Hi friends!
I wanted to take some time on the blog today to catch you up on all our first trimester craziness and answer the most-asked pregnancy questions I’ve gotten now that we’re 14 weeks and into the second trimester!
“How did you find out?” I’d missed my period by a week, but we were doing some fasting so I thought that might just have thrown things off and I was really convinced that I knew my body and I wasn’t pregnant. We were in NoVA visiting family for the New Year and had just hung out with my sister, who was describing some of her pregnancy symptoms that made me take pause. We said goodbye to her and I looked at Alvin and said, “Let’s go buy a pregnancy test.” We took it back to his parents house, and waited in the bathroom as quietly as possible to find out together. I could hardly believe it! We were pregnant! We were both so happy and excited and just walked on air for a few days before telling anyone.
So many people have asked, “How have you been feeling!?” and ya’ll, I feel so blessed to say that nausea really hasn’t been a part of my pregnancy! I feel incredibly lucky, especially with our international travel mixed in. My number one symptom, especially first trimester, has been just really intense fatigue. At the beginning, I was taking two naps a day just to feel functional. Then I was down to one nap (but if it wasn’t an hour and a half, it didn’t count!), and now I’m trying to wean myself off that. Thankfully, I’m in my off-season with photography where I’m not shooting as much and have had margin to indulge the sleepys 🙂
Everyone wants to know if we’re learning gender, if we know gender already, what the gender is… Yes, we are learning gender! Yes, we already know (you can take a blood test at 12 weeks that tells you nowadays!) and we will tell you next week! This weekend my 17yr old brother is planning a fun gender reveal for our immediate families and we can’t wait to share baby’s gender and name with them first!
People have been asking about our families reactions… this has been one of the sweetest parts of pregnancy- telling our loved ones and celebrating with them! We told my sister first and she was just so thrilled…then my mom and she just hugged me and hugged me…then my dad and brother and they couldn’t stop laughing with joy! Then Alvin’s parents- his dad cried!…then his brother and sister-in-law and Kevin just could not stop smiling… We told our community group and they tackle-hugged us, we told our friends and they squealed, we told our youth group kids through a charades game and they totally didn’t get it until we spelled it out for them (so funny!), and lastly we told our college kids and, if I’m honest, their reactions were probably my favorite- the girls cried, the guys high-fived Alvin, and everyone erupted into applause!
What a sweet, sweet season we are in. This little one has already brought so much JOY! I can’t wait to share gender and baby’s name with you all next week!!!
Enjoy some sweet photos from our first trimester!
Love,
Sarah
PS- the super pixelated photos are video screenshots, and I’ll post the videos on my Instastories today!
Dear Baby,
In the last 3 months you have been all over the world! We found out you were there in NoVA and celebrated in the places where your dad and I fell in love. We took you home and let you grow in Chesapeake, the place we’ve come to call home. You came with us across the world and back- to Taiwan and beyond to meet family and adventure with us! And then you and I went to Atlanta for a conference…whew, we’ve been busy!
In the last 3 months you have brought a magic, a joy, to our lives that we never could have imagined before. Your dad just lays in bed at night and stares at your pictures. I fall asleep with my hand on you, praying for you. You have brought smiles, laughter, and tears of joy to those who have heard you were here. Your grandparents and aunts and uncles are so excited to meet you!
In the last 3 months you have softened your dad in ways I’ve never seen before. He has been so joyful…so hopeful…so sentimental and it is just beautiful. He loves you so much, you have no idea. And he loves me so well. He looks out for me, does all the research for me, cuddles me till I fall asleep, and tells me how beautiful my little bump is with tears in his eyes. One day you’ll know just how special he is.
Your dad and I have been excited just thinking about you ever since we were dating, but now that you’re here we just can’t contain ourselves! You are so, so loved. Thank you for making me a mama. I can’t wait to meet you on the outside! 🙂
1 thought on “My First Trimester”