What I'm Grateful For...

Hello All!

Seeing everyones' beautiful posts of what they were grateful for yesterday was so very sweet. Many times I wanted to post my gratitude, but I really wanted to wait for today.

For the most part I am sure our news of a baby girl joining our home is pretty well known since it's been all over Facebook and Instagram (we get around ;) ) But I wanted to share what I'm grateful for and SHE is definitely a part of what has made this Thanksgiving week so special.

First off, we have been with family this weekend and how sweet it has been. Being away from loved ones is doable, but it's not until you are reunited that you realize the hole that was there while away. Spending the weekend has been so fun, and the love and the positive energy has been wonderful. Seeing Finch play with his cousins and his aunt and uncle and grandparents has been so neat, and the love they share for him warms my heart. For any parents out there, I'm sure you can agree that seeing others love those you love so much brings a lot of happiness. Last night we digested and watched "How To Train Your Dragon 2" which I bawled the entire time. Toothless looks like my cat and I lost it anytime he was in trouble. Part pregnancy hormones, and part missing my baby kitty, I was a wreck by the end of the movie.

Then I couldn't sleep. Because we had made an appointment a month ago to see an ultrasound studio here in the Utah valley while in town for Thanksgiving. Even though our doctor is doing our regular anatomical ultrasound in two weeks, I felt a strong need to find out sooner. I would have been so happy for a boy or a girl, but for some reason, I have felt a very strong need to know about this special spirit who is in my tummy and Ben agreed to keep the appointment for my Christmas present.
Anyways, after a long night of poor sleep because of jitters, we left for the studio and got there way too early and killed time while we waited for our appointment. Poor Ben, I was like an impatient little kid and he had to put up with a lot of freaking out and over the top emotions as we prepared to go in.

Once it was time for us to go back we met our technician and boy, was he great. He told me I looked too young to have two kids (thank you very much, in Rexburg, I feel like a mature woman next to all of the baby freshmen who are fresh out of high school) and asked me what I thought we may be having. I was hoping for a girl and honestly have had strong feelings lately that we had a little girl on the way and not a little boy. After I said so he began to look. Apparently 80% of mothers are right about the gender. I guess mother really does know best. ;). We started the ultrasound and immediately there was a HUGE difference between this baby and Finch. Finch was so active and was bouncing and flipping around. She was sleeping and refusing to move. Like at all. She was stubborn. After a few minutes of trying to get her to move, he asked me to roll onto my side, and then we forced her to wake up and we saw her face. Then she refused to move again and I had to move to the other side and finally after a few more minutes she relented and began to move. At this point he was pretty sure it was a girl, but said that in his 30 years of work he never told a mother the gender until he was sure it was right. So then we tried to get a profile shot of her and a bum shot of her. It took a while and she continued to be stubborn/shy/determined to make me sweat and then I felt like I should say the name we had for a girl. I said, "Come on Rosie," and she finally listened and spread her legs for us to see. There was a definite lack of manly parts, and then we got the profile shot he needed to confirm it. Then she showed off her hands for us (long fingers, great for piano playing!) and began to squirm. I was amazed that she responded. I said her name a few more times and she was so much more responsive. Really cute, right?

It's a little blurry, but it says, "It's A Girl!"

So after getting twice the amount of pictures we paid for, and almost crying in the office because I was so happy, we left the studio with an envelope filled with pictures of our sweet baby girl. (Oh just to do a shout out, if you are ever wanting to get an elective ultrasound, I really recommend the "Fetal Studio" in the Southtowne Mall in Sandy, UT. Seriously, we had the best experience there and our technician was so great.).

We are so excited and even though pretty much everyone in our family was convinced it was a girl, everyone was so happy.

We are naming her Rosemary and we call her "Baby Rose". For those who wonder why we have picked this name here is the reason:

When I was little I had a mouse doll that I named "Rosemary" because I thought it was the most beautiful name I could imagine as 7 year old. I lost Rosemary a lot and would pray a lot to find her. Every single time I lost Rosemary I would say a prayer and Heavenly Father would tell me what to do or where to find her. I found her every time and I still have Rosemary in our nursery. Everytime I see her I remember that Heavenly Father loved me so much that He helped me find a stuffed mouse doll time after time after time. She may have just been a toy, but she was a way for me to grow closer to Him, and I learned to trust in Him, and that He would always listen to and answer my prayers. I can't think of a more beautiful reason to name my child something like "Rosemary" than that. This baby has been another miracle baby for us and she is so loved already. We feel so grateful and so blessed to have her as a part of our family and I can't wait to meet her. I have been feeling her kicks for a little while now and having her quiet nudges of love help me a lot.

So here's to Rosemary and the joy she has brought to us this year.

