Catching Up

My brain is beginning to throw off the pregnancy amnesia shackles as I make my way through the morning sickness phase (read: 24/7 constant nausea). It all seems so much worse than before. Is it because I am older? Is it because I am admittedly less over the moon about this pregnancy than my previous two? The answer I have come up with and am sticking with is this: I am just plain busier and have very little opportunity to just stop and surrender to this force. For pregnancy no. 1, I had no other children and was returning to college to work on a second degree. It was easy to catch naps and just be plain miserable for a few weeks. Ditto for pregnancy no. 2. I had one 3 year old and my mother and grandmother were temporarily living with us. Now I have 5 kids who are all being actively homeschooled, who all have classes two times a week, who want to meet their friends and play, who understandably just can't be as quiet and still as I would like. I have turned into grouchy mom and we are all marking off the days on the calendar until, knock on wood, this fatigue and and morning sickness make their exit. Despite my disposition, the kids are being troopers and really helping out with lots of chores around the house.
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A belated Happy Birthday to Mr. Laura who turned 7 last Friday! He had a very nice day with presents, lunch and a movie, and finished off with homemade peanut butter pie. He thoroughly enjoyed all of his presents which were keeping with his current interest of becoming a vet. We have read almost all of the books and played all of the games. The big hit was the Owl Puke kit he received. He has spent countless hours excavating the owl puke pellet for the bones of one unfortunate, yet tasty, little mouse. Thank you notes will be forthcoming albeit slowly.
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I thought I'd share the kids' reactions to the news of another sibling:

Miss Almanzo: Dead Silence. She was completely speechless, a first. I'm not sure if she didn't understand or if she is bothered by the news since she will no longer be the baby.

Mr. Laura: "How do you know you are going to have a baby? Who told you you could have a baby? When will it be here?"

Mary: Immediate jumping, dancing, clapping, and shouts of glee. If Mary has her way, I won't have to lift a finger as a mother of an infant. She has all ready planned out all of the baby's care. Every morning I am greeted with "I'm so excited. I just can't wait."

Mr. Garvey: "You're joking. I don't believe you. You said you were too old to have another baby." This was followed by jumping and dancing after he was convinced that it was true.

Mr. Edwards: Silent disbelief followed by "Really?" followed by "Really?" followed by the clencher "Really really?" followed by jumping and dancing.