GAZELLE MAGAZINE AUGUST 2018 | Page 41

LOVE & ROMANCE WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT THIS WAS THE PERSON YOU WANTED TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH? It's hard to say. When I met Perry, I knew he was different. And over time, I could feel how much he loved me. I don't think it was just one moment when I thought, “Hey, I want to spend my life with you.” It was a bunch of little moments when I would think to myself, “I don't know what I would do without you.”    HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE EXPECTING? I woke up early one Saturday morning and instantly thought to take a pregnancy test. I didn’t have symptoms or anything - just a feeling to check and see. Perry was still sleeping. When I saw the two little lines, I was beyond overwhelmed (in a good way). I honestly didn't believe it. Immediately, without waking Perry, I left and drove straight to Target to get another test, and called my sister on the way. We were all kinds of emotion on the phone. I ended up taking the second test in  the bathroom at Target because I couldn't wait to get home. When that confirmed it, I just cried and cried. Best feeling ever! With Christmas two weeks away, I had an ornament made with three snowmen that read: Daddy, Mommy, Baby 2018. It was an early Christmas gift for Perry, and I recorded him opening it. His initial reaction was priceless. On the video, I believe he said, “What the hell are we going to do?” He was in shock. We went out to celebrate that night, and I can recall him saying repeatedly, “This is the coolest feeling in the world. I'm going to be a dad.”  WHAT NAME OPTIONS ARE YOU CONSIDERING, OR HAVE YOU DECIDED? We are really struggling in the name department. Perry's middle name is Anderson. It was his mother's maiden name. So that will definitely be incorporated. We just feel like we need to meet the little guy before we give him a forever name.  WHAT HAS THE PREGNANCY JOURNEY BEEN LIKE? I struggled a lot with morning sickness in the first trimester. During the second trimester, I felt amazing and ate anything and everything sweet. At 22 weeks, I was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of pre- eclampsia, and ended up taking a light-duty position at work. It’s been a rocky journey, but one I would not trade for the world. I am doing well now, with a very healthy baby boy, and I am much more optimistic about labor and delivery.  WHAT MAKES YOU THE HAPPIEST IN THIS MOMENT? So many things make me happy in this moment. Imagining what Perry will be like as a father makes me happy. Every little baby kick makes me happy. Being allowed the chance to grow and love and raise a little baby makes me so happy! The unknown can be scary, but I can’t wait to grow our marriage through this next crazy adventure. In just a few short weeks, we will be bringing a baby into this world. I still can't wrap my head around it. We could not be more blessed!   SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY 39