How Many Times in a Day...

As a mother, how many times in a day can you:

• Sweep the kitchen floor.
• Wipe off the kitchen table.
• Clean off a high chair tray.
• Wipe off the counters.
• Pick up the same toys from your tornado, havoc-reaking one year old.
• Wipe a snotty nose.
• Wipe a bum.
• Hang up the hand towel in the kids' bathroom.
• Pick up the throw pillows from off the floor and put them back on the couch.
• Push in the table chairs and barstools.
• Wipe off smudgy fingerprints off the stainless steel appliances and black cupboards.
• Get a sippy of milk out of the fridge.
• Refill sippies.
• Answer, "What?"
• Say, "Please put _________ away?"
• Say, "Be nice to your sister."
• Say, "Did you wash your hands?"
• Say, "Quit (fighting, biting your fingernails, whining, complaining)."
• Say, "Go get back in bed."
• Say the word "no".

It's never ending, but I guess I would rather be doing these things countless times a day than sitting in an office working, away from them.

Its A... Wait, What?

Today I went in for The Ultrasound, and as Bryan and I made our way down the long corridor, I think I was on the border of being cocky of what this little bambino was going to be. Because I have mother's intuition, you see, and I'm rarely wrong.

We went into the darkened room, I laid on the bed and the ultrasound technician got started and looked and measured various parts of the baby. As I laid there, my confidence started to waver, and I started to wonder, "What if it's really not a boy?"

But I was just so absolutely positive it was a boy. I dreamed about it being a boy. I had the "feelings" about it being a boy. I saw our family consisting of three boys and a girl. I thought about how there was just going to be one little girl, and we were going to be so close because she was always going to be outnumbered by boys. I was so 100% positive it was a BOY.

And then it was time to find the gender... And there it is, right there between the legs.

There's nothin' between the legs. Because it's a girl.

Huh?

I couldn't quite take it all in. I was in shock. It's really not a boy? But, I'd never even thought about two girls. Bryan was excited; he wanted another little girl. I couldn't even comprehend it. I think in my mind I even questioned the technician. It wasn't until SEVERAL more shots that I came to truly realize that yes indeed, it was a girl!

Now that I've had time to process it, I'm excited. We're excited for Lily to have a little sister and one so close in age. I just hope they get along. (Rissa and I weren't the best of friends growing up, so I certainly hope they are.) The boys have been the best of friends and so I hope these girls will be too. Having another girl definitely makes things a lot easier in some aspects. Two and two - nice and even. That's what's in my family and I love it.

Jace is extremely excited that it's a girl. When I told him, he jumped up and down and shouted "yay, yay, yay," and then quickly asked, "Can we name her Kate?" What's the reason Jace wanted a girl? So we could name her Kate. He's dead set on naming her Kate, which we like, but we're just not positive that's what it's going to be. Cole, on the other hand, was pretty upset. "I don't want a sister! I wanted a brother!" The main reason Cole wanted a brother? Because he wanted to name him Spike and he wanted a new brother to play Ninja Turtles with Jace and him.

So it's a girl.

Not what I thought I knew, but I'm happy.

Lost in Translation

About 5 months ago, I posted about my love for the 18 months of perks. At the beginning of that post I wrote a disclaimer stating that I may come to regret what I had written. Well I can't say I "regret it", but perhaps I should have waited several more months to write it; because apparently sarcasm is lost in translation with The Man Upstairs.

You see, there was a line at the end of that post that said, "I'd get pregnant tomorrow just to not see her ugly face again." Well, I didn't get pregnant the very next day, just about exactly a month later.

Even while I was pregnant with Lily I always knew there was a number four waiting to join us, and I always wanted a number four. I just didn't want/expect them this close. Lily and this new one will be 20 months apart and it is kind of freaking me out. The other kids have been 26 and 30 months apart and the spacing has been wonderful. I was never worried going from 0 to 1 kid, 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 kids; but I am really worried about going from 3 to 4. I know there are many other situations out there that are closer and harder than mine, but I'm just sayin - these are my concerns.

And apparently Heavenly Father isn't the only one that has lost things in translation. Do you ever have those thoughts/premonitions that make you think, "This could be a possibility; a real possibility"?

When I would think about having Number 4, there was this little thought in the back of my mind (premonition, maybe) that this little baby could come sooner than later, meaning sooner than when we were planning on having them join our family. I had the thought that Lily and this baby would probably be closer than two years apart. Apparently this thought and my math calculations were lost in translation too because I didn't realize that I would have to be pregnant NOW (and four months ago for that matter). I think that maybe these thoughts/premonitions were Heavenly Father's way of warning me to prepare myself mentally for this.

But these thoughts were lost on me because I didn't prepare myself. I wasn't quite ready for the fact of being pregnant NOW. In fact, I was in denial for quite some time. I didn't even take a pregnancy test until I was three weeks late! I didn't make the pregnancy "public" until I was 15 weeks along - almost 16. I'm 19 weeks tomorrow. (Ever want a pregnancy to go by fast? Just don't tell anyone for 15 weeks. :)

Now that I have accepted the fact that Number 4 is joining our family in June, I am excited. I am excited to have another little newborn in our family. I love newborns. They are in every sense, Heaven. Pure Heaven. I am excited to have our family complete and to move on to our next adventures. Yes, there are going to be challenges and struggles and LOTS of changes (an entirely different post) with another one right now, but it will definitely be worth it. And I cannot wait to see if it is a boy or girl (although I really, REALLY think this one is a boy). Call it mother's intuition. I guess we'll find out for sure next Tuesday!!

So if you want to learn anything from my situation, I would say be careful what you ask or wish for and in the manner you wish for it. Because remember, sarcasm is lost in translation.

Oh, and in case you were wondering? Yes, the perky perks are back. And for that I am grateful.