Baby #5, Week 29

How far along: 29 weeks!
Weeks to go: 11 weeks

Baby is the size of: a butternut squash!

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: Not sure... I stay off the scale these days!

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! I'm larger this time 'round, so I'm wearing only my maternity clothes now. Though I'm looking for a nice pair of maternity yoga pants and some jeggings! I hate feeling constricted by maternity jeans... I want to be comfy!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In. My hernia makes it look like I have an outtie. 

Sleep: With everyone sick, I'm lucky to get four to five hours at night. I'm restless and my body hurts. My hips, especially. Adeline is only sleeping after 2:00 a.m. if she's in bed between Charles and I. So I can't move as much as I need and I get super stiff. 

Movement: Lots of movement from my little Jedi! Especially when I'm resting right before bed! Baby goes crazy and gives lots of kicks and nudges! I am enjoying this as much as possible! I'm getting to the point where I'm tired of being pregnant, but mostly because I'm uncomfortable 60% of the time! Otherwise I'm loving this whole experience and enjoying all the kicks and nudges from my sweet little one!
Labor Signs: Some Braxton Hicks, but I'm pretty sure it was because of dehydration. As usual. 

Best moment this week: Crafting party Friday night and Pure Romance party Saturday morning! I was invited to both and had a blast at each! I spent most of my weekend with my bestie/twin Jen and it was MUCH needed! Charles took care of things at home so that I could go out and see people after my week inside. I went back to Jen's Saturday night for movie night watching The Lucky One. It was a good movie! I love movies based on Nicholas Spark's books!
Worst moment this week: All the sickness, ER trips, hospital trips, Medicap trips, amoxicillin, Motrin, Tylenol, tissues... all the things. I get so scared when my babies are sick. First Rosalie, then Adeline, then Caitlin. It was especially scary when I had to take Caitlin into the ER with super swollen tonsils. She could hardly breathe. It was all of a sudden that she was having difficulty breathing. Her tonsils were touching in the back of her throat. I called the on-call doctor and was told to take her to the ER immediately. She looked awful and was crying. I tried to keep her as calm as I could while validating that it was okay to be scared and to cry.

She ended up getting a shot of bicillin in her butt cheek and wasn't too happy about it. It was thick like glue and hurt while being injected. She did fantastically, though! She was forewarned that it would hurt, so I think that's why she was so scared. I wanted her to be prepared! She was able to actually eat/drink with ease by the following night's supper. Thank goodness. It's been difficult to get rest myself caring for all these sick babes. Vivian is the only one not not sick... yet...

Miss anything: Sushi. Smaller boobs. 

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: No specific cravings this week. I just craved sleep...
Aversions: Raw meat
Appetite:  Little. Between the sicknesses and little sleep, I wasn't very hungry at all. More thirsty than anything. I know I'm dehydrated. 

Queasy or sick: I'm pretty sure I have a cold now. I started feeling off early Sunday morning(around 1:00 a.m.) and with a crazy night with Adeline, Charles let me sleep in since he was feeling sick, too. I slept until noon. It. Was. Amazing! And much, much needed. After I woke up, I was having some serious issues staying cool. Literally. I was overheating like crazy. Full on body sweats. I took a shower to help, but I felt really ill until about 5 or 6 that evening.
Workouts: None. Boo. 

Emotionally: Keeping things together, surprisingly. When things are focused on my littles, I have no time to dwell on unnecessary things. I didn't even cry this week!
Physically: Exhausted. Again. 

Looking forward to: A friend's daughter's birthday party that Vivian is invited to, Friendsgiving, a "Last Fling Before the Ring" party, and my prenatal appointment next Monday(12-14)! 

Baby #5, Week 28

How far along: 28 weeks! THIRD TRIMESTER!
Weeks to go: 12 weeks! 

Baby is the size of: a large eggplant!

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: Not sure after Thanksgiving!

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! I am more comfortable wearing my maternity shirts than I am wearing regular t-shirts. I'm not sure if it's because I'm bigger this time? But tight clothes make me achy, so I'm wearing yoga pants and maternity shirts every day! I also have to wear my support band or my belly and hernia start to ache. I went a day without it and was miserable. 

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In, but my hernia makes it look like an outie.

Sleep: So/so. We spent most of our week with family out of town and sleeping on an air mattress was okay, but my hips killed me every morning. I had to take extra time to stand and try to walk after I crawled out of the air mattress. Once we got home, I had one of the best nights of sleep I've had in a while! There is something about being in your own bed with your own smells and pillows! Heaven!

Movement: Baby Jedi moves constantly! It's really quite amazing! I had my Mom and sister, Alice, feeling baby move like crazy on Thanksgiving after all the delicious food and pie! Baby was very happy! I can tell that baby is still doing flips because I feel kicks in my ribs, sides, and down below. I'm praying that baby gets comfortable being head-down and stays that way!
Labor Signs: None yet... 

Best moment this week: Baby appointment on 11-23! Baby is doing very well and his/her heart rate was in the 130's again! (Which, of course, makes me cautiously optimistic for a boy baby!) I am measuring larger, 29 to 30 weeks, but that doesn't mean that I'll go early or that my due date is changing. If I keep measuring big, I'll probably have another ultrasound to check amniotic fluid and baby's growth. Which means I'll have to tell the ultrasound person to NOT tell me AGAIN what baby's gender is! I also enjoyed spending time with my side of the family for Thanksgiving! And the Iowa Hawkeyes defeating Nebraska to get a 12-0 record! It was awesome!

Worst moment this week: Rosalie getting terribly sick during the last day we were visiting my family. Started out with her talking to me Friday morning and I noticed her voice was all but gone. She felt warm to the touch, so I made sure she drank plenty of water and kept an eye on her. By the end of the day, she looked awful and started getting the shakes. She felt cold, but she was burning up. It was pretty scary stuff. She kept waking up during the night with coughing fits and didn't get a ton of rest. In the morning, she had more energy, but soon threw up her breakfast. This was right before we were leaving, so we said a prayer that we would be able to make it home with very few stops and that she wouldn't' get sick. We made it all the way home with one stop for gas and a potty-break! I knew that mono and bronchitis was going around the school, so I made the decision to call the clinic and take Rosie into the ER for medicine.

