The Third Gregory

In July of 2006, Evander and I went to visit Bubba in Guatemala. Evander's parents joined us for a week. Then, Evander and his parents left, but I stayed and my mother and aunt came to visit. The first week wasn't so bad, but I was exhausted. I put it off on the travel and the sleepless baby, but by the second week everything was changing. I would wake up starving, but when I met my mom for breakfast, it was all I could do to eat one croissant. Since I threw caution into the wind when eating in Guatemala, I assumed it must have been something I ate (even though it only happened EVERY SINGLE morning). Next, I began to smell the water. Yes...the water smelled horrible. I kept asking my mother "Do you think it's ok to bathe Bubba in this? It smells terrible!" She never smelled anything! Then, I became exhausted. My mom and aunt let me take a nap almost every day because I couldn't keep my eyes open. I decided I must be coming down with Mono, again.

Back at home, without a baby demanding my attention, I began to notice a pattern. I had every possible classic pregnancy symptom in the book, and my doctor confirmed that I was 5 weeks pregnant. I was certain that, if I ever got pregnant again, I would know. Well... I was wrong! I am now 15 weeks pregnant and have only known for one week. Looking back I think I can see some of the symptoms but I was just too busy to pay attention.

For two weeks of this pregnancy I was at the hospital with my dad. I now realize I was eating an awful lot of food, but oh well. I came home from those trips exhausted, but who wouldn't be? Then, Baby got sick, so I slept on her floor for 2 weeks, waking up every 3 hours to give her breathing treatments. Exhausted was an understatement. I also started gaining weight, but that had been my goal since before Christmas, so I thought all of my working out was starting to pay off. I had also been eating like crazy. I knew something was up, though, when 3 things happened.

First, I went to get the ground turkey out of the fridge and almost lost my lunch. The thought of touching raw turkey...I can't even continue the sentence. With Baby, it was pork. I couldn't even think about it or it would make me sick. Second, I smelled the dishwasher detergent INSIDE the dishwasher and the laundry detergent INSIDE the washer, all in the same day. Third, I woke up one morning with a pouch. I am not joking! I went to bed with a flat stomach and woke up with a speed bump. With that, I went for the pregnancy test.

I will now take a moment to answer many of the questions I have been asked:

• Yes, I will have to get a new car. Unless you would like to be responsible for suggesting that Bubba or Baby be the one to sit right next to the newborn.


• No, we are not moving. We will convert the office into a nursery and deal with it for at least another year. Bubba cannot handle having new sheets, much less a new baby and new house in one swoop.


• Yes, this was somewhat planned. Evander and I had been trying, but after my dad was so sick, we decided to hold off (but it was too late).


• Yes, the kids know. Yes, Bubba gets it. He tells everyone about the baby in my belly.


• Yes, we know things will be hectic and probably crazy, but that is how we like it. What would our house be without a little insanity every now and then?


• Yes, we are aware that our children are close in age. That is how we wanted it.


• I will find out at 20 weeks (5 wks from now) what the sex of the baby is. The perinatologist believes it is a girl (from the early ultrasound).