Fun Photo Reveal!

Remember last month when I said I had something I wanted to write about but I couldn't just yet?  Well, today is your lucky day!

Mid-June, Alex and I met my friend Dawn in Natchez for the day so she could practice taking our photos for an upcoming engagement shoot some her friends had asked her to do for them. It was totally a last minute thing, so Alex was a little suspicious, but he went with it.  I know you want to see the fruits of her labor, so scroll on!

Dawn also gave us each a 1/2 sheet of poster board so we could write a note to one another.  She said it was to help her practice with the posters as props because her friends were planning to write their own vows.

Do you see where this is going yet?

Yep...you got it.  I have been stringing you (and Alex) along this whole time!! This whole photo shoot was orchestrated to reveal our pregnancy to the unknowing dad-to-be!  Scroll on to see the action unfold!

Still absolutely clueless...oh that smile is about to change drastically.  

Yeah, he threw down that poster with gusto, and literally ran away!!!  I'll save from you any more of those blurry and unprofessional photos because, well, in the words of Dawn, "my shutter speed wasn't set fast enough for that!!!"  

Here, he recounts all the reasons he was suspicious about this day trip and photo shoot.  It was Father's Day weekend, after all...

Untucked shirt and all, he finally took a breath and allowed excitement to take over.

Sooo........there you have it!!  We're having a BABY!

Because I know the questions will start coming, I'll just go ahead and list a few of them for you:

• We're due February 19th...which is exactly between Mardi Gras (Feb. 9) and Leap Day (Feb. 29).  My original calculation was for February 20th, so I'd be 100% fine if we found ourselves with a due date baby.  But please, no Leap Day birthdays!!!
• As of yesterday, we're 12 weeks along, so here's to hoping all the typical first trimester symptoms are on their way out and energy/appetite is on the way in!
• No, we don't plan on finding out the gender, so no reveal parties to plan on here.
• No gender reveal = no name reveal either.  I would like to settle on first names with the same initial to leave open the possibility of monogrammed gifts, but we haven't been able to 100% agree on anything that works for that yet (and that's my fault, not his).  
• Also, we don't have any "bumpdate" photos yet because I'm not exactly the thinnest girl on the block and therefore whatever "bump" that's growing most definitely still looks more like chub and less like baby.  Maybe in a few weeks.  Maybe.

Ahh, all the things!!  I'm so excited to finally share this with all of you.  It's been SO hard keeping the secret when commenting on some of your blogs, but now...now I can ask for all the advice from you wonderful moms out there! 

Let the fun begin!

-Lauren

P.S.  I know for some this type of news can be uncomfortable, difficult, or just plain painful.  Please know that we recognize this and pray for those of you who may struggle with infertility (any variation thereof) and/or infant loss.  Our hearts go out to families affected by these struggles each and every day.