After waiting for almost two hours, she was diagnosed with strep throat and a fever. We went to Walmart to the pharmacy because our normal pharmacy was closed. We were told to come back in 20 minutes. Rosalie started crashing when we were looking at Christmas trees. I should have grabbed a cart, but she made the trek over to get supper from the grocery side of the store and back to the pharmacy. She laid on the bench when we got back and fell asleep instantly. Poor girl.

As of today, she won't be contagious after about 4 this afternoon(24 hours on penicillin). She has bursts of energy, but then gets extremely tired. I'm letting her color, read books, watch movies, and rest! I'm praying no one else gets this in our household, but I'm not holding my breath!
Miss anything: Sushi

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Kluski noodles
Aversions: Raw meat
Appetite: Hearty! Thanksgiving was wonderful, but I was sad that I couldn't eat as much as I wanted to! Especially the kluski noodles, pecan pie, and stuffing! 

Queasy or sick: Runny nose, as usual.
Workouts: Zumba and walking.

Emotionally: Better this week. But I think that with everything going on and traveling, my mind was kept moving so I wasn't dwelling on things!
Physically: Tired! I wouldn't say exhausted, but tired is true! I am feeling good all things considered! My body is having the regular aches and pains from pregnancy! Achy back, hips, ribs, etc. And HEARTBURN! I knew this would probably happen again, but man-oh-man did it show up unannounced! There have been a few times where I've almost thrown up because it was so bad. So this is what I've decided:

Looking forward to: A quiet week to set up Christmas decorations, Christmas, New Years, and then possibly a Valentine's Day baby?! That would be fun!

Baby #5, Week 27

How far along: 27 weeks
Weeks to go: 13 weeks!

Baby is the size of: a head of cauliflower! 

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: 25 lbs total

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! I got a new long black maternity dress that I love to wear constantly! It's so soft and comfy! I wear it around the house! But when I leave, I'm usually wearing maternity jeans and shirts! Otherwise it's the normal yoga pants and large t-shirts!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In. Almost flat... but I can tell my hernia is getting bigger, so at times, it looks like I have an outtie already.

Sleep: Decent. I've been especially tired, so I fall asleep really easily! I'm going through a comfortable phase in my bed and I am LOVING it!

Movement: Almost constant movement! But I'm starting to notice an awake/asleep routine! Baby Jedi is super active and then there are periods of a half hour or so where the movements are soft! I can also tell which body parts are which! I could feel Jedi's heel/foot and while it was cool, it was a little creepy! Haha!
Labor Signs: Not this week!

Best moment this week: Passing my glucose test on 11-17! And our first snow of the season on 11-20! We knew it was coming and the girls were more than excited when it came! They were very eager to play in the snow, too! I let them outside for about 45 minutes on Saturday! They had a blast!

Worst moment this week: I had a hard week this week. Without going into too much detail, Charles and I hit a rough spot and had a huge fight. We didn't speak for almost two days and it was very touch and go. But we eventually talked things out and have been doing much better since! Marriage is tough. And I know that we'll have many more rough patches as we grow together. Growing pains are hard. Our life is great, but things do get extremely hectic and difficult. We both deal with stress differently and those ways clashed really hard this past week. But the thing we learned is that we need to rely on each other and put God first. 

Miss anything: Sushi

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Sausage McGriddle(haven't given in...), Eggs, Fruit
Aversions: Raw meat, Sweets
Appetite: Hearty, but I'm really struggling with heart burn again! BLAH! Makes eating what I want to a chore! And if I eat too much, heartburn again! 

Queasy or sick: Still have a runny nose, but not complaining!
Workouts: Walking

Emotionally: I was a wreck this week. Which is an understatement... I really, really struggled with my emotions and my feelings. I spent a lot of time talking to some close friends and my big brother about things. It was nice to get some outside perspectives and encouragement.
Physically: Exhausted. Being emotionally drained really didn't help with the fact that I was physically drained. I am having difficultly breathing at times and my ribs hurt a lot. The stretching I've been doing has helped some, but there are days I really just want the discomfort to stop and to be done with this pregnancy and have my baby in my arms! I'm becoming more impatient, but I think it's because we don't know Baby's gender! I have to have help with tying my shoes now! Haha! I've officially reach "that" point! My husband is such a trooper, though! 

Looking forward to: My prenatal appointment tomorrow(11-23), Thanksgiving with my side of the family, and all the FOOD for Thanksgiving!

Baby #5, Week 26

How far along: 26 weeks
Weeks to go: 14 weeks! Crazy!

Baby is the size of: a scallion(14 inches)!

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: 20 lbs

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! LOVING maternity jeans, though I need more! I would love some maternity jeggings! Still rocking large t-shirts and yoga pants when I'm home, but I get dressed in jeans and nicer shirts whenever I leave the house! 

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In. Pretty sure my hernia is slightly bigger this time...

Sleep: Decent! I've been especially exhausted this week. Not sure why. I'm taking a prenatal and I am testing fine with my iron. It makes falling asleep awesome, but if I wake up at night, I tend to have some insomnia. I keep my kindle charged on my night stand!

Movement: LOTS of movement! I am loving it and finding it annoying at times! Mostly when I'm trying to sleep or rest and Baby decides it's time to practice tumbling, kicking, and his/her light-saber skills! Baby Jedi, indeed! Jedi's Godmother, Jen, finally felt Baby move!
Labor Signs: None! 

Best moment this week: Sister time in Des Moines on Wednesday 11/11! Teresa, Lisa, and I went to the mall for Christmas shopping! I didn't buy anything, though! Not in the budget for me, I just went along for the sister time! It's been too long since we've had a girls day! We had a bad experience at the Outback Steakhouse, but aside from that, the day was fun! 

Worst moment this week: The weather as we were leaving Des Moines. A tornado touched down about 6 miles away from where we were. We couldn't see the road and there was a lot of hail, rain, and debris flying around. But right after that, the sun was shining and we could see a rainbow! And then later on, it started snowing... that's Iowa for you!

Miss anything: Sushi

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Co-Jack cheese, Pancakes with over-easy eggs on top, Pears
Aversions: Raw Meat, Sweets
Appetite: Hearty, but my stomach is getting smaller! I'm becoming more frustrated when I can't eat as much as want to!

Queasy or sick: Still having issues with a runny nose, but no complaints here!
Workouts: Zumba, Walking, and some light cardio/strength training!

