After an extra long cycle and a couple weeks of negative tests (starting with the day we spent driving to the DMV) I had quite the surprise on the morning of May 11th, which happened to be Mother’s Day this year!
I had really started to think that our last baby was going to be our last. My paternal grandmother delivered her last biological child in her early 30’s, before adopting a few more children, and I started thinking perhaps it would be the same for me.
A couple months ago, following some more blood tests, and discovering that my Vitamin D levels were extremely low, my doctor put me on a weekly mega dose (50,000 iu) of Vitamin D for 8 weeks. I just took the final dose last week. Did you know that Vitamin D may dramatically improve fertility? I didn’t!
I think my husband was a little suspicious when I arrived home on May 10th with ten large chocolate bars. #happymothersdaytome 😉 I had been craving chocolate like crazy and stopped at the store on a mission to find some dairy-free chocolate.
Coconut Cream Filled Dark Chocolate. Almond Butter Creme Filled Dark Chocolate. Dark Chocolate with Espresso Beans. Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt & Almonds. Dark Chocolate with Cranberries & Almonds. They were all Buy-1-Get-1-Free and I stocked up!
Of course Chocolate (and Coffee) are now making me extra nauseous, so all but two of those chocolate bars are still sitting right here next to the computer… We stopped at the store this morning to pick up some more eggs, meat, lettuce and avocados. Now all I want to eat is protein and veggies!
There is some confusion on the baby’s due date. According to the first day of my cycle, I should be due on January 5th, which would put baby at around 7 1/2 weeks. (My first tear-filled reaction to that date was “Are you kidding?! I average 10 days early! I could actually deliver on Christmas this time… THREE Christmas time babies in a row?! I should have never joked about having a baby every Christmas!”) I know God always sends us the graces we need, but I have still been feeling overwhelmed.
This morning, before my ultrasound, I thought I would come home and share a picture of our newest little family member. Afterwards I was torn since it is still so very early, but I have such a hard time keeping this type of news secret and I’d really appreciate any prayers you can spare for the health of our tiny little baby. Having miscarried in the past I’ve been nervous lately, not to mention sick and oh SO tired! Will you please keep me and baby in your prayers?
yayayay! spread some this way, huh? 😉 Im in a similarish situation, my baby is going to be two this month, and I will be 40 this year…starting to feel paranoid that I wont conceive again! Maybe need to find me some vitamin D! 😉
2014-05-22 02:37:58
Congratulations on your new blessing! We will definitely keep your family in our prayers!
2014-05-22 02:40:16
Congratulations! I will be praying for you!
2014-05-22 02:41:15
Congratulations!! You and baby will be in my prayers. What wonderful news!!
2014-05-22 02:43:14
what wonderful news! keeping you and baby in our prayers. 🙂
2014-05-22 02:43:18
So exciting! Prayers for a blessed pregnancy with this sweet child!
2014-05-22 02:45:07
Congratulations! Oh, SO happy for you!!!!!
2014-05-22 02:46:57
such EXCITING news!!! praying{{}}
2014-05-22 02:47:21
congratulations! 🙂
2014-05-22 02:49:15
Congratulations and prayers!
2014-05-22 02:49:27
Hurray! What wonderful news. Congratulations.
2014-05-22 02:50:18
Congratulations!! Prayers for a healthy happy pregnancy and baby. Hmmmm – vitamin D and fertility LOL maybe it was treating my deficiency that helped us be blessed with our little girl last year – 4.5 years after our last son.
2014-05-22 02:52:59
I'm so happy for you! Lots of prayers coming your way! Joene
2014-05-22 02:56:51
Congrats, prayers and hugs for you and your family!
2014-05-22 02:58:24
WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!! I love hearing news of pregnancy!! Especially when I am with child also. Its so much fun when there are other Moms that are in the same time!! I will defiantly keep you, baby and family in my prayers!!! 😀 😀 I'm so excited for yoU!! May you be showered with Grace and comfort in your nausea!!!
2014-05-22 03:00:04
Congratulations! I was hoping to have that same good news, but it didn't happen for us this month. I will be praying for your pregnancy.
2014-05-22 03:02:58
Congratulations Jessica!!! Grow, baby, grow!!!!
2014-05-22 03:16:35
Congratulations and lots of prayers.
2014-05-22 03:23:26
congratulations, we are due around the same time Jan 18 over here 🙂 My Vit D levels were also low, and now I wonder if that contributed to my miscarriage in Feb. I've been on the mega dose of Vit D (round 2 right now) and didn't know it increased fertility, great information to know!
