Monkey

Yes, it's true. Monkey #4 is on it's way!

(Coincidentally, Dylan and Lexi are dancing to a "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" song right this very second.)

Friday will be my 12 week mark, and second doctors appointment.

This is the first time I've been pregnant near family, so we wanted to tell them in a fun way. We came up with these shirts for the kids to wear at family get-to-gethers on both sides.

The reactions were funny. Some people got it right away. Some people said, "What? What does that mean?"

Some friends and family have been expecting this. Some have been suspicious. Others have had no idea. Nonetheless, early on in my pregnancy when only Rob knew, I was caught off guard by two friends who asked me if I was pregnant. My reaction, "Nope." Yup. I flat out lied. Another friend called me and bluntly asked me how far along I was. How could I lie to that question?

I, of course, get the question "How do you feel?" Honestly, crappy! I've been more blunt and honest with my replies this time. Apparently, with this being the fourth, my tendencies to be inconspicuous with how I'm feeling aren't as strong. Yes, with all my pregnancies I get sick. Just like so many other women. Whoever created the term "morning sickness" is so off! Try 24/7 sickness. People say, "Oh good, you're almost done with your first trimester then you'll start feeling better!" Unfortunately, my 24/7 sickness (this term will now replace "morning sickness" on this blog) doesn't end after the first trimester. Nope. It stays with me the whole 9 months. It might taper off here and there, but it's always hiding around the corner. However, with each pregnancy my running to the sink or porcelain thrown lessens. Instead of expelling my insides multiple times a day like I did with Parker, now it's just multiple times a week. So that's encouraging! Also, with this pregnancy I seem to get some type of a sickness on top of my 24/7 nausea. It started with strep, then the worse case of diarrhea I have ever had, and now two awful colds back to back. Next, it will be spring time allergies. I can't wait.

This 24/7 sickness is causing me to fall very behind on life. My house is disgusting. My Valentine's present to Rob still isn't finished. I forget to make phone calls. I don't just sit around all day, by any means. I'm just moving very slowly, at turtle speed. And not functioning as well as before. Nonetheless, my occasional good days will come. And until then, I have amazing friends who have already been helping me out. Some will call and take my kids, and one dear friend brought me a fabulous meal last night. It was HEAVENLY! Not only is it difficult to eat, but by the time I prepare food and sit down to eat it, I pretty much have to force it down. It is so much easier to eat food that I didn't have to prepare.

Alrighty then! Enough of my whining, right?

We are very excited to be able to bring another precious baby into our family. I feel so blessed to be able to bring babies into this world. Not being able to have babies is not a challenge that Rob and I have had to face in life. I feel for my dear friends and family that do have that challenge. This pregnancy took us longer to get started than all the others. I just had one teeny tiny glimpse of what it might be like.

So when you come to my house and see that a tornado has gone off in every single room, you now know why.:)