Instead, I'm exhausted in celebrating Jonah's half birthday, chasing Rachel through the grocery store and being pregnant way. About 200 more days of being pregnant.
I'm happy that I'm pregnant. I'm happy that my body works that the stars aligned. But I've spent most of the first trimester being angry, upset and anxious. I really thought I was ready. Those hormones on top of everything that happened with Sarah just brought me back to a bad place.
Turns out you can't outrun it. Trauma forever changes you, for better or worse.
I wanted to wait to tell the kids for as long as possible. Like maybe until I was waddling. I wanted to wait because I didn't want to hurt them. I never wanted them to live in a world where babies die. Where their sister dies. And how horrible would it be for that to happen more than once?
Except that's me. Those are my feelings. Not theirs.
So we told them, earlier this week. Jonah had this beautiful smile and Rach totally ignored us. It only took him a moment to process and ask if this baby would die too. Of course, we gave him the honest answer - that we hoped not and that most babies do live.
The next morning he lashed out, using hurtful words to express his fear. I should have expected it. But I didn't - at least not quite so soon.
How do you allow yourself to get attached, knowing your last baby died? How do you teach your kids to do what you fear most?
So this is what I'm working on.
I spoke with my dear friend Rebecca, who faced a similar dilemma, after being told her baby would likely not survive outside the womb. How do you go on, knowing that you may be disappointed and crushed the biggest way possible?
And she's so right. SO right. I don't regret loving Sarah. I don't regret the nights she kept me awake, kicking my bladder and making me eat midnight snacks. I don't regret the joy she brought to our family, or the big grin she put on my face while I was picking out matching sister dresses for her and Rachel. I don't regret it one bit.
I'm scared and exhausted, still. But I'm going to do it with love.