2014-05-22 03:30:01
Oh congratulations, Jessica! I know the fears that you are feeling. Each time that I felt them, I would pray a Memorare. Our Blessed Mother helped me relax and trust. Drink lots of water and get some rest. You and baby will be in my prayers
2014-05-22 03:32:26
I love your family and am so glad to hear of the new addition! How awesome! My one and only is too far from home and too much out of touch…. Your sharing of yours and letting us all be a part of your journey brings me joy and makes me feel part of your family… Thank you so much! And many blessings on all of you! +++
2014-05-22 03:39:14
Congratulations! Babies are such a blessing.
2014-05-22 03:47:59
So happy for you all!!! What a beautiful gift 🙂 May your pregnancy be truly blessed!
2014-05-22 03:55:11
Congratulations!!!
2014-05-22 03:56:05
I had super low vit D between babies this time too!!! Also on the megadose for quite some time. Longest between pregnancies in several years here too 🙂 Baby #10 in 9 weeks! Prayers for you and your little one! I am thrilled for you!
2014-05-22 03:56:56
Congrats! What a perfect Mother's Day gift!!!
2014-05-22 04:00:26
Oh Happiness!!!! Congratulations!!! I bet your children are just giddy!
2014-05-22 04:00:57
SOOOOOO happy for you! What a huge blessing, congratulations! May God bless and keep you, shine His face upon you, and give you Grace and Peace.
2014-05-22 04:12:13
What a wonderful surprise! Many many prayers for a safe and healthy pregnancy. I'm due in November and my "baby" is 3.
2014-05-22 04:29:59
Oh, Jessica, congratulations! You all must be so excited! I don't know if you have your progesterone levels checked, but I always get natural progesterone shots from a Creighton doctor to avoid miscarriage. And I'm also on Vitamin D. A lot of us are low b/c we stay inside most of the time, unlike our ancestors who milked cows and had huge vegetable gardens and no AC. I'm due on Jan 6th, and I am hoping to go early, but we'll see what God has in store. Your intentions will be remembered in our family rosary. God bless you!
2014-05-22 04:41:15
That's wonderful Jess! I am happy for you. I am sad that, at this time in my life (age 48) and with my beloved dying last year, my baby days are behind me. Trying to go through the death of a husband, the teen years of a child with aspergers syndrome alone, and menopause, all at once, is rough. But God will get me through it. Anyhow, I love reading about your beautiful family–you are an inspiration to young moms everywhere! Kerry
2014-05-22 04:43:48
I'm so happy for you! Co grays, and I will keep you in my prayers!
2014-05-22 04:50:47
Oh Jess!! I am so happy for you and Sean!! Please be assured of my continued prayers!! Jamie
2014-05-22 05:27:12
What exciting news! I'm sure it seems like forever between babies, but to some of us it seems like yesterday! I'm so happy for you! Look into eating foods that are high in Magnesium to alleviate some morning sickness. Almonds and sunflower seeds are full of magnesium. Be assured of my prayers for you, baby, and the whole family! Congratulations!
2014-05-22 06:08:38
Congratulations!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you and will pray for a safe pregnancy for you.
2014-05-22 07:15:23
Congratulations, wonderful news for you and your family, praying for safe arrival of a beautiful healthy baby.
2014-05-22 08:25:57
Congratulations! Rest assured of our prayers! St. Catherine (patron saint of miscarriages) protected our newest baby, so we'll ask for her intercession! Blessings, Marisa M.
2014-05-22 10:56:18
Congratulations! Rest assured of our prayers! St. Catherine (patron saint of miscarriages) protected our newest baby, so we'll ask for her intercession! Blessings, Marisa M.
2014-05-22 10:57:41
Congratulations and many blessings! I offer prayers for you and your baby's health. I have a ten month old and thought that I was going from postpartum to pre-menopause but alas I'm also expecting my seventh sometime after Christmas. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I will turn 47 before then!
2014-05-22 11:11:02
Yes, have your progesterone level checked. Making sure it is normal can help to avoid miscarriage. Congrats about Baby!!!!!!!!!!!! You will share a birthday close to Baby!!!!! Make sure you don't lift anything too heavy, especially when grocery shopping or doing whatever around the house – get Sean or the older boys to help with that. VERY EXCITED FOR YOU AND SEAN AND THE KIDS!!!! A NEW BABY!!!!!!
