A (Hopefully Not SO Big) Announcement

Hey Ya'll,

I know it's been forever since I posted, but I've had something on my mind, and I didn't want to spill the beans early. 

Oh heck, let's just be honest:  I'm technologically challenged, I'm lucky if I check my email more than once every three days, and I didn't have much to post, other than, "The kids are STILL tracked out, and I'm really really ready for them to go back to school.  Does this make me a bad mother?"

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that we're going to be having #5 at the end of July sometime.  My official due date is July 24th (Pioneer Day!!), but I'm saying that it's the 31st, just because all the other kids have been late, and I don't want to set myself up for disappointment.

So I'm 14 weeks along, and starting my 2nd trimester.  Woo Hoo!!  Although I have to say that this has been my easiest pregnancy so far.  Hardly any nausea, comparatively, some migraines, but not much after week 8 or 9, and I haven't even been that exhausted.  Of course, it could be that it's like my other earlier pregnancies, but I honestly don't remember how they were anymore.  Or maybe it's just SOOOOO much better than my last one, that this is practically a walk in the park. 

Last time I was horribly sick and just so tired, plus migraines practically every other day, until after my 15th week.  Poor Benny, I hope I don't give him a complex when he gets older, but his really was just an incredibly difficult pregnancy, plus he had colic (the kind that makes you think your baby is broken until they're 3 or 4 months old), PLUS, I had serious post-partum depression that required Zoloft to get out of.  It's a good thing that he's so fun and cute.  Especially because he's probably the most stubborn of my kids, too.  Yup, it's a darn good thing that he's so cute

I'm hoping for a girl, but we'll be happy with whichever, of course.  Jeff and I even have our names picked out.  If it it is a girl, she's going to be "Alyssa Rose" (Jeff's mom's middle name is Rose) and if it's a boy, we like "Andrew Porter" (Porter is an old family name on Jeff's side as well).

The reason for the post title is that I'm really really REALLY going to try to not gain the 65 + pounds that I have almost all the other pregnancies.  My "A-ha!" moment came when I realized that when you're pregnant you ONLY need 300 more calories, which is roughly the equivalent of a hard boiled egg, a small glass of chocolate milk, and one piece of whole wheat toast, no butter.  That's it!!  So I'm sticking with the Weightwatchers program (maintaining, not losing) so that I will track what I'm eating, and be motivated to exercise every day, but then just add those couple of things.  I didn't gain any weight until week 13, so I'm hoping that I can actually stick to those "25-35 lbs" of weight gain that all the pregnancy books tell you to aim for.  Here's hoping (and praying)!

Anyway, I'll keep you posted.   :o)