Kevin's going to be a big brother!

We were so excited to be able to announce the arrival of baby #2, not just because we couldn't wait to share our happy news, but because it finally meant that we didn't have to worry about our 4 year-old spilling the beans to anyone else.

And here is a life lesson: Don't trust a 4 year-old with a secret!

Kevin found out about the pregnance very early. It was actually earlier than we'd planned or wanted, but like with all things in life with a 4 year-old, a plan can be scrapped as soon as it's written.

Kevin was having an MRI in early October.  Normally these are two parent events, because of a bad experience he had during a previous procedure. The after effects have carried from simply removing a band-aid to these MRI's.  There is normally screaming and restraining, tears from him and me, to get him in the prep room to get the mask on for anesthesia. It's scarring for him and painful for us.

But for this October MRI, Joe had an event coming up at work, and couldn't get the time off. Since these appointments are scheduled more than an month in advance, we had no choice but for me to go it alone.   The only challenge besides Kevin's obvious anxiety, was that I had just found out that I was pregnant, and this could be an issue with the normal proximity to the meds and anesthesia.

So when the prep team came into the room to get the medical history, I told them that I was pregnant.  After the conversation and coming up with a rough plan for how to manage, they left.  Kevin had been playing during the conversation, so I thought he might not have heard any of the conversation.  I was wrong.  He turned to me and asked what "pregnant" meant.

While only at 6 weeks, I had to tell him, so I shared with him that Mommy has a baby in her tummy.  I will never, ever forget the look on his face.  It was one of awe, love, and then child-like excitement.  It melted my heart and in that moment, I knew that this little boy is going to be an amazing big brother.

After that the questions followed:
Is it a boy or a girl?  (ANSWER: We don't know yet.)
How did it get in there?  (ANSWER: Ask your daddy.)

And when it was time for Kevin to go into the prep room for his anesthesia, instead of me carrying a kicking and screaming child, he walked in by himself and went right to a nurse and sat on her lap while she held the mask to his face and he drifted off to sleep.

And when I left the room that time to wait the 3 hours for Kevin to be in recovery, the tears flowing down my face were of sheer happiness instead of the usual guilt and frustration.