Pregnant Again!

Bet that title spiced up your RSS feeds this day.

Just when I thought I was running out of things to talk about in this place. I mean, how much can one read about my delightful and genius daughter? It's still very early, about six weeks. We've known since before Thanksgiving and our first ultrasound is on December 12th. I know we're supposed to wait to tell people, but I really couldn't bring myself to write about anything else. How could I?

So this time around, the PeePee Wand of Life Altering Delirium (pregnancy test) was handed to me by Alina. Her mom with the all-knowing grin in the background. She approached in what seemed to be in slow motion. I had a feeling it might be happening, but Katrina actually took the test without telling me. I was wondering why she had initiated that group hug. I mean, I didn't do the dishes or anything. Oddly enough, I was making fish and mushrooms that night. Two things that are now off her menu, of course. And, as a result, was one of the first things I uttered after looking at the little blue plus sign on said Wand. I smiled, said Ohmigod, and then asked why she let me make fish.

Was it planned? Not yet. The plan was to start trying again this summer. So, she or he is a little early. The downside here is that Katrina will be barfing through the holidays and in her third trimester in the summer. Ick. Katrina was born in late August and her mother regails us with tales of showering twice a day and being very hot. If everything goes smoothly, we're looking at a late July baby. And, just like last time, Katrina's symptoms started up about 36 hours later. With the first pregnancy, her morning (noon & evening) sickness lasted for the first 15 weeks. Now we make three dinners at night. Mine, Hers, and Little Hers.

Naturally, I'm excited and freaking out. Thus far, every parent who knows about the second baby has said the same thing: You just make it work, everyone does. Last time it was easy to save money, we had no daycare expenses. But we spend $1300 a month on daycare. Yes, really. Which brings me to the other reason why we were going to wait until the summer. By the time (or if) Katrina went back to work, Alina would be starting school and there wouldn't be two kids in daycare at once. So I guess the making it work part will have something to do with ditching traditional daycare and onto Au Pairs, Babysitters, etc. That's how my parents did it. That's why I can count to ten in Finnish.

I was walking by Alina's room last month, about a week before this news broke, and saw her there sitting on the carpet with her jammies on, reading a story. So cute and quiet, yet sad. I thought to myself, "She really needs a sibling." Be careful what you wish for, papa! But, she needs someone to chase around, have a pillow fight with, bunkbeds, etc. They'll be two-and-a-half years apart, about the same as my sister and I. So hopefully they'll be very close. I think Alina will make a great big sister. She already puts her toys to bed, rubs their head, and tells me Shhhhhhhhhh. It's a good start.

So keep your fingers crossed for our doctor's appointment next week - and don't even say the word Twins.