I have been bursting to share this for months—honestly, it’s been so hard to keep it to myself. Every post since early November, I was one keystroke away from blurting it out. I usually overshare here, so holding this in for more than two months felt practically impossible.
Before anything else, can we pause for about half a second to appreciate Boone in the pregnancy announcement photo? I melt every time I look at it. Yes, I adore my dog—but even if you’re not a devoted dog person, that picture is cuteness overload. Agree?
Maybe this explains why my blogging has been sporadic lately. During almost the entire first trimester I was extremely averse to food—especially meat—so cooking and writing about food felt impossible. I wasn’t posting nearly as much as I normally would, and for that I apologize. My appetite has come back in full force: I went from only being able to stomach carbs (pizza, pasta, bagels) to now wanting every kind of food in sight. I honestly feel like an overeater right now. The aversions are mostly gone, although bratwursts still make me queasy—mention them at your own risk.
The first trimester was rough: constant nausea and overwhelming tiredness that made it hard to stay awake past 8:00 pm. If meat was around, I wanted nothing to do with it. Carbs were my safe zone. Despite all of that, I genuinely cherished it—every queasy moment, every droopy-lidded hour at my desk—because they felt like reassuring signs of a healthy pregnancy. I clung to that perspective and welcomed the discomfort if it meant a strong, healthy baby.
Around six or seven weeks my sister-in-law suggested trying Unisom and vitamin B6 at night to help with the nausea. I checked with my OB and she approved, so I started that routine—and it was life-changing. My nausea disappeared, though food aversions lingered for a while. By roughly week nine those aversions faded and food once again became my constant companion. I haven’t had any bizarre cravings—just the simple, persistent desire for a soft, warm chocolate chip cookie. I even sent my husband a slow-motion video of someone scooping into a gooey cookie and watched it multiple times.
Emotionally, pregnancy has been a roller coaster. I’ve been much more tearful than usual—small, sweet moments set me off. Examples:
- At the grocery store, my husband picked up a tiny, adorable pineapple and I actually cried because I thought it was so cute.
- We watched a TV show where a pig was harmed and I sobbed like it was a real tragedy.
- One night Seth rubbed a lemon on apple wedges he cut for my lunch so they wouldn’t brown, and I cried because it felt so thoughtful.
So that’s my current state: likely eating a cheeseburger, wiping away a tear over something small, or changing into leggings because comfort wins.
Right now I’m a little past 13 weeks. Here are a few recent bump pictures:
The highlight came yesterday at our first appointment: we had an ultrasound and heard the heartbeat. I had mistimed an earlier appointment, which pushed this scan to January 10th, but finally seeing that tiny shape on the screen was incredible. Before an ultrasound it’s almost hard to believe there’s really a baby, but watching that little peanut moving around made everything feel real. I cried, of course, and couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
The baby was active—wriggling arms and legs—and the heartbeat was strong and fast. Seeing that tiny, growing person—half of me, half of my husband—felt miraculous. It’s still hard to fully grasp, but witnessing the movement and the heartbeat made this little one feel so loved already. You are so wanted, sweet baby Chesson.
After the miscarriage we experienced in September, this pregnancy feels especially precious. Those months were crushing, so I am deeply grateful and amazed at how things have unfolded since then. I’ve seen many signs of care and blessing around us—another story for another time—but for now I’m simply joyful and relieved to be able to share this news at last.
Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday, friends!