So…while I don’t intend for this to become a pregnancy journal, per se, I do have some random thoughts that I have been wanting to share but have not because we were trying to keep the pregnancy a secret until Christmas…

1. Although this pregnancy wasn’t necessarily in our timing, I’ve never been more excited about a baby. I literally thank God every time I feel nauseous because I know it means the baby is developing – hopefully health-ily – and I cannot stop thinking about the tiny baby that we’ll get to hold in eight months (probably closer to seven with my history).

2. I am determined – DETERMINED – to take a significant maternity leave and to be able to cut back permanently after this baby is born. It is my daily prayer that God would help us to make that happen and give us the strength to do what we need to do (work extra, cut back expenses, eliminate wastefulness, etc.) in the meantime. And in some ways, I’m excited about the challenge because it’s not going to be easy, but I believe God’s hand is in it and that He’s going to meet us along the way.

3. Whoever said it is impossible to have symptoms before 4 weeks pregnant has just never experienced them. I first felt nauseous 4 days after this baby was conceived. It was in the middle of the night when I woke up with Sweet Doodle, and not a thought about pregnancy was in my head when it happened. The nausea has continued since then, and even after two negative pregnancy tests, I just couldn’t shake it because of this nausea. I spent 10 days trying to figure out if I was pregnant or getting the flu like the rest of my family.

4. It’s amazing how much better I know my body after 5 other pregnancies. Pregnancy symptoms: nausea, peeing lots, a stuffy nose, round ligament pain, hot flashes. On the way home from buying the final test at the grocery store, I was still trying to figure out if this was all in my head (remember, two negative tests), and I just couldn’t figure out how I could be making all of that up!

5. I think this officially makes us a “big” family in most people’s eyes.

6. I’m thinking it’s not a good sign that my hips still have not stopped hurting after Sweet Doodle’s birth and that I still sometimes hobble out of bed…but I’ll deal with it for the chance to hold another sweet baby.

7. While it’s still true in many ways that I don’t care whether this baby is a boy or a girl and will be excited either way, I will admit that I can’t get the picture of a tiny baby boy out of my head.

I think that’s it for now!