The details of our Surprise!

If you're confused about the title of this blog post, you probably didn't read my last one.

Much to our Surprise, this summer Natalie will become a BIG SISTER!


A surprise for a few reasons:

1. I thought I had some unresolved infertility issues and that the next go around would be much like the last. However, my health issue seems to have resolved itself and this pregnancy came about without any fertility meds, charting, planning, etc. Surprise.

2. We had planned on waiting until Natalie was:
Walking (that has since been checked off the list!)
Talking (vocabulary is still limited to "dog" and "milk")
Potty Trained (she did get a potty chair for Christmas, but we have yet to start that challenge)
Sleeping in a Big Girl Bed (haven't even dreamed of starting this one)
So, surprise, Natalie. Better get moving.

3. The 3rd reason is mostly just irony; I had JUST cleaned up my closet and packed up all of my maternity clothes. I gave some to Trisha to use, bagged up the rest. I had gone through my cabinets and packed away all of the baby bottles and pumping supplies. I've been rotating Natalie's clothes as she grows, but I had gone through her room and cleaned out all of the infant supplies. It was almost like some sort of reverse nesting. Put away all of the stuff that I wasn't going to need for a few years - even though I was already pregnant. Just didn't know it.

While our life will be different than the one we had pictured in our minds, we know that Natalie and her sibling will grow up close to one another, be able to share interests, be close in school (I think only one grade difference because of the new CA Kindergarten laws), and we will enjoy the kids just the same. At first we were kind of in shock, but as time goes on, we're excited and anxious for this next stage in our family. So glad we took our vacation before we learned of the news. I have a feeling that was the last for a while.

And, we know that Natalie will be a great big sister!


We had our first Dr. appointment on the 30th (just shy of 10 weeks). We met with the Dr. that did my c-section last time and were given our first ultra-sound. He gave a due date of August 2nd (while I think it's closer to July 30th). The exact date doesn't really matter, as a c-section will be scheduled for a week prior. I was on the fence as to whether I should try for a VBAC or just go with a C-section, but that wasn't really an option after talking with the Dr. His office policy is to automatically schedule a repeat c-section unless I had prior children naturally. So, c-section it is. (he did offer to give me a referral to another Dr. if I was set on trying for natural, but honestly, the c-section wasn't terrible and I know what to expect and when to expect it.)

The most amazing part of this process the second time around, is that I have had virtually NO morning sickness!! Hooray! I couldn't be more excited about that. I was feeling kind of "off" for a while (what lead me to take a test), but no major nausea or sickness. Books and online resources always say "no two pregnancies are alike", but I was always quite the skeptic. I mean, how can I go from virtually being sick for the first 26 weeks with Natalie to having almost NO sickness with the second? Maybe I already paid my dues. I keep preparing for it to hit, but it just hasn't. I've definitely had more exhaustion and starvation this time around. I feel a little funky some evenings, but that is cured by going to sleep.

So, my bets are on "boy" this time around. It's just too different.

I have the first trimester screening & blood work scheduled for the 26th and my next appointment with my Midwife on the 27th. (while the Dr. will be doing the delivery, I can continue to see the midwives at interim appointments. It makes scheduling much easier and more flexible).

Only 28 more weeks until we meet the little one. Crazy.