Ever since announcing our pregnancy, I have been completely overwhelmed by the momma bonding and support I have received. Whether it be the gift of adorable homemade dresses, morning sickness advice, pregnancy devotionals, hand-me-down maternity clothes/nursery items, or simply "I've been there" conversations, I am truly beginning to see that motherhood is a precious, God-given bond. One of the most stark examples God has given me of this came when we visited our friends in Elizabeth City a few months back. This was the weekend before we found out the gender of the baby, and I struck up a conversation with a mother of a one-year-old little girl at my friends' church. After only talking to this sweet lady for a few minutes, she suggested that if we found out I was having a girl I should get in touch with her so she could pass me down some clothes. This seriously blessed my heart knowing that a stranger who lived over five hours away was interested in helping our family out. I've heard for years about the "Mommy Wars" which make women out to be vicious, judgmental, and cruel to one another. I know I am still new at this "mom" thing, but if the way I have been treated thus far in my journey is any indication, I firmly believe this is a myth. I do realize, though, that God has utterly blessed me by placing such godly examples of mothers in my life and for this I will be eternally grateful.
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What Fruit are you? Spark is the size of an eggplant (approx. 9-14 inches)
Due date: June 12, 2015
How far along: 26 weeks, 1 day
Gender: Girl!
Maternity clothes: I'm pretty much wearing maternity clothes exclusively.
Sleep: Lately I have been sleeping great. I'm savoring this because I know this likely won't last long as I head into my third trimester.
Food cravings: Milk. I seriously can't get enough.
Symptoms: Minor back and pelvis pain, having to stop and catch my breath
Movement: Sarah Parker has been very active lately
Labor signs: None!
What I miss: I still miss being able to eat any kind of cheese I want
What I'm loving: Looking at little girl clothes and getting nursery ideas
What I'm looking forward to: Starting to finally be able to put the nursery together!
Best moment this week: Wes surprising me by rearranging/moving our bedroom.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Nursery Dreaming + 24 Weeks
This week has been filled with snowy, icy weather which means there has been no work in the McGarry household. While it has been fun being snowed in, the combination of my nesting desires and inability to get out of the house has nearly driven me crazy. With that said, I have been looking at a lot of nursery/baby things online and pinning them for later. Here are a select few of my dream nursery items.
We have been blessed to have all of her furniture already taken care of, so I have focused more on the minor details of the room. As you can see, we (mostly I) have decided to go with a gender neutral theme. I'm not a huge fan of super girly items in the first place, and with the hope of having future children this seemed like the best choice. I was inspired by one of my favorite children's books: The Giving Tree. There were a lot of options of things to buy online that fit with this theme, but frankly I think I can DIY most of it (see picture number two). Our wedding was tree themed, and so we have a lot of stuff left over from that that would fit in with the decor.
It is fun to envision a space for Sarah Parker. We've already painted the walls a light gray, so I imagine her room to be filled with soft colors with a few pops of that lime green inspired by the cover of the book. Most importantly, I hope it is a space where she knows she is loved and cherished and can always feel safe.
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What Fruit are you? Spark is the size of an ear of corn (approx. 8.5-12.5 inches)
Due date: June 12, 2015
How far along: 24 weeks, 1 day
Gender: Girl!
Maternity clothes: I'm pretty much wearing maternity clothes exclusively.
Sleep: I sleep well when I actually am asleep, but I have been waking up more.
Food cravings: Berry smoothies!
Symptoms: Minor back and pelvis pain, having to stop and catch my breath
Movement: Sarah Parker has been very active lately
Labor signs: None!
What I miss: I still miss being able to eat any kind of cheese I want
What I'm loving: Looking at little girl clothes and getting nursery ideas
What I'm looking forward to: Starting to finally be able to put the nursery together!
Best moment this week: Waking up to freshly fallen snow
Due date: June 12, 2015
How far along: 24 weeks, 1 day
Gender: Girl!
Maternity clothes: I'm pretty much wearing maternity clothes exclusively.
Sleep: I sleep well when I actually am asleep, but I have been waking up more.
Food cravings: Berry smoothies!
Symptoms: Minor back and pelvis pain, having to stop and catch my breath
Movement: Sarah Parker has been very active lately
Labor signs: None!
