Maternity Pictures

8 weeks, 37 weeks, 1 week!

About this time last year I found out I was pregnant with my sweet little boy. I totally forgot that I took  pictures to document my pregnancy and have never shared them. So I've finally shared them on here. 

I cannot express my love for my little Wes. He melts my heart more and more every single day. I kept a journal while I was pregnant and I was one of those crazy ladies who loved being pregnant. I really actually enjoyed most of my pregnancy. I spent my first trimester working as a middle school teacher in Denver. I didn't have horrible morning sickness, thank goodness! I was only really affected by morning sickness for about 2 weeks. I was however so so soo tired my whole first trimester. That made being a middle school, high energy, exciting teacher almost impossible. My students would be reading in small groups and I would be hanging out by my window, having a hot flash and bending over a trash can while holding my hair back and trying not to throw up. I never actually threw up during my pregnancy (at least not from morning sickness) I just felt like I was going to. Again, that only really lasted 2 weeks. I was so lucky!

///side note///

Some of the things that helped me relieve nausea while I was pregnant were: 

::Seabands:: 

They look super weird so I always wore long sleeves but I swear they worked for me. 

It might just be all psychological though. Either way, they worked. 

::Water with lemon::

I love drinking water this way anyway.

::Ginger Altoids::

I hate the taste of these things but they seemed to help

::Reed's Ginger Candy::

Again, don't love the taste but I was willing to try anything. 

::Anit-Nausea Gum::

This stuff was amazing. As soon as I would start to feel sick to my stomach 

I would pop one of these in and I would feel better almost instantly. 

I'm not sure why I decided to include all that info above but I found all of those things to be helpful and maybe you (or a friend) will too! I know everyone is different and some people are just plain lucky and don't get any morning sickness at all. Since I had to go into work and decided to not tell all my students I was pregnant until I was past my first trimester, I tried it all. 

Anyway, pregnancy was great. Once I hit 12 weeks I swear I felt amazing until about 37 weeks, then I just started feeling like a blimp (as you can see in the pictures). I wrote little notes to Wes in my journal each week. I'll include a little of what I wrote with each picture. 

Yay I'm not feeling sick anymore! We recently found out dad
got a job in San Francisco so that's where you will be born!
We got some cute pictures of you at the ultra sound last week.
You have the cutest little nose and a huge head!

We're taking you to Arkansas this week. Lately I've
been craving french fries and bagels with cream cheese and fresh
lemon juice. Speaking of lemons, this week you are the size of a
lemon! That's so hard to believe since you're not quite showing
yet!

We're so busy right now trying to pack and get some traveling
in before we move to San Francisco. We get to find out what you
are in two weeks. Daddy is praying that you're a boy and I
want you to be a girl only because daddy wants you to be
a boy so bad. (p.s. I secretly know you're a boy because
you've only been a boy in my dreams so far!)

You're a boy! We took you to Costa Rica last week and you
were so well behaved. You've been to a lot of exciting places already! You're starting
to take up a lot of space in my tummy and you're making me get up at
least once in the middle of the night to go pee.

You've arrived in San Francisco and I wish you were here
already to keep me company while daddy is at work. I can no longer
button my pants because you're so dang big. You're moving around
so much in my tummy. I can totally feel you and daddy
is getting sad that he hasn't been able to feel you move yet. We
cannot believe you're already 6 inches long and the size of a mango!

Daddy felt you move! He won't stop touching my tummy when he comes home
from work. He kisses you and tries to play with you. He always says he
can't wait for you to be here so he can wrestle you. My tummy all of a sudden
looks pregnant. I am so happy because people can actually tell
that I'm pregnant with you now! You also spent the last week with me
in Idaho. We had lots of fun and you were such a sport while I
tried to wake board. I can no longer sleep on my belly anymore. This is going
to take a while to get used to!

You're getting so big! It's hard to believe your'e the size of a
cantaloupe! I totally believe it because I wake up 2-3
times each night to run to the bathroom.
Your dad and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary this past
week and you came camping with us in Carmel. Your first of many camping
experiences, I'm sure! 

This week your daddy and I started childbirth classes at the hospital.
It's been so fun learning about all the new things to expect with your
arrival. I also got to see you in an ultra sound this week. There's
no mistaking that you're a boy! It was so fun to see you again this week.
We won't get to see you in an ultrasound any more so the next time
we see you will be when you're born! Brittany and Ben came to visit
us this week. You've already met so many family members. We can't wait for you
to be born so we can actually see you and snuggle you!

You're getting so big! It's been fun to look back at the pictures of my
belly and see how much you've grown lately. Because you're so big now, we
can actually watch you move! Grandma Lisa came to visit this week
and we had a lot of fun shopping for fun things for your room. Keep growing
little babe!

Your dad and I have been busy learning so much about you in the
childbirth classes. We've also enjoyed going to the temple on Fridays as much as we
can before you get here and that gets a little harder! I feel so close to you while we're 
there. You're already as long as a cucumber
and weigh about 3 pounds. You are moving around more than ever
now. We can feel your little limbs move across my tummy ALL THE TIME!

We can't believe you're bigger than a pineapple little man! Keep up the growing!
We are so happy that you are healthy. Most of the time I can barely breathe
because you are crowding my lungs. It's ok, I can handle it for 8 more
weeks. We bought you the coolest stroller we could find this week. I think dad
is a little more excited about it. He won't stop talking about it! Our first 
purchase for you at REI!

You are going to be here so soon! I get to go to the doctor
every two weeks now to check up on you. The doctor says you're doing
great and your little head is already down. Such great news. The bad
news is that your head is right on my bladder. You and I
go on walks almost every day which is a good thing because you're making
me crave chocolate more than ever now. The ladies at church threw you
a baby shower this week. We are feeling more and more ready for you
to be here. Take your time though, you have more growing to do.

You are enormous and so am I! We watched you move around in my
tummy this week. Your little limbs were poking out so far that we could
actually pinch them. We're not sure if you actually liked that or not
but we loved playing with you! I hope you know how much we already
love you. 

Mom and dad are counting down the days until your arrival. We can hardly wait.
Your dad took us camping this week. It rained all night. Glad that's over.

You came early! We are so happy you're here little Wes. We had no idea how
much we could love you and how much your dad and I could love
each other. The first few days you were here, we spent our time at the
hospital just snuggling you, kissing you and enjoying every second!
You are the sweetest little thing and we can't wait to love you and teach
you all that we know.