Breaking News...

...the Melders are expecting Baby #4!!!!  After a summer of hiding it from everyone, we are finally breaking the news to everyone everywhere!  I'm 16 weeks along and feeling pretty well thus far.  It was the best first trimester of the four actually.  I'm not sure if that's because my body is more used to the exhaustion of motherhood at this point or if it's because summertime is so much fun that I was distracted by all that the boys and I have been up to, but either way it was a huge blessing that the first trimester passed and I had the stamina to do our usual routine and more.  I, of course, had the yucky feeling most of June and July, but it was way better than the nausea I had with Penn, so I'll take it!  At this point in the pregnancy, I'm feeling that it's my fourth and much of the discomfort I had with Penn's second and third trimester is already present and causing similar problems, but I'm daily praying for strength to carry this baby and keep up with the boys while also being wise enough to give myself a break when I need it!  I'd appreciate your prayers on these two points for the remainder of the pregnancy now that you know.  We are due February 9th!  Here's an ultrasound picture of baby #4 from week 11, July 25th.

Oh, and yes...we WILL find out this time.  Doug has always wanted us to find out in advance and I've always been a stickler, but this time he wasn't budging and I figured that it was time to cave and let him have what he wanted (you know, since he let me have another baby and all).  So, our next ultrasound appointment is in mid-September and we will be able to reveal the gender of the baby to you soon afterwards.  Stay tuned!

Now, I'm sure you are wondering how the boys feel about this news.  Well, we waited to tell them until 13 weeks when we could be in a safer zone of pregnancy and after we'd told my parents in person in NH.  We got to share the fun experience of telling the boys the news with my parents and I took a video of it.  Enjoy!!  I was relieved they were excited and positive about the news!

Over the past few weeks after the boys found out I've been making notes when they something pretty cute about the baby on the way.  Here's what I have so far...
Quotable Quotes from the Big Brothers:
"But you're not even big yet!?!" Koen on the night we told them at 13 weeks.
"I want it to be a boy because Tavin's my best friend, and Penn's my best friend, so I want another boy." Koen
"I want it to be a boy because girls just hang around and stuff." Tavin on the night we told them at 13 weeks.
"Mommy, when the baby is born, I know what we can name it...Penn Rye 2." Tavin
"Mommy, when you want to have a baby, is it something you have to try to make happen or does it just happen automatically?" Koen (yep, that's right...we had the talk after that one).

Praise the Lord for another baby Melder on the way.  Please keep us all in your prayers, especially for my strength and health and the baby's.  Thank you all!