Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Jellybean is a BOY!

Most of you have probably heard by now that Jellybean is a boy. A very healthy boy! He is in the 91st percentile for height and weight. If he is keeps growing at this rate he might be an April baby instead of a May baby! :-)
We are thrilled that Jellybean is a little boy. Growing up I'd always pictured myself as having a girl first, but all that we have been through these past 5 years has a way of changing those "picture perfect" dreams. Many thoughts come to mind after finding out Jellybean is a boy:

1. This isn't our first child, it is not even our second  or third child. Who knows anyone of the children we lost could have been girls.
2. Waiting, praying, and crying for just one healthy child for all these years has made me thankful for either a boy or a girl. We are just thrilled to have A child!
3. In all the infertility challenges a thought that made me the saddest was the fact that Jeff is the last Johnson and I wanted so bad to give him a little boy. Someone who would carry on the Johnson name. In God's miraculous goodness He had allowed me to give my loving, faithful husband a little boy.
4. Ever since I knew for sure that I was pregnant I have felt that Jellybean was a boy. So I have had 5 months to sit and think about raising a little boy. There isn't a better man to raise a son than my husband. Lord willing one day our little boy will be a fine Christian man thanks to the loving, faithful example of his daddy who daily exemplifies the love and compassion of our Heavenly Father.

All in all, I've learned through the years that God's ways are not our ways. His ways are PERFECT!

I'm recovering from a sinus infection so you will just have to ignore how bad I look!


Jellybean stretching



His profile. Our favorite picture. He has Jeff's big head! :-) Just look at his cute little facial features!


The proof that Jellybean is definitely a boy! ;-)


Jeff's little baby outfit and shoes. His mom had them all washed and ready for us to take home and put on Jellybean! No we haven't decided on a name yet.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

20 Weeks!!!

I have hit the 5 month mark! I am halfway done with my pregnancy! WAHOO!!! Best of all just in case you hadn't heard yet, we get to find out WHO Jellybean is this coming Friday!!! YAY!! That is as long as he/she cooperates. I had an ultrasound a few weeks ago and the cord was between its legs and Jellybean would NOT move for anything! Of course as soon as we get out into the waiting room he/she starts moving all around! I know, I know, with Jeff being the daddy antics like that don't surprise you right?!! Yeah, just one more thing that convinces me that Jellybean is a boy.
These past few weeks have been a lot of fun because Jellybean has been moving a lot. It is so cool how I can start to learn his/her personality. I have learned that he/she likes to hear me sing (or maybe he/she is complaining). He/she does a great job in distracting me as I am trying to practice for the Christmas Concert at church! I've also learned that he/she really likes it when I eat sugar. It feels like he/she does summersaults after I eat sugar! Mmmm...............what lies in my future???!!!

Make sure you stay tuned....

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Thanksgiving Weekend



We have sooooo much to be thankful for!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

My Latest Challenge

Well, I always told myself that if God allowed me to get pregnant I wouldn't complain about any of the symptoms. So I think God is just giving me all of these "lovely" symptoms in order to show me that I can't even not complain without His help.
Last night I was up b/c of a stuffy nose, intense sinus pressure, heartburn that really felt more like acid reflux, and aching legs. I was lying on the couch trying to get comfortable and trying not to grumble. I was praying and telling myself that it really is all worth it. When all of the sudden Jellybean started moving. At this point it feels like little taps. Its like he/she was saying, "Its okay Mommy. I'm here and yes this will all be worth it." So then I just ended up crying and my head started feeling better but I still couldn't sleep. :-)

Monday, November 16, 2009

4 Months, 16 Weeks


     It still seems so surreal that this is me. I keep wondering when it will all sink in. Probably the biggest news to report is that I'm pretty sure I have felt Jellybean moving around. He/she was pretty active in church yesterday. He/She liked the great sermons we had from Pastor Hofmaier (from the Philippines) and from Daddy. ;-) As Jellybean gets bigger I'm really curious to see how much he/she moves when Jeff preaches.We have 4 more weeks and we get to find out who Jellybean is. We cannot wait! I've been dying to decorate the nursery ever since we found out we were pregnant. Since I can't decorate the nursery yet I've been working on other things like...
-Organizing all my maternity clothes in my closet by color. (I have AWESOME friends who have given me lots of clothes. I guess there is an advantage to having your first when some of your friends are done having children.)
- Scheduling Childbirth Classes and hospital tour.
- Reading about and comparing about a million and one kinds of strollers, pack-and-plays, highchairs, etc. (I found a highchair and swing that match my livingroom and kitchen's decor! Pretty pumped about that. I figure baby gear is so big it might as well look nice taking up space right?)
- Getting books like Baby Wise and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child to read and critique.
- Talking to other moms about what baby gear they like and don't like.

