Baby #3 FAQ

Back by popular demand (not at all) is the Baby Patterson FAQ.  More so, I just feel like I have an anal tendency toward doing for the third one what I did for the first and the second.  It might make me go insane. For reference, or those of you who are really bored, here is Marin's FAQ and Emilie's FAQ. 

1. Q: When are you due?
A: August 13th

2. Q: Are you going to find out whether you are having a boy or a girl?
A: YES!  Can you believe it?  If it were only up to me, I'd wait to find out, but as you hopefully all know by now, it takes two to tango and my dancing partner wants to find out.  So I agreed.  And actually, now that I know we are going to find out ahead of time, I'm excited.  When people learned that we waited to find out with Marin and Emilie, they always said, "I don't know how you can stand to wait."  And I think that if you know that you aren't going to find out until they are born, you just don't have a choice, and it is easy.  But this time around, when I know that we are going to find out at 20 weeks, I can hardly stand the wait any longer.

I will say, if we were going to find out ahead of time on one, the third is it.  Because it will be nice to have everything prepared, and to be able to tell the girls what to expect.  But if Jason came to me tomorrow and said that he changed his mind and wanted to be surprised, I'd take him up on it in a heartbeat.  It is the world's greatest surprise. 

3. Q: Are the future grandparents so excited?
A: Yes, of course everyone is excited about a new baby.  But the third time around there is a little more hesitation from most people.  Like, "Wow.  Three kids under 4.  Okay.  You're doing that." 

4. Q: How are you feeling?
A: Two weeks ago I would have answered: "Horrid.  Absolutely dead to the world awful.  Pretty sure the baby hates me."  Although today I have almost a spring in my step.  I am nearing closer to 20 weeks which is glorydom.  Everything is perfect and beautiful.  You're not too big that you can't sleep but you're far enough along that you aren't sick anymore.  It's a good thing that it is impossible to conceive again at 20 weeks, because if it was, I'm convinced there would be a serious over population problem.  

5. Q: Where will you deliver?
A: Delnor, where Emilie was born.  I can get there with my eyes closed, and it is so close it almost wouldn't even be dangerous. 

6. Q: Have you begun thinking about names?
A: Of course.  We have some still on the list from my first pregnancy, and a few new as well.  If it's a girl, we're going to have a really hard time, because between Marin and Emilie we have had to agree on four female names, and if you're married to Jason, that is a feat.  Jason thinks like a 12 year old boy when it comes to names, so when I suggest one he automatically provides the most foul nickname ever and is convinced that she will be called that her entire life. And of course we'll keep the names a secret.  We can't give you everything.  ;)

7. Q: Do you think you will try to deliver naturally or have an epidural?
A: The epidural is my friend.  During my pregnancy with Emilie, my epidural actually came out in the night while I was asleep and long story short, I was 9 cm dilated with essentially no drugs.  I don't wish that on my worst enemy.  Natural childbirth is for superheros.  The epidural doesn't have a single chance of hurting the baby, and allows me to relax, which actually helps me dilate quicker, which makes me one step closer to holding that precious baby in my arms. 

8. Q: Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?
A: I think it would be fun to have a boy, because we obviously have two girls already, but I think it would be easier to have another girl.  We already have all the girl clothes and girl toys and the kids bathroom is purple.  I also think it would be really fun to have three girls, although the drama would be insane in high school, I think that in the long run it would be really fun in a crazy way.  But I also really want to decorate a boy nursery, and although Jason claims he wouldn't know what to do with a boy at this point, I think he'd really love to have a boy.  Plus, this is the last chance to carry on the Patterson name.  Mostly, I just want a healthy baby.  And we'll be overjoyed no matter what. 

9. Q: Do you have a feeling about the gender one way or the other?
A: No.  I can't imagine anything but a girl, because that's all I know, so if this is a boy, I will be shocked.  And because of that I think I am assuming it's a girl.  I have had two dreams that it is a boy, but I also dreamed it was a boy when I was pregnant with Emilie, so who knows. 

10. Q: Are you nervous?
A: No, but I am prepared for chaos after it has arrived.  Total and utter chaos. 

11. Q: What do Marin and Emilie think?
A: Marin is very excited to be a big, big sister, and has told Emilie she is going to teach everything there is to know about the job.  Emilie is mostly clueless, although when I ask her if we're going to have a baby she says, "No." and snuggles in to me saying, "Mommy."  I am trying my best to prepare her, and make sure she knows how exciting it is for her so she feels included.  I am always telling her that no one can make me love her any less.  We'll get there. 

12. Q: They say you go earlier in subsequent deliveries than in your first. Were Marin and Emilie born on time?
A: Marin was born four days early. Emilie was born five days late.  Hopefully that doesn't mean this baby will be born even later.  Last time, based on the number of people who supplied evidence, I was sure this theory was iron clad.  So I was pretty much ready on pins and needles from May first, on.  Emilie was born on May 14th.  That was a crazy waiting game.  I thought I'd go insane near the end.  My doctor did tell me that as long as I was at least 3 cm dilated by 38 weeks, he would induce me, but I'm a little leery of asking my body and the baby to do something they're not quite ready to do.  So we'll just have to wait and see.  I really want my doctor to deliver this baby (he also delivered Emilie) so I might cave, as long as he thinks the chance of c-section are zero.  So we'll have to wait and see. 

13. Q: How far apart will this baby be from Emilie?
A: Assuming I go full term, 27 months. Which is the exact same distance between Marin and Emilie.  And no, that wasn't planned. 

14. Q: You like a lot of family at the hospital when the baby is born.  Do you want it that way this time too? 
A: Yes.  Less were there when Emilie was born than when Marin was born, because of schedules and Jake was in a wedding, etc.  But I hope that this time there will be at least as many as were there when Emilie was born.  Molly and my mom and dad have no choice.  They are required for my sanity.  (fyi, if you're reading this. :)) We'll probably bribe Lindsay to watch the girls again, and I think most of Jake and Katy's friends are married by now.  I hope no one feels like they've been there and done that, because I just think it is the very best way to welcome a child into the world.

New questions for Tres...
15. Q: Do you have any weird cravings? 
A: Yes, I want everything ice cold.   Iceburg wedges, smoothies, ice cream, salads, iced tea. And I want the kind of french fries that you get at an old fashioned deli.  Nothing fancy about them, just salty and bad for you.

16. Q: Will you go for a fourth?  
A: No.  Absolutely no.  We're done.