Surprise! It's a baby! (Goal to lose 25 pounds starts today)

[Alysa]

It's been a heck of a year. My husband and I are the parents of two adorable kids, a nine year old girl and a six year old boy. We were not, not, NOT expecting an addition to our family. We had our life all planned out, my husband would be getting a new job as a cancer research scientist soon, hopefully with tenure. I would start back to work as a designer this fall once our son started grade one. We had booked a nice relaxing trip to Disney to try to recover from a very difficult and emotional time. My husband's mum just passed away from breast cancer at the beginning of the year and my mum is very sick with liver cancer. I was looking forward to doing the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 mile marathon in my mum's name.
Then, life stepped in. It seems that someone had other plans for us.

At first I thought I was just late. I thought the stress of everything had upset things. Then I began to worry. I got a test. At first when I did it there was nothing. I heaved a HUGE sigh of relief. I was too old for a baby. I was almost 40! And then, "Wait a minute! What is THAT! Arg! It's turning into an X!"

So, my husband does not yet have his job confirmed. I'm nearly 40 so the baby has a much higher chance of genetic defects. I'll no longer be able to return to work as I had planned. We are already cramped in a tiny condo, waiting to move until we know for certain where we will end up. We are under a great deal of emotional stress. And yet, after a weekend of a lot of talking, prayers and tears, I felt like this could be, instead of something terrible, in fact, the complete opposite. It could be something wonderful. This could be the light at the end of a dreadful long tunnel. I feel now that this little person will be a blessing and a joy to all of us in a time of terrible sadness.

I couldn't cancel my trip to Disney outright. I knew I did not want to travel while pregnant as I had once had a miscarriage while flying. But with all this stress, I needed SOMETHING fun and happy and exciting to look forward to. And what could be better than a trip to introduce our new bundle of joy to the happiest place on earth. So we haven't booked it yet but we have planned to go next summer. 5 days at Vero Beach and 7 days at Wilderness Lodge. Our two most favourite places at Disney. In 480 days I will hopefully be holding the hands of a little one as he or she toddles down Mainstreet USA towards breakfast at the Crystal Palace with Pooh.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll enjoy the ride. Sit back and find out with us as we discover: Is the baby healthy? Is it a boy or a girl? Where will my husband get his job and what city will we be moving to? What will the kids say when we tell them? What will our family say? Will 3 be the joy we hope and believe they will be? And most importantly, will the new baby love Disney just as much as we do? (Kidding!)

[MinnieLovesMickey]

Congratulations!

You're not too old to have a baby. You know everything happens for a reason. Now you get to plan for a baby and his or her first trip to Disney! It'll be a great distraction from everything else that's going on around you. Can't wait to hear more!

[kaileighbug]

Congrats what a wonderful suprise.

[jennyjinx3]

Hi! I am here too...and not too far from you either...just down the 401! It sounds like you have been through a lot lately...but congratulations! We have three....lots of love thats for sure! It sounds like a wonderful trip you are planning...I'll follow along!

[Alysa]

Hi MinnieLovesMickey, kaileighbug, jennyjinx3 - thanks for the words of encouragement. I admit, I thought I would hear a lot of "Whoa, your having a WHAT?!? NOW?!?! Are you CRAZY?!?"


Here is a link to our latest trip video so you can see who we are. I usually don't do trip reports. Instead I do these little movies that I send out to our family. There is a lot of Vero in there. Forget DVC, Vero is really Disney's best kept secret. If you have never been you should check it out. The kids always say it is the best part of our vacations.

[jennyjinx3]

Wow, what a beautiful family you have...and another addition coming? How nice!! Thanks for sharing those videos with us. Looks like you guys have enjoyed lots of family vacations together! We started taking big vacations in 2010, after coming out of lots of baby years! But if I had known then how easy it was to travel with the little one, we would've done it sooner. The only thing holding us back was ourselves! Good for you for not cancelling your trip, just modifying it!

[daisy_77]

Congrats! I am looking forward to reading more!

