Getting a sibling

This blog didn't exist when Gaines was 17 weeks and hibernating. Oh how I wish it did. Unfortunately, I didn't take a friend's advice who told me to write everything down with Gaines' pregnancy. I remember exactly nothing. Hmmm...

We did wait to announce Gaines until 10 weeks (I believe to our families and later to friends). This time it was hard enough to wait for our first appointment at 8 weeks and 6 days. We found out the week of Christmas. I b.a.r.e.l.y. made it through the holidays. It was r.o.u.g.h. We really wanted to tell Gaines first, but we had to be prepared for him spilling the beans. So no secrets this time. We knew people would be asking his reaction, and I didn't want someone asking without him hearing it from us. Scott is a stickler for no news before confirmation from the Doctor. In the previous months, Gaines had been talking about wanting a sister. When we told him there was going to be a baby, he got it but didn't get it. Well, I will say he got it, but he didn't dwell on it. News and done. He was excited and asked all kinds of questions. We let him spread the news. 

I had actually already told my mom earlier that day because she was going to be MIA the rest of the night. After we told Gaines, we ran to Scott's house. Gaines got shy and wouldn't tell them. They were excited. We came home and I let Gaines send Mary and Richie a video with the news. He was cute. I didn't tell him one word of what to say. All this was in his own little mind. 

Scott and I have different opinions on how Gaines will handle this transition. I am a little more optimistic than he is. I know there will be adjustments and hard days. But I also think he is going to be really sweet with the baby. At first, he was adamant it was a boy (crazy because before we told him all he wanted was a sister). I thought I better start the preparation now. I kept telling him it might be a girl. He disagreed. I would call it a girl on purpose and he would correct me with boy. Finally, I told him we didn't get to pick. That only God picked if it would be a girl or boy. That settled that. He hasn't questioned it since. He is calling it a girl more than boy now. I might have to reverse my strategy! So whatever he refers to it as, I refer to the opposite. 

After we told our parents and siblings and about five other friends, we figured the news would spread on its own. And it did. Less work for us! Gaines went a while without mentioning it. I thought he would be proud to tell his friends and teachers. He kept saying he just didn't want to, but one day he would tell Ms. Sonny. So I let them handle that :) 

Then one day out of the blue, we were getting dressed for school and he asked about the baby. It really made me happy. He was concerned about it. Since then, at random times he has asked about it, or what it is doing, or can he listen to it. He makes the sweetest remarks. Then he also tells me he hears the baby tee-teeing and pooting. He also heard it talk! He has always had good ears :)

He is very inquisitive about how this baby will come out. I don't like giving him too many details that will worry him. So for now, the doctor will pull the baby out just like he pulled Gaines out. That has worked. So far. If I leave for awhile or when I came back from the doctor, he wants to know if I got the baby out yet. I keep telling him the baby has to grow really big. He and Scott had a conversation this week about my stomach! Gaines told me when I got back from my appointment that my tummy would get really big, but then it will get small again :) I hope Gaines. I hope!

He makes random comments like.... "The baby needs a bed. We don't have a bed for it." And he is fine when I tell him it will use his old one. He wants it in his room! "The baby needs blankets. We don't have any blankets for the baby." Oh boy, you have no idea what's in that attic! The baby's name is "pricklepants". I expected nothing different. He is obsessed with that word. He thinks its a 'bad word' so he loves saying it. Most people are really confused obviously! It is the porcupine from Toy Story. 

I have felt mostly awful until the last couple of weeks. I hope this is a turn around. My much needed nap times have subsided which makes me feel a little more normal. I have been paranoid this go round...I don't if its more so or just about different things. Just because this is the second doesn't mean I remember how everything is supposed to go! Its true with the second one you are concerned much less about the trivial stuff. I haven't even worried about finding out the sex. Everyone has asked with eagerness. My nurse said I had to wait until April. Well, I just took it for what it was. We have to wait anyways. This week she told me we actually had to schedule the ultrasound in 2 weeks because my April appointment would be too far along for measurement comparisons. You would think I would be excited. I was questioning her like this was a bad thing! March 25th will be THE day. And you guessed it....Gaines finds out first!