Quite a few updates

It's been a few weeks since I have written in here, to be specific, 15 weeks. Things have been moving right along in our pregnancy and we are happy to report, we are having a little boy! We have decided to name him Maxwell Jackson Jude Lewis. There have been numerous times of great news, including several ultrasounds where Max was doing great and measuring right on track. I have been a bit overwhelmed with trying to work a part time job at the school, tutoring part time, and being pregnant. I have extreme respect and almost awe at women who can work their entire pregnancy full time. Being diabetic has it's difficulties with being pregnant so it is a bit more work but still...in awe.

I have been seeing a specialist in Louisville since the first trimester. He is located at Maternal Fetal Specialists and his name is Dr. Thomas Tabb. He is a very caring and kind man and has really helped me understand the risks associated with diabetes. I was put on an insulin pump in August and that has really helped to give me excellent diabetic control throughout the pregnancy. In the latter part of the first trimester, we learned that my kidneys were having some difficulty functioning and may present a problem in the third trimester. I have decided to stop working at the end of December to put less stress on them and focus on preparing for the big day. They are also talking about delivering early and Max will be born in Louisville since there are risks.

Anthony and I have been diligently working toward providing all of the things that a baby needs since we have found out Mr. Max's gender. The clothes are so darn cute but they need so much that it can be overwhelming at times. Tomorrow we go for another OB appointment at our regular doctor and I think I will need to do another 24 hr Urine test in order to look at the functioning of my kidneys again. I pray that they are working well and can support my healthy boy. It turns out I am one of the unfortunate women who gets morning sickness her entire pregnancy. I was so hoping to stop the vomiting at the second trimester but at almost 6 months pregnant, NOPE!! Again, I am glad for the reminders of his health each day.

Another big landmark was on November 3rd, I was able to feel Max move/kick for the first time. That was quite an experience and Anthony can feel him move here and there as well. We are so grateful for each step of this journey and would ask you to keep us in your prayers throughout the rest of it. We are hoping to keep everyone posted on things that are going on and soon enough, there will be pictures of our little Maxwell.

We feel extremely blessed.

Erica & Anthony

7 weeks and counting...

I always assumed when we became parents (officially) that I would want to have a place to jot down the happenings in our life. I'm finding that is still true as I peruse various mommy blogs while reading about pregnancy symptoms in the first trimester. I had no idea that I would want to learn more about parenting this early but I am really proactive when it comes to things that matter. I will take a minute to introduce myself and Anthony, my husband. We have been married almost 4 years now and have lost one child to a late term miscarriage and are now pregnant again and in our 7th week of pregnancy. So far, so good. It took 3 full years to get pregnant again so we are really excited about possibly seeing our dream of having a child come to fruition. We really don't have much of a desire to have more than one child. We realize that financially, emotionally, and physically...that is probably the best goal for us.

I'm Erica. I turn 32 on August 9th, the same day Anthony and I will be married for 4 years. We got married on my 28th birthday and it was the best present I have ever received. My struggles with parenting and just life in general begin at the age of 16. I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes and it was such a turning point for me in life and my health has declined considerably over the years of battling denial with the illness. Our first (unsuccessful) pregnancy was the change for me. I began to be very good at caring for myself and have since seen a incline in my health.I guess it is important to note that Anthony and I are a biracial couple. That is something that makes our journey unique as well as the battle with diabetes in our home. We moved to Indiana almost a year ago so now we are facing different challenges in our relationship than we did where we started in Southern California.

I am from Southern Indiana so this is my neck of the woods and I am quite used to the mindset of people around here and their preconceived notions of biracial families. I have no problem with people having differing opinions even if they aren't well researched. I try to let people have their own thoughts, feelings, and emotions about our relationship. I certainly have feelings about things that aren't particularly my business either. In parenting, people seem to have strong opinions about mixing races and they often quote that they feel that our children will be "confused." I am hoping to chronicle our journey through raising a biracial child in a loving and happy home and see if the confusion is more about the people who feel that way and less about the children that are a product of these biracial relationships. I am prepared for my child to meet all kinds of trials such as the normal childhood trials of bullying, awkwardness, broken friendships, heartbreak and I am expecting them to meet some more challenges like stereotypes, discrimination, racism and downright hate. That saddens me but I do not feel that it is my job to help people feel more comfortable in their ugliness. 

Anthony is from Southern California and is African American whereas I am a good old white girl from the sticks. We have been together for over 6 years and dated for 2 years before getting married. We were able to spend 5 of those years in a very diverse and accepting environment where we faced minimal conflicts about our races. We have been here almost a year and have faced a few issues but to be honest, many less than we imagined when moving. It is certainly a different place than it was when I left 10 years ago. I only hope that when our child starts school, it is even further advanced.

My hope for the blog is that I can walk through the journey of a Type I diabetic in a biracial marriage ( a very happy one at that) becoming a mama for the first time and letting this be my place to ask questions, divulge hardships, state what works, and overall just be able to fellowship with other people in this journey of motherhood no matter what your race or health status. It is important to note that Anthony and I are also Jesus Christ followers. Most people will just say they are Christians and that fits us too but I want it to be clear that we want to live a life pleasing and in mimic of Jesus Christ. We are all the time trying to find ways to be better at that in our marriage, as people, and now ...as parents.