21 Weeks Pregnant | It's a Girl!!

We had our 19 week scan two weeks ago tomorrow, but I completely forgot to post about it. Sorry!! Anyway, this is the only image they gave us that was even a little bit recognizably human, so it will have to do. Our beautiful little girl kept her face pressed up against the uterine wall the whole hour I was in there, and since ultrasound images are obtained by bouncing sound waves off the baby through the amniotic fluid, the tech was unable to get a very clear picture - there just wasn't enough fluid between her face and my uterus. I'm a bit disappointed that we don't have a cuter (more human-looking) picture of our sweety, but I am just so SO so thankful that she is healthy and in there!! For those of you who don't know, Nick and I struggled with unexplained infertility for four years and had given up trying for a baby when she showed up - a complete surprise. Our little Serenity is most definitely a miracle baby!

Yes, we've settled on a name ~ Serenity

14 Weeks Pregnant

I am three and a half months pregnant today, and in my second trimester. My baby's eyebrows are growing in, he may be sprouting hair on his head, he's making facial expressions, and he might even be sucking his thumb! My belly has definitely popped, but since I have a fair amount of belly fat I only really look pregnant to people who know I am, otherwise I just look kinda fat. I can't wear my old pants anymore, but thankfully I found two pair of maternity pants at Goodwill, which I've been wearing since week eight. I've had to pack away all of my regular shirts, and switch to maternity ones with some long tunics and tank tops thrown in. Oh, and another significant change? Lets just say that I've moved way up the alphabet in the undergarments department. Yup, lots of fun.

Nick and I scheduled our 20 week ultrasound, and will be finding out if we'll be bringing home a son or a daughter, on December 6th!

Bouncing Baby Belleque | Sharing The Good News

Nick and I decided to wait until I got home to tell anyone else the good news. We wanted to be together for that, and I had only just hit five weeks, so we knew we had plenty of time. I was originally supposed to stay in Kansas for two weeks, but given the news, we decided to cut my visit short by a week, so I could get home and go to the doctor, and be with Nick.

It was hard, not spilling the beans, especially since I still got on Facebook every day, but Nick had it way worse - he had to pretend nothing had happened while seeing family every day for a week! His mom and dad both asked me if he was okay when I called for him, because the poor guy was wandering around the house in a daze! He finally confided in our pastor, which really seemed to help. I was lucky - Tina already knew (obviously), so I could talk to her about it all I wanted.

The day I got home, Nick and I had barely put my things down in the house when he told his parents. They were more than a little surprised! We went over to his sister's house and told them, and they prayed over us, which was really nice. Then we called my parents, who were stunned and thrilled as well. My sister Jessica found out from Mom and started jumping up and shrieking, telling everyone else in the family! I told my brother the next morning, and he claimed he knew what I was going to say, and was also very happy. This is the first baby on my side of the family - all of my siblings are going to be first time aunts and uncles, and my parents will be grandparents for the first time, too! It was very late by the time I told our immediate family, so we called everyone else the next morning, and announced it on Facebook the day after that.

Bouncing Baby Belleque | How We Found Out

Some of you know I went to Kansas to see my sister, Tina, and her family a couple of weeks ago. She is expecting her sixth child next month, and of course as soon as I walked in the door all we could talk about was babies and pregnancy! Well, one thing led to another, and I mentioned I was late (again - this is not unusual), and she surprised me by suggesting I test. Considering the more than thirty pregnancy tests I have taken in the last four plus years without a single positive result, I wasn't very excited about the prospect of yet another disappointment. But I was late, I was experiencing early pregnancy symptoms (even though every time in the past I had experienced the same symptoms, they turned out to be nothing but PMS), and darn it I just couldn't turn off that little spark of hope that always ignites whenever Aunt Flo fails to show up on time. So I took the test. And it was positive.

The first thought through my mind when I saw that second pink line? "It's finally happened; I've snapped, and now I'm hallucinating!" I stumbled out of the bathroom and told Tina there was a second line, then stumbled out the back door and stood leaning against the swing set, hyperventilating. Could I really be pregnant, after all this time, and so much heartache? What if it was a bum test? After all, Tina is almost full term, so that test is at least eight months old, and it isn't even one of those sophisticated ones, just a dip stick! What if it's wrong? What if it's right??

I don't know how long I stood out there, but suddenly I needed to be sure - sure - that I had really seen a second line. I rushed back in the house and grabbed the test - the second line was real! I showed Tina (who reacted very gracefully to having a pee stick shoved in her face), and she agreed - there was a second line. It was then it really hit me; I am pregnant!! I sat down hard on the couch and burst into tears. I don't know why I cried; shock, maybe? Fear? Sheer joy and disbelief rolled into one? Tina's children gathered around me and patted my arms and shoulders, and gave me hugs. They were so excited to hear that Aunt Alena had a baby growing in her tummy!

Later that evening, Tina took me to the store and we picked up another box of tests, just to be sure. I took one when we got home, and it was also positive - a strong positive! I called Nick.

The poor guy threw up, I kid you not. Started crying (or at least got all choked up, it was hard to tell over the phone and he wasn't telling), and just kept saying "Really? Really? Oh wow...". It was beyond words to describe, making that call.

I tested again the next morning, and was met by yet another positive. I called my doctor's office and they told me that I didn't need to worry about going in until I got home because the home tests are just as sensitive as the medical versions nowadays. Three positives? Pregnant!

Nick & I Are Pleased To Announce...

Yes, really.