spring fever

So, I have been writing some posts on the other-other blog about my insulin resistance and PCOS diagnoses from last Spring, and how I have been trying to manage my weight/health/carb-intake since then. You know, my usual Comedy Hour at The Laugh Factory bit. Waiting and working at this has been a trial of patience and discipline for me, as I know it is for so very, very man women everywhere. I feel like it is such a blessing and a right for women to bare children, and it just feels plain unfair to me that so many struggle, especially those of my dear friends who are not able to have kids. And then you throw in how very common abortion is and that there are so many "unwanted" pregnancies among those who are unprepared to be mothers. Ugh. This message basically covers my feelings on families and children today, and my desire to protect and love as many children as the Lord will bless me to come into contact with.

Anyway, my weight loss struggles have basically come to a stand-still. Lest you catch a picture of me on Facebook and wonder why on earth I have completely let myself go, it is time to share some news with you all: 

I am pregnant!

WOW! Okay, I'm not that pregnant. Yet. This is me 9 mo. preg with Carter! Man, most pictures are worth 1,000 words, but this one only screams one: WADDLE.

 I am entering my second trimester this week, which means that I am due in late April. I discovered our happy happy news, oh, about the same day we decided to take the job and move to Portland! Needless to say it  has been an exciting and EXHAUSTING couple of months. Seriously, I have never felt more tired constantly than I have every day of the last month. My habit of napping every afternoon with Carter has helped me some, but it has also helped Avery to get into no end of trouble, too, including cutting a playmate's hair in my backyard with kitchen scissors while I was snoozing. Oh yeah, between that, the other-worldly smell that existed in the apartment we rented sight-unseen, and the flea problem that surfaced shortly after moving in (in the form of small, red, incredibly itchy bites all over K and my ankles and feet), moving in has been exciting to say the least! Thankfully we moved into a neighborhood with some of the nicest people I have ever met, including the little girl whose hair was butchered and her sweet and forgiving mom, we rented an ozone machine many times and finally killed the smell, and the fleas have yet to make a reappearance (well, since round two of fumigating, that is). 

Since I am due in April, the countdown to Spring is well under way in this house! My girls are so excited and Avery is praying for a baby brother. We make the world's most adorable girls, though, so I'm not picky. Avery loves to look at my tummy (SO not my favorite thing) and tell me names for a baby boy. Today she came up with Tom. Carter, however, has taken to getting very irritated whenever I tell her she's going to be a big sister. She then insists I call her baby and feed her from a dolly's bottle. I'm not too worried- I have six months to warm her up to the idea.
 I am still working very hard to eat well, count carbs and keep unnecessary weight off. I haven't gained a pound yet (Wahoo! ...Although it doesn't look it-- there is something about a third pregnancy that apparently makes your body say, "Oh, don't worry. I remember this," and then a big round baby pooch immediately attaches itself to your front.) and doc's orders say I should only gain 15 pounds total this pregnancy. Compared to my weight-gain during my other pregnancies, well... let' just say it should be a super fun time of patience and discipline! But I'm not worried. Bring it on, ice cream cravings! You've got nothing on me!

 I have been feeling so blessed despite all of the chaos that has surrounded our life of late, and I could not be more grateful for my husband, my children, our friends, family and neighbors, both old and new, for modern-day revelation and a benevolent God whose hand I see in my life whenever I open my eyes and look. I feel glad for the foundation I have that tells me that this life is not meant to be easy, but, rather, that we are all here to learn how to love and support each other and to lean on the Savior for comfort and forgiveness and help. I have so many blessings to count- including those of you who have been so encouraging and supportive to me and my family! Thank you! 

Gender polls and musings on whether this baby will look like me, K, or a weird-but-beautiful mix of the two of us (like our two existing tots) are forth-coming. Wahoo baby time!!