Baby on the Brain

It's really hard to comprehend that - six or seven months from now - we will walk into a restaurant and say, "Three and a high chair" or "Three and a car seat sling." The Bunch family will be a party of four. Trips to Mom and Dad's are, most likely, not going to include the dogs anymore (probably much to my father's relief).

It's 8:45 on Monday morning and I am sitting in my office. I have no less than ten framed pictures of our son scattered around my shelves and counters. One - my favorite portrait of him - is dead center in the back wall so it's the first thing you see when you enter my door.

I know it's cliche...the question all parents ask: "Will we love the next one as much as this one?" I think I can say that I already love this baby as much as I loved Benjamin (or the hope of the baby) when we were twelve weeks along with him.

That said, we do already have a child that we know, that we understand, that we love. I think I'm more worried now not that we will have enough love for both, but that Benjamin will feel overlooked. I know there will be adjustments, fights for attention, and quarrels that will last a lifetime, but I want Benjamin's last few months as our only child to be about him, because it will never be all about him again.

I know he's two and he'll never remember this and he has no idea what is happening, but I don't want him to one day look through his scrapbook and say, "Why was my third birthday party so simple...oh, wait, yes. That's when the new baby came..."

Is this train of thought abnormal? I hope not.

Do I need to talk to a professional? Probably, though likely about far more than this.

Do all expectant parents think this? I'm betting yes.

Does it just mean I care about my children more than I can possibly convey? I hope so.

Dreams of Fall

Needless to say we are sick of the heat. The forecast for later this week has our highs in the low 90's, which will be a welcome change, but still not enough. I want a high of 65. Clear skies or cloudy days make me no difference. Just fall.

This weekend I watched Last Chance Harvey on Encore, and I realized that London would be an incredibly beautiful place to visit in the fall. I went in late spring/early Summer, but I think if I ever go again I'll try it out in autumn.

Jenny and I are going to Chicago in mid November with another couple...just for a weekend getaway before the holidays and the third trimester and all of that. I am thinking of that trip often and wishing for cooler days which has prompted me to list my top ten favorite things about fall. And yes, I know it's not even Labor Day yet. But I can dream, can't I?

10. Party Mix (AKA Chex Mix)...though I typically like this more in the December - February months, it makes an appearance in my mother's kitchen somewhere around October.

9. Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. I don't drink it often. Maybe two to four times a month.

8. Seeing Benjamin in layered shirts and his little jeans.

7. Walks with Jenny and Benjamin outside and around town. Jenny's eyes have this extra little sparkle when there is a chill in the air. It's always been one of my favorite things about her.

6. Pumpkin bread. My recipe makes three loaves, so I usually give two away. You want to stay on my good list for this reason.

5. Being able to wash and clean out the cars without suffering from heat exhaustion.

4. Listening to Christmas music. I start around October 1.

3. Simplified wardrobe choices. Shorts when it's cool, jeans when it's cold, and almost every day a North Face pullover.

2. Pots of mums and piles of pumpkins on the porch and steps, and our fall decorations out in the house.

1. Razorback Football.

Being Pregnant.

We are.

8 weeks today. Due March 17, 2011. Ben will be 3 on March 12, 2011.

Saw the heartbeat. Heard the heartbeat. 165 bpm. Right on track.

Grow, little Jellybean, Grow!

Beach Pics 2010

We had a terrific time on vacation...we are blessed to have been able to go each Summer since Ben was born. We hope we can continue the tradition throughout his life.

I love the beach, but nowhere near to the extent that Jenny does. She's the happiest I've ever seen her when we are there. Maybe someday we can travel together to Italy and she can see MY favorite place on earth.

Here's our family pic for 2010. Thanks Aunt Bee Bee, for snapping this perfect shot, and Pippi, for acting like a complete fool to keep Benjamin smiling.

Carting water back and forth. He kept saying, "Build Sandcastles!!!" Then he kicked them over.

Gotta have the pic of baby kissing mommy...

And Daddy throwing baby in the air...

Another of Jenny's sewing projects...

Very, very interested in catching a seagull.

Clockwise from top: Size 8.5m, 9.5 T, 14m

So much has changed since Florida 2009. Can't wait to see how our lives change by vacation next summer.

And now...back to Packing!