What I miss: I still miss being able to eat any kind of cheese I want
What I'm loving: Looking at little girl clothes and getting nursery ideas
What I'm looking forward to: Starting to finally be able to put the nursery together!
Best moment this week: Waking up to freshly fallen snow
Friday, February 13, 2015
Growing Pains + 23 Weeks
I definitely feel like I have "popped" this week. I can't easily see my toes anymore, my belly button is almost even with the rest of my stomach, and my feet and legs are starting to ever so slightly swell by the end of the day. Still, I know it is completely worth it and will continue to enjoy the view from up here.
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What Fruit are you? Spark is the size of a large mango (approx. 11.5 inches)
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What Fruit are you? Spark is the size of a large mango (approx. 11.5 inches)
Due date: June 12, 2015
How far along: 23 weeks
Gender: Girl!
Maternity clothes: Although I can fit into a select few of my normal clothes, I'm pretty much wearing maternity exclusively...they are so much more comfortable.
Sleep: I have been sleeping much better this trimester!
Food cravings: Nothing specific...everything tastes good!
Symptoms: Minor back pain, having to stop and catch my breath
Movement: Sarah Parker has been very active lately
Labor signs: None!
What I miss: I still miss being able to eat any kind of cheese I want
What I'm loving: Looking at little girl clothes
What I'm looking forward to: Working her nursery and building a library
Best moment this week: Having Wes feel one of Sarah Parker's kicks/punches
Friday, January 23, 2015
20 Weeks + What's in a Name?
This past Tuesday we found out that we are having a beautiful baby girl! Throughout the pregnancy I knew in my gut that she was going to be a girl so I was not surprised by this news at all. It was still so sweet and surreal to see her moving on the screen; I couldn't stop crying even when we had to go back to the waiting room for the doctor's appointment. The best part was seeing Wes' reaction to the news. Although he was trying to keep his cool, I knew he was bursting inside because he wanted a little girl so badly. It was truly a precious moment.
We are naming this blessing Sarah Parker McGarry and are calling her Sarah Parker. We have had this name picked out for over three years. I have always been interested (obsessed?) with names so when Wes and I first started dating I would ask him what names he liked. The only name he ever said he loved for a girl was Sarah. I loved the name too, but wanted a double name since I knew so many people with the name Sarah. I think it was Wes that suggested the middle name Parker. Parker is his middle name and his mom's maiden name. I really love when a name has meaning and is connected to people that you love so I thought this was the perfect name. We thought about adding a hyphen but ultimately decided to leave it as two separate names. I don't think I would have ever picked out this name on my own, but can't imagine naming our daughter anything else.
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We are naming this blessing Sarah Parker McGarry and are calling her Sarah Parker. We have had this name picked out for over three years. I have always been interested (obsessed?) with names so when Wes and I first started dating I would ask him what names he liked. The only name he ever said he loved for a girl was Sarah. I loved the name too, but wanted a double name since I knew so many people with the name Sarah. I think it was Wes that suggested the middle name Parker. Parker is his middle name and his mom's maiden name. I really love when a name has meaning and is connected to people that you love so I thought this was the perfect name. We thought about adding a hyphen but ultimately decided to leave it as two separate names. I don't think I would have ever picked out this name on my own, but can't imagine naming our daughter anything else.
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What Fruit are you? Sarah Parker is the size of a small cantaloupe this week which seems HUGE to me
Due date: June 12, 2015
How far along: 20 weeks
Gender: Girl!
Maternity clothes: Although I can fit into a select few of my normal clothes, I'm pretty much wearing maternity exclusively...they are so much more comfortable!
Sleep: I have been sleeping much better this trimester!
Food cravings: Cereal and baked fruit
Symptoms: Some minor back pain
Movement: I've been feeling some solid kicks for the past few week!
Labor signs: None!
What I miss: Being able to eat Mexican or goat cheese
What I'm loving: Looking at little girl clothes
What I'm looking forward to: Working her nursery
Best moment this week: Finding out "it" is a she!
