Secret's Out!

The secret's out! This family of Graefs is officially expanding to FOUR coming January 2017! We feel so grateful for this new blessing that is baking away in mama's belly, and we are SO excited for Ryenne to be a big sister!

We'd been open to the idea of expanding our family for the past year now, but it just didn't happen for whatever reason! My sister, Ashley, and I, were praying for months that God would allow us to BOTH be pregnant at the same time at some point, and the day that I found out and called Ashley to let her know we were expecting, she told us that they were expecting a baby too! Baby McMurdie and Baby Graef are going to be around 8 weeks apart - and Ash and I feel so special that God listened to our prayer requests and decided to make it happen! He is so kind how He cares about our heart's desires!!
I am pretty sure that so far this pregnancy has been very similar to my first - thankfully nausea only really started at around 7 weeks and started to let up at 10 or 11. Also: no throwing up! Yay! Unlike our first pregnancy though, baby #2 has started to make an appearance much, much earlier than Ryenne did! I don't think I had a legitimate bump until around 16 weeks with her, and this time around I could tell my pooch was growing by around 8 weeks. Although it mostly just looked like I had eaten way too much. (Read about our first preggo post with Ryenne back in Dec. 2013!)
I can't write a post about pregnancy without acknowledging my AMAZING husband, David. He really shines during pregnancy/birth/babyhood/fatherhood! He has been so helpful with picking up the slack around the house when I've been sick all day or making dinner after a long day's work when my nose is being sensitive and making me nauseous at the slightest smells (seriously, it's like constant scent-assault for me!!). Some days I've felt like a vegetable just laying around all day feeling sick or exhausted, but David never ever once complains! I think he is holding onto the memory of last time when I felt this terrible during the first trimester and then he got his old wife back once we moved into trimester #2 ;) So am I! I already feel really hopeful that I will once again feel like a normal person when the second trimester starts since the nausea and fatigue are starting to let up a little.

I remember saying this last time, but I honestly don't know how single women do it without the support of a loving husband! Being pregnant is not for the faint-hearted and I definitely think that you see your spouse's true colors (husband and wife). Ladies, don't settle! When you're interested in someone, there are a LOT more things to consider other than whether he is cute or not! Picture how that guy might hold up while you're pushing his baby out and MAYBE that can give you a clue as to whether he's a keeper or not! ;)
Anyway! Baby Graef 2.0 is very healthy, has a good, strong heartbeat, and has really given mommy hardly anything to complain about. I've been very blessed to have a low-risk pregnancy thus far again :)
ALSO: I have already felt the baby moving on several occasions just in the last week! Tiny little flutters letting me know that he or she is alive and well <3
Thanks for sharing in our joy and happiness!
Love,
The Graefs, Party of 4

P.S. We took these pictures at the beautiful Lyon Arboretum in Manoa Valley. There were actually TONSSS of mosquitos in this particular spot but oh man, do you SEE how gorgeous the colors are in our announcement photo?? We couldn't pass it up. So we would snap a few pics and then I would run about twenty feet away to get away from the mosquitos before returning for a few more pictures lol The things you put at stake when you want a good pic!

Baby Graef 2.0
12 weeks
Size of a Cutie