Okay, I hate secrets. So it’s time to spill the beans about where I’ve been lately. (Or maybe you haven’t even noticed?? There have been plenty of contributor posts, whom I adore—–it’s just me who’s been around a little less the past few months.)
Some of you may remember me mentioning several times in the fall that I was unable to share as many Halloween costumes as I wanted to because I was so sick during October. I was so bummed about that. Well, the truth is I’ve had a mystery illness that has had me feeling pretty awful from September all the way to December.
The doctor’s have been pretty baffled by it too……but finally, after many different appointments and then finally doing a scan, they were able to find the problem.
They found a growth in my abdomen.
Crazy, right? There’s a tiny safety pin lodged in my abdomen. ;)
Ha. Yep, the Johnston clan is growing by one more member…..wow! These 4 kids now have to clean out a drawer or two to squeeze in one more little pal into this house!
And what are we having??? Well, even though it’s hard to tell……this is the ultra sound pic that supposedly shows that ——-> IT’S A BOY!!!! (Our ultra sound tech was no fun…..and hardly gave us any good pics. But that’s okay, I can feel him in there kicking around , so I know it’s actually a baby……and not just a safety pin! Ha.)
A few stats:
Truth is, we weren’t necessarily planning on having any more kiddos. But you know, sometimes plans change a little bit. And now that it’s sinking in that we’re about to become a PARTY OF SEVEN (gasp!)…Steve and I are thrilled!
What do the kids think about this family of ours, growing by a whole other little body?? Well, let’s hear from them.
Ellie (age 10): “I’m bummed it’s not a girl because girls are way more fun to dress. Are you sure it’s not a girl?!?! But I’m excited to have another baby to play with. Do you think he’ll like me most?”
Connor (age 8): “I think it’s awesome! I’ll have 2 brothers and 2 sisters! I’m going to feed it mashed up food, like I did with Oliver. And now I get to share a room with Oliver…and that’s exciting because at night I get lonely. Oh, and are you sure there aren’t 2 babies in your belly?”
Chloe (age 5): “Babies are the cutest in the world! I want to feed the baby like my dollies and dress it up. When he cries, I’m going to give him his binky. And if that doesn’t work, I’m giving him to you. When he has a poopy diaper, I’m going to give him to Ellie. I still wish it was a girl though.”
Oliver (age 2 1/2): He’s clueless. Ha. (And when I tell him there’s a baby in my belly, he tries to lift my shirt….but can never find this “baby” we’re talking about. He probably thinks we’re a bunch of loonies, trying to convince him there’s some baby under my shirt, because clearly, there’s not. I think he figures his Mommy just ate too much over the holidays! ;) )
However, I caught him doing a bit of research this morning, trying to learn all he could about his new promotion we keep telling him about!
I always worry about my youngest the most, with each pregnancy. It must be such a shock to suddenly not be the baby anymore. But this kid has such an independent (and feisty) little soul, so I think he’ll adapt just fine! As long as the baby doesn’t even *THINK* about touching his balls. Or cars. Or his favorite blanky/stuffed pig (named “Bacon”) that he sleeps with at night. Haha! Oh Oliver, I can’t even believe you will be 3 this summer! Holy smokes! (P.S. Now, will you kindly sit down and get your shoes off my fabric ottoman?!! Yeah, thanks bud!)
And now we will officially be one of those “big” families. At least it feels that way. 4 kids seemed like quite a few kids….but 5 seems like a TON! Haha! ;) But I really do love these babies of mine more than anything else in this whole big beautiful world! Being a mom challenges me, pains me, excites me, thrills me, frightens me, exhausts me…….but there’s nothing else that fulfills me as much as being a mother does. I do have other hobbies that I squeeze into my life (ahem, this blog!) and I regularly have to find time to do other things that stretch my brain and abilities, other than mothering. And I know every woman is very, very different…and that’s a beautiful thing, but for me there’s something in my soul that is drawn to motherhood and raising children sent straight from heaven.
So yes, even though we never specifically planned on having 5 children (and yes, we know how children are made ;) )…..I’m excited for the added joys that having another child adds to a home. So hang in there with me as I adjust a bit with juggling this pregnancy and then a new baby boy! But don’t worry, I can’t help but still love what I do here on this blog…so I’m not going anywhere! Blogging is one of those things that stretches me in a different way and is also good for my soul. Plus, it has introduced me to so many friendships and opportunities that I couldn’t have done otherwise. So if you’re one of the few who actually made it to the very end of this post (hi mom!), thank you! And if you’re someone who has been reading for years (and years!)…..thanks for hanging out with me and my family while I share (and sometimes overshare) the projects I’m making, updates on our family, and a whole lot of babble that sometimes comes from my my brain and out my fingertips. I adore the support here and can’t tell you enough times how much I love this space on the web. And now, before my pregnancy hormones take over more than they already have…..I better sign off!
Now please, go and enjoy your day!
Ashley
P.S. I have a really fun sewing project that I will post either tomorrow or the next day. But it’s all ready to go….and begging to be shared!
Hi, I’m Ashley—the DIY-enthusiast behind this crazy blog!
