New Year…New Adventures…New Baby!
Happy 2016, dear readers!
Well, I wanted to start off the new year with some fanfare over here at The Thinking Closet by sharing some knock-your-socks-off exciting news for our family.
This June, we will be adding a new member to our D.I.Y. team. That’s right, Mark and I are expecting a baby. Cue the confetti!
We know parenthood will be a grand adventure. No doubt, it’ll rock our worlds and challenge us in ways we never knew possible, but that’s always been true of the worthwhile mountains we’ve climbed before.
Our favorite feline, Mangey, is excited for baby’s arrival, too! Here’s our kitty on the back of our Christmas card pregnancy announcement, guarding that ultrasound pic. She takes her job as big sis very seriously.
First Trimester
Thankfully, I was able to launch Thinking Outside the Gift Box in paperback literally a day before my first trimester nausea and food aversions really kicked in. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I was spared from morning sickness (for which I am extremely grateful), but I did have evening sickness oddly enough where my stomach was in a swirl, and pretty much everything sounded unappealing from about 4 o’clock in the afternoon onward…everything except pizza, that is! This baby certainly has a knack for Italian cuisine. That and bagels and shortbread cookies and pepper jack cheese on crackers. Yum-fest.
Mark has been such a huge support to me, feeding me frequent snacks and taking on extra chores around the house to shield me from strong smells. Truly, a keen sense of smell is one of the incredible superpowers of pregnancy!
Second Trimester
However, now that I’m 16.5 weeks pregnant and making my way through the second trimester, all nausea has vanished. In fact, my appetite has returned with a vengeance, which was perfect timing with the holidays. {Grin.}
My main symptoms now are pregnancy-brain (math and words are hard), acid reflux (Pepcid and I are besties), and lower back pain if I’m on my feet too long. But really, I can’t complain. My friends with kiddos tell me the second trimester is the one to really enjoy, and I’m looking forward to using my newfound energy to dig into some baby-related crafts and D.I.Y. projects in the coming months. Bring on the onesies and burp cloths and nursery makeover!
Gender Predictions?
Any predictions as to whether Baby Lanker is a boy or girl? Feel free to cast your vote in the comments!
And I won’t say much more because we actually know the answer at this point! And over Christmas vacation, we did a fun gender reveal with our family, and I’ll be sharing how exactly we pulled it off in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. I thought I’d allow y’all to digest this first big update before hitting ya up with another!
UPDATE: See the gender reveal here!
To Close
Lastly, I did want to acknowledge that though announcements like these can be full of joy for some, they can bring heartache for others, or a cocktail of the two. Especially for those of you who have lost a child or those in a season of longing for one or those feeling like a failure as a parent.
Know you are not alone, and for what it’s worth, I’m sending a hug your way. Plus, here a few links to resources that might be an encouragement to you:
- When Merry Christmas Doesn’t Come Easy by Bo Stern
- A Mother’s Day Message for You #honestly by Amy from One Artsy Mama
- When You Find Yourself Hopeless on Mother’s Day by Sara Hagerty
Raising my glass of grapefruit juice to you, dear reader, and the adventures that lie ahead on your road this 2016. May they exceed your wildest expectations!
-Lauren, Mark, and Baby Lanker
Congratulations!! I’m so excited for you, Mark, and Mangey! 🙂
Congrats! I was just thinking you had been awfully quiet lately, so I dropped by to see what I had missed… A LOT APPARENTLY! Such wonderful news. God bless you all.
Hey Lauren,
Congratulations to both of you and wish you all the best for new phase of your life.
Lots of Love,
Jyo
A massive congratulations!!!!! I know you must be sick of all the congratulatory messages by now…but I don’t care :P. So so so happy for you both!
Congrats!! Yes, enjoy your second trimester. While I did get a good bit done during my third trimester, I did not have as much energy. Take good care of yourself and enjoy each day because they will fly by. I can’t wait to see some of your post regarding DIY projects for the baby and of course details about the baby.
