Light of my life...

So what began a year ago as a gleam in our eyes is now the preciously smiling, gurgling, squealing little boy in my arms.  What an amazing journey this has already been!  Brady is an absolute treasure and has forever changed our hearts and our lives.

Gimme the keys, Dad!  I'm a car man too!

The pregnancy and labor, I won't lie, were rather challenging.  I have never endured so much physically and I am left in awe of the woman's body and all that it can do!

A few words about the pregnancy marathon... but if a picture's worth a thousand words... here's a few k's...

FIRST TRIMESTER!

 

It's positive!  First try! 

(4 weeks)

We're going to have a baby!

Oh, hello nausea... 

(2 months)

Yep, there's really a baby in there!

Due date set for January 9th, 2011.

(12 weeks)

SECOND TRIMESTER!

Still feeling nauseous... oh yeah!

(17 weeks)

(20 weeks)

It's a BOY!!!

25 weeks of nausea later...

 Celebrating 3 wonderful years of marriage and we're just SO excited to meet our son!!
Can't you tell? ;-)

THIRD TRIMESTER!

HOORAY FOR NO MORE NAUSEA!!!

6 months!  

(Pregnant bridesmaid take one)

Almost 7 months

(Pregnant bridesmaid take two!)

32 weeks

Does this baby make me look fat? ;-)

Shopping for baby stuff is fun!

36 weeks and starting to set up the nursery

(Please come early!)

Full term (38 weeks) and waiting...

Merry Christmas!

WOAH, 40 weeks and ready to be induced January 10th!

Brady's Birthday: 1/11/11!

Wow.  We did it!

Braden Hawthorne Getz

Just seconds after delivery - January 11th, 2011.

Brady truly is the light of our life.  

We are so blessed to have him to love and to hold.

A few things I learned during pregnancy:

1. Old wives' tales are simply that - tales.  Even the silliest notion will be right 50% of the time when predicting a baby's gender.  
2. Coke icees/slurpees are a pregnant mama's best friend when she's nauseous.  They seriously help take the edge off.  When they don't, enter Zofran!
3. Sciatica/nerve pain is no joke.
4. Nine months is a very, very long time.
5. Old Navy has a great online maternity section. So does GAP and Target.  Buy a few key pieces you can mix and match to wear over and over and over again during your pregnancy.  (You'll need 'em during the postpartum phase too!)  Layering is key!
6. Every pregnant woman deserves a pedicure.
7. Pregnancy is like a second puberty... you sweat more, grow hair, are clumsy, your skin changes, you have growing pains and get stretch marks, your boobs grow, the list goes on...
8. Life is too short to surround yourself with anyone other than warm, loving, positive people.
9. The woman's body is a beautiful and powerful thing.  It should be celebrated, not criticized.
10. 'Tis a mighty God we serve... His creation is perfectly and wonderfully made... albeit painful!  Thanks a lot, Eve.