.....drumroll please...

Today was a great day. Probably the best one I've had since April 17th. That was the day that I took a test and got a very positive answer. Since then, I've been bloated, nauseated, peeing about 8 times a day--and I'm loving (nearly) every second of it. Because folks, all of those things mean one very wonderful thing. We are finally on our way to baby number two!!

Today was the best day since April 17th, because I got to see a picture of my growing little gummy bear--and I got to hear the most beautiful sound in the world, a fast and strong heartbeat. Actually we all did. Wesley came on his lunch break to meet Jake and I for the ultrasound. As I laid on the table, and stared in wonder at our newest family addition, I thought I couldn't feel any more joy. And then, I heard Wesley quietly explaining to Jake about what that funny little picture meant. At that point, Jake hopped down from Wesley's lap, pointed at the screen, and said "...Baby??.. Baby!!!". I was already close to tears, trying to keep my tummy still for the doctor, but that sent me over the edge. How lucky am I? I already have one cute kid, and now--we will be getting another one!!!

Since I wasn't blogging during my last pregnancy, I wanted to do a quick comparison of these first few weeks. My first trimester has already been such a different experience from the last time I did this. When we got our positive result with Jake, it was a total shocker. We weren't planning on starting a family for at least another year, and I felt completely blindsided. (Of course, underneath the panic and stress, the mommy hormones were raging, so I still felt tons of joy). But still, we had to scramble a bit to get mentally prepared the first time around. Also, I threw up about 3 times a day until I hit 15 weeks the first time. This was pretty textbook, and I'm glad it wasn't any worse, but as I prepared to undertake a second pregnancy, I began prepping myself early on. I thought I would be just as sick, and totally useless, and was willing to accept that. You know what? It hasn't been nearly as hard this time. Sure, I have felt nauseated since before I took that test, but I have been able to eat and sleep and stay fully hydrated. It was such a pleasant surprise to have things go a little bit smoother! (I know, I'm a lucky duck.)

Around Christmas we decided that we were ready to grow our family. Since getting pregnant the first time was a cinch, I figured we would be pregnant within weeks. But I waited four months before that stick gave me two pink lines. I learned a lot about patience during those four months. I have friends who have suffered from infertility, and miscarriages, and I soon wondered if maybe I was no different. I remember speaking with a friend when yet another month went by and I said, "if I could just KNOW that I'll get pregnant in the next 6 months, I think I could relax. But what if it takes me years?" I was scared that I wouldn't get another shot for a long time, and realized that I needed to have faith. Wesley said gently more than once--"honey, it's not our timetable." Everything happens how it's supposed to, and I needed to be patient, and grateful for the family I had, and hope for the best. I was so lucky that I only needed to practice patience for a few months, but that little lesson has really helped me. I remember that during my last pregnancy, I was constantly saying "I HATE being pregnant!!!". It's been hard for me to feel anything but grateful the past month. I sometimes wonder if that's helped me with my morning sickness, or if my body is just handling things better this time.

Sometimes I wish Jake was more cuddly and less independent, but it's been a real blessing the last little while. I've had days where I only left the couch to use the bathroom or find food, and Jake has been so great about playing independently, or bringing me books to read together. What a trooper. Speaking of troopers, what an awesome husband I have! Thanks babe--You've cleaned our kitchen and made me dinner so many times this month, and it's helped me more than you know.

Wow, I'm bragging a lot in this post. Sorry about that--I just feel overwhelmed today. and really, really lucky. I'm going to try to maintain a more positive attitude this time around, and try to have an awesome pregnancy experience. Hopefully my little peanut develops healthy and everything goes as it should--that's the most important part. I will post updates from time to time. Thanks for reading and sharing my joy with me.

The last thing I want to write about, is the morning I found out I was pregnant. It was a Saturday morning. Wesley was sleeping in that day, and I decided to go ahead and test. When I got the positive result, I decided to tell Wesley in a fun way. A few months before, I had randomly bought a shirt that said "expecting" across the front. I wanted to be wearing it the day I got my positive test. So I quickly threw it on over my sweats. Jake was already awake, and I thought of a cute way to involve him in telling daddy. Anxious to break the news to Wesley, I scribbled "can we get a baby for Christmas? (ask mom)" on an index card. I then had Jake walk into my bedroom with me and bring it to Wesley's bedside. (of course, things never go perfectly when you involve a toddler..Jake handed Wes the card.. and then for some reason took off crying out of the room.) Wesley looked at the card for a few seconds, and then he realized exactly what it meant. It was such a nice moment, and it felt so great to be able to share it with my family! Here are two pictures of that day--sorry about the test stick. Kinda graphic to post that, but I couldn't resist :)

Oh, and one more thing. My due date is December 24th. What are the odds huh? Thank you Santa. ;)