offspring update

[houseelf]

For those of you who are still with me here are the most recent developments in the Barnett family circus....

first, we finally told our four year old that we are going to have a new baby in the family. He was like, "o.k.", directed us to buy the baby its own toys, and then proceeded to ask if he could watch a video. Talk about anticlimatic! After months of reading and talking to people about the best way to present this momentous occasion, it was barely a blip on the screen. He did express a clear preference for a brother, however. "Umm, we'll see what we can do." I'm not going to make a big deal over this because whatever the gender, baby is here to stay.

We just enrolled him in a private montessori grammar school for the fall. I may ask to be induced because his start date is 2 days after my due date and I will be devastated if I miss his first day of school. We have truly agonized over the school issue for the last two years and finally settled on this one because it will provide the most continuity for our child who will have to deal with the cross country moves. He will go to the same school from preschool to the first or second grade with the same small group of students. Although we were thrilled that he was accepted, signing the contract felt like signing my life away. This makes a lot of decisions for us financially. It looks like we will keep driving the civics for awhile and will stay in the townhome. These childcare/school decisions are soooooo hard.

Finally, I still occasionally having a very small amount of bleeding at 18 weeks. Ultrasounds show a low lying placenta as the probable culprit. Does anyone have any advice/hope on this issue? Everything else seems to be o.k. But blood, no matter what amount, really freaks me out. I don't know what to think.

So, that's the 411 on our household, or my "blog" for today.

Kelly

[SuzySunshine]

Kelly, this all sounds very exciting. I work at a private nursery school that is hard to get into so I understand the anxiety there - congrats on getting him in, that is great!

That is too bad that he wasn't very excited about the baby, maybe when you're showing he'll be more interested. ?!?!

I will say good luck in the tourney to your Wildcats as long as they're not playing my Jayhawks!

Good luck with the pregnancy and the school!

[Phoebe]

Doesn't it feel good to make some solid decisions? I have heard good things about Montessori. We used to teach gymnastics at a local preschool in Cinti and they were by far our favorite kids to work with. Always enthusiastic and well-behaved. Cade will love it!

As far as telling Cade about the baby and his lack of response, maybe it really hasn't sunk in yet. He will probably react more when there is more tangible results, such as your belly growing and maybe seeing the baby on ultrasound. Avery is younger, but she didn't make much fuss until I was farther along in the pregnancy and showing more.

I haven't had that issue with the placenta, but I hope everything continues to go well. I am excited to find out what you are having. Will you ask to be told? Will you share?

Jennifer

[peggyfromwastate]

my sister went thru bleeding thruout her pregnancy, starting at about 17 weeks i believe. it really scared her, and unfortunately she received very poor care. they didn't even do an ultrasound, just told her that she was probably having a miscarriage and to go home and be as comfortable as possible. 8O anyway, she ended up having small amounts of bleeding here and there throughout the 9 months, along with teetering on the brink of eclampsia, but luckily she was fine and her baby is perfect (except that i haven't met her yet ). anyway, at least they know why the bleeding is happening and it sounds like it's not that concerning to your doc, so that's gotta be reassuring!

anyway, good luck and i will be keeping you in my thoughts!!!

[mommax3]

Hey Kelly,

Everything sounds like it is going well at your house.....I am glad to hear it! The word from DH is that a low-lying placenta at 17 weeks will most likely resolve on its own as your uterus grows and the placenta is pulled "up and out", as it were.

I had this with my second and it did indeed resolve.

Pull out the baby pictures (or make a little album separate from what you already have) and give Cade full access, and tell him some stories from when he was a baby during the next few months.

Sally

Re: offspring update

first, we finally told our four year old that we are going to have a new baby in the family. He was like, "o.k.", directed us to buy the baby its own toys, and then proceeded to ask if he could watch a video. Talk about anticlimatic! After months of reading and talking to people about the best way to present this momentous occasion, it was barely a blip on the screen.

Isn't it amazing that for all the hours and hours we spend thinking, reading, and consulting others about these sorts of things.....how the conversation goes off without a hitch? And much interest on their part. I guarantee, though, that as your belly grows, you talk about it more, get out the crib, etc, he will become more interested. The baby picture album is a great idea. It really helped Bryn prepare for big sisterhood and understand that she used to be a baby, too. And some of her questions and comments about that time are priceless. As was the expression on her face when we explained what the umbilical (sp?) cord was for.


Those school decisions are hard. Thanks for the update!

[SueC]

Glad things are going well for you guys Kelly!
I had a low-lying placenta with my first that resolved on its own. I didn't experience any bleeding--that can be freaky, but I guess at least they have a good explanation for it. I had to have a procedure done while pregnant that caused me to bleed for several days and even though I expected it to happen, it still was very unsettling. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the placenta moves up on its own soon!
Your son's reaction to the new baby is funny! Our girls initially were pretty unaffected by the news, too, but as I've gotten bigger and my due date has gotten closer they have definitely become more excited. We did break out the baby books like Sally suggested and it did kind of spark their enthusiasm.

[houseelf]

Thanks for all the positive feedback...so much is happening so quickly. I can't believe that I'm half way through with the pregnancy! 8O I'm cautiously optimistic that the placenta thing is just going to work itself out. I have been super cautious about not lifting anything and getting extra rest, just in case it is a serious condition.

We are really excited/nervous/anxious about all these changes. What does it say when our four year old is the least excited about all these things? Overall, we are very excited about his school choice and pray that we made the right decision. I tend to WAY overresearch and analyze these things. At some point I have to just go with my gut and quit overanalyzing everything. As an example, when I researched babysitters, I must have called 25 (!) places and I interviewed 7 (SEVEN!) different caretakers. If I'm truly honest, I feel somewhat guilty because my expectations of my caretaker is a little bit higher than I allow myself to get away with as a parent. Thank God she is a great caretaker.

As far as the school, we kept on coming back to this particular school because the teachers (actually they are called "guides" in montessori education) just exude love and joy about their children. They are the type that have the God-given gift to truly enjoy teaching young children. Other schools were great, but there was just always something about them. The Waldorf school was nice but there is a certain segment of educators that think it is a terrible way to educate young children. The Lutheran school was nice.... just "nice", but I didn't fall in love. In order to make me pay private school tuition in a state where the public schools are notoriously strong, I felt like I had to fall in love with the school. There is another private accredited montessori school close by, but it was in a super wealthy neighborhood and I felt like our family, and perhaps someday my son, would realize these socioeconomic differences made him somewhat of an outsider. In the end, we kept on coming back to this school.

Finally, we will find out what gender we are having next week. Most people are betting "boy" but hubby swears that it is a girl. I have dreamt that it is a boy but have a lot of wives' tales that suggest girl. So step right up and place your bets! We'll see who is the most psychic.

Kelly

[PrincessFiona]

I have dreamt that it is a boy

I've been thinking boy too...but that clinches it...I have had a dream in every single one of my pregnancies forecasting the sex...and every single time I was right. My husband thinks it's humbug, but 4 out of 4 are pretty good odds in my book.

Looks like I won't be getting Cade's hand-me-down's afterall 8)

(still secretly hoping for a girl for you though....I'll cross my fingers and toes on the day of your u/s....you know that will make all the difference, right? )


kris