Happy Thanksgiving!!

As some of you ever observant readers have noticed on our Christmas card this year.  A.R. and I have a little something extra to be thankful for this year.  We found out the day before A.R.'s 31st birthday (on September 28th to be exact!) that M is going to be a big sister!!  Our little Beetle Bug (a reference to Jungle Junction for those of you that watch Playhouse Disney) is due to arrive on or around June 10th, 2012 and I would totally be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to having maternity leave over the prime summer months in Connecticut.  We're very excited to be expanding our family although I do have moments of sheer terror as I wonder how I'll handle the terrible twos with a newborn, but I figure if my mom can survive two babies 15 months apart, I'll do great with babes that are 27 months apart. :)

This pregnancy has been easy on me ::knocks on wood:: so far with no morning sickness, an aversion to chicken, and just the typical first trimester fatigue that comes with pregnancy and chasing a toddler around.  I have "popped" a LOT earlier this time and about two weeks ago it started to get tricky to hide my swelling belly at work.  The rumors were flying, so after hearing the baby's heartbeat last Wednesday for the first time via Doppler through my belly (it was a beautiful 160bpm), I told my team in our weekly meeting on Monday that I was expecting a baby.  Most of them said it was about time I said something!  I kind of liked having my own, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", policy and making them wonder and whisper.  I REALLY wanted to have someone ask me and just act appalled and stomp off.  That would've been quite amusing, but I'm too nice for that. HA!

Having no morning sickness has made me worry quite a bit that this little Beetle Bug is doing okay in there, but I felt the first movements at 10w3d on a Thursday afternoon at work.  It's just brief flutters now (and YES, I'm sure it wasn't gas!) and not everyday.  I've felt it a few times since then and it's more reassuring each time.  Keep in mind this is my third pregnancy, so I'm not surprised I'd feel this little one sooner.  I really didn't think it was possible this early as I didn't feel M until 13 1/2 weeks, but I'll take it!  I've spoken with several other moms of 3+ and they've confirmed similar experiences so I don't feel like a total nutcase at least.

How I told A.R.:  I tested the day before his birthday and tried my hardest to keep it a secret to give him the ultimate birthday gift.  I failed.  We don't keep secrets and this was one I found impossible to keep.  I did manage to go the day without telling him, though.  That evening he was cooking us dinner and was in and out of the fridge a lot.  A fellow March 2010 mom friend had suggested I use our letter/number magnets on the fridge and arrange them to read that we were having a baby.  I thought it was an awesome idea, but forgot that men are clueless.  I arranged the letters right IN FRONT of A.R. literally while he was standing next to me and he never noticed them even going in and out of the fridge a few times.  He took a break from cooking to hug me hello and he rubbed my belly and said, "You know there could be a baby in there.  When are you going to test?"  I smiled up at him and he knew. 

His response: "OMG, you already tested??  You're pregnant aren't you. You're pregnant?!  Really?!"
Me: "Have you read the fridge?"
Him:  "Due in June 2012?? OMG, you ARE pregnant!!  Really?!"

And then came the tears.  No lie, my husband cried (and of course so did I- silly hormones).  He didn't cry when we found out M was on the way and he says it was because he didn't know what to expect.  Now he truly realizes what we have with our little M and what we'd be missing without her (more tears from me).  He said he flashed forward to the birth and what it'll be like and couldn't keep the tears in (and yet even more tears).  We hugged and for some reason M doesn't like when we hug too long, so she came in and pushed us apart and we had a group hug.  Then, the three of us went upstairs and I showed them the evidence (test sticks).  We sat in M's room and talked about when to tell family, decided which room would be M's big girl room (we're recycling our nursery for the new baby- it's gender neutral for that reason), and daydreamed about what it'll be like to have the pitter patter of four little feet in our home (LOVE the sound of toddler feet on our floors!).

Shirt reads: "No one consulted me about this new baby thing"

We told our families after our first appointment and dating ultrasound using two different shirts- one in Spanish for A.R.'s family and an English one for mine.  A.R.'s family was clueless (except Titi Marisol!) and A.R. actually had to point it out for his mom to read before anyone left our gathering!  My family got it right away because I basically just texted them a picture of M in the shirt since they all live out of state.

So long story short:  This Thanksgiving I'm so very thankful for my family.  From the little baby the size of a lime growing in my belly, to M and her sweet smile and stubborn streak, to my amazing husband who I don't know what I'd do without, to my family- parents, brothers, sister, Grammie, and for my wonderful in-laws to whom I'll share this Thanksgiving with and to whom I'm ever greatful that they've welcomed me so well as a part of their lives. 

Taken 11-13-11

Oh and P.S. we're going Team Green this time!  As in we won't be finding out the baby's sex. :)  You have to do it the old fashioned way at least once.