I've quit my job...

Go back to work or not go back to work? That was the question... With our due date falling in January, I had a few options to consider:

1. Go back to school, take my 6 weeks maternity leave in January then finish out the last of 3+ months of the school year.
2. Go back to school then take a leave of absence and not return after winter break.
3. Don't go back...

As soon as we found out the news, David was on board with #3. We have been preparing for it so we are ready to swing it financially and he didn't want me to be stressed or overworked during the pregnancy (to be the teacher I want to be I put in 10-12 hour work days most of the time). We had also said, "If we get pregnant by May, I won't go back." We got our first positive on May 5th. I'd say that's pushing it but a plan is a plan and David was going to hold me to it.

I decided that #2 was out of the question as I felt that it was a very selfish option. Yes I would get tenure and would have super cheap health insurance for the pregnancy and birth, but my kiddos would have two different teachers for each half of the school year. Not an option in my opinion.

As for option #1, it would seem to be the most sensible for the average working person. I went back and forth about it for a while. The primary driver for this option was how early it was in the pregnancy. I just knew that something would go wrong the day after I submitted my resignation and then I'd be stuck without a baby or a job. David and my mom were quick to reassure me that, even if something did happen, things would still be okay.

When it came down to it, my life goal since high school has been to be a stay-at-home mom. I have a degree in Early Childhood Education because of this dream and it would be crazy for me to miss out on 3 precious months of my baby's life that I would never get back just to make some extra money and teach some other people's kids. I decided to go with option #3: don't go back...

It was not a decision that I made lightly. I understand that in current economic times, people are out of work and desperate to find employment. I felt so guilty just walking away from an amazing job with equally amazing benefits. I also felt like I was putting all of my eggs in one basket and walking into the unknown (which is still a little scary).

During our journey to conception, I had finally adopted the mantra of needing to live my life the way it currently is, not for what it could be. This helped me greatly when we weren't getting pregnant month after month and things weren't going as planned (and I was going crazy). Now that the tables had turned, however, it was more difficult to accept that I was finally pregnant and make the life changes for that reality.

My plan now is to work smaller odd jobs until mid-December then take that last month to finish baby prep, relax and enjoy my hubby until Baby comes. Sounds like an amazing plan to me!!!

~Sarah

Hello, Baby!!

We had our first ultrasound when I was six and a half weeks pregnant. You may think this was early, which it was, but it felt like forever. I couldn't help but let the negative thoughts creep in and put a damper on any possible excitement. The chance of another molar pregnancy was just 2% but all I could think about was IF I have another, then the chance of having a third jumps to 25%!!

Our appointment was at 9:00am, nice and early, and David and I both took the whole day off work. We figured that either bad news or great news would make us want to spend the rest of the day together. We hadn't told ANYONE so we didn't have anybody anxiously awaiting a phone call with news afterward which was really nice.

Due to some crazy anxiety, I woke up a half hour before my alarm went off and also arrived for our appointment about 20 minutes early. The knots in my stomach continued to tighten as we got situated in the ultrasound room and waited for the technician. As soon as the ultrasound was underway, all of the negative feelings and anxiety just melted away. We saw the amniotic sack right away which immediately ruled out a molar pregnancy!! Then the technician let us know that there was a baby in there and showed us the most amazing flicker of a heartbeat. We heard it loud and clear, it was beating at 121 beats per minute which was nice and strong (they look for it to be between 110 and 170 around 6 weeks gestation)!

And now, without further ado, an introduction to Baby Ladnier:

Now... I know I'm a little biased but I think it's the cutest little jellybean there ever was!! I could have listened to its sweet heartbeat all day long. Here's to a awesome pregnancy and our journey to parenthood.

~Sarah

We've done it!

After 1 year and 9 months of trying, we've finally done it! :

After experiencing a molar pregnancy last summer, our reaction wasn't quite the same this time around. I guess the best way to describe it would be... guarded. We are excited but just can't totally commit to the idea until after our ultrasound conformation (in 10 days...but who's counting?) One good thing that having to endure a molar pregnancy can offer someone is an early ultrasound, I'll be just a little over 6 weeks along for my first scan. The chance of having a subsequent molar pregnancy is 2% but I like to look at that as a 98% chance of it being a normal pregnancy which are great odds. Focus on the positive, right?!? According to my calculations, our estimated due date should be around January 15th.

If the ultrasound turns out okay, I'll have some big decisions to make. The biggest of which would be whether or not to work another school year. I am overjoyed that we've conceived again but the timing is a little akward where school is concerned. Oh well... I think that part of being a parent is making big, important decisions like this so I'll just need to get used to it.

Until next time!!

~Sarah