Baby Minnie: 37 Weeks!

This baby girl will be here before we know it.  In two weeks we will have a kindergartner, and 4 year old, and Hudson will be adding "Big Brother" to his list of accomplishments.  Unbelievable! I can't wait to snuggle this baby girl!

• How far along: 37 weeks
• Size of baby: 20 inches and 6 and a half pounds?
• Total weight gain/loss: I gained 2 pounds this week, so I'm up a total of 4 pounds from my first appointment.  The midwife today told me that it seemed appropriate and that she was very happy with my weight gain (or lack there of).  Measuring right at 37 weeks!
• Cravings: Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers.  Chocolate Frosty's.  Firehouse Subs, so I got one for lunch.  Ice cream cones, so I picked some up at Wal Mart.  I think I figured out where the weight gain is coming from!  But I also reeeeally wanted apples, so I got some of those, too!
• Maternity clothes: Yes.
• Gender: Girl!
• Movement: She moves a lot!  Sometimes I would swear that she's low, but today the midwife said that she's really high!
• What I miss: Still just sleep. Maybe sushi?
• Sleep: Not happening.  I can't get comfortable, and when I finally do it's temporary, or I end up needing to get up to go to the bathroom!  I think I'm getting about 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night.
• Symptoms: Hip pain. I'm tired. Since she's high it gets difficult to breathe.  And I kind of feel like I've lost control of my balance.  I prefer not to carry Hudson right now.
• Best Moment this week:  Kisses on the belly from the big kids.  We got to hear her precious little heart beat at the doctor's appointment today.  I am a centimeter dilated, but no one seems worried that my body will spontaneously decide to go into labor on it's own this time.  She also is really responding to the sound of Brian's voice.  She kicks like crazy when she hears him.  And she has had the hiccups a lot, too.  Reese actually kept her hand on my stomach for 5 minutes yesterday while she had a little fit.
• What I am looking forward to: We get another ultrasound next week at our pre-op appointment.  No one seems exceptionally worried about it being my 4th C Section, they just want to check my scar tissue one more time before the surgery.  The appointment is also with my favorite doctor, so that will be fun.  I'm also hoping that maybe getting another peek at her will help us settle on a name - because she STILL doesn't have one!

Baby Minnie: 36 Weeks

 36 weeks, and really, I'll be 37 on Thursday!  I made the countdown rings for the kids like I did with Hudson so that they would have a grasp on how much longer it will be before she's here!  I think it will be an easy transition for Wyatt and Reese, but Hudson is going to have some problems.  He doesn't like to let me out of his sight, and I know he isn't going to be super laid back about me sitting on the couch feeding his sister!  The big kids and I have had talks about patience and how important it is that they tell me that they need water or a toy or something before I sit down to feed her.  I'm trying to get every one ready.  Much like my body is apparently trying to prepare me - I'm up at 3AM writing a blog post because I can't sleep!

• How far along: 36 weeks.
• Size of baby: 20 inches and 6 pounds-ish?
• Total weight gain/loss: Still only up two pounds!
• Cravings: Ice cream, and then Brian took us out for some :).  Baked potatoes.  Broccoli.  Fortunately Smart Ones makes a quick lunch that kind of covers those two cravings.  So that's what I have most days :).
• Maternity clothes: Yes.
• Gender: Girl!
• Movement: All the time.  She is literally on the move all day, every day.  I like it though :).  It's most likely my last chance to enjoy this!
• What I miss: Sleep.  If it's not incredible hip pain (which currently has me awake at 3AM), then there is a little boy who sneaks to my room in the middle of the night and takes up my space! Or I wake up to use the bathroom and my mind starts racing.
• Sleep: Midnight to 6:30 or 7 every day.  I just can't get comfortable and then I'm up every hour to go to the bathroom. I haven't been able to squeeze in a nap lately, but I'm hoping I can after my doctor's appointment today.  I also can't fall asleep without playing a puzzle game on my phone.  I think I'm an addict.
• Symptoms: Hip pain. I'm tired. Contractions. And honestly, I've developed an irrational fear that I'm not going to make it to my scheduled C section.
• Best Moment this week: 
• I feel like things are finally getting done!
  
