Announcement Anxieties:
The next announcement we planned was for my mom and stepdad. I was especially nervous about this one, unsure of how they would react. Would they be excited or concerned? Would they disapprove of the timing—or be completely over the moon?
When we made plans to tell our parents—Blake’s mom and my dad—I knew they would be overjoyed. We had talked many times about how special it would be that, even though they didn’t share a child together, they would still share the rare and beautiful privilege of having a grandchild in common. (See part 2 of My Journey to Motherhood.)
But at the time Blake had not spent much time around my mom and step dad and even though I knew they liked him in a general sense. I was still unsure if they’d approve of our next endeavor.
My mom was already an incredible grandma to three beautiful granddaughters, ages three to seven. I think being a grandma might just be her favorite thing in the world—she’s truly wonderful in that role. She has a whole room in her house just for the girls, complete with bunk beds and every toy a little girl could dream of. Her pantry and two refrigerators are always stocked full of snacks, and without fail, the first thing the girls do when they visit is run to pick something from Grandma’s pantry.
Deep down, I knew she would be thrilled about our news—but that didn’t stop the wave of anxiety I felt. I think most women would agree that, aside from your partner, the person you most long for support from in motherhood is your own mom—the woman who raised you, knows you best, and is the first person you want to turn to for advice.
Improvise:
My mom and stepdad live about two to three hours away, depending on traffic, so we didn’t make the trip down there very often. Gas prices had been high, and for a while, we didn’t have the most reliable vehicle—thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Luckily, one of my nieces had a ballet recital the second weekend after Blake and I discovered our blessing, which gave us the perfect reason to visit.
The recital was being held about twenty minutes from my mom’s house, which meant we could naturally stay there for the weekend. It created the perfect opportunity for Blake and me to visit without raising any suspicion from my mom or stepdad.
On the drive to my mom’s house, I couldn’t stop trying to think of the perfect way to make the announcement. When I couldn’t come up with a plan, I decided to call my sister. She’s the creative, quick-thinking type, and I knew she’d have an idea. Sure enough, together we came up with the perfect plan to surprise them.
It was early December, and my mom took advantage of our visit to recruit some extra help with Christmas decorating—which worked perfectly in our favor. My sister, who would also be there, came up with the brilliant idea to tie the positive digital test to a string like an ornament. Then, while we were decorating the tree, we’d ask my mom—who’s always particular about where each ornament goes—“Does this one look okay right here?”
My sister and I were so excited and proud of the plan that we had come up with and we couldn’t wait to execute it.
Blake and I arrived at my mom’s house around 4 p.m., before my sister had gotten there. The plan was for me to leave the test in our unlocked car so she could grab it later and tie a ribbon around it to hang like an ornament. I was a mix of nerves and excitement—so eager to tell them, yet anxious about how it would all play out. Thankfully, my mom was so focused on decorating that she didn’t notice how oddly I was acting—pacing around, smiling nervously, and not saying much as we hung ornaments and placed Christmas decorations throughout the house.
I grew increasingly impatient as I watched my sister pull into the driveway, my heart racing with anticipation. In just a few minutes, I would be sharing with my mom and stepdad the most important, most beautiful news I had ever told anyone. The thought alone made my eyes sting with tears and my heart feel like it might burst.
As my mom and I kept decorating, I found myself glancing at the clock every few minutes. Five minutes had passed—then ten. What’s taking her so long? I wondered. Finally, I decided to check my phone and slipped away to the bathroom. There, I saw a text from my sister that put a small dent in our perfect plan—she couldn’t get the string to stay tied around the test. For a moment, I panicked. How am I supposed to announce it now? I didn’t have a gift bag like I’d used for the other announcements, and this was the one I’d been dreaming of sharing with my mom my whole life.
Finally, I texted my sister back and told her to just leave it and come inside—we’d have to improvise. I quickly explained for her to be ready, because I was going to hand her my phone to record when the moment came. As soon as she walked in and greeted everyone, I slipped her my phone, and she quietly stepped behind the kitchen island, hitting the record button.
I stood behind the couch, watching as my mom hung a wreath by the back door. Trying to sound as casual as possible, I said, “I have a question for you.”
“What?” she replied, still focused on making sure the wreath was perfectly centered.
“How would you feel…” I began, just as she turned to look at me. She glanced over with a curious but relaxed expression, completely unaware of the surprise we were about to share. “…about having another grandbaby?” I finished.
My mom instantly took a step back. “Nuh uh!” she gasped, eyes wide.
“Yes,” I said with a nervous little giggle.
“BECCA!” she shouted, her mouth falling open in pure shock and joy as she made her way across the room toward me. Her excitement was contagious, and in that moment, every ounce of my anxiety melted away.
My stepdad congratulated us right away, shaking Blake’s hand with a big grin. Then, in classic fashion, he followed up with, “So—you’re gonna do the right thing, right?” implying there’d better be a ring soon. I couldn’t help but laugh as I overheard them.
The rest of the night was filled with laughter and happy chatter—the girls giggling about baby names, everyone wondering who the baby might look like, and stories flowing about my mom’s and sister’s pregnancies. It was one of those moments I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
Even though things didn’t go exactly as planned, the moment turned out more perfect than I could have ever imagined. My mom was overjoyed, and all my fear melted away. In that instant, I knew I had the best support system a new mom could ever ask for.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe! Coming later this week, I’ll be sharing how we chose the perfect name, the highs and lows of my pregnancy journey, and the unforgettable moments leading up to labor and delivery. You won’t want to miss it!
Question Of The Blog:
Did your announcements go according to plan? If not, how did you improvise?
Mama Blogger 