The Blue Plus Sign - One Year Ago Today

One morning, one year ago today, I took a pregnancy test that came out positive! I was going to have a baby!! My feelings of exhilaration were mixed with utter shock. We had only been back from our honeymoon for a few weeks! I remember pacing the bathroom floor, wide eyed, with a racing heart, trying to process it and also trying to think of a memorable way to tell my husband.

Some cute ideas immediately came to mind but carrying them out would mean that I would have to wait to tell him...and I just couldn't. I slipped back into bed, where my husband was still asleep, and was internally saying "Oh my God!" to myself over and over {and over} again. I peered over at Mr. Wonderful for a few seconds trying to gauge just how asleep he was. Like a child on Christmas morning, I wanted to shake him profusely and say, "Wake up, wake up! We're having a BABY!!". But I didn't. But oh how I wanted to! Instead, I snuggled up next to him {knowing this would wake him up in a gentler way! Ha!}. And when his eyes were open all of three seconds, I whipped out the positive pregnancy test {that I had taken to bed with me!} and revealed that we were going to have a baby!! What followed was a rubbing of his eyes {was this a dream!?}, then a lot of smiling...and two words spoken profusely by the husband over and over again: NO WAY!!

It was surreal!!

{Approx 4 months pregnant!}

In my pre-teen days, I used to blow up balloons and stick them under my shirt and pretend I was pregnant - and I would treat my cabbage patch dolls like they were real babies. Didn't most little girls do these things? I always anticipated being pregnant and becoming a mommy. Now it was happening to me!

When we went for our first ultrasound {the very next day after my pregnancy test came up positive!}; the Dr. told us that we were there at the earliest detection sign of pregnancy {a sac wasn't even visible yet!} but he could see evidence of formation. Based on that, the Dr. told us that our conception date was around April 15th {we had just returned from our honeymoon on April 11!}.

Last Mothers Day we gave our mom's the greatest gift when we told them that they were going to be grandmothers! I was a bit apprehensive to break the news so soon {we had just found out we were pregnant just days before} but my husband thought we couldn't pass up telling them this wonderful news on such a special, meaningful day. So we did : )

As the weeks went on, and our little baby grew within me, we couldn't wait for the next ultrasound to roll around so that we could see just how big our precious little blessing was getting. We were sooo awestruck when we actually saw, for the first time, how much our little one had grown in such a short time....

A few months later {on August 28th}, we were told that the sex of the baby was a GIRL! Preparing for her arrival was such a fun time. My life was about to change in a beautiful, wonderful way and I couldn't wait. As the months and weeks and days seemed to creep by, I was growing more and more anxious to welcome our little baby into the world.

Finally, on January 12, 2010, we did....

Ilah was born and she was perfect in every. single. way.

Words can't describe how much she has captivated our hearts.

Our beautiful daughter was finally in the room that we had spent months putting together for her. You imagine the little things for so long: putting her on the changing table and reaching for the stack of diapers that you perfectly arranged in her drawer....every little thing that you put in place for her was now about to be used because your beautiful and healthy baby is home!

It's true - time flies. I'm savoring every single day.

I'm absolutely loving the sweet bond that Ilah and I share. I pray that it remains a strong one throughout the years. In every way, having her in our lives is a PLUS : )