With good comes bad

I've found out some good news and bad news in the last few days. I always like to hear the bad news first but today I'm starting with the good.

Good: Andrew and I were able to hear the baby's heart beat again on Monday. The doctor said his/her heartbeat is strong and read 163. I've started my second trimester which has made me feel a little better now. My odds of miscarriage have dropped significantly! I haven't let myself think that way or let that factor control me, but seriously...what pregnant woman doesn't think about that during their pregnancy? Needless to say, it was a relief. I'm glad all is going well! I'll be 14 weeks on Friday. Very exciting!

Bad: In the midst of all of this, we've had a couple of relatives come down with serious illnesses lately. Grandpa Lozano has gone downhill after going to the hospital last week for congestive heart failure. He's not my grandpa by blood, but I sure do consider him a close match. He's the grandpa of one of my childhood friends. I've been friends with her and her family since I was 5. Her family lives next door to mine. Not only that but Grandpa Lozano resembles my grandpa SO much. I lost my grandpa 11 years ago, and I feel like I'm losing him all over again. I'm encouraging, praying and talking her through it all, and while I know that we must all go through the pain of losing a grandparent, I can't help but to feel for her...more than others.

Not only that but today we found out that Andrew's aunt has cervical cancer. She is a breast cancer survivor but over the last few years she hasn't been taking care of herself like she should. We'll find out more tomorrow or Friday what stage the cancer is at and how far it's spread. She's only in her 50s. I hope it isn't as bad as every one's thinking.

The crazy thing is, when you hear about things like this, it makes you change your way of thinking, if it's gone off course. All the things that mattered before don't seem to matter as much. Sometimes we can get so far off track. For instance, "I have nothing to wear today," or "the oil needs to be changed," or "he said/she said," but those things seem so small in retrospect. Don't they?

Well I'm off to bed but before I do, could you please keep these two individuals and their families in your prayers? It would mean a lot to me and them. After all, prayer is powerful!

Cravings

Last night I got a glimpse of pregnancy cravings. For some odd reason at 10 p.m., I wanted and when I say wanted, I mean I needed mozzarella cheese sticks. I can still picture them in my head. Oh...they sound soooooo good, even right now. However, not nearly as good as they sounded last night.

Luckily, I was on the phone with Mandy and she convinced me that these cheese sticks would stick to my thighs if I ate them. lol Which made me remember that I have an upcoming doctor's appointment on Monday (where they'll weigh me).

Needless to say, after all the thinking and weighing the consequences, I did not run out and get them. But wow...I've never wanted a food so bad in my life. Very strange.

First trimester

It's been so long since I've blogged. Just wanted to share an update. Andrew and I went to New York for the Fourth of July weekend with friends. We had a great time and saw all the things we hoped to see and more!

After we returned, Andrew went back to work while I battled with the "hangover" feeling. I had it while in NY but tried to be a trooper. Luckily it only lasted a couple more weeks before it went away. I have to say that overall, this pregnancy has been great. I've seen several of my friends and family go through some rough spurts. I'm just very blessed that I have not had to encounter those things.

Heartburn is gone as well! I chugged Tums for awhile like candy. However, I think my body has finally adjusted to all the changes. My stomach is beginning to harden up. No more flabby stuff. It's weird.

I had lunch with my good friend Stacie today and I told her how much it hit me last night. I was journaling in my notebook and I wrote down the word, "mom." I've never looked at that word so intensely before. When I think of the word "mom," I think of my mom. Never associated the word with anything other. But now when I write that word, I think of how I'm going to be a mom. In a few months, I will have a little baby looking up at me, knowing that I'm his/her mom. It's just such an amazing/mind-blowing feeling.

That's where I'm at right now in life. Had my first sonogram last month at 9 weeks, all was well and only ONE heartbeat! lol Andrew and I go for our next one August 17. I can't wait to see the baby again and to see how much he/she is changing. I will be 12 weeks tomorrow. Wow!

Until then, I'll keep you posted!