Annoucing Baby #3 - Prior Lake,MN

I just read about something about using an Easter Egg and putting a note in it that "A New Chick is on the Way" that sounded really cute to me! Good luck!

Sorry I do not have any creative ideas.We are 10 weeks preg with #3 and I want to wait as long as we can to tell people and our boys. With our first one we told everyone at 5 weeks, then in the first tri I started bleeding badly, went to ER and was told that I will mostly likely miscarry. So we told everyone again since it was just too hard to hide it. Well God had a different plan and our little guy and he made it but we had to tell everyone again. The crazy thing I am already showing a lot and I see people take a second/third look but I am not telling unless somebody asks :)

I would wait until the 2nd tri to tell the family and friends. (excluding your closest family).

If you want to tell them at Easter, you could do something along the lines of having the Easter bunny bring a little basket for the baby.

Since you announed the second baby with a 'Big Sis' T-shirt, you could so something similar with 'Big Sis 1', 'Big Sis 2', or 'Big Sister, Middle Sister'
http://lunabellboutique.com/item_612/Luna-B.-Tee--Persona...

For me, I posted the pic of the sonogram in a card of a bunny with a basket, and put it on the fridge. Then I sent people to the fridge to get me different things. People being nosy, they would read the card and see the pic. It was great! Congrats!
M.

Our friend didn't tell a soul until all of the sudden people started putting two and two together (i.e. she wasn't drinking wine at ANY of our shin digs, she stopped talking about getting pregnant, and she began to show). This is also her third, so she figured it was more fun to see if people would catch on. She didn't tell her boys however (3 and 1) until the 3 year old asked her why she was getting so fat (she was almost 5 months along by then). She didn't want to have to explain every day that it was going to be a while til the baby came, so she waited until he figured it out. I don't know that this really helps, but she loved that everyone kept looking at her funny.

You could also maybe put the EDD on a cute slip of paper and put them in Easter eggs that you put on people's plates. Someone is bound to open it and find it!

Congratulations!

We waited until closer to 14 weeks to tell everyone, since we wanted to be (more) in the clear, but also wanted our preschooler to be in the loop, since we knew he'd be getting lots of questions and didn't want anyone to spill the news to him. So, we told him and then had him tell Grandmas and Grandpas, etc. I didn't tell him to tell his class or not tell his class, but now (at 9 mo) they pretty much all know. I haven't gotten any questions from any of the kids or teachers, other than my son's friend's mom who I know casually. I think my son likes answering the questions about whether he's having a brother or sister, and when the baby is due, so I'm happy to let him do that.

I'd wait a couple of months before telling the kids personally since they won't be able to understand how come there's not a baby anymore if something were to happen...congratulations though....do you have an appointment to hear the heartbeat before Easter? We bought a recordable picture frame from Radio Shack and walked up to the Grandparents and asked what does this sound like to you...well they were baffled so we had to tell them but they thought it was super cute...it was a gift for them so they could listen any time they wanted.

A friend of mine who told her family at Easter made Easter eggs with the news. She bought pastel eggs and paint. On the outside she painted "Happy Easter _______" and filled in the blank with grandma, grandpa, auntie, etc. Inside the egg she put a copy of her ultrasound picture. She handed them out with dessert and had everyone crack them open at the same time.

I don't have any ideas off hand about the actual announcement and I understand your not wanting to answer the questions for the duration of your pregnancy. A good way to avoid that, however, would be to simply get them their own calendar and mark the due date and have them cross out each day before bedtime.

I'm also pregnant with baby #3 and 7 weeks along today. Here is the idea I found on this site that I was going to use: I got plastic eggs & put a pair of baby booties inside each of them & put a tag inside that said: Our joy cannot be matched as our gift from God will be hatched 10/31/2010. As for telling your children mine our 3 and 1 so I just right out told them the day we found out. As far as I know the oldest hasn't told anyone. He goes around some days saying he has a baby in his tummy but none of the 101 questions. Hope this helps.

My sister just announced her second pregnancy, 4.5 months into it. In her case, she wanted to get the quad screen to verify a healthy baby (which we all know isn't a guarantee) before announcing it to anyone.

Personally, I told people as soon as I knew. It was a personal preference. If something tragic happened, I'd be just as devastated 5 weeks in as I would be 5 months in.

In terms of telling the kids, I'd opt to tell them even with all the questions. When I was diagnosed with cancer after my daughter's birth, we took the honesty approach to help explain why our 2 year old son couldn't share Mommy's food, why I was losing my hair, why I was sleeping all the time, why I spent several days in bed and couldn't play with him as much as normal.
To help prepare the other kids for a major change in life, I'd personally be honest.

