I’ve been not writing about this for a couple weeks. Finally being able to talk about it makes me so happy! Most of you know I grew up with in a house with one sister. Julie and I are nearly three years apart. Mom asked me one time, “I wonder when Julie and Kevin will have a baby?” I said, “When Charlotte is three.” Mom said, “Why do you say that?” I said, “Because she does everything three years after me.” Mom laughed at my silly generalities.

Before the 4th of July holiday, Julie called me to say she and my brother-in-law were coming to see us in our new house. I said to Greyson, “I was thinking they were going to tell us they’re pregnant, but Julie sounded too perky. She didn’t sound tired enough to be pregnant.” Little did I know, Julie is better at hiding first trimester fatigue and indeed came to announce their big news!

Julie is due January 16. She reminded me these little cousins will be in the same grade in school and just 2 1/2 months apart in age. So fun! I can’t wait to meet my niece or nephew!

As happy as I am, as happy as I am for Julie and Kevin, I’m most happy for Charlotte. Siblings make us who we are and cousins are part of what makes childhood fun.

I confessed my anglophila back when I sipped coffee at 5:00am from my souvenir mug to watch William and Catherine become man and wife. It came up again when I found out she was pregnant. I took it upon myself to write her a letter. I haven’t heard back from the palace.

I’m sure the tweets of an American mommy don’t mean much to a Royal mummy but, I vehemently defended Kate online today. I had the live stream of the door of that hospital up on my computer today.  Seriously. I got anxious for Kate. If the whole world was tweeting about my cervix, I would have a f-ing breakdown. I mean, when I heard some “Royal obstetrics expert” on ABC News predict how many centimeters she was dilated and what that meant for her labor (excuse me, labour) I almost turned it off. When she said “It gives a new definition to the term ‘crowing’ Ha ha ha ha!” I was truly disgusted.

I am so happy for them. Healthy babies, rock! I genuinely thought it was a girl. Which goes to show you how good I am at gender prediction. Okay, I need to run. I’m sending my husband to buy a gilded easel to announce this baby’s birth. Every kid deserves that type of pageantry upon their arrival, but maybe without all the cervix tweets.

Also, someone pointed out to me on Facebook tonight that the royal baby is the same weight as the Baby Jesus that Ricky Bobby prayed to in Talladega Nights. That is awesome, and you can’t unhear that comparison.  You’re welcome. Here’s hoping the Prince of Cambridge never has a binding endorsement with Powerade.

Infer what you will from this comparison. Thoughts?

The second pregnancy has been different.  I feel physically the same most of the time, but the major thing that has made this pregnancy different is our approach to it.  The best example of this is a decision we made preconception.

We’re not finding out the sex of the baby until it’s born.  

Reaction to this is has been twofold.  Some people are like, “What?!  What do you mean you’re not going to find out?!  How will you know how to decorate, shop, plan and generally gestate if you don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy!?”  Others are like, “That is so awesome! It’s such a shame how people find out ahead of time.  The surprise is the best part! It’s the way God intended it to be.”

There was no real reason behind it.  We just wanted to be different this time around.  Why not?  We don’t need to buy anything.  We have everything.  Seriously.  Our infant car seat, bouncy seat, swing, Pack ‘N Play, high chair etc. are all in gender neutral colors.  My husband said it best when he said, “Even if the chair was pink, my son would be man enough to sit in that pink chair because I remember how much it cost and we’re not buying another one.”  We have plenty of yellow and green newborn clothes our son could wear as hand-me-downs from his sister.  I’m sure the news that it is a boy would inspire someone to buy a blue little something to bring him home in, knowing we have quite a few pink onesies around here.  I’m not too worried about that.

If it’s another girl I want to bring her home from the hospital in the same outfit I brought Charlotte home in and then frame it.  It will be the treasured outfit I brought my girls home wearing.

Nov. 4, 2010, the day we brought her home in this adorably foofy outfit I thought would fit my tiny baby.

Will it be hard not to ask when that black and white image comes up on the screen?  Yes.  It will be tempting to find out, but we won’t.  We’re excited either way.  This new little person will round out our family no matter what.