Party of Five...and Then a Surprise.

Written on 1/20/11:

Dearest Little Surprise,

They say you are about the size of a poppy seed right now. So how can it be that the dreams we have for you and the happiness we already feel for you are larger than anyone could ever imagine? Yes, it's true that you are an unexpected blessing. (Who doesn't love surprises?!) And it took about an hour or two of sheer disbelief and shock to wear off tonight, but when that subsided, we were left with smiles and an amazing sense that you were simply meant to be. You are meant to be a part of us, and I can't believe we have to wait eight months to see your beauty. I must prepare you...you have THREE big siblings who are going to love on you and adore you. You will be the baby of our family. You will complete us like only you could do. So excited to "see" you in a few more weeks!

Love, Mommy, Daddy, and big siblings Brody, Emersyn, and Jaxson

Yes. Yes! We're havin' a baby! Baby #4. This is still all very unreal to me. You see, we tried for months and months and then resorted to fertility treatments to conceive Brody and the twins. You can't even understand how strange it is to think back to the past, when at one point I truly believed I would never have a child, and then fast-forward to the present...getting pregnant all on our own, without even planning it. Without getting too personal, I noticed a big change with my body a few months before getting pregnant. I attributed it to hormonal issues since I was still nursing the twins. I wondered in the way back of my mind if this could mean anything different about my fertility, but that's where it stayed--way back in my mind!

I remember having a rough start the morning of January 20th. I had been unusually exhausted for days, and I sent Kris a text while at school telling him I didn't know what was going on, but I kept experiencing waves of horrible nausea. I stopped at Meijer after school to grab a pregnancy test (might as well rule it out) and promptly used it after walking in the door when I got home. That first line always shows up right away, so I kept staring at it...and sloooowly a very faint second line appeared. I did not know what was going on! It was craziness! And it still is!!

Hello, 12-week belly. Hello, 14-week belly.

So, apparently you grow 3x as fast the third time around?! (Right? RIGHT?!?!) I think every body part has doubled in size already. Yikes! It simply couldn't have anything to do with all those girl scout cookies and chocolate and such I consumed last month. :) I kept this news mostly to myself for a long time. I wanted to see for my own eyes (via ultrasound) that there really was a little person in there. I just had my very first OB appointment last Tuesday, when I was a little over 13 weeks. (I am now almost 15 weeks.) In my previous pregnancies, I had had at least 3-4 ultrasounds at this point. It was very strange and unnerving to wait that long, but I guess this is how "normal" people do it. :) I won't lie, I was praying for just one baby as my doctor began the ultrasound!

And I got my wish! Cute baby, eh? Did you know I have always, for as long as I can remember, wanted to have four children? I just never expected I would have them all over the course of four years, but we are feeling incredibly blessed at this moment. Due date? Kris's birthday: September 24th.