Our kids have been asking for another sibling for years and it’s finally happening! Baby #4 will be joining us this fall and we are all so excited for this addition! This time around, all the kids are old enough to be thoroughly interested in the process of growing a human and are constantly asking questions and are always proud to tell everyone what size of fruit the baby is each week (currently, a large cantaloupe). Witnessing the growth of a new human really is the ultimate home school project… especially when the baby arrives! Plus, they are all old enough now to actually be helpful with baby duties and household tasks which is awesome and sure beats trying to get through the newborn stage with a toilet training, temper tantruming, toddler tornado running around the house…
This boy is very excited to be promoted to Big Brother! VERY excited.
We are over half way through the pregnancy (and all the way through the nauseating first trimester! woo!). With this being my forth announcement, I cant help but notice an expected difference in people’s reactions. Here’s what I’ve observed:
1st baby announcement – Most people are excited! After baby is born they immediately ask when you’re having another because the first baby needs a sibling.
2nd baby announcement – Most people are so excited! 2 is the perfect number. They are even more excited to tell you that your hands will be full!
3rd baby announcement – Most people are shocked and think you are crazy. Your hands are already full, but.. it’s your circus and your monkeys so, congrats!
4th baby announcement – Most People are shocked but excited for you… Some people are shocked and ask you if you’re sure this is what you want. A Dr. friend even suggests that they perform a vasectomy right then and there for you. Most people think you must be crazy!
And I guess we are crazy. Crazy in love with our kids, the love they provide, the sense of purpose they give us and the bonds they build with each other. The sibling relationship is so unique and is one I have always valued. I am so excited to give my kids another human to have that incomparable, unbreakable bond with. I realise that it’s uncommon for families these days to have more than 2 kids, but it’s what feels right for our family and our lifestyle. Heck, if my grandparents stopped after 3 kids neither of my parents would be here (and neither would A LOT of other amazing people!)
First family portrait, by Zoey.
I’ve learned over the years through friends and family member’s immense sorrows that new life is a precious gift and I am so blessed to be able to bring these babies into to the world. We never take a pregnancy for granted and it’s always been the more the merrier for us. We have never made a decision on how many kids we would have or when, we let life guide us and so far, it’s worked in our favour.
One thing we ALWAYS do during pregnancy is find out the gender. It’s a personal choice and many people like to wait until the birth to find out. For me, in a time when you have countless appointments and are spending months being poked and prodded, it’s nice to have one fun appointment to look forward to and get excited about! Knowing the gender of the baby always makes me feel more connected to them and helps me to mentally and practically prepare. It’s also nice to be able to narrow down possible baby names.
One thing we NEVER do during is pregnancy is an elaborate gender reveal party… Ain’t nobody got time for that! So without further ado, we are excited to announce that baby #4…
IS A BOY!!!