I must join the chorus of rejoicing here on your blog! And that’s awesome that you included posts for hurting Mamas. It’s so considerate of you! Thanks for taking such good care of your readers. xo
Congratulations to you and Mark! Babies are always a blessing and a joy,
My prediction is that you’re having a boy. My own experience with my 2 pregnancies was very different. My son is my first born and I had little morning sickness, but massive food aversions (anything hamburger related, if you were cooking hamburger, I was tossing my cookies) while I carried him. With my daughter, massive morning sickness that started 3 weeks after conception and carried over into the beginning of my 2nd trimester. Friends who have had boys also noticed more food aversions with their sons too. So that’s my prediction based on personal experience.
Congratulations again! I’m excited for you and can’t wait to see more of your Baby Bump and updates.
YAY!!! I literally squealed when I saw your announcement photo. So excited for you and your man. Parenthood is the craziest adventure. Congrats!
Congratulations to both of you! This is very exciting news in the blogging world!
Congratulations Lauren! I’m so excited for you guys!! Parenthood is the hardest best job! 🙂
Woo Hoo!!!! Congratulations, Lauren and Mark!!
I was just about to delete all my bloglovin’ notifications in one fell swoop since I hadn’t checked it in several weeks but something told me to take a moment and look through them….so glad I did. 🙂 Lauren, you will make a fabulous mom!
Congratulations!!
We are rejoicing this wonderful news and continue to be overjoyed for you and Mark. No doubt your creativity will shine in motherhood as it does here and that will be part of why you’ll be an amazing mom. But the really real reason why you will be an amazing mom is that you will impart a love and adoration for your Savior because you know Him and have lived a life seeking after Him. I can’t wait for you to experience the special grace and mercy God has for moms… especially new ones! I have found Him to be most tender and patient with me as I navigate through new waters. You truly get to know his Shepherd’s heart. Enjoy the beauty of this time, friend, for it truly is like no other and you are beautiful inside and out.
As for gender predictions… It’s kinda killing me, but I’ll wait 😛 Raj is 100% sure you’re having a girl. I’m 50-50 right now… but I’m gonna say boy! Jonathan needs a June buddy to pal around with at the beach!
Sooo happy and cited for you, and have been since you let it slip on IG! Your kitty is adorable too and will be a good big sister! Here’s hoping that 2016 is the best year ever for your growing family. Take care of yourself and enjoy every minute of your pregnancy.
You, my friend… are SO kind and considerate. The last paragraph of this post speaks of your compassion and empathy. Two VERY good qualities to have in a parent. 🙂 I could be pregnant a million more times… enjoy every minute of it. There’s nothing more special than awaiting the introduction of that little baby. Much love! Charlotte
Oh Lauren!!! Congratulations upon congratulations!!! You and Mark are so crafty you’re making humans!!! Baby Lanker is truly blessed to have parents as loving and fun as you and Mark….I’m guessing she’s a girl!! :). Oh yes, my best to Mangey as well – all babies should have a guard kitty!!
Congratulations!!! That’s so awesome!! I’m so excited for you both!! I’m betting that your baby will be a girl 🙂
Congratulations Lauren and Mark, what wonderful news.
Your life is going to change but what a wonderful change that will be. All the very best to you all.
Ahh I’m so excited for you guys!! I’m glad you’ve had a fairly easily pregnancy so far and things are much better in your second trimester! It’s definitely the easiest, so enjoy it and take advantage of that extra energy 😉 And pregnancy brain is totally real and doesn’t get much better haha. I’m guessing little lanker is a boy! Eek, can’t wait til you spill the beans! Congrats again momma! xo
AHH LAUREN! Literally as soon as I caught a glimpse of the title of this post, I I started to get excited, and then when I read a little more, and it sunk in a little more, I just wanted to SCREAM! Because I am SO EXCITED FOR YOU! Of course I never said anything about it because that would be weird and untactful to some people, but I’ve been wondering if/when you were going to have a baby, and so this news is so exciting to me, and I know so much more exciting for you and Mark! I can’t wait! I’m glad that you’re feeling better now too! My mom always had fairly easy pregnancies, plus I only remember the last one, which was nine years ago, so I’m not familiar with the pains of pregnancy. I hope it’s smooth from here on! Woot woot! So excited! Also, I’m going to guess…boy?
