I Want a Triceratops for Christmas

Back in March, Ryan's family decided that it was time to get an updated family picture. The last official studio one we had done was shortly after Ryan and I were married. I had the long hair to prove it - so it must have been within the first 6 months of marriage. Four years later (can you believe we have been married 5 years next month?!)- a lot has changed! Matt and Jen have had 2 more kids. Ryan and Jodi have also had two kids. Jess and Cameron got married and had their little guy too. Six additions to the family in that period of time? Pretty impressive.

Good looking family, huh? As we were each taking our turns getting the individual family shots done, Jodi turned to us and said, "You have heard of the family picture curse, right?"

We both laughed and said no.

"As soon as you get family pictures done and updated, someone ends up pregnant." Jodi and Ryan had family pictures taken with his side in December, and shortly thereafter conceived their very unplanned third child. She also blames the Mucinex. Apparently Mucinex can counter birth control to some extent, earning this new little baby the temporary nick name of "Snot Baby." (Don't worry. It may have been unplanned, but they are very excited for his arrival in September.) We laughed, and Jen, Jess and I all pointed to each other and guessed who would be next.

And that was that. Pictures turned out great. We were able to view and order them just before Ryan and Jodi moved to Colorado.

The following month...

Tada!!!

No, this is not a Mucinex baby - although we did laugh long and hard about that. Ryan had purchased, and begun taking Mucinex shortly before this family photo shoot. But seeing as he was taking it, and not me, we weren't terribly worried. That and there wasn't any birth control to counter...

Yes - this was planned and hoped for. We were both ecstatic when we found out - but spent a long time laughing about the timing and its correlation to the family pictures. I know it may seem strange to many that we waited almost 5 years before we started trying, but we don't regret it at all. The timing is right and we are thrilled!!!

We have kept it secret for a long time. Reasoning was two-fold. 1. We wanted to wait until we were closer to the "safe" zone, although miscarriage can still happen any time. The goal was to wait until at least 12 weeks, but when I realized that Father's Day was only 2 weeks after that - putting us at 14 weeks and the beginning of the second trimester, I decided that was the best way to go. 2. It's all about reaction. No one knew we were trying. And we wanted it that way. And let me tell you... it totally paid off!

We told my family this past Saturday, the day before Father's Day. Ryan and I were supposed to be with his side of the family for Sunday dinner, so we arranged a Father's Day BBQ for my side on Saturday. Luckily everyone but Fred and Jari were there. (Seeing as they live in Maryland, we will excuse them.) :) I had sent Fred and Jari a picture of the above ultrasound pictures in a "Happy late birthday, happy early birthday, and guess what?" package that arrived Saturday - thankfully. I called and had Fred open it about an hour before we went to my parents. His reaction?

"Shut up! Shut up!" It was perfect!

My dad opened presents as we ate. I saved ours for last because I guessed it would likely cause quite the ruckus. Fred asked me to call him and put it on speaker phone so he could hear the reaction. I wasn't sure if he would be able to hear it, but I did it anyway.

We gave my dad a picture of the ultrasound in a frame. The first few milliseconds after he opened it were silent - but only until Necia spotted it, flew out of her chair and started yelling, "Shut up! Shut up!" as she jumped up and down. That same instant my mom saw it and let out a high pitch scream that lasted several seconds. Recognition dawned on my dad and he looked up with teared filled eyes and asked repeatedly, "Really? Really?" (He later told us it took him a second to realized what it was because when he saw it was a picture frame he thought Ryan had given him a picture of the elk. Hahaha) This all happened almost instantaneously. I wish more than anything I had thought to record it. That would have been priceless. I think it would have beat out any announcement videos I have seen on America's Funniest Home Videos. I glanced around at the rest of the family to try and gauge their reaction. Most were smiling, laughing and looking stunned. Sabrina was grinning with her hands smashed to each side of her face in awe. James was smiling and a little teary eyed himself.

Necia turned to me and said, "I am SO mad at you! How could you have held out on me for so long?!"

My mom came over and threw her arms around me and said, "You could have saved me months of praying for you!" I laughed and laughed at that and said, "I know I could have. But that wouldn't have been much fun. And I told you not to worry..." Sabrina jerked my mom away and placed a gentle hand on my stomach. "Careful mom! There is a baby in there!"

After a while the pandemonium began to calm down. James sat next to me and tried to explain to Preston what was going on. He pointed to my stomach and said, "Diana is going to have a baby. She has a baby in there."

"She does? I see it!" he said as he started to lift my shirt.

James replied, "No you can't see it. It's inside. It's going to get bigger and bigger and then it will come out and it will be a baby!"

Preston's eyes widened with understanding. His jaw fell open as his hand shot to each side of his face in the classic 'Home Alone' face. "It's.... a.... baby.... DINOSAUR!!!!" He shouted.

We all erupted in laughter. I guess he didn't quite get it. We tried a few more times to help him understand, but it was to no avail. We finally just agreed that yes, it's a dinosaur. Mom told us not to encourage it, but we decided it really won't hurt anything.

James concluded, "He is going to be really disappointed when this baby doesn't come out a triceratops, which happens to be his favorite dinosaur right now."

We told his family the next day. The reaction was much more calm, but still heartfelt and wonderful. His dad turned to us wide eyed and stared. His mom sat back silent after a short intake of breath, and cried. His sisters and nieces cheered. I think the girls were shocked, but Ellen maintains that she had a feeling that I was. (I am sure it didn't help my case that she was there when I lost my lunch for the first time at Ryan's belated graduation lunch.) But even though she suspected it, she never said anything.

For the stats. These ultrasound pictures were taken at 12 weeks. As of today I am finally 14 weeks. Sweet! Baby is due December 20th. That is the only bummer part. We were really hoping to avoid the month of December, but that goes to show that we are not the ones in charge. This baby is coming when it's supposed to come. But sadly I have a feeling I will not go into labor on time, or perhaps even on my own at all if I am anything like my mom, putting baby just that much closer to Christmas. We decided that once the kid is old enough to really care, maybe we will celebrate the half birthday instead.

I have no inclinations whether it is a boy or a girl. We have been calling it a girl - but that doesn't really mean anything. I am not really hoping for one or the other. I have my moments. We don't have names picked out, but we have some we like. Girl names anyway. Not boy names. Anyone want to guess what it will be? We will find out probably around the first week of August or so.

We are really excited. In many ways it still doesn't seem real. I doubt it really will until I start feeling it move - which at my 12 week appointment and when I had this ultrasound they said they bet I will start feeling it soon because the little thing won't hold still! They had a hard time getting a long solid read on the heartbeat because it kept squirming out of the way. Then at the ultrasound I watched it jump up and down, wave, kick and wiggle. So amazing! And so surreal!

In way of confession, I apologize, Academy of Ballet girls at Heather's going away party... I have had reactions to hot tubs before, but the real reason I didn't get in was Dr's orders. Sorry!

So... there is our good news. Hopefully everything stays good and we don't run into any major complications.

Brace yourself world... a mini Ryan or Diana is planning its grand entrance in six months. Ready or not, here it comes!