So... I'm planning to take some time off in February this year. It's not exactly a secret, but I know that if you only read this blog or follow me on Facebook you might find it surprising to learn that I'm nearly 35 weeks pregnant! I didn't want to make any premature announcements, but as my Valentine's due date looms closer and closer I'm running the risk that I might actually have baby and then perhaps some of you might be shocked.
Actually, it turns out that I've been remarkably successful in keeping this quiet - I went to a meeting today with clients who have had the opportunity to observe my increasing girth on a weekly basis for months and they were rather surprised to learn of my pregnancy! Their reaction? "February??? As in next month?" Mine: "I'm HUGE! Eight months pregnant! How could you have not noticed until now?"
So yes. I'm PREGNANT! Again! Brendan and I joke it's all Elizabeth's fault because she wanted a sibling and we told her she'd have to take it up with God. She took me very seriously and prayed earnestly for a brother for over a year. She wanted a "real" baby to play with, apparently.
When I was born my mom wrote paragraphs about every photo she carefully pasted into my baby book. My brother's baby book has one or two sentences and my sister's baby book is essentially a photo album with no captions. I totally get how that happened - turns out I'm already doing the equivalent and second child is still in utero. While I wrote quite a bit more about Elizabeth during my pregnancy, I did actually write the odd post during the last eight months that I'm only getting around to making publicly readable right now.
For those interested - here's what you missed:
July 08th: In which I experience much morning sickness and my family doctor refuses to send me for a dating ultrasound.
July 09th: Possible miscarriage symptoms
July 11th: First ultrasound
September 18th: Second ultrasound 18w 5d - it's a vertebrate! Also, we discover that we should have waited another week to schedule the ultrasound.
October 01st: We get good news and perturbing news
November 07th: Morning sickness is back and I may be headed for c-section number 2
November 14th: Delayed decision on c-section
December 5th: Third ultrasound and we find out the gender
December 13th: The reason toddlers don't get to choose names
January 2nd: 33w 6d Raynaud's syndrome, transverse babies are more comfy than breech and an updated projected arrival date.