Technically my fourth pregnancy.  I know I haven’t written about anything in forever, much less the fact that we are expecting another little baby bundle in approximately 71 days, give or take a couple weeks.  So to recap, we found out on April 24, 2016 that I was pregnant again.  I was in definite disbelief, as I have been with the others, and elated, of course!  This one was definitely a bit more of a surprise because March and April were crazy months.  In March the boys and I went to Pennsylvania with my mom for a weekend to visit our Aunt Irene and then things at home just seemed a bit busy so trying to have another baby wasn’t exactly on the forefront, accompanied with the fact that I had run out of ovulation strips and didn’t feel like buying more for that cycle.  We actually talked about it and said we would continue to “try” that month but we weren’t too concerned because then we would have a Christmas baby.  Who got the last laugh there?!  Ha!  My due date is January 6, 2017 but I am somewhat expecting this baby to come at least a little early, based on when I had the boys.  I’m hoping for anywhere after 37 weeks and before 42 weeks of course.  Since I wasn’t exactly sure of when we conceived I did go to a center for an early pregnancy ultrasound and found I was 5 weeks and 6 days at that appointment.  It was of course wonderful to see the baby in the uterus and to see the heart flickering away.  I contacted Brenda about being our midwife again and got the process started with my prenatal labs.  This time around I am taking Baby & Me whole food vitamins, 365 brand Calcium and Magnesium 2:1 ratio, D3+K2, and Nordic Naturals prenatal DHA.  At this point in my pregnancy I am also drinking my NORA tea mostly daily, as well as have just started on some liquid chlorophyll to help boost my iron levels a bit.  I started enjoying crunching on ice a few weeks ago and knew something was up.  As well as I did my gestational diabetes testing with my glucometer for a few weeks and everything was good there.

We had our 20 week ultrasound back at the end of July and everything looked great from what they could tell, so we are praising God for that!  We are not finding out the gender again this time around, although for me I feel like it has been a bit more challenging not knowing.  Not because I want to plan anything but because Doug really wants a girl, and I would like a girl too, although of course we will be more than thrilled with whomever God adds to our family!  I am allowing myself to dream just a bit of having a little girl, while I still have the mystery of time before he or she arrives.  As for the boys, Ryne first said he wanted a “girl Benny”, then he said he wanted another “Benny”, and now he just doesn’t want another baby at all.  Benjamin of course “knows” there is a baby in my belly and he likes when he sees other babies but obviously he has NO real clue of what is to come!

This pregnancy as a whole has been pretty uneventful and smooth.  There are a few slight differences:

  • placenta is anterior rather than posterior like with both the boys.
  • a bit more hormonal type acne on my face here and there throughout the pregnancy
  • more fatigued in the first trimester, but I’m also chasing two little ones around this time
  • got my first gray hair a couple weeks ago…may not be pregnancy related, but still
  • less pubic symphysis discomfort, although there is still some present
  • and of course, NO cyst this time around!!  Praise God!
  • I did have a day where I woke up to a bit of red blood in the toilet around 8 weeks and then light brown spotting for a few days afterward, but everything is fine

The pregnancy really is going by a bit quick and despite not setting up a nursery or buying much of anything this time around, here is a list of things I thought of that I would like to accomplish before baby arrives:

  • make birth affirmations banner
  • complete hypnobabies and be consistent about listening to my tracks daily
  • order birth kit
  • order Rhogam shot
  • order vitamin K
  • strip cloth diapers
  • accomplish Benjamin’s birthday and Thanksgiving
  • get some newborn baby clothes out of the storage bins
  • clean and organize the laundry room
  • clean the boys’ and playroom closets
  • clean and organize our closet
  • purge stuff from the house in general
  • prep freezer meals

So here’s the standard update I will TRY my hardest to do each week until this little one is born!  Don’t hold me to that, though!! 🙂  I am praying with this little one that he or she will stay comfortable until at least December 16, which is 37 weeks exactly.  Of course a bit longer would be preferred, but NO earlier!  I’m doing all I can to stay healthy and encourage my body in the ways I know how!

How Far Along?  30 Weeks tomorrow, October 28, 2016!

Total Weight Gain?  Okay, so as similar with my previous pregnancies, I am putting on a good bit of weight, despite efforts to exercise and eat right.  I will admit my eating has probably been a bit worse this time throughout, but Doug and I both want to do all we can to be as healthy as possible these last weeks before baby arrives.  Up to this point I believe I have gained about 31 pounds.  This next line is a quote from my 27 week blog with Benjamin’s pregnancy: “Yes, I know, that sounds insane probably, considering that it is recommended for most women to gain 25-35 during their entire pregnancy and here I am at the end of my second trimester having already reached that mark…BUT I gained about 40 pounds with Ryne and started off both that pregnancy and this one underweight for my height.  The weight gain both pregnancies has been normal, steady, and perfectly fine for my body.” I told myself at the beginning of this pregnancy that I wanted to gain less weight and be healthier and more in shape, BUT with the scorching summer months keeping us from our daily walks most days and with the overall fatigue and busy-ness of having two little ones, it just hasn’t panned out the way I hoped.  That being said, I am still pretty active and have been going to the gym here and there to do some weights and swimming laps.  We are also doing our daily walks again most days with the cooler weather, and I am going on hikes with the boys weekly.  I need and want to cut out sugar again.  Am planning to do another sugar detox in November!  That honestly should help level out some of the weight gain as well.

