They say good things come in 3’s, and life really seemed to progress after I returned home from my trip out west (link here). Over the next few months, I bought my first home (link here), and I met Marcus, my true match in life–my partner and my friend. What came next surpasses all of my wildest dreams. A gift that I didn’t know was in store for me. 

One evening, Marcus and I were heading to Fredericksburg for a date night– dinner and live music. Two of my favorite things. During our car ride he asked me, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” My response, “I’m just trying to make it through the day.” We both laughed. 

It didn’t take long for me to open up– this relationship was different. Most of all, I was different this time around: confident and more secure with myself but also more transparent and vulnerable. Our relationship was growing. I was preparing to finally move into my first house in Austin, and having him by my side both prior to the move and then during my move felt like a dream I couldn’t see when I first put an offer on my home back in November. 

We talked about a family and what that might look like to us. I was very honest from the beginning. My life was full and abundant. I have my dog(s) that make up my family, a beautiful extended family that surrounds me with love, a business that challenges me to the core everyday, and the horses that I spend two days a week with during my lessons. If God blessed me with a child, then it would be an absolute gift; but if it wasn’t meant to be, then my life still felt abundant and full. I couldn’t be anything less than grateful for it all. 

“I’m in this for the long haul either way,” responded Marcus with sincerity. “If we have a little farm sanctuary filled with animals and travel or if we’re blessed with a child of our own. I want us to be a family.” I was in it for the long haul too. 

In the midst of the chaotic move, Marcus planned a road trip for us to get out of town and head West for the weekend. I wasn’t sure if this would relieve or add to my stress of delayed renovations and moving, but I’m always up for an adventure so we loaded our dogs and bags into the car and headed to West Texas for a long weekend. 

With the windows down, dog ears flopping in the wind, and music playing, our trip was off to a great start. That evening, Marcus surprised me with tickets to the McDonald Observatory Star Party, and the entire night felt like pure magic. Over the next four days in the desert, we ate delicious food, listened to live music and learned a lot more about each other. In full transparency, we also observed each other’s idiocracies, had a few tiffs and witnessed each other’s moods. 

What we didn’t know is that we left for that trip as a party of two, but we were soon to find out we were heading back as a future party of three! 

Back in 2018 I participated in “dry January” and never looked back. My life improved in every way imaginable once I cut out alcohol, and since then I’ve become very in tune with my body. Over the next few weeks, I started to suspect changes in the way I was feeling but brushed it off thinking, “There’s no way I could get pregnant that quickly!” 

When my pregnancy test came back positive, my initial feeling was just pure shock, a little fear, followed by an intense feeling of gratitude and love. It was Father’s day, and we’d just spent a long day out on the water with friends. There was no more denial. 

The two of us were standing in my half-renovated construction zone of a house when I shared with Marcus that we were adding another member to our family. I wish I could have captured the expression on his face. He was immediately a beaming dad and much more relaxed than myself. 

The first trimester was harder than I’d anticipated. I wasn’t vomiting, but the exhaustion was REAL. I felt like I had swallowed a wrench and the only way to relieve myself of the nausea was to eat a lot of food. It didn’t help at all that our kitchen was demoed, only to find out the cabinets were delayed by two months. Needless to say, it was a rough start. We got through it together with a lot of ups and downs, tears and laughter, and I couldn’t imagine sharing that experience with anyone else. 

Part II 

Here’s a list of my Must Have Pregnancy items by trimester. These are the things I could not have lived without. 

**Please note everyone’s journey is different. These are just the items that worked for me. Always consult with your doctor on what is best for your needs. 

First Trimester: 

1. Ginger Chews & Preggie Pops– These were a staple on my desk as I was working through my first trimester. 
2. Smarty Pants Prenatal Vitamins– Swallowing pills is a challenge when you already feel nauseous. After Marcus, my sister was one of the first to learn about my pregnancy. A day later a package showed up at my door, and I couldn’t be more thankful. I didn’t even tell her that I couldn’t swallow pills. After 20+ years as a labor and delivery nurse, she knows what’s best. 
3. Needed Prenatal Protein Powder. Orange juice was like gold during my first trimester. I wanted it all the time. I purchased these life-saving (individually packaged) frozen fruit packets and made myself smoothies regularly. 

Second Trimester:

1. Pregnancy Pillow: I’d planned on meeting my friend Stephanie for our regular Sunday hike. Every night was different, so the day before our hike I texted her, “Hike contingent on if I sleep tonight.” Fortunately I slept, and when I met up with her she gifted me this body pillow. Not only was it incredibly thoughtful, it helped tremendously in taking the pressure off of my back and hips and led to a better night’s sleep. 
2. Basis Clean Hydration Mix– In an effort to stay regular and hydrated, I picked these up from an Instagram ad and have been using them ever since. I was looking for ways to take magnesium, make my water more appealing and to keep hydrated. Luckily, these worked their magic. 
3. Clothing. Comfort is key. My favorite clothing items to wear: Bumpsuit, side ruched t-shirts from A Pea in the Pod, a few babydoll dresses and rompers from Shopbop, leggings from Bump’n, and workout clothes from Beyond Yoga. 
4. Pregnancy Seat Belt Adjuster. I had a few work trips that required me to be on the road for several hours. I didn’t like having the seatbelt over my stomach. This was the easiest adjuster to install and made the long drives a lot more comfortable for myself and for my baby. 

Third Trimester to be continued..