We've still been living our days and making the memories. I've just been out of the writing game for a bit. I do plan to go back in time and write about our days in DC, because man, it was good!
But for now, I'll pick up on New Year's Day. Lily, Brynnie, and I all came down with the flu (even though we'd gotten our flu shots back in the fall). It was ROUGH. Lily recovered fairly quickly, Brynnie took a smidge longer, and it took me forever and a day to kick it. We were surrounded by all of our belongings that we had just moved back from DC with but hadn't had time to unpack + tons of new Christmas goodies that needed new homes + laundry, but I was slow to return to regular life and Brad was busy keeping the children alive. It was definitely a chaotic beginning to the year (little did we know that it was just setting the tone for 2020).
Right after we recovered from the flu, I realized that something wasn't right. I mentioned it to Brad, and he said, "Surely not."
And yet.
I took a pregnancy test in a Chick-Fil-A bathroom, and don't you know... it was positive.
I was shocked. Brad was shocked. It took days to process the news, and I don't think either of us fully believed it until the ultrasound at my first OB appointment.
Y'all. We are having Baby No. 4 in September.
Here's our official announcement, which we posted on May 4:
The girls really enjoyed putting this together.
And here is where I answer questions:
1. Did you want a fourth baby?
Well, this baby was a surprise (not an accident), and we are looking forward to meeting her.
2. Do you have a name picked out?
Do you even know us? Of course not. It's a lot to have to choose four girl names.
3. Were you hoping for a boy?
Given that this baby was a surprise, we didn't head into it with any hopes. I haven't ever hoped for a particular gender (except for Lily- I wanted her to be a girl because I wanted Claire to have a sister), and that was the same this time. I love my girls and wouldn't trade any of them.
4. Have you been sick?
Ugh. Yes. Quite. Constant nausea, frequent debilitating migraines, several rounds of migraine-vomiting-dehydration. Painful hernia that's causing me difficulties. A few UTI's/kidney pain. It's been a real party. But my mom and mother-in-law have been amazing at giving their time and energy to getting us through. Absolute heroes. Brad is, as always, a CHAMP. My pregnancies are really rough on everyone, and he's HANDLING things while finishing his dissertation. It's amazing, really.
5. Diabetes?
I got permission to skip the early glucose test in-office and rather track my sugars at home (when you've had a history of gestational diabetes, they test you early at the end of first trimester, instead of at the end of the second/beginning of third. The glucola gives me a migraine, so I'd much rather track it myself.). My numbers have been mostly fine after meals and borderline when fasting. They decided (twice now) to have me continue tracking for a while to decide if I need to supplement diet with insulin. I will almost certainly be truly diabetic by third trimester. If that doesn't make sense to you, here's a synopsis: gestational diabetes (gdm) is caused when the placenta begins emitting hormones that, for some women, inhibit the body's production of insulin. Most women don't develop gdm until the end of pregnancy because the placenta isn't producing those hormones in earnest until then. If you've had a history of gdm (me), often your body is predisposed to running higher sugars earlier. The good news about gdm is this: when the placenta is no longer with you, your body starts recalibrating to it's regular pancreatic functions. Very soon after delivery, you go back to normal.
So, yes to diabetes. It's zero fun, but this isn't my first rodeo. Knowledge is power.
6. Will you have another c-section?
Yes, they'll schedule a c-section at 39 weeks. It'll be my fourth, so I've got the nerves that accompany that prospect. I have a long and complicated birthing history, and Caesareans are part of that.
It's strange to be expecting a baby in these times of COVID-19 and uncertainty. I can't say I have perfect peace about it all, because that's simply not the case. But, I trust that the Lord has a perfect plan, whether or not that looks the way I'd hope, and I have an incredible family and support system to help navigate it all. I'd appreciate your prayers, though, all the same. Any other questions that I didn't cover? Let me know!
At 19 weeks. I'm 20 weeks currently. Sorry about the dirty mirror.
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