Monday, September 5, 2011

the story behind the story




It is incredibly FREEING to have that little secret out in the open.  Writing anything for the past couple of months has been so weird - with so much of what I've been experiencing colored by the fact that we're going to have another baby.  ANOTHER BABY.  I will now tell you some of the other fun details that I left off previously:


1. We found out we were pregnant two days into our GRAND SUMMER FIVE STATE 25-DAY ROAD TRIP EXTRAVAGANZA.  There was me, a test I'd just thrown into my bag for kicks, and the funny feeling I had waking up that morning.  I figured I'd just take the test... as a test.  For the future.  Because we'd decided that we were going to get started on Alice's future sibling.  In a million years, I wasn't expecting a positive test.  Let alone, a test that showed its results not in three minutes, but THREE SECONDS.  My first reaction?  I laughed.  I just couldn't believe it.

And neither could Chip, but this time around, he didn't make me take an additional five tests--- just to make sure, just in case.


2. I have been through every shade of opinion and worry about Alice as Big Sister.  She is going to be amazing, I know this.  But my worries have been mostly centered on her COMPLETE HORROR over finding me holding another baby.  In this case, it was her baby cousin Carter while we were visiting the Little Brother in Utah.  Alice howled, just howled - and then literally begged me to give the baby back.  I don't think that even early pregnancy symptoms could outweigh the overwhelming desire I had to vomit right there on the spot, feeling like I was betraying this sweet little Bean-girl.  But she has been full of surprises - and as we've talked to her about the joys (and the realities) of having a sibling, she has somehow come around.  And when we actually told her the other day that she was going to have a baby brother or sister, she was excited.  Truly excited.

Let's not discuss the fact that so far she seems to see this future sibling as some kind of a pet--- and has actually asked for a "little cage, like for a hamster, to put him in".  Which, also to point out: she has made clear that she will only accept a baby brother.  There is no discussion or even glimmer of a possibility of a sister, just brother.  So.


3.  I'm due March 20.


4. I have been sick and queasy and exhausted for weeks now, but I am feeling the first inklings of Second Trimester Return to Normalcy.


5. And last, but most certainly not least: thank you all for your wonderful well-wishes and sweet notes of confidence.  There is a lot more to say about my worries and hopes for this little tadpole baby.  And rest assured, I'm going to talk your ear off about all of it.  Because dude: BABY.  But speaking of which, so far the only name that has stuck, relatively speaking, is Polly.  There's this song that Alice loves to listen to from the Bare Naked Ladies' album for kids, called Pollywog in a Bog.  And, well...  when we saw that first ultrasound, with P's arms wiggling there by his head, it just stuck.  And yes, I said HE, even though we have no concrete idea, and won't know until late October, but I have a feeling, and so does Alice...

7 comments:

Amy said...

Squee squee squee! I'm cracking up over the "cage" idea! Kids are hysterical - they've gotta be otherwise we'd stop having them, right?

So excited for you and I'm excited about hearing everything you have to say about being pregnant and how Bean deals with it. I know she's going to be an awesome big sister! Nate was the same as her with the holding of other children but when a baby was growing in Mommy's belly he suddenly started getting helpful and super excited!

Srsly - another SQUEE! BABY!

Rose said...

You know what's funny? Everytime you posted for the past couple a months, I felt like you were holding back some kind of secret... and now I know what it is! :)

Alicia said...

Alice will be fantastic, and you will be as in love with the new baby as you are her (I felt like it was even easier after the first baby because I understood what I was getting myself into... like, that the little blob would actually grow INTO something). I think one of my kids asked for a cage too... Hmm. Maybe G... It's really not a terrible idea.

(Aside: I like the name Polly. In case your feeling is off.)

Midnight Rambler said...

Too too funny (and incredibly adorable) about the cage comment. I love the way kids' brains work :-) All the best to you and Chip and Bean. I know little Polly will be as loved by all of you as is humanly possible, and then some. [P.S. it was really cool to see my man on national TV, even if it was for a split second :-) ]

Tamara said...

What exciting news! Congratulations to you guys. Alice will be a great big sister once that baby brother or sister arrives...you've got lots of time to talk about it.
Luke is still on the fence with our new baby. I asked him if he'd be my big helper with his sister and he said, "no" and suggested a cousin to do the job. He'll come around I hope...maybe it's a boy thing.

Amanda said...

When I saw Amy the other day she asked if I had been reading along. I told her that I was hundreds behind in my blog reader and when she told me that you were pregnant I felt like I knew that. I guess you were putting off baby vibes!

Congratulations!

wandering nana said...

I have a crate she could use. We have found it works out great and if I remember Alice tried it out herself one time..... I just couldn't find my camera. So very excited for your little family. When I get back we'll have to go adventuring... it's been too long.