12 Weeks, 4 Days Photo

I'm not sure how it's possible that I'm showing this quickly with my first, but my belly is hard, so I'm ok with it....it's just crazy! I love it though! If I didn't just have an ultrasound, I'd still be wondering if there wasn't two in there! Dr. Maddox says it's pretty normal with petite people, so I'm not too worried.

Busy Week - Have we lost our minds

This has been a very busy week in the Faunce household! First off, the baby and I had our 12 week appointment on Monday. Jason was supposed to be working, so my mom came into town to go to the appointment with me. Oddly enough, Jason ended up working until midnight Friday night so they ended up giving him the day off on Monday! But, my mom was already coming to visit, and since the doctor said this wouldn't be too exciting of an appointment, I left Jason at home to get ready to host Bible study at our house on Monday night, and my mom still came with me. As it turned out, it was actually an exciting appointment! Some background information: Jason and I had originally signed up to have genetic screening done at the 12 week appointment. The only reason we really did it was because we wanted an extra ultrasound! But, fortunately, my mother-in-law (and Jason's aunt) lovingly brought up the fact that getting these tests may just give me something else to worry about (I'm a worrier - I know, can you believe it?!? No way!). So, after much prayer and talking with Jason, we decided to have a little faith and forego the extra ultrasound in order to minimize the worrying during the remaining 7 months. I was really bummed not to get the extra ultrasound, but I felt like I was stepping out in faith and trusting the Lord. When we got the appointment yesterday, Doctor Maddox had a hard time locating the heartbeat using the Doppler (She said that I'm so skinny that she was mainly picking up my heartbeat - I love the way OBGYNs know exactly what to say to a pregnant woman!!) She was able to hear the heartbeat faintly, but decided to go ahead and get me an ultrasound just be certain. I feel like it was such a blessing because it is what my heart really needed, and the Lord provided! It was great to get to see the baby again - it has changed sooo much in the past 4 weeks! It actually looks like a baby, now, instead of a little blob! Baby Faunce was measuring exactly 12 weeks, 2 days on Monday, which means my due date is September 3. And I have gained a total of 2 lbs - I'll take it since I've been too sick and exhausted to work out! Here is a pic of our little angel (how cute is the frame?? My mom gave it to me for Valentine's Day - I love it!)

This is not really our first picture of the baby, but it is a better one than the 8 week sonogram picture. Baby Faunce is face down - you can see that it has it's hand next to its face. According to one of my pregnancy books, the baby start sucking during 12 weeks. I'm convinced the baby is sucking its thumb! Oh how I hope to not have a thumb-sucker! I hear its much harder to break than pacifiers!

I haven't gotten a pic this week yet, but this was taken at almost 12 weeks (I think 11 weeks, 5 days). The belly is slowly but surely getting bigger! But, I'm fitting into clothes that I couldn't wear before I got pregnant (unbuttoned with the Bella Band, of course!).

When my mom came to visit, she also taught be how to make country fried steak (we've always called it cubed steak, but its the same thing) and homemade milk gravy! It's one of my husband's favorites, so I should definitely know how to make it!

In addition to my mom coming on Sunday, Jason and I spent the weekend looking at houses! We had absolutely no intention of moving anytime soon. As a result, we got the house exactly how we want it - new floors, new paint, new roof, new windows....the whole nine yards. But, my husband is always perusing realtor.com for a deal. Last week, we saw a house on there that seemed to be perfect for us - 10 acres, 4 bedrooms, plenty of space to grow. We set up a time last week to look at the house, but didn't feel good about it. But, that one house was all it took to get us looking! We had our realtor find some others that met our criteria (Jason's - 5 acres or more; mine - plenty of house for our planned 4 kids!). So, Saturday, we spent the entire day looking at homes. We fell in love with the first house we saw that day! We have always loved Deerwood Estates, a neighborhood in Columbia County that has large lots and older, traditional homes. Here is a pic of the house:

So, we put an offer in today! We will see how it goes! We have seen God open and close so many different doors since we have been here in Augusta, and we know that this will be no different. We aren't anxious about it at all - we know that everything will fall into place if it is meant to be. We will keep you posted!

YAY for 12 weeks!!!

