2 more weeks

My doctor asked if I'd like to schedule an induction for Aug 24th. I'm due Aug 30th. I had told myself prior to this that I wanted to go into labor on my own. I did that with the girls and things went smoother and were less painful than with Jake's induced birth. However; I immediately answered "YES!" Now I know when I can finally meet this baby, and that I can be home for Grace's first day of kindergarten. I also feel like Chad and I know that these will be the last 2 weeks I will ever be pregnant again...ever. It's exciting but also bittersweet. It took us nearly 4 years of trying and the help of fertility for Grace to arrive. We had been married for 9 years and the bonus was that we traveled and built a home together. When Grace arrived we felt complete.

Kate arrived about 3 years later, with a little fertility help, and I felt so blessed to have 2 healthy girls and to have had the experience of being pregnant and seeing what a little Chad/Angie would be like. Then Jake surprised us just a few months later. I was able to tell Chad on April 1st, 2009. This was a shock for Chad, but I was so happy. After 12 years of marriage we finally conceived on our own. The fact that Jake was a boy was the icing on the cake. When he arrived 2 days after Kate turned 1, I realized our lives were completely changed and the chaos began. My body had also changed. I welcomed back fat, varicose veins, ingrown toenails, stretch marks, sagging everything. I was worn out and tired... and very happy.

The decision to brave pregnancy again was less of a decision and more of a gamble. A gamble I felt was a safe bet. We thought 3 kids was perfect. It had been a year since Jake arrived and we were starting to think how nice a future would be without diapers, interrupted sleep, veggie baby food, spit up. I was thinking how nice it would be to lose those last 10 pounds and start enjoying bike rides, tennis, hiking, dare I say free time. Then our answer came on January 1st in the form of a positive pregnancy test. Wow. Our plan to just see what happens in the next year hadn't even started. Every Mom has her own story. I never thought mine would include being pregnant 3 out of the last 4 years. I'm excited to start the next chapter but appreciate the journey.

Hope my next labor goes as well as the others. My last two were each 6-7 hours long once I arrived at the hospital. Most importantly I hope she's healthy. We are trying to decide on a name. The top choices are Leah, Claire, or Faith.