Five Little Pumpkins

Fall is here. And with fall comes the changing of leaves, cooler temps, pumpkin-flavored goodies, over-the-top dweeblicious Halloween decorations and…the favorite fall song my kiddos love to sing, ‘Five Little Pumpkins.’ It goes something like this:

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, "Oh my it's getting late."
The second one said, "There are witches in the air." 
The third one said, "But we don't care" 
The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run." 
The fifth one said, "We are ready for some fun!" 
Then OOOOhhh OOOOhhh went the wind
And out went the lights
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight...

This fall, the song has taken on a whole new meaning for my kiddos, knowing that come April or May 2015, our family will officially be a five-pumpkin family.

Count the pumpkins--one, two, three, four, FIVE

 Do you get it yet? Or do you need more of a visual? This should help:

Whoa, there, Nelly...check out that Belly! This was 13 weeks.

THERE’S A PUMPKIN IN THE OVEN! 

WE'RE HAVING A BABY! 

Our newest addition has an approximate due date of April 29th, my stepdad's birthday, my dear former colleague's birthday, Kate and Will's wedding anniversary and the Feast Day of my confirmation saint, Saint Catherine of Siena. All good Signs from God, doncha think? 

Mr. Goetz and I are beyond thrilled to add to the family, which is something we have been wanting to do for quite some time, yet timing wasn’t so much on our side. What makes us think timing is on our side now, what with moving into a new home, our kids acclimating to a new school, me figuring out a new job (that’s  a newly created position, no less), and Jack commuting back and forth from Bloomington to Ann Arbor until a few short days ago, all while I’m in my first trimester? What can we say. When the Goetz Family does change, well, we do it up GOOD! We know one speed and it’s full throttle.

All of us have transitioned into our new home, school/work environments and roles quite well—including the kiddos digesting the role of big sibling. At this point, Joe’s a pro, but P…welp, at first she wasn’t so sure, but she’s comin’ around. Check out the video when we broke the news. Notice the contrast between Joe’s squeal and P’s ‘Oh poo, I’m now the middle child’ look on her face. Since then, Pili has taken several cues from her brother, who is constantly kissing and rubbing my belly and showering the babe, who has been given the nickname ‘Popcorn Pumpkin’ (or ‘Pumpkin Popcorn’ some days), with ‘I love yous.’

Of course, now that it’s official that we’ve got a pumpkin on the way, Joe and P felt the need to advertise this through our pumpkin display on the front porch (the kiddo equivalent of making the news ‘Facebook official’--see another video here)…

Makin' it official. Steph: "We need to add another pumpkin to the collection on our porch!" Joe: "We will find the smallest and sweetest one." (The baby is the tiny white one.)

…and also through our pumpkin display at the kitchen table.

The new kitchen table centerpiece. One night as we were setting the table, Joe said, "WAIT, Mommy, I have to go and get another pumpkin to put on the table for the baby!" 

The kids continue to amaze me with the questions they come up with and the things they say. They’re covering practical questions, such as:

"Does the baby have any clothes on right now?" (Joseph) 

"Can the baby talk now?" (Pilar) 

And they’re coming up with little quips and tidbits that show me they’re wise beyond their little years and/or make me smile. Cases in point: 

"Pili, it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, it only matters that it comes!" (Joseph) 

(At bedtime one night, saying prayers) "I want to pray for my binky, and my baby brother or sister. Those are the most important things." (Pilar)

"Can the baby talk yet?"

"Mommy, I'm learning to spell things. Soon I'll be able to read. When the baby comes home from the hospital, I can read to it like you did to me!" (Joseph) 

Steph to Joe, at the mall: "Aw, see that little girl over there, Joe? She's cute. I wonder if Pumpkin Popcorn will be a boy or a girl. And I wonder if she'll be a little girl if she'll have a lot of hair." Joe, in response, "She'll be cute no matter what." 

And then they just say things that make me laugh out loud:

"Do you think Mamaw knows if Popcorn Pumpkin is a boy or a girl? Maybe it was Mamaw who put Popcorn Pumpkin in your belly!" (Joseph) Pilar, in response, "Maybe it was a GHOST who put the baby in your belly!" (We'll have that discussion later...)

"Maybe it was a GHOST!? Or Elsa??"

"Mommy, does the baby come out of your bumsy?" asked Pili. Joe responded, "No, Pili, the baby comes out of Mommy's vagina. It just falls out!" (We're trying to teach the correct names for their anatomical parts.) As you can imagine, this exchange prompted Jack and I to have a little conversation with them about how each of their births were (Joe's was a bit rougher, P's, she did kind of just fall out). So, a few days later, Joe says, "I hope the baby comes out like I did!" (I shuddered and immediately crossed my legs.) Pili says, "No, I hope the baby comes out like me!" (I silently nodded, but really don't give a hoot about how the baby comes out as long as he/she is healthy.) A few seconds later, Joe, who is learning his sounds asked very bluntly, "Does vagina have a 'J' in it?" (J is his favorite letter.) But before I could answer, he corrected himself and said, "No, it's a 'G' like 'George.'" They crack me up. 

14 weeks and feelin' good...and, yes, blessed!

Jack and I love watching these little people we are so lucky to call our kids finding their ways in their new school, with new friends, and on their new journey as siblings to a third Goetz babe, our Popcorn Pumpkin. Jack and I also know what a miracle having a little one is, so we are sure to remind ourselves how lucky and blessed we are every day (in the midst of meltdowns, tantrums, pants-wetting, and the other little obstacles we confront on this rollercoaster ride known as parenting). And now that we’ve been reunited for good in A2, we’re reminded that, while we could soldier through the months apart, we are simply better together. That’s how we were meant to be.

So much better when we're together...

Despite literally being 10 pounds heavier with Pumpkin Popcorn baking in the oven, I’ve not felt this light in a long time: so much less stress in my job—and life in general—and so much more enjoyment of the small (and big, for that matter!) things. God knew what He was doing when He encouraged us to wait to expand our family; I’m glad we listened to His whispers. He knew that move-in week was evidently the perfect time to give us a housewarming gift, er, uh, pumpkin.

Sometimes I think to myself there’s just one thing more I could want—and that’s for Mamaw and Pawpaw to know this little nipper growin’ in my belly. Looking back on all the pics of them with my two kiddos, the only great-grandkids they had, I see how happy Joe and P made them. The few times I’ve gotten sad or down thinking about them not knowing this little one, I quickly remember that they already do. They know already if Pumpkin Popcorn is a girl or a boy, if he or she will have light or dark hair, blue or brown eyes. That brings great joy to my heart. As I’ve said before, they’re my awesome angel tag team in Heaven and I know they’re looking out for us. I sure do miss them.

So that’s the news from the Goetz Fam this fall. In a nutshell: Life is good. We are blessed. Blessed beyond blessed.

Happy Halloween, suckas! 

Happy Fall, Happy Birthday to me (my best yet!) and Happy Halloween from the five pumpkin family! We're over the moon about the direction our new camino is taking. 

P.S. Oh, and I’m SO glad Will and Kate consulted with Jack and me about when to add to their family! I’m sure Kate and I will enjoy trading belly selfies (belfies?) back and forth over text.