• Name choices are narrowed down.  We spent a good hour talking about them the other night.  I think we're both willing to compromise - but she doesn't actually have a name! 
• I bought her car seat on Thursday.
• Brian moved Reese's armoire to our room on Friday night.  Her sweet little clothes are now hung up and waiting for her!
• The beginnings of our hospital bags are packed.
• I have found and washed boppies, baby carriers are ready - her things are coming together!
• What I am looking forward to: Settling on a name for our baby!  Meeting her!  Getting the big kids ready for school to start after Labor Day.  We have a lot of things ready, and my mom is taking them each on a little back to school shopping trip, so we should be set after that :).  Open House is in two weeks, and school starts for Wyatt on the 4th!  I can't believe he's going to be in Kindergarten!  Wyatt's t-ball season will start with practices next week, so that's adding just a little more to my plate (we're still trying to decide about Reese, and whether they'll be playing soccer this fall).  I also REALLY want to get some freezer meals ready for us to have after the baby comes -  I guess I just have to see how productive I can be in three weeks!  Ha!

Baby Minnie: 32 Weeks!

This pregnancy is flying by!  I really can't believe that we're getting so close to holding our sweet baby girl!

Here are some pictures of "us" this week!

• How far along: 32 weeks!
• Size of baby: She's about 19 inches long and at our ultrasound on Friday she was 4 pounds, 1 ounce!  We have never gotten an ultrasound this late in a pregnancy, but it was a really fun thing to experience this time.  I had to have my placenta checked to see where it was in relation to my C section scar, and the doctors also wanted to have a fetal weight check since I have gained very little weight.  Our baby girl looks great weight wise, everything else looks healthy, and we got to see her sweet face!  We also found out that she's not going to come out bald! Hair shows up on the ultrasound.  Who knew? Ha!

• Total weight gain/loss: I'm up 2 pounds total since the beginning of my pregnancy.  At every appointment they ask me if I'm doing anything different, and at every appointment I tell them that I'm eating, that I started this pregnancy chunky (really, after Disney and Christmas I totally did.  Plus I wore a sweater and Uggs to my first appointment and now I wear tees and flip flops!).  I do my best to drink water all day, eat and snack, and make sure I'm eating healthy!  That's all I can do!
• Cravings: Ice cream sandwiches, plums, strawberries, cereal, icee pops, and Port wine cheese on Triscuits.
• Maternity clothes: Um yes.  And my mom showed up with a few new shirts last night for me.  That's where the green tank came from :).  I've also picked up a few nursing tanks for my hospital stay.  I don't know what it is about the hospital, but having new nursing tanks seems to make it better!
• Gender: She's a girl.  There is definite confirmation.
• Movement: She is a mover.  Big nudges, complete rolls, I feel it all.  I know she loves her Daddy because she goes crazy when he gets home at night!
• What I miss: Um...really nothing except for winter right now :).  It's hot out there, folks!
• Sleep: It's difficult to get comfortable, but I'm not up too much.
• Symptoms: Hip pain.  I'm tired all the time.  The hip pain doesn't help with that!  But if nesting counts as a symptom then I've got that one full force!
• Best Moment this week: Brian finally starting his list of names! I took her clothes out of the attic and started organizing and cleaning them.  Of course, I had to use real detergent and OxyClean  to get the yellowed breast milk stains out of the clothes!  I got some Dreft on clearance today at Target.  I can't wait to smell her baby smell. Wyatt also has been really sweet about wanting to cuddle with her and talk to her so that she recognizes his voice.  Hudson is constantly pointing at my belly and saying "Baby!" Then he smacks his lips to give the belly a kiss.  This is perfectly adorable until the baby comes out and he realizes that he has to share lap space!
• What I am looking forward to: Settling on her name!  I thought we were down to a couple, but Brian's list surprised me, so we might have a few more options!
• Goals for this week:  Keep the rooms that are clean in good shape.  Keep cleaning and organizing and crossing things off my to do list!  Sorting her clothes is also helping me make a better list of what we still need.  The car seat is at the top of the list!  I'd like to find a better place for some things in our room as well so that I can get her nook set up in there as well.