Emotionally: I'm having good days and bad days. Mornings where I wake up ready to take on the day, and mornings when all I want to do is crawl back in bed and just lay there alone. I'm struggling with depression and anxiety, which is not new news, but I feel like I've been too quiet about it. My life is wonderful! I love my husband, our children, I'm beyond excited for this baby... but that doesn't mean that I'm not depressed. I'm not even sure what's going on that's making me feel this way, but I am optimistic that this will be over when Baby gets here! And if not, I'll at least be able to seek help from my doctor.
Physically: Exhausted! Which is normal! I am also reaching that point in my pregnancy where I'm having rib pain and difficulty breathing. Already! Gosh! My other pregnancies, this didn't really happen until 30+ weeks! But this is my ninth pregnancy(fifth pregnancy past 15 weeks) and my body has been through a lot so far! I am very proud of this body! My body is just becoming more tired the closer I get to my due date! Also, all the cheese I ate this week wasn't kind to me by the weekend... TMI, sorry. But for real. Constipation is no fun. 

Looking forward to: My glucose test this week(just to get it out of the way and DONE!), the PTO Carnival this Friday, my next prenatal appointment next week, and Thanksgiving!

Baby #5, Weeks 23, 24, and 25

How far along: 23 weeks - No photo... again...
Weeks to go: 17 weeks!

Baby is the size of: a large mango!

How far along: 24 weeks
Weeks to go: 16 weeks!

Baby is the size of: an ear of corn!

How far along: 25 weeks
Weeks to go: 15 weeks! Things are becoming more real, now!

Baby is the size of: a rutabaga!

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: 20 lbs total, though I haven't weighed myself since I've sworn off weighing myself for the rest of this pregnancy. I had a really bad day when I realized that I have gained so much already. I'm trying to take things in stride. I am growing a human. This is a tremendous blessing. My body has changed. My body will continue to change. I am only going to get bigger. I already feel huge... but I am embracing this and getting on with more important things! Like figuring out my birth plan!

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! I finally fit into my maternity clothes! All of them! Woo hoo! Some are still big, but I am so much more comfortable now! Though most days I still opt for yoga pants and large t-shirts!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: Week 23 and 24 were absolutely terrible. Charles and I still aren't even sure what was going on with Adeline, but she was waking up every night with night terrors. It made for some very difficult nights. I was averaging 3 hours a night for almost four weeks. It was hell. We finally reached out for prayers on Facebook for our girl and that night was the first night she had slept all night. It was glorious! Since then, during week 25, she has only woken up once a night and will go back to sleep once she has her binky. Thankfully, I am functioning much better now, too! It was taking it's toll on Charles and I.

Movement: Baby Jedi is practicing his/her light-saber skills in there! All. Hours. Of. The. Day. And. Night. Which is neat! But gets a little annoying when I'm trying to sleep and then I'm woken up by Baby shifting his/her entire body!
Labor Signs: New category! I wasn't expecting to put this in here yet, but I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions off and on. It was especially bad when I was tired and dehydrated. I was sick most of the last few weeks, and I was trying to stay hydrated, but not very successfully. I've been taking things easy anyway, so my doctor isn't terribly worried that I'll go into labor early. If it gets bad enough, I'll just go in for some IV fluids and bed rest for a few days. 

Best moment this week: Week 23: We had a lot go on this week and it was hard to choose the best moment, so here they all are: Caitlin got her hair cut(finally), family fun night, our first Halloween event of the season, Rosalie's math/literacy night, and taking the girls to the Pumpkin Ranch!

Week 24: My prenatal appointment! Baby's heart-rate was in the 130's, which is the lowest any of my children's have been during an appointment! I'm not sure how much weight I'd put on the old wives tales about it, but I did excited that this baby might just be our boy! Perhaps wishful thinking?! We'll know in about 15 weeks! Charles and I went to the House Hotties party on 10/30 for the calendar release! I helped the photographer and hung out all day while she shot the photos for the calendar back in August(I think? #pregnantbrain)! I was on the cover of the calendar because it was a photo taken with a selfie stick of the entire group from that day: models, photographer, helpers, etc. A group of friends and I decided to go to the party, which was Halloween themed, as Shark Week! Since there were eight of us, I volunteered to have "survived shark week" and went as a shark attack survivor! Charles went with me as a Lifeguard! We had a lot of fun! Then, of course, was Halloween! Charles and I took the girls to my sister-in-law's house for a party before trick-or-treating! We had supper and a bunch of snacks! Then we took the girls trick-or-treating with my bestie, and Adeline's Godmother, Amanda! She offered to help us wrangle all the girls to help them be safe while crossing streets and what not! She was an amazing help!

Vampire, Red Ballerina, Witch, Majestic Unicorn

Week 25: My favorite week this pregnancy, and for a good reason! I got to watch a baby born into this world! It was absolutely amazing! I still don't even have the words to describe how incredible the experience was! But I do know this, it was intense! My friend, Julie, asked me to watch her son(again) on Tuesday while she went to her prenatal appointment. I got a message from her Monday saying that she wouldn't need me to watch him because she was being admitted that night for an early induction(39 weeks)! Her husband was out of town, so I offered her some company until he got there! It was wonderful to talk to spend time with her talking, walking, and watching Chuck on Netflix! Her husband, Clark, got there around 2 a.m. and we decided that I would go ahead and go home for the night. I told her that if she wanted, I could come back later on for support when she went on pitocin. I dropped off the girls at school and got a message that I could come back. When I got there, it was 8:45. Julie was in a lot of pain and it was hard to know what to could do to help her through her contractions. Without telling her story before she's had the chance to blog it herself, things progressed VERY quickly and she wasn't able to get the epidural she was wanting. With three amazing/painful pushes, her son was born into the world! He was a 10 lb 7 oz baby! And I can't even imagine how much pain Julie felt, but all I do know is that her body is amazing! My biggest baby has been 8 lbs 7 oz... so I can't imagine pushing out another 2 lbs worth of chubby baby! I was literally in awe at the entire process and at Julie! She did wonderful and was so, so strong! Little Jonas was born at 9:20! 35 minutes after I arrived! I cannot express how grateful I am that Julie and Clark let me in the room during their special, yet painful, moment! It wasn't pre-planned, but Julie thanked me later for being her doula! I could totally see myself helping others as a doula for a profession!

Worst moment this week: The weeks of little to no sleep. I don't even like to remember them now because I get super emotional and upset. Not at Adeline, but at myself for not reaching out sooner for prayers and support. 

