{34 weeks}

The countdown continues. 3 weeks until full-term (holy cow!) and 6 weeks until due date. My doctor isn't a fan of having his patients go over their due date so that's the longest I'm going to have to wait until I have my boy in my arms. 


Weight gain - I'm not really keeping track with that at home since I'm seeing my doctor every 2 weeks now (and probably every week after my next appointment). My scale in the bathroom isn't showing much in terms of weight gain. I'm continuing to measure my fundal height at home. It seems to be right around 32-34cm, so either right on track or just a few weeks off. As you can tell, it's been weighing on my mind the last 5 days.


Movement - He's still pretty active, although I do notice more "quiet" time from him now. There are times he gets some feet stuck under my ribs and it's definitely not pleasant. I still have no idea if he's head down or breech. There's been no noticeable change in movement so just based on that I'd say he's still breech. But I'm hoping my sudden change in fundal height was just proof that he's now head down and settling into my pelvis. I'm trying to soak up these last few weeks of pregnancy since I won't ever be 8mo pregnant again, but it's getting hard. I'm finding myself just being mean and moody way more often than is normal for me. Luckily I'm not that way with the kids, just my poor husband. If he wasn't sure about stopping at 3 before, he is now..haha! I promise I'm not THAT mean to him, though. ;)


Irrational fear this week - Much like last week, I would have said nothing except now I have reasons why I could suddenly be measuring 3 weeks behind not far from my thoughts. It could be something as small as his position in the womb that particular moment and something more serious like amniotic fluid issues or a baby who's not growing properly. I'm thinking if it had to be one of those 3 things, it's probably more likely just his position, given I had been measuring perfectly as of 2 weeks ago. Two different people in Walmart yesterday told me I looked like I was about to pop, so obviously I don't LOOK too small..lol. Just in case, I've been drinking my weight in liquids every day, which makes me feel swollen and full. 


One thing I'm not worried about is our car seat issue. We bought two new D.iono R.adian car seats, which are supposed to be the narrowest on the market (and also one of the safest). Our hope was to be able to fit 3 across in my backseat, that way we could hold off buying a brand new vehicle for at least another few years. Thankfully there is plenty of room for an infant seat with a base in the backseat with the two R.adions. So, that's one less thing to mark off our list. We'll have to buy another Radion when Declan outgrows the infant seat, but hopefully that will be many MANY months down the road.


Our Memorial Day weekend has been very low key. It makes me feel sort of bad seeing all my friends and family posting all the fun things they've done this extended weekend on facebook, but I think we really needed a relaxing weekend at home. I had almost talked my DH into putting up the swimming pool today but since most of the week is bringing rain, we decided to hold off until next weekend. As for any celebrations, we are doing the "American" thing and grilling out for dinner. ;)


Things I'm looking forward to - this week is pretty standard. 2 T-ball games (if they aren't rained out) one gymnastic class and a play date on Friday. I'm also starting the process of getting C out of our bed and into the lower bunk in Em's room. This is not really something I'm looking forward to, since I enjoy snuggling with him at night. But I think everyone will get the most amount of sleep possible if the two older ones are in one room and away from a newborns fussy periods in the middle of the night. :)

33 week OB appointment

I left the doctors office this morning not really concerned, but maybe not as confident as I usually am. First surprise was when I stepped on the scale. I only gained a pound in two weeks! That never (NEVER) happens when I'm pregnant...lol. Technically it wasn't even a pound, since I was 127.2 two weeks ago and am now exactly 128. So I've gained 24lbs altogether, which I am really happy with. I keep thinking that the weight I've packed on has been way less than with C, but looking now, it's only a 2lb difference as of 33 weeks. 


