Birthday Surprise

OCTOBER

After I found out I was pregnant, I started thinking of creative ways to tell my family once again that I was pregnant.   Joe and I alternate Thanksgiving and Christmas between our families and this year it was our turn to spend Christmas with my family.  I decided what would be really fun would be just to show up 23 weeks pregnant.  My mom always picks us up from the airport so she would be the first to know, and the thought of seeing her reaction and everyone else's in person seemed really fun!  I had never gotten to a stage of actually looking pregnant, so they had never seen me with any sort of "bump" and I thought it would be great fun, at least for Joe and me, if we just showed up and surprised them!=)  ha ha!  So, that was my original plan.  Well, somehow my plans never seem to really work out.  I don't know why I even come up with them any more=) 

My mom and I share a birthday, which happened to be 3 days after I got my stitch put in.  I had already sent her card and present when Joe and I went to my appointment after I had gotten the cerclage.  Well, I decided I had better ask my doctor if I would be allowed to fly home for Christmas.  Turns out his answer was no!=(  He said around 20 weeks that I would most likely be on house arrest, and possibly bed rest, depending on how things were going.  He also said he didn't want me to be too far away from him in case something happened.  My heart dropped and I tried hard not to cry right there in his office.  I wasn't going to be able to spend Christmas with my family, AND I wasn't going to be able to share with them in person that I was pregnant again.  As disappointed as I was, I knew the most important thing right now was this sweet baby, and doing all I could to make sure he or she was kept safe and healthy and nothing was worth risking that.

So, I had to come up with plan B.  All of my siblings and their families go to my parent's house for dinner on the 2nd, and 4th Sundays of the month.  If someone has a birthday that is when they usually celebrate it all together, unless it's one of the grandkids.  Then their parents usually throw a birthday party.  Anyways, so I found out from my mom she had not opened her present or card I had sent yet.  She was waiting until October 21st when they celebrated with the family.  So, I decided I would send something before then that she could open to share with everyone that I was pregnant.  We usually ichat or facetime on the birthday Sundays to watch family open presents, read cards, and blow out the candles.  So, they wouldn't suspect anything=)  

I decided to write a poem to my mom from the baby, and include a sonogram picture.  I framed it so it's something she could keep and display if she wanted.  I'm no poet, mind you, but I was able to come up with something that turned out pretty cute.  I let my mom know I was sending one more package for her to open on her birthday because I had come across something I knew she would absolutely love and had to get it.  =)  

When the 21st finally came we anxiously watched as she opened her cards and presents, and we told her to save ours for last.  As soon as she opened it, the tears started flowing......from their side and from ours.  She excitedly turned it around to show everyone and then started to read them the poem.  It took a couple start and stops to gain her composure and wipe tears, but she made it through the entire thing.  Tiff was holding the ipad, and scanned the room at one point to show the tears and emotions that everyone in the room was feeling.  It was a very special moment that I will never forget.  Everyone was so loving, supportive, and excited for us.  

     

I had always shared with them that I was pregnant around 6 or 7 weeks, so this was the first time I was in the second trimester before sharing.  Things are going well so far, and I know our prayers and the prayers of our family and friends are being heard.  I really feel like it hasn't been this child's time to come to earth yet, as much as we have wanted it.  The trials that Joe and I have faced together as we have struggled to bring a child into this world, have really strengthened our relationship and love so much.  It was such a fun day to be able to share the exciting news with my family!