Changes

Our life is in a transitional period of lots of changes.  Two major things:

#1 We are buying a HOUSE!!  It is about 3 miles away from where we live now, slightly bigger (it has a 4th room and another eating area).  It has beautiful flooring, a entire wall mural of Winne the Pooh in a nursery, huge walk in closet, a big back patio and grassy back yard (although the front is still rock . . . easy maintenance though!).  It is perfect for us and for our first time home ownership.  The process has been stressful and a bit scary, but also exciting and unbelievable (I never thought we'd actually get to this point in our lives!!)  We are hoping to move in before the end of October!

#2  We're having a baby!!  We are due April 3, 2013.  I am about 17 weeks along now.

Announcing: We had been trying for 3 months to get pregnant, so although I wanted to be pregnant, for some reason I didn't want to know I was pregnant.  First of all, I was worried that I would NOT be pregnant and be disappointed.  Then, I thought if I didn't know I was pregnant, the pregnancy might go faster (it seemed even slower on #2 than #1 . . . pregnancy is an eternity to me!).  Plus, if I didn't know, I might be able to talk myself out of being sick.  Dave was getting anxious to know for sure, but I was sticking to my guns that I didn't want to know.  After several days of him begging me to take a test and me trying to avoid it, I gave Dave the test to satisfy his curiosity.  I didn't look at the results.  For several days, I tried to trick him into letting it slip, but I still didn't really want to know.  Fast Sunday was coming up and I realized that I probably shouldn't fast if I was, in fact, pregnant.  On Sunday morning, I got out of bed and found this on the kitchen table:

Doesn't it look like a little D in there?  Dave announced that I was pregnant and we celebrated.  How often does the husband get to inform his wife that she is pregnant?  I thought it was a fun way to give some of the responsibility to him.

Sure enough, 3 days later I got sick. AND the pregnancy has been crawling by yet again.  Too bad I can't wait longer!  Plus, I start to show at 7 weeks.  I had several people ASK if I was pregnant at 9-11 weeks along.  I cannot hide it!

"How am I feeling?"  It has been a very similar pregnancy that I had with the last 2.  I feel pretty miserable from 3-8 pm at night.  Making dinner is the pits.  I get headaches and feel nauseous, but I have never thrown up so I can't really complain that much.  Plus, I get lucky and have entire days where I feel good.  I get tired and usually take a nap daily during the kids naptime.  I am starting to feel better and don't have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, so that is my cue that I am entering the 2nd trimester and I am super excited for the 'eye of the hurricane'.

Telling the kids: I thought Jackson had figured out we were pregnant since several times he caught us talking about it.  We took him to our first ultrasound to 'announce' to him.  I laid down and the tech put the camera on my belly and started showing us on the screen.  Jackson yelled out, "It's ME in Mommy's tummy!!"  We tried to explain that it was a picture of what was there RIGHT NOW, but he was convinced it was him.  After a long time and direct and explicit teaching, we convinced him that we are having a new baby.   Hallie seemed to understand right away.  She pats my belly and says, 'baby' often.  I am so afraid of her poking the baby's eyes out, smothering with love, biting and cuddling forever.  She is OVERLY difficult with babies ALWAYS (the store, playdates, daycare, etc, etc).  But she also really loves babies.  She has this game where she touches my chest and says 'Baby?  NOOO!' and then touch my belly and yells, "BABY!!"  I think she is the most excited for this baby and I just want to keep it in my belly for as long as possible so Hallie can't kill it.

Girl or Boy? I honestly don't care if it is a boy or girl.  Each has its good things and bad things.   Mostly for how it will affect our family dynamic and the friendships of the other kids.  I have been feeling like it's a boy, and have never 'felt' anything with my other kids, but who knows.   So the question is now . . .should we find out?  What is your experience? 

Funny kids: Several months ago Jackson was playing 'having a baby' often (pulling the doll out of his shirt.)  One day he asked how the baby actually got in the belly and if it hurt or ripped the mommy when it came out.  Luckily, I was able to take the second question and run with it.  I tried to explain that the mommy pushes the baby out and it does hurt, but it doesn't rip her belly.  He continued with more and more detailed questions until I had pretty much explained the entire female anatomy with the correct terminology.  His head was satisfied and we never discussed it again.  Fast forward 4 months, Jackson tells me he is ready for us to have another baby (I have no idea why he thought this . . .I guess it is just time!)  I say, "Maybe Daddy should carry the baby this time, I carried the last two."  He immediately argued, "Daddy can't carry the baby . . . He doesn't have a regina!!"  Good point.  This is one smart kiddo!