I am thankful for my son as well. This year has brought so many blessings and everyday when I look at Finch I see the joy of life and the reason I am who I am. Finch came into our lives after a heartbreaking miscarriage and was the dream we worried we'd never have. He made me the mom I am and the woman I am becoming and from the moment I held him in my arms, I knew, I would never feel more complete than in being his mother.

I am thankful for my husband, Ben. He is my bestest best friend and the love of my life. I never knew such a companionship was possible and everyday I fall more and more in love with him. He has taught me selflessness, to dream, and to love myself. He brings love to all he does, and I have never been so completely whole as I am when I am with him. Eternity doesn't seem long enough when I think of my sweet sweet love.

I am thankful for my cat and the companionship she brings to me. She is so sweet and attentive and has been so healing after so much. She truly is an answer to prayers and the greatest furry friend I know.

I am thankful for my family and friends. The support and the love I feel from you all lifts me up and I am so grateful for the memories I have made and continue to make with you all. I think of eternal families and know that God truly wants His children to be happy and I rejoice in the blessings of eternal families and marriages.

I am lastly but most importantly grateful for the gospel, and for my Savior, Jesus Christ and for the peace it brings in my life. I finished reading about Christ's life the other day in my scripture study and it was so perfect before Thanksgiving to be able to realize and appreciate even more His life and atonement for me and the bonds of physical and spiritual death He has broken so I can return to God's presence someday. I am who I am because of this gospel and I am so grateful to know I am a daughter of God.

I hope your holidays have been wonderful and that as we approach this Christmas season you feel the love that is out there. I am grateful for you all and I look forward to what this year and next year brings. Thanks for reading.

Love,

Liz, Ben, Finch, Rose, and Zola :)

For those of you who have worried about us lately :)

Good Evening, Friends and Family!

I just wanted to thank all of you who have kept me, and my family in your prayers, well wishes, and positive thoughts. We have felt them a lot and appreciate it so much. (Please keep them coming!)

I wanted to apologize for any concern that my post may have caused to anyone who did not see my comment about my bladder infection. I tried to not be too vague in my initial post (because I knew I would start crying from hormones, fatigue, and discomfort and say a whole lot that people just don't want to read) but realized soon after that it was the right kind of post to cause concern. For those who have reached out to me or my family in concern, thank you for loving me enough to ask, and again, I am so sorry for anyone who was afraid something had happened to me, my family, or our unborn baby.

So just to clear things up, I just want to explain what has been going on the past few weeks.

I don't like to blog to complain, and I hope that this does not come off showing such a sentiment.

First off, Baby Bird #2 is doing really really well. He/She has a very strong heartbeat and is the size of a peach and is already so loved and appreciated in our home. Going to the temple on our date night, I felt our little spirit very closely and it was so nice especially after the roller coaster I have been on with this pregnancy and I'm only at the beginning of my second trimester.

I thought that my pregnancy with Finch was difficult and it definitely was, but already, this one is proving to be probably the hardest trial I have faced, (baby is not the trial, my sick pregnant body is) and it takes a lot of encouragement from the Lord, my sweet husband, my little boy, and family and friends to get through the tough times.

I got a cold last month and just when I was over that, I got terrible sciatica to the point that I was on my hands and knees for 45 minutes waiting for Ben to get home. It took a few days for it to cool off and be uncomfortable but manageable. Then after that I started in with my major nausea that I had with Finch and now with this baby. It's terrible trying to eat when all I want to do is go into a coma for the next few months until I feel better. Then (Doesn't this sound like a soap opera? I feel like "General Hospital"/"Days of Our Lives") I got my bladder infection and that has been a lot to handle for the past week and a half.

First my antibiotic didn't work so I was prescribed a second one whilst still feeling sick. Then I got a major allergic reaction to the second antibiotic and woke up with hives, itching, and trouble breathing. Tonight I start my third antibiotic and I am hoping with all of my heart that it will be what I need to get over this hump and move on with my life.

We have been exceedingly blessed though. I have a great doctor who is so patient with me and has been trying all he can to get me better, and I feel very safe in his care. I have a very well behaved child (it's a little scary how well behaved he is) who lets me rest and just likes to play quietly beside me while I rest or snuggle (it's my favorite) and then, I have my incredible husband who does so so much to keep me happy, helps me to feel loved and comfortable, and who serves me every moment of everyday, and last but not least, I have a sweet little baby I can't wait to meet who I know is worth every day of pain, sickness, fatigue, and nausea. I love him/her already so so much.

I may be going through a very hard time but I have so much to be grateful for too and I just wanted to give a picture of what I'm dealing with so those who are worried may know that I may be miserable but very very okay. My family is safe, and we still have a little baby on the way.

Thank you so much for reading, for your love, encouragement and prayers in my and in my family's behalf. We appreciate it and feel it every day.

God bless :)

Love,

Liz Davies