How do do it is so personal. I'm not very creative, so we just made the calls.
Good luck! Hope the first trimester isn't too rough on you.

We announced our 2nd at Easter. Our oldest just had turned 2. We bought plastic Easter eggs and he helped me decorate them with puff paint and stickers. I wrote the name of each family member on an egg. We filled each with pink & blue M&M candies we bought m or it might have even been baby boy J. on the blue and baby girl J. on the pink. I can't recall but I have a few I kept. So after Easter dinner, our son got to bring each person their egg. As they opened them and ate some M&Ms, it was hilarious to watch at first while no one saw the words but ate the M&Ms. Then all of a sudden, my sister-in-law looked over at me and said something about it. And it just went from there. It was very fun and memorable and gave my son a part in the plan (he did not know we were pregnant or he would have said something).
However you do it, enjoy it!
D.

I wanted to keep it a secret for a long time to - and I did until 12 weeks. I have a 3 year old and a 1.5 year old. Unfortunately, I miscarried at 16 weeks completely unexpectedly. The reason I originally wanted to not tell people (including kids) was I didn't want them to know if I miscarried. Turns out, however, you can't really hide that because it is hard emotionally and kids pick up on that. I was so surrounded with love and support from everyone. Good luck!

Why keep it a secret from her. I never kept it a secret with my 4 pregancies- one of which I lost. My children always knew. If you are uncurtain of when the babies coming questions. When you announce it to her give her a calendar with the due date circled on it and explain to her that the baby is going to come around that time. Every time she has a question tell her to get her calendar. Don't keep it a secret from her make her a part of it.

Hi K.,
Well, I'll tell you that since I had a miscarriage before and after my second one I waited until I was 3 months to tell my kids, family and friends. It was hard for me to go through all that all over again, so I just waited. But as soon as I was 3 months I told the boys that there was a baby growing in my belly and was coming out in a few months. My youngest and my middle one are only 18months apart, so my boys were small. But it was fun for them to see my belly grow and for them to rub it and talk to the baby.
So, take your time, if you know that your oldest one won't hold it in, don't tell her until you are ready. As far as how to tell your family, it depends when you'll tell them, but you can put little notes in the Easter eggs, or maybe do a get together with the family and play one of those picture making games and have them guess.
Wish you the best. :)

First off congrats on baby #3! As far as telling the kids I told mine when I was at 12 weeks! I too was scared of the constant questioning but surprising its not as bad as you think! My 3 year old did really have much to ask about when, she just like rubbing the belly and giving it kisses. My 4 year old was way different. I ended up giving him a close date he could understand! Our 3rd was due oct 22nd so I told him when we start getting ready for halloween and picking out costumes then she'll be close to being here. You might get asked a couple times a month but that's not too bad!! This event is exciting for them to so let them enjoy it with you! Good luck and many blessings sent your way.

I would let them know, get prepared- just like you are worried about who will know or who will tell, or nerves getting to you- imagine how your kids would feel if you didnt' tell them as soon as you knew.
I mean, like it or not you belly will start to show soon- how much longer do you think you will "hide" your secret. Have fun!!! Tell everyone, and enjoy being spoiled- enjoy the feeling that your children, your family will have a chance to participate in this wonderful "new" life!!
I would make it a huge party of an announcement!! On Easter or any other holiday or get together, just come out and start talking about it saying, I can't wait for #3 or gotta start making room for #3, or however you want to say it..
It will be just a relief for everyone anyway at the end. I hope I have helped!

How ironic I just read an article on how to announce your baby's arrival in this month's Parents mag. They suggested filling plastic easter eggs w/ a note inside that said "we've got a chick hatching "". I thought that was too cute! As for the kids I completley understand my 4 yr old has been driving me nuts for 2 months now on when the easter bunny is coming. Your family will understand that and that is completley your call you'll know when your comfortable and then the kids will see it on your face, how happy you are...that's exactly when it's the perfect time. At that pt think how fun it will be to have them involved in picking out names and reading to the baby...congrats to you and no worries all your thoughts are completley normal!

An Easter announcement could be tied into "new life", which is what the season is ultimately all about from a religious standpoint. Otherwise you could tie in spring with new life if you are not a religious oriented family. What about a picture frame of "THEN" and "NOW" with "THEN with the oldest's picture in her "Big SIster" shirt, and "NOW" with the younger one in a t-shirt (or holding a sign) saying "me too"