We’re pregnant! EEK! What a surreal post to be writing! Honestly, we still can’t quite believe we’ll have another little one next year! And we’re so, so excited! We’re known since the end of May, so we’ve gone the whole summer with our big secret! Well, we might’ve been a little less secretive this time :] My sister’s wedding events definitely helped with that! It’s hard to keep pregnancy a secret when you’re bouncing around to bachelorettes and enjoying your sister’s wedding events!
It feels pretty crazy compared to last time honestly! We were so shocked and overwhelmed when we found out we were pregnant with Ollie and this has been totally different! We hoped and prayed that we’d get to have a second baby three years a part from Ollie and here we are, with a due date that’s only two weeks before Ollie’s third birthday! This time, we’re overwhelmed with thankfulness instead of fear and uncertainty. (did I mention I don’t deal well with change ;]) We’re picturing a life with the four of us with a lot of sweetness! Mostly, we can’t believe we’ll have room in our heart to love another little one as much as we love Ollie! We’re holding tight to these last six months as a family of three, but also just thrilled to get to experience Ollie as a big brother! He’s already so great. He asks about the baby, and proclaims very proudly that he wants a sister. We’re kind of surprised he didn’t spoil the surprise to anyone! He loved pointing at my belly and saying “baby!” He’s even started pretending he’s pregnant by putting things in his shirt. Hahah he makes our life so fun and we know this next one will too!
I have loved being a momma more than I ever thought possible. I was so incredibly nervous about this new role for me. I couldn’t imagine I’d love it as much as I loved my life with David, as much as I loved my ministry or my business. But goodness, did God have a lot in store for me. Ollie’s been one of my greatest earthly joys. I love taking care of him, I love playing with him, I love that I get to cuddle with him every night before bed. And I love that we have jobs that allow us to be home with him so often. I love seeing David be a papa. We’ve never had big, shiny dreams for our lives. Just stability and a family. And we’re so thankful to be living that out.
Now for all those things you might be wondering: I’m due on February 2nd! We are thrilled with the timing! Absolutely thrilled! It’s a slow season for business and for college ministry. (David will be starting a new semester as a professor…but 2 out of 3 jobs right?!) We found out just in time to schedule our 2019 weddings around our new addition. And we found out in time to make sure we didn’t add on any winter 2018 weddings :] My last wedding of the year is in mid October. I’ll have a nice long break from weddings during that last trimester and for maternity leave when the baby comes. What a dream. I’m about 14 weeks along at this point, so we’ve still got another month and a half before we find out the gender! We can’t wait to find out! (mostly David can’t wait to find out haha, he’s been trying to get it out of the techs at our ultrasounds)
Those of you who followed along last time might remember that I had the most tame pregnancy ever. And this time has been close to the same! I haven’t gotten sick, but certainly have been more sensitive than last time. But other than that, my only symptom is exhaustion. It might have something to do with having a two year old, but goodness I don’t remember being this tired last time around! Just another reason I’m over the moon thankful for David and for how flexible our jobs are. This summer, I’ve gotten to nap when I’m tired and David’s taken on even more of the Ollie responsibilities. He’s just the best dad ever and I feel so lucky.
We are fresh off of vacation and we actually made a special trip to OBX to have Amanda Hedgepeth take our family photos! And bonus, we got to take some announcement pictures too! Ollie was a little angel during the session (for the most part) and I have so many new favorites! But for today, I’ll just share some of my fave announcement pics :] And if you get our Hamilton reference I’ll love you forever.
This is after I asked him if he was a proud brother! *insert sobbing here*
I’m bumping out much earlier this time around!
Just love.
Haha this is so David.
He really is so thrilled about the new baby! I’m not sure he knows what it all means, but hey, we’ll take it!
This shirt is actually how I told David!
Haha his true feelings :]
My fave boys!
*We also have been extra thankful to have a healthy, easy pregnancy. We’ve seen so many friends walk through the unimaginable with their fertility and pregnancy journeys, so we truly don’t take this for granted. Our hearts are heavy for those who have experienced pain and fear in this area. We’re with you in prayer and in heart and hopefully in person, friends. With each bit of good news for our baby, we weigh the bittersweet reality that that is not everyone’s story. That life is not as it should be on this earth and there is a lot of pain where there shouldn’t be.*
