A Story of Joy for 2016

Here's how the story goes:

Daddy asked his boys:

"Boys. Do you know how big a fruit snack is? Here, let me show you. Hold out your hand and hold this fruit snack super gently in your hand."

"Did you know that this fruit snack is the size of the baby in Mommy's belly?!" 

As you can tell...Keagan got it! SURPRISE!!  We are having a baby!! Finn promptly ate the fruit snack, then stated that he "ate the baby!"

We showed the boys a picture of an ultrasound of the baby. Well, actually it was an ultrasound of theirs because the one we had of this baby is just a blob. And has no resemblance of a baby.

From the look of his face I think it finally sank in for Finley!

"Is this where the baby is?!"

I am sure that I have mentioned over the past couple years that we wanted to expand our family. And we have encountered some difficulty (again) with trying to get pregnant. Of course, there was the matter of my health after the stroke and could my body handle being pregnant and then delivery. I saw multiple specialists a couple of years ago to get that answer, and was ultimately told that YES! I was ok to have another baby. And so the trying began. Without getting too into the emotional and medical aspect of it, it took nearly 20 months...but WE ARE HAVING A BABY!! And we are all beyond excited!

I am nearly 13 weeks along, out of my first trimester!!  Whoo hoooooo! We are due July 19th and we have decided to be surprised about the gender! I am still nauseous, but I have high hopes that it is improving. However, I was nauseous for well into my second trimester with both the boys so I am realistic that I have a few more weeks of this...mess. ... I am already showing...but I have been for a while. In fact, I feel like I look 6 months pregnant already. Oh well. The boys have been perfect...they are so patient with me when I am not feeling well and enjoy "family movie nights" in bed with me on a regular basis. They also have made room in their little hearts for their new baby. They regularly make suggestions on where the baby will sleep or play or eat. They kiss my belly (now that I've pointed out where the baby is) after they love on me. Both boys will occasionally say: "Good morning, Momma. How's the baby this morning?" I love it. We are so excited to welcome another blessing into our family in 2016.