A Big Announcement!!!

Before I get into the big announcement, I have to finish up the Dallas trip we took for Hannah's birthday.  Here are a few pictures of what the boys got to do while the girls were at American Girl.  They met Uncle Wes at Dave & Buster's to eat and play games.  Boy did they have a blast!!

That night we all went to P.F. Chang's for dinner.  I had one birthday present that we hadn't given Hannah yet so she got to open it at the restaurant.  I love these next several pictures.  I will give a play-by-play as we go.  Ha!

Hannah reading her card.

Opening the gift.  She sees a shirt with a number 1 on it.  What does she think...nothing.

Ok, now there is a number 2 and number 3 shirt.  I guess Mom is giving me shirts with numbers on them...ok....

Number 4.  This looks like a baby shirt.  Maybe it is for my American Girl doll???

This same thought must have been going on in Mom and Dad's minds too because they had no reaction.

At this point, I look over at Wes across the table and I can tell he gets it.  He has a surprised look on his face and we both just laugh.  I am dying laughing, actually, at this point because I know the rest of everyone is clueless.

Two clueless people right here.  They are smiling and laughing but don't know why.  LOL!!!

Enter Wes quietly telling Mom what the 4 means.  Notice Dad in his own world oblivious.  LOL!!

This is Mom getting it.  Her reaction is PRICELESS!!!!  Dad...still clueless.

I had to, Mom.  PRICELESS!!!  She was beyond shocked.

Mom's next reaction.  She looks SO like her mother in this pic to me.  She just couldn't believe it.  Dad...still oblivious, but trying to figure out what is going on.  LOL!!!

Shocked.

Mom finally looks over at Dad and shares the news.  His face is like "What in the world."

What?!?!

I am dying laughing at this point.  Saying "Surprise!!"  LOL!!

Next, Lincoln clues in and gets it.  He's like "What'd you say?"  His eyes show his surprise!

Hannah still hasn't grasped it yet and we all start to fill her in.  Someone must have said to look at the shirts again.  So, she does.

Really?  A baby????

"Ahhhhhhh!!!!!"

I am kicking myself for not taking a picture of Layton, but he was right next to me to my left and I guess I just didn't have a good angle.  He was surprised as well and excited too!!

Here we all are outside the restaurant afterwards.

We missed Jeff on this trip.  He was surprised and excited, I think, when he found out later.  I have to say, it was SO fun surprising them all like that.  Mom and Dad are really happy and excited for a new little one!

So, what was MY initial reaction when I found out I was pregnant?  (For my records, it was on September 21st.)  Well, shock, disbelief, anxiety, panic, dumbfounded are a few words I would use to describe myself.  When I told Kris, he just laughed and wanted me to verify it--take more tests.  I did and they didn't change.  We were just like "What in the world?"  "How did this happen?"  Ha!  I have to say it took some weeks for it to sink in and even now almost half-way through the pregnancy, I still have moments of disbelief.

Questions and things that came to mind initially were "What are we going to do?  We got rid of EVERYTHING baby?  How are we going to afford another one?  Where will we put another kid in this house?  Layton won't be my baby anymore. :(  I have to breastfeed again. Ugh!  I won't get to work next year.  Layton will go to Kindergarten and I will be at home starting all over with another little one!!!  What?  I am old.  I will be 39!!!   This baby will be going into 1st or 2nd grade when Hannah graduates." Kris starts adding up how old he will be when this one graduates high school and can't get over that he will be almost 60.

Then, I start to get excited.  "Another baby?  What an unexpected blessing!!  What a total gift from God!  How awesome would it be for Hannah to get to have a sister!  Who will this one look like?  More first words and first steps.  Lots more firsts to get to see.  Another precious baby to love."

My first doctor appointment was on October 22.  I was about 9 1/2 weeks.  Here are the baby's first pictures.  We saw movement and a heartbeat on this day.  Estimated due date is May 22, 2016!  Initially I would get nausious if I didn't eat every couple of hours.  I was utterly exhausted as well and would come home from work at noon on MWF and crash on the couch for 2 hours until I had to pick Layton up.  I have noticed that I get out of breath easily especially when I sing with the kids at school.  As of today, I am over all the nausea and seem to have plenty of energy.  I actually am feeling pretty good!

I feel really blessed.  I can't wait to meet this little one.  Thank you God for this unbelievable gift!!!!