So, Declan has been a mover and a shaker today. Lots of body parts sticking out every which way, lots of rolls, etc. So when I laid back on the exam table for my doctor to measure my belly, you could actually see some part of baby sticking out beside my belly button. My doctor made the comment that my belly looked more "spread out" today, so D must have been in a weird position. But anyway, I'm now measuring 3 weeks behind! 2 weeks ago I was a week ahead, so it definitely concerned me a bit. Dr. S didn't seem too worried about it, especially since it was even hard to catch his heartbeat for any length of time since he was partying so much in there. Obviously D can't shrink or anything, so it's more of a position/amniotic issue instead of weight issue I'm assuming.


I asked him to check to see if Declan was still breech. At first he thought he felt a head low in my pelvis and said "it feels pretty hard" but then he started traveling his hands up to feel D's body and then said "well........" like he had no idea what position this kid has gotten himself into. I keep wondering if he thought he felt a head and then started suddenly felt legs instead of arms! lol. He said since he isn't quite sure if he's head down or not plus me measuring a bit small he was going to have me scheduled for an ultrasound before my next appointment. So, I get another peek of my little man here in two weeks! I'm REALLY trying not to worry about the measuring small thing, especially since my doctor didn't want a check of the baby for another 2 weeks. I'd assume he'd get me in quicker if it were something to worry about (you all DO know I am going to be consumed with this until my next appointment, right? ;) ) I made a joke about how I probably wasn't going to have a 9lber this time and my doctor just laughed.


I measured my belly myself when I got home I have 33cm exactly, which is a bit frustrating. Obviously I'm going to go with the doctors measurements but it does make me feel a bit better about it. Declan was 3lbs 1oz 4 weeks ago, so as of then he was gaining very well. I hope these next 2 weeks fly by so that I can see his cute face again! :)

Random updates on random things

 ~ My sick boy seems to be on the mend. After a rough day of battling a fever (yep, like always, he ended up with a high one) I figured today would call for a doctor visit. His fever is pretty much gone and he's playing normally, but he's complained about his mouth/throat hurting. Even when drinking milk, which usually doesn't irritate a sore throat. So, off the doctor we went. Everything looked normal except he did have a really red throat. Initial strep test came back negative (which is good) but he did say that this particular test does seem to have a high false negative so they went ahead and sent off a culture. Results should be in sometime tomorrow or early Friday. Fingers crossed it's not strep since I seriously have no interest in dealing with that when I'm 8mo pregnant! Since the fever only lasted about 2.5 days and it's acting pretty normal we're all hoping it's just a summer virus.


~ Whatever weird discharge I had Monday morning has definitely disappeared. I'm thankful for that, since I was a worry wart that entire day. Lots of running for the bathroom and researching different preterm labor signs. Luckily all seems calm on that front now. I do have a nice list of questions to ask my doctor tomorrow!


~ The pictures I had been waiting on for two weeks finally came in last night! I am so pleased with them. My DH has banned me from getting professional pictures done until after Declan is born (I _might_ have a slight problem getting their pictures done...lol) so these will have to tide me over until mid-July or so.


Just a few of my favs :)

It's been 2 weeks since these were taken, so it's a 31 week baby belly. Kind of crazy that I've had 2 weeks of growth since then since I look rather...ahem...large here!

{33 weeks}

49 days until my due date! To say I was anxious and excited for July to get here would be an understatement. I don't want to sound ungrateful for the ability to be pregnant or carry a baby with no complications (as of yet, anyway) but I am more than ready to be done. Everything just feels more amplified this time around. I'm more tired, more hungry, more moody, etc. Even this baby belly of mine seems to move more, which is awesome, but it's also starting to become more painful. I'm also more whiney. Can you tell? ;)

This morning has been a tricky one. C went to bed (after feeling perfectly normal all day) with a small fever. Woke up this morning with a small fever and throwing up. As of now (10:30am) he's thrown up 5 times! I'd consider him a pretty healthy kid, but if there is a stomach bug going around, he's going to get it. Luckily the fever hasn't gotten over 100.3 or so (knock on wood) so I'm hoping it's going to be more of a tummy issue more than a fever one. I'm already having horrifying flashbacks to back in March when he had the flu for 6 days.

