Overnight Bump

I did it. I survived the first trimester! I don't feel quite back to my old self (and I don't imagine I will for quite a few more months, if ever!), but the first trimester blahs are settling down to make room for fun, new second trimester symptoms.

Things I've experienced so far this trimester include: Random gagging, bleeding gums, nasal congestion, shortness of breath and charley horses in the wee morning hours. Yup, according to all the books I'm right where I'm supposed to be :-)

On a positive note, I'm pretty sure I felt the baby flutter for the first time on Memorial Day! Jonathan and I had been cleaning out the room that will be the nursery, and when I sat down to rest I felt that strange butterfly-like feeling moms often describe. I felt it a few more times throughout the remainder of the day - and once more as I was climbing in bed to go to sleep. What a wonderful experience!

Now, I look forward to finding out whether Nugget is a boy or girl. I'm excited that people are starting to notice my growing bump, too (and that I'll soon be able to fill out my hip new maternity clothes)!

This trimester brings with it a long to-do list. I feel like, while I have energy, I should get started on the nursery. And, since I'm experiencing a major nesting phase, I think I'll go with it and see what I can get accomplished. I have also started thinking about all the things I'll need to register for. Please feel free to pass along your tips and warnings to these inexperienced, unknowledgeable, first-time parents. :-)

At this point, I'm finally starting to feel some of that pregnancy excitement! Yipee for me!!

I'll leave you with some comparison belly shots:

(7 weeks. Washboards & regular jeans)

(15 weeks. Maternity skirt & an overnight bump!)

Seaside Round-up

We just got back from Seaside — a.k.a. the most relaxing place on earth. This trip will likely have to serve as our babymoon unless we can squeak in another mini vacay somewhere!

We return to this beach annually because it holds a special place in our hearts. Seaside has truly seen the evolution of Jonathan and Liz. The first time we were there Jonathan was my friend with the hint of something more, the second time we were newlyweds and this time we're pregnant! I hope we get to return next May so we can introduce 5-month-old Nugget to our favorite sunny spot!

Here's a recap of last year's trip to Seaside: Vacation, More Seaside and Another Day in Paradise.

I took scant few pictures on this trip. Lucky for you, my father-in-law, Rick, was on top of the photo duties this year. I was busy being nauseous, celebrating my 29th birthday and having a happy Mother's Day :-)

 Here are some pictures from the music and arts festival that was going on:

(Artist Justin Gaffrey at work! Brilliant!)

Please notice that his paintings aren't just chunky—they're practically 3D!

Needless to say it was another fun year!! Can't wait to go back!

Support!

I feel SO much better. No, I'm not over the constant nausea. No, I don't suddenly feel maternal or even like I've escaped life inside an alien body...

But (and it's a BIG but...), I've found myself a little support group of women who had rough first trimesters—who have also, at one point, questioned their abilities as expectant mothers—who even <gulp> didn't enjoy pregnancy!

In our society, I'm made to feel horrible if I don't talk about pregnancy while beaming excitement. How exactly am I to do that when walking from one room to the next is a strain on this body??

I'm not alone in that this baby would only eat pickles if not for my husband's constant intervention. I'm also not the only one who can't take a shower without the world spinning around me.

In connecting with these other women who endured hardships and went on to feel great, love their babies and be wonderful mothers, I'm able to appreciate where I'm at (and this Nugget) just a little bit more. And that's something I'll take at this moment.

My birthday is May 12. All I ask for this year are prayers! :-)

This baby.

Whoa. This baby has already changed my life.

I'm now in my 10th week of pregnancy! I cannot believe I'm hurtling toward the second trimester. This body is already being stretched. That's why I was scared to read on BabyCenter the other day that "he or she is poised for rapid weight gain." Gulp. Guess that means I am, too!!

I'm amazed to think that our baby has every major organ in place at this point. Makes abortion even more unthinkable — especially when we were able to hear our baby's heartbeat at 8 weeks!

