Sunday, March 16

Christmas, anniversary, birthdays, and pregnancy!

Yeah that's right. I have missed documenting a lot of events in my three month absence on here. Since  my last post we celebrated Christmas, our third anniversary, my 25th birthday, Kelly's 26th birthday, and are now expecting a little baby Conrad!

To catch you up, I will write (probably a longer version with maybe a lot more detail than you want) of what I would have written in a Christmas letter if we had even gotten around to writing one. We will call it a (very long, late) year in review. So without further ado....

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Two thousand thirteen wasn't the most exciting of years, (but some big things did happen) which is probably why I have never gotten around to writing this.  I always say I graduated in 2012 but my student teaching wasn't complete until April of 2013 so technically last year I:

1. Graduated (finally)
2. Got hired at Sugar-Salem High School (to teach Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Science, Zoology and Human Biology)
3. And got pregnant

Kelly's big things of the last year include:
1. Doing his internship
2. Taking between 16-20 credits every semester
3. Working four jobs (don't really know why..)
4. Maintaing a bomb GPA throughout it all
5. Being the handsomest and best husband in the world

January 2013 you find us moving to Nampa, Idaho where I completed my student teaching at Skyview High and Kelly worked for his internship at an accounting firm in Boise. I interviewed for my job in March and got the offer that same day. April came, and Kelly moved back to Rexburg to start another semester before I finished student teaching, so I was alone in an empty old apartment in the ghetto of Nampa. I watched Psych to get me through. It was rough.

When I joined Kelly in Rexburg, he had everything all moved into to our new place, and was settled into another semester school. I enjoyed my one break in life without a job or school, and thoroughly loved the summer break and spent it relaxing, tanning and floating the river. We spent some time back home in Washington for little sisters wedding, then some time in California for my brother's. Kelly also went to his brothers wedding in Utah in August, (I had already started the school year) so August was full of weddings.

The end of August brought the start of my new job, and another semester for Kelly. My job sure keeps be busy, especially in those early months. You basically work two full days in one when you are prepping for four different subjects every day as a brand new teacher. Things eventually settled down and we got in to a routine. Christmas came, we spent that in Pocatello with my grandparents, parents, and Kaloni and Kyle. It was restful, relaxing, and a perfect reprieve.

By Christmas time I was getting a little discouraged that our efforts for a child hadn't been successful, and began considering tests on us since we knew there were higher chances of problems with Kelly's past history of cancer (twice). So it was nothing unexpected, but I always hoped for the best.

We distracted ourselves from that by getting away for our third anniversary. We didn't go far, but headed to Salt Lake for three days to enjoy some iceskating, see the lights on temple square (neither of us had ever been) and to relax and shop and enjoy each other. It was amazing and perfect, and just what we needed. We enjoyed City Creek, maybe a little too much, and the ice skating rink at the Gallivan Center that our hotel room overlooked.

(sorry for the quality of pictures, they were all snapped on my phone..)

We returned home to enjoy the last few days of our break, only to find out once again that my cycle was running extra long. This had become a trend in previous months, but nothing ever came of it before, so I didn't expect anything different. Only this time...it kept. not. coming. I didn't want to take a test just to find out that my body was confused but that everything was still normal. Eventually, however, I didn't know what else to do. So I figured I would test just so I would know for sure that everything was normal, like always.

Only this time everything wasn't normal. I got a big fat plus sign in about a millionth of a second. I didn't really know what to do. It was pitch black outside and only 6 o'clock on Saturday morning. We had been waiting for this, but mostly I got sad every time it didn't work because I wondered if Kelly's cancer caused other big problems in his body. We hoped one day we would get a positive, but we could never imagine what that would be like...

we sent this book and a picture of my first ultra sound to my parents on my birthday (around 11 weeks) to let them know. But apparently they figured it out 3 weeks earlier...

So I did what any normal person would do and climbed back in bed. Kelly said "So?" I told him to turn on the light, but instead of turning on the light he turned to me and said "Really?! It worked!?" and then we went back to bed.

For those of you are going to ask: I am currently 15 weeks, haven't gained any weight, and am not showing. I find out the gender in 4 weeks, and I am due September 6th.

When people find out, they tend to say " you don't seem very excited..." To set everyone straight...we are! We knew this was the next step in our lives, but at the same time, I really am nervous for what lies ahead. I have never been one of those girls who just wants babies and to be a mom more than anything. I do want those things, but I also know all of the responsibilities that are going to come with it, and the changes, and sometimes I think I am a little selfish.

We were so excited to finally get a positive, but I also have a lot of friends who have been trying a lot longer than us, and all they want in the world is to be a parent, and for whatever reason, that's not happening for them. I also have about a million more friends/acquaintances who are currently expecting, and I think that made my pregnancy a little less exciting. I kind of felt like just another number in a crowd.

But I've moved past that a little and am getting more excited, I think. I don't really feel pregnant except for being hungry all the time. I thought I wouldn't really give into those urges, but I only ever feel sick if I am feeling hungry and don't eat. So I eat. (I am addicted to fruit and greek yogurt currently). And to make up for it I exercise about everyday.  I have been doing a lot of running, and it feels great. It doesn't feel any different running right now that it did before there was a tiny person growing inside of me. I figure that's a good sign.

We find out the gender on April 11th. I am pretty excited about that, because (I didn't plan it this way) but it just so happens that's the same day as Kyle, Kaloni, and Layton graduate from college. So my parents and big sis will be here, too, so I figure we can all find out together. I think knowing the gender will also make it feel more real, and I can start preparing a little.

We most likely won't be living here when the little babe comes, (Kelly likely starts graduate school in Augusts - getting his masters of accountancy and his mba) so I don't really want to start getting things like a crib, etc., until either right before or right after he/she comes, because I wouldn't have anywhere to store it. I definitely have my eye on a few things I know I want though;)

We are pretty sure we know what we will name the baby, either way. We have a boy name a girl name. No, we don't have a preference. But Kelly talks about him like he's a boy, so I talk about her like she's a girl, because if she is, I don't want her to feel left out.  I truly do not have a preference, I just want the baby to be healthy. That's all.

Well that catches you up, probably a little too much, to the life of the Conrads. I am trying to have more of a presence here because I miss it so much, but I have just been busy and not good and arranging this into my time. No promises of improvement, only hope.

1 comment:

  1. Hey Tiahna,
    Congratulations on your pregnancy. I can totally relate on everything your are feeling about not seeming excited and everything not seeming real. I wouldn't even refer to my little girl as being pregnant until I saw her on the ultrasound for the first time at twelve weeks. It was scary because I had just had a miscarriage 6 weeks before getting pregnant. We kept our pregnancy on the down low from everyone but family until 18 weeks! Don't worry though, all of those feelings will go away when he/she starts to move around and when you know the gender. You will be an amazing mother and everything will be great!
    Mallory

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