The Best Day, 2017 Edition

Probably the single best day of 2017 took place in early July. It was preceded by a series of unfortunate events, which I feel compelled to outline. In November of 2015 we had a failed pregnancy. For the next year and a half we were again trying to add a little one to our family. For me, that meant doctor visits with fertility specialists, procedures, pills, injections, ultrasounds, blood tests, peeing on so many sticks (ovulation tests and pregnancy tests) etc. Most of the time it was physically and emotionally unpleasant and at sometimes it went well beyond unpleasant. I understand that other couples go through far more when dealing with infertility and sadly, some end up with far less. So I suppose that all in all, it wasn't too bad. But it was bad enough. Then in June 2017, Josh switched jobs, which meant that we had a month without insurance. We got to take a break from the fertility stuff but would have to make some difficult decisions when we went back to it. Here is where the best day of 2017 comes into play. In early July we found out I was pregnant. It was completely unexpected and seemed more than a little miraculous, especially when medical interventions had been unsuccessful for months and months and this happened the old fashioned way. It has now been many months since we first found out, and so far everything is going well. This baby boy is due the end of March, just a week after Eli's 5th birthday. We are all excitedly anticipating his arrival and feel blessed to have the chance to grow our little family. Eli may be the most excited, or at least the most vocal about his excitement. He wants to make sure that everyone knows he will have a baby brother and that he will be a big brother. I think he will be a pretty great big brother.

Side story: As my belly has grown in size and Eli has been able to feel the baby move, the idea that there is a baby growing in my belly has become more real to him. This has led to some interesting anatomical discussions. How does the baby get in there? How does the baby get out? How does the baby get food while he is in there? Can the baby hear? etc., etc., etc. Josh and I try to answer truthfully in a manner a 4 year old can understand. Most recently, Eli wanted to know what the baby would eat when he came out and if he could help feed the baby. When I mentioned that my body would produce milk for the baby, he asked where it would come from but before I could answer said, "Your nipples?" I'm honestly not sure where he acquired the word nipples to his vocabulary, but it caught me off guard and I had a hard time not cracking up. I told him yes. Then he wanted to know why I had two if there was only one baby? Before I could answer he said, "Is one for food and one for milk?".  The conversation went on from there but that comment was my favorite. I'm sure there will be many more similar discussions as time goes on, but so far this one was one of my favorite.