Introducing Baby C

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…” Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV)

This verse resonates in my heart so very much… You see, before I can just jump into announcing our first pregnancy and the journey it has been (which is super exciting!), I have to share a beautiful testimony with you.

**Disclaimer—female-talk is about to commence, so if you are uneasy with words like period, blood, ovaries etc. then skip this paragraph haha**

The first semester of my junior year in college, I suffered from many complications within my female reproductive system. I remember waking up one morning with what looked like a pregnant belly before my eyes. Driving myself to the ER, I knew that something had to be done. Since starting my menstrual cycle at age 11, it had been nothing but painful period after painful period. So to not thoroughly gross you out, I’ll just say that the cycles I’ve gone through have sucked to say the least. And my 21^st year was the breaking point. The doctors at the ER decided that surgery would need to be done. Turned out I had deep endometriosis, which basically means my whole female insides were covered with scar tissue and most likely, cysts and such. The surgeon cleaned out all of the scar tissue, saw that my uterus was upside down and flipped it, and removed clusters of cysts off of my cervix and other areas. The scars I would have on my stomach would from then on remind me of his ever-negative words, “If you want a chance at being fertile, you better start trying now…” What?! A chance?! Start now?! I’m not even married… But, I never believed those words (though they haunted me at times). Because if you know any of my testimony, can’t and won’t are not a part of my vocabulary. I know my God can do anything. Still, I knew that it would probably be a little difficult to conceive once I did marry.

We’re Pregnant! Flash forward toward the end of 2011, my amazing husband and I decided it was time to start trying. After two negative home pregnancy tests, I found my mind cycling those doctor’s words over and over again. But then after an amazing trip to the Los Angeles Dream Center (read the blog before this one—A New Year With No Limits), I stopped limiting God. The week after our trip to L.A., we began the final week of our Daniel Fast. I re-listened to the sermon I had heard at Angelus Temple about not limiting God, and I prayed and cried out to Him. Feeling like Hannah in 1^st Samuel, I knew that God heard my voice and I offered our child to Him wholeheartedly if He would have me conceive. Well that Sunday, the day we ended our fast (not coincidental at all), I woke up knowing that there was life in me. In complete faith, we took the one home pregnancy test we had and…BAM! POSTITIVE! If you’ve seen our engagement video when Philip proposed, that’s exactly how I reacted at this time but with tears galore!

When this world said that it couldn’t be done, my God said it could. He breathed life.

First Trimester Testing I wanted to wait until I entered my second trimester before beginning my pregnancy blog because the first trimester, has been yet another adventure testing my trust and faith. Having some spotting and heavy bleeding, my doctor placed me on bed rest for a few weeks. With the fear of miscarriage not being rough enough, morning sickness hit me hard. Some days I vomited 10, 15, 20 times! We had many appointments and 6 ultrasounds in the first trimester alone to ensure this baby’s heart was beating, and I never limited God through it all. I would be lying over the toilet sick, look up at Philip, and smile because I knew this baby was not just a miracle but called. And then, a few weeks back, my doctor gave us the thumbs up that I was out of the red zone!

Never limit our awesome God.

Philip and I want to send a huge thank you to our family and friends who showed so much love during those difficult weeks. Thank you for the food, visits, hugs, cards, balloons, and prayers. Our faith was strengthened because of it all.

Introducing Baby C & Our Pregnancy Blog So with all of that said, we are beyond ecstatic to announce our growing miracle—Baby C! At a now whopping 3 inches and approximately the size of a lemon, our little nugget is growing more and more each day (as am I!). I am on two meds, still trying to control the nausea and vomiting but I am ever-joyful through it all! I lost weight in the first trimester but I am now back to my normal weight which is a good sign (Baby C loves Whataburger FYI). I am hopeful as I enter the second trimester that the morning sickness will ease up and if not, I will take it one day at a time and with joy! It’s all smiles here :)

I am also excited to launch my own domain ericacanant.com which is now transformed into my first pregnancy blog—Baby C Meets World! I will be updating weekly or biweekly with all of my pregnancy tales, because I am sure that it will continue to be a unique adventure as is anything the Lord puts me through! Haha! So until next time!

Living Limitless and Ever-growing,

Erica and Baby C