FAQ: This Pregnancy

• I'm due December 15 which is Brian's birthday.  I like to tease that for getting me pregnant he loses his birthday.  But secretly, I'm hoping the baby is born on my dad's birthday because then the baby's birthday will be 12.12.12.
• I keep calling this pregnancy a "planned surprise."  We have always planned on having four children.  That part does not overwhelm me.  The surprise part (and most overwhelming, if you ask me) is how close #3 and #4 came.  But ironically, people are more shocked that we are having four children as opposed to the fact that my youngest will only just turn nine-months-old this coming Monday.
• When I first found out I was pregnant, I was more emotional about having to be pregnant all over again.  Having another little one to care for in a few months will be challenging, but I wasn't upset about it.  Finding out I was pregnant was kind of like finishing a marathon and then, as soon as you cross the finish line, someone telling you that you needed to do it all over again.  I used to be someone who loved being pregnant.  I'm so over that.  Bring on the baby.  Get rid of this belly.
• I have been feeling much less nauseous this time around than I did with my other pregnancies.  But the fatigue.  Oh my, the fatigue!
• I know this is superficial, but right now one of the most challenging parts of this pregnancy is that I feel so self-conscience when I am out and about in public with Katherine in tow.  I feel like people are either saying to themselves (A) "Her baby is so young.  Is she already having another?!" or (B) "Her baby doesn't look like a newborn but that mom looks like she hasn't even come close to losing her baby weight yet."  I'm either crazy or lazy.
• Speaking of being crazy, I can't seem to get the song line "...and this is crazy!" out of my head from "Call Me Maybe" whenever I think about my pregnancy.
• After MUCH debate we will probably keep our baby's gender a surprise just like we did with our other three.  Part of me wanted to find out this time.  Brian and William are really, really, hoping for a boy and if it's a girl, well, I wanted to know now so that we can all fall in love with the idea of having three girls and a boy and be OK with that.  I left the decision up to Brian and in the end he decided he wanted to be surprised just like we were with the others.
• My midwife let me know right away that it was safe to keep on breastfeeding Katherine through my pregnancy.  But wow has it been hard!  CRAZY hard.  In fact, this topic will be a whole other post all on its own.  She's now only nursing once a day and that makes me super sad.  I'm giving in to the idea that I probably won't breastfeed her until her first birthday like I did with my other two.  I have a lot of guilt about this but I'm slowly letting it go.  She's such a healthy little thing and she doesn't even want to nurse so I know that all the guilt I have comes only from me.
• Let's talk vehicles.  A lot of people have asked us if we will keep our Highlander.  The short answer is yes.  We do have a third row in that car so technically we will all fit even though it will be a squeeze and it will be challenging to get everyone in and out.  We can afford a new vehicle but it seemed a little excess to me at this point when our Highlander has been nothing but reliable.  I'm sure my tune will change in a year or so but for now, it stays.
• Let's talk bedrooms.  We have three.  And the possibility of a fourth when we finish the basement in a few years.  I'm not going to buy a new crib.  I plan on keeping the new baby in our bed and in the Pack 'n' Play bassinette for the first four months and then hopefully transitioning Katherine out of her crib when she's eighteen months.  I haven't decided yet if I'm going to pair up the babies or move Katherine in with the big kids.  I've also thought about pairing up William and the new baby since he's a rockstar sleeper (he won't wake if the baby cries) and since he'll be in bed early and up early for school in the fall.  Any advice from others who have been in a similar situation?

I have a lot more topics to write about on the subject of this impending baby but hopefully this answers most of the questions you may have had.  Let me know if there's anything of interest you'd like to know about and I'll try to answer as honestly as I can.  Like, for example Q: Does having four kids under age six make you go insane? A: A little bit.