Hello blog-o-world! It's so nice to see you again... it's been too long! After I documented my parents' visit, things got a little crazy around here. My grandpa passed away (still miss you every day, Gpa..) and mourning such a big loss so far away from home really drained me emotionally. And THEN... we found out we were pregnant! Just two weeks after my grandpa passed, we were staring at a positive pregnancy test. Surreal. It was one of those moments of overwhelming emotion--I was still recovering and working through the sadness of my grandpa's death, yet at the same time I was overjoyed at this new life that was now inside of me. It was a moment I will never forget-- where I felt His comforting presence in the depths of my heart saying, "See, my child? I make all things new." With one life gone, a new one was just beginning. God's perfect timing and complete sovereignty never ceases to amaze me.
And so, fast forward a couple of months--passed the morning sickness, the headaches, the fatigue, the burping, the ever-changing emotions--and I find myself turning the corner and entering my 2nd trimester! And as ready as I am to move on to happier and healthier days, I did manage to take a few pics during my 1st trimester that I didn't want to leave out!
We also went over and told the Hambrices that we were pregnant. They thought I was taking a family picture of them, but little did they know I just wanted to record their reactions... :) Here's the video!
And so, fast forward a couple of months--passed the morning sickness, the headaches, the fatigue, the burping, the ever-changing emotions--and I find myself turning the corner and entering my 2nd trimester! And as ready as I am to move on to happier and healthier days, I did manage to take a few pics during my 1st trimester that I didn't want to leave out!
You can't really tell from the pic, but I am indeed holding 3 positive pregnancy tests :) All different brands, too. My cautious slightly-OCD-self just HAD to make sure, so I ran out and bought 3 different tests. (Hey! You never can trust these Thai knock-off brands!)
*Funny story related to this: This was our first month "trying" to have a baby and Steven was worried that I would get my hopes up every month and be disappointed if it didn't happen. So, he sat me down one night and told me that he thought I should wait to take a pregnancy test. He was concerned that his overly emotional, excited, can't-sleep-before-Christmas-morning wife wouldn't be able to handle the ups and downs of a negative test. So, I gently nodded at his request, thanked him for being protective of my heart and then snuck up stairs to take a pregnancy test. (I still have a lot of growing to do in the "listen to your husband" category...) Not 5 minutes later, I come hopping down the stairs with a positive pregnancy test dancing around the dining room table where Steven was working. He just looked up at me with a smile on his face, shaking his head and saying, "I knew you wouldn't wait!" I later told him that I had good intentions to take his advice, but that I just couldn't ignore my "motherly intuition". :) He forgave me and after he got over the shock of it all, we celebrated! :)
Week 5 belly shot... *aka* "Before Lauren gets fat"
How we told people that we were pregnant! We've got a "bun in the oven"!
*Another funny story: We told most of our family on Skype that we were pregnant using this same corny idea. I would tell them that I had something baking that I wanted to show them. So, we'd bring the computer over to the oven and pull out the bun and wait for their reactions. Best reaction of all? My grandma :) (Did you expect anyone else?) The conversation went something like this:
Grandma: "Well what is it? OH! Is that a bagel?"
Me: "Nope, its a bun!"
Grandma: "A bun? Oh, how fun! How did you make it?"
Me: (insert awkward silence...)
Grandma: "Well, did you use yeast? Will you teach me how you made it?"
Me: (insert more awkward silence...)
Grandma: (not noticing my awkward silences at all) "And why are you baking just one?"
Me: "Well, I can probably only handle one at a time..."
Grandma: "Well, what kind of bun is it?"
Steven: "Um... I guess you could say it's half German/half Japanese?"
Grandma: "I've never heard of that combination before! Sounds yummy!"
Steven: (getting tired of dancing around the subject) "Hey grandma, have you ever heard the expression 'We have a bun in the oven?'"
Grandma: "Well, yes."
Me & Steven: (waiting...looking at each other...awkward silence...)
Grandma: "OH, YOU DIDN'T!!!"
Me & Steven: (laughing)
Grandma: "Oh STEVEN! YOU didn't!!!!!"
I love how you can always count on Grandma Yuki for a fabulous reaction :)
We also went over and told the Hambrices that we were pregnant. They thought I was taking a family picture of them, but little did they know I just wanted to record their reactions... :) Here's the video!
Last week we went in for our first ultrasound and saw baby Sauder moving all around! I was a little nervous going into our appointment because I was still unsure if there was actually a baby in me. (I had this fear that it was all in my head...) But sure enough, there definitely is a baby in there :)
I had to go in 3 different times because the baby was too active to get a good reading/recording. The technician laughed and she told us that we have a very stubborn and hyper baby :)
Dinner (at 10PM!) after our ultrasound!
And lastly, the recording of the ultrasound. It's really long, but you can see baby Sauder wave at 2:40!
Steven and I are so excited (mixed with a little bit of nervousness!) about our little babe due at the end of November. We'll sure have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! We praise God for keeping our baby healthy and for allowing us to share in the joy of being soon-to-be parents!
