We are expecting a baby in June! A baby we’ve hoped and cried and prayed for many, many times.
Chase cannot wait to be a big brother. (Once again our sweet Sadie is clueless.) We do not know the sex of the baby and are not planning to find out but Chase is 100 percent convinced this baby is a boy. And, according to Chase, the baby’s name will be Thomas the Train. Choo choo!
I am currently 19 weeks pregnant and while I would’ve loved to have shared our news weeks ago, I’ve felt incredibly scared, apprehensive, protective and anxious throughout this pregnancy. After a wonderful 18-week appointment last week, I felt myself exhale for the first time after what’s felt like a four month rollercoaster of emotions ranging from intense hope, joy and elation to fear and overwhelming anxiety.
But now, at four months pregnant, we’ve seen our baby many times. Heard its strong heartbeat many times. Seen our baby kicking, punching and dancing up a storm many times. I still find myself wondering when this pregnancy will feel 100 percent real. Perhaps it won’t feel real until the very moment I’ve hoped and prayed for: The moment when I get to hold this precious baby in my arms.
As I share this news, my heart is so full and so incredibly grateful. It’s filled with all the joy that comes along with expecting a baby – a baby we’ve deeply longed and prayed intently for – but it’s also so acutely aware that the baby we’ve seen dancing around during our ultrasounds wouldn’t be growing in my belly right now if we had the two babies we lost and loved with all of our hearts.
I cannot wait to wrap this little one up in my arms in June and fall even more in love with the incredible life growing in my belly right now.
Thank you so much for all of the love, support and prayers you’ve sent our way. We’ve felt all of them and we are so incredibly grateful.
***
There is a huge part of my heart that shares this news that is so incredibly aware of how it likely affects those of you who may be struggling with infertility, a recent loss and an ache and longing for a baby that is currently unfulfilled. Every pregnancy or birth announcement I read following our two miscarriages over the past year – especially those that overlapped our due dates or came after our due dates – felt like such a poignant reminder of what I was missing, what I lost and what I wanted so strongly deep within my heart. I know firsthand there’s nothing anyone can say to take away the ache you feel, your sadness and your desire for a child, whether its your first or your fifth, but I just want to recognize you, send you whatever kind of comfort and love I possibly can and tell you that my heart is with you.
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I’m overjoyed for you and your family! This post brought tears to my eyes! ❤️
Congrats! God is so good!
Julie! I am so, so happy for you! Prayers for a continued healthy pregnancy! it must be fate- Chase is exactly one week older than my daughter, and I am also due in June with baby #2!!! Thanks for sharing this wonderful news!! 🙂
Congratulations!!! I’m soooo happy for the both of you!!!!! Chase is going to be such a great big brother, and Sadie a big sister!!! Good luck and God bless
I’m so happy for you! From reading your blog, you’ve gone through a lot – and this is such amazing news. Congratulations to you and your growing family!
Kim
http://trendkeeper.me .. thoughts on self-discipline!
Congratulations mama, daddy, big bro Chase and big Sis Sadie. Overjoyed to hear of your pregnancy news 🙂
Congrats Julie!! I’m so happy for you guys!!! Continued prayers for a healthy pregnancy and baby!
I’ve been a reader for many many years, and I am so excited for you!! I don’t know why lately I’ve been wondering. Hoping you document all the steps 🙂
I teared up reading this update. I’ve been thinking of you and the trials you’ve so bravely shared and desperately wanted your prayers to be answered. We serve a great God that is seeing your little miracle to fruition! Congratulations, Julie! Embrace the joy of this new reality – you deserve it!
My heart is so happy for you all!! Congratulations!!
Congrats to you and your family, Julie!
So insanely happy to read this news! Congratulations to you and your family! I’m praying that God is with you every step of the way and allows you and the baby to remain healthy. I pray that you have peace throughout the pregnancy as well. Can’t wait to hear more!
What a blessing, congratulations!! Such wonderful news <3
So, so happy for you and your family! Congrats! 🙂
Praise the Lord! What a blessing!!
<3<3<3
I am a long time reader (I think I found Peanut Butter Fingers in 2011?) and I rarely comment, but I just needed to say that I am SO happy for you! I feel a little silly because I don’t really “know” you at all, but your entire journey has brought tears to my eyes. I am just so impressed at how hopeful and positive you remained even through the loss and grief. So inspirational and REAL I know this is a more common experience than people realize, so thank you for actually talking about it, even though I know that must have been difficult. So happy for you and your family <3
So thrilled for you all! I think we’ve all been keeping our fingers crossed for this outcome. I know a lot of us don’t know you personally, but we feel like we do :). Congratulations!!
Congratulations! I’m so happy for you guys. I hope you post some information about the first trimester – as someone who is hoping to be pregnant soon those posts are sitting helpful! How did you tell your parents and family?? Again congratulations!
