The Story

If anyone has been around Jay and I long enough, they have probably heard that we were quite content with having an only child. Caden was a blessed surprise. On July 16, 2005, I found out I was pregnant. Although I was having symptoms, I didn't recognize them and it was a complete shock. I was one month shy of 22, had been married for just under two years and was absolutely terrified. I wasn't ready to be a mom and we had no way of predicting that Caden was everything we never knew we wanted.
Jay and I were both uneasy during my first pregnancy...we were anxious about having a baby and didn't really know what to expect. We panicked and moved from Tallahassee back to Charlotte, NC where Jay knew he'd be able to get his old job back to support me and the baby. I was in the process of getting a greencard so I couldn't work. We had a small group of close and amazing friends in Charlotte but things were from time to time quite lonely for me given that I couldn't work. When Caden finally came it was love at first sight. I took to babyhood much better than I thought I would. From time to time there were sleepless night and I was heckled a time or two by strangers in public for being a formula mom but all in all, baby days were precious and amazing.
Since having Caden, neither of us have expressed interest in having more kids. We love Caden and have been quite content with our little existence as a family of 3.
A little while ago, I started to experience some symptoms that I remembered from July, 2005. My mind started racing...I began to process what life would look like if there was another baby on the way. Could we afford it? Where would we live? It will be so hard to fly internationally with two children...Florida is SO far from Newfoundland...
As the days progressed, I told Jay what I was feeling. We both felt a bit anxious.
Monday morning we went to the gym and we were working out on side by side ellipticals. I just wasn't able to keep up...I felt so tired and worn out...I was sweating profusely after only 5 minutes and by the time 10 minutes were up, I just had to quit.
Jay asked, "Are you sick or are you SICK?" asking me if I thought I was just coming down with something or if this could be pregnancy related.
I said, "I don't know. All I know is I don't feel good."
Then Jay said something he has not said...ever. "I kind of hope you're pregnant."
Woah! What?! Where is this coming from.
He explained, "I think I can be a better husband than I was the first time you were pregnant and I think I can be a better father than I was when Caden was a baby...I'd love to have the opportunity to do it again."
Have I ever mentioned how incredibly lucky I am to be married to this man?
I told him that if I wasn't pregnant that maybe we should make a plan to have another baby and he agreed. It was the first time we had ever had a conversation about having more kids.
I went home, Caden took a nap and I couldn't stop thinking about what was going on with me. Was I or wasn't I. I had to know.
I took a test and it took longer to show results than it did back in July, 2005. Back then it worked in literally 3 seconds. This one took about 30 seconds and I figured it would say negative. I whispered a prayer about God knowing what's best and looked at it again. PREGNANT.
My heart started to beat out of my chest and suddenly I felt something I didn't think I'd feel in that moment: Excitement. I was excited! I was excited to tell Jay.
Caden woke up and we immediately went to the gym. I put Caden in the childcare room and paced in Jay's office while he finished up with a customer. It took six million years for him to finish but once he did, I gestured for him to come into his office, shut the door and looked at him with a goofy smile.
'What?' he said.
I just kept smiling. Suddenly he figured it out.
'Holy...' and with that he slapped his hand over his mouth. Bewildered, smiling, excited and shocked he exclaimed, "I gotta sell more memberships!"
We called all of our friends and family, got on facebook and publicly announced the news...many people who knew where we stood on having more kids preceded their celebration with, "Are you alright?" and when we said, 'Yes, we're excited' they immediately expressed their excitement too.
The age difference is perfect. The baby should be born mid-April (although Caden was two weeks early) and that puts them 4 years and one month apart. Caden is already so independent, he'll be an excellent helper. We haven't really told him because we want to make sure we get through the first trimester safe and sound before getting him pumped.
I went to A Women's Pregnancy Centre yesterday to get info on insurance and take another pregnancy test and I was a bit nervous...what if the first one was false? Should we have told everyone? But this time the lines were super clear. Two, bright, pink lines.
Thanks to everyone for the overwhelming support and congratulations. I love telling people and hearing how excited they are for us. It's such a blessing.
So here it goes...8 more months of growing a human...nauseousness may be just around the corner...weight gain is coming (of course, right when I'm only 7 pounds away from my goal weight!)...but we're so blessed to have this tiny miracle joining our already amazing family.
God protect us, keep us in the palm of your hand and prepare us for what's to come!