Can you share with our readers a little about your family? Where are you from originally? How did you and your partner meet and end up living in Gales Ferry, CT?
Michael and I are from San Diego, California. We met at Michael’s going away party for the Navy when a mutual friend introduced us. We got married in 2013 and had one of our baby girls in 2017 and one in 2019. We started our married life in Saratoga Springs, New York and have since relocated to Gales Ferry, Connecticut.
How did you break the news to your partner that you were expecting a baby?
[For our first baby] I had a strange feeling something was off about my body one morning so I took a pregnancy test. When it came back positive, I ran to CVS at 5 in the morning to buy anything that I could find to tell my husband we were finally pregnant! At the register I found a baby bottle pop! As I turned around, a woman asked if I liked sweets early in the morning… All I could do was burst out crying. I was happy, I was scared, I was nervous! It took everything in me to utter the words, “I just found out I’m pregnant” The lady and I stood there hugging and crying. To this day, my husband gives me a hard time about telling a stranger before I told him!
The second baby was planned, so we were tracking the days. We both anxiously waited for that positive to pop up and when it did, we just giggled and hugged each other!
What was your pregnancy with baby like? Did you suffer from any morning sickness? Have any strange cravings?
Reagan’s pregnancy was so easy! Besides the morning sickness, everything was perfect. The only thing I really craved was cheeseburgers!!
What was your first thought when you found out the sex of your baby?
We were excited to be having another girl. Saved a lot of money on clothes since we saved clothes from our first!
Which part of your pregnancy did you enjoy the most? And the least?
I loved getting to see her through ultrasounds. My second pregnancy was monitored closely due to the fact that I developed HELLP syndrome in my first pregnancy. We got ultrasounds once or twice a month. The least favorite part was being so nervous about getting HELLP again. It felt like I couldn’t enjoy the pregnancy as much since I was so nervous.
What made you decide to follow your specific birth plan?
Honestly, all I asked for was pain medicine and open conversation about what was happening. I wasn’t allowed any medication with my first and everything was so hush hush since they didn’t want me to panic.
What was your birth experience like?
AMAZING!!! It sounds corny, but it was my dream birth. I labored until 7-8 cm, then got my epidural and everything was smooth sailing! It truly was a perfect situation.
What’s been the grossest thing you’ve experienced since becoming parents?
Grossest thing would probably have to be the poop! Although I knew what I was getting into with my second, poop never gets easier.
What’s the sweetest, most memorable moment of parenthood for you so far?
When my oldest asks to “nuggle” her sister. It’s so sweet. She loves her so much.
What feelings came up during your pregnancy about your baby?
I had a lot of guilt during this pregnancy. Guilt that my first would hate the fact we decided to give her a sibling, guilt about how I could evenly love them both.
What were you most looking forward to about the arrival of your new baby?
I look forward to seeing my girls grow together and have a special bond.
As a military family, what additional struggles have you faced due to your lifestyle? (i.e. spouse deployed during pregnancy, birth, or shortly before or after, moving to a new duty station near your due date/the birth, etc.)
Our biggest struggle would be the fact we are moving soon. We have been constantly back and forth between Connecticut and California due to my husband’s father passing away. We just had the baby in September and now we are due to move in a few months. It has been a whirlwind.
If applicable, how are you feeling about returning to work once your maternity leave is up? If your partner received any leave from work, how are they feeling about returning?
I’m lucky that for now i don’t have to return to work. Once we move and get settled, we can reevaluate. But with the price of daycare, it almost isn’t worth it to go back right now. nnMy husband did receive 14 days off and has already returned back to work. It was nice to have him home, made things a lot harder when he went back but I was able to get the girls and I into a groove.
What tips or advice would you give other parents as they experience their first few weeks of parenting and welcoming their newborn into their family?
Just watch! Life happens so fast and those tiny moments are the parts that I cherish most! We are so quick to watch for their first milestone, but everything in between is amazing as well.
Can you share with our readers a little about what made you choose dacia vu photography for your newborn session, and what your experience was like?
I chose Dacia Vu Photography because I really loved what her worked looked like. It was soft and beautiful. Working with Dacia was beyond easy! She got down to my toddlers level and showed her around the space to make her comfortable, and then started working with the baby. She was truly amazing to work with!