2014-05-22 11:35:13
Congratulations! I will be offering up my own nervousness and anxiety with my current pregnancy for you too!
2014-05-22 11:57:43
Congratulations, Jessica! Such glorious news. Take care of yourself (do I sound like a broken record?). Take time every day to rest, rest, rest. And have that Vitamin D checked repeatedly. My doctors put me on 50,000 ius a week as well, and it came up but was temporary. Even taking 2000 every day it came right back down and I'm back on 50,000. Especially since you are off dairy, you should stay on top of it. Low D causes a lot of problems. Of course, to those readers who are trying to get pregnant — don't take more than 2000 ius without having your levels checked. Jessica, do you take fish oil supplements? Omega 3s are good for baby and you — so eat fish or take supplements. I'm all finished lecturing. Just don't make me come and tuck you into bed. 😉 Though I'd really love to.
2014-05-22 12:01:05
Congratulations! <3 Prayers!
2014-05-22 12:06:52
Thank you, Melanie! Saying a little prayer for you! 🙂
2014-05-23 13:42:43
Thanks, Heather! I am so grateful for all the prayers!
2014-05-23 13:43:05
Thank you, Ashley! 🙂
2014-05-23 13:43:22
Thanks, Celeste! I so appreciate the prayers!
2014-05-23 13:44:07
Thanks, Katie!
2014-05-23 13:44:15
Thank you, Amanda! ♥
2014-05-23 13:44:50
Thanks, Mary!! 🙂
2014-05-23 13:45:01
Thank you, Erin!
2014-05-23 13:45:12
Thank you! 🙂
2014-05-23 13:45:23
Thanks, Cassie!
2014-05-23 13:45:31
Thank you, Cecilia!
2014-05-23 13:45:53
Thank you, Saiorse! That is so interesting! Congratulations on your new little girl! ♥
2014-05-23 13:46:55
Thank you, Joene! We are so grateful for all the prayers! 🙂
2014-05-23 13:47:21
Thanks, Kathleen!
2014-05-23 13:47:35
lol We are all pretty excited here! 🙂 Congratulations to you and your family too, and thank you for the prayers!
2014-05-23 13:48:18
I'm so sorry to hear that. Praying God will send you a new little one soon. God bless you and your family, and thank you for the prayers!
2014-05-23 13:48:58
🙂 Thanks, Marie!
2014-05-23 13:49:10
Thank you, Lindy!
2014-05-23 13:49:18
Oh! Wow! We are due at pretty much the same time! I'm so sorry to hear about your recent miscarriage, and will say a prayer for you and this baby! God bless you!
2014-05-23 13:50:10
Congratulations to all of you – babies are the best news!
2014-05-22 12:08:57
Congratulations…wonderful news, and wonderful timing!
2014-05-22 12:28:33
congratulations from Canada eh!
2014-05-22 12:29:59
Congratulations Jessica!!! How exciting! Definitely count on our prayers! Thanks for sharing the interesting detail about Vitamin D. Just this week I srarted taking my capsule regularly, since the doctor told me I had a deficiency. Would be wonderful if it has effects! 😉
2014-05-22 12:32:44
Congratulations!!!
2014-05-22 12:58:36
Congratulations, Jessica! Holding you and your precious baby close in prayer!
2014-05-22 13:07:07
Congratulations! Sick and tired are annoying, but definitely good signs of a healthy pregnancy. Adding you to my St. gerard prayer list.
2014-05-22 13:16:02
Congrats and prayers!
2014-05-22 13:16:13
Oh Jessica i am so happy for you. So lovely to hear you all have been blessed with a new baby. I will be keeping you in my daily prayers for sure. And yes, as others have mentioned, having your progesterone levels monitored (blood test) is a good idea in these early weeks: I've had multiple miscarriages, and then the low progesterone was discovered and taking suppliments helped me carry my Calli and then Joshua. So it's just a thought! Much love and prayers for you!
2014-05-22 13:24:51
Sometimes, it is news like this that can just make a persons day. Thanks for sharing and congratulations!
2014-05-22 13:26:31
What wonderful news! You and your family are in my daily prayers. So exciting to think of another birth : ) I'm very happy for you and your whole family!!! Do the kids know?
2014-05-22 13:32:16
This is just the happiest news! Congratulations!!!
2014-05-22 13:34:19
Congratulations! Will be praying for you! 🙂
2014-05-22 14:10:52
Congratulations, Jessica and family. I'll be praying for you and baby! Gardenia
2014-05-22 14:24:21
Congratulations ! Such wonderful news for your family. We will keep you in our prayers.
