So it turns out, HD is no longer the only kiddo in this family associated with birds. Nope, he’s got a new little sibling to share that with, or at least he will, come November.

In a stroke of inspiration at 4:50 this morning, as I was unloading/loading the dishwasher and making jello (don’t ask), it occurred to me that I very much know the patronus of Baby No.5 and before the halfway mark which is actually super, super fitting, given what I am about to explain!

You all remember how our babies have acquired animal likenesses as wee  little things? Well, LT (and his kicky-kicky legs) was the only one previously to get a creature power from the womb, but this current babe has now joined those ranks because we have some serious patterns happening and they liken very much to this kids’ future symbolic representation on my arm (read: someday I will sport one heck of zoo tattoo – not actually zoo themed, just animals, folks – in honor of all these little Welschies), and yes, that is very much going to be a bird.

From just before I found out I was pregnant and then with consistency ever since, I have been seeing feathers around our yard. I’m not sure what’s going on with our neighborhood birds and why they seem more shed-y than in years past, but yes – feathers. All the time. This didn’t really connect in my brain as being related to the baby until this morning in the kitchen when I was ruminating on how blasted early I wake up Every. Single. Day. no matter how many or what kind of sleep remedy I attempt the night before, but now it all makes sense. This kid is clearly going to be an Early Bird and, well, you know – light bulbs and all that.

Side note: normally I don’t get up and clean the kitchen when I can’t sleep, although maybe I should because doing so sure seems a lot more productive than tossing and turning and hoping I fall back asleep before everyone else starts rumbling around the house. Pregnancy, I tell ya. For eight years, I have not needed a single moment of practice at being tired, and yet, this growing babes seem to think I am some sort of sleep deprivation experiment/newbie at the tired game. As if! (wow – maybe blogging in the 5:00 hour isn’t the best idea…)

Now. Will this early rising trend of mine/ours continue? Let’s be honest. I hope not. I’ll take my revelation and animal connection and call it good, if my hormones would agree/allow. I would like very much to sleep all night for as long as I can, because goodness knows I won’t be come winter.

Or perhaps this it the time of day (er, night?) when this kid will want to wake and eat, or better yet – will always, always sleep through, right?!

And as much as I’d probably love a little reprieve come mid-November, let’s hope that this littlest and last babe (you’ve all picked up on that at this point, yes? That Mama is real tired on multiple levels and will not be doing this again, no matter how much the children ask or how cute/sweet/sleepy this baby is??) doesn’t take me too literally on the early part. Anything within full-term safe reason? Sure, bring it on, kid. But otherwise, you just keep doing your thing in there, even if it means I’m a Mombie for the next 22 weeks.

P.S. This might be a 5 a.m. brain stretch, but I have been obsessed in the last couple months with bird calls. It seems like we’ve heard some unique ones from our yard and the kids and I are constantly craning (ha!) our necks to try to catch glimpses of the birds so we can then attempt identification via our lovely Prairie Loft gifted bird guide, but not much luck on that front. I think I need some sort of app instead so we can match song to singer.

Also, in case you are wanting gender prediction leanings – this all would very much point to us having a girl because I totally remember my mom’s mom being quite the birder back in the day. Just sayin’.