Maternity Clothes? Of course I’ve been in maternity clothes since basically the beginning!  I dread the cold weather a bit, even though I want it to be here, because as with both other pregnancies, I do not like pants or waistbands pressing on my lower belly at all.  Probably because I carry my pregnant belly so low and I just can’t stand it.  So I got a couple pair of leggings that are comfortable enough for now, but I haven’t really been able to get comfortable in any jeans or other pants this time around.  I am mostly wearing a couple skirts I’ve got along with some dresses.

Stretch Marks? Another quote from my 27 week post from Benjamin’s pregnancy: “I got so many stretch marks with Ryne that I haven’t even been concerned this time around about going to the trouble to put anything on my belly to attempt to prevent or lessen them.  I’m not really a lotion kind of girl so this extra step is just silly for me.  I honestly don’t have a clue that I’ll even notice new stretch marks if and when they arrive.  It’s all good.”

Sleep?  Oh, glorious sleep.  How I truly, truly, truly miss you!!! My boys just aren’t wonderful sleepers.  I only have myself to blame.  We co-slept for so long because with nursing through the night until almost age 2 with both boys, it was just easier and we all got better sleep.  But now we are just trying to transition both of them to their room, which isn’t going bad at all, they just both still like to wake up and crawl into bed with us, and I usually am too lazy to get up in the middle of the night to put them back so we all just snuggle, which I love to do anyway.  That being said, Benjamin had a terrible night last night because he threw up several times through the night.  He is doing just fine and eating well today but I am BEAT from only a few hours of not the best sleep.  Moving forward the goal is that both boys are in their room all night so dad and I can get ample sleep before this new one arrives.  When I do sleep, I will say it is a bit uncomfortable, and has been.  My hips are starting to get achy after lying on one side for too long and my low back is a bit achy as well.  But when I CAN sleep, I do sleep and I sleep hard.  And it is wonderful.  I am counting down until naptime today so I can nap with the boys.

Best Moment This Week?  As with the previous pregnancies, I love feeling this little one move.  And he or she is pretty active.  The other week, the best moment was when Ryne went to feel my tummy with his hand and then he rested his chin on my belly and baby kicked him right in the chin!  It was so funny for all of us.  Although does this mean they’re already picking at each other?!

Miss Anything? What do I miss this time around?  First to quote my Benny pregnancy: “…don’t take this the wrong way, I am NOT a big drinker AT ALL, BUT with fall approaching and all of the fall stuff out in stores I will say I miss being able to take a taste of some Angry Orchard Hard Apple Cider or some of the seasonal Blue Moon brews that are out there.  Again, I wouldn’t be drinking much of them anyway, but it sure does make me want to put my football jersey on with a good pair of jeans and sit down with one to watch a ballgame with my hubby!  With the windows open and the fall breeze coming in…sigh…I just love fall!” I don’t really miss too much else, other than rolling over in bed and not being so tired constantly.  I do miss being able to pick Benjamin up in a baby carrier to wear him, especially on hikes!  He’s such a “big boy” though that he wants to walk most of the time anyway, but he does still need some help now and then, and he does NOT want to be wrapped on my back unfortunately!

Movement?  With the anterior placenta this time around, I don’t know if I’m feeling things more or differently or what.  I did start feeling this baby’s flutters around maybe 16-18 weeks, and I don’t recall feeling the others very well until after 20 weeks.

Food Cravings?  Currently, I am craving ICE.  And very specifically the kind of soft ice you find at Costco, Zaxby’s, some Chick-fil-a locations, hospitals, and Sonic.  And also sugar, because again, I need to do the detox and get it out of my life for a bit!

Queasy or Sick?  Nope, thankfully haven’t had any of this the entire time, just like with the other two pregnancies.  Hoping very much that it stays that way!!

Showing?  Silly question, yes.

Gender?  To be revealed upon baby’s birthday! 🙂

Labor Signs?  No, and I would like them to stay away for quite a while!

Belly Button In or Out?  That thing has been out since about 13 weeks!  I don’t know that I’ll ever have a true “innie” again after these pregnancies.  I don’t think it ever completely went back after Ryne.

Wedding Ring On or Off?  On…with Ryne I didn’t end up taking it off until the very very end…like the last week or two of that pregnancy, which again, for me was around weeks 35 and 36. 

Mood?  I’ve had my moments. Definitely feeling hormonal.

That is A TON for now so I’ll see ya later! 🙂