Don't know what you have till it's gone

22 Weeks!

I love being pregnant! I even love my ever-expanding belly, and the many different challenges it presents. Baby Girl moves all the time now, which is absolutely amazing and awesome. So much so that I was even able to see it from the outside for the first time last night! I was laying in bed reading, and all of a sudden my belly was jumping all around, like popcorn was popping inside! My students continue to notice the difference in my growing size, too. One of the boys was absent and hadn't seen me in a few days, and his first observation today was, "Mrs. Strassner, I think you've gotten bigger since the last time I saw you!" I'd be offended, except I'm sure it's true!!

We had a doctor's appointment last week, and I am pleased to say that everything is still going wonderfully. She was very active during the appointment, so I was able to show the doctor exactly where to put the little heart monitor device. We found her heartbeat right away (very unusual for Baby, just like for her mommy), and it was strong and steady... except for the fact that she had the hiccups, which made everything a little uneven!


On a more sour note, Casey has not been feeling very well for the past few days, and having him down for the count has made me again appreciate how lucky I am to have such a wonderful, supportive husband. He is truly amazing, and I am extremely grateful to have him. He helps out with so many things, including making me breakfast in the morning and packing my lunch. I know that doesn't sound like such a big deal, but it makes an incredible difference when my energy is low. Beyond that, though, it's just so nice to know that he is there for me and involved - in ways that he can be - with our daughter.

I have been thinking about that a lot recently. Certainly, I could do this on my own if I had to. But having my best friend AND my partner around to help makes my life not only easier, but that much more blessed. He is always there for me, taking care of me and doing whatever he can to lighten my load so that I can focus my energy on the baby and all that making her requires. We may have a lot to learn about being parents, but in my heart I know that Casey is already a great daddy! We are extremely lucky to have such a strong, stable and loving marriage to bring our little one into.

Get well soon, Daddy! We need your help!! :)