Really excited for you and your family!
http://www.themilestraveled.com
So very happy for your whole family! Wish you continued health and happiness throughout your pregnancy and when you all get to meet your bundle of joy! Makes it all the more exciting that you are waiting to find out boy or girl for the arrival! Can’t wait to hear more updates.
Congratulations!! I am so happy for you and your family! As always, this is so beautifully written and perfectly captures the bittersweet joy of pregnancy after miscarriage.
This is just the best news! I have often prayed that God would bless you with another miracle baby, so my heart is overjoyed to see his faithfulness in your life! I am also pregnant, 24 weeks, due just after Mother’s day. Looks like your due date is close to Father’s day – maybe baby will come early and Ryan will get an extra special gift this year <3 I've loved following your pregnancy and motherhood with Chase, excited to do it again! Continued prayers for your pregnancy!
Congratulations!!! This made me so happy to read this morning. So exciting for your whole family! I can’t wait to follow along on this new journey ❤️
I’ve waited for a long time to see this post! HUGE CONGRATS!!
I am absolutely thrilled for you! I can’t wait to see more of your journey – Chase will be such a great big brother!! 🙂
So so so thrilled for you!!! I’m 18 weeks pregnant, due 6/25 — and I cannot WAIT to follow along with your journey [for the 2nd time]. I’m also really comforted in seeing how “small”/fit you are at 19 weeks as I am still barely showing [my first pregnancy] and have to remind myself that healthy mamas show and grow differently. 🙂
Instant tears as soon as I saw your picture. God is so good, and while I’m sure it’s felt hard to trust him throughout this difficult journey, I pray that you’ll continue to experience growth in ways that you could never have anticipated because of it. So excited and grateful for your little one!!
Oh Julie, I am sooooo happy for you and your family!! Every single time I go to your blog, I think, “I hope there’s pregnancy news today!” I have a rainbow baby myself and they are so, so special!!! Boy or girl, I promise you, you won’t be able to imagine life without them. I remember how crazy it felt knowing my Brady wouldn’t have been dancing on the ultrasound screen had we not gone though such a difficult and hard time losing our baby before him. But he truly feels meant to be. Every single day I look at him and think, “The road was much harder to get to you than it was for us to have your big brother, but I cannot imagine my life without you and your smile.”
so, so, so, so happy for you!!!!
So so happy for you all! congratulations!
Congrats! This is so exciting for you and your family.
Congrats!! So excited for y’all! I know all too well the intense prayers that go with infertility but I’m now 23 weeks with my first. Looking forward to following along in your journey!
Totally burst into tears when I read this, haha. So happy for you and your family!!
I’ve been waiting for this post! God is so good! Congratulations 🙂
Tears of joy!!! So happy for you and your cute family!
What fantastic news! Congratulations to your sweet family! I don’t have children yet, but my mom had a miscarriage between me and my younger brother. She was terrified the whole time she was pregnant. My brother was two weeks late (this was the early 90s when they let women do this) and came out weighing 10 pounds. He was the strongest and healthiest baby ever! Many blessings to you!
For some reason, I had a feeling 🙂 Truly! I am praying for you and your family during this time – sending lots of blessings and wishes for a happy and healthy pregnancy/delivery your way. Can’t wait to read along!
Congratulations to you and your family! I love the sign in the first picture. Life is such a miracle and that is such a beautiful way to express it.
Will you be sharing updates like when you were pregnant with Chase?
Such a blessing! So happy for you and your growing family! <3
Was hoping a post like this would come soon!!!! Congrats to you and your family!!! Love reading your blog every day especially just the updates about your days/weekends with your family! You deserve the best! Fingers crossed for a girl hehe 🙂
This is amazing news! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you and your family. Continued prayers throughout your pregnancy. I can’t wait to “meet” the little babe in June and to follow along with your journey! 🙂
So ridiculously happy for you and your family!!!
Congratulations! I’m so happy for you and your family. I might have even shed a few tears at work 🙂
Congrats! How exciting for you and your family! Love and prayers coming your way!
Congratulations! I loved going back through your pregnancy updates and Chase updates with my pregnancy and my son, so I am really excited to read about #2! I’m so happy for you and your family!
I am so happy for you and your family! I immediately smiled and lit up when I saw the title of this post. I know those prior losses have been so emotionally challenging and heartbreaking, but it was so nice to read of joy headed your way.
i saw the headline of this post and FREAKED OUT. i am so beyond happy for you and your family – everything happens for a reason and I can’t wait for you to be a family of 4! congratulations love!!
Hi Julie,
I have been reading your blog for a long time but have never commented. I just want to say congratulations- I am so happy for you and your family!!!
Carly
I am so happy for your family! Congratulations!!
Hurrah!! Congratulations!