20 Weeks Pregnant

I’m halfway through my pregnancy now and I’m quite happy about that!  I do have some mixed feelings as we are planning to be done with 3 kids.  I’m mostly very excited to be done and to be moving on from the baby stage after this year.  I do have a couple of friends who are convinced we’re going to have 4 kids for some reason, but that would take a miracle.  It would take us changing our minds or God giving us a surprise, both of which would be a miracle, which I also know is possible.  We are planning to permanently close that door, though.  It makes me a tiny bit sad that all of the baby’s firsts will also be lasts in our house, like the last time seeing the first tooth and the last time learning to walk, etc.  I’m mostly very content, though.  I don’t think that the “perfect family” has to have an even number of kids.  I grew up with just me + my sister and always wanted another sibling and Jared was an only child, so we’re having as many kids as both of our families combined.  We also thought it would be neat to be done having kids at the age that 3 out of 4 of our parents started having kids.  My Mom was 27 + my Dad was 26 when I was born.  Jared’s Dad was 26 + his Mom was 24 when he was born.  Jared will still be 26 and I will still be 27 in August.  I’m also really looking forward to turning 30, not because of the number, but because we will be at the end or nearing the end of diapers!  I feel VERY busy with our 2 kids, so I’m praying that 3 kids won’t be total chaos for me, at least some of the time! 

I am planning to keep teaching piano starting in October + I’m also thinking of joining 2 friends and their kids for home pre-schooling with Kiera, so I’m praying and praying for a content baby who will be a good sleeper, too.  Sending Kiera to preschool isn’t an option for our budget, as it is pricey, and I’ve been praying about this little home pre-school group and really feeling like that is what I would love to do and I think Kiera would really enjoy it, too.  It depends how this baby is and whether or not I could find a baby-sitter or if I could bring all 3 of them and Blake would just play and the baby would be fairly quiet or just sleep (in a perfect scenario).  Right now we just have to wait and see.  For the record, I do not plan on homeschooling our kids and Kiera will be going to Kindergarten next year!  So, I will have one year with 3 kids at home full-time and then things will change.  The thought of having 3 kids 3 and under makes me go, “Yikes!” but then 2 1/2 months later, Kiera will turn 4. 

I am having my ultrasound next week, which will probably be my very last baby ultrasound!  We are not finding out the gender.  We never have before and I just LOVE being surprised! 

Here are pictures at 18.5 weeks + 19 weeks

This one was taken by my Mom-in-law last week