When I was pregnant with Haven I kept a weekly blog. It's so cute! Maiya also got her own blog, but with fewer entries. Probably because while she was no less amazing, pregnancy was less surprising and new. My pregnancy with Tristan got a few entries on the blog I already had (this one) and Baby #4 has had only a few references. So. This one is for me and him. Because in years to come, I'll be so glad it's here.

It is 5:00 AM and I'm awake because there are so many heartbeats in this house and one of them loves to wake me up at least once per night. Usually it's our cat. Tonight it was first Tristan and then our cat. After putting Tristan on the potty, in my bed, I fed the dang cat, put him outside and was then wide awake. So I lay in bed awake, pressed between two snoring dudes who both seemed to think the whole king size bed was for them, for an hour. I finally gave up and let Tristan and Dave enjoy their rest while I found something else to do.

Tonight Dave and I are going to a party which starts at 7:00 PM, which is exactly my typical wind down time. So this early wake up call might turn out to be even more of a bummer. But maybe I'll get a nap. I can't even type that with a straight face. I will not get a nap.

This pregnancy has been the easiest and the hardest. With every pregnancy I experience new weird things, all of which I decline to list. This time, however, it is the itchiest skin you ever did feel. I am covered in scratches. However, I have not had sciatic pain and I did not get that linea nigra (yes, I had to google that, no I'm not that technical - it is the dark line down the belly). I am generally uncomfortable and whining is my main mode of communication. As the doctor flatly told me: "everything has been stretched out multiple times, so it's going to be less comfortable. Stop getting pregnant if you don't want pregnancy symptoms." Okay, okay, he didn't say those exact words.

This pregnancy is similar to my pregnancy with Maiya because sitting for long stretches of the day is not an option. Energetic toddlers are not big fans of sitting mothers. This time around we have 2-year-old O with us (our precocious, I meant to say precious, foster daughter) and there is no slowing her down. She thinks it's hysterical when I call her and she runs in the opposite direction and the term "quiet hands" turns her hands manic. She loves to find the markers the older kids leave out and she can climb better than this guy:

So, I should probably thank her that I've only gained 30 pounds. Because the way I've been eating, I deserve a whole lot more. Fortunately she doles out a whole lot of energy and needs to refuel for 2 hours every afternoon, so I have a built-in rest time for myself and Tristan. We sit on the couch together. I read and like all of your posts on Facebook while he watches shows I would have NEVER let 3-year-old Haven watch (like Phineas and Ferb).

Another thing that has made this pregnancy easier is that I have help. I have three little servants who do whatever I ask them to without complaining and they do it impeccably. Okay. What, nobody believes me?! Okay, fine, they complain and make faces and do it halfway, but they are WAY more helpful than they were when I was pregnant with Tristan four years ago. For example, they vacuum and clean the bathrooms. Which is exactly why my bathrooms and floors are not clean an ideal way, but more of a theoretical way.

All of this to say that this pregnancy went real fast. Every time I complain that I have so much longer to go, a week or two fly by. The last time we had a sonogram the tech guessed that this is a big baby. Each of mine have been gradually bigger, so we'll see! More to come...