Exciting News!

Hello!! Anyone still there? I can’t believe it’s been so long. I had so many plans to overhaul my portfolio, start blogging more, take more photos for Instagram and add more designs to my Etsy shop. And then we got the exciting news! Dancer’s new little rider will be here next February and we couldn’t be happier! (How adorable are those mini Wellies? I’m kind of obsessed!!)

I know, I know…excuses and all of that. But, I will admit that my first trimester was pretty rough with all the usual morning sickness, headaches and crazy fatigue. Sometimes I didn’t think I’d even make it through the day at my office job. And then something else happened – our marketing manager moved away and the new replacement decided to overhaul the department. Even though she knew I was pregnant, she decided I “wasn’t a good fit” all of the sudden. After working there for two years without any issues. Riiiiight. She’d been there all of two seconds, so of course she knew what was best. I later found out her track record is less than stellar, so I’m trying not to be bitter about the way I was treated and just hope Karma comes back to bite her someday soon.

I’m still searching for another job outside the home and I’ve been trying to get more freelance work to pick up the slack but it hasn’t been easy. (Know anyone who needs a logo design, print materials or a new website?! Please send them my way!!) Searching for work while pregnant has been a challenge for sure, but I am still sending out resumes and hoping for the best. Thankfully, my awesome husband has been able to help out with Dancer when I can’t make it out to the barn. He even learned how to put on the halter, fly mask and give him a bath during the first trimester when I felt the worst. I have been so impressed! Dancer gave him lots of attitude at first (of course), but he stuck with him and now they have an understanding based on sheer determination and lots and lots of peppermints!

The second trimester got off to a rocky start with a bad migraine, but the morning sickness faded and I finally got some energy back. I was so sad that coffee no longer sounded good to me in the first trimester. I’m such a coffee addict and had prepared to limit myself to one small cup per day, but I wasn’t even able to drink that because of the nausea. However, my coffee addiction returned and I’m back to enjoying that one cup. I was also able to get out and give Dancer some much-needed grooming and attention, so now I feel like a human again. Never underestimate the power of horse time!

Something else happened in the second trimester – we found out we’re having a little GIRL! We are both thrilled! My best friend just had her little girl, so we are already planning the matching outfits and getting excited for new little BFF sleepovers someday in the future.

I’m currently about 2 weeks into the third trimester and experiencing all new symptoms – achy back, more fatigue and sinus issues. Our girl is also very active, so if she’s not going to be an equestrian my bets are on either a ninja or a gymnast! Even though I’m starting to lose some energy, I’m still determined to keep up with my morning barn chores and do as much as I can around the house. My husband has continued to be a huge help as the cold weather settles in with hauling all the hay and feed, cleaning the stall and taking over as the official ice breaker when it’s below freezing. And he’s practicing his horse blanketing skills just in case. Dancer’s finally realizing he might not be so bad after all! 😉

I still have a lot to catch up on as far as the website/blog goes, but I’m hoping I can start blogging more about what it’s been like to care for a horse and keep up with work, chores and life while being pregnant. It’s definitely not easy, but I’m glad I can still be a part of Dancer’s daily care in some way, even if I can’t ride for a while.

Any other equestrian moms out there? How did you manage to get through it all? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!