I was 12 weeks yesterday! Yay!!! I'm so happy and thankful to have made it through the first trimester. I can now have my morning cup of coffee! I'm so excited!!! (I gave up caffeine for my first trimester.) Supposedly, I will start to feel better and more energized soon. At any rate, I'm thankful to have made it to Phase II! I'll post a pic later - I think my stomach has doubled in size in the past week!

See below....

Since we have decided to share the good news that we are pregnant, I've included quite a few posts below that I was waiting to post...enjoy!

Also, just a note, the California post and Christmas with the Faunces post are smack in the middle of these posts about our good news! These events were too exciting to withhold for this long, so you'll notice there's no mention of our little angel in these. :)

Weeks 10 and 11

Week 10, thankfully, brought some reprieve from the nausea. Now I'm only sick at night sometimes, which beats all day! Week 10 and 11 have also brought some anxiety about the baby. I don't know if it's because it's been so long since I've been to the doctor. I have been praying a lot the past couple of weeks (as well as having others pray for me) about this fear and worrying. It really is stealing my joy! God is so faithful though! He answered these prayers in such evident ways! One such story (I have shared this with some of you, so bear with me - it was just so moving!):

I had really praying the about peace and comfort and trying to have joy and not fear. One afternoon, my babycenter.com update was "20 Things Not to Worry About When You are Pregnant". Hahah!!! Got it, Lord. Thanks! Then the next morning, I went in to work early to tell my boss that I am pregnant. And it could not have gone better. I swear the Lord put the exact words in his mouth that I needed to hear this morning. He talked about how important family is and that they will be flexible with me now and when the baby comes. His exact words were, "Whatever is best for your family is what is best." Then he asked if he could pray for me. So, he came from behind his desk and put his hands on my shoulders and prayed for me. His prayer was all about what a blessing children are and that God would give me PEACE and supernatural COMFORT!!!! I was BAWLING!!!! Then when he got done, I hugged him and told him how much I needed that. I told him I'd been kinda anxious the past couple of days. And he said, "God didn't just wake up one day and say, 'Oh my! Kristen's pregnant! I better get on that!'" Oh my gosh! I am so thankful and feel so blessed to be surrounded by such godly people.

Is God not so good and so faithful all the time? What an answer to prayer! He never ceases to amaze me!

I'm very excited to go to my 12 week appointment next Monday. Jason has to work, so my mom is coming for the visit. I'm ready to hear that sweet angel's heartbeat again!

Here's a pic that Jason took today - 11 weeks.

Midnight Snack.....

....has taken on a whole new meaning!!! At least 4-5 nights a week, you will find me in the kitchen, between 3-4 a.m. eating a bowl of cereal. Apparently, the baby gets hungry in the middle of the night! And by hungry, I mean that I am ravished, starving, cannot sleep unless I get something, anything in my stomach! Then we go right back to sleep! It's funny how your body changes so much during pregnancy. The only other time I have ever been hungry in the middle of the night was when I was training for our half-marathon last year and was running 6-10 miles everyday! I wonder if I'm burning that many calories growing a baby inside me....

Sound Advice

Since I have gotten pregnant, I have been given so much advice, which I have often sought out from my other pregnant friends or my friends who have just recently had babies (they know better than I do, right? YES, they really do!) These dear friends have been an amazing source of both information and comfort during this time, and, for that, I am very thankful. But, the best advice that I have gotten so far during this pregnancy came the day of my 8 week appointment from Jason's Aunt Michelle:

"Enjoy being pregnant and the blessing you have been given. Do not let worry or fear steal that joy. You and your baby are in God's hands. Just rest there and trust Him to take care of you."

Everytime I start to worry, I remember her words. What a comfort!

Week 9

This week started out with about the same level of nausea as last week, but, fortunately, I'm feeling much better the last couple of days! I was able to work out for the first time in weeks on Sunday, which made me feel great!

My staples lately have been my mom's homemade vegetable soup (which she brought me a ton of last week - thank you, Mom!!!), cereal, milk, Ovaltine, clementines, bananas, baby lima beans, and my sister-in-law's chocolate chip and bacon cookies (don't knock 'em til you try 'em!). I have pretty much been eating the same thing every day up until two days ago! But, at least I'm getting fruits and getting plenty of protein. I'm hoping that veggies will come later.

The news of our little angel is starting to get out...two people that I work with have picked up on it without me saying anything at all!! Apparently, I'm "glowing" according to one of the guys! Who knew?!?