I better stop raving about him or I'll start crying again.

To sum up, I'm already a crazy pregnant lady. Eight weeks down, 32ish to go.

Families Can Be Together Forever

Stephen and I took a trip last weekend down to Arizona to visit my grandparents. My family also went with us, except my dad, to visit with them and us. We drove down with Tom on Friday, taking turns for the 6-hour drive to Page. We got there late, but everyone was still awake, so I got to say hi to my Grandpa. He isn't doing well health-wise, so I was really happy we visited them. He's got a sweet setup in his bedroom, and I kept telling him how spoiled he was with a hospital bed, room service, and a summer scheduled full of visitors. On Sunday, I had a chance to sit with him for a few minutes by ourselves. He told me how much he loved my Grandma, and if I stay true, I can have a marriage like theirs, which has always been my goal. When he refers to my grandma as "sweetheart" or "cute gal" it makes my heart melt. I asked him why he married her, and he said, "because I fell in love with her." It was very touching.

It was also great to spend time with my family, especially my mom and sisters. I stayed up late talking with my mom, and it was nice to have uninterrupted time with her to just chat. I also did my sisters' hair one morning, and that was fun for me. I cut off 12 inches of my hair the Thursday before going down and didn't tell anyone so I could surprise my mom. She was very surprised when she saw me getting out of the car, but I've gotten nothing but complements for it. I like it short like this, but it was fun to do hairstyles on my sisters because their hair is almost as long as mine was.

I also had fun playing games with my family. We played Bang, Mancala, Koi Koi, and the Great Dalmuti. Tom taught Stephen how to play Axis and Allies. I like games that are based on luck, and Stephen likes games that are based on skill, so we have to take turns playing different kinds of games. That's called compromise, children, and that's how you know we love each other. Because if I didn't love him, I would not play nearly as many games as I do.

Overall, it was a great trip. Short, but very nice and needed. We came home Sunday, and then early Monday morning, Stephen left for a work retreat to Stanley, Idaho, where he went kayaking and rafting. He also got a pretty good sunburn on his nose. It's cute. I haven't called him Rudolf though, because again, I love him. I'm just glad he's home now. We're still newly-wed enough to miss each other if we're not together, especially overnight.

This past week was the first time I worked five days in a row. I started on a Tuesday, and the next week was Memorial day, so this past week, while my third week of work, was the first full 40-hour week. I have gained a new appreciation for the weekend. Stephen and I went on a date Friday night to see The Fault in Our Stars, a movie based on one of my favorite books by a great author. Going in to the theater, I knew I would cry, and any trace of mascara was gone by the end of the film. Stephen even cried too, so you know it's not just me.

Yesterday, we went to the temple at the same time Stephen's brother was going through the temple for the first time. We weren't able to travel up to Idaho to attend the same session with him and the rest of the family, but it was neat to think we were sitting in the Celestial room at the same time--this was symbolic of us being in heaven with them, even if we were in a different room. I thought it was a cute idea, anyway. I love attending the temple. It is the best way for me to feel peace and hope.

Well, I think I'm going to end this post here. We're loving life and enjoying new experiences together. It's hard to believe it has been nine and a half months since we were married--it seems like a lot, and also like so little. Good thing we have eternity to go!