And for fun - pregnant with Hudson at 30 weeks!

Baby Minnie: 28 Weeks!

I can not believe that I am 28 weeks pregnant with our baby girl!  It feels good in an "it's almost over" kind of way to be this far along.  In the actual physical sense?  It doesn't feel so good!  Ha!

• How far along: 28 weeks!
• Size of baby: She's about 16 inches long and 2.5 pounds. And she's just going to get bigger!
• Total weight gain/loss: I'm still up one pound!  I swear it isn't from lack of trying!  I eat and eat and eat and eat and...nothing!  My glucose results all came back normal, so I'm in the clear for gestational diabetes.  I did find out at my appointment last week that I need another ultrasound at 32 weeks.  One doctor wants to do it because he wants my placental scarring checked before I go in for my Cesarean, and the midwife wants a fetal weight check because I haven't gained any weight.
• Cravings: Ice cream sandwiches, plums, strawberries, cereal, icee pops, and Port wine cheese on Triscuits.
• Maternity clothes: Jeans, t-shirts, dresses.  I love my pregnancy shirts.  I tend not to fit back into my other clothes when I'm breastfeeding!
• Gender: She's still a girl!
• Movement: She is constantly on the move.  Right now I'm getting big nudges all over.  She's really, really low too, which means more trips to the bathroom for me!
• What I miss: Right now?  Being pregnant and working! Ha!  This is my first "stay at home" pregnancy, and I am tired all the time.  When I worked I woke up ridiculously early, went to work for 8 hours, and came home.  My job was sitting.  Like, all day I sat down at a desk.  When I wanted to get UP from the desk, I went to fill up my water bottle.  Then I got up to pee.  And the cycle continued for 8 hours.  Staying at home is different.  I'm shuttling kids to swimming, and chasing them around the house, and cleaning up after them.  And forgetting to drink water.  It's honestly incredibly exhausting!
• Sleep: It's difficult to get comfortable, but I'm not up too much.
• Symptoms: The carpal tunnel. Hip pain.  I'm tired.  Exhausted.  Like, don't want to get off the couch to do anything.  I am starting to feel out of breath pretty easily. 
• Best Moment this week: Her kicking sprees at night are pretty awesome!
• What I am looking forward to: Settling on a name for our little bean soon!  Our next appointment is in 2 weeks and it's with my very favorite doctor (she has delivered our three oldest), and I'm hoping that our talk leads to a Delivery Date for this one!
• Goals for this week:  Keep chugging along on cleaning and organizing our room to get it set up for our new room mate.  I'd also like to start pulling her clothes out of the attic so I can make sure I have everything! I'm honestly waiting for the whole nesting thing to kick in because my energy level is not meeting my expectations for baby preparation!  Brian and I also need to make a list of baby items that we need so that we can get them as we get coupons.  I can't believe how close we're getting to her joining us!

For fun: Pregnant with Hudson at 27 weeks!

Baby Minnie: 24 Weeks!

If you haven't entered my Thirty-One Giveaway yet, make sure you check it out!  

• How far along: 24 weeks!
• Size of baby: She's about 9 inches long and 1.5 pounds.
• Total weight gain/loss: At my appointment on Tuesday I officially crossed over into the "weight gain" category.  I'm up 1 pound!
• Maternity clothes: Jeans, t-shirts, dresses.  I've accumulated quite a pregnancy wardrobe.  
• Gender: She's still a girl!
• Movement: She likes to move to music.  She kicks in the car when we're driving and the music is up.  She rocked out to Phillip Phillips on Idol this week (I just think he's amazing).  Apparently she'll fit right in with our music loving, dancing crew!  She gave Brian a big kick last night while we watched the finale!
• What I miss: My energy.  I have none.  Like, I have days where I fall asleep while the kids nap and I don't even mean to.  I know Brian thinks I've lost my mind.  And complete control of cleaning the house!
• Sleep: I'm up to go to the bathroom, but I sleep well otherwise.  I've had some trouble falling back asleep, but nothing crazy.
• Symptoms: The carpal tunnel. Hip pain.  I'm tired. I waddle.  My sugar levels were slightly elevated on Tuesday, so the doctor is having me come in for my glucose test this Tuesday.  Fun, fun!
• Best Moment this week: Hearing her heartbeat at the doctor's appointment on Tuesday!  She sounds great!
• What I am looking forward to: Getting the glucose test over with!  Ordering her "coming home" outfit.  I think I've narrowed down what I want, I just have to find it at a reasonable price!  I'm also looking forward to getting more work done around the house.  I put a dent in my laundry pile and my To Do List today, so I hope I can keep on trucking!
• Goals for this week:  I would like to create more space in my room to start preparing for her.  While I would LOVE to have a beautiful nursery for her to come home to, it's just not feasible right now.  All 3 kids are pretty well settled in their rooms and she'll be bunking with us for awhile (the boys will eventually share a room). 

