Sharing our Baby News

Although Emersyn was a part of telling Daniel the great news that we were finally expecting, I really did not tell her about the pregnancy simply because I was afraid she would tell other people before we were ready to share.  The first week in December, we decided it was time to share the news with our families, but we first wanted to let Emersyn in on the secret.  We decided to take out her first photo album and talk through the pictures of her being born.  We talked about how we prayed for her while she was in Mommy's belly and how she was born in a hospital.  We looked at ALL the family and friends who came to see and hold her in the hospital and how very much she was and still is loved.  Then we told her that she was going to have a new real baby.  That we had prayed for her to have a brother or sister to be able to play with, hold, and take care of and God had placed a baby in Mommy's belly again that she would get to meet at beach time.  She was excited for a little bit, asked a few questions, and then moved on to other toys in the room :)

Around the second weekend in December, we decided to share our baby news with immediate family.  For my parents and brother, we had Emersyn wear her "Big Sister" t-shirt to dinner one night.  We had rehearsed with Emersyn what to say when she took her coat off: "I'm going to be a big sis!"  She was very excited and practiced in the car on the way there.  When we pulled in my parents' driveway, Mimi meet us to help unload Emersyn and the diaper bag.  She did not know Daniel was with us to help :)  As she was unbuckling Emersyn from her car seat, Emersyn kept saying, "Big Sis, big sis, big sis."  Mimi was not sure of what she was saying so she asked me.  Well, the news was out before we could get in the house to share with Pappy and Uncle Clay.  I told her Emersyn was trying to tell her she was going to be a big sister.  Right about that time, Pappy was turning the corner of the sidewalk to meet us so he found out.  The only one she surprised with her shirt was Uncle Clay when we got inside.  They were all excited, knowing that we had been wanting a baby for a while!!

One Sunday afternoon, we dressed Emersyn again in her "Big Sister" shirt to go over to Daniel's parents.  When we got there, Emersyn would not take her coat off.  She kept saying she was cold.  Finally after a while, Gran Gran took her coat off but did not notice the shirt.  She even put on Emersyn's bib and put her in the high chair for lunch and never noticed what her shirt read.  After lunch when Emersyn was out of her chair, Gran Gran spotted it and told everyone else.  They were excited too, and Emersyn was proud to share that she was going to be a big sis!!  

We had planned to visit grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins to share the news, but I was very sick from lunch to bedtime every day and then Emersyn caught strep throat and the croup.  Needless to say, we were home bound for a while.  Since we couldn't make our rounds to family and friends, we decided to announce through our Christmas card.  We had our family Christmas pictures taken on December 13th.

Daniel and I went to my first OB appointment on December 14th and everything looked great!!  We were able to hear the heartbeat at 130bpm.  I was 7 weeks and 6 days according to the beginning of last cycle, but baby was measuring at 7 weeks 1 day.  The doctor said they would still go by the first date of last cycle and our due date would be July 27th.  

In the following weeks, my sickness continued to grow.  I was able to eat small meals and snacks until Christmas Day.  I had a terrible Christmas night while at Daniel's parents home.  I was terribly nauseated and kept seeing black spots everywhere.  I finally decided to lay on the couch in the other living room.  I just cried because I was so sad to be missing Emersyn on Christmas, and I knew the awful feelings were just the beginning.  From then on, I have been eating cereal for breakfast and for dinner 95% of the time because it is all I can stomach.  During lunch I have craved healthy things like salads, wraps, fruit, and anything that is light and healthy.  I cannot look at chocolate or cake.  The only desserts I can even stomach are fruity or citrus ones.  Bedtime for me is as soon as I can get Emersyn to sleep, and several days out of the week I take a power nap during Emersyn's nap to get me through the rest of the day.  Life has changed drastically for our family!!  Poor Emersyn is a trooper and has been happy despite the circumstances.  She kisses my belly anytime I look sick and brings me gum after every meal because she knows chewing it helps my belly.  I have not been able to go anywhere really because I feel so bad.  That means our normal routine of Stroller Rollers 3 mornings a week, library every Thursday, church, and other play dates throughout the week have been cancelled.  I cannot wait until I feel better and have the energy to get back out so Emersyn can have fun with other children!!