Emerging from hibernation

I have finally emerged from hibernation with a promise of a legitimate excuse.  Promise!!

This is how we announced to our families a couple months ago

And then the puking started.  And I retreated into a pair of comfy pajamas and firmly planted my butt on the couch.  I didn't move for 2 months.  Seriously.

Folks, it was baaaaaad this time around.  I had such severe morning sickness I didn't think I would survive.  I was able to keep most of the food down, but not all.  And I had zero appetite so I wasn't really eating a whole lot.  With my other three pregnancies, I never puked.  I was able to eat and I was able to function minimally.  This pregnancy completely knocked me out.  It was so bad I even started to question my sanity in going through this again.  If Jason hadn't picked up all the pieces I dropped, we would have been in major trouble.  He cooked, cleaned and threw children out of the bathroom for me tirelessly.  I would say I owe him, but we both caused this so we just call it even :)

Then about 4 days ago, the black cloud strung above shoulders departed, the sun started shining, and since we're in warm Texas - the birds even started chirping again!!  I cooked 3 meals...in a ROW people!!!!  I hadn't cooked for 2 months.  I even had to call Jason to come home and slather peanut butter and jelly on a piece of bread for the kids.  

It took many weeks for me to isolate the biggest issue: dairy.  If I eat any dairy at all, it sends my body into revolt-mode.  I gave it up cold turkey about 2 weeks ago and started to feel instant relief.  Now I wonder if I had given it up earlier, if I would have been more functional??  Sugar is a major sickness trigger too.  But it doesn't whoop me like dairy does.

On to happier things: This baby (our fourth?!?!?!) will arrive sometime in late June!!  We are really excited and a little overwhelmed.  Four kids....  Three kids didn't scare me at all.  It was exciting.  I'm much more nervous this time around.  I just barely survived life with three littles!!  

My energy has returned.  My will to live has returned.  I'm almost nice to my family again.  Pregnancy is just not my best time.  But I'm excited to have our first little Texan Gale and I think the rest of the pregnancy will be a cake-walk compared to the last couple weeks.  

Fortunately for me, the kids proclaimed St. Nicholas Day "The BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!" so I'm off the hook for the next week :)