Only the Second Child......

would know how to eat a sucker at 12 months of age!

It's a......

GIRL!

From the beginning I really have pictured three sweet little girls.

Three pigtailed and bow-headed girls.

Three little dancers and softball players.

Three little girls walking down the beach holding hands.

Three little playmates.

Three girls that I pray will grow up to be the best of friends.

I really can't imagine it any other way.

Most of the questions today have centered around Matt and how he's holding up. I think he's certainly feeling really out-numbered, but he's a great girl-dad and as soon as he lays eyes on this sweet baby there will be no thoughts of "the boy that could have been". I think his biggest thought now is.....how are we going to pay for all three of them?!?!?!

Thoughts on this Pregnancy

The honest-to-goodness truth is that I just don't have much time to think about this pregnancy. My thoughts seem to center mostly around - oh goodness, how are we going to do this?!?!?!

I've always had a pretty certain feeling that I wanted to have three kids. I don't think Matt ever spent much time thinking about what he pictured as his family, but he always told me that he was on board. Both of my parents come from a family with three children and some of my favorite memories from growing up are holidays spent with our extended family at my grandparent's houses. I love the idea of that being our house one day, with our three children and their spouses and children. That's way down the road, but it's one of the things I look forward to in life!

One thing I never pictured was that those three kids would all come within three years of each other!

Looking back - I have been pregnant in 2007, 2008, 2009, twice in 2010 and in 2011! That's five consecutive years of sharing my body with someone else. Not to mention nursing.....I'm not even going to count! I haven't had very hard pregnancies, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that I'll be glad when this one is over and I can know that I'm done sharing - at least that particular aspect of myself!

I can remember getting to the point (before I knew I was pregnant) when I realized that Hannah Cate would turn three before another baby was born. I proudly announced to Matt that we could be certain that we wouldn't have "three under three". Well, barely! Hannah Cate will turn three on June 10th and baby #3 is due July 6th!

Hannah Cate and Maddie are 19 months apart. Maddie and #3 will be 18 months apart.

The look of pity on people's faces when I explain how old my children are, compared to when the baby is due is priceless! The nurse's at my OBGYN's office might be the best - they politely ask, "now how old is the baby?" realizing that it hasn't been that long since I was there last.

I should have started counting the number of times that people said - "Haven't y'all figured out what causes this yet??". If I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times.

Hannah Cate is really excited about the baby. She says it's going to be another sister and that her name will be Hollis. Hollis is our friend the Nebrig's baby. I've tried to explain to Hannah Cate that we can't name our baby Hollis too - it hasn't sunk in yet.

Maddie doesn't have a clue! Now I wonder if I thought Hannah Cate had a clue when I was pregnant with Maddie.....I kind of think I did and now I think I was delusional!

My Dad saw my sister's best friend's dad at the grocery store (right after we told my Dad #3 was on the way). Dad told him that his 4th grandchild was on the way. Word got back to my sister's best friend who immediately called Emily, mad that she'd heard through the grapevine that Emily was pregnant (with her second). Logical assumption that it surely would be Emily that was pregnant and not me again!

Hannah Cate is still sleeping in her crib. Maddie is still sleeping in her crib. We will NOT be buying a third crib! Hannah Cate will be moving to a twin daybed soon. Once we are through that transition, Maddie will move in with Hannah Cate. The new baby will get Maddie's old room.

All three will be in college at the same time - at least for some period of time.

People are very curious as to the sex of this baby.

I think it's a girl. I picture three sisters and it makes me smile. Matt pictures three girls and he sees lots and lots of dollar signs!

We find out tomorrow.