If that wasn't bad enough, after I peed this morning I noticed some odd tan colored discharge. No real brown/pink/red, but maybe a slight orangeish tint to it? It was weird and of course caused my heart to start pounding. No pressure, no contractions other than the normal BH ones, and baby is moving around like normal so I'm not _too_worried about it but I have put in a call to my doctor and am right now waiting for a call back. It seems to have went back to it's normal color but better safe than sorry. I'm hoping I'm told it can wait until my appointment on Thursday since I have a sick baby at home. But at 33 weeks I definitely don't want Declan to make an appearance yet!

Weight gain - no idea. I'll know on Thursday! My scale at home has me gaining about 23-24lbs altogether, which I'll take for only have 6-7 weeks left! Maybe I'll follow in C's pregnancy footsteps and stop gaining after 37 weeks. ;)

Movement - Oh yes. He's particularly hyper today which I won't complain about given my morning worries. I can't for the life of me figure out what position he's in. For the most part, his movements are still the ones I've felt while he's been breech, but he has also been kicking/punching me in places he's never been before! Haha. He also gets the hiccups like a million times a day. I love because that means he's practicing his breathing in there like a champ. :)

Irrational fears this week - well, I waaaas going to say nothing but now I'm slightly nervous about the discharge. From everything I've read it's only important if it gets red and I start showing other symptoms of preterm labor but I'd like some reassurance from the nurse/doctor. Declan is like a crazy man right now, so I'm not worried about anything happening with him, just if something is progressing with my cervix or something. I'll update after I get the call back.

Things I'm looking forward to - Doc appointment on Thursday and Memorial weekend!

ETA: I finally got a call back from the nurse. I was a weirdo and for some reason gave my cell phone number (which is always either buried in my purse or my bed) so I missed her first call. Verdict is just normal preparation for birth. The only time they really want to see me is if it turned bloody or more liquid/watery. It just being a tan discharge with no cramping and baby moving fine is more of the "just watch it and call if it changes " variety. So, good that I don't have to come in and good that it's probably just my body getting closer to labor! I still sort of hope my doctor decides to go ahead and check me in 2 days just so we can see where we are. I've said from the beginning I didn't think I'd go to 40 weeks, but no way do I want him before 37 weeks! 

Officially not a preschooler anymore!

Technically Em still has 2 more days of prek next week, but this morning was her KDO graduation/celebration.  We were, of course, running around like crazies this morning trying to get out the door on time. Why is it that we never leave the house when we're supposed to, unless there's nothing planned and then everyone is up and ready to go by 7? ;)

Since Em was in the oldest class, we had to sit through all the other classroom celebrations first. Connor started getting a bit antsy about 10 minutes in and kept saying (loudly) "Mama, what you doing?!" I think he was asking "what are we doing here?" because he just didn't see the point in watching kids sing little bible versus and songs..lol.

Em's class did SO well! Emma thrives in front of a large crowd, so she was definitely in her element. There was a slideshow of the entire year and it made me a bit emotional seeing her last September. She looked so little. It just proves that while you're not looking, your kids are growing up. I did well not to cry my eyes out, although that's hard for me even when NOT pregnant. I'm seriously so thankful that I'll be getting the last of those new mom hormones out of my system by the time kindergarten starts or I'd have to be carted off in a straight jacket..lol. But I did have to hold back some tears when they all marched out in their little caps and gowns. So precious!

Pictures were hard to come by since Emma was buried in the last row - my peanut needs to be in the front! We  did get a cd of the slideshow, so I'm thankful I'll always have pictures of my girls first "school" experience.

As per usual, Connor wanted nothing to do with the picture taking, but go Emma!

