Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
The stars aligned for a family gathering this week…
And I knew that I couldn’t let the opportunity pass by to share my news with my loved ones in person.
I’m sure this part of pregnancy is different for every expectant family. Some may be nervous or worried to share their news. Some may choose to wait a while longer, and keep this beautiful secret private for as long as they can. Some have already screamed it from the rooftops by now, planning elaborate gender reveals, and documenting the shock and surprise on their family and friends’ faces, to be forever etched in the fabric of social media.
Every way of announcing your pregnancy is the right way… parents get to decide when they are ready to share the news, with whom, and how.
Missing Some Important People
I had already shared the news with my sister and best friends who had previously been my primary cheerleaders on my adoption journey. I am so grateful to have had that support from the very beginning of my IVF journey. The next step was to tell my family.
At the very top of my list would have been my parents. My Mom and Dad were my biggest supporters in life, and even if they didn’t fully understand the choices I made in life, they were always 100% behind me and supportive of my dreams. Sadly we lost both my parents in 2019. My biggest regret is not having found my way to the IVF path to parenthood before my parents passed. I would have loved to share this news with them in the flesh, and to see the joy of them welcoming another grandchild. I sense that my parents are with me all the time, and watching over me with fierce pride (and probably some concern) as embark on this path towards single motherhood.
A Joyous Surprise
My sister had planned a small pre-holiday gathering of family at her place, including some cousins and our maternal Aunt and Uncle. We discussed me sharing my news at the party… no-one would suspect a thing!
And so I set about thinking of a simple yet creative way that I could share the news. I did lots of googling and found lots of cute ideas. And then I found one in an Etsy store by frankandloons that seemed perfect for me. A custom wine bottle label that reveals the news for you… at least to those perceptive enough to Always Read the Fine Print! That’s what the labels says, and in much smaller font beneath, you can customize your message. Mine says “Always Read the Fine Print… I’m pregnant. Really! Arriving June 2023”.
The shop owner will customize different size labels for wine, champagne or beer bottles!
And so we set out a few bottles around the table for the family party. And to my surprise, no-one batted an eyelash! My sister had to pick up a bottle and ask my Aunt and Uncle if they’d tried this one before? Even after reading the label, it took them a minute to connect the dots, haha!
And then, they looked at my sister with surprise and congratulations. After all, she’s the one who’d brought the bottle to their attention. And she’s the younger of us. And she’s married. And she’s already had children. Why would anyone suspect this was my announcement. Until I stepped forward and told them it was. And THAT is the exact moment the pure joy of this suprise erupted across everyone’s faces! It was perfect.
This little baby is already so loved!