Miss anything: Working out. It's been a few weeks. With the sickness, tiredness, dehydration, and BH contractions, I haven't worked out at all.

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Eggs(especially over-easy ones on top of pancakes!), Guacamole, Cheesecake
Aversions: Raw meat
Appetite: Normal. I'm getting to the point where I can't eat as much as I want to! Which is probably best for my weight gain, but horrible now that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming!

Queasy or sick: Sick. Chest congestion, head cold thing.
Workouts: ONE Zumba workout and some walking. 

Emotionally: Fried. My emotions were a crazy mess during the past few weeks. I've had some major issues with anxiety. I've seen my doctor about it and expressed my concern for my postpartum self. I've had postpartum depression before. And if I get it again, I really want to seek the help I'll need before it gets really bad. With all this anxiety comes me not being able to process things the way I use to. It takes me hours, if not days, to figure out where I'm at emotionally. I've been stepping back so that I don't say or do something I'll regret later.
Physically: Exhausted! But this past week has been better! I do have more energy now, but I feel like I'm trying to catch up on sleep! I know I never will, but I would nap all day if I didn't have things to do! I'm also finding it difficult to breathe some days. I've been doing some stretches to help my ribs from getting too uncomfortable. I have 15 weeks to go... I'm hoping this is just a phase and that it will pass!

Looking forward to: My next prenatal appointment, my glucose test(just to get it out of the way and DONE!), the PTO Carnival, and Thanksgiving!

Baby #5, Week 22

How far along: 22 weeks - No photo this week! I forgot with Adeline's sleep schedule being crazy. I always take my photo in the morning and I haven't been able to this week. Boo!
Weeks to go: 18 weeks

Baby is the size of: a spaghetti squash

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: not sure! Again! I avoid the scale these days... I feel huge already. No sense in seeing a number on the scale that will send me into a crying fit... 

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! I am FINALLY starting to fit into my maternity pants! I still have to pull them up a lot, but they fit! And I realized that I hate the low-rise("demi-panel")maternity jeans. I have to have a full panel ones! I hate feeling like my upper half is being cut off by the demi-panel jeans. I've tried sizes larger to see if it helps, but I just hate them. SO I have a ton to sell. I can use the money to buy me some ones I'll actually wear! Hooray!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: Rough... Adeline has been sick for the past few weeks and this past week she's been getting up two to three times a night with coughing fits, dry heaving, and snot everywhere. Ugh. She's going to the doctor on Tuesday. Hopefully something will help!

Movement: Lots of kicks and nudges from Baby Jedi! I'm pretty sure Jedi is training for some future light-saber battles with his/her big sisters!
Labor Signs: I've had two contractions this past week. Enough to stop me in my tracks and feel intense pain/pressure. I am trying to stay hydrated! Being sick isn't helping!

Best moment this week: Watching my belly move! I seriously can't get enough! I love, love, love being able to watch the kicks, nudges, and shifts happening! 

Worst moment this week: My anxiety and depression creeping up on me... I hate to admit it some days, but I do worry if I'll have postpartum depression again when I have this baby. I had it terribly bad after Vivian's birth... I'm not sure if I'm overwhelmed? Stressing? I know a lot of things contribute to my anxiety and depression, but this past week has been rather difficult. I've been praying that the Lord would help me to see joy and allow me to heed the chances to be happy. 

Miss anything: Sushi. My Jen and her family. 

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Caramel apples, Pears, Colby-Jack cheese
Aversions: Raw meat, Pizza
Appetite: Normal. 

Queasy or sick: Still sick with this chest congestion, stuffy/runny nose, cough, and achy body thing I've had since the beginning of the month. I am seriously SO OVER IT. It hurts my hernia to be coughing and sneezing so much... BLAH! And I would love to not need a box of tissues attached to my side every single day!
Workouts: Walking and deep cleaning. Jen is gone so I don't go to Zumba when she's not there... which is not a good excuse, but it's just not the same without her!

Emotionally: All over the place. I feel bad for my husband...

Physically: Exhausted again. This sickness is really taking it's toll on me. I would love to not be sick for a while! I'll be talking to my doctor more about it at my next appointment coming up... unless things start taking a turn for worse. 

Looking forward to: My next prenatal appointment, a few Halloween parties, taking the girls to a pumpkin patch, and Halloween!

Baby #5, Week 21

How far along: 21 weeks
Weeks to go: 19 weeks (on the downhill slide! YAY!)

Baby is the size of: a large carrot!

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: not sure! I forgot to weigh myself yesterday!

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! Regular yoga pants and maternity shirts! Though with the cooler weather, I've had to break out a few pairs of maternity jeans, but they aren't quite fitting me right! Maybe in the next few weeks!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: Better after I workout! But not terrible this week! I do have some insomnia going on, some nights worse than others.

Movement: So much movement! Jedi is a kicker/dancer! We are also seeing movement on the outside of my belly, which is surreal and AWESOME! Each of the girls have tried to feel Jedi move, but no luck yet. I know they'll feel baby move WAY more the closer we get to February! 

Best moment this week: Vivian's 4th birthday and her party! We had SO much fun this week with it being Vivian's birthday week! Her actual birthday was on the 6th and I let her help me bake a cake! Then she got to decorate it herself. Then we had her party on Saturday so that our families could travel! Vivian received SO many new presents! TONS of My Little Pony stuff! She was in heaven! It looks like my house had a My Little Pony bomb go off! Happy, Happy Birthday, Vivian Rane!

Vivian with her My Little Pony cake that I made for her!

TWO Rarity Ponies with different hair colors!

Worst moment this week: Being sick! I've been sick since the first of the month and I'm SO ready to be over this! I've missed so many workouts and things because I can't breathe. I went to Zumba once last week and even though I felt good for a bit, it started catching up to me about 45 minutes in. So I didn't go to any other workouts for the week. And every time I think I'm getting better, I get sick again. Ugh. 

Miss anything: My workouts! Sushi. Caring about my make-up/shaving my legs.

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Pears, Caramel Apples
Aversions: Pizza, Raw Meat(really strong aversion)
Appetite: Hearty first thing in the morning, normal the rest of the day.

Queasy or sick: I'm not sure if I am having severe allergies or if I am plain sick. Runny/stuffy nose, sneezing, congestion, sore throat, coughing, headaches, etc. It's been a crap storm of things and I was feeling pretty miserable the days that I had a headache on top of everything else.
Workouts: One Zumba workout and some light walking, when I wasn't feeling out of breath from the chest congestion. 