Milestones: Seeing Sarah Parker move around in my ultrasound and being able to use the word "daughter"
Saturday, January 10, 2015
18 Weeks + Introductions
Hello. If you don't know me well, I am Alex McGarry, a newlywed and first-time momma-to-be. This space is mostly for me to document this joyful time in my life so my family can look back at it for years to come. Let me tell you a little about our story.
My husband Wes and I were married on May 31st, 2014 at the tender ages of 20 (me) and 19 (Wes). Since I was little I knew that one of the reasons God put me on this earth was to be a mother, and I knew getting married was one step closer to that. What I didn't know was how soon God was willing to bless us with a child! Our plan before getting married was to wait a year until we started trying, but (I kid you not) the day after our wedding Wes casually asked me "So, when are we going to have a baby?" At the time I was shocked but so thrilled because in my heart I wanted a baby so badly but wasn't sure if Wes was ready. We decided it would be best to wait through the summer and see if I would get a teaching job since at the time Wes and I both were only working part time. Well, as a part of God's divine plan I did get my dream job as a second grade teacher and we took that as God's green light to go ahead and start trying.
I was devastated the first month when we found out I wasn't pregnant. I wasn't expecting to be so sad, but I cried all the way to and from work. I felt so silly because I knew this was only our first month of trying and it takes so many women years and years of waiting. Thinking back to those weeks of uncertainty I have a new respect and empathy for couples who are having to wait get pregnant and pray often that God gives them peace in their waiting.
Looking in hindsight, I am glad that God made us wait that month. During that time I really evaluated why I wanted a baby. I kept asking myself "Do I want a child just because they are cute? Just because I love kids? Just because that's the next thing we are 'supposed' to do?" and at that time I honestly wasn't sure of my answers. It was a faithful day at church, though, when I unequivocally knew where my heart was. Wes, the youth pastor at our church, was speaking on Youth Sunday. The scripture he referred to was
Psalm 127:4 "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth." He spoke so passionately about how parents were to shape their children into godly servants and were to be led by God in this endeavor. I knew he got it, and that I got it too...I had just momentarily lost my way. This was the reason that I wanted to become a mother: to glorify God by shaping my children into believers.
Later in my bible study I read this passage where Hannah was speaking about her son, Samuel.
1 Samuel 1:27-28a
For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.”
Many times we see the first part of this passage, but I knew God was asking me to focus on the second part. I knew that if and when God was going to bless us with a child He would ask me to give that child right back to Him, and I had finally reached the point that I was ready to do so.
Psalm 127:4 "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth." He spoke so passionately about how parents were to shape their children into godly servants and were to be led by God in this endeavor. I knew he got it, and that I got it too...I had just momentarily lost my way. This was the reason that I wanted to become a mother: to glorify God by shaping my children into believers.
Later in my bible study I read this passage where Hannah was speaking about her son, Samuel.
1 Samuel 1:27-28a
For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.”
Many times we see the first part of this passage, but I knew God was asking me to focus on the second part. I knew that if and when God was going to bless us with a child He would ask me to give that child right back to Him, and I had finally reached the point that I was ready to do so.
Long story short, a few weeks later (on Wes' birthday, actually) we found out that we were pregnant and here we are now at 18 weeks. We are so thrilled by this enormous blessing and are so humbled that God has entrusted this child (whom we lovingly refer to as "Speck") to us.
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What Fruit are you? This week Speck is the size of a sweet potato! How cute is that?
Due date: June 12, 2015
How far along: 18 Weeks, 1 day
Next appointment: January 20th...our sonogram!
Gender: We will find out at the next appointment :)
Total weight gain/loss: 6 pounds
Maternity clothes: I have started wearing a mixture of maternity and normal clothes
Sleep: I have been sleeping much better this trimester!
Food cravings: Chipotle burritos and anything spicy
Symptoms: Some minor back pain
Movement: I think I have been feeling some (maybe just wishful thinking)
Labor signs: None!
What I miss: Being able to eat Mexican or goat cheese
What I'm loving: Stretchy maternity pants
What I'm looking forward to: Our trip to Elizabeth City and quickly approaching sonogram!
Best moment this week: An unexpected 2 hour delay (I am a teacher after all!)
Milestones: People other than immediate family being able to see the "bump"
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