This time last year I was hoping and praying to be pregnant. In late September, Martin and I decided we would start trying for a third baby. Just the thought of the possibility had me glowing! I'm one of those people who plans and organizes and makes lists etc... etc... So it's not surprising that I could mark up the calendar with ovulation dates and "golden" conception days.
I really wanted a July baby. I had made up my mind that July would be perfect. My teacher- mom would have a free schedule and she could come and help me with the new baby or take the big boys off my hands if I needed her to. I also liked the idea that there is absolutely no busyness in July. No other family birthdays (besides Grandma Laura and great Grandma Barbara), nothing is going on besides long, blissful, lazy summer days.
The months on either side of July, however, are particularly busy, and as luck would have it well it just wasn't my destiny to have a July baby. (even after I dreamed up the idea of having a baby with the opposite birthday as me... my birthday is 11-7, so I just thought... how cool would it be to have a baby born on 7-11?) Anyways... that didn't happen.
When we didn't get pregnant the first few times, a friend of mine told me I was just thinking about it too much and I needed to relax. Who knew the mind could have so much influence on the body? Well, I finally stopped worrying about it and my body relaxed a bit. Getting pregnant for the third time was a big deal, but if it was meant to be God would make it so.
Although I had given it up to God, I was extremely excited and waited the very least mount of days possible before taking a pregnancy test. It was exactly one week before Christmas, a monday.
martin was still working nightshift on the weekends then, so on
mondays he would come home and sleep until the afternoon to let his body catch up, then he would try to switch over to our day schedule. I didn't have the patience to wait until he woke up to take the test. I had my moment all to myself for a little while. After seeing the positive test... well I just felt like my soul would burst!
I thanked God with teary eyes, and woke my husband to tell him the good news! I didn't even care that I would be due during one of the busiest months of our year : August!
That night we wanted to do something special, so we went out to eat at Dockside and took Elijah and Owen on the Santa Cruise on Coeur d' Alene lake! It was such a celebration! We told them that there was a new baby growing inside mommy's tummy!
Christmastime will always hold this extra-special joy for me in addition to the celebration we already share this time of year. I think of my little baby, finding out that my prayers had been answered, and that magical feeling of new life growing inside me for the very last time.
Last year everyone was coming "home" for Christmas ( to my parents house, which still feels very much like home to me). My sister and brother and their families would all be there. It would be the perfect time to tell everyone our good news while we are all gathered around... that was my original thought. A week wouldn't be too long to wait, except that it was.
My sister, Jenny, knew that we were trying. We had talked about it many times on the phone and she warned me, "if you do get pregnant, you better not tell me over the phone!" So I thought, perfect... she's coming for Christmas, I can tell her then. Well Tuesday, the day after we had found out, I ended up telling my mom. We met at the mall to do dome shopping, and I just couldn't help it. We were in hallmark looking at the baby section, and she made some comment about not having any current babies in the family to get something for. It was the perfect bait. ...Actually, you do! We're going to have another baby! I just found out yesterday!!!
We went by their house after shopping, and well, I had to tell my dad! I let Elijah share the good news. It was the funniest thing. He said, "Papa, guess what? My mommy's pregnant." And my dad didn't believe him! "What? really? I thought you guys were just going to have the two boys? Are you sure?" He really didn't believe us!
I was so excited after telling my parents that I thought, why not drive over to my brothers house and tell them in person since we had nothing else to do. i called them and said we were coming over. Then I realized I would have to tell Jenny over the phone because even more then being told over the phone, she would hate being told last! So I called her on the way to James' house. "So I know you didn't want me to tell you over the phone, but..." and then at the same time we said it... well she said, "You're pregnant?!" and I said, "I'm pregnant!" I couldn't stop smiling! James claimed he knew as soon as we got there. He said he could tell that's what I was going to say!
I'm glad we told the news before Christmas; the excitement was still there on Christmas day without the anticipation of how to tell the whole group. It was fun letting everyone in on it this way and so soon after finding out. We still kept friends out of the loop for a little while until I was further along.
And now, one year later, out little baby boy is nearly four months old! It has been such an amazing journey!
