The Family Expansion Act

You’re looking at a picture of the BEST souvenir we brought back from Ireland. Our second bambino is on the way! Our baby is due 1.1.11 (New Year’s Day)--though I’ll probably have another c-section just after Christmas so he or she will be here by year's end!

We found out at the end of April we're expecting. A week before we got the positive test, I swore on my life to John and my two best girlfriends that I was pregnant. I just knew. I took a test and it came up negative. I shrugged it off and knew that it was just too early. A few days later, I took another. Having absolutely no privacy as a mother, Lola was with me in the bathroom. I decided to have her deliver the news. She walked into the living room and handed it to Daddy. Pretty awesome moment!

We had a very early ultrasound at 6 weeks and saw a beautiful heartbeat that was actually 10 beats faster than Lola’s was at the same time (a very good sign). This morning (John’s birthday!), we went for my first doctor’s appointment at U of Chicago. Before the appointment, I had another ultrasound which showed baby to be just as he or she should be. Something about it was even more special than our ultrasound with Lola at the same age--probably because now we know just how amazing the final result is! It was fun seeing all the same people we got to know at the office while pregnant the first time--I was glad they were just as excited to see me :)

Boy or Girl? Those we’ve told have asked which we prefer. Our answer: HEALTHY! We ask humbly and kindly that you keep the health of our child-to-be in your prayers. It would mean so much to us. That being said, boy or girl, we will be thrilled either way. We see nothing but “pros” to having a boy OR a girl. A girl would be fantastic: we already have EVERYTHING she could need and the thought of sisters sounds like so much fun. A boy would be simply wonderful: one of each, a little prince for me, a little baseball buddy for John. The most exciting thing though is that Lola will have a sibling. We can’t wait to see her with this baby. She is so kind and loving to her dollies, we can only hope that sweet heart of hers extends to her brother or sister! We know there will be trying moments of sibling rivalry, but that comes with the territory. Just last night she was kissing my belly over and over again when I told her our baby was in there.

We’ll keep you posted!