The "BrownJELO" dilemma.

We have received very excited and supportive feedback on our Baby #5 news. It's funny, because after two or three, you find that you can get some varying reactions. I really was expecting more of the "haven't you figured out what causes that" response..and I even have the perfect 'come back' ready to go, and not one person has asked the question. It's a good thing.

After the initial excitement and "congrats" from people, the next question is something to the effect of "what will you name this baby so that you can stick with the JELO theme. Truth is, it really does come to mind for us! Silly, I know.

We have thought through this and we do have some options here! I will say, if we come up with a name that we both love and it doesn't fit with JELO it will be ok. We are definitely not making that a criteria for our name choice. But, with that said, we could go with a name that starts with "E"...and we happen to have a few boys and girls name that start with E that we like, or we could use a name that starts with "H". Josh says ending it with an "H" would make it the "Biblical JELO". I just so happen to LOVE a name that starts with "H" for a little girl:)

First things first, we will find out what this little teddy graham is. Then Josh and I will start the almost torturous process of name choice. While I do enjoy this process, in fact, I LOVE this process....we do have very particular things that we look for in a name. I suppose everyone does:)

We also, typically, don't decide for sure on a name until we meet the baby. We will go to the hospital with a few (or maybe just one or two) names narrowed down and we will wait until we get to snuggle for a few minutes. Usually, it only takes a few moments and we are both 100% sure of which name to go with.

Now that I am pretty much through the first trimester I am starting to really get excited about this new baby!!

(Also, this is totally a random note at the end of my blog...but Kathy H...please email me!! brownjelo@metrocast.net The Oct girls have been asking about you and then I saw your comment on my blog, and can't think of another way to contact you!!)

It's been pretty quiet here on my blog:)

You see...I have been keeping a secret:) And while I AM good at keeping secrets, I really really HATE secrets. If you tell me something, especially something exciting, and tell me not to tell, I won't. But it is very hard for me. My method of keeping secrets is to avoid talking altogether and even sometimes avoid people in general! I find myself so afraid to 'slip up' that I just don't talk.

This type of secret keeping is even harder when it's about myself...because really, if I want to share a secret about myself, then I should just share it. But for various reasons, I even felt as though I should keep this secret quiet for a bit. Even on facebook I have been relatively statusless...because if I were to have posted statuses over the last month and a half or so they would probably have looked something like this...

What's on your mind? Lucky Charms for breakfast, lunch and dinner....mmmmmmm:)

or

What's on your mind? napping. again.

or

What's on your mind? Watching The Notebook is hard enough...but watching The Notebook while pregnant is a BAD idea.

It is common for me to by a pregnancy test after some sort of hormonal/emotional break down. I am not an emotional person in general. But, when something like watching Dale Earnhardt Jr. win a Nascar race brings me to tears (I HATE NASCAR)...I immediately run out for a test. (This is what happened when I was preggo with Luke).

Which brings me to a moment right after Church in early December. My brother in law (or..my sister in laws husband...so my brother in law, in law??) said something to me that irritated me. For those of you who know him, you know that this is nothing out of the ordinary. He lives for saying things that get people riled up...and usually the people who know him well just ignore him and move on..because we know what he's trying to do. For some reason, this particular time, I reacted in a way that surprised everyone (including myself). Instead of ignoring him, I got really mad. My face got red, my eyes got teary and I sort of yelled at him and then finished by saying "I want to punch you in the face SO bad right now". Of course, all of this making him chuckle...and making others around me wonder 'what the heck was that all about?':) At that point I knew I acted very oddly..and started laughing at myself and then almost started crying. At that moment I knew.

So yeah, the next day I went out and got a test...and sure enough...TWO LINES. Oh my goodness. Now...we know how this works, we know what causes this. It was not a total surprise...but even if you have been actively trying for months on end when you see two lines on a pregnancy test it freaks you out. I was in a daze for the rest of the day.

We kept this secret for a while. After having an appt a couple of weeks ago and having an opportunity to see the baby (after I suggested that the doc get his little u/s machine and get a sneak peek...because apparently when you are on #5 you get to call the shots!)...and seeing a little baby with a beating heart, we figured we would tell the kids. This was SO fun.

I set up the video camera (they didn't know this) and we showed them the u/s pic. They all guessed that it was "Kirsten's baby" (Kirsten is my SIL who is also pregnant). I said "no"...and then it clicked with Jessalyn. She said "is it yours??!!" ..and I said "yep!" and she said "You're PREGNANT?!" and I said yep. Ethan quickly said "is it a boy?", and Jessalyn jumped up and down for joy shouting "I hope it's a girl, I hope it's a girl, I hope it's a girl"...and Luke, after a second of processing what the heck was going on, said "I KNEW IT" and started rubbing my belly. Luke has been telling me for weeks that there is a baby in there! Owen didn't really react much until later.

The kids are excited. As we continued getting ready for bed the questions starting coming. Luke wants to know all the logistical things about a baby in my belly. How does it eat? How big is it? How will it come out? (a question I avoided) Owen kept listing all the things we need...a crib, nukys (2 of them in case SHE loses one), bibs, baby food. He also said he needs to pick up all the toys so SHE won't eat them and put the gate on the stairs. He's really thinking:) Jessalyn wanted to be sure she could go tell all her friends at school. Jessalyn and Ethan ran downstairs to get a baby name book and spent time together in Jessalyn's bed listing their favorite names..and interesting list for sure! I will be sure to share it.

The excitement continued through the next day. Jessalyn took a picture of the u/s and printed it out to bring to school and share with her friends. Luke and Ethan proudly told their classmates and teachers and Owen said he can't wait to tell Riley. Owen has asked me daily since telling them "is the baby coming out today?". It's gonna be a long 7/8 months for Owen! Luke gives my belly hugs and kisses every chance he can. Imagine what they will be like when the baby is actually here!!!

So..this all brings me to the fact that I am still only 11 weeks along. Doc said everything looked great and baby looked like the right size and was in the 'right place' and all that...and the heart rate was good. I do pray that everything continues to go well...even though we are nearing the end of the first trimester it seems that the worry never really stops.

So...long story short...Baby Brown #5 (YIKES!) is due around Aug 7th...

We are all excited!