And for fun: here's Hudson's 24 week update!

Baby Minnie: 23 Weeks!

Happy Mother's Day!  I had a fabulous weekend, and a really great day, but I figured an update about my pregnancy with Baby Minnie was LONG overdue!

• How far along: 23 weeks!
• Size of baby: She's about 9 inches long and 1.5 pounds.
• Total weight gain/loss: I've lost 3 pounds since my first prenatal appointment.  But that was after Christmas and our Disney Vacation!
• Maternity clothes: Um yes.  I'm not one of those people that can or tries to cram into non-maternity clothes!
• Gender: Girl!
• Movement: She moves a lot!  Any time that I actually take a second to sit down, she is moving all over the place. And she is moving all over, not just in one spot.
• What I miss: Energy.  Comfortable sleep.  Wine?  Is that bad?
• Sleep: Well, my husband let me sleep in for Mother's Day, so I slept pretty well last night!  I also sneak in naps while the kids do so I can catch up!
• Symptoms: I apparently have pregnancy induced carpal tunnel?  I had no idea it existed, but according to my doctor, it's pretty common.  So my hands just go numb sometimes.  I wear a brace when I sleep at night.  Although, I apparently wake up in the middle of the night (unknowingly) and take the brace off sometimes?
• Best Moment this week: Wyatt and Reese love to give their little sister hugs, and Hudson has started pointing to my belly and saying, "Baby!  Baby!"
• What I am looking forward to: Maybe coming to an agreement about her name soon? I feel like we might both be pretty hard headed with our top picks :). Hudson didn't have a name until pretty late in my pregnancy with him, and Reese didn't have a middle name until the night before she was born...and then we changed it! I'm also going to have to schedule a hospital tour for us soon.  A new hospital opened last summer, and that's where this little girl will be born.  I guess it will be good for me to know where the OR, the maternity ward, and the nursery are!

Be sure to check out my Thirty-One Giveaway while you're here!

(BIG) Baby News!

Since I am now 20 weeks along (!) with baby number 4, we had our anatomy scan today!

We (mainly the kids) have been calling the baby, "Baby Mickey or Minnie" for a few weeks.  So I shared this photo on Facebook this morning before we left!

 

 Reese has wanted to come with us to find out since we asked her about it, but Wyatt has insisted that he just wanted to stay home!  I think he was afraid that I would need to have surgery to find out what the baby is, and he wanted no part of that!  Ha!

I explained that we were just going to have a camera put on my tummy, but he still declined.  Then I remembered that he had class pictures today, so we decided to just send him there.  Our appointment was at 8 (and it was an hour away with traffic), so Brian's mom got here at 7 to watch Hudson, and Wyatt, Reese and I left to drop Wyatt off with my mom so she could take him to school.  Then Reese and I made our way to the appointment, and Brian met us there!

It felt like we had to wait forever to go back, but she finally called us into the ultrasound room!  Reese even hijacked my hand from Brian and held it when the tech was doing the ultrasound! She asked Reese what she wanted and she said, "a sister!"  Well....

SHE GOT HER WISH!  And I got my not so secret wish!

 

We are very, very, very excited to welcome our fourth little baby, and our second GIRL this September!  And it works out perfectly because Reesie is a late August girl, and this little one will be born within a week or two of her birthday!  Can you say hand me downs? Although, I have no doubt we'll be making a few more purchases just for her!  Now let the naming "fun" begin!  Ha!