2014-05-22 11:47:00
Many, many congratulations!!! We will pray for you.
2014-05-22 14:27:44
Congratulations!!!! I am so happy for you! Briana @justamousehouse
2014-05-22 14:35:53
Praise be to God! I will be praying for you and your little one. God gave us our last child when when I was 40 and he has been such a blessing to us as my husband and I get older. All of our children are blessings from God but the ones that we have in our old age are special. May God richly bless your family.
2014-05-22 14:42:27
Congratulations on the exciting news! Praying God will bless you with a safe and healthy pregnancy!
2014-05-22 15:09:44
Congratulations!! Keeping you and baby in my prayers!
2014-05-22 16:56:25
Congratulations! I am so excited for you and your family 🙂 I will definitely keep you and baby in my prayers!!!
2014-05-22 17:12:20
Congratulations! What a wonderful way to start a new year.
2014-05-22 17:23:21
Congratulations! Such wonderful news of God's blessings. You and your family will be in my prayers. God bless!
2014-05-22 19:03:27
congrats!!
2014-05-22 19:21:55
Congratulations!!! What an amazing blessing for you and your beautiful family! ((hugs)) 🙂 Kristina
2014-05-22 19:36:26
Such wonderful news!! I'm sure everyone is so excited! In less than four weeks we should be welcoming our fifth baby 🙂
2014-05-22 19:52:16
A perfect Mother's day "gift" INDEED! God bless!
2014-05-22 19:57:22
I will add to the long, long list of ~~CONGRATULATIONS~~ messages you have received! :o) You know well the blessings of Christmas babies. :o) I do, too: the year my Mariposa was born (on 12/27) was the BEST Christmas ever. I agree that it helps you get organized!! My two January babies helped me get "in gear" as well. Such a joy-filled season. I'm looking forward to my late October baby this year…I'm hoping to have Christmas work wrapped up by then so I can really enjoy the holy, joyous season with my new baby and 5 older kids….we'll see if I meet that goal…. :o) Becky near PDX OR
2014-05-22 20:44:50
I just read this and had the biggest smile on my face!! My husband was wondering why I was so excited I just shared the news and we will be keeping you and your little one in our prayers.
2014-05-22 22:20:13
Prayers and biggest congratulations from this Mama's heart to yours! God bless and Mama Mary protect you and that precious new baby:)
2014-05-22 23:21:43
Congratulations, Jessica! How exciting! God bless you and baby!
2014-05-23 04:03:16
Yay! Jessica! I am so happy for you and Sean! And the kids 🙂 what a blessing! We will pray for you and your little one.
2014-05-23 04:51:04
Precious new life! Prayers for you and thoughts from NZ.
2014-05-23 08:46:10
What an amazing Mother's Day surprise!! Congratulations!
2014-05-23 12:24:48
I am so happy for you, Jessica!! I'll definitely be praying for you and your newest little one!
2014-05-23 14:16:44
Congratulations, Jessica!!!!! I've been reading since you were pregnant with Rose and literally started to jump for joy when I saw your news! Many, many blessings! You and your family are in my prayers.
2014-05-23 19:26:54
Exciting news! Congratulations to you and your family, Jessica! Know that you will continue to be in my prayers! 🙂
2014-05-23 21:16:48
That is such wonderful news! Try not to be too nervous, all is in God's hands. Blessings.
2014-05-23 22:24:24
Congratulations!! I'm a reader from Brazil and follow your blog since 2012, you and your family are such an inspiration. I'll be praying for your baby and family. God bless!
2014-05-25 00:17:46
Warmest congratulations and heartfelt prayers! May God bless you all! +JMJ+
2014-05-25 18:40:27
Ahh!! Just made my day, I love hearing happy news. It took me years, but I figured out the vit d thing too. I take a mega dose and feel much better. God bless you and the new addition! I will keep you both in my prayers.
2014-05-25 23:56:48
Thank you all so much for the prayers and comments! I'm hoping to respond to each of you, but it might take a little time! 🙂 God bless you all!!!
2014-05-26 15:44:20
I am so late reading this!! I am so very happy for you!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You will be in my thoughts and prayers Jessica!! Love you!
2014-05-27 02:24:43
Congratulations Jessica! I got married this year and I hope to be so good mather how you are. God bless you all!
2014-05-27 20:53:01
Congratulations! We will be praying for you and your family.
2014-05-30 17:20:55