The Doughty's: New Mommy!

Well, I've never been one to blog, but with a little one on the way, I thought this would be a fun way to make an electronic scrapbook! A little history about me and Byron! We met in March of 2010, and began dating in April of 2010. We were both a little shy, and living 45 minutes apart, tried to spend as much time together as possible. During this time, I was in my Junior Year of College and Byron was on orders at the Perryville Armory. We enjoyed 4-wheeler riding, mudding, movies, dinner, and hanging out with friends. We fell in love, and on August 19, 2011, 16 months later, Byron got on one knee and asked me to spend forever with him. Seven months later, we said "I do" and began our "happily ever after." We spent the first year of our marriage working, raising a puppy, buying a new car, moving into our first home, attending church, and growing closer as husband and wife! We had always talked about kids (of course), but wanted to be married at least a year and enjoy "us" time first. AND THEN HE SAID IT. "IM READY." I always thought I would be the one begging for us to start our family; however, about a month before Byron turned 25, I was cooking breakfast, and he came up to me and said, "I'm almost 25, I'm ready to start a family, what do you think?" I told him, "If you're ready, I'm MORE than ready." So, we began trying. It was a good solid 7 months until we finally got the positive test!!!

Now, my story begins...

With Byron being in the National Guard, he has drill on the first weekend of every month (most of the time). Well my birthday fell on the first weekend of September (and of course he had a 3 day drill, at Ft. Chaffee). So we both took off the following Friday through Sunday to take a mini vacation. We went up to Mount Nebo and stayed in a Cabin...we did nothing but relax, eat, took a couple walks, and saw lots of deer. It was a great weekend.

That Monday after our long weekend is when I decided to take my first pregnancy test because I was 5 days late, which is UNHEARD of for me! I got two 88cent tests, and sure enough one was positive that night and was positive the next morning. As soon as I took it, I was ecstatic; I ran into the living room with it and I know Byron couldn't understand one word I was saying. He was smiling, but just kept saying, "don't get too excited, lets get you a doctor appt first to confirm it." I tried to explain to him that I'm never late, and I was 99.9% sure this was right! So on September 17, I made an appointment, and got blood drawn, and YES, we were having a baby! From blood work only, they estimated a due date of May 21, 2014 and scheduled an early ultrasound for September 25th!

September 18, 2014...only a day after finding out, we couldn't keep it a secret! We drove around to Byron's immediately family telling them our exciting news. Since my family is 3 hours away, we had to be creative, because we didn't want to wait to tell them! So we face-timed them!! Actually Thorn is the one who broke the news!

We went to our first ultrasound on September 25, where Dr. Wood estimated us to be 6 weeks exactly! He stated at our next ultrasound, he would measure the baby and give us an exact due date and exactly how far along we were. As Byron and I looked at the ultrasound screen, we starred in amazement of what a blessing this was. However, this ultrasound didn't look like much more than a blob, we knew it was our baby just as tiny as a grain of rice!

We left our appointment with happy hearts, a little nervous, but all smiles! Our 8 week ultrasound was scheduled for October 10, and we would be back to get our exact due date! This will be the first grandchild on my side of the family, and I have to say he/she will be a little spoiled! My parents are on cloud 9, and my dad is so excited to take milestone "belly pics" with me!! Below is our "6 week belly pic."

Aunt Rochelle has started the spoiling already!! She loves shopping, and has already bought 4 outfits!

Well, at this point, I had no sickness, and no symptoms of pregnancy. Of course I had the millions of questions and emotions running through my head that I'm sure is normal to any expecting mother. But with prayer, I knew God was going to bless every day of my pregnancy. Up to this point, there were some days it truly hadn't sunk in yet that I was a mommy.

8 week ultrasound...this was the day I knew in my heart that I was 100% pregnant, on October 10, 2013. Looking at the ultrasound screen couldn't make it more clear. This day, Dr. Wood confirmed that we were 8 weeks, 4 days, and due on May 18, 2014!!! This day, our little one's heart beat was 173, which was perfect! We were able to see where the baby's spine was forming, and can see the arms and legs beginning to form!! How amazing is this picture!?!?!?

After leaving our appointment, I starred at this picture all day. It looks like he/she is reaching out for a hug and it brings joy and tears to my eyes. Words escape me, they often do. Some things are just too big for words. Words are funny at times. I know our world will change over the next 9 months. Byron has changed since we found out we were expecting. Everyday, he kisses my belly, and talks to the baby. It's the most precious feeling, and it's crazy that I am falling deeper in love with him everyday. We won't be perfect parents. We will make mistakes. We will not always be right, and we won't always make the right decisions. But we will be parents, and that in itself is a blessing from GOD.

My parents have been supportive and already chosen their names to be "nana" and "pappy." They came and visited last weekend. My dad did a little landscaping for us, and my mom and I got some time to spend together! I look forward to many visits from them and many trips up to visit them! Here is my dad's "9 week belly pic."

Psalm 127:3

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."

Genesis 1:28
"And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Psalm 139:13-16
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."