{32 weeks}

Less than 2 months until my due date! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't in a hurry to have these last few months past me. I've definitely gotten past the "whee, I'm pregnant!" stage and am firmly in the "omg, I still have 7-8 weeks left?! Save me" stage. I don't think it matters how much you love pregnancy, you eventually get to that point where the attention is starting to get old and you just want everyone to focus on a cute little newborn....instead of your cute, not so little belly. ;) 


Weight gain  - No idea, really. Scale has me up maybe a pound. I'm really hoping to say in the 2lbs range when I got back to the doctor in 1.5 weeks (but knowing me, that won't happen). My taste buds are completely shot since being sick, so you'd think that would make me lose my appetite a bit, but nope. :) I wish I was one of those people who carry extra weight well, but I'm the kind whose extra weight goes straight to their face, butt, and thighs..lol. 


Movement - while I was sick his movements did decrease a bit. It didn't worry me too much, especially since he picked back up as soon as I started feeling better. He's been a little acrobat today, even some hard enough to make me wince. At one point I really think I felt his head right beside my belly button. If it was, then maybe he'll get with the program and flip on around. If it was his booty (although it felt to hard for that) then he was either transverse of head down for a bit. I think he's back to breech, though. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about him never flipping around. I know I'm going to harass my doctor every time I see him wanting to know Declan's position.


Irrational fear this week - All good here. All my fears are centered around what's left to do in the next 6 weeks or so. We are ordering car seats at the end of the month. We're hoping to fit 3 across in my car that way we can get away with not buying a 3rd row vehicle for at least another year. Besides the seats, there's not a lot to do, but it all seems daunting. We need little things like socks/bibs/diapers etc. We actually have no diapers as of right now. My DH is all "eh, if we need to we'll just stop and get some on the way home from the hospital". You'd think after hanging around a pregnant woman 3 different times now, he'd realize that we are way to anal for that! Haha. I think my problem is that I've convinced myself that D isn't going to go head down and they'll schedule a c-section. So then I'd know for sure when  he's coming and won't have to do anything until a week before. Procrastination at it's best! ;)


I think PUPPP  has come back with this pregnancy. I had it with Em and it was hell. The only time I'd get any relief from the itching was to get into a hot bath. But she was born in the winter, so that hot bath would make me itch everywhere else and it would just become this vicious cycle. I can feel the little red bumps underneath my belly button and oh man. I feel like a trucker just walking around scratching my belly. ;) Also, super gross, but I found a freaking tick on the top of my bikini line on Thursday evening. No idea how long it was there, but I can't think for very long since I take a bath and/or shower every night. Lyme disease is pretty minimal here, so I'm not too worried about it but I have been keeping an eye on the bite and making sure no bulls eye rash shows up. I would have freaked if I had developed my cold after I had found the tick, but luckily I was sick quite a few days before that. Whew.


What I'm looking forward to: Em's preschool graduation on Thursday! Oh, I'm going to need a bucket from all the crying I'm going to do.

Happy Mother's Day!

I remember my very first mother's day like it was yesterday. I was pregnant with Em and DH went out a bought me a video game! We are kind of nerdy when it comes to video games anyway, so it was the perfect gift for me. We don't ever go all out on this holiday. Usually a lot of "Happy Mother's day Mama!" from the kids (like every hour! lol) and DH does something like take the kids outside all day so I can have to time to myself. Sounds weird to want some alone time on a day celebrating the fact you're a parent, but believe me. When you're a SAHM, a few hours to do nothing is an awesome gift! :)


I've been sick since last week and it was just getting progressively worse. By Friday morning I had the standard runny/stuffy nose, swollen lymph nodes in neck, wet cough, red eyes, etc. Just a really nasty head cold. We had made plans to drive a few hours away to this Renaissance Fair today but since I'm still under the weather (but definitely feeling better, thank goodness) we decided to hold off on that until later this month - if my doctor approves it since it is about 2hrs away. We ended up just going out to eat this evening and then hitting up Walmart for a few groceries. DH and I kept joking that "someone better hold us back, because we are getting crazy!" Haha ;) Before that, DH amused the kids all afternoon while I laid around and watched a SVU marathon on tv. All in all, a perfect day. :) We do plan on going out to eat, just the two of us, next weekend to kind of make up for our very low-key weekend but I wouldn't have changed this day for anything.

