Memorable Moments in Pregnancy

I started realizing that I haven't really documented much from my pregnancy. A few pictures here and there... but nothing written down. So here are a few things that I don't want to forget.

- Taking that first pregnancy test. Seeing the very light second line and having a minor breakdown. I called Tyler in and he tried to reassure me that there was no line. What a great husband, trying to calm down a crazy wife. Upon the second, third and even fourth tests, we were convinced. Tyler then asked a good friend the next morning, "Dude. How accurate are pregnancy tests?" Todd's response, "Pretty damn accurate." :)

-Hearing her heartbeat for the first time at our 12 week sonogram. At that point, all I felt was sick 24/7. There was little joy and excitement on my end. I even found it hard to believe that there was a real live baby in there, even though I definitely felt the effects of all my resources being sucked right out of me. I slept an average of 10 hours a night and basically hated life. I felt drugged every afternoon and I'm sure patience and love for my sweet 3rd graders was the farthest from my mind. But, when I got to see a real live baby on that screen, kicking and moving and hear a REAL heartbeat? Oh my goodness. Pretty incredible.

-How sweet Tyler was to me in those not very fun months of the first trimester. That makes it sound like he's not sweet. He is. But, he did almost anything for me that I asked. He let me sleep through meetings that I'm sure he would have loved for me to be at to support him. He made sandwiches, went on late night grocery store runs, reminded me to eat when I was feeling sick, never made me feel guilty for taking naps after work, waking up to cook/eat dinner, then going straight back to bed. He was a picture of grace and mercy in a time when I was struggling. What a man. He's going to be such a good daddy.

-Finding out that we had a baby girl growing inside of me. Tyler and I had to drive separately to the doc. because I had to go straight from work. My time in the car by myself afterwards with Jesus and Ellerbe was wonderful. It was such a worshipful, fun time. :) It was the first time I think I could honestly say, "I love this baby!" I know that I would have felt this way about having a boy too. There was something about attaching an identity to her that made me realize that she was going to be a person, with a soul, with struggles, needs, victories and defeats. It's easy to forget that I guess when you're just feeling bitter that you can't ever keep your breakfast down.

-Feeling those first movements. It was Thankgiving at the David's house in Dallas. I think it was the Wednesday before and everyone was at work. Tyler and I were happy to have the morning to ourselves. We sat on their deck and read and talked and had coffee together. I had felt her before (I think) but this was the first time that I was able to say with confidence that I felt a little kick or high-five or something. I was even able to feel it with my hand on my stomach. When I told the nurses in my doctor's office this, they didn't believe me. But why would I lie about this?

-Running into the parent of one of my students in the grocery store. She didn't know that I was pregnant and said, "YOU HAVE A BUMP!" :) Pregnancy hormones raging, I totally teared up in the near the apples and said, "Yes! That IS a bump! Thanks for noticing!" It's really fun to go from "chubby" to pregnant. It still doesn't get old when people ask when I'm due or what I'm having. I love it.

-Actually having a baby belly to show for all my hard work :) I still struggle with what to wear (feeling like a beach ball and all...) and feeling not very cute lots of times, but I have a very wonderful husband who makes sure to tell me lots that he thinks I'm the cutest pregnant woman ever and makes cute comments about my belly. (I know... this is ridiculously vain. But let's be honest here... this is what I deal with.)

-The day my innie belly button became an outtie. :) I emailed my closest girlfriends all across the world (literally. Ethiopia, Cambodia, Illinois and Texas.) with a picture. Which, I'm not posting on here. Sorry, I know you're disappointed.

-Starting a countdown marking the days when we get to meet sweet Ellerbe Anne. At the time it was 100 days. Which is crazy, because only 2 ish years ago, I started a countdown to when I would get to know Tyler David as my husband at 100 days. (Who am I kidding, I started far before that, but 100 days is when it got serious. There was a paper chain involved.) And look where we are now? Married for over 2 years! So, apparently time doesn't stop, like I feel that it might. We will REALLY have a little girl filling up our lives in about 85 days now. Unreal.

I think those are all the things I don't want to forget. Of course, there are things I DO want to forget, otherwise, I won't ever have a biological child again. And we want a few more of those guys. (Or so we say pre-Ellerbe.)

What unforgettable things from your pregnancy did you document?