Emotionally: Being sick tends to turn me into a sobbing mess. It has made this week difficult. Vivian even asked me why I was crying so much! Haha! This week has been crazy busy and a tad stressful, but I was so happy to have some time to myself and some time with Charles painting a friend's living room! I LOVE painting and it was totally zen for me!
Physically: I felt like a train wreck! Zero energy sucks big time. I would clean and do things when the random bursts of energy came, but for the most part, I had to coax myself into doing anything other than binge watching Netflix while Adeline napped! 

Looking forward to: My next prenatal appointment! A few Halloween parties! Taking the girls to a pumpkin patch! Halloween!

Baby #5, Week 20

How far along: 20 weeks
Weeks to go: 20 weeks(half way! Eeek! I can't believe it!)

Baby is the size of: a banana!

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: 3 lbs, 12 lbs total (I am feeling this gain, too!)

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! Maternity shirts and regular yoga pants/leggings! I fit one pair of maternity jeans right now! I'm excited to get out my fall/winter maternity wardrobe since I never got to wear it during my last pregnancy!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In. My hernia is starting to make it look flat on one side!

Sleep: MUCH BETTER! I think the difference for me was getting a decent fan in our bedroom! I was waking up before because I'd be hot and sweaty. Now I feel the room is better circulated and I can sleep!

Movement: LOTS of movement from Jedi! It's kinda crazy! I went from feeling random movements to feeling almost every kick and nudge! It truly is amazing!

Best moment this week: Jedi's ultrasound! Charles and I kept it a secret and only told Jedi's Godmother, Jen, since we invited her to go with us! I'm not even sure when the last time she was at an  ultrasound! I'm so glad she was able to come with us! I told the ultrasound tech before we even got into the room that I didn't want to know the baby's gender! She explained how she'd do things and then got started! Jedi was head up, so we never saw the bottom half of Jedi, only Jedi's feet! Jedi's hands were also over his/her face and it made it interesting to try and see Jedi's features! I made sure the ultrasound lady printed off some extra photos for Jen to take home! We got one where we could see the skull and I told her that was the photo I wanted Jen to have! Jen loves skulls! When it came time for the tech to check baby's legs and what not, we all turned away from the screen. Which was the most difficult part! Jen really wanted to look, but I know that her reaction would've given it away if Jedi is a boy! Which we don't even know! AHH! I still can't believe we actually walked out of that room didn't know Jedi's gender! But I am more confident now that we can wait until Jedi's literal birth-day!

Baby Jedi's Profile

Another fun moment from the week was taking our girls to the Blank Park Zoo in Des Monies! We went up as a surprise birthday gift for my dear friend, Amanda! It was a gorgeous day, too! I forgot my camera, so when she posts the photos she took, I'll update this blog post with some photos!
Worst moment this week: The weight gain. I have felt this gain in my face and hips/rear. I cannot explain it, but I just FEEL fat. I know that this is part of any pregnancy, but I am very self conscious as it is. I had a lady in Zumba tell me that I've really grown in the last week and I tried very hard to not cry. Growing a human isn't easy, but I am trying to take each gain in stride. This is all towards the goal of having a healthy, happy baby! I haven't changed my eating habits, my appetite is normal and I'm not overeating or splurging "just because I'm pregnant". The only thing that has changed is the amount of workouts I get in each week. I need to be better about it getting those workouts in! 

Miss anything: Sushi

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Cookie Dough Pop Tarts, Pears, Strawberries, Toast, Scrambled Eggs
Aversions: Raw Meat, Pizza
Appetite: Normal

Queasy or sick: I have some sort of stuffy/runny nose going on! I think it's weather related, but it sucks! I'm having trouble breathing at times, too.
Workouts: Zumba and walking

Emotionally: I've been an emotional wreck, good and bad. I've been good about keeping things contained, but once I'm alone, I let it all out. I get upset over little things, which upsets me even more.. it's a vicious cycle! Then on the other hand, when I'm overwhelmed in a good way, I can't stop crying! A lot of tears... I'm probably dehydrated now!
Physically: I am feeling the weight gain, yes, but I am also feeling more energized! I want to clean more and get things ready for baby! Nesting early?! I'll take it! My house is semi-clean and I'm loving it! It helps with Vivian's birthday party this coming weekend! I need all the motivation I can get to clean!

Looking forward to: Vivian's birthday and her party! Working out more! My next prenatal appointment! Halloween!

Baby #5, Weeks 18 and 19

I never took an 18 week photo because our camera died and we had no batteries!
Then our computer crashed so I never posted my 18 week update.

How far along: 18 weeks
Weeks to go: 22 weeks

Baby is the size of: a bell pepper!

How far along: 19 weeks
Weeks to go: 21 weeks

Baby is the size of: an heirloom tomato!

Gender Prediction: Boy... but it will probably be a girl!

Weight gain: 2 lbs, 9 total

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! Still just maternity shirts with regular yoga pants! I tried wearing my maternity shorts and they are still too big! BLAH! At least the weather will be cooling off soon and then I can just wear jeggings and my maternity jeans!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In with no hernia pain! Hooray!

Sleep: Kinda terrible... I'm so tired, but I toss and turn at night. It's been really bad for the last week. I'm not sure what's going on, but I think I'm going through and uncomfortable phase in my bed! Which sucks because I'm so, so tired! I haven't been getting restful sleep and it's making me super exhausted during the mid-morning and afternoon.

Movement: I still am not feeling baby move all the time, but I feel the very strong kicks and shifts! Charles felt baby move for the first time last Sunday(9/13/15) and it was an awesome moment for the two of us! I've been feeling strong kicks on the outside since then! But baby isn't as active as I'd like! I'm starting to wonder if my placenta placement is more forward this time and I can't quite feel all the kicks and nudges like I could with my other pregnancies... We'll know soon enough at my ultrasound!

Best moment this week: Week 18: My 10 year high school reunion and balloon days! We had a very busy few days with everything going on, but the weather was perfect for the balloons this year and for the potluck at the park for my reunion! With our camera not having any batteries and then us forgetting to buy more, we sadly only got one photo from the entire weekend on our camera, but I took some with my phone during the night glow!

The first balloon we saw Saturday(9-19) out our front door!

Pictures from the Night Glow!

