"Thomas, What Are You Gonna Be?"

"A BIG BROTHER!!!"

Yep, its true! This is a game we play around our house a lot lately, as we are expecting Baby #2! Our families have known for quite some time and we have leaked the news to a few of our friends, but I am finally getting around to making the "public announcement." We are very excited about becoming a family of four! Baby Laidlaw is set to make his or her debut on or around April 22, 2009. I turned 16 weeks this past week, which puts me right around 4 months along. I am very happy to be past the first trimester and done with feeling nauseous and tired a lot of the time...although, I can't complain too much, as it wasn't too terribly bad and could definitely have been a lot worse! My pregnancy thus far has been very similar to my pregnancy with Thomas...the sickness was about the same, and my cravings have been very similar too...I'm all about hearty, meaty foods and cheese! (Statement from my last entry: "Chili is one of my big things right now." Same thing with Thomas!) I have lots of fun theorizing on what gender we will be having, but its a little torturous as well, because I have no intuitive feelings about it at all! With Thomas I was absolutely sure he was a boy from the very start...I always thought my first child would be a son. This time I'm on the complete flip-side...I am clueless! But my anticipation will soon come to an end, as our ultrasound is scheduled for December 2nd. I can hardly wait! I will admit that I'm hoping for a girl...whenever I go to any store and stray toward the baby section I drool over all things pink and girly! It would be great to even up the teams in our house. =) But, I will be 100% thrilled and happy if its another boy...I would love Thomas to have a little brother for a buddy, and I have certainly loved having a boy the first time around! And, like every mother says, really all I want is a healthy baby. Either way, I am just incredibly impatient to know for sure! Let's just hope this little one is not shy during the ultrasound. =)

Its been fun talking to Thomas about the baby. Whenever we play the "What are you gonna be?" game, he usually throws his arms in the air like he's celebrating a touchdown and shouts his answer! Sometimes he whispers it. Its so cute! We talk to him about a baby being in mommy's tummy, how the baby will come to live with us in the house, etc., but I'm not sure he completely grasps the idea yet. The shirt he's wearing in the pictures was part of the way we broke the news to Ryan. I put the shirt on Thomas and decided to wait however long it took for Ryan to notice what it said when he got home from work that day. I thought Ryan would notice it right away, but 5 minutes went by, he hadn't noticed, and I was so excited I didn't have any patience at all! So I clued him in, saying, "Do you notice anything different about Thomas?" After assessing whether Thomas had a new hair cut, he finally saw the shirt. He was thrilled! (Although, based on circumstances, he kind of already knew and suspected, so it wasn't a giant surprise for him. But it was still fun though!) We are both looking forward to being the mommy and daddy of another sweet little newborn!

I am planning on being better with the whole "baby bump photos" thing this time around, since realizing I have only one or two good photos of me pregnant with Thomas. I didn't think I would want photos of my ballooning self that first time around, but I totally regret it now! As soon as I enlist someone besides me to handle the camera and I get a decent pic, I will post it.

So here's to the countdown! April seems like a long time from now, but I know the months will fly by. Hopefully, if nothing else, those last hard months will! =) I can't wait to meet my new son or daughter!