I have been dying to post these and keep everyone in the loop!! It’s been tough since I found out SO early…..I can’t believe I’ve kept it a secret for the last 5 weeks!! Tuesdays are my official rollover day to a new week, so I was 9 weeks on our 2 year anniversary!! (10/2)
(*Disclaimer: this post is now 2 weeks old…)
Baby Growth: This is what Baby Butler looks like right now! Big Jon calls him “Peanut.”

It’s hard to believe this little ole tiny thing can have this much of an impact on your body! SO cool!!! It’s really unbelievable to think I’m growing a sweet little baby inside of me.

My Symptoms: I’ve read that this is a tough week because the hCG levels are at their peak….and it definitely has been. I have been pretty nauseas (all day) and absolutely exhausted!!! I mean, ALL I want to do is sleep…
I have tried TONS of remedies for the nausea… (I’m not throwing up…just feel yucky)…. Saltines, lemon drops, peppermints, ginger candies, ginger ale, etc. I drink a huge glass of water with lemon and ginger every morning, and that helps temporarily. A sweet friend at work brought me some Ginger Beer (no worries, it’s non-alcoholic) from World Market, and it REALLY helped. I felt the best I’ve felt yet after drinking it- so the real ginger in it must have helped. I’m going to get some this afternoon. I refuse to do medicine, so I’m just going to have to tough it out. I’ve heard horror stories about women who are sick the whole 9 months, but I feel confident this will ease up after first trimester for me.
Smells really, really bother me. My classroom is next to the cafeteria and I have to keep the door closed because I can barely handle the smell. Speaking of work, it’s a challenge for me to make myself come every single day. I’m exhausted (making a baby is HARD WORK!)and the lack of patience kinda makes me want to stay home & hang out by myself.
I’ve also noticed that I’m WAY hotter (temperature wise) than normal. I am normally FREEZING all the time…I’m talkin’ I keep the seat warmers on throughout the summer and sleep with an electric blanket almost year round, but my body temps seem to be warming up some.
I’m having a hard time getting my water in too. I just don’t want it, which is unusual because I’m normally water queen.
Oh, and the hormones. I have ZERO patience. I’m trying my best to be sweet, but I am just super easily annoyed right now!! I really want to karate chop people who annoy me. Fortunately, Jonathan has really enjoyed this too. Seems weird, I know, but he thinks I’m hilarious. He keeps telling me he thinks I’m funnier since getting pregnant. I’m just glad he’s not offended!
My skin is also pretty brutal. I’ve heard women’s skin either clears up and is awesome, OR does the complete opposite. Maybe this is a first trimester thing…hopefully so!
Weight: Since the beginning of the pregnancy I’ve gained about 4 lbs. That’s a little on the high side considering you’re only supposed to gain a 1/2 lb a week for the first trimester, but I’m not that surprised considering my “awesome” new refined sugar and carb-only diet + lack of workouts. Everyone keeps telling me since I was in great shape before the baby, I should bounce back quickly, but I know I have to do something to maintain. I’m thinking I’ll start feeling better soon and have more of a desire to go to the gym. I know your body changes after a baby…heck, mine is already changing! I think it’s so neat to see how God helps your body prepare. I’m getting a little wider in the mid-section, and my boobs and booty are both getting bigger too….and Jonathan is LOVING it!!!! He seriously cannot resist me right now….it cracks me up! He tells me how hot he thinks I am about 800 times a day (and he means it) and cops a feel every time he walks past me. I always poke my belly out to see if that deters him, but it doesn’t. I’m definitely thankful that he is diggin’ my new curves!
Gender: We’re debating on whether to find out. Part of me wants to just so I can be prepared, but another part of me wants to wait. Jon can’t decide either. I think it would be cool to have a baby shower AFTER the baby is born so I can get some specific gender stuff. I told my mom “I can start a new trend…” but she informed me that wasn’t anything new! Ha! (People used to do that all the time!) My gut tells me boy. And a lady I work with (she’s Italian) said she thinks boy because my upper lip is puffy, and Italians think that is a sign of a boy. Most people are saying boy, but we’ll see. Or maybe we won’t??