I have dreamed of this experience my entire life. I used to tell everyone that I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. I wasn't prepared for what this would actually be like — how my body would actually feel. I haven't actually puked (yet), but my life is admittedly pretty miserable on the nausea front most days (Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs pretty much sums it up perfectly!). It's hard to wake up. It's hard to get up. It's hard to eat, but I have to do it all day every day. I don't like the smell or taste of anything I liked before. Everything is highly offensive — including the honeysuckles growing by my car! Sometimes, oatmeal tastes like green beans. Sometimes my spit tastes like copper pennies. My house smells like death and vomit and dirt. I'm really very pleasant to be around.

My birthday is May 12 and I'm celebrating with a beach vacation. The next day is Mother's Day; that will definitely be special for me this year. Please, Loving & Merciful God of all the universe, let me be over this sickness by then.

The last time I was distracted from my nausea was when I was hearing the heartbeat of my baby for the first time and seeing him/her on the ultrasound. If only I could be reminded of why I'm suffering through this at least once a day :-) Anyone got an ultrasound machine??

Here was my fave picture of Nugget (and to think how much he/she has changed since this photo was snapped!):

Winner, Winner...

Thank you to everyone who participated in my inaugural giveaway. Isn't Lezlee impressive?? I happen to think so!

Without further adieu, the winner of the LE prize pack (picked by an online randomizer) is.....

ANNIE BRACKETT!

Congratulations, Annie. I will be contacting you through FB to get your address!

Giveaway!

You all remember the post I wrote a while back telling you about my amazing friend, Lezlee Elliott.

Since then, Lezlee's been creating more fab products on her Etsy store. She's got something in Trader Joe's and I've even spotted an LE design in Kroger! And now a few big companies (secret!) are courting her.

Despite her fame, she's agreed to a giveaway on my blog! Yipee for you! I'll keep this short and sweet since I'm likely dry heaving:

The Bounty:

This one's for the gals (or for a man who wants to spoil his gal!). Lezlee has agreed to pamper one of my blog readers with some lovely products featuring her work, including one of her custom Blossom Toss Up jotters for taking notes on the go, two Not Soap, Radio chap slicks (chocolate hazelnut capo-ccino and milk chocolate orange truffle), an one Not Soap, Radio "I'm not here, I'm really...on holiday in Tuscany" solid parfum, and one of her "Fabulous" Trader Joe's birthday cards. Think of this as an emergency kit for any woman!

The Rules to Enter:

All we're asking you to do to enter is log onto FB and "like" Lezlee's page. If you have already done so, leave a comment on this post (FB is fine, too) telling me you've liked her page. If you want a second entry, leave a comment on my blog telling me what your fave LE product is. I'm going to be generous and give you through the weekend. You have until Monday at 5 p.m. to complete your assignment and be entered to win this lovely, decadent prize. I will announce the winner on my blog, FB and Twitter on Monday evening.

Good luck, ladies!

The Big Reveal

Now that you all know our secret, I guess I can fill you in on more of the details of what's taken place over the past few weeks!

A lot has been happening since we found out about Nugget. The story of how I found out is pretty entertaining, but I will not be sharing that here! I will say that I found out on a Friday afternoon while working from home and decided I was too impatient to wait for Jonathan to return home from work. Instead, I went to McDonalds and picked up a 4-piece count of chicken nuggets and dropped them off at the newspaper, thinking that since we'd joked about wanting a "lil nugget" he would pick up on my hint. This, for some reason, didn't clue my sweet husband into what I was trying to tell him. So, I added, "And I will be giving you another nugget later..." It definitely sunk in then and we shared a sweet moment.

We were fortunate enough that my parents were taking a day-trip to visit us the following day, so we decided to invite Jonathan's parents over to have lunch, too, so we could tell everyone at once. We bought a couple of children's books and presented it to our parents at the dinner table. I have a brief video clip of that moment, but I can't get it to load :-(

Here's a picture of the proud grandmothers with their books:

After lunch we visited Jonathan's Nonna to share the news with her. We snapped a few pictures to commemorate the occasion:

(The boy looks terrified!)

This has been a lot of fun so far (minus the nausea!) We've enjoyed savoring the news as a family, but I'm also thrilled that the word is out and we can openly celebrate our blessing.