a new member of our family was conceived! There were the posts about detoxing (I never forgo my Merlot unless there’s a very good reason), the mutterings of decaf coffee and how I’d stand in the coffee shop inhaling the scent of caffeine for a pick me up, the lack of blog posts due to the incredible amount of growing going on in my body during this first, important, and tiring first trimester. So, dear friends and family, many of you already know that we are expecting a new arrival around 18 February 2010, but it’s time to officially announce our joyous news!
We are so looking forward to hearing the heartbeat for the first time and will have a scan at 20 weeks. I have the midwife I was hoping for and all has been going really well. I am so fortunate to not suffer morning sickness, but have been overwhelmingly tired in the evenings – literally passing out asleep at 8pm (yawn, how boring). Anyway, the second trimester is fast approaching and so I’m looking forward to higher energy levels. I love being pregnant and can’t wait for my tummy to properly pop out. It already has popped out a lot quicker than my earlier pregnancies (which has caused lots of exclamations in the school playground and mutterings of twins). I am at that stage of not looking pregnant, but as though I’ve eaten too many pies and have a severe bloat problem – how very attractive.
There have been all the usual questions with a third baby of ‘Was it planned?’, ‘Are you crazy?’, ‘Are you hoping for a boy?’. The answers – ‘Yes’, ‘Yes’, ‘Don’t mind’. So, we will not be finding out the sex. We honestly don’t mind what we are blessed with, just hoping for a happy, healthy baby who might sleep occasionally (ha! we haven’t really had one of those before – perhaps this will be third time lucky!). However, if on arrival day we should have a boy I shall be quickly rushing out to buy every self help book a mother needs on raising a son! And I shall be a little nervous about nappy changes and being peed on!
Long before we started on the parenting journey we discussed how many children we’d like to have and always said, ‘Maybe three’. I have even said four (but Dan is more likely to run for the snip before that happens!). Over the past year or so the girls have been increasingly easy for me and I’ve often thought how nice it would be to throw a little more chaos into the mix (yes, I am crazy!). With Dan setting up the business the timing wasn’t quite right… until 11 week’s ago. It was the week that Dan’s beloved football team, Burnley (that he’s supported since he was in nappies), made it back into the English Premier League. It was also the week that we celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary. Dan came home one night and in his lovely, dulcet, Lancashire tone said, ‘I’m ready luv’.
We’d put the question out there for so long that it was only a matter of time before the Universe answered it. We were first time lucky and I went out on our Wedding Anniversary with a certain knowing that a little spirit had found its way into our hearts and our lives. I just had two drinks that night, knowing that as of the next day I would be going cold turkey (that first week off the drink and coffee wasn’t pretty!). Two week’s on from conception we stared at the little stick with two pink lines and felt over the moon (I still did another two tests to be sure!).
The girls are so excited, particularly Charli. She loves playing with the babies at school (there’s a few Mum’s with little ones at school). Sophie will find her world turned upside down initially, but having a younger sibling will be so good for her too. She will be four when the baby arrives and about to start morning Kindi. By the time bubs is close to one Sophie and Charli will be at the same school, which will be really easy. The first year will of course be tiring, but it is always so filled with the most incredibly magic moments too. We are so looking forward to those magic first cuddles, smile, coos and milestones (less so the sleep deprivation, extra washing and cleaning – ah well, that will pass all too quickly).
A couple of other local friends are expecting their third a month or so before me, which will be fabulous – and nice for Charli to share that journey with school friends. One lady lives a couple of doors along from us and her two girls regularly play with our girls. She even has the same midwife as me, which is magic!
So, there it is, we are officially crazy! All the parents I know with three children have responded almost identically, ‘Three is so much fun – crazy, mad, busy – but very fun!’. We are really looking forward to the new dynamics and having another little personality thrown into the mix.
This will be a real summer pregnancy, so I doubt I’ll be posting up lots of photos of my busy work in the garden planting veggies (but one can hope!) – there will probably be a lot more of me with my feet soaking in the paddling pool (with a bit of luck!).
Related posts
February 15, 2010 Come on baby… 
February 11, 2010 One week till due date
January 24, 2010 An amazing few days
January 11, 2010 Busy feet
December 9, 2009 10 week’s (ish!) to go…
November 25, 2009 Thanking the sisterhood!
