Surprising our kids with a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Well you guys, we have a pretty big announcement over here! I've been keeping a secret from just about everyone for the past 3 months and a couple weeks ago we finally told our kiddos.

I thought it would be so fun to have them open boxes and this was actually right before we went to Disneyland for a staycation, which we'd been promising our kids since before last summer so they kind of had a Disneyland trip in their head.

I LOVE SURPRISES and it was so fun to see their reactions here! Watch below to see how it all went down:

Video by Arielle Levy

Was it planned?

Yes, we planned this pregnancy but I have to say it came a little quicker than I anticipated! We've been attending the temple weekly this year and every time I sat down at the end of our worship to meditate and pray and ask God what He wanted us to do next in our life, I just kept having this mental picture of one more little kid up in heaven bouncing around saying “put me in, put me in!” like a kid begging a coach to put them in on the playing field. I just really felt strongly there was one more little baby meant to come down from heaven into our family.

How are you feeling?

I'm honestly feeling a little mixture of overwhelm and excitement … this is the closest we've ever had two babies together! Anabelle and Lyla are exactly 2.5 years apart, and Lyla and Millie are more than three years apart, but Millie and this last baby will be under two years apart (about 20 months).

Physically I feel pretty sick!! It's hard to get out of bed every morning or feel good enough to be on stories a lot, so if it seems like I've been quieter lately that's why! I'm on some anti-nausea medicine that helps, but it also makes me soooo sleepy. Kind of a catch 22. Overall though I feel so thankful to (so far!) have a healthy pregnancy.

I actually thought I was miscarrying the night before we did this big room makeover. Neil and I were both pretty convinced actually that's what was happening. The next day was insane because I had to get Neil barely set up to start putting Lynden's room together, drive to the doctor's office for testing and an ultrasound, then back to Lynden's house to help Neil, then leave again for blood work that HAD to be done that day to make sure the baby was okay, then back to Lynden's house to finish up this project. Then that night Anabelle had her emergency appendectomy.

It was crazy that everything worked out okay and I felt like we had angels watching over us that whole day, mostly because we were trying to do something good for a really special little girl in our community. It was a testament to me that when you're doing the Lord's work and being His hands, He gives you extra help!

How does Neil feel about it?

Neil was completely on board and had zero hesitation to move forward with having one more baby. It's so funny to compare what he was like when we first started having kids to now. I really had to talk him into getting pregnant the first time with Anabelle – he was just so nervous about being responsible for a child. Ever since then though I'd say he's even MORE excited than I am every time we get pregnant. He's such an amazing dad, so good with our girls and so excited for one more baby to join our family.

When are you due?

This is tricky – I'm actually due with this baby the EXACT same day I was due with Lyla! May 14. So if we have this baby a week exactly in advance, on May 7, that's Lyla's birthday. Yikes haha. If you know Lyla you know that's NOT okay. Soooo for now we are tentatively planning on May 8 for a scheduled c-section. But Millie came a week earlier than I had planned her scheduled c-section so I guess we'll see what happens!

Oh also if you're wondering why I have scheduled c-sections it's because Anabelle was breech so I had to have a c-section with her, and for various personal reasons I've felt most comfortable repeating the same with each subsequent pregnancy and delivery.

Do you know if it's a boy or girl?

YES, we do! Neil and I are the only ones who know though. Since I'm now considered to have a “geriatric pregnancy” (over 35) I did routine CA blood testing, which also told us the gender. The genetic testing came back all good, and I got a call while we were at Disneyland CA adventure last week telling us the gender. All I can say is I instantly cried. But I cry about everything (especially when I'm pregnant) so that's not much of a hint ha!

We are planning something fun to surprise our girls with the gender, and once we tell them we'll share with all of you too!! Watch for that in a couple weeks 🙂

How do the girls feel about it?

They are SO EXCITED about having another baby in the family! Anabelle asks me all the time to have 10 more babies (ha) and I think she's the most excited. She keeps asking to feel the baby kick (too early though) and is very invested in how big my baby apps tell me the baby is that week, compared to a fruit or tiny animal.

Lyla is really excited about the new baby too and just as I predicted, as soon as we told her to keep it a secret, she's done exactly the opposite, telling people where ever we go “we are going to have a BABY!!!” Grocery stores, restaurants, even at a baptism over the weekend. Ha. So that's fun.

Millie continues to be the easiest, happiest baby in the history of ever so we'll see if that continues once she has to share the baby stage with another!

Thanks for your love and excitement!

We are so excited about this and thankful for all your love and support. Four kids, here we go!!!