As previously stated by my oh-so-eloquent spouse, Baby Number Four is on the way!
It's strange to put it in writing like that. It doesn't make it feel more real (because trust me, it feels real) but telling my little world which includes You makes me feel very "look at me!"ish and you all know how little I enjoy that.
But joy is certainly mine, so why not share it?
This is how it all went down, according to me. Not that Caleb's story was insufficient, bless his cute heart.
On Christmas morning, we all dove into our stockings. Claire was only mostly awake, but she offered up this smile to please us. She's such a gem, I tell you what.
Caleb and I traditionally do stockings for each other, and right on top of mine was a cute little box labeled "First Answer Pregnancy Test" at which I laughed and then rolled my eyes at. Silly Caleb, he's such a joker!
Just before leaving for church - and I mean just before (the kids were in the car already) Caleb said "Just go take it, why not?"
I giggled, and said "Oh fine, you goob."
He came in the bathroom right about the time that I started crying and blubbering and laughing and "what?!" ing.
So off to church we went, Christmas morning a million times better than it had ever been before.
I'm not completely ready for Claire to not be my baby any more. It's lucky that I have all the way until next summer before this next one arrives. Claire will be two and a half by then, and more than ready for a little sibling.
I felt fantastic for the first week +, besides being tired, and was thanking my lucky stars. The weather has been freakishly warm and playing outside was in order every day.
Until Tuesday. WHAM!! Like it usually does. I'm not positive what my kids did every morning between the time they woke up and the time that I stumbled out of my bed to the bathroom, at least two hours after them. Emmy has really showed some maturity lately, feeding them breakfast and herding them to the basement to play.
Wednesday afternoon I was passed out with Claire, and Emmy and Jonah got it in their minds to set the trampoline back up. Caleb had taken it down after thanksgiving, anticipating snow. Because it usually snows in December, you know?
So they got into the garage, found the wagon, found the trampoline box, loaded the springs and the tarp into the wagon, pulled the wagon all the way around the house into the back yard, hung all the springs around the rim of the bars, and were strugglingly hanging up the tarp when Caleb arrived home from work.
It's not like he wasn't going to help them finish the job, after all the work they had just gone through.
After setting it up he moved it to the front yard, so I can sit in my huddle on the couch and watch them right out my window.
Much happiness was the result.
Also much static.
Speaking of happiness, when my Sister Cami caught wind of our dire-ish situation, she packed her bags and headed over.
Many of my friends have offered to help, watching the kids in the mornings and things like that. It's been overwhelming how surrounded I am by loving people!
Cami arrived thursday night, and immediately started cleaning the kitchen. In the morning, she brought me food in bed as soon as I was awake, then packed up Claire and headed to the grocery store. She pretty much placed food on my lap and played with my kids and cleaned my house non stop until she left, a few hours ago - promising to return Monday morning.
How do you thank some one for that kind of gift?
This morning, we woke up to this:
Much to our joy!
It's supposed to be warm and sunny again for the next ten days, so it looks like the trampoline is still going to get plenty of use.
Although the snow didn't slow down the trampoline play one bit.
Meanwhile, I haven't gained any weight but I
have gained a gut. How is that? Two pairs of pants are already too tight, and I'm only six weeks along.
I told my Mom, and she said "It's the fourth kid, Jayne. You'll never be the same."
Of course I'll never be the same. Considering how much the last three have taught me, I can't wait to see what this next little person will do to help me stretch and grow.
Emotionally
and physically ;)
