August 8, 2016

Baby #3 and Our Lost Summer


Hello there! Is anyone still reading? It's been a long break, and the reason is... that I am pregnant! We are expecting our third child this winter, and it's a welcome and exciting surprise for our little (maybe not so little?) family. I've all but sworn off social media for the last few months, mostly because I have been very sick. It feels just like those early months of pregnancy with Roo, I am grateful and happy of course... but it's also fairly miserable. In the last week, I can finally look at screens again without losing my lunch. I still don't feel great, but it's an improvement.

Owing to my constant state of illness (think of the worst hangover you've ever had, and it just never leaves, for months!), our summer has been very slow. We started off with grand ambitions and did a big road trip out to Chicago to visit my cousin/ best friend and her children on their farm. James drove out with us and we stopped a bunch along the way, had the best veggie burger ever in Cleveland (who knew?), and really loved being on the road as a family. The kids had such fun playing with their cousins and feeding the horses. The whole start to the trip, and summer, was really perfection. The plan was that James would fly back a few days later to return to work, and I would stay on and enjoy some quality family time before making the drive back with the kids solo. It's a big drive, but I was confident I could pull it off. The day James left Chicago is the same day that my 'morning' sickness struck. Cut to me, white knuckling a 16 hour drive, with the kids screaming in the back, and a bottomless bag of saltines permanently glued to my lap. It was rough... and after that I just haven't been up for a whole lot of adventure.

So we've had a lot of days at home, playing in our dry brown excuse for a yard, going for walks to the park, watching nature documentaries, eating cereal and fruit and chocolate pudding. I have accomplished almost nothing, aside from growing a baby, which I often remind myself is quite the accomplishment. James has done lots and lots of laundry and dishes, he still only knows how to cook burritos and pancakes... so we've eaten boatloads of both. Slowly I am starting to find my sea legs and some energy. Hopefully good health will return in time for our annual camping trip next week! 

The kids are both excited for the new baby. They talk to her and suggest names like Cheetah and Peach. It's very sweet. Oh and it's a girl! I'm officially old, so we got to find out way earlier than in the past via blood test. We have so much to look forward to, as soon as this sickness passes. Any day now!

11 comments:

  1. Congratulations.

    I felt physically ill reading this. My girls are six years apart because it took me that long to get up the nerve to be pregnant again - that's how terrible my pregnancies were. I was sick as a dog. For the first seven months, both times. Luckily I was never hospitalized, but I lost so much weight from throwing up all day long, and I destroyed my teeth in the process, and was constantly pulling muscles in my side. With both girls I was seven months pregnant before getting back to my initial weight - but I did have a banner eight week period at the end where I apparently was able to successfully grow them and get them out! I do NOT miss a minute of those pregnancies.

    Hoping you have turned the corner, and you have a beautiful fall ahead of you. So exciting!

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    1. Oh Kristen, that sounds even worse than me! I've been taking some medication that helps keep the actual throwing up to a minimum, and I've been subsisting solely on carbs (so I am not having the trouble with gaining weight!). Still, it's pretty awful. I know when I finally feel better I am going to look back and wonder how I did it. That day can't come soon enough. I had none of this with my son, those girls ;)

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  2. Congratulations, (again)!! Did you hear that Car Talk Puzzler where they make up names for hypothetical hybrid animals? In your case, Cheetah + Peach = Cheech. You're welcome.

    I really enjoyed pregnancy, but always had an overwhelming sense that very little was being accomplished (and in the face of growing to-do lists). But the forced slow-down was always a good thing for me. I'll always remember with tremendous fondness those very slow moments at odd times of morning watching the sun wash over parts of the living room or bedroom that I'd never watched before because I'd never had to sit still in that moment in that space. And there was a little baby on my breast to boot.

    Cheers to the four of you!

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  3. Congratulations! Such wonderful news. And yes, I suspect lots of us were still checking in. Be gentle with yourself. Growing a human is no easy feat. Hope you feel better soon.

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  4. Congrats!! That's exciting:) I hope you start to feel better soon.

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  5. Congrats again Lily . I hope you feel better soon. I have two wonderful kids boy is 5 year old and 5 moths girl and it's weird because i have never saw myself being a mama and now i am and i love it so much. Now we are geting a house with four bedrooms one is going to be a playroom but sometimes we lough that is going to be a bedroom for child number 3 😂😂. Now i think no way but hey who knows what future brings. I can wait to see what the nesting brings to your house and don't worry i think lots of People read your blog. I come here quite often because i really enjoy this space. I hope my english is not so bad and you can understand what i mean. I don't comment often because of that.

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  6. Congratulations on baby #3! Hope you feel better soon and can enjoy these last few weeks of summer.

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  7. What happy news, Lilly, another Little Smith on the way! Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well and I hope that is no longer the case.
    Was just driving through the Berkshires yesterday on my way back to Connecticut from Buffalo and was thinking how lovely it must be for you to visit your Mom there. Whenever I make that drive, I think to myself that my husband and I need to visit that area more.
    Enjoy your camping trip.

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  8. oh wow, congratulations! Hope that you are feeling better soon too - well done on making that drive back, sounds rather hellish! how exciting for your family to have a new addition. I'm glad to hear you're back around here.. x

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  9. Wow! What a blessing! Congratulations on expanding your family! Two is great but maybe just a little too prudent? Three is a little wild! Reading this I had a pang for a third! But alas I think it will be two for us. Hope that your 'morning' sickness subsides soon.

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  10. Congratulations, Lilly! When I read this, I gasped out loud! I was so surprised and excited! Such wonderful news -- I hope you are feeling well, dear!

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