baby | 16 weeks

Well folks, it's true, we're going to be parents right around the end of August! I'm 16 weeks along and baby J is growing like crazy! It's hard to believe that in just 4 weeks we'll already be halfway to meeting our sweet little baby.

The first 15 weeks were pretty rough morning sickness wise (thus my total lack of blogging the past several months).  I happen to be one of the lucky few who throw up nearly everything during the first trimester. Thankfully my doctor was able to prescribe a medication that helped with the nausea when I wasn't eating but unfortunately did little to actually keep food in my belly.  When I went in for my 12 week appointment, the doctor said the baby was growing really well but she was concerned because I had been losing weight consistently since about 6 weeks.  At that point my doctor said that I needed to start keeping food down on my own and gaining at least a lb/week or I would need to supplement with a home IV service.  For a couple weeks I was able to hold my weight steady but wasn't able to really gain anything. Thankfully when I got into my 15th week the throwing up mostly stopped and the nausea has also been getting better.  I haven't gotten back up to my pre-pregnancy weight yet (which is hard to believe some mornings when my belly seems bigger than when I went to bed and none of my regular clothes fit right) but everyone assures me that will be taken care of later in the second trimester when you feel like you could eat anything and everything in sight. :)

Isaac has really been a trooper.  He's been taking great care of me and because I haven't really been able to cook much since becoming pregnant, he's also been cooking for himself (he's perfected mac and cheese with hotdogs).  Thankfully I haven't had to miss a single day of work, but I was getting home and going straight to bed for awhile so he has also been doing a lot of extra work around the house -- what a guy!

I'm finally starting to feel more like myself again and am enjoying having a little more energy and the ability to stay up past 7pm.  I'm even back to cooking dinner (albeit meat free -- this pregnancy has made me a begrudging vegetarian) pretty regularly!  And now that I'm feeling better, I'll do my best to update regularly and post pictures, so keep checking in!  I also hope to post some of the baby projects I've started working on.

Even with the not feeling great part I absolutely love being pregnant.  I love watching my belly grow and hearing our baby's heartbeat at doctors appointments.  I love preparing for baby J's arrival by working on a crib set and crocheting little booties and hats.  But most of all I love thinking about and praying for our baby as he or she grows and develops a little more each week.  It's overwhelming in the best possible way when I think about how God has entrusted this precious child to us, and I pray that by his grace our little family may serve as mirror of Christ's love for us.

1 Samuel 1 27-28
27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.