Maternity Clothes: I can TOTALLY tell I’m pregnant, and someone actually called me out on my blog after seeing my Arizona Biltmore pictures. Ha! So funny. My little belly…well, it’s not so flat and little anymore. I can tell I’m getting wider AND bigger in general, which has a lot to do with the fact that I’m not eating clean and not working out. I’ve already had to unbutton my pants quite often….but as far as clothes I’m still wearing my normal stuff.
I feel like I need to wear a sign or t-shirt that says “I’m PREGNANT!!” because right now I’m not ‘showing,’ but I definitely have a little gut going on.
Movement: Nothing yet, but really looking forward to this part! Right now I don’t really “feel pregnant,” so that will be cool.
Sleep: Averaging about 7 hours a night. I would LOVE to get in more naps, but we’re so busy I haven’t been able to. One day at work I snuck out to my car and took a little 15 min snooze (shhhh….don’t tell!). As far as sleeping, I’m trying to sleep on my side more to get used to it (I’m a tummy sleeper). I wake up every morning about 5 am to pee, and don’t sleep great after that. I have noticed that I have been having CRAZY dreams, but that could also be from the random food my body is not used to eating either. (Salt & Vinegar Pringles…really?)
Cravings: I feel like ALL I EAT is CARBS!!! The thought of veggies grosses me out right now, and you can forget meat. For the last few weeks I have craved Cheez-Its like crazy, which is hilarious because I NEVER eat stuff like that. My new thing for about the past week and a half is Olive Garden salads. We’ve eaten OG 3 times in the last week and a half.
(Baby Butler is expensive already!)
What I miss: Hard core workouts. And my clothes fitting normal! They are quite *snug* in the waist, which is uncomfortable.
Work Outs: Yea, they are pretty much non-existent. I rode the bike for about 30 minutes on Monday, and that’s about all I’ve managed so far. I have only been working out about one day a week because I have been so wiped out and we are busy 3 afternoons of every week. I don’t get home from work till 4:45. Right now, Fridays are our work out day….that’s always our “date night.”
Best Pregnancy Moment This Week: I am LOVING how excited everyone is for us! This little baby is already SO LOVED & blessed. My whole family & Jon’s whole family are all absolutely ecstatic and just tickled to death, and that makes my heart so happy!
Jon is so stinkin’ excited too….it’s precious!! He talks to the baby, rubs my belly, and cannot WAIT for me to get a baby bump. He has said over and over how much he loves me being pregnant.
One of the little girls in my Sunday School class is blind, and she is so excited about this baby too. She wants to rub my tummy every Sunday and know how the baby is doing. It’s so sweet.
We also went to the mountains this weekend to celebrate our 2 year anniversary! It was SO nice and relaxing. The weather was perfect- a little chilly, and we sat by the fire some. It is always so nice to get away…



Questions/Concerns: None yet. I love hearing other people’s labor & delivery stories (the good, bad, and ugly- I just like to know)….makes me excited for when that time comes for us. We pray for the baby ALL THE TIME and totally trust God, so there isn’t much to really worry about.
Goals for next week: Take more naps. Try to squeeze in some walks. Drink more water. Eat more veggies.
Thoughts: We are feeling absolutely beyond blessed!! The Lord has totally prepared our hearts and our lives for this moment. People always say “You’ll never be ready…” but I couldn’t disagree more. We are 100% ready in every aspect of our lives because we waited on the Lord’s timing and had everything in order. We made sure we were where we wanted to be physically, financially, spiritually, in our marriage, etc. It continues to blow my mind how very good and faithful God is and how He continues to bless us in so many ways. We are truly so grateful…and tickled to death!!
