Symptoms: Fatigue, Nausea, and Increased Appetite (to some things)

Diagnosis: Preggers.

This news isn't broadcast-able yet, however, since I know I only have about three readers, I figured it was safe.

So yes, surprise! Surprise to me, surprise to you. Baby Bayly #3 is scheduled to arrive around February 15th, 2012 (which probably means February 22nd considering my last two were a week late).

If you know me and my obsessive-controlling personality, you would immediately know this was not exactly planned. As a teacher, I normally plan these things so I can deliver at the beginning of summer when I have paid time off. So, it wasn't planned, but I think this is the beginning of a new me. The "me" that is starting to realize you cannot plan or control everything. People plan. God laughs. And hey, it's a baby. A true blessing.

The good news is that we were definitely on board for another baby...we were just talking about waiting another year or two. But, in Greg's reacting words, "So we're having a baby now. Cool."

Another surprise in this pregnancy was that when I found out, I was already eight weeks along. So I went an entire month not knowing I was pregnant. And not because I don't pay attention to things.....my last period turned out to not be a period. Apparently it was "implantation bleeding." In hindsight, it now makes sense why it was so short and light and seven days before I expected it! Anyway, I will spare the rest of the details.

We just told the Grandparents a few days ago and have not told any friends just yet. I am eleven weeks along and just started feeling better. Haven't been sick in the past two days, so I think the worst is behind me. I will probably tell a few friends after next week's doctor's appointment. We had an ultrasound at nine weeks and the baby looked great and had a strong heartbeat. I just want to hear that beat one more time next week before I tell anyone else. I am pretty sure my 'best friend' is going to be a little annoyed since I am in her wedding on September 10th. Oh well, hopefully she'll get over it. She did clearly warn me that she didn't want any pregnant bridesmaids, so we'll see. If she's mad, I'll tell her to go suck an egg.

Now we are in the process of deciding between another twin bed or bunk beds for the girls' room. A four bedroom house would be really cool right about now, but doesn't look like it's going to happen any time in the near future, so we will just have to rough it. The girls will have to share a room. They know that is going to happen, however, they do not know why yet. I figure it would be easiest to tell them when I have a more prominent bump.

So there you have it. I love being pregnant and I am fairly certain this is the last round for us, so I hope it goes really slow. Now, the only thing I really need to work on is reversing a promise I made to Greg. I told him if we have a third baby, he can use his beloved girl name if it's a girl (which is probably is). I told him this a long time before I ever got pregnant and I really don't want this particular name, so I need to work on a strategy to change this possible girl name. I have 29 weeks. Wish me luck. (And no, I'm not revealing the name- haha).

Love, love, love.

Love and Basketball

I am pleased to share that I am now playing women's basketball again. I have looked for women's leagues around here in the past and was unsuccessful. Finally, I noticed a posting for a new women's pick up league in the Downingtown Rec. Spring flyer. I signed up right away. The first night, I was so nervous. The first person that walked into the gym after me turned out to be a girl I roomed with back at Keystone Invitational Camp back in 1995. We remained friends after that summer for another year, but then once college started, we lost touch. It was so fun to catch up with her. And so very random! I didn't know anyone else there, but after a few weeks, I already feel like we are all teammates. The first week kicked my ass. I was so tired...we played full-court for two straight hours--no subs. I could barely walk the next day. You'd thing I'd be in decent shape since I just ran a 10 mile race----nope....totally different kind of running!

Anywayyyy....I honestly feel like a little part of my youth has been restored. Out of all the millions of activities I had the opportunity to engage in as an adolescent, basketball was the one constant. I loved it to the core. I practiced with intensity and passion and I never missed a practice or a game. I thought about it day and night. I think the reason I love it so much is because when I am playing, I think about nothing, but that. I have to focus on it so much that I can't stop and worry about grading papers or if my kids are getting enough vegetables. It just kind of takes me away from any other worry or stress. And it's healthy!! I was about to say that a few nice glasses of wine suffice at times too, but at least with basketball, I am burning calories and competing.

I just feel different now that I am playing again. Maybe "playing" is the key word here? The motto of United Sports Training Center where Greg works is "Never Stop Playing." I totally get that now!

I am fully aware that my 'playing' may be severely limited once my kids are old enough to start activites of their own. Brielle starts ballet in the fall and I can only imagine what the future holds beyond that!

Oh and, I have also learned that playing basketball is like riding a bike because well....I STILL GOT IT! Ha!

Happy Birthday Cami!

Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet baby girl, Camryn!!! She is full of smiles and happiness today. She totally gets that it is her day and she's just so overjoyed! The things she is happiest about are the balloons and the cake. Any time the cake is mentioned, all she says is, "and and and and a fork!" That means she wants to make sure we give her a fork to eat her cake when she gets it! Brielle is being very good about Camryn getting a lot of attention today. If Cam gets too much, she'll say, "No, it's Hoppy Birthday Baaaaaa." She calls Brielle "Baa" so I think she feels bad after awhile and wants her sister to share in the joy. The love between those two girls is seriously awesome.

