One of the biggest questions we've gotten at every single doctor's appointment is whether we want to have genetic screening done. I have had to sign several times to confirm my decision. Genetic screening includes several different tests throughout your pregnancy. The first trimester screen is a non-invasive evaluation that includes a blood sample and an ultrasound. The doctors are trying to identify the risk for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down Syndrome and Trisomy-21. These tests do not diagnose the baby, but rather evaluate the risk and determine if further testing should be Continue Reading
3 Things NOT to Say to Someone Who is Miscarrying
You've never had a miscarriage before and you just find out that someone you know -- a friend or family member -- is miscarrying their precious unborn baby. What do you say? More importantly, what do you NOT say? When anyone experiences loss, it can be difficult to know how to handle it and how to help. We want to offer comfort and support, but sometimes -- and especially in situations where we have not been where they are -- we may do the opposite. Our intentions are good, but our words fall short. When I was miscarrying our first pregnancy, many people reached out and gave sweet words Continue Reading
First Trimester Essentials
I'm officially past the first trimester and all its nausea. It felt like it went pretty slow, until of course I actually got through it and then it was like, "Wow, I'm really here!" By the end of that first trimester, I was just ready for a really long nap. My first trimester wasn't terrible, but it wasn't wonderful either. There was nausea and fatigue and a lot of worry and fear. There was a ton of bloating and just feeling sick most of the time. But I got through it, mainly from the help of some very important essentials. And that's what I want to share with you today. There are a ton of Continue Reading
Guy Behind the Blog Episode 13
Hey, can you believe September is basically over? Holy cow. When did that happen? I feel like I was just celebrating the beginning of September! October has SO many fun things ahead for our family. Mostly finding out the gender of our little baby oyster! Ahhh I can't wait! Anyways, end of the month means it's time for Guy Behind the Blog where my husband, Travis, answers some questions for us. It's fun and silly, and why not? This month, I'm doing something a bit different. I'm going to answer some questions about my husband! And then in italics, we'll see his responses to my answers. So Continue Reading
Pregnancy Announcement
One of my all-time favorite things about pregnancy so far is getting to tell people about it. It's so incredibly fun to watch people react when you give them the news that they are going to be a grandma/aunt/great-grandma, etc. It's really fun when your pregnancy announcement is totally out of the blue and they don't expect it at all. Like for our first pregnancy -- watch our families react in this video. It's also super fun when your family knows how much you want a baby and know you've experienced loss before. It makes it extra special because people are so happy. I love genuinely happy and Continue Reading
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Happy first day of fall ya'll! It's here, it's finally here! I feel like everyone loves fall. In fact, I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't like fall. It's just the best! And with it comes pumpkin -- cake, bread, drinks -- pumpkin everything! So how about some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? In honor of the first day of fall, I wanted to share a pumpkin recipe with you. My roommate Ricci used to make these cookies every fall and we all went ga-ga over them! I decided to whip up a batch myself and eat them all myself share with friends and co-workers. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Continue Reading
Pregnancy After Miscarriage
When I wrote the post What I Didn't Know About Miscarriage Until I Had One, I talked about the fear of pregnancy. I talked about how pregnancy after miscarriage would never be the same. I was just predicting, and I wish I could say I had been wrong. But I was right. This pregnancy is very different because of my previous loss. How Pregnancy After Miscarriage is Different "No, it's my second." You wouldn't believe how many times people ask if this is your first pregnancy. To strangers, I just respond yes. I don't want them to feel awkward or uncomfortable by bringing up a sad subject. But at Continue Reading
Tennessee Home Tour
I had lots of comments when I posted my Missouri home tour and showed you all our house. Lots of family especially liked being able to take a tour if they couldn't visit. I decided I should do the same again in our latest house here in Tennessee. This is a picture-heavy post, but who doesn't like to look at pictures? Just keep in mind that I'm not a professional photographer and don't claim to be! The lighting isn't wonderful and it's hard to get an entire room in one shot! Let's start with the living room. We have two large closets, a small entry way, and a half bathroom all located in Continue Reading
First Trimester Life
The news is finally out! I have wanted so badly to tell you all about the pregnancy, but we wanted to wait for two reasons -- 1) We wanted to make sure everything was going well and baby was growing, 2) We wanted to tell close family members ourselves before announcing it to the public. It took quite some time to get around to telling everyone. In fact, we finally got the chance to tell Travis' grandparents the day before we announced it to the world. Since I've been dying to talk about it, this post is going to be all about my first trimester. This is going to be a long post because I have a Continue Reading
You Live On/Near a Military Base When…
Travis and I have now lived on or near four military bases -- Fort Stewart, Camp Henry, Fort Leonard Wood, and now Fort Campbell. Over the years, we've began to notice similarities. They all have their differences of course. Fort Campbell doesn't have giant live oak trees, but Fort Stewart didn't have beautiful fall colors. But there are a few things that they all seem to have in common. Things that give it away that you are near a military base. That's why Travis and I came up with this fun list! You Know You Live Near a Military Base When... You are wondering if you just heard thunder Continue Reading
Coming Soon
I've been thinking for weeks about how to write this post and what I should say. I have very exciting news to share, but I want to do so with a cautious heart. Some will be thrilled with this news, but for others it could be very difficult. And for that reason, many tears have been shed as I type this post. Tears of gratitude, but also tears of sorrow for those who are longing for what I now have. The News Travis and I are going from a family of two to three. We are expecting. I wanted to be cautious and sensitive with this announcement because I know there are women out there who are Continue Reading
A Game to Spice Up Your Marriage
As you may know, I'm a big believer in marriage. I think it's important to strengthen our marriages in any way we can. There are tons of ways to do that, but today I want to share one that is extra fun. This idea doesn't just strengthen your marriage, it is also a way to spice up your relationship. Yes, this post is all about spicing things up in the intimacy department. (Caution: To all family members reading this, you may not want to continue. Sorry Grandma, Grandpa, mother-in-law, etc.) I saw this idea on another blog while Travis was away in Korea, and I saved it to keep in mind for Continue Reading
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