Cravings and Aversions

It's still pretty early in my pregnancy (I'll be 3 months on Wednesday) but I've noticed a few cravings/aversions. Mostly I crave meat with the exception of chicken which is my main aversion. It just doesn't taste right to me. But steak, ground beef, ground turkey, pork, roast, etc are just what the stomach ordered. I just ate way too much meatloaf a few minutes ago and if there was any left, I'd eat more. Oh and potato soup. I've been on a potato soup binge the last few weeks. Panera and Dillons are my favorite places to indulge in this particular craving.

Pregnancy symptoms

It is amazing how quickly my stomach can go from feeling "sated" to "Oh my God if you don't eat right now you're going to throw up and die."

Expecting

So wait, did you catch that? Yep, that's right. We're expecting! Sometime in April this little family of ours will become a family of 4.

So far, pregnancy has been pretty ok. The worst part of being pregnant is the fear. We had an early loss in March. Losing a pregnancy changes the way you look at things because when the worst has already happened once, you know it can happen again. But we're moving forward, baby Kelery seems to be progressing well, and we're on the upswing of optimism and hope. I found a quote that I've really tried to embrace:

Learn from yesterday, Live for today, Hope for Tomorrow

 But anyway, like I said, the worst part of pregnancy is the fear and after two ultrasounds and listening to the baby's heartbeat with a borrowed doppler from work last night, even that's starting to abate.

I get asked all the time, "How are you feeling?"

Well, sorry to disappoint but I have nothing interesting to say to this! Truth is, I don't feel much different at all! I'm eating a lot more and I feel icky if I get too hungry but I eat and it goes away. No biggie. I'm 10 weeks today and morning sickness usually fades around 12 weeks so...chances are, I'm not going to get it! I'm not sure how I got so lucky but as long as Baby Kelery is healthy in there, I'll take whatever I get.

Elery's an experienced Dad and really, that helps. While I experience all the worries and anxieties of having a baby to care for (I didn't meet Savannah until she was 3), he's been there, done that. He's got this and I like that. Savannah is also an experienced big sister. She went through all the worries and fears of sharing a parent when her Mom got knocked up a year or so ago and she's totally over all of that. All that's in her is excitement. She prefers a sister but assures us she'll love a brother too.

Who are the Shivelys?

Chances are if you're reading this, you know who all the members are in this little family of ours but I'll give a re-cap anyways.

First there's me;

 Kelly

• 27
• wife, step-mother, mother-to-be
• master's degree in Mental Health Counseling
• licensed as a counselor/therapist but not practicing
• works with pregnant ladies and mommas providing education on how to have a healthy family

Then there's; 

Elery

• 26 
• husband, father, father-to-be
• associate's degree in Business
• works at his family's car upholstery shop

Savannah

• 7
• daughter, step-daughter, sister, sister-to-be
• attends 2nd grade in Argonia
• sensitive, sweet, mini-Elery 

Baby Kelery

• Kelly + Elery = Kelery, just a nickname for our little munchkin til s/he gets a real name
• 10 weeks gestation 
• due April 13th

Willow

• 7
• kitty 
• spoiled rotten 

Snowball & Gloria

• ages unknown
• mice
• recent additions to the household for Savannah's 7th birthday

So that's us in a nutshell!