The Year Of The Babies

In the Fullmer Warburton Nelson family, this past year has been termed as the, "Year of the Babies" and I wanted to share how 2011 warranted its own special title. I have the great fortune of being very blessed by the family I chose to marry into. I love my in-law family so much that I don't actually think of them as in-laws. My friends tell me horror stories about their mother-in-laws and I honestly cannot relate! My mother-in-law is the first person I think of calling when I need help, advise, or a shoulder to cry on. I love her and am so grateful for her. My in-law siblings are very much like my own siblings and I love them dearly and have such fond memories of our years spent together. Therefore this past year has been especially exciting in our family because all four of the siblings were expecting babies. Joanna was the first to become pregnant and share her exciting news with the family. I had not shared with anyone my intentions of trying this year to get pregnant because I have learned from years past, the heartache that is involved with trying to get pregnant only to be disappointed when you fail time and time again. So it was my own little secret tucked away. When Joanna announced her wonderful news I was super excited thinking that I would get the joy of having a baby with her. Then two short months later Melissa announced that she too was having a baby. WOW! I thought could it be possible that I could be pregnant with two of my sisters-in-law?? I was even more excited but also scared that I would not be able to get pregnant. Then one week before my 35th birthday I was given such a marvelous gift, I discovered that I too was pregnant. I was so excited to have Liam announce the wonderful news to his grandparents. Grammy Coleen's face lit up and she looked like she was going to pass out from shock. She was so happy and excited, we had three little babies coming into the family. Then in April, at Grammy Coleen's 60th birthday, Tommy and Rosie announced that they too were expecting. All four of Grammy Coleen's children were going to have babies! Our family was a buzz with the exciting news and we all were hugging each other and thumping each other on the backs! We later discovered that all four babies were in fact--BOYS! Which only made us more excited that each of us would be having a baby boy! I can't help but think about the four missionaries going out from our family in nineteen years time and all the other life experiences that they will share together in between.
It has been such an exciting and wonderful year to not only be expecting my own little treasure but to watch as each of my husband's siblings welcome a new little spirit into their hearts and homes as well. At Joanna's baby blessing of Gabriel, her and Trevor's son, we took a picture of the three preggo bellies and the momma that had her baby. At each baby blessing I want to get a picture of the remaining pregnant ladies and the new baby boys. A week ago Melissa, had her little baby boy, Teegan and we are all excited to meet him and welcome him into our family. Now, just two of the the four pregnant girls remain, myself and Rosie are anxiously awaiting the arrivals of our own baby boys. In this second picture, us pregnant girls are featured from left to right in order of our due dates: Joanna holding baby Gabriel, Melissa, Moana, and Rosie at Gabriel's baby blessing.
I love being a mother and I feel so blessed that with baby two I have had the great joy of sharing this experience with my amazing sisters-in-law. I am now about 31 weeks pregnant and doing wonderful. Heavenly Father has truly blessed me during this pregnancy. The problems and complications I had with Liam's pregnancy have not troubled me and I am so thankful that I have had a relatively normal pregnancy. We went this past week to our regular midwife appointment and baby boy measured right on his due date. It was determined that he had some freakish growth spurt and that is why he was measuring so large at our last appointment. We will have to go in for another ultra-sound to ensure that he really is OK but we are banking on the fact that all blood work and the previous ultra-sound revealed that he is in fact doing well. He is so active and constantly reminds me that he is there growing below my heart. Bill and Liam can visually see him moving and kicking now as they test him to see what he will respond too. He especially loves the sound of Bill's low voice and Liam's constant hugs and kisses. I can hardly wait to hold him in my arms and fill my nostrils with his sweet scent and take in all of the lines and contours of his little face. I can't wait to feel him in my arms and gaze into his eyes. I love him so much and yet I haven't even met him yet. This doesn't seem to matter, he has my eternal love and devotion already. I can't wait to add him to my little family and see how Liam adjusts to being a big brother. Since Liam could speak at 3 years old when asked what he wants for his birthday, Christmas, and all the holidays in between his response has been the exact same one, "I want a baby brother and a baby sister." Often times he will awake in the morning with a huge grin on his face, "Mom, I had the best dream, I dreamt about my brother and sister last night and we had so much fun together. We did....." People ask me all the time if I think he is ready. I have no idea if he is and if the adjustment will be super difficult. But I do know that he sincerely is excited and has been waiting for a long time to meet his sibling. I am sure their will be moments of trial and challenges and yet I suspect that Liam will do as he always has done, he will be joyful and excited to have a brother to share his life with. He already shows such care and concern for his brother and I can hardly wait to watch what is going to happen between these two little men. I feel so blessed and grateful for the experiences that I have had to prepare me for this new life experience of having a new baby. I am also looking forward to the future as I contemplate meeting and raising my newest son. We have anywhere from as little as 7 weeks and as much as 11 weeks until we too will be holding baby number two in our arms and gazing lovingly at every minute detail of his amazing little body. As the "year of the Babies" comes to its close for me, I am so excited, I can hardly wait, the future holds so much promise and I feel blessed by this! I get the joy of not only welcoming my own little one into my family but three beautiful little nephews as well!