Week 19: Our family got to take a photo walking on the new trail that goes out by the lake outside of town! Charles and I run, walk, bike, etc. on the trail and we're SO excited that the new section is almost finished! We were asked to take a photo as a family walking on trail and it was in Tuesday's(9-22) paper! The photo was taken by Ian Richardson of the Creston News Advertiser!

As you can tell in the photo, it was Disney day on Monday for Homecoming week! The girls had a blast dressing up all week, too! It was fun to let their imaginations go and have them pick out the things they wanted to wear/be!

Disney Day, Around the World Day(animal or tourist), Twin Day(or triplet day for us!), Color Theme Day(except for Vivian), and Spirit Day! The awesome part about Homecoming this year is that the girls got to ride on a parade float since I'm on the PTO! I helped decorate and set up the float for the parade and the girls got to ride the trailer with our friend Harper(Vivian's bestie!)!

I walked(jogged, ran, etc.) next to the trailer to pass out candy while pushing Adeline in the stroller!! It was kinda hot, but the breeze helped me out! The girls had a BLAST! They keep asking me when the next parade is so that they can ride on another float! Then on Saturday, we had a lazy day and went to the Y to swim with Taycey, Keith, and their kids! It was a lot of fun! Then I went to Corning to hang out with Julie and watch the General Women's broadcast from the Church!
Worst moment this week: Week 18: Not working out. I never realize how much of a stress reliever working out is until I'm so busy that I can't do it... By Friday, I had been pushed to my max and had an anxiety attack. It wasn't fun. Charles stayed home with me on Friday so that I could calm down and relax. It was a blessing!
Week 19: Not getting comfortable in my bed!

Miss anything: Working out everyday. 

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Guacamole, Applesauce, Pears, Strawberries
Aversions: Leftovers, Lunch, things that are too sweet
Appetite: Normal

Queasy or sick: Queasy at times, mostly in the afternoons around lunch.
Workouts: Hardly any... but I'm hoping things will calm down and I don't lose what athletic ability is left in this growing pregnant body!

Emotionally: Doing better! Aside from my lack of sleep, I haven't actually cried that much! Still during sad movies or when I think about my daughters or meeting this baby, but I'm doing really good! I did have an anxiety attack last week, but I'm pretty sure that was a lack of exercise over hormones!
Physically: I. Am. Tired! I'm feeling it more and more during my workouts and during the day! Carrying a baby is hard work! But I'm so glad that I'm able to move around and workout like I do! I still have energy in the mornings, but it's usually gone by the afternoon! I really have to dig deep to workout in the evenings!

Looking forward to: My ultrasound(which is SOON!)! Seeing this baby! I'm so, so excited! It's been so hard to keep our ultrasound date a secret! Only one person(aside from Charles and I) knows and they've been keeping quiet! General Conference this weekend! Vivian's birthday and her party the following weekend! 

Baby #5, Week 17

How far along: 17 weeks
Weeks to go: 23 weeks

Baby is the size of: a turnip!

Gender Prediction: Boy... but it will probably be a girl!

Weight gain: 1 lb, 7 lbs total

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes! I love that I can lay down and my belly doesn't go away! I love to just lay and rub my belly and talk to this baby! I'm pretty sure this is the earliest I've ever talked to my belly, too! Not sure why, but since I don't know how many more pregnancies I'm going to have, I have been really soaking up each moment!

Maternity clothes: Yes! Just shirts with my regular yoga pants! And on occasion, my maternity shorts, but they are still too big, so I have to use my maternity support top to hold my pants up!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: Even though Adeline is now sleeping through the night, I still wake up every time I turn or shift in bed. I think it's because I'm paranoid that I'm going to lay on my belly! I've woken up a few times laying on my belly and it scares me! I've been propping my body up with pillows so that I don't turn over onto my belly, but I still wake up!

Movement: Yes! I just love feeling those little baby kicks and flutters!

Best moment this week: My 16 week appointment on 8/8/15! Everything is going well and my belly and baby are both growing perfectly! Baby's heart rate was 150 bpm! Baby was also moving around so my doctor kept having to move the doppler to find and hear Baby's heart! Then later that day, we went to Des Moines on for an impromptu visit for food and to visit the sculpture park downtown! The girls had a BLAST!

I also had an amazing weekend in Des Moines with my best friend Jen and her son! We did some shopping for necessities, had lunch at HuHot, went to Target's Star Wars event, I bought some Star Wars jammies for my husband, I bought some maternity stuff that finally went on sale, then we enjoyed the sunset on the way home! It was awesome to be with Jen for the day!
Worst moment this week: The anxiety before my appointment. I always get so nervous about hearing Baby's heartbeat. 

Miss anything: Sushi

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Strawberries, Pears, Pickle Wrap Dip
Aversions: Pizza, lunchtime
Appetite: Normal

Queasy or sick: I get queasy/morning-sickish around noon. I'm not sure why, but it makes it difficult to eat lunch. And it doesn't really go away for the rest of the afternoon. Boo.
Workouts: I made it to most of my workouts for the week! I was so happy to be back and get a good sweat in! Felt amazing! And it really helps me to sleep better!

Emotionally: Much better this week! I still get weepy during sad movies, thinking about how much my girls have grown, how much I love my husband, etc. Normal pregnancy hormones at work! And I feel so much better! I still get upset quicker than normal, but I think that it's normal while pregnant!
Physically: I have so much more energy! The new school schedule has been great for me! I get up early, get some cleaning in before my girls get up, I get some alone time, and I'm not so exhausted! By the end of the day, that's another story!

Looking forward to: My ultrasound! It is scheduled, but I'm not saying when it is! Mostly because I am still convincing myself that Charles and I don't want to find out Baby's gender and if I post that I'm about to have the ultrasound, people will comment what they think Baby's gender is, then I think I'll cave and find out! So in order to be strong, no one will know! I still love you all! Balloon Days and my 10 year High School reunion this weekend!

Baby #5, Week 16

How far along: 16 weeks
Weeks to go: 24 weeks

Baby is the size of: an avocado! Holy Guacamole! 

Gender Prediction: Boy... but it will probably be a girl!

Weight gain: 2 lbs, 6 lbs total

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes! Even when I lay down, my belly doesn't go away! 

Maternity clothes: Yes! Just maternity shirts paired with my regular yoga pants!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In, but I'm having a lot of hernia pain already.

