Beginnings

We found out that we were pregnant with Aven on April 23, 2014(Lynnea's 5th Birthday). Surprise - baby #4.  The due date is December 28, 2014.  I remember not being that thrilled with the timing.  I wanted her, but never really would have "planned" to have a Christmas baby and the timing would not be good or "ideal" for my mom to come and help.  I remember thinking too: "This poor baby having to have a birthday by or even on Christmas."  I was worried if the baby was a another boy because there are already 2 boys in the boys room... all these initial worries seem so silly now - so inconsequential. Life is rarely ideal or planned and that is the way it is supposed to be. I guess at the time I couldn't have known what was going to happen, but now of course I would give anything to have her come on Christmas and be healthy and get to stay and I would love celebrating our Christmas baby every year.

Our first doctor's appointment and ultrasound was on May 23rd. Everything seemed fine and normal at that point in time.

Here is Aven at almost 9 weeks:

We started to think up some fun ways to tell the kids and our families about the new baby.  Since the due date was so close to Christmas we decided to do a fun Christmas in June type announcement.

We do the Elf on the Shelf every Christmas with our kids.  Our Elf's name is Washington so we decided to have Washington come and bring a present with an ultrasound picture and poem to announce the news.  We also brought out the Christmas stockings and had the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 on them. Number 4 was for the new baby.

Looking back on these pictures I don't regret trying to make the announcement fun and something that my kids were so excited about.  I wanted them and they do love the new baby that is coming. And even if we don't get to keep her for very long and she can't stay and has to go back to heaven she will always be their sister and our Baby #4, our gift from Heaven, our Christmas baby Aven.