2013: Reason 1

If you have Facebook, go view your own timeline and there will be a new thing that says something like see your Year in Review. You guys, DO IT! I just did mine yesterday and I was overwhelmed. It shows you your top 20 posts from throughout the year and all the pictures you were tagged in and everything! My very first status of the year really stood out to me!

Omg. How spot on was I?!? 2013 was full of scary changes, big challenges... but also a lot of laughs and it really was full of an INSANE amount of joy! Reading over my year in review made me realize that 2013 has been so incredibly sweet to our family! I almost don't want it to end. But, I know, all good things must come to an end! So, I decided to do a little blog project this month:

I'm sure I could come up with more than 13, and realistically I won't finish this before the end of the year... but this year has been one of my absolute favorites so I want to make sure I have a record of the highlights! So here goes nothing!

I know a lot of women hate being pregnant and all the things that come with it! But I REALLY REALLY loved it! I puked for the majority of all three trimesters, I even passed out a few times. There were days I couldn't get out of bed, but none of that overshadowed my excitement to be growing a baby! A lot of you know I had a miscarriage in 2012 and that was a really really tough experience! But once I got pregnant again, every time I felt sick or tired I just tried to remember that those are the things that come with being pregnant and growing a healthy baby!  I was so so grateful for every second that I got to stay pregnant! Plus, getting to feel his kicks and his hiccups, and see his little face on the ultrasound...AHH! I loved it!

Thinking about having another baby has been on our minds a lot lately, but we both feel like its not quite time. I want to make sure that I'm really ready to commit and be excited about all the perils of pregnancy! I hope that I can be as happy and excited for the rest of my pregnancies! I feel like those 9 months FLEW by! I was so grateful to start 2013 off with a big baby-filled belly!

Another blessing that came along with pregnancy was a newfound respect for my body. I like to think my body issues are normal, but maybe they aren't. I've always had a really hard time loving my body. Not only the shape, but even as an athlete in high school, I always hated my body! I felt like it held me back. I was frustrated when I wasn't as fast or strong as others. This was something that was paralyzing in a lot of situations! I lacked confidence to do things because I was embarrassed about my body. It made me self-conscious when meeting new people. I thought for sure all they would notice was that I was Zack's chubby wife. Hahaha looking back I just cringe! How sad!? I hate that I limited myself so much because of these insecurities! 

Well, being pregnant changed a lot of that for me! For the first time in my life, I LOVED my body! I couldn't believe that MY BODY was so healthy and strong and was able to grow a baby! I mean when my belly was so big it was hiding my toes, it was also distracting me from my big butt and chubby legs! But, I realized that my body's purpose isn't to fit into the right size jeans, or be the right shape, but it's a source of life for me, and my growing baby! All of the sudden I recognized that my body was miraculous! Somehow it turned an egg and a sperm into a living, breathing human! I really learned to love and appreciate the little things (and big things) that my body does everyday to keep me and my baby alive! 

Even though I'm not pregnant anymore this experience has had a lasting effect on my attitude towards my body! It is far from "perfect", but its healthy! And I am grateful for that! (Plus I love food way too much to have a "perfect" body!) 

I have a few women I LOVE that have a hard time getting pregnant, or have experienced similar losses and I know that my ability to get and stay pregnant is a blessing to be treasured! I hope to never take it for granted!

I'm grateful that the choices we made led us to a place in life where we can celebrate creating a life! We were able to bring a child into this world with a mom and dad who love each other and love him! He has grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins who love him! I was able to better enjoy this experience because I knew Gunner was going to be a part of a big crazy loving family! We may not have it all together, but really together we have it all! Cheesy I know! But, even though we don't have a ton of savings and our life is crazy and always changing, being pregnant was one of the sweetest parts of 2013!!

What have been your favorite things about 2013? I'd love to hear from you guys! 

XOXO

SD