Sleep: SO much better now that Adeline is officially weaned! I am LOVING being able to sleep through the night! I've missed it!

Movement: Not as much this week, which has/had me super paranoid, but I think it was because I had SO much going on that I had no time to just relax and feel Baby kick. 

Best moment this week: Miss Vivian started 3-year-old preschool at Head Start on Monday(8-31-15)! It was a fantastic day for her! She was SO excited to finally start school and then ride the trolley home from school! I wasn't even nervous about Vivian being in school, but I did almost cry! She's had the most one-on-one time with me and I miss her during the week! The upside, though, is that she's home around 12:15 in the afternoon, so I still get time with her and Adeline!

My best friend from high school came to visit me, too! I have missed her since she moved across the country! She's in town for a few weeks for our 10-year High School reunion! I'm SO glad to have her so close again! Then my good friend, Taycey, had a surprise party on Friday night that I got to attend and make a cake for! It was such an awesome night! I have been so blessed to know her! I met her via our blogs, then we finally met in person over a year later when she started dating my best friend's brother! I was so happy to be a part of her special night! Then I got to attend my good friend Rhea's wedding reception on Saturday! I remember talking to her about getting married a few years ago! It wasn't something she thought would happen for her... and I'm SO glad that it did! Her husband is a lucky guy! 

Worst moment this week: Sadly, frosting my friend Rhea's wedding cake! Whipped icing is SO delicious but SO stressful to make! My first batch was a total failure and I was on a time schedule. I, literally, had a panic attack! A pregnant panic attack is no fun... I asked Charles to say a prayer for me and we were blessed with the solution to our problem! Thank goodness! 

Miss anything: Zumba! 30/30! I've been SO busy, I only went to one workout class last week! 

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Guacamole, Pickle Wrap Dip
Aversions: Sweets
Appetite: Normal

Queasy or sick: I felt good this week! Still had some stomach/bowel issues(sorry! TMI!), but I'm starting to figure things out!
Workouts: Only one Zumba class! And a TON of walking!

Emotionally: Depends on the day! There are days where I'm on an emotional overload, and then other days when I'm perfectly fine! This week has been slightly stressful, but I had to let a lot of things go and just move forward. School starting has been WAY more stressful than I was anticipating. The schedule change has been tough, but I'm holding on!
Physically: Now that Adeline is weaned and Charles and I are sleeping more, I'm feeling hardly any exhaustion! I am going to enjoy these next 24 weeks(or so) of solid sleep! Sleeping more than 6 hours straight has been AMAZING! I'm feeling so much more energized! I haven't been able to do much this past week, but I'm looking forward to things settling down and me being able to do more around my house!

Looking forward to: Labor Day festivities with my best friend and her family! My 16 week appointment on Tuesday! Scheduling my ultrasound! Cleaning my house(STILL! AHHH!)! Vivian's birthday party in October! Halloween!

Baby #5, Week 15

How far along: 15 weeks
Weeks to go: 25 weeks

Baby is the size of: an apple!

Gender Prediction: Boy... but it will probably be a girl!

Weight gain: Not sure! I forgot to weigh myself!

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes! I feel like I've popped, too!

Maternity clothes: Yes, but only tops! Yoga pants and jeggings are my best friends!

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In, but I'm having a lot of hernia pain already.

Sleep: Adeline has started sleeping through the night and only waking up once to nurse, around 4:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. It. Is. GLORIOUS! OOHHHHHHH my goodness! Solid, continuous sleep is SO wonderful! I've missed it!

Movement: TONS of movement from this baby! It takes my breath away, too! And it's always when I least expect it! It fills me with happiness and love!

Best moment this week: There were so many! Feeling baby moving every day was so awesome! Adeline is all but weaned from her early morning nursing session! I'm hoping to have her completely weaned within the next few weeks! Caitlin and Rosalie both started school this week! Caity is in first grade and Rosalie is in kindergarten! There was a lot of stress going into this week, but the girls have adjusted beautifully! They were very tired after school on their first day, and even the following mornings, but I've gotten nothing but smiles and yawns!

We went to King's Pointe Water Park in Storm Lake on Saturday and had a BLAST! The only thing I would've done differently? I would've gotten us a hotel room for afterwards! 5+ hours at the water park made the almost 3 hour car drive home almost painful! We were SO tired! It would've been nice to just leave the resort and sleep in a hotel room!

Worst moment this week: The stress and anxiety of our girls starting school and not knowing what to expect with Caitlin riding the bus. Which we're still kinda unsure about, but we've decided that Rosalie will be joining her for the ride home! Which, if you know me, is HUGE! I'm so protective of my girls! I hate the thought of them being somewhere without me! This is part of the "letting-go" process and I've been struggling. I've also been praying for the Lord to bless and protect both girls from harm and from hearing/repeating anything inappropriate on the bus. 

Miss anything: Zumba! We've had orientations/open houses during my normal Zumba class and it makes me sad that I had to miss my Zumba and my Jen! But it was also a very much needed thing so that we could ask questions and prepare our girls for their first day!

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Cheese balls dipped in ranch(which I sadly did not eat... I just REALLY want some!)
Aversions: Anything very spicy or spicy smelling.
Appetite: Normal, thought I've realized that I'm starving for breakfast and then by lunch, I have morning sickness and I don't want to eat! I force myself, but it always feel ill in the afternoons... BOO!

Queasy or sick: Morning sickness in the afternoons.
Workouts: Just 30/30 and a few family walks on the days after the girls' open houses/orientations! It's been a gorgeous weather week! Nice and cool, lots of sunshine... perfect!

Emotionally: Pretty much a wreck with it being the first week of school! I. Cried. A. Ton. And that's even an understatement... I was a sobbing mess of emotions. I hate that I can't control my emotions! But I have to let myself cry, because if I hold it in, it's worse for me.
Physically: Feeling more normal! There are days I don't even feel pregnant and it's kinda scary! Aside from the gentle kick reminder from my little one, I don't even feel pregnant! I look it, but I don't feel it! It's crazy! It is very much like my pregnancy with Rosalie!

Looking forward to: My 16 week appointment on 9/8/2015! Scheduling my 20 week ultrasound! Vivian starting preschool on Monday! Cleaning my house!

Baby #5, Week 14

How far along: 14 weeks! Hello, second trimester! Woo hoo!
Weeks to go: 26 weeks

Baby is the size of: a lemon!

