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Monday, May 2, 2011

The happy news

Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments about our pregnancy! Your love and support mean so much to us. Matt and I have wanted and prayed for this baby for quite some time. As a few of you know, we were actually in the middle of infertility appointments and gearing up for a potentially long road ahead when we learned we had finally gotten pregnant all on our own. To us, this baby is a sweet little miracle and we are so grateful he is on his way.

We loved keeping him as our own little secret for so long (we just barely finished telling our families three weeks ago because we wanted to tell them in person), but it’s so nice to be able to share our excitement with everyone now! I’m looking forward to sharing plenty of details with family and friends through this blog – beginning with this post about spreading the news.

After waiting for so long for a positive pregnancy test, I wanted to make the news really special for Matt. There were a few glitches that day (remember when our bumper flew off on the freeway? Yep, that was the day) but I was so anxious to tell Matt that I didn’t mind. We finally made it to our beach and set up our picnic just as the sun was beginning to set. I made Matt take a couple pictures and then left the camera running on video while I gave him his “Valentine’s gift,” which was a little board book I’d put together with pictures and a simple poem about reasons I love him. He already knew them all – until he got to the last page, that is.
Matt has always wanted to be a dad, and his reaction was even sweeter than I’d imagined. I’m so glad we have it on video (that first picture is a freeze frame). We hugged and kissed and laughed and cried, and spent the rest of the evening celebrating. One of my favorite memories from that night is the surprise Matt had planned for me. He had learned “Then” by Brad Paisley, which is one of our songs, and played it for me there on the beach. The lyrics “I can just see you, with a baby on the way,” suddenly held new meaning. Matt got a little choked up as he sang them and the love in his eyes melted my heart. That man was meant to be a daddy.
My parents and sisters knew early on but we waited to tell my brothers in person. We gave the boys gifts addressed “To Uncle NAME, Love Ashley, Matt & Baby D.” Eight-year-old Kaleb read it, looked up, and exclaimed, “You adopted a baby?!” Not quite. =) He got it right on the next try.
Then, when we found out that it’s a boy, we sent my mom a bouquet of blue and white flowers in a blue vase. The babies were most excited about this development because now they’ll have a niece and a nephew. They like to say they’re “double uncles” now.
We announced the big news to Matt’s family at a family get-together at his parents’ house when we were in Utah. The announcement came complete with blue “It’s a Boy!” shirts and a huge balloon bouquet. We were glad we’d waited to share the news in person – it’s just so much more fun when there are hugs and tears and high-fives involved!
Skype came up big for many of those that we couldn't see in person and we loved our webcam celebrations, too! The screenshot option was clutch for capturing fist pumps and the like.
And then we announced it via the internet and were overwhelmed by your support. Thank you again! I had planned on giving a little pregnancy update in this post as well, but it got really long, didn’t it? I’m all typed out, so I guess that part will be coming up next!

21 comments:

  1. LOVE all of the Skype reactions! I think those are my favorite! Congrats! One of these days I hope our efforts work (we're fertility-challenged at this point), but after I finish BMT. :)

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  2. I loved those flowers and can't wait until we wrap your darling baby boy up in blue!!

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  3. OMG that is so amazing! I had no idea you guys had a long road ahead of you before you got pregnant, I am so happy your experience was a good one and you didn't have to start treatments, I have a lot of friends who have had to go through that and it really is tough. Congratulations on your little miracle!

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  4. OH, that was so fun to see all the fun faces of family and friends who were surprised by this super exciting news of the new expected baby!! What a fun post!!! Can't wait for more baby posts from you!!

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  5. aw I love the way you told him! You both look so excited and happy!! :)

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  6. Oh Ash I am sorry to hear you guys had a hard time. Being a couple that had to go through fertility treatments to get our baby, I always hope and pray other people don't have to although that time of trying really brings you closer as a couple. I am so glad it finally happened for you and that we get to have babies SO close in age! I read your comment on my blog when we announced and it makes me laugh out loud now because you had your own little secret. Anyway, I am so so happy for you and I can't wait to see pictures of your baby boy. Hopefully our babies will get to meet someday.
    p.s. I think I have your wrong cellphone number. Will you e-mail it to me? cfharris@graniteschools.org I would love to chat with you.

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  7. Congrats again!! I love your story about how you told your hubby!! So creative...and I loved seeing the screenshot of everyones reaction!! Such an exciting time for you guys!!
    Amy

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  8. Congrats again! I love how you told Matt!!! Too cute!

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  9. such a sweet post , congratulations again!

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  10. this is so sweet!! so happy you have such a network of support from your friends and family, how wonderful to share the news with them! and what a great miracle ur little boy is! my BFF just went thru 5yrs of infertility issues and finally had to go thru in vitro and just had a baby boy miracle in January! So extra special congrats to you and your hubby!

    hillary

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  11. So happy for you and Matt! What a blessing this the lil guy will. Love the skype reactions from all your friends and family.

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  12. I am so happy for you and Matt. That is amazing. You both are so creative and make any occasion that much more sweet. My thoughts and prays are with you through out your pregnancy, and I can't wait to see baby bump pictures!!!

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  13. What a wonderful story!!! We are so happy for you <3 Babies are the best thing ever.

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  14. you had some of the BEST ideas for how to announce it to everyone!! And it made me cry to see your beach pictures! The hubs and I are trying now and it looks like it's going to be a long road for us too so seeing your story really gave me hope. Thank you for sharing so much of yourselves with us, and know that BE and I will be praying for both of you and the baby!!!!!
    -AM @ acreedandapsalm.blogspot.com

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  15. You lil' stinker! I had no idea you screen shotted (is that a word? lol) me while we skyped! haha I love it! I was so
    overwhelmed with joy when you told me. I cried! lol I just know how much you and Matt want to be parents and y'all deserve it. Your lil' baby will be so taken care of. He's really very lucky indeed. Love you!

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  16. congrats!!! oh that is so amazing!!! :)

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  17. Loved loved loved your announcement to Matt! I am a hopeless romantic, and love gathering new ideas. Not that I will be announcing a baby on the way, but you know, this idea could be altered to fit something I could do for Brian. You two are going to be such great parents. So Happy for you!

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  18. I'm in awe of your thorough documentation of this blessed event! I'm so happy for you and Matt. I can't wait to hear more about your pregnancy.

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  19. I don't know if I have sent this to you - but I am so excited for you & Matt! You guys are going to be the BEST parents ever. Truely you and blessed! much love!

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  20. I've been the worst blog commenter lately, but I wanted you to know I am so happy for you guys! And you look amazing and I'm happy your pregnancy is going so well! Can't wait to meet the little guy. (Even if it's just over the internet, haha.)

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  21. Oh my goodness, I just have to say this is the BEST baby announcement re-cap post I've ever seen. I adore all your ideas!!!! :D

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