Introducing... Baby Blogging!

I have wanted to start a baby blog for a while now, mostly so family and friends can follow how I’m doing in the pregnancy, and then of course to see lots of pictures and read stories of our little Kiwi baby!  I am so excited for our little one to arrive, and I know our loved ones are too!  I wish we could all be together when this happens, but I’m thankful for the internet and phones and the many ways that we can stay connected!

Pregnancy for me has had its ups and downs.  During the first trimester I had quite a few difficult days- nausea and headaches mostly.  It definitely wasn't easy at times and I was eager to enter into my second trimester (often called the “Honeymoon Stage” but I deemed it the “Moving to New Zealand Stage").

That’s right, we moved to New Zealand right at the start of my second trimester.  I have been feeling so much better, though there still has been the occasional nausea and headache.  Some of that may be due to the adjustment to a new country. I need to cut my body and mind some slack- I am going through a lot of changes right now! 

17 Weeks in the Auckland Skytower- Feeling good and definitely showing. Isn't that an amazing backdrop!?

We have found a General Practitioner and a midwife- praise God!  This was on the top of my to-do list!  I really hope that I connect with each of them well.  I prayed God would provide a good midwife and I’m trusting that He has!  The midwife that I have found has really positive references and we will meet her for the first time on Thursday!  In New Zealand, everyone uses a midwife and they all speak very highly of the whole process.  If, in labor, there is an emergency and a doctor is needed, an OB/GYN will be close by to help.  Getting acquainted with the medical process has been stressful at times because it is just different than the states, but New Zealand is a great place to have a baby and I’m confident that God has us here and now for a reason!  

It is so interesting to me that when we first submitted our visa application, we were pregnant and we didn't know it!  My physical very specifically said that I wasn't pregnant!  We were discouraged when the visa application came back to us and we had to make changes, but during that time we found out we were pregnant and were able to document the necessary requirements for being pregnant.  Who knows what may have happened if we had come into the country without anyone knowing we were pregnant.  I'm convinced God was protecting us from a lot of potential problems getting health care, etc!

More baby blogging coming soon!  And even sooner we will write about our first few weeks in Auckland, NZ!