It's a...

BOY!!!

(it's very hard to read but it says..."I'm a boy! Happy Anniversary!)

Anniversary Weekend

Arthur and I decided that we would take a special five-year anniversary trip sometime this year. Possible destinations included Key West, Greece, and the Carribean. Buuuut.....with our anniversary approaching we realized this was not going to be our year for a big fancy trip. So we decided instead on a not-so-exotic "stay-cation" to Ft. Worth.

We both took off early and met Friday afternoon for my gender sonogram!!! I love seeing pictures of the baby! It is amazing to see how much it grows each time. It was moving around the entire time. After the exam, the sonographer wrote down the gender in an envelope, sealed it, and gave it to Arthur telling me "no peeking!" (we also got some crazy good news during the exam but more on that later!) Then we dropped off my car at home and headed south to Ft. Worth.

I always measure a hotel by whether or not they provide robes. Not itichy, scratchy robes but big, white, plush robes that you can really snuggle into. The Ashton Hotel passed the robe test with flying colors! It gets better...our room was on the top floor with huge floor-to-ceiling windows with high ceilings and a balcony you could actually walk out onto! The bathroom looked like something from a movie with a huge jacuzzi tub and fancy tile. And before we could set our bags down we got a special delivery of chocolate covered strawberries. We sat on the bed, in our robes, eating strawberries, next to the bouquet of roses Arthur brought for me. I could really get used to this!

One of my favorite parts of our anniversary tradition is our letter book. The traditional first gift for your first anniversary is paper. So Arthur wrote me a letter about our wedding and what happened during our first year of marriage and put it in the book next to our marriage certificate, the private vows we gave each other before our wedding ceremony, and the letter I wrote 11 years ago asking him to be my boyfriend! We take turns writing in the book each year to reflect on everything that happened that year and what might happen in the coming year. Each year we read through all the letters before reading the new letter. That book would be the first thing I grab (after Arthur and the dogs) if we ever had a fire!

This year was Arthur's year to write in the book. It's not the pregnancy hormones because his letters make me cry happy tears every time. I married well y'all.

We read through the letters together, then headed out to dinner at Capital Grill (just 2 short blocks from the hotel.) Our table was waiting for us, covered in rose petals! Sheesh! Are you gagging from the sappyness yet! The meal was yummy but we didn't get any food pics because I have some serious appetite...no time for pictures y'all! Mamma needs to EAT!

Arthur had The Envelope sitting on the table the entire time...tempting me! They finally brought out our lovely dessert complete with a blue and yellow candle. We blew out the candles and finally, FINALLY opened that envelope!

Its a....its a....HEART

Just kidding...its written behind the heart. Stay tuned for the next post!!

Introducing our small fry

No one was more surprised then I was to have the conversation with Arthur where we decided we were ready, really ready, to start a family. It's amazing how God changes your heart!

On Thursday morning, September 26th 2013 I got my first positive pregnancy test. It was so faint Arthur didn't believe me so I took another one Friday morning. The darker line that morning finally convinced him that a baby was indeed on the way.

We flew home to San Antonio to tell our parents and siblings the first weekend in November and their reaction was wonderful...everything I had hoped for! We waited until Christmas, and the end of my first trimester, to tell the rest of our families. My Oma literally sobbed with joy when she heard the news. It was an amazing moment.

The first trimester was rough. The nausea and exhaustion hit me with a vengeance around 7 weeks and continued until about 15 weeks. There were days when I couldn't stomach the thought of anything but bread and potatoes (oh the irony!) At this point, (now 16 weeks) I have about 1-2 days a week of nausea but my energy has finally returned and I can usually make it to 8:30 or 9 before I wear out.

I have to say...throughout my worst weeks, Arthur was amazing (although knowing him, that does not surprise me one bit!) He researched nutrition to make sure he is cooking healthy food for me and the growing baby. And he never got upset when my nausea prevented me from eating a perfectly good and nutritious meal he prepared for me. He never complained about me dragging him to bed with me at 7:30 PM (because I can't fall asleep without him next to me.) Thanks to me, I don't think he's ever been so well rested! (That will change huh!?)

It's been a fun ride so far but I'm so glad that first trimester is behind us! This trimester we get to find out the gender (ahhhh!!!!! can't wait!!!) and have the full anatomy scan to make sure everything is growing normally. We have so much to look forward to :)

16 weeks (almost)

Today I had my 16 weeks OB appointment. I just have to start by saying I absolutely love my midwife and the care I get there. I'm so thankful for that!

At 13 weeks, after a scare, an ultrasound confirmed that I had placenta previa. Although I wanted them to check at this visit my midwife said it just hadn't been enough time for it to resolve yet. So I continue with pelvic rest (bummer!) They will check again at 19 weeks, or before we fly to Norway, whichever comes first.

Overall, everything went well. Our small fry's heartbeat is in the 150s. While our midwife was listening to the heart beat I felt a flutter and the Doppler picked up some static. She asked me, "That was the baby moving...did you feel it?" It was a feeling I had felt before but thought surely there was no way I was feeling the baby move so early!! It was cool to have her confirm that it was indeed the baby I had been feeling.

Only a short week and a half until we find out the gender!!! I am so stinking excited!!!

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014!

Its the start of a new year and 2014 is already shaping up to be our most memorable year yet!

Arthur and I rang in the new year last night by watching football and adding baby names to our ever growing list. We toasted with a dry cider for him and a pretty delicious mocktail for me. We didn't make it anywhere near midnight but counted down to a goodnight kiss at 9:46 PM. 

We're celebrating 2014 in laid back style. I plan to hang out around the house in our pjs until at least noon, drinking tea and watching the Rose Parade. Tonight Arthur and I will finally have our own Christmas and open the gifts we gave to each other this year. Then we'll enjoy some black-eyed peas and call it a night early.

I can't even begin to imagine how different our lives will look one year from today but I'm willing to bet that it's gonna be a great ride. 

Welcome 2014! Bring it!

(Arthur refused to take a picture with me and Bailey wasn't thrilled to either...but I made it happen! First pic of 2014!)