A baby, A baby, We are having a baby.

This is going to be a long post, but mostly just for my memory and journaling purposes, so if you make it to the end, pats to you.

So.

We are pregnant around here.

When I say WE, I really mean that.

You have heard the saying..

If Mama aint happy, aint nobody happy?

Well that's true too.

But it is especially true that

When mama is pregnant.

1. everyone is pregnant

and

2. aint nobody happy.

I mean,

 Let me clarify that.  We have all been ecstatic to be adding another little human to our home.

It was planned. 

It was welcomed.

It was great news to be pregnant!!

It's just that..

I get extremely sick when I am pregnant.

With Tatum I ended up on home health IV therapy for a week.

With Jack, I was super sick but was able to avoid IV therapy.

I hoped that this time, if I was able to prepare my body by eating a little healthier, taking my prenatals ahead of time, and using a concentrated law of attraction, I could avoid getting so sick.

At least, I hoped.  

I was nervous to get sick while having a 13 month old.

I stayed positive.

and stocked up!

Cereal

Pasta sides

Rice a roni

Macaroni and cheese

Instant Potatoes

Instant Rice

Cheese

Ramen

Saltines 

And thank goodness I did.

I still got sick. 

Like, 

way sick. 

Much more sick than I had with my previous 2.

I don't really want to dwell on the negative aspects of those first few months but my cousin Regan found this about Hyperemesis.

It is a very accurate blog post of how I feel when I am pregnant.

And while Ive always known I didn't feel well during that first few months, I just figured it was normal for most women, and that I was weak sauce. 

I was very surprised when my doctor laid out exactly how sick I was.  

I was severely dehydrated and had an alarming amount? of key tones in my urine.

He wanted to hospitalize me, but I talked him into home health again.

I was on IV's for 6 weeks.

It helped so so much.

It was supposed to be 10, but I was able to get on top of my eating and drinking after only 6.

That is actually something that is super lucky about me.

Most women with hyperemesis have it for their entire pregnancy. Especially in severe cases like I had.

Mine only last just past the first trimester.

THANK GOODNESS!!

I just can't imagine still feeling that way.

Mostly, I can't imagine my family having to suffer due to me feeling that way.

That was the hardest part. 

Our life turns from a happy, loud, busy, bustling, smelling good, normally functioning, HOME,

To a dark, stinky, depressing, dirty, quiet, nasty, house.

Not being able to smell my little toddlers head, and rock him to sleep.

Being impatient with my sweet little 10 year old.

Seeing both of them (especially Tate) scared and concerned for their mommy.

Each of them pulling away from me in their own ways.

Jack didn't like me to hold him.  

It was awful.

The night before I finally went into my doctor, I was not well. 

 Tatum laid in bed with me, and was crying because she was worried that I was going to die..

I assured her that I was going to be just fine.

 Secretly I was thinking, If I was a pioneer, they would throw my sick A out of the wagon and leave me for the Donners.

The stress on Ryan was really bad too.

He has to pick up a lot of slack during those first few months.

And let's be honest.  A husband always gets the brunt of a suffering wife. 

In one million and a half ways.

But he takes it like a champ.  

I am eternally grateful for him.

I am also so lucky to have the help of my mom, sisters, friends, and other family.

I'm a lucky duck.

Plus!

New Baby!

How can you not feel so blessed to be having a new baby!

These pics were taken on the same day just showing how my arms at their worst.

I cannot say enough how much better the IV's made me feel.

Okay but so

A baby!

I had (AND STILL HAVE!) no desire to find out what we were having.

I knew we were going to have 2 kids quickly, 

so I got everything very gender neutral when shopping for Jack.  

I also knew that I DID NOT want to know what we were going to have for out last baby.  

It has always been a dream of mine to have that one moment in time in the delivery room when you meet this new little baby that you have been anticipating for 9 months!

Knowing that this is our last pregnancy, I was adamant to not find out.

And Ryan, being the freak, planner that he is, was adamant TO find out.

So.  What to do?

Well, Ryan offered me a tempting sum of money (he pays me to be his wife) if I would let JUST HIM find out.

Tate and I were planning a Disneyland trip.

And what can I say?

Money talks..

So, at 14 weeks we went to the mall

I turned my head

and the German guy wrote on the ultra sound screen what we were having.

Now.

I had my suspicions.  I really felt it was a girl because I obviously get more sick with girls.

Of all of the inconsistencies from pregnancy to pregnancy and woman to woman,  

being more sick while carrying a girl is one thing that seems more common.

Not always. (duh) But mostly.

Anyways.

Ryan did an excellent job of hiding what it was.

He was always trying to throw me off in one way or another.

It was funny.  But never once tempting.

I wanted the surprise.

Until one beautiful Saturday we were out and about and I had left my cell in Ry's truck.

I went out to look for it.

I looked under the seat

Instead of my phone I found a teensy pair of balled up polka dot tights with a flower on the bum.

I started to cry.

I was so sad to know.

I mean, I knew.. But to really KNOW made me cry.

And throw the tights at my husband.

He still wont break his poker face.

Because we had an equal parts retainer on the initial money amount if I were to find out in ANY way.

To bad I found those tights 3 days after we put the offer in on our new house.

So, I took the house, and shut my yap about the retainer.

That's what good wives do when their husbands are "stressed"

:)

So.

Here we are today.

33 weeks.

Feeling like a champ, enjoying life, and anticipating this sweet little girl join us.

The nice thing about having 2 babies close together, is that so far,

 I am in no hurry for this pregnancy to end.

Maybe because I know it's my last?  

 I am really trying to enjoy and absorb every kick, hick up, and flip.

 I also think that it is because I am so sad to let go of Jack as my baby..

Like.  Way sad.

Tatum was my baby for 9 years.

Jack.  Only 20 short months.

He is still a newborn as far as I am concerned.  

He is way to little to be the big brother.

I miss him already.

Sad.

But.  I can say, he is going to be so stoked to have a playmate.  

He's totally going to love it.  I just know it. He gets wwwwaaaayyyy bored with just me.

She will be much  better for putting beans in each others ears, wrestling, playing pretend animals, reading to each other,  hitting each other with stuff, and biting each other, 

and playing in the Lucky Charms. 

I really can't wait. 

:)

No really.

I am so excited for the future of all of my children.

Miranda, Devyn, Taylor, and Jace are 8 to 11 years younger than me and I love being their big big sister.  They really love me a lot.  And I absolutely adore them. 

 I love the thought of Tatum having the same type of relationships with her brother and sisters too.

And 

The babies.  

They will only be 1 year apart in school.

 I picture them hanging out, telling secrets, kissing each others friends, and lying to me and Ryan on each other's behalf.

It doesn't get much better than that.

I seriously seriously can't wait!

PS.  What should I name her?

No really.

What in the freak should we name this baby?