Their swingset arrives tomorrow and we have someone coming out to install it early next week! That is their big gift from the Grandparents! (All of them)!

Refreshed!

Greg and I finally had our much needed Boston getaway! We dropped the girls off the Bayly Grandparents in NJ and continued North to Boston. We could not have asked for better weather or a better time. We walked around the city, ate a lot, drank a lot and hung out with some random people. Well, I guess I should not refer to my own brother as random. We were actually there to watch him run the marathon. Everything else we did was just random. The day of the marathon was a blast because it's always a challenge to navigate through an unfamiliar city trying to gauge my brother's location based on his pace. We had to use public transportation and the city was crazy due to Patriot's Day. We ended up catching him at the 20 mile mark in Newton and then again at the 25 mile mark downtown. We did the same thing a couple years ago one of the times he ran the NYC marathon. It was just fun running from place to place, getting on packed subway trains, etc. It was actually a lot of work to just see Michael run past me for three seconds at a time, but it was worth it to cheer him on. He kept a 6:30 mile pace and finished in 2 hours and 50 minutes. Not bad, eh?

Apart from that one major activity, we just did whatever we felt like doing and it was just fun. Once in awhile, when life is really crazy, I try to figure out what in the world Greg and I did together before having kids. I mean, there were six years? We actually talk about this sometimes.....what on earth did we do? Well, I really don't even have much to say about what we did those two days in Boston, but I know I enjoyed every last minute of it. Granted, on the ride home we were both craving hugs and kisses from our babies, but what a blessing to have grandparents near us so we can do little things like that! Not to mention, I can guarantee I was a much better Mommy after that little break!

My baby is almost two!

She cleans up nice, huh? I am obsessed with this dress! I wish it came in adult sizes! Camryn, though a very 'tough' girl, really LOVES dresses. Before we got a child proof lock on her walk-in closet, she was climbing out of her crib, going into her closet, closing the door behind her and pulling down dresses and attempting to put them on! It's kind of ironic because in other instances, she is so rough and tough! At any rate, this (big) little girl turns two years old on May 19th, 2011. She is so kissable.

Bulbs in Bloom!

Here are the bulbs that Brielle and I planted back in the fall! The tulips were on their final days, but the daffodils just bloomed this week! I love them!!

Parenting Policy Altered

We have been forced into the crib-to-toddler-bed transition way sooner than I would have liked. Camryn started agressively climbing out of her crib over the past month and while I hoped it was a phase, it persisted and we finally decided it was time for the transition. She is nearly two years old, but we were planning to keep her in the crib until age three. As much as she enjoyed climbing out, she didn't want us to take it away either. Whenever we tried to get her excited about a "big girl bed," she would say, "no, baby," which means "I am not a big girl, I'm a baby and I want my crib." So today's nap was her first time in her new bed (well, it's actually our neighbor's old toddler bed, but it's new to her). We had to change the door knob around so we could lock her in the room, otherwise, she would just come right out. After about 45 minutes of waiting for her to fall asleep, she finally started banging on the door screaming, "MOMMMEEEEEEEEE." I asked Greg if he thought maybe I should go sit with her and he said he absolutely thought it would be a bad idea. (And normally I totally agree because Camryn thinks it's party time whenever there are people around her). Then he went outside to fertalize the lawn and I decided to go in there and ask her if she wanted me to stay with her. She said "uh-huh." (The only way she says 'yes'). So I laid on the floor next to her tiny bed and told her to go to sleep. She lifted her head about three times to make sure I was still there, then she passed out. This was a big deal for a couple reasons. One, it's pretty much against my parenting policy to stay in the room with my kids when they go to sleep. I never rocked them to sleep (after three months of age) and never laid with them until they fell asleep. I need my kids to be self-sufficient when it comes to sleeping because I work from home and do not have time to sit with them until they fall asleep. The number two reason this was a big deal was because I SO ENJOYED watching my baby fall asleep. Once she was asleep, I had a hard time leaving the room. I just wanted to sit there and watch her sleep. I honestly think I could watch her all day. Cam is a tough kid. She's still such a baby, but she's a big, BIG girl and she has always made it her mission to keep up with her big sister. Watching her sleep is just a peaceful reminder that even though she is the wildest, craziest baby I know, she is really still such a baby. A sweet little baby. As much as I enjoyed it, I certainly can't afford for it to become her sleep-routine, but hey, it's okay once in awhile!! My baby girl was uneasy about her new bed and she needed some comfort from her Mommy! I just love being Mommy.