A New Adventure

The kids sent out this special Easter card to the grandparents.

Apparently, it wasn't direct enough as the majority of the grandparents failed to get the underlying message. We thought the ultrasound picture was a pretty big hint, but I suppose not ;). 

In any case, these kiddos are pretty excited because they are going to have another sibling around here and I sure do have the belly to prove it.

This is at 20 weeks. 

I know, it looks tiny, but this was only 20 weeks. AND it is definitely the biggest I have been at 20 weeks (and that tummy is definitely bigger now with still more time to grow). Everything has definitely happened a lot quicker with this pregnancy, including the hip and rib widening (which has happened in the final month of my last two pregnancies and happened in the 2nd month this time around!). It's felt a little strange for my body to make the changes so quickly and it has made for more aches than I would like.

In any case, we are all just happy to have another baby on the way. I feel like I have gone through a large breadth of emotions about it. When I first found out we were pregnant, I laughed (we've been waiting a while for this little one - I think the laughter was a mix of disbelief, relief and, most importantly, joy). Then I cried - happy tears. Then I had a slight panic as I realized that we didn't keep any baby things.

And there has been the stress of trying to navigate the healthcare system here which has fuelled some serious longing to birth in The Netherlands again. But, after lots of prayers and some serious effort, we were blessed to secure a midwife for the birth which has been a great fit. There has also been the amplified feelings of how difficult it has been for us to make new friends here.

But I think all those emotions have really caused me to dig deep and push myself to grow, in the literal and figurative sense. And to really see what matters most in the grand scheme of things.

It has also helped me focus on this family of ours. I know there will be some adjustments to having a new baby around, but I also know that there is such genuine love already growing in our family for this little baby of ours.

 As you can see, the kids are already proud and loving big siblings. They are so eager to learn what the baby is up to in my tummy and to get to meet the little one. They've been counting down since the ultrasound. And in the days leading up to the ultrasound, Milayla was counting down how many days until she would get to see the baby on the screen. I wish I had thought to take a picture of the kids at the ultrasound appointment - Milayla waved to the baby and Atticus grinned from ear to ear as Jason sat there soaking it all in.

It all made me think of this picture that is in one of the books that the kids got for Easter.

It's going to be a wonderful adventure, this new baby of ours. And we're all pretty excited for this new journey that we're on. And me, well, I am just soaking in all those little baby kicks and doing all I can to be the best mother that I can be for all three of these wonderful kiddos. And I am really starting to crave those newborn cuddles!