Renee Emerson

Baby size? the size of a lemon!

Foods I am loving? Grapefruit, vegetable soup, and I’ve been craving chocolate like crazy but I’m cutting out desserts for the month to get back on track after the holidays

Foods I am hating? Nothing at all! I’ve not been the least bit sick the past couple weeks, and nothing sounds gross to me. This has really been helpful with cooking for the family—no chicken or beef aversions to work around with this pregnancy!

Best moment this week? I’ve been relishing life with two toddlers lately. I’m excited to have a third baby, but I know there are some things that we will give up for a good long while and some things that will change forever. I appreciate my eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, the girls’ consistent schedule, being able to go out with just a diaper and sippy thrown in my purse. Not worrying about tiny toys getting swallowed, not having to change more than one set of diapers (j. will not be out of diapers by 2—I’m not that skilled of a potty trainer). Having a little breathing room really, from constant dependency (though toddlers come with their own challenges).

Movement? The little flutters are getting more and more pronounced—I can’t wait for the girls to be able to rest their hands on my belly and feel the baby kick too!

Symptoms? Tired and a little achy sometimes (especially my back—I’ve got to stop carrying june around!)

What I miss? Drinking as much coffee as I very well please!

What I’m looking forward to? I’m looking forward to finding out the gender but not on pins-and-needles to know. I’m about 90% confident that we’re having a boy (and bryan is moreso!). but when we find out for sure (in about 6weeks), I can start working on the nursery and picking out little outfits, all that fun nesting stuff. I also feel much more connected to my baby when I know the gender—instead of picturing “Generic Baby” as part of our family, I can start thinking of a face, a name, how he will change our family dynamic. I’m hoping for a super-chill baby this time—j is a bit of a firecracker and z loves the drama!

Emotions: I’ve been a little nervous about the spring semester starting, since our schedule is fairly busy the next few months, but really being a little more busy has been a welcome break from brooding over the intense family drama of the past few months. With classes to teach and little girls (and a husband) to take care of and books to read and poems to write, I don’t have much time to dwell on sad things. and lately I’ve been working on “casting my cares upon Him”—and instead enjoying the good things I have and thinking the good things that are coming, the happy highlight of the year, adding a new little life to our family.