April Fools Day six years ago I told my husband we were having a baby. Of course then it was just a bad joke, and we didn’t end up having our daughter for another four years. Now, I’m due to have a baby April Fools Day 2013.

I’ve been holding this in for six weeks! Which is crazy because I am not good at keeping secrets. But it’s also not been too hard because I’ve had so much going on at work, technical dificulties, and then of course dealing with nausea and fatigue.

So let me rewind a bit and tell you how it all went down

Getting Pregnant

I’ll spare you the nitty gritty TMI details.

I just knew July was a wash. It was our third month of attempting, but I was going on vacation during my “fertile days” and my husband wasn’t coming with. Anything is possible though, and for the heck of it, I brought some ovulation strips with to see if I’d ovulate half way through my trip, (which I thought would be the case). But the test line never got super dark.

On a random whim, I took an ovulation test the day I got home. Positive!

Woah.

It was a long trip and we definitely missed each other and Lil’ J’s had take a nap RIGHT NOW if you know what I mean.

The ovulation test was positive for another day then the line started getting lighter again.

The only problem was my cycle was 24, 25 days TOPS for the last several months–ever since I started and stopped taking birth control at the beginning of the year, where as before it was a typical and regular 28 days. Shorter cycles normally aren’t an issue, but since I was ovulating late (around day 16), my body didn’t have enough time to build up progesterone to sustain a pregnancy.

I read vitamin B6 could help with progesterone production, and a little progesterone cream twice a day could help. I went to GNC and bought some of each to try it. Meanwhile, I set up a pre-conception appointment for July 23rd with my OB to discuss my charts and maybe do some tests.

Over the next week I started to notice my boobs ached, and felt fuller. I also felt sleepy and woke up in the middle of the night to pee (which I never did before). I was hopeful for pregnancy, but after looking up side effects of progesterone cream, I doubted.

I’d gotten my hopes up so much the month before, thinking I did everything right, so I wasn’t testing early this month.

Finally, my period didn’t come. It was 3 days late. But maybe it was just going back to it’s normal 28 day cycle? Or maybe the progesterone was delaying my period?

I told a couple of friends who insisted I test the next morning. It was about 4am, my husband was walking in the door from work, and I was getting ready to leave for work. I peed in a cup, dipped the strip, then set the test aside while I brushed my teeth. Just like I did with Lil’ J, except this time I wasn’t tweeting the process.

When I finished brushing my teeth I glanced over the test and saw undoubtedly two lines. Shock struck me.

We’re having another baby!!!

Telling the Hubs

My husband was going on and on about his night, and it wasn’t the best one, so I decided I’d save the good news for tomorrow. Besides, he probably wouldn’t remember it as he was just going to bed.

I wanted to tell him in a creative way, so I spent the next day thinking about ways to tell him… With a fortune cookie? With a T-Shirt for Lil’ J? No wait, a shirt for me!

I remembered thinking before, that the next time I was pregnant I’d throw on one of my cute shirts with the pregnant wording on it like “Alien on Board” or “Knocked Up”. I went with the obvious and wore my bright pink knocked up shirt to bed.

I was off the next morning but I still got up to greet my husband when he got home. I always go in the office as he takes off his uniform and tells me about his day. I was thinking this time he’d notice my shirt and say something like “why are you wearing that?” And then I could share the news.

Instead it went like this…

He walked in, told me about his night, it was “ok” but there were some things that annoyed him, he went on about that and how he was tired. The more he talked the more discouraged I got because how could I bring it up when he’s already not in the best mood?

I did notice him glance at my shirt but he didn’t say anything of it. I stayed quiet and wondered when he’d mention it. But he didn’t.

We went to our room, climbed into bed and he turned out the lights and turns to me:

“What’s wrong with you?” He asked.

“Nothing.”

“Whatever, I know something’s wrong, why are you being so quiet?”

“Well, I got dressed up and you didn’t even notice my cute shirt.”

“I noticed,” he said. “You wore that shirt when you were pregnant with–” The room got bright with the light bulb that appeared over his head. “You’re pregnant?!”

“Yep!”

I may have taken a month two weeks to convince him we should have another baby, but he was definitely in on the memo, and was not surprised it happened, but I think he wasn’t expecting the timing to be so soon (so wonderful).

Then he said exactly what he said when I told him I was pregnant on April Fools Day, and again when we were expecting Lil’ J…

“I’m scared.”

That was more than a month ago and now he’s excited and keeps saying “I hope it’s a boy.”

But we won’t know until April if it’s a boy or a girl. We’re going joining team surprise this time around. … More on that later.

Telling Lil’ J

She was the first person I told. I told her she was going to be a big sister, and taught her how to say it. I’ve been trying to explain there’s a baby in my tummy and she says “yes, baby in mommy’s tummy and baby in my tummy,” as she lifts up her shirt and points to her belly button. So, she doesn’t quiet get it yet. But I think as she gets older and I get bigger, she’ll get the idea soon enough.

We ask her if she wants a little brother or sister and she says “brother” or “brother, sister” so I guess she’s impartial like I am.

Telling Family

A couple of weeks ago, after going to the doctor and seeing #2 in the ultrasound we shared the good news with our families via FaceTime. Lil’ J wore the most adorable shirt from Polkadot Junkie that says “I’m gonna be a big sister!” embellished with cowgirl boots and a hat, so naturally she had to match with her own accessories. I have a picture of her whole getup coming next week but here’s a mobile photo for now.

It was great watching the reactions from our families as they read her shirt and seeing how long it took them to notice.

My sisters said they noticed but didn’t want to say anything. Lauren actually said she thought it was my hint to my husband–another part of my 30 days challenge–not an announcement.

My in-laws squealed in excitement and surprise once they read the words, my father-in-law said “so we’ve got two cookin in the oven now?” since my sister-in-law is due January. She already knew, as did my sister Heather who is also pregnant and due in September!

Telling My Job

I didn’t know how I wanted to tell my friends at work because I’m not much of a “Guess what? I’m pregnant!!!!” kind of person. But I preferred people hear it from me-ish before reading it on my blog and it getting around on the rumor mill. But looking back, my blog is not a secret anymore, and it’s like my Facebook for pregnancy, and I think it may have been less awkward than the way things ended up going down.

Anyway, I had told a few close friends right away, but had them keep mum about it for a little while. When I told one of my friends a few other random dude co-workers overheard, which was kind of funny to have them in on my little secret. Then finally, this week, I told one of them, who was dying to share the news he could, and he “accidentally” congratulated me over the station’s messaging system–notifying everyone. Well not everyone, but the six or so people who were working that night, and enough to get the word going.

People weren’t sure whether to congratulate me, if it was a joke, or if he knew what he had done. It was pretty funny seeing people’s confused looks. I shared the news with my boss (who wasn’t there for the instant message ordeal) and she hugged and congratulated me.

So now that it seems like everyone I should tell knows, I can finally share where I’ve been dying to share this whole time… My blog!

I’m pregnant, and I’m so excited!

Next time (if there is a next time) I don’t think people will really care about a third baby, and I’ll just tell everyone to come read it here 😉

I couldn’t let this baby go without a fun photo project documenting his/her arrival and I’ve already had one under works. Here’s the first photo, though I have weeks 5-10 done so far.

I’ll be sharing that, and a bunch of other random stuff soon.

Tags: pregnancy, pregnancy #2, pregnancy announcement