[Alysa]

To all my DIS friends out there who are mums - hope you had a wonderful day today!

We finally told our kids and they were both over the moon! My son is so excited to have a little brother to play with and my daughter is just thrilled to have a real live baby to take care of. We are doing a little baby countdown now (166 days) and they keep coming up to me with wrapped presents of toys they want to give to the baby, as well as birthday cards and mobiles they have made. We spent the weekend planning the nursery and trying to think up names for the young man. I think we are going to call him "Boo" until we finally decide.

Today we went to our parent's house - my father-in-law seemed really pleased that Boo would be born so close to his wife's birthday, I hope it helped him and my husband on their first mother's day without her to have something to look forward to.

My daughter called my niece Friday night and told her and she and my sister brought Boo his first outfit today! The most adorable little five piece monkey set from Carter's. My mum and dad were equally pleased (I was worried about my mum's reaction as she is so sick) so that was lovely too. Anyway, a great weekend all round, filled with lots of love. Hope yours was just as great!

[Alysa]

Yesterday I bit the bullet and went to Thyme maternity and bought some capri pants. You know it's time when you can't even get the button's done up on any of your regular pants.

I also ordered a copy of the Oxford Dictionary of First Names. It's time we stopped calling this boy Boo.

We've been planning our first Disney movie nights (my niece will be coming for some of them too). I think we are going to do Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs first (also my favourite of course) with make your own caramel apples and mine a neclace of gems. We are going to do our first one in June so I'll have some fun photos of that soon!

Oh, and I found the cute disneybaby.com site

163 days until baby / 461 days until disney! So excited for both!

[Dugette]

Congrats on your little boy! Glad your kids are so excited too.

Your Snow White night sounds like fun...looking forward to seeing pics once you do it!

I love that Disneybaby site too...it could be a little dangerous for us DIS-ers, though!

[Alysa]

Thanks Dugette!

My son and husband were sad about missing Star Wars weekend this year so we did a Star Wars movie night first - we watched episode 4 and made Princess Leia cupcakes, a Chewbacca birdfeeder and an AT-AT planter. I got both craft ideas from the fabulous Star Wars Craft Book
I'll update this post shortly with photos, we are just finishing the last coat of paint on the birdfeeder of death as the kids call it.

I finally received the Oxford book of names. I've put a poll up on the first page with our top choices. Let me know which one everyone likes!

Eek! I almost forgot - Happy Towel Day!

[Alysa]

So we finally took a photo of the Chewbacca bird feeder (birdfeeder of death) and here are the photos of our Star Wars weekend movie night. The kids watched A New Hope.

We made Princess Leia cupcakes...


An AT-AT planter...


And a Chewbacca birdfeeder!


We did the Muppets with my sister's kids last weekend. Photos to follow!
GOT to find out how to re-size these images! Sorry about that!

Okay, I thought I figured it out but they are still huge. Is there a time delay? Because I admit I am not a patient person as a rule.

[jennyjinx3]

Originally Posted by Alysa

So we finally took a photo of the Chewbacca bird feeder (birdfeeder of death) and here are the photos of our Star Wars weekend movie night. The kids watched A New Hope.

We made Princess Leia cupcakes...


An AT-AT planter...


And a Chewbacca birdfeeder!


We did the Muppets with my sister's kids last weekend. Photos to follow!
GOT to find out how to re-size these images! Sorry about that!

Okay, I thought I figured it out but they are still huge. Is there a time delay? Because I admit I am not a patient person as a rule.

OMG! I love the cupcakes! Someone is very creative in your house! I think we will be headed to SW weekends next may! We have narrowed down our dates for our 2 trips next year!! And DH has to have his Star Wars fix if I am getting my DCL fix on our other trip! I will be showing those pics to him when he gets home!

[lilmissie]

Just joining in now. I am also expecting but not due until Feb and intend to take the family (new addition included with us next year) I am so sorry about your mom

[Tink-erin-belle]

I didn't realize until now that you had a PTR! I'm subbing now and I'll be back to read later