I like to be prepared and organized. :-) I've resisted the urge to sit down and prepare preschool lessons and materials. Because after all I don't know who my student is. LOL!

Once we find out who Jellybean is then I can go crazy registering and decorating! Since I haven't been substitute teaching too much and I am dying to do something with my hands I'm thinking I might sew some of the decor with my Grandma Chase. As soon as I told her that I was pregnant she said, "Well we'll be doing lots of sewing this winter." I've been sewing with her as long as I can remember!

Monday, November 2, 2009

14 Weeks, 98 Days

Yesterday marked the beginning of my 2nd trimester! Wahoo! I have been celebrating all week! I can't believe that we have made it this far! It is funny how much life can change in 14 weeks.
14 weeks ago....
-You would have only caught me in the baby department at stores to buy a baby gift and even then I had to wipe away tears. Now I cannot get out of a store without walking through the baby department.
-Getting through the grocery without tearing up was almost impossible. There were way to many babies and pregnant women. Now I can smile and tears of gratitude come to my eyes.
- My husband and I would see babies in public places, look at each other and say "Oh look!" and then have to quickly think of something else so we could go on. Now we see babies in public places and we smile and talk about how Jellybean will be when he/she is that old. It is fun to be able to dream again.
-I used to cry and/or tear up every day because I couldn't have a baby. Now I cry or tear up every day in thankfulness to my wonderful Savior for bestowing such a wonderful blessing in my life.
- Holidays were only bearable because I held my nieces and nephews. As each year went by it became harder and harder to find real joy on the holidays. Now I cannot wait for the holidays because I know that next year we'll have a four-six month old we can take to the pumpkin patch, go on hayrides, and buy Christmas presents for (as if we won't buy anything for him/her this year). It is wonderful to be able to dream!
-Sometimes it was hard to push back the covers and get on with life, now I wake up place my hand on my stomach and smile. I have another day with my Jellybean.

My life has done a 180 degree turn in the past 14 weeks. At first I struggled with the change. I was afraid to fully embrace it. Afraid to just be happy. I still struggle with the fact that I am here when I have so many girlfriends who would love to be here. Friends who are where I was 14 weeks ago. But at 14 weeks my happiness is uncontainable! I truly feel like I have been given a piece of heaven.

"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Beginning

Because of all that Daddy and Mommy have been through Mommy is monitored pretty closely. On a Friday in August the nurse called Mommy and told her that her HCG level was 8 (anything above a 5 is considered pregnant). 8 is not a very strong number so the nurse told Mommy that she was pregnant, but it probably wouldn't last because very few women with beginning HCG numbers like that sustain the pregnancy. Mommy got off the phone and pleaded with God to let me live. Mommy and Daddy along with a few dear friends prayed for a miracle that weekend.
On Tuesday Mommy got another blood test. Her HCG level had gone up to 41!!! I was growing just like I should! Mommy ran out to tell Daddy. Daddy told her to stop running. :-)
When I am born Mommy is going to send a picture to the nurse that called that first day so that she can rejoice in God's GOODNESS and POWER!

This is me at 5 weeks and 4 days. You can't really see me yet. The doctor said that I am shy.

I am growing! 6 weeks 4 days. Mommy and Daddy heard my heartbeat for the first time today. It was music to their ears! They nicknamed me Jellybean.

WOW! 11 days later at 8 weeks I grew 4 times bigger! Isn't my Creator AMAZING!

"For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from Thee, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed susbstance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
Psalm 139:13-16

The fact that my days (and Mommy's and Daddy's) were all ordained before I even came to be is very comforting for Mommy and Daddy. God is a great, kind, and loving God!!


Mommy and I at 12 weeks! Wahoo!!!!!



13 weeks- I am growing just fine! Mommy and Daddy think I am a boy because Mommy craves all the food that Daddy loves (mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, chicken and chocolate). :-)