13 Weeks, 2 Days

Only a few more days until I officially hit the "second trimester" of my pregnancy. Do the first 14 weeks seem this long for everybody? For a few days, I was certain I had finally escaped the constant fatigue that has plagued me for the last 8 weeks, but I think nature was just teasing me. Hopefully this won't last much longer! It's not very conducive to getting my Christmas shopping finished! I guess I should just be happy that I'm not feeling sick.

I must confess that I feel like I'm in a very awkward stage of pregnancy right now. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that I am pregnant and I am SO excited to be able to cuddle and love on my little sweet pea once he or she is born. I just feel awkward! I am having a really hard time right now watching my body change. I definitely haven't had the energy to work out as much as I used to. And I go back and forth between thinking "I'm pregnant, I'm just going to eat whatever I want for once and not worry about it" and "I don't want to be HUGE when it's all over an not be able to lose the weight." (The first thought is usually what wins out -- the second just makes me feel guilty!) I'm definitely not ready for maternity clothes yet, but my jeans are steadily getting tighter and tighter -- in all the wrong places like the butt and thighs. (HMMM -- it must be the dryer, right?) I know I just need to quit freaking out and ENJOY this time. I haven't even mentioned the mood swings yet. My goodness -- my poor husband! I started crying the other day in my car as I watched a fire truck pull up next to another car on post and help a mom and her little boy (who I think might have been choking). And don't even think about teasing me or joking with me -- that usually sets off the tear ducts as well.

Jon, on the other hand, is doing fantastic as an expectant father. He attended his first "Daddy Boot Camp" session last week, where they told him they thought he was going to be an awesome dad. I totally agree! I can't wait to see what he's like with a baby!

Other things ARE happening in my life right now besides growing a baby in my belly. I am HOME for Christmas and SO happy to be with family! (It is so good not to be working right now!) As always, it is wonderful to be home! I can't wait to see all of my extended family on Christmas Eve! I get to meet my cousin Carolyn's baby for the first time and I can't wait! Unil then, it will just be a lot of shopping, relaxing, baking, and laughing with my mom and sister.

In case I don't get around to posting again before the 25th,

Merry Christmas!

Change of Heart

Once again it's been a while since my last post. Almost a month! So much has happened! I was hesitating to post because I couldn't talk about the most exciting news -- it was still a secret. :)

Jon and I are expecting our first little one! I have known for a while now and couldn't wait to share the news. We just wanted to wait a little while to tell everyone! I am 11 weeks along and my due date is around June 25. We are just overwhelmed with excitement! Jon is just beside himself with happiness. He has even signed up for "Daddy Boot Camp" on post, which he starts tomorrow. Too funny! He has been quite the dream husband since he heard the news. I haven't touched the laundry or the dishes since the night I told him (I'll tell all about it in my next post)! I'm lovin' all this spoiling!

I feel really good. I haven't had any nausea or morning sickness, which worried me at first, but now I am extremely thankful! I've just been feeling unbelievably exhausted for the past 6 weeks. I didn't even think that kind of tiredness was possible. Things are getting a little better, though, and I'm starting to feel just a little bit more energized each day. The past 7 weeks since I found out have been incrediby long. It seems like the baby grows so slowly and I've been so anxious that everything is okay. The first few weeks of pregnancy are so wierd -- especially if you're not sick. I just kept thinking -- am I really pregnant because I don't feel pregnant! Yesterday was my first exam with the doctor and I feel 1000 times better. We got to hear the heartbeat and it sounds so nice and strong! It was so amazing to hear it! I couldn't help it -- the tears just came! What a miracle!

After thinking about this baby and how excited we are to watch it grow, Jon and I have had a change of heart about staying in the Army. We pretty much knew right away that Special Forces was out of the question, but were still planning to attend the career course at Fort Knox to see what other types of opportunities might open up while we were there. Well, after doing some research, we found out that the only "opportunity" would be to be sent directly to a deploying unit upon graduation from the course. YIKES!! So, to make a long story short, we will not be moving to Kentucky anymore and are now planning to get out of the Army. Jon is already starting his job search, which we are both excited about. It will be interesting to see what God has in store for us!