31 week OB appointment

Today was short and sweet, which is how it should go during a prenatal appointment. :) I got there a little early and was brought back almost immediately, which is definitely a good thing since C was NOT feeling it. As soon as we walked in the door he started saying "I'm cold! I'm sad. I want to go home! I need covers! I want to sleep!". What makes it even funnier is that he doesn't take naps anymore, so the "want to go to bed" was just his way of trying to convince me to leave! Haha.


I'm up 3lbs from 2 weeks ago. I was a tad surprised by this since I've actually been exercising and today I even thought "my legs are looking slimmer!" so it's either all in my head or baby just had a major growth spurt. I'm hoping it's the second option, especially since my belly is now measuring 1 week ahead! I've been dead on with the weeks up until this point so yeah. I'm going with baby growth spurt. ;) Doctors office has me up 23lbs total and scale at home has me up about 21lbs. With only 8 weeks left, I'll take it!


Heartbeat was a nice 145. Crazy kid is still breech, just like I thought. His little booty is pretty low in my pelvis as well, which does concern me a bit. If he's starting to drop, does this mean he won't have room to turn? My doctor seemed totally unconcerned with it and said there's no reason to even worry about it until 36 weeks. I'm a worrier by nature, so that's going to be impossible for me. LOL.


Next appointment in two more weeks. I'm sure it will just fly by since the month of May is so jam-packed with fun things.




I got the kids pictures taken yesterday morning. The owner, who is a friend of mine on facebook told me that they'd do a few belly pics with the kids if I wanted. So I was thinking one or two of them kissing my belly or something. But it turned into a cute little maternity shoot, so I'm anxious to see all of the pics. I did get one last night and it's just darling. As you can see, Em played the part of the sister trying to sell her brother perfectly. ;)

{31 weeks}

9 weeks until due date. 6  weeks until full-term. Around 63 days to do. Any way you look at it, not much time left! Exciting because I can't wait to have my little man in my arms (and ok, to feel skinny again..lol). But also sort of scary because a.) besides getting some baby gear out and all of his clothes washed, I've done nothing to prepare for this little guy yet and b.) life with 3 kids sounds a bit daunting. I'm hoping by the time Em starts school we will have all adjusted and I won't be having breakdowns every morning while trying to get myself and three kids under 5 out the door on time. ;)


Weight gain ~ I'll find out on Thursday. Bathroom scale just has me up a pound, so I'll say 2-2.5lbs at the doctors office. Right now, I'm pretty much dead on with my weight gain with my last pregnancy. I am such a slacker when it comes to exercising. I'm definitely the type who will do really well at working out for like 3 days and then not even think about it again for 2 weeks! Haha! I get so mad at myself because I have a treadmill just wasting away in the living room and the only thing I do with it is hang clothes on it. Ooops. Fundal height is right at 31cm. That always make me feel good because it's just further proof that he's growing in there!


Movement ~ Oh Lordy, sometimes Declan really gets going and it can downright HURT! Right now he is going to town and I literally feel movements everywhere. I _think_ he's still breech, but it's so hard to tell when it feels like he's doing a gymnastics routine. Lots of movement in my lower belly this morning, so he either has his feet down for a change or I'm finally getting some hand action down there (but if I were betting, I'd say it was his feet). There are still moments where he gets pretty quiet in there. Not long, just long enough to get to wondering about it. Everything I read says from this point on they are sleeping more than they are awake, so that probably explains it. Em loves sitting down beside me and watching my belly shake and wiggle around. C just says "you have big belly?" like he's not sure how it got there. :)


Irrational fear this week: Besides wondering where his cord is situated, I'm all good. At this point I'm trying not to worry too much about him possibly still being breech. I'm trying all the positions that I've read or been advised to me and might go to a chiropractor here soon if my doctor thinks it'll help. Since I've decided against a version, I feel confident that if he's going to turn on his own, he will. If not, then I guess I'll just have to deal with a section. I'm sure I'll cry like a baby if it comes to that, but I won't feel like I didn't do enough.


