Written by Ashley
It was a cold snowy night at the ski lodge in late February 2011. We were talking about our hopes, our dreams, and our future. At that point we had been married for a year and a half and had had the talk before. But this time it was different. This time there was that spark in our smiles – an unspoken agreement that we were ready.
Ten months later we received the best Christmas gift ever – news that I was pregnant. I couldn’t believe it. It was Christmas Eve morning and I just stood there in disbelief. I started shaking. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Wait; what?! I smiled. My husband was just as shocked as me. This is what we had been trying for and wanting for nearly a year.
After the news set in (after we announced it to our families on Christmas morning), I started feeling different. Not because my body was changing and the hormones were raging, but because I was no longer thinking about how my decisions affected me. I was now carrying and caring for another being inside of me. I had to be careful of the food nourishing both of our bodies, chemicals I could ingest from the environment, and even where I had to place my seat belt.
I haven’t had the easiest of pregnancies thus far. I’ve probably had every “you may feel” symptom in the pregnancy books. My morning sickness was horrendous and it landed me in the ER at 7 weeks (plus another visit 2 months later). But even then, as miserable as I was, I wouldn’t have traded the pain and discomfort for anything.
I am no longer making decisions for just me. Everything I do is now for the little peanut and our family. I truly believe the moment I found out I was pregnant was the moment I became a mom. Each day I struggle with pain and discomfort, I know that it is for this little one – and that makes it worth it. Isn’t that what motherhood is about anyway? Sacrifices so that our children have no pain, or heartache, or sadness. We will do anything so that they are protected. That is just what I’ve been doing for the past 18 weeks and will be doing for the rest of my life. And I cannot wait!
About Ashley
Ashley is expecting her first child in early September 2012 with her high-school sweetheart turned husband 3 years ago. Together they have a lab named Peak whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She loves all things fashion and cannot wait to start shopping for her little one’s wardrobe. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.
Meet Sara S. Sara is an on the go – down to earth Momma, married to a Marine and the mother of two get dirty wild and crazy, play in the mud boys. She loves Michael Jackson, dancing and spending time with her family. She is honored to be able to teach her little guys about the world around them, about kindness love and the human spirit. For fun, she loves to make jewelry, shop, ski and spend time outdoors getting dirty with her boys. Sara is a Sr. Product Manager at Step2.
Meet Ashley. Ashley is expecting her first child in early September 2012 with her high-school sweetheart turned husband 3 years ago. Together they have a lab named Peak whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She loves all things fashion and cannot wait to start shopping for her little one’s wardrobe. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.
Meet Sharon. Sharon became a first time grandma in February of 2011 and had the pleasure of celebrating her granddaughter’s first birthday in San Francisco where she lives with her oldest son and his wife. Sharon welcomes the opportunity to spoil her granddaughter after having raised two boys. Sharon is an avid lover of the arts and has dabbled with oil painting and enjoys interior decorating as a hobby. She is the Customer Service Manager for Step2.
Meet Tena. Tena and her best friend (and hubby) had their first child in July, 2011. Their little guy has a congenital heart defect and he is one tough little cookie; don’t ever think about calling him sick though – “his plumbing is just different.” Tena is an animal loving vegetarian and is excited to teach her son about compassion and the importance of volunteer work. She secretly hopes her son will be left handed like his momma. She is the Online Marketing Director for Step2.
Meet Tiffany. Tiffany is the mother of a curly haired six year old boy who wants to be Batman when he grows up! When she is not engaged in an intense light saber battle, watching Transformers (cartoons and movies), asking her child not to jump from the top step or being told, “you’re playing action figures the wrong way, mom” she contemplates how wonderful it would be if her child were a twin or triplet. Tiffany is the Human Resources Manager for Step2.
Meet Sara R. Sara is a mother of four. She has two daughters – Jamie age 35 and Taylor age 16 – and two sons – Justin age 20 and Christopher age 14. She is also a grandmother of one – Andrew age 3. She lives in Mantua, Ohio with her husband Bill. She has worked at Step2 for the past 12 years (before that she was a stay at home mom for 9 years). Sara is the Operations Manager for Step2 Direct internet sales.