I Need Some Advise! - Davisburg,MI

Wow, it is very exciting, but I suggest, let her have her day all to herself.

Tell her before so SHE can announce the good news at her party if she wants.

Why don't you wait until all the guests are gone and the have a special moment with her? She'll be coming off the excitement of an awesome party and thrilled for you. Then she can be the one to call people and say,"I had the best party and guess what.....".
Congratulations and good luck!

Dear Sami,
I know you have received lots of advice, but may I offer a suggestion?
No offense, but I think a picture in a frame of the pregnancy test might be kind of weird. I so know where you are going with the idea though.....
And, it is a SUPRISE party, so I personally don't think you are wrong in giving her your own special surprise. I don't know your mother in law, but I personally don't see how this could be taking anything "away" from her focus or her day or attention. You're not trying to steal the spotlight...you are trying to make a special surprise reveal. I see nothing wrong with it at all.
This is your 3rd baby.
Have you been to the doctor and have an estimated due date?
I would go and find your MIL a gorgeous picture frame that has a place for 3 photos. Snap some new pictures of your first two children, pictures she's never seen before, and in the spot for the 3rd photo, you could put handmade paper that has pressed flowers from a specialty stationary or scrapbooking store, something pretty to fill that space that says,
"Arriving November, 2010" (or whatever month).
That way, you've taken care of the gift....a beautiful frame with pictures of your two children PLUS you've given her another surprise. I think the look on her face will be priceless when she realizes there will be another baby added to that frame, and unless she hates your guts, I don't know why she'd be mad about that kind of happy surprise. You're not trying to turn her birthday into a baby shower, you're trying to surprise her. I don't see anything wrong with it.
You know her better than anyone though so go with what you know.

Please let me know how it turns out.
Best wishes!

I agree it would be bad timing with the birthday party. I'm not sure how close the two of you are, but I'm assuming pretty close to give a gift like that, and I'm assuming she will be really excited about becoming a grandmother. I think framing it is kind of unusual- I mean, would you expect her to display a framed pregnancy test in her home? I think it would be better to just hand her a sealed envelope with the test and the poem, and give it to her at the party and tell her to open it when everyone is gone. That way you can give it to her that day, it doesn't take the attention away from her, and for her it would top the day off and she will remember it being a great birthday.

I agree with everyone else. I would not tell her at her party...this is her day and let her have it all to herself. However, I did annouce my pregnancy thru a photo of my preggo test. I had the digital one and it said pregnant...then took a picture and I actually emailed it to my family first. Then posted it on Facebook with a note I made up from the baby.

I saw a REALLY cute idea of taking a photo of daddy, mommys, and siblings feet together and then have a saying under "our family is going to grow by two feet". I would find a different way other than the siblings wearing the shirts. That is VERY popular. Good Luck but wait until after the party to tell her :)

I think your idea is a good one, but I wanted to express caution about taking the attention away from her party.

I think, if you did it at the end of the party, it might be more appropriate. Or, if you're visiting and will be seeing her earlier in the trip, perhaps she can choose to announce it then.

But, I do agree with the people who advised against it and to keep the focus on her. Yours is a very nice sentiment, the timing may just be off.

I would say to wait. You can give her that as a gift after her party.

I think it depends on how your MIL is. My mom and my MIL would be THRILLED to death if we did this, but if it was my grandmother, she would not be nearly as happy that we did it at her party (she is extremely self-centered). I say talk to your husband about how he feels, and think about her personality. If she is not self-centered than maybe put a nice picture of the sonogram in a frame and give it to her there, but if you think that she may not like it for any reason, I would wait until the end of the party when most of the people have gone. Congratulations!

I don't know -- if I did this for my mom she would go nuts with joy and it would make her party even more special. You know your mother-in-law best and would know if she will be jealous of any attention you may get from the guests. Maybe your husband can make the final call since it is his mom?

I agree with what the PP's said - a framed HPT is a little odd....I understand what you're trying to say - there are a lot of nice ways to tell her you're pregnant - I just think handing someone a test you peed on is kinda weird...

Other ideas:
- Have your other children wear shirts announcing it to her birthday OR give her a video of your other children wearing shirts and in the video you can show her the test - if you gave it to her at her birthday she probably wouldnt run over and pop a video in immediately but could wait until after the party (or you could put a note saying to please wait to watch) and then she can watch it when she's ready...

If you do an internet search there are a TON of other ideas too -

Nope, don't do it there...it's your mother in law. If it was your own mother's bday, it probably wouldn't be so bad, but yes, I think it would really take away from her moment. Choose another time.

Ooooh oooh....I like Shane's idea of the 3 picture frame and "arriving ____ 2010"

Ditto others, it would depend on the person themselves (and you & your fam... aka how baby crazy they get) whether they would be over the moon with the news, or if it would take too much attention away. One way to avoid would be to announce in secret the day or week before, so everyone at the party will be focused on MIL and not you, and have that be part of the surprise. So it's a surprise for MIL but not everyone else.

If you must do it at the party, do it at the end (like another person below suggested). You don't want to be the one that takes the moment of her birthday away from her. If you can wait until the next day or so, I would do that instead.

Pregnancy test framed is a little weird in MPO... couldn't you wait until you get the ultrasound pics done? I'm sure she would appreciate that more than a stick with pee on it.

Poem is really cute idea!

Good luck and God bless on your new little one!

I think the idea is a great one, but I am thinking the best time to give it to her wold maybe be towards the very end of the party. That way the entire party is about her, but just as things are about to wrap up you could give her the gift which will announce your new baby to everyone, while they are still at the party.

Do whatever you feel like. I would suggest you then wait until after gifts are opened, or after the dinner, then u won't steal the show....

I think its a wonderful gift. I was thinking what if that were me and my daughter inlaw came to me with this gift. I would be so happy!!!! I do not think it would take away from anything it will just add to a great day!

As a grandma of 8 I would love a suprise like that at my party and I wouldn't feel that it was taking attention away from me I would love it and it would be the best gift I could get. Congratulations.

i would wait and let your mother-in-law have the surprise birthday....maybe wrap up the poem as a gift for her to read as a gift!!! that way it's a surprise but not taking awy from her directly!!

You know her best. If it were my mom, announcing my pregnancy would be like giving her a million dollars (though she'd be upset I waited several months to tell her when I've told other people) . But, other people I know would rather have the highlight be on them during their party.

Personally, I wouldn't want to announce a pregnancy in front of a lot of people in a party setting, in case there are people you don't really know or something creating an awkward situation. But, maybe the people at the party are really close friends and family in an intimate setting that you wouldn't mind sharing this with.

Perhaps a picture of the sonogram would be a little better than the pregnancy test?