Congratulations! There’s a lot to do but you already know that!
Thanks Betty!
Can three be any more trouble than two? Congratulations to you both – that’s such wonderful news. How clever you are. I did guess but it’s great to read this big announcement. All the very best to you all!
Thanks so much Julie – but I don’t think clever had much to do with it – more like luck and a couple of crazy genes!
Congratulations, I am very, very happy for you.xx
Thank you so very much x
Fabulous news! Wonderful, the third is a dream. Yay yay yay.
Ah, Martha, you have been an inspiration! I know of quite a few Mum’s of three and they all genuinely beam with an insane grin of happiness – I’m looking forward to joining the club! x
I’m so happy for all of you. You’ve always struck me as being such a close and loving family and I’m sure that the girls and #3 will have a wonderful childhood and amazing lives. Having experienced the joys of 3 sons I can predict that there will be ups and downs along the way. We experienced (and still do ) middle child syndrome but you have a bigger age gap and Sophie seems to be much calmer and accepting than our Linas ever was. Also I’m so happy that you have friends in the same position as you. I had so much support from 2 friends who had the same age children, being able to share experiences, frustrations and childcare made an incredible amount of difference to my life. We’re still very close with one family and the children think of themselves as cousins even though they have all gone very different ways. So keep well, get plenty of rest and enjoy the next 29 weeks.
ps I hope you’ve given up the roller blading. (I went back to riding after the first trimester and was teaching a riding lesson 2 days before Romas was born, not a good example.)
Thank you so much Ruta for your wonderful words of encouragement and predictions that are every bit real in my mind – life wouldn’t be so without its ups and downs. I love that you were still horse riding up to two day’s before Romas was born! I haven’t felt the energy for roller blading these past weeks. Sophie has been very forgiving and told me to, ‘Sit there Mummy, rest and read your book’. Now that’s an instruction I can take easily!
Out to the world now loves and we have had a few weeks to feel the joy and very hard to keep the lips sealed up !!! Take care all and just wonderful.
Sure is, thanks Mum. Sending you and Dad big loves and hugs xx
Many congratulations to you!
What an exciting time for you & your family!
I hope you start to feel more chipper in your second trimester, I know I did when I was preggers with L
Flugl x
Awww, thanks so much Flugl! I normally do feel fabulous after the first trimester and enjoy pregnancy (until the end! – hoping I’m third time lucky and get an easier birth!) x
Good luck guys. Another boy cousin would be cool lol. I know all about babies, and she/he will surely not be as bad as baby sister. Visit soon xx
Well, our two girls have been fabulous and every thing we could have dreamed of. Charli currently wishes she was a boy as she can’t work the girls out at school – she says they talk too much and can’t make their minds up – whereas the boys choose a game to play and stick to it (most of her friends are boys) – she also hates kissing (bless!). She would like a little brother – so she can train him in the Jedi arts and watch Transformers (when he’s old enough!). But, we can’t choose the sex, so if it’s a girl she’ll be making sure it’s a ‘tom-boy’! Wish we could visit you soon, maybe you’ll have to sling on a back-pack and ask your Dad if you can fly over to stay with your Uncle Dan and I?! xx
Congratulations! It’s wonderful to read about how happy you are to be pregnant and how much you love it.
Yay for midwives,
Kristen
Kristen, thank you so much for visiting and I wish you and your husband all the very best in your amazing efforts. Your nutritional knowledge and dedication to doing everything right in conception and pregnancy is so admirable. I can feel a ‘Raw Food for Conception, Pregnancy and Beyond’ book coming from you in the future! Best wishes x
sarah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i have been writing an essay over the last few days and have only just read your fabulous news!
SO excited for you all – and rather jealous!
our bigger kiddos just *loved* watching a bubba grow in me too.
wishing you all the best as you treasure the new life within –
love and sunshine X
Thank you SO much Katie xx I absolutely adore your blog and you are a constant inspiration. You have so much love, energy and creativity in your household. I’m so looking forward to the girls hearing the heartbeat and watching my tummy grow! Love, Sarah x
Sorry I’m late sweetie, but once again congrats. I’m not surprised you concieved straight away, I’m sure their were souls lining up to take a place in your beautiful family. Look after yourself.