good tidings

I thought it was about time to tell you of the growing belly I can no longer seem to keep under control. I am 18 weeks pregnant. According to the books the baby has graduated from several stages of fruit. Bigger now than a strawberry, a lemon, a kiwi, and a pear the baby has reached bell pepper proportions! We can hardly wrap our heads around it all. But needless to say we are bewilderedly thrilled. We heard the heart beat before we left on this road trip and when we get back we get to see our baby on ultrasound.

Most of our experience with pregnancy and birth stems from the farm. As I grow and as we talk about the birth we draw from what we've seen.  Meaning, I am often likened to a sow, a first-calf heifer, a ewe and most flatteringly a mama hen. While it never does the pregnant lady well to be likened to a pregnant pig, it is truly incredible for us to witness the phenomena of new life created here in my belly in our own home. As we joke, I am the most valuable animal on the farm right now.

The baby is due to come right smack in the middle of July. Which will make me very pregnant and then a new mother for most of the growing season. It's intimidating for the farm as a whole to deal with a 'man down'. This would leave Nick alone, on many days, to move cows, sheep and pigs, to milk, make yogurt, butter and cheese, to plant, cultivate, harvest and process the garden. My sister is planning to come stay with us for a good portion of this summer to be his second hand. The coming season won't be without its challenges but we really and truly cannot wait for it.