It's a.... BABY!!!

Yep! That's right! I'm pregnant! I, Bethany Delk, am going to be a mommy. I could not be happier! In fact, I have never been happier in my life, I know it. Today we heard the heartbeat for the first time and we got to see the baby for the first time too. I cried. Like a baby actually, no pun intended =) When the midwife found the heartbeat, it truly was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. I'm actually crying as I write this because I am just so overwhelmed that God has blessed me with a life to grow and then to nurture. A little pitter patter, the heartbeat sounded like it was trying to race itself, 172 beats per minute! Bu-bump, bu-bump, bu-bump, sweet sweet music to my ears. I cried and I laughed and the midwife had to tell me to be still since my tummy was all over the place and she had trouble keeping the heartbeat while I was moving so much! The baby is about the size of your thumb, from the knuckle to the tip. Or a little bigger than the size of a grape. Imagine that... a little grape-sized baby... oh I am so in love already!! My little grape-baby is due August 1st so that makes me 10 weeks and 5 days along right now. They weren't exactly sure of my due date so it is possible it could change after my next few visits. We also won't get to know the sex of the baby until the middle of March... which feels like forever away, but I'm sure will end up flying by. Anyone got any strong feelings that it is a boy or a girl? I've had none. I keep wondering if I "feel" like it is one or the other, but I really don't know. I would be happy with either. I would love to dress a little girl is pretty dresses and bows for her hair but I also love my nephew to pieces and would love to see two boy cousins having fun together one day... To tell you a bit about my pregnancy I'm "borrowing" this cute survey from Becki's blog. (Thanks Becki!)

How far along? 10 weeks 5 days

Weight gain? 2 pounds so far! (I thought it would be so much more but I was very relieved to see the number on the scale today)

Maternity clothes? Not yet, but I am starting to have a little trouble with my dress pants for work. Don't tell anyone but I can't button one of my pairs of dress pants and as of 2 days ago, I officially cannot zip them up all the way anymore!! Holy Cow! My waist is disappearing!!

Sleep? I have never ever ever before in my life gotten up to pee in the middle of the night. I am a sleeper. I don't get up for anything, ask Susan, my college roommate, she remembers not even being able to wake me up for fire drills in the middle of the night! What can I say, I'm a sleepy person. Now, I get up at least once to pee. Before Christmas I had gotten up to getting up FOUR TIMES A NIGHT. FOUR. OMG. Ask me how frustrated I was. No words.

Stretch Marks? None... yet. Anyone have any stellar remedies for preventing these bad boys??

Best Moment this week? Hearing the baby's heartbeat and seeing him wave to Mommy today =)

Movement? Well I saw the baby moving during the ultrasound but I don't feel the baby yet.

Food Cravings? Cheeseburgers, mashed potatoes and gravy, scrambled eggs with cheese.

Food Aversions? COFFEE!!!! I used to LOVE coffee! This was clue number 1 that I was pregnant... I started weaning myself off caffeniated coffee for decaf when I knew we were going to start trying, then I found that I couldn't finish a whole cup of coffee in the morning. Then I didn't want coffee but I would still try to drink it, because, hey, I love coffee, I drink it every morning. THEN one day the smell made me gag and I COULD NOT drink even a sip. I threw the whole cup away. Please please please don't take me to Starbucks in the near future because I just might lose my lunch =( And, you can join in prayer with me that my love of coffee returns after the baby arrives =) Thanks!

What I miss most? Sleeping through the night.

What I'm looking forward to? Finding out what the sex of the baby is!!

Milestones... We had our first prenatal visit today. It went beautifully. I cried a lot and the ultrasound technician even complimented Brandon and I, saying that the staff thought I was beautiful and that we were the perfect couple! I was already having a fabulous day, this was just icing!!!

Other tidbits about my 10 weeks because, well, just because. It is my first pregnancy and I'm figuring out this Mommy bit as I go and I want to share it with you all! Morning sickness. I'd heard of it and even sympathized with women who endured it because if you know me at all, you know I HATE to throw up. HATE HATE HATE it. I am actually fearful of vomiting. Mostly because I don't really remember how but because ew! its gross and awful and no fun! I have been blessed with morning sickness that is actually morning, noon and night sickness, aka, I'm nauseous 90% of the day. I have even woken up in the middle of the night, sat straight up in bed and thought "oh, no! I'm going to vomit on the bed and I really don't want to!" Don't worry, I didn't throw up in bed. I clenched my throat muscles reallllll tight and prayed that God would understand just hoooow badly I didn't want to throw up. Getting up in the morning is a mean trick. I mean I wake up, open my eyes and think "hey, I feel good today." THEN, I sit up and realize, "oh crap, no I don't." Does everyone know what dry heaving is? Yeah, me too. My closet knows what it is, my shower knows, my sink knows... how? because I've introduced them. Yep, Dry heaves while getting ready for work. There's not a whole lot worse than knowing you've got to be in another town for work in an hour and you can't get up from sitting beside the toilet. PLUS the ironic and slightly unfair thing about the whole first trimester is that you don't normally tell people you are pregnant until the second trimester so you spend a miserable 12 weeks hiding a secret and hovering over the white trough. How unfair! I couldn't tell anyone at work because I wanted to make sure the baby was healthy and strong and yet I was holed up in my office (because oh yeah, they brew approximately 4 pots of coffee in my office suite a day!!!) with the door closed alternating between putting my head on the desk and laying down on the floor. Yeah, what a miserable couple of weeks. I so wanted someone to sympathize with me or pat my back or just tell me I would survive. Needless to say, I called Brandon a lot. I haven't told my coworkers yet (Monday's the big day!) but I know it will all make sense to them once I tell them because I have been acting so different the past few weeks. Just to summarize, I have walked out on lunch on more than one occasion the color of kermit the frog, I have gone from eating salads for lunch to burgers, macaroni and cheese, and french fries (totally out of character for calorie-counting-me!), and I've been working with my office door shut (remember, the coffee aversion?).

I guess this qualifies as my longest post ever but I also qualify for first baby ever so it turns out its ok. I will try to post on a regular basis and also put some pictures up! I have to battle the scanner to be able to post the ultrasound pictures from today but I am prepared to go to war =) I also can't wait to start posting belly bump pictures!

To close out here is how I've been praying for the baby each night (and actually every free moment in the car or walking down the hall!) so feel free to join me in praying up this little one who we will all get to meet in just 7 short months!

Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for this blessing. I am so unworthy, yet You trust me with a life to nurture and teach Your ways. Please place your hand on my womb and hold this baby safely to delivery. Lord, develop 10 healthy and strong little toes and 2 feet and 2 ankles and 2 shins and 2 calves and 2 knees and 2 femurs and 2 hips and pelvis and tummy and digestive system and lungs and heart and shoulders and arms and elbows and wrists and hands and 10 fingers and spine and neck and brain and head and ears and eyes and nose and mouth and tongue and lips and cheeks and hair and all the parts of the baby's body. Lord keep this little one safe from harm and healthy. Lord keep illness away from this house and keep us strong and healthy and safe. Develop Brandon and I into the parents you want us to be. Help us to make wise decisions.

Thank you thank you thank you for this little miracle growing inside me.

We love you Lord.