Some decisions in life are super easy right? We want something, we get it, or do it, and there’s often no second thought to how that will map your life out for the rest of it, or the next day, or over a short period of time. Other decisions weigh on your mind like NO OTHER. We have had that kind of decision and choice to make since having Lauren.

So without further adieu…. this is what Lauren has to say

Yes, you read that correctly. Baby Birch No 2 is coming Sept 2018. How do I feel about it? Here’s some questions and answers that you might be curious about..

Was this by accident? ERM….NO!! I don’t make life altering decisions by accident. Ever. This was very much planned. And wanted. And then I got sick and well… it was too late by then hahah!!

Will it have Cystic Fibrosis? We don’t actually know and won’t until after it’s born. There’s 25% chance it will, 50% chance it will just be a carrier of the faulty gene like Jonnie and I, and 25% it will be clear of the faulty gene completely. So 75% chance no CF. That’s pretty good odds. We all know the former can happen though as it did with our precious Lauren.

Are we worried it will have CF? It’s kind of a mute question; I worry about EVERYTHING to do with Lauren. This will be no different and no one understands the implications more than Jonnie and I. Trust us-we don’t go into this lightly.

When and why did we make the decision? Last year I was due to be steralised. Booked in and everything. The very day of my op Jonnie didn’t feel good about it enough that we fell out. Since this wasn’t just my decision, we cancelled the op and we began talking about why. I still had no intention at all of having more children but the decision to stop that ever happening had to be joint or what’s the point of our partnership. I’m not maternal. I don’t love babies (other people’s). I have to really love the parents like family, to actually be interested. And I do love some precious little ones that aren’t my own-genuinely. But the new baby passing me in the shops etc-I don’t even look. Honestly I don’t. I’ve no interest. With Lauren it was 100% different and I hope the same of the new baby. But this was a huge decision and not one that I would have made without the influence of my Heavenly Father who through gentle promptings and comfort that it will be OK, let me know this was the right decision. It took a decade to make this decision. A DECADE.

So-what if it does have CF? I’ll be totally clear on this matter- It may well have CF. There are no better 2 parents in the world to care for, be advocates for, love and push and protect a child with this condition than my husband and partner Jonathan, and I. We are pretty awesome

If you find yourself judging because of some small unkind thoughts enter your head ‘I think they’re crazy’, ‘that’s not fair on Lauren’, ‘they’ll be dangerous to each other’, ‘what kind of life will that be’; just unfriend me right now. I judge myself on all those negative thoughts that pop in my head from time to time. I certainly don’t need you to. If it has CF then we are experts. Lauren will be protected just like she is now. So will the new member of the family. Lauren will LOVE being a sister and finally having someone to love her just for her instead of being bored of her company, leaving her out, never inviting her anywhere etc etc SHE will have someone to be there, love and play with and protect in her own way. Her best friend 🙂 There is no better gift to her than this new child. You have no idea.

Would we abort? HELL NO! It’s not something I believe in at all. There are a few instances I understand it, but this is not something WE would EVER consider. Look at how Lauren has impacted lives around her? Imagine if we’d been pressured to abort her and we didn’t think or know any differently?! The thought is inconceivable. Just no. All in or all out. That’s how we feel about this, no backsies if it doesn’t go right!

How did Lauren react? When we sat on the bed and told her, we asked her where the baby was and she pointed straight to my tummy. She knows. She knew before we told her. She already loves it and keeps smiling and pointing to my belly. She’s going to love this child quite possibly more than anyone else. That’s just who she is. She emulates what love is and just keeps on spreading it everywhere she goes.

Who wouldn’t want another one of these…

How’s the pregnancy? Marginally better than when I had Lauren but I have vomitted a LOT!!!! haha!! I flippin hate being pregnant. I’m figuring out what food taste just as good on the way up as they did on the way down….ewww??? Yeah-that’s my life right now!! I’ll hate Losing my figure and getting fatty bits and cellulite like never before. I can’t wait for it to be over already and I’m only 11 weeks in hahaha!! I can’t eat anything I like and keep it down. My skin is awful. My back kills. What a magical time (que-VOMIT!).

It’s the right time. Lauren will be starting school finally-soon. In other news funding has been approved and this should happen within weeks now!!

I have no responsibilities that can’t be done with a little one in tow. Doterra business is good and will continue to be. There was no better time-even when we had Lauren! Although I wish I was slightly younger as 36 feels far too old for ME to be having a baby. I should probably get better at making decisions quickly!!

It’s scary-I’ve not had a lot of time to be excited because of all the worry and all of the sickness so it’s still a bit surreal. I’ve literally thought about all the bad things so much-I just need to focus on the actual pregnancy and trying to be well. I can’t control what happens later on. We’ll deal with it when the time comes. Whatever way the genes fall, we’ll be OK. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but Jonnie and I make a pretty formidable team! It will be no different if new challenges come our way with this. There may be heart ache-but we just get on with things and we’ll be OK. And there’s a huge chance that we will have a healthy baby with no issues. For now- We’re happy about this and hope our friends and family can be happy with us (or remove themselves!) because this is happening now with no going back!

WHEN?? Due Sept 18th 2018. Gulp!

I had a scan for something else this past week and the sonographer let me see the baby and the heart beating and gave me a picture. There’s a little Birch inside me!!! I felt quite excited!

The birch3- soon to be Birch4 xxxx