11 weeks
so here's what's gone on around these parts so far...
on february 25th we found out that we were expecting. wow. i have never seen anything more exhilarating and life-changing than that little ol' plus sign. we are having a baby. a baby. wow. this is a new and totally unfamiliar chapter in life. how grateful we are for a sovereign God. His timing is perfect. He has planned it all. and now, He is actively knitting a little person. we have been blown away as we read about how tiny that little life is and yet how grand His design. did you know that the heart starts beating when the baby is still the size of a poppy seed? remarkable. such joy and excitement. we feel overwhelmed with gratitude for this incredible blessing. and by the way, ben has started to call me "honey bump" which is pretty darn cute.
since then, we have made many lists. lists for what to eat [and what not to eat]. lists of people to tell. lists of baby gear. lists of baby names. we are nuts over here.
my first appointment was on march 15th [the ides of march]. i kind of assumed that they would do some testing and actually confirm what the little drugstore pregnancy test said. instead, they greeted me with a new mom packet to fill out [and no, i had not picked out a pediatrician yet. i already feel behind] and a bag of baby samples and goodies. they just jumped right into congratulations and questions. so, okay...it guess it is all systems go! oh yes, they also drained about 4 viles of blood to make sure everything is copacetic with the baby. all seems to be well. it is real, people.
cravings & such. so far, no food aversions or weird cravings or sickness. what a blessing! keep it up, baby! i have been wanting carbs more than usual. i think baby likes macaroni and cheese and bread so we have enjoyed the occasional carb splurge which i am pretty sure hubby is loving since he is used to my gluten-free ways.
the bump. no super obvious baby bump yet. just a general feeling of puffy tummy. i know that is just the baby getting situated for the next few months so, by all means, make yourself at home.
cool & cute things. since my mom has been in canada for two months cleaning out my grandma's house...it has made things a bit tricky. my dad planned to join her on march 28th and then returning on easter sunday. perfect, we thought, we can get the families together for easter and do some cute "the egg is hatching" or "i'm on the nest" thing to tell everyone at once. well, my dad soon informed me that they wouldn't be flying in until late that night. there goes that idea [baby lesson #1: be flexible and go with what God gives you]. what to do...? ben and i thought about it and decided that it would be fun to make a great memory for my parents at the old ridley homestead.
what did we do? we bought t-shirts [see below]. we sent a package with my dad for my parents to open together upon his arrival in canada. and we brought a package to ben's parents to spill the beans with them. it was pretty fun and the parents have been donning their shirts proudly. we followed that up with a call to ben's sister and a dinner with my sister. from there, we have shared the news with our friends. the news is out. what a fun time. this baby is going to be pretty loved and covered in prayer. we feel so overwhelmed and blessed and excited.
new things: baby is almost fully formed! what?!
meaningful moments: this week, ben and i heard the heartbeat for the first time. what a cute and lively little whooshing sound! AND we had our first ultrasound. that was amazing. it made things so real to see that tiny little baby moving around [!!!!] and to watch the heart flutter. we were pretty overwhelmed. God is such a masterful and intricate Creator. we were [and continue to be] in awe.
the countdown: baby is due to arrive on november 2nd. 201 days to go!
current size: a fig