We can't wait for September!!

In case you didn't notice from the not-so-subtle change to my blog heading, we're expecting a baby!! I have been absolutely bursting to share these fun pictures that James and Miranda took for us last Monday. :) So here they are! 

I wanted to take some so we'd have a cute way to announce it. Spencer humored me. :) Quite a few people know already, probably including everyone who reads my blog regularly. We have my first prenatal appointment tomorrow and as long as everything looks good and healthy, we'll announce to facebook afterwards. The appointment was supposed to be a few weeks ago, but Spencer ended up having that interview in Michigan the same day, so we rescheduled. 

I'm about 12.5 weeks along right now, so the first trimester is just about over. I'm feeling pretty good. I had a few weeks of nausea, and up until last week I had food aversions to basically everything. I didn't have much morning sickness (and when I did it was at night after I took my prenatal vitamins). The worst part of this whole thing is waking up in the middle of the night cramping up because I have to pee so badly. haha. So, I have been blessed with a very smooth and easy pregnancy so far. 

We are so excited to hear the heartbeat tomorrow. Oh, and my due date is September 4. :)

I know the shoes are boy's shoes, but DI didn't have any cute genderless ones. I love looking at those tiny shoes. :) I know babies don't even need shoes when they are that small, but I just love them! 

I just love these two of Spencer. :) 

I spend a lot of time lately thinking about the baby and pregnancy. It really brings a new perspective to things. Some of my thoughts:

I feel like we're going to have a girl. Spencer just kinda rolls his eyes at me because, obviously there's no way for me to know. It might just be a subconscious desire. haha. But, the more I think about it, the more I think having a boy would be fun. I'm not picking sides. Maybe subconsciously.

Sometimes I am sad that our baby won't meet Mom. And that Mom can't come stay with us to help out after I have the baby and show me how to be a good mom. However, I am very blessed to have so many wonderful women and sisters in my life that I know will help any way they can.

Some days thinking about actually have the baby really freaks me out, but other days I just feel empowered. Like, my body is made to do this, so of course it will be fine. I've been doing lots of research, but I'm anxious to find a delivery doctor to talk with once we move.

I can't wait to actually look pregnant. Right now I mostly feel like I look chubby.

Spencer's going to be an awesome dad. I'm almost more excited to see him as a dad than I am to be a mom. I feel like I can do anything with him helping me out.

Speaking of feeling like I can do anything, I'm seriously considering a doctorate physical therapy program again. I want to find a way to make it work. I don't know how, but I want to do it. I am glad that we chose not to pursue that last year, because we would not have made the decision to have a baby now, and I really feel like this is the right time for us to start our little family. However, the last few weeks I have really been thinking about it again. I'll probably apply this summer to the one program where we'll live, and hopefully start next fall when the baby's a year old.

I am so excited to start feeling the baby squirm and kick. :) I think it will make the pregnancy more real. It's all a little surreal right now, but I do feel like I've started to bond with the baby and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened. The way I envision my whole future is changing around this little one.

Sometimes I use the baby as an excuse to eat things just to see what Spencer will do. "That lasagna was for me. Now that baby wants some." Or, "The baby really wants some [insert snack or dessert here]." He just says too bad because we don't have any. I don't think he'll be making any midnight runs to get me random food any time soon. Or ever. It's probably better that way.

I refuse to buy anything baby-related until after we have moved.

I have been eating so much fruit lately. For a few weeks all I could even think about eating was fruit, dairy, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Spencer never complained about the lack of variety on our menu. I finally have been able to work meat back into my diet this last week, so we're back to mostly normal meals. Except chicken. Ew.