Reveal...!

Sorry for the delay in sharing the "big reveal" of Miss. Lucy Elizabeth! I was planning on blogging from my mother-in-law's computer from Connecticut, but as it turns out she had a virus and her computer was down for the whole vacation. So I didn't even see all 33 of the comments until we returned home today! So without further adieu...here it is:

We thought that we had more time to prepare the video camera since our flight was early, so we were a little rushed to get the camera out and ready since the fam was standing there right as we got through the doors! And yes, I keep laughing like an idiot the entire time since I had no idea what the response was going to be like. Luckily, it was just a lot of my mother-in-law hugging. No hysterics, no fainting and thankfully, no throttling of Rob.

Rob's dad totally didn't get it though. You don't see it in the video but he had no clue what was going on. He was so confused as to why my mother-in-law was so surprised, or (again) why I spent the entire first 5 minutes laughing like an idiot. He kept saying "What are you yelling about?" to my mother-in-law until, a couple of minutes later, he finally got it. The shirt probably gave it away. I don't have a picture of it, but it says "Surprise! Meet Lucy Elizabeth!".

Everyone was absolutely THRILLED!! My mother-in-law particularly! And no one even gave us a hard time for keeping Lucy a secret for so long. It was such a great surprise though. I should never have doubted Rob. He was right, it was so worth it...keeping the secret.

Although one person was less than thrilled. My 4 year old niece Bella. When we got to the house she didn't quite "get" that we were having a baby until her mom took her on a walk and told her. When they came back we were all sitting at the table and Bella sat down next to me and looked me straight in the eye and said, very disapprovingly:

"So I heard you were pregnant."

This coming from a FOUR year old!!! She was so mad at me. This child is 4 going on 40. She was so disapproving and disgusted that I had the gall to go and get pregnant. She then proceeded to tell me that I was "not welcome here" and I could go home, (although I had to leave Uncle Rob with her). It was hilarious. I laugh whenever I think about her serious little face. She forgave me a couple hours later and spent the rest of the trip kissing my stomach and pointing out to people that I was pregnant, and then trying to shake my stomach with her little chubby hands. She is unbelievable that one. I only wish I had her on video! The nerve of me, going and getting pregnant without consulting her!

There was a party for his brother who recently returned from Iraq, and we were able to tell everyone else. I cannot even tell you how many times I answered the following questions:

"When are you due?"

"Is it a girl or a boy?"

"Did you decide on a name?"

"How do you feel?"

I felt like a parrot all night long saying:

"New Year's Day. A girl. Lucy Elizabeth. Pretty good now." Over and over an over!

We had an absolutely wonderful time in Connecticut, although neither of us are looking forward to going back to work next week (booo!), I think me easpecially. Without the stress of my job I had so much time to think about Lucy and my pregnancy, things that I barely have time to think about when my job is consuming 80% of my time and energy. I'm going to get started on reading the labor books and deciding my "plan" and also, as of next week I'm going to start prenatal yoga and swimming with my mom twice a week. As much as I feel like I need to be the "best I can be" at this job, Lucy and this pregnancy is way more important. That is the one thing I need to keep in mind. This job isn't forever, Lucy and our little family of three is.

So, I am still exhausted from the trip, but I will be posting my ultrasound story and some new belly pics either tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on how work goes tomorrow (last time I checked I had 200+ emails in my work inbox, EEK). So stay tuned!

"Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts."

-Author Unknown