4

I sent P a text a few months back- which he apparently showed to friends and co-workers (thanks honey) about my paranoia because I felt like I had heightened sense of smell.

I let it boil over for a week.  A week.

Then I went to Walmart - because the purchase I was going to make seemed appropriate to do from that store...especially with three kids in tow.

Lets step back a bit.

I had an IUD, Mirena to be precise.  She'd been trustworthy for 2 years 3 months and...

well.

I has since been removed.

A positive pregnancy test on Mother's day 2013.

I quickly got an appointment to see an OB the Monday after Mother's day, she said this was her first case of a viable pregnancy with an IUD.  They did an ultrasound that day to make sure the pregnancy was implanted in the right place (most times a pregnancy with an IUD is ectopic - where it implants outside the uterus).  I was 5 weeks 2 days along, and sure enough, the pregnancy was right where it should be, and to much surprise not just one...but two!

Seriously.

I was at the appointment solo, I cried.

It was a weird cry - disbelief, excitement, nervousness - so many overwhelming emotions.  Grad school, working as a RN, three kids at home, and now twins...

Because we absolutely thrive in chaos I knew it would all be okay.

Going from 3 to 5 kids, here without family support, while I finish grad school and continue to work...well, I was feeling like I needed to do a lot of positive self talk - "we can rock this, because we are rockstars" sort of stuff.

As I was getting more set on the idea of making this all work, I went in for another appointment, and this appointment confirmed what I didn't imagine playing out in this scenario - one healthy heartbeat.  I didn't have any spotting or cramping, it didn't make sense.

I was told it was vanishing twin syndrome.  They tried to reassure me that things would be fine with baby, and to take it easy for a week.

So I took it easy, and I worried.

Long story shortened...

Today's appointment - the first appointment where we welcome the reassuring sound of a heartbeat.  I am 10 weeks along now, with one tiny human that is the size of a trap in my belly, and just so thankful for every blessing I have in my life.

We are cautiously optimistic, and feeling like this little bundle will stick around for the duration and be welcomed into our family in January 2014.

Anyway, here we go for the 4th time, which is just as exciting as the first!  Cheers to growing a family of 6!