Sleep is getting harder and harder to come by. The two sleep positions for a mama almost 8mo pregnant, left side or right side, is getting ooooold. I just want to crash on my stomach! My shoulders hurt so badly in the mornings since I can't get any relief from laying on them. It also doesn't help that I still get up at least once to pee and drink something because I am always so HUNGRY when I wake up in the middle of the night. Like, stomach growling, starting to feel sick hungry. It's crazy since I always eat a snack and drink some milk before I go to sleep.


Other symptoms include a sore throat, especially in the morning. Not sure what's going on with that. I'm hoping it's just drainage or from sleeping with my mouth open (so attractive, haha) since I have no other symptoms of a cold. I've seen a lot of people suddenly talking about getting the whopping cough vaccine right after labor, which is something I've never done before. Is this a new thing?


What I'm looking forward to: I won a free photo shoot for the kids off of facebook, so that's happening on Wednesday and thursday is my ob appointment. We have about a million and 1 other things also happening this week but those are the highlights. :)

May = BUSY!

I have quite the month in store for my family. By the end of the month, I'll be 34 weeks pregnant and only weeks away from full-term! I really feel like this pregnancy will be one of the finalists for "fastest pregnancy ever!". It's just not me, either. I am constantly getting told "wait, you're 30 weeks already?". Believe me, I LOOK 30 weeks, it just doesn't seem that long ago that I was announcing baby #3.

But anyway. this month; so, so much. Twice a week we will have T-Ball games, preschool twice a week, gymnastics once a week. Weekends are already filling up as well. Next weekend is my DH's birthday. The big 3-0! Weekend after next is Mother's Day and we've decided to take the kids to this Renaissance Faire that's a couple of hours away. C is obsessed with knights at the moment, so he's going to be in heaven. Also in the mix is a photo shoot for the kids (I might sneak in a few maternity pics, but I think I'm just going to go the cheap route and have my mom take those), Em's preschool graduation, and her last few days of school later this month. Can't forget my bi-weekly ob appointments! Whew. I need a nap just re-reading that.

To make matter a little more stressful, DH is gone for almost 3 weeks of this month. He left last night after Em's T-Ball game (more on that in a bit) and won't be home until late Friday night. He'll have Saturday home and the leaves Sunday afternoon. He comes home sometime Tuesday and turns around on Weds and leaves again until Friday. He has all of Mother's Day weekend at home and then leaves the next Monday for the entire week. Most of this is Army stuff, although he's gone right now for his civilian job. Considering he was deployed from the time Em was 14mo until she was 28mo, I can handle 1 child by myself like an old pro. But 2 kids can get a bit stressful, especially with pregnancy hormones in the mix. I'm going to be fine this week since it's a short week for him to be gone and both sets of grandparents are stepping in later this week. But by middle of next week, I'm going to be a mess. I'm calling it now...lol. I think it's mostly because I won't get a "break" at all. Neither kid naps and Emma stays up until I go to bed. So from the time I wake up til the time I close my eyes at night, it will be kids 24/7. Whew. So I guess it's a GOOD thing our weeks are filled. I've found that being out of the house and busy cuts back on the crying (both the kids and mine..haha!) A LOT! Declan will be around 3 weeks or so when DH leaves for a week, so I'm curious (and only slightly horrified) to see how life will be being a single parent of 3! I give single parents, especially those with more than 1, all the kudos in the world!

Em's first T-Ball game last night was all kinds of adorable. She was 3rd to bat, and even though there are technically no outs the first year, she would have gotten 2 scores if there were. So proud of my girl! I'm glad her daddy got to see her first game before leaving. That meant a lot to her. She's now asking "who's coming to my next game?" so I'm hoping we have a nice turn-out of family members for most of her games. Tomorrow I think both sets of Grandma's are coming. Lucky girl. :)