It all started about a month after our trip to NY. Mommy didn’t feel good, and would be a lazy bum and not get out of bed no matter what we tried. All she wanted to do was sleep. Then she started getting sick. She would be downstairs with JJ and me having breakfast, but she would only want to eat dry toast and water. One time when I asked her if she wanted some of my eggs (they were good and runny just like we like them), she bolted out of the kitchen with her hands over her mouth, I knew she was going to power puke. I asked her when she came back if she wanted me to call daddy for her. She said no, I didn’t need to do that. Well then what about Dr. Kerry? Dr. Kerry is actually Dr. Kerry Solometo. She has been mine and JJ’s doctors since before we were born. She was a friend of Daddy’s, before she became a doctor, when they were in the Peace Corps together. No, you don’t have to call Dr. Kerry either. I know what’s wrong with me, and I supposed since you are going to see me sick for a couple of months before I feel any better I had better let you in on your Daddy's’ and my little secret. A SECRET? Yes a secret, but you can’t let anybody know until we tell you that its ok to tell people ok? Ok Mommy, I promise….now what is it. Why don’t we go into the living room and I’ll tell you. Ok mommy. So we went into the living room and sat on the couch. I crawled into her lap and put my arms around her. No matter what it is mommy you can tell me, I can keep a secret really good. How would you like to have another baby in this house? FOR REAL? Yes for real. You remember how big my stomach got when we had JJ. Oh Yes, I said you were really big. Gee thanks. Well were going to have another baby. COOL, I said, but could you make it a girl baby instead of a boy baby this time, cause JJ really doesn’t like playing dolls that much, and a girl baby would. She said she would do her best, but not to count on it. I asked her when it was coming. It should be here around the 4th of July. YES….at least this one won’t share my birthday with me. I mean its ok to have one share my birthday, but 2? Now that’s pushing it a little too far.
Everything went fine from there on for a little while. For Halloween we all dressed up like each other. Mommy dressed like Daddy, Daddy dressed like Mommy, and JJ and I dressed like each other. It was fun. In November, Mommy had her first doctors’ appointment with Dr. Kerry, and I go to go along with her. She said everything looked fine, but she wanted to run some tests to make sure. Then I got to hear the baby’s heartbeat. That was SOOO COOL. I can remember laying my head there before mommy got pregnant and not hearing anything, and now I was hearing a heartbeat. How cool is that? Mommy scheduled the tests for December, and then we went out and got ice cream. That’s one thing that Daddy has to have plenty on hand now days, cause mommy can really eat up the ice cream. In fact she can out eat me in ice cream, and I eat a LOT of it.
For Thanksgiving we went to Maryland to Visit Papa, and he got his Christmas present a little early when mommy said that it was ok to tell papa our little secret. He was so happy that he started crying. Nothing usually phases my grandfather, but mommy sure knew how to do it. Mommy had her tests done about 2 weeks after we got back from Papa’s and called and talked to Mommy on the phone. Mommy didn’t look too happy about the phone call, but she asked Dr. Kerry to relay that last little bit of information to me. Hi Dr. KERRY. Hi Spoilsport. How are you? I’m fine, no coughs, no sneezes, no nothings. That’s good. Guess what I called to tell your mommy? What? How would you like to have a little brother again? Are you sure? Ooops…wait my mistake. You’re getting a little sister! I AM? Yep, you sure are! YEA!!! JL, mommy said. STOP dancing around the phone cord or you are going to trip and break a leg, and then you will have to go see Dr. Kerry. I stopped dancing around. I really like Dr. Kerry, but who wants to go see the doctor when they really don’t have too. Thank you Thank you! Don’t tell me thank you, thank your mommy and your daddy. Don’t worry I will. Now can I talk to your mother again? Sure. Dr. Kerry wants to talk to you mommy. After mommy got off the phone I hugged her as hard as I could. THANK YOU MOMMY for giving me a little sister. You’re welcome JL. But I could tell there was something wrong, She said that so quietly and she sounded like she was going to cry. What’s wrong mommy, you don’t sound too happy. It’s nothing, JL. Say why don’t you go into the kitchen and tell Regina the good news? I will mommy and set out to find Regina.
When Christmas came around, Regina, JJ and I surprised mommy by having the nursery done. It had all kinds of pastel hearts in it. I gave the baby a squishy teddy bear with a pink nose on it that I had named Baby Hart from Teddy Town USA. When we showed mommy the room, she just started crying again. What’s wrong mommy. Oh its nothing, its just that I am so happy. But I could tell that something else was bothering her, but I didn’t say anything to her. I just walked up to her and gave her and my baby sister a big hug.
