The Sweetest Sound

Music to my ears.... hearing our sweet baby's heart beat! YES, WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!! I am 11 weeks today! We found out the good news on Monday, January 11th! We were so surprised because I had only gotten off birth control about a month before! I guess we're furtile :) :) It was funny because I happened to be at Walmart that day and just randomly picked up a 2-pack of pregnancy tests "just to see." Well, I got home, put away the groceries, then took one of the tests. I flipped it over once I set it on the counter and went into our bedroom and just prayed about it. Three minutes later, I checked the test and seeing that it was positive, my jaw dropped open and I just stared at my self in the mirror! Right then, I heard Ryan come through the front door. I didn't know what else to do, so I went downstairs with the test behind my back and said, " I have something to show you!" He was so excited! We decided to not tell our families/friends until Valentine's Day, when I would be almost 9 weeks. Let me tell you, that was just about the HARDEST thing in the world, especially not telling my Mom and older sister! My mom is one of those "mom's" that can't wait to have lots of grandchildren (she only has one so far, and ours on the way!) so she would ask me literally EVERY time she saw me, "When are you going to give me another grandbaby?!" :) Love you mom! We did decide to tell our best friends, Bridget and Brent, because of course a girl's gotta tell someone! Bridget has been the greatest friend through everything, she is always willing to listen or give me a hug or just let me vent. She also came over one night and brought a bag of goodies including a pregnancy journal (because she knows I love to write) and some chocolate and cocoa butter lotion! (no stretch marks please!!!!) I don't think I'll ever find a greater friend than her, she's one to keep for life! Love you B!

Before I knew it, we were at the 8 week mark! That night I went to work (I'm a nurse) at 7pm. As soon as I had clocked in and gotten my assignment and was about to sit down to get report from the previous nurse, a patient's son comes running out of one of my rooms hysterical. We ended up coding (doing CPR/intubating) this woman for 28 minutes.... hard work and very stressful. I'm a shorty so I had to stand on my tippy-toes to do compressions! Well as I was doing them, the doctor says, "2 more minutes, and we'll pronounce her dead, she's not responding." I'm praying the whole time, and when I look down, she's starting to twitch her eye! I felt her arm for a pulse and found one! I start screaming "she's waking up!" Long long story short....we got the woman back and took her to ICU. (She's still there three weeks later). About two hours later, I was getting a patient from the ER and decided it would be smart to run to the restroom because it would be a long time before I would get the chance to go again. Unfortunately, I noticed some dark spotting, and FREAKED out! When I stood up all the way, I noticed a little bright red blood. I didn't know what else to do, so I told one of the other nurses I was working with and she told me to go to the ER to get checked. No one at work knew I was pregnant either! So not a fun way to find out :( Ryan came up to the ER and we stayed there from 11:15pm to almost 6am!! They did a pelvic exam, an ultrasound, blood work, and I got an IV and a bag of fluids. I also got the Rhogam shot because I'm O negative. Then they sent me home saying "take it easy." Hmmm.... in the meantime, I'm still freaking out. But my wonderful husband was right there with his arm around me reminding me "it's not in my hands. God is in control." This baby's going to have a great Daddy!! I went to see my OB/GYN the next day, but all she said was "it was nothing you did or didn't do. Just rest!" The next couple of days, I continued to experience some dark spotting which was frustrating, but we continued to pray and trust in God's plan. I think one of the hardest parts was not having my mom/sister know about all that was happening and hoping I would still be able to share my good news that Sunday!

We told our families/friends on Valentine's Day! First we started the day at church and then came to our house where my Mom & her fiancee, my older sister and her husband and daughter, and my little brother came over for lunch! (heart shaped domino's pizza- I was trying to keep things easy, haha!) I knew my mom had NO idea! I had gotten two heart-shaped foam frames/magnets. I got copies made of our best ultrasound picture and put them in the frames. Well, right before we ate, I went up to my mom and said "Mom, do you want red or pink?" (I had one for her and one for my MIL) She was in mid-conversation, "red." I said, "No mom, do you want RED or PINK?" She says, "I said Red is fine!" ....keeps talking.... I say "Mom! Would you please look at them!" She looks down and you can see the goosebumps and hair stand up on her arms! Tears rimmed her eyes and she started screaming! It was great!!! She was too excited! So was my sister and little neice! I had made them tee-shirts, Chelsea's said "Aunt CheChe" (I am called Aunt Mi Mi so it's payback haha!) and little Rachel's said, "Big Cousin Rachel" and had little ballerina slippers on the front since she's in to her dance class! We spent the next few hours sharing the news with family and friends and chatting while the guys played golf on the Playstation 3 :) Ryan and I then went over to his parent's house and shared the news! We had originally planned to tell them the night before but we had snow for the first time in 10 years in Charleston!!!!! and they had lost power from Friday night until Sunday early afternoon! :( We walked in and put the magnet on the refrigerator and waited for his mom to find it! She was shocked too!!! Her baby boy is having a baby! :) I have the best in-laws, you never go to their house and not have a good time! We are always laughing and not to mention, my MIL makes some GREAT southern food! They are very excited too!

I know this has been a crazy long post! Sorry :) Well, we are now at 11 weeks today! I went to the doctor yesterday and had great news! I can't lie, after that bleeding episode, I always had in the back of my mind that something was wrong, that there wouldn't be a heart beat/that the baby had stopped growing. Ryan kept telling me "everything's fine. I just know it." Did I mention he's the best?! I will tell you that this baby has brought us closer to God, and has truly deepened my faith. I pray several times a day for a healthy pregnancy and to get to meet our sweet baby Kinard! At the doctor yesterday, she at first had a hard time finding the heartbeat, but she was too high up! She went lower and there it was!! Steady and strong, 166 bpm! I just looked at my doctor and said, "that's the sweetest sound in the world." I barely made it to my car before crying lots of happy tears! Such relief!!

As far as the pregnancy symptoms go, I have been blessed! I had the nausea from from only about week 4 to week 8! I will still get a slight twinge of nausea every so often, but I'll take it!! Really all I have noticed is I'm a lot more sleepy! And the bloating is not fun....haha! As far as cravings go, I have really only craved FRUIT!!!! Any shape and form, give it to me :) Also gummies! Ryan thinks I'm crazy, ha ha! As far as the gender goes, we TRULY just want a happy, healthy baby! At first I had a gut feeling it would be a boy, but I have NO idea now! We can't wait to see what the next few weeks holds! In the meantime, we'll keep praying and loving on this baby!! We love you so much already, BABY KINARD!!! <3