Are You Sitting Down?

Good. Here we go...

Joe and I are proud to announce that Downes No 4 is on the way! I know, SHOCKING, isn't it????? It seems pretty rare these days to go beyond 3 from what I can tell. We actually do know 3 families with 4 kids - 1 was an a 3rd child that turned out to be twins, but the other 2 were intended that way. I'm going to need to tap in to those guys for some advice...How do you find your sanity? Do you EVER go out anymore? Are you drowning in diapers? Is your family schedule color coded? (That's the part I really look forward to, of course). Right now I'm desperately booking my baby sitter for as many days as I can! Not only does 4 change things on the babysitting front, but our sitter is transferring colleges and moving away. HUGE bummer.


It's so not on anyones radar that people haven't even been noticing that I haven't been drinking (although what could drive you to drink more, really?). They don't even NOTICE! That's what a circus freak I was feeling like for awhile there. It's still sort of a weird conversation to have with people...a few family members were beyond shocked and didn't have much to say (I get it. Really, I do).



We told the kids this past weekend and they seem cool with it. Shelagh actually asked me, while in the shower last week with me, why I looked like I had a baby belly when Kelly already came out. Rory asked where my belly button went and interestingly, Kelly has been poking my stomach. Shelagh has named the baby already for girl or boy. Rory said he would like a baby brother now because "there are enough girls in this family".



I asked the big kids each what was 1 thing they were worried about and 2 things they thought were cool about it (yes, I sort of stacked the deck. let's call it "spin"). Shelagh said she was worried that even if we put the new baby up high on the table that Kelly would not be gentle with it. She was happy that 1) she'd have another kid in the family to play with if Rory or Kelly wouldn't go along with her games and 2) she'd always be oldest and would be able to be teacher if they played school. Rory said that he'd love to have a new delicate baby around. He doesn't seem to be worried about anything other than the too many girls in the family thing.

Anyway, it's big news and certainly a big change coming to our family in September. Oh yeah, I just bought new pants for the first time in like 6+ years from having lost weight. See ya! Rubber band on the pants already and Maternity clothes out and sorted through. They are seriously getting immediately passed on after this. Hello, steamy hot summer with me as big as a house. AWESOME!



Oh yeah, the baby is doing fine..I got a nice few U/S profile pics, a hand wave, and all tests look good so far despite my "advanced maternal age", my genetic counseling I had to have this time, and a quick but resolved no-heartbeat scare. I'm feeling good and beyond the seriously exhausted stage. So, onward we go!!