July: Mommy knew right away that I was pregnant! I waited to take a test at the end of the month, and it came back negative. But I would not be swayed! I took another test...
August: On August 5th, your G.G.'s birthday! I took it first thing in the morning, and it was positive! I came down stairs and put it in your daddy's lap, who was working in his blue chair. We hugged and kissed and were so excited!! We had wanted a baby, and soon we would be your parents!! On August 18th, our 3 year anniversary, we went to work, then came home and called family to tell them the news!! Everyone was so happy about you! Mommy went to visit G.G. and Pop Pop at the end of the month, and they had prepared a bunch of things for me to take home—some toys from my childhood and a list of names to name a few—and it was the first time that I felt like I was going to be a mommy for real!
September: We had our first doctor's appointment on September 9th with Dr Belle. We liked her a lot, but ultimately decided we wouldn't be having you at the hospital. We went to visit Daddy's family in DC for Aunt Ib's birthday. We had a lot of fun as usual! We got our first glimpse of you on September 28th when we had our first ultrasound! We were smitten! You were so little and cute, and had a strong heartbeat! I loved every minute of this visit! Mommy was feeling fine, but very tired! Daddy was very amused by how easily I could fall asleep!
October: A pretty slow month for us, but our anticipation continued to grow! We eased into the second trimester with very little problem! All reports were healthy and happy baby! We were slowly telling more friends and making some preparations for you. Mommy went as a “Devil in a Blue Dress” for Halloween and went bowling with some coworkers, where we spilled the beans about our little secret—you!
November: Mommy had tons more energy starting around now. At the beginning of the month, we found out we were having a little boy! I was convinced you were a little girl, so it took some getting used to at first, but I was so excited!!! A little boy!! Daddy and I were both over the moon with excitement! Mommy started interviewing for her replacement at work. Then Daddy took Mommy to a conference in New Orleans. As we boarded the plane and sat down, I felt you kick for the first time!! And boy, could you kick!!! We had a great trip! Later on you would kick a lot more! At the same ultrasound they told us you may have some issues, so we scheduled another one for later on. Mommy and Daddy both knew you were perfect, but wanted to make sure we were on top of things.
December: We decided that we were going to have you at the birthing center in Fort Mill, and were so excited to have Leigh Fransen as our midwife. She was awesome and made us feel totally at ease with our decision. We couldn't wait to meet you, but wanted to make sure it was the perfect experience for our family. We could tell that Leigh was a childbirth geek, and that was totally awesome to us, since we are both pretty geeky ourselves! It was a great fit, and we were building the dream team to bring you into this world. We went to Fredericksburg to visit G.G. and Pop Pop and Uncle Ryan and Aunt Melysa. What a great holiday we had! Then we flew to Iowa to visit MoMo, Grandaddy and Aunt Ib, where the fun continued. You got a ton of great stuff for Christmas, and it was starting to feel like you were going to be here any minute. Of course, we still had 4 more months to go!
January: Mommy started training my replacement at work, and I felt the clock ticking down to your arrival! Daddy and I decided that he would accept a position with Other Screen and put his business on pause. This was largely due to your impending arrival. We knew that big decisions were being made, and that you were a big part of all of them! We started birthing classes at the Birth Center, and were preparing mentally for your arrival. We felt that educating ourselves was the best way to create a happy, warm environment for you to arrive in.
February: We had our third ultrasound and they confirmed our suspicions that you were perfect. Your heartbeat continued to be music to our ears! Mommy had 2 baby showers this month! One was put on by Sarah, Mimi, and Hattie on Daddy's birthday, and was tons of fun! We played a lot of games and had lots of fun time with family and friends. G.G., MoMo, and Aunt Ib all made it down for the shower! The second shower was a SURPRISE put on by my friends at work: Misty, Wendy, and Jackie! It was so fantastic, and once again, Mommy was overwhelmed by my friend's generosity! Your supplies were nearly all gathered, and we were getting closer and closer to your arrival.
March: Mommy was getting increasingly miserable with very swollen ankles, calves and feet. I hadn't worn real shoes in a month or so—only loose-fitting bedroom slippers. This made Mommy very sad, and I was growing very nervous that my shoes would never fit again. Mommy's birthday came and she celebrated quietly with Daddy at home.
April: The month of your arrival! The most exciting thing ever happened this month (besides your birth of course), which was the Prince concert in Uptown. Mommy had wanted to see Prince perform since she was in high school, and I finally got to see it happen in all its glitter fabulous glory! Remind me to describe every detail of how hot this concert was to you when you're older. You will not be disappointed! Mommy and Daddy decided that April 11th would be Mommy's last day at work. Wendy was more than prepared, and Mommy no longer felt that I was needed there. And I was very uncomfortable there, so it was in our best interest to stay home and relax. G.G. and Pop Pop arrived on the 10th, and we had a good time hanging around the house making final tweaks to your future home. When your due date, April 13th, came and went, Pop Pop decided to head home to the Corgis and wait for you in Fredericksburg. G.G. stayed with us and took care of Mommy and Daddy until you came. We went to Costco on Sunday, April 17th, and that's when Mommy thought I was in labor, since my back hurt so badly! But I wouldn't go into REAL labor until Monday morning at 2:30 AM! Stay tuned for the birth story! It really isn't too exciting—just a lot of complaining!
JJ, April 19th was the greatest day of your Mommy and Daddy's life! We fell instantly in love with you as soon as we saw you, and that love has only grown and grown and grown with each passing minute! We feel so complete with you in our lives!
The pictures are in reverse order, but I don't feel like reordering them.
Sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's bed!
Daddy and Baby JJ sleeping after coming home from the birthing center! They left Mommy upstairs to recover from labor--what gentlemen!!
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