Question and Answer Time

WOW! Has it really been over a month since my last post? I could lie to you and say that I've had a million different things to post, but no time at all to post them. But like I said, that would be a lie. You want the truth? Here it is:

I may or may not have spent all my time and thoughts being completely and utterly consumed with this little one. Do you blame me?

For those of you who may not know...this is MY very own (and my husband's, of course) tiny little one currently growing in my belly. We are beyond ecstatic to get to be Mommy and Daddy to this little miracle baby we affectionately call "Hooglet."

I thought I'd just go right ahead and answer some questions you may already have swimming around in your noggin about this baby/pregnancy.

1. How far along are you? I am currently at the end of week 13, moving right along into week 14. This essentially means that I've been pregnant since the middle/end of July. It also means that you can expect to get to meet Hooglet sometime towards the end of April.

2. Was this planned? Here's the reader's digest version: My husband and I had been wanting to get pregnant for almost 2 years now. There were plenty of ups and downs for both of us, but mostly just a steadfast trust in the LORD and in HIS timing for our family. There was a long period of time where we actively pursuing pregnancy (whatever that means), but kinda just got distracted and SUPER busy for awhile there. It truly just became something we really didn't think much about for a couple months. Then, all of sudden...it happened. So, yes...this was kinda planned. But no, we were not ever in control of it. Thank the LORD for His goodness to us!

3. How did you know you were pregnant? Well, I was actually already 2 months pregnant when I started really having symptoms. And I mean SYMPTOMS! I was nauseous ALL day EVERY day. I didn't want to eat anything sweet (*gasp*). And other things that I will spare you. As much as I really didn't want to take another pregnancy test and see yet another negative, I kept feeling this urging from the LORD to just pee on the stick. So, I did...not really expecting anything different. And it turned up immediately positive! YAY!

4. How are you feeling these days? In a word...rotten. It's starting to get better a little every day, but it was pretty ugly for awhile there. And please don't get me wrong. I prayed for 2 years that the LORD would make it obvious for me when I became pregnant...and I'm truly thankful for every wave of nausea and every food aversion and every soreness or tightness in my body. These all mean to me that the baby is actually there and still growing. I may not be thoroughly enjoying the sickness, but I'm incredibly grateful for it.

5. Speaking of cravings and aversions...got any? Umm...YES! This baby LOVES, loves, loves pickles. I seriously eat pickles every day. Hooglet's also been known to beg for Chik-fil-a and Honey BBQ boneless wings from Buffalo Wild Wings. But mostly I just eat fruit and crackers...and pickles. I cannot stand even the smell of coffee. And sweets are not often eaten...which is very odd for me. And after a wicked case of heartburn last week, greasy and fried foods are absolutely off-limits.

6. Do you want a boy or a girl? I want a healthy human baby. I really am genuinely torn about what gender I want. I'm not at all being modest so you won't think badly of me, I just really keep going back and forth. I will say, however, that if I were a bettin' woman, my money would go on boy, for sure. That doesn't mean that's what I want, it just means that's what I think it is. We'll find out soon enough, and I'll be sure to let you know.

7. Have you thought of names? When Matt and I got engaged three and a half years ago we (really, I) started talking about names. Needless to say, they've changed and morphed since then, but i think we've finally agreed on both girls and boys names. I'm not totally sure I'm ready make them completely public just yet. But let's just say this: With a last name like Hoogendoorn, it's slim pickins for good names.

8. How did your parents react? Eh, they were kinda happy. FALSE! They (the moms) freaked out! They were wanting a grandbaby more than we were wanting a baby. They weren't the only ones who freaked out, though. Just about everybody either cried or jumped up and down or screamed or couldn't stop hugging or a combination of all. This was one long-awaited baby and the longer we all waited, the more joyous our reactions upon hearing the good news. It's one of the coolest feelings in the world to know just how loved this baby already is.

I've answered all I can think to answer right now. Please feel free to ask me any more and I will most definitely try to answer as soon as I can. We're excited and can't wait to get to meet this little miracle baby.

Until then, I leave you with Hooglet's very first picture ever, taken when he/she was a mere 7 weeks old. Doesn't he/she look like an alien Teddy Graham? Such a cute little Teddy Graham. :)