Baby Ditto #2

The prompting was fierce when I woke Thursday morning, March 19.

Take a pregnancy test. 

Obviously I debated with myself and especially with that voice in my head.

No, I'll stick with the plan and wait one more week, so that I can do the test the day before my appointment with the fertility center. 

And yet twice, and a third time the gentle yet fierce prompting (how does the spirit seem to combine those two, by the way?)  

Take a pregnancy test.

But I took one just a few weeks ago. And all my life I've never had seen a positive test, why should it be positive this time? Besides, Jon would tell me to wait so I don't get my hopes up. 

And yet the voice remained undaunted. 

Take a pregnancy test. 

The voice was not only in my head, it was in my heart. It was real. So I took the test.

The line appeared within seconds.

In seconds and in moments, our lives are changed forever.

I sat there staring at it, in awe.

And then I looked at my little world who was completely fascinated with the box.

This picture might come to mean a lot to her some day. 

I am so excited for her to be an older sister. 

Then I began to tremble with excitement as it was sinking in, and I knew that although Jon had left for work just a few minutes ago, I couldn't possibly contain myself and go the entire day without telling him! I didn't want to tell him over the phone, so I called him back home and said we had a family emergency. (Sorry, Honey.)

I ran around the house like a mad woman trying to find supplies to wrap up the test, the instructions to read it, and a few newborn baby clothes. (Copied a friend with this idea:)

Didn't know where to put his "present"...

 Like I said, I was running around like a crazy craze.

 Even though Jon's drive home provided a thorough thought process of elimination, (he figured I wasn't hurt after asking me twice if I needed to go to the hospital) he was still so surprised. When he saw the gift he asked "Is this really what I think it is?"

March 20th, 2013 we received the phone call that informed us I was pregnant with Amberly.

March 19th, 2015 we received a positive pregnancy test! Kind of cool both were almost exactly two years apart to the day.

Needless to say, we are elated and humbled and so grateful that we are capable of getting pregnant on our own. We prayed and fasted in March for this very miracle. We wanted to wait one more month before returning to our fertility clinic. It is certainly a tender mercy with the timing. The baby is due this November, exactly one year from Seth's passing. I love to imagine the two of them spending time together before this precious baby joins our family. And maybe this new birth will help heal the ache as we reflect on how much we miss that guy.

My babies will be almost exactly two years apart. I'm just hoping they don't have the same birthday!  I've survived the first trimester. so I'm finally feeling like myself again. I'm so happy to have my energy/motivation return and to not be so lazy. And I'm so happy to enjoy healthy food again! Although I've been significantly less nauseated than my last pregnancy, the fatigue has been intense! I have napped almost every day, Really. Whenever Baby Girl napped, I would nap. Sometimes two hour naps! I couldn't function without that part of my day. I really just felt like I was taking care of Amberly every day and then other than that...surviving. Yay for getting through those first trimesters!
I really cannot complain though. Yes I had the same intense food aversions to all my healthy foods as before (I couldn't touch my leafy greens, daily green smoothies, any fresh produce or fruit other than watermelon, or my silk almond milk to name a few), but I was actually able to exercise most days of the first few months! So for me, this pregnancy has been slightly easier that the last. I'll take it.

Jon's favorite things I've wanted to eat so far during this pregnancy:
(He is quite amused that his normally "health conscientious" wife can only eat junk food during the first trimester!)

Corn dog (I ate all of Amberly's when we went out to eat...oops)
French Fries French Fries and more French Fries
McDonald's (so gross...)
Chicken Nuggets
Dickey's BBQ
Cheeseburger from Del Taco (better than McDonald's I've decided)
Chicken Alfredo Pizza (Village Baker, it will change your life)
Chips A'Hoy (SICK SICK SICK preservatives but they tasted good to me at the time!!)
TWINKIES
And he's still making fun of me for buying those dang Twinkies. 

11.5 weeks

I tried harder to poke it out for this one. We totally feel like I'm showing already, but then the pics don't seem to show it as much.

I have already felt little flutters at 12 weeks. I'm certain, I wouldn't forget what that feels like! Is that crazy?

14 weeks (I thought it might be fun if I wear the same shirt for most of these belly shots)

Trying to poke it out more. I really am showing much sooner that I did last time!

Oh yes, we still went to our consult with our fertility center because we wanted to hear that heartbeat and get a due date. Dr. Foulk was thrilled and kept reminding me to take it easy as this was a "precious pregnancy." Less running, no 10k's for me this summer, etc. We just love him and I respect him so much, I'll do what he says.

15 weeks
Fun little hike at Zion's, showcasing the little bump!

16 weeks

And so I'm 17 weeks along tomorrow, which means we're almost halfway cooked! Yipee!
I have loved not having this announced on Facebook yet, because I have so many more opportunities to tell my friends and family members in person! There's something real nice and old-fashioned about that. ;)
We had an early gender ultrasound and we're 85% sure we know what the gender is. Maybe I'll wait to post that until confirmed at my next appointment. And maybe then we'll tell the world of FB.

Until then, just know that the Dittos are happy and feel so blessed to have another baby on the way!
Every baby is truly a miracle in our eyes.