Is that a plus?!?

Dear Mary Brooks,

 I found out I was going to be your mom on June 13, 2011. As you can see I am a little behind with this whole blogging thing, but I wasn't so sure it was for me. Your Aunt Caroline is a big blogger, and I have always teased her about it. But then all these wonderful and exciting things started happening and I was scared I was going to forget something. So, here I am, five months later blogging! I can't promise to be funny or witty, but I can promise to be honest, and to blog about all the things (the small, the big, the pretty, and the ugly) that happen throughout this entire journey!

 So June 13, 2011 was the day that changed my life. I know that it was definitely June 13 because it was mine and your dad's two and a half year anniversary. We had just returned from a family trip to Palm Coast, Florida. We had no idea that you had joined us on the vacation with Mimi, Papa, Uncle Trey, and cousin Landon! 

 Mermaids Mimi and Papa

 Little Italy

 Daddy playing with cousin Landon.

 Uncle Trey and Landon

 Papa reading to Landon, one of his favorite things to do.

 Landon and me splashing in the waves.

That Sunday when we got back we went to Ashley and Fitz's house to cookout and watch the Gamecocks play in the College World Series (which they went on to the win for the second year in a row!). Towards the end of the night I secretly told Ashley that I thought I might be pregnant. She immediately wanted me to take a pregnancy test she had. "No, not yet!" I told her. But that night when we got home and all the next morning it was all I could think about. I called Ashley and asked her to bring the test over...she was there in no time. I went to the restroom and walked out a nervous wreck. I couldn't go back and look at it. Ashley ended up having to look at it for me. When she walked into the room with the test she said "I don't know". What!?!? It was a faint plus so we couldn't be sure. We decided to go to lunch, and pick up a test on the way home that says "pregnant" or "not pregnant"so that there would be no confusion this time. However, I could not wait until after lunch. On the way, I made Ashley stop at the store, buy a pregnancy test, and return me to the house. After taking the test this time there was no confusion... it said "pregnant" and it said it immediately!!!

 Now I knew, but how to tell your dad? I decided I wanted to tell him in person so I had to wait all day for him to get home from work. I didn't even want to call him because I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep it in. To distract myself, I headed to the gym, but first I hid the test in the bathroom drawer. When I got home, your dad was already home, sitting at the dining room table paying bills. I forgot to mention, we had JUST purchased a new home in Shandon and were preparing to move.

I gave him a kiss and headed for the shower. When I got into the bathroom, I pulled the test out that said "pregnant" and called him into the bathroom. When he walked in, I pointed to the test and said "What's this?". Of course, having never seen one before, he had no idea what it was. He took a close look, hesitated, and with a look of confusion asked "Whose is this?". Well, duh "it's mine!". After a few seconds he put it together and figured out that I was pregnant. We hugged and cried together in the bathroom! Later, after all the excitement died down I asked him why he had asked whose test it was. He actually said that for a split second he thought someone had broken into our house, taken a pregnancy test, and left it there. That still makes me laugh today!

And so began the most wonderful and exciting journey of our lives!!!

                                                                                       I love you forever and always,

                                                                                                                                    Mom