Big Sister Status

Emmy has some exciting news to share! She is going to be a big sister!

 

We've known for a couple of months now and have been slowing telling family and friends. When a coworker asked me if I was expecting today, it seems like a formal announcement is necessary! After having my own suspicions in mid-March and then confirming with a pregnancy test on March 23rd, Emmy and I shared the news with Daddy a couple of days later on March 28th. That morning before school, I dressed Emmy in her new "Best Sister" shirt, and almost as if we had practiced it, she trotted down the hallway to the kitchen to show Boomer the test results. He was surprised to say the least, especially since it was before 6:30AM and he hadn't had his morning coffee yet! It was special to share the news with Boomer in this way, since the first time with Emmy I was a nervous wreck as we waited together for the test to change. I still have some of the same nerves, but I felt more of the excitement this time as I was telling him. I love that I was able to capture the moment on camera.  

We have started to talk to Emmy about the baby, and as I continue to grow, she will surely notice that something is happening. One of her favorite books right now is a book called Maple about a little girl becoming a big sister. We have noticed that Emmy seems to have a nature for nurturing. She often will hold and cradle her stuffed animals, rocking them in her arms or propping them on her hip or pushing them in her stroller. Sometimes she will throw them down the stairs....we will have to work on that (haha!)...but I'm hopeful that she will take quickly to her new role as a big sister and that she will be excited to have a younger sibling. 

I am 16 weeks already, and my due date is November 17th. Both Kennedy kids will have November birthdays! It is funny how the timelines during pregnancy have seemed to align. Just like with Emmy, I completed a half-marathon with Baby K #2, and although not Disney World, I again rode some roller coasters, this time at Dollywood during our Spring Break trip to Gatlinburg. It was during this trip that we shared the news with my family, and then we told the Kennedys a few days later. I have had a few doctors appointments already. The initial 8-week consultation confirmed the pregnancy. Then I had another appointment for blood work at 10 weeks and an ultrasound at 12 weeks. My most recent appointment was this past Monday. It was a simple check-up with another round of blood tests and an opportunity to hear the baby's heartbeat. What a reassuring sign! At earlier appointments, the heartbeat was in the 170s; at this appointment it was a little lower in the 150s. Here are the first few photos of Baby K #2!

Boomer's Graduation - 12 weeks

We have a pretty full summer ahead, and the new early start in Surry County has me anxious about balancing fun with baby preparations. My summer will be about three weeks shorter than in the past; the first Teacher Workday is on July 31st, with students returning on August 7th. I want to be sure to soak up all the special moments with Emmy during this last short summer of just the two of us. I am sure this is a common feeling among moms when they find out that their first born will no longer be an only child. I get sentimental when I think about some of the 'lasts' I will have with just Emmy, but I am also excited to make memories as a family of 4. Here is our Kennedy Summer To-Do List for 2019!