SURPRISE!!!

Guess what???

Yep it's true, I had my first doctor's appointment yesterday and my due date is December 26, 2008! We took this picture tonight at a ward party, it was fun to have Sophie wear this shirt I made her and see people's double takes as they read it. I think it's kind of funny we used her to make our announcement when she doesn't really know what's going on and probably won't get it until December. :) Anyway, we're really excited and glad to finally share our news with you!!

I've included some thoughts I put down last month when we found out for those who want the long story.

4/17/08 - Well I just found out two days ago that I am PREGNANT!! I'm going to wait publish this post for as long as I can stand it but I wanted to record my thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind. Here's the long story:

I was on progesterone only birth control until March because I was still breast-feeding Sophie (and the normal kind make your milk dry up). I weaned Sophie to cow's milk with no problem and continued taking the pills knowing that they aren't fully effective on their own (the breast-feeding helps some too). I meant to make an appointment and get the regular kind of birth control right away even though Dan and I decided I would go off of it after about 3 months so we could get pregnant again. Well, the problem was that I kept thinking I was pregnant and was scared to take my pills... so I would wait for my period and then start taking them again, I'd get busy and not make an appointment for 2 weeks until I thought I was pregnant again (not sure if I was being paranoid of hopeful) so I would wait for my period again and start the process over. ANYWAY, I finally got a prescription for my new birth control and started it a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday. By Friday I was feeling really sick, just nauseous all day. I was worried I was pregnant but since I never felt sick with Sophie and I had been wrong about 3 times recently I kept taking the pills until Sunday when I was extremely nauseous!! I took a pregnancy test that morning that was negative. I made it to part of church but was too afraid of hurling my guts on the pew so we left early. I called the nurse Monday morning to ask for a different prescription and at the last second told her of my concern that I could be pregnant. She said that it was more than likely the new birth control that was making me sick (although my pill before I had Sophie never made me sick) but if it would make me feel better she'd check with the doctor. The doctor called and pretty much said the same thing as the nurse. She said that I could come in and do a urine test if I really wanted to be she was comfortable with me just trying another birth control. I talked her ear off with my concerns for another 15 minutes and she ordered me a blood pregnancy test (100% accurate in early pregnancy where the urine is only accurate after you're far enough along and I didn't know how far I was). I went in for the blood test on Tuesday afternoon feeling kind of foolish but convinced I should make sure before I start taking more drugs that could hurt a fetus. They told me to call after 4:00 for the results. Sophie and I headed to the grocery store and in the parking lot I discovered that I didn't have our food stamp card. So we drove over to pick it up from Dan at school (I'm not going to pay for my groceries if I don't have to!). Dan surprised us by decided to skip his last class and join us to the grocery store. Anyway, when we got home I looked my result up online which said "POSITIVE" I was shocked... was I understanding this incorrectly? Did that mean that the result was positive as in good and clear and the doctor would call me with what this satisfactory result that was? Or was this in fact telling me that I was pregnant? Dan and I concluded we should wait to hear from the doctor to read the results. A short time later, a very embarrassed and surprised doctor called to tell me I was pregnant and she was wrong. She assured me it was very unlikely that the birth control I was taking did any damage and apologized profusely for her mistake. She said she hardly ever orders blood pregnancy tests because the urine ones are usually very accurate (I must have taken that one Sunday morning too early in the pregnancy). I was so glad that Dan was there when I found out so we could be together. We went out to dinner to celebrate at Applebee's, which was fabulous!

We are so excited to welcome another baby into our family, and know that great blessings will accompany the stress and hard work of another child. I was reading the The Family: A Proclamation to the World with my young women last night and it brought tears to my eyes as the spirit testified to me that I was doing the right thing. It is very clear about how the first commandment God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to parenthood and that the charge for us to "multiply and replenish the earth" remains in force. It made me feel better to have that reassurance since I was caught off guard by this pregnancy. I sort of felt irresponsible for not planning and praying about this pregnancy like I did the first. I really have a strong testimony of obedience and how it is the only way to find happiness (refer to the quote by Sheri Dew on my side bar) it is so true that nothing brings joy as obedience and faith do. I hope this isn't coming off as me tooting my own horn, rather, I thank my Father in heaven for this awesome SURPRISE, blessing and opportunity! He made it pretty easy for me to be obedient by sneaking this one in!! :)

I'm feeling fine, truth be told I've felt more sick this time than last time but nothing serious. My only qualm with this pregnancy is that I am feeling so HUGE already. I've been told that's common since your abs and uterus have already been stretched out before... but I thought I was back in shape! I don't think I showed with Sophie until at least 3 or 4 months and didn't wear maternity clothes until I was 6 months along. I think I'll be getting more use out of my maternity wardrobe this time around! Dan takes these changes to mean that I must be having a boy... there's no question in my mind what sex he's hoping for. :) But we will be happy with either, having another girl would be great because she could be Sophie's BFF and we would have all the clothes we need. A boy would be neat too, for obvious reasons, a fun new experience and to even the odds for Dan being the only male in our family right now. Either way, we are thrilled and I'm glad to be on this adventure again, call me crazy but I kind of enjoy being pregnant!!