Obviously I've got a bit of catching up to do! Get ready for a long, but hopefully worth it, post. Let's back up to December...
Wes had finals mid December, and I had work. Finals is always a stressful time for both of us - For Wes since he's the one actually doing the work and taking the tests and for me because I feel his stress vicariously. haha. I finished up the training for my new position and jumped right in. Things are still going really well, and I feel like it is a much better fit than my old position.
Our apartment really started to look like Christmas when all of the Amazon boxes started arriving on our doorstep. That's basically how we did all of our Christmas shopping. We were able to do a little more this year as far as presents go since we didn't have to pack them in a suitcase to go home. So that was kind of nice. But we still missed home. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be - work kept me distracted and busy, and it didn't really snow and I was just too darn happy about the baby news to be sad. We also loved getting the packages and goodies from our wonderful families! We still did the sibling gift exchange with both sides of the family, which is one of my favorite traditions. Once Wes was officially done with the semester, we enjoyed spending a lot of time at home not really doing anything, which was refreshing.
Christmas Eve was spent with our friends Baley and Ryan. We made a traditional ham dinner together, and it was absolutely delicious. Good food and friends made it feel just like home. We watched Elf all together and then split up to call our families. We talked to mine before dinner and to Wes' after dinner. This was really the highlight of the whole holiday season. I was giddy with excitement for days and even weeks. Really ever since I learned about our little secret at the beginning of the month. We facetimed/skyped and showed them this picture of our tree with two big stockings at the foot of it and one baby sized stocking. I was way too anxious to let my family figure it out on their own but Wes did much better with his family. Shannon's reaction is still my favorite because she figured it out first and just started screaming. haha. So the news is out! We are going to have a BABY!! Due August 12th. Our families were so surprised just like we had hoped and so happy for us. And we couldn't be more thrilled too!
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| Do you see Baby Harward's stocking? |
Christmas Day. It was really nice and quiet, especially after the big announcement day. We put the Christmas Breakfast in the oven that we had prepared the night before and got to opening presents. Pretty sure I did 75% of the unwrapping of gifts, but that's because I'm spoiled. ;) Wes was a good Santa handing out the presents and we even made it last over an hour. We both got some really nice things. I'm always blown away at how thoughtful my man is. We enjoyed the traditional breakfast and then played with our new toys like the kids we still are sometimes. We decided to go see a movie - the last part of the Hobbit. We really enjoyed it and it helped pass the time. We talked to family again and heard about their Christmas.
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| Sporting my Christmas jammies and a new beanie. And I guess the first bump picture at 7 weeks. :) |
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| I got more ceramics to paint for Christmas! This is for January... |
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| And I just finished these cuties for February. |
New Years was pretty low key. We didn't even stay up til midnight that's how cool we are. I did take a little bit of time to reflect on 2014. It was a pretty great year - somehow they keep getting better :) We survived the coldest winter we've ever experienced, pushed through the blues that followed and made it to spring. We golfed a lot. We went to Manhattan!!! Our first real vacation since being married. Went home for another successful summer with Wes at the firm. Said goodbye to the Mustang and got two new cars. Finished out another great semester, got promoted at work - after keeping my job over the summer - and finally seeing that light at the end of the tunnel get brighter and brighter. And receiving the absolute best news EVER. Even though 2014 was wonderful, I already know that 2015 is going to be even better. We will graduate! And leave Indiana forever!! (I know I give this place a bad wrap sometimes, but it's been home for the last three years and I will always remember the good times here. When I think of our first years of marriage I will think of South Bend.) We will establish ourselves back in Utah and start real life. And we will welcome our first born child into the world! How could it get any better?!
January was all about the babe. I had my first appointment on the 7th. I was really anxious for it because we weren't sure how far along I was. My guess was almost right on though and we saw our little peanut and heard it's heartbeat for the first time when I was nine weeks exactly. It was such a happy day. All of my irrational fears about it all being a dream went away. That day it became real. I had another appointment this last week and got more pictures of our little one. All of my blood work came back normal and I'm doing well. I consider myself one of the very blessed and lucky women in the world to not have a single day of morning sickness. at all. I'm just grateful my mom passed along her fantastic pregnancy genes to me because I was worried after watching some friends and hearing about the awful struggles that some go through. I am just tired and hungry. all. the. time. Growing a human being is exhausting but in such a satisfying way. My belly is starting to grow. It was mainly a baby bloat that would get bigger the more I would eat during the day but go away come morning. But the other morning I woke up and it was still there, bigger than ever! So get ready to follow the bump pictures as I enter the 2nd trimester this week.
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| Bump 11 weeks. Don't mind the messy bedroom in the background :) |
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| And 12 weeks. Sorry for the crappy cell phone selfies - I'll get better after 40 weeks of practice :) |
Each day I am overwhelmed by how blessed we truly are! The timing is absolutely amazing and we couldn't have planned it better. But I know we can't really take the credit for the timing on this one. I know it is happening now because it is supposed to. I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers in His own way and timing. He loves us more than we could ever comprehend. And he trusts us enough with one of His own. And that is something that brings me to tears because it's exciting and scary. But I've got Wes on my side and he is going to be such a great dad. This is what I've always wanted - I still can't believe it's actually happening!
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| How is it possible to love something this tiny SO MUCH!? |
LOVE this post! Yay for babies!
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