Congratulations! So, so excited for you guys! I know you are going to be wonderful parents. I am so glad you are feeling well (mostly). You should know (no one ever told me this)…the pregnancy brain might be permanent. Just saying. Math and words are still hard for me almost 6 years after delivering my last little one. But I wouldn’t give up being a mother for anything.
Hmmm, gender? Have a girl so I can live vicariously through you. But seriously, being a #boymom is awesome (especially as they get older).
Congrats Lauren! You will be an amazing mommy!!! Our baby girl is due in about three weeks and is the number 1 reason I’ve been MIA basically this whole year. I’m glad to hear the morning sickness monster didn’t really get you–it got me! I’d get sick at certain times of day like clockwork (6am, 8:30am, 11am, 2pm, 5:30pm) but it went away by 14 weeks and was gone by 15 weeks. What’s weird is I expected the nausea to feel like you feel when you have, say, a stomach bug, but it was more of a feeling like “if I don’t eat a piece of bread (or some other carby thing) RIGHT THIS SECOND I’m going to hurl!” Did it feel the same way for you? I haven’t had any bad pregnancy pains besides that until about 32-33 weeks when it started to feel like my pelvis was being slowly ripped apart (turns out it is due to the hormone relaxin). I learned that the human pelvis has way more joints in it than you’d think and they’re all capable of hurting! May you never experience it 🙂 Otherwise, pregnancy has been a real blessing and I’m so happy for your family!
Hugs!!
Gabby
Well, congratulations to you, Mark and Mangey! Such a wonderful gift! I’m going to place bets on a boy…but all any of us ever asked for was a healthy baby. I’m sure that’s the wish you and Mark also had! Sooooo exciting!
Yeah !!!so happy for you both congrats. Can’t wait to see some cool kid stuff as your little one discovers blueberries, crafts , parties etc. will be awesome. God bless Lauren !!?
What exciting news!! Congratulations to you and your family – babies are such little miracles – truly blessings from God. Enjoy your pregnancy and the years to come with this wee one. Stock up on sleep while you can. It becomes scarce later on, but it’s so worth it! Have a wonder-filled pregnancy, and congrats again!
Oh what glorious news! Congrats to the both of you. Babies are a gift from GOD…………so consider yourself blessed! God be with you both as you prepare for the arrival of your gift! HAPPY 2016!
Lauren, that is THRILLING news!!! Huge congrats to you and Mark! The first one is always an adventure because they have the special privilege of making you a “family” officially. When our oldest daughter was born she was like our little sidekick. Lol Then more come along and they fit into the family puzzle as if they’d been there all along. Enjoy your pregnancy! June is a great month… both my brother and I were born that month. Lol 😉
You and Mark are going to be the most amazing parents. I’m SO excited for you, friend! This baby is already so blessed, and I can’t wait until he or she makes their little entrance into the world. Congrats!!
Oh Lauren!! You’re going to make the best momma! Congrats!!!
As the brand new grandma-to-be I’m excited to be one of the first to comment here! Congratulations to you and Mark, and Mangey! Your dad and I are rejoicing with you!
Since I know, I won’t comment here on the gender, but thanks so much for including us in the REVEAL!
Can’t wait to read great books to this little one (like the Narnia Chronicles I am listening to now on audio, and the Jesus Story Book Bible) and will regularly be praying for you both and baby Lanker.
God’s word has some great guidelines for parenting:
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 11:19)
WELCOME, WELCOME, little one! “He [Jesus] took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:36–37)
Such amazing news sweet friend!! Ah!! Kiddos are such an amazing blessing, and you’ll find a new love bursting from your heart you never knew possible!! So glad you’re feeling better, first trimester is definitely the hardest, but enjoy the returned energy in your second! 🙂 Get lots of rest, too! Happy New Year!!! 🙂
Holy Moly!!! Masssssssiiivveeee congratulations lovely! How blooming exciting!! You are so darn crafty that you made a baby! Hehe! Good job! 😉 I am so ridiculously happy for you and am sending heapsicles and heapsicles of love and hugs and huge amounts of celebratory goodness! I can’t wait to follow along on your adventure and see the gender reveal! You will be such fabulous parents 😀 Happy New Year lovelies! Xxx