Gender Prediction: Boy ...but it will probably be a girl! I've had dreams where Baby was a girl, which I've never had before. With my girls, I had dreams that they were boys... I wonder if that means the opposite is true?! My Nana is convinced that I'm having a boy! Only 26ish weeks until we know for sure! 

Weight gain: 0 lbs this week, 4 lbs total

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes! But there are days when I'm REALLLLY showing and days where I'm barely showing!

Maternity clothes: Yes! Mostly just tops. I can still wear my normal yoga pants, but my maternity shorts and pants are still just a tad too big still. 

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In. I'm having a lot of hernia pain.

Sleep: Depends on the day, but this past Wednesday night/Thursday morning, Adeline slept for 12 hours and I slept for 11 of them! It was glorious! She slept through the night and woke up to nurse at 5:30. I usually leave her in bed with me at this point. I closed my eyes and then felt her giving me kisses. I looked at the clock and it said 9:30! I panicked and ran downstairs to check on my older girls. They were sitting on the couch quietly watching Netflix. When Caitlin saw me, she said, "It's about time! I'm HUNGRY!"! I was thankful for the blessing of extra sleep and that my older girls were content enough to chill and watch the new season of Ever After High! 

Movement: Yes! Though I don't feel Baby move all the time, I feel movement about twice a day! Except for Saturday when I was eating at Ranchito with friends, Baby started kicking like crazy! I'm excited to start feeling it all the time!

Best moment this week: Making it to all of my workouts! I'm slightly sore, but it feels SO good to be back in my regular routine! I'm nervous about how school starting is going to affect this, but I'm sure it'll be fine! Saturday was an awesome day! I got to help a friend with a photo shoot and spent the entire day with my best friend! I only breastfed Adeline once that day, right before I left at 5:30 a.m.! She breastfed again Sunday morning at 5:00, then not again for the rest of the day! Weaning is actually HAPPENING! I'm so excited!

Worst moment this week: Stressing about school related things for Caity. I am so nervous about her being in a different school and me not being with her on her first day(she'll take the bus to make it to breakfast in time) and I'm kinda freaking out. Caity is my shy/timid girl! I'm so scared that she's going to be scared and cry and that I'm not going to be there to comfort her. It's 100 times worse for me right now since I'll cry about anything and everything. So thinking about this right now has me in tears... I've seriously thought about homeschooling... 

Miss anything: Sushi!

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Raisin Nut Bran, Ice Cream Pebbles, Tortilla chips and salsa
Aversions: Nothing this week!
Appetite: Regular! Finally! 

Queasy or sick: I've been having issues with my stomach/bowels. TMI... sorry... but for real. There are moments when my stomach pain is so bad that I cannot function. I'm looking into natural ways to alleviate my pain and help my digestion. I thought about eating Activia yogurt, but I haven't yet. I've also thought about probiotics.
Workouts: Zumba, 30/30, Walking, and Running! It's been fantastic! I finally feel at ease while working out! I'm still tired, and I pee three times during one workout, but I'm feeling good!

Emotionally: Overwhelmed with emotions thinking about the start of school for my oldest two. We're trying to figure stuff out and I have so many questions... but we won't know anything until open house night this coming Monday and that's only two days before schools starts! So last minute! I like having things figured out and planned at least a month in advance. Caity keeps asking me what's going to happen with drop-off and pick-up, and I can't give her an answer yet. I'm keeping positive when she asks so that she doesn't stress about it! She's only six! She doesn't need to worry about this stuff! I, on the other hand, am a freaking mess! GAH! I'm crying, again, thinking about it! Hormones...
Physically: I'm tired, but not exhausted! I'm definitely feeling my second trimester energy burst! It's a glorious thing! I wake up in the morning and I don't feel the need to roll back over and sleep more! I still hit my afternoon lag around 2:30, but I've been reading more and it's keeping me awake! My hernia isn't hurting as bad as it was, thank goodness! I've also noticed that if I sit in one position for too long, my legs and arms tend to fall asleep. So I try not to sit for too long! 

Looking forward to:  My 16 week appointment! Scheduling my 20 week ultrasound! School starting up for my girls(even though I am still super nervous about it all...)! Cleaning my house!

Baby #5, Weeks 12 and 13

I forgot to take my 12 week photo! Sad face! I'm not sure what was up with the weird discoloration today... maybe because it's overcast outside and I had the window open when I took the photo? Oh well...

How far along: 12 weeks
Weeks to go: 28 weeks

Baby is the size of: a lime!

How far along: 13 weeks

Weeks to go: 27 weeks

Baby is the size of: a pea pod, about 3 inches long!

Gender Prediction: Boy... though it will probably be a girl!

Weight gain: 4 lbs

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! And I've started wearing my belly support to help with my hernia pain.

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In. I'm having a lot of hernia pain already.

Sleep: So-so... some nights are better than others. I'm think I'm past my comfortable phase in my bed and entering the uncomfortable/restless phase. Joy. I haven't been getting much sleep as it is... 

Movement: I think so! Which seems crazy to me! But I am positive that I felt this little one move for the first time today(8/16/15)! 

Best moment this week: Celebrating my eight year wedding anniversary on 8/11/15! Hearing baby's heartbeat at my 12 week appointment on 8/13/15! It was 160 bpm and it was a glorious moment! It took the doctor a few minutes to find it, so when we finally heard baby's heart, I started to cry! Such relief! 

Worst moment this week: Lack of sleep and feeling overwhelmed with things at home. We are still remodeling our home(4+ years after we started it) and I'm feeling claustrophobic and overwhelmed. I wish I had a nice home... and we're making it that way. But there's always a sense of jealousy when I see other people's homes and they are so nice and put together. I need to declutter... I am excited for school to start so that I can actually go through things and purge without my oldest three getting into whatever I'm doing! It'll be just me and Adeline home until noon during the week! I have big plans for deep cleaning and purging! 

Miss anything: Working out and running... I've been so busy with things and slightly sick for the past two weeks. I've only gone to one workout class!

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Tortilla chips and salsa
Aversions: Sweets. I feel like I want to eat sweets, but afterwards I feel sick to my stomach and regret it!
Appetite: Hearty, but feeling more normal in my 13th week!

Queasy or sick: I've had a cough and chest congestion for the past two weeks. I'm finally getting some relief with mucinex. I also get car sick very easily.
Workouts: One workout in the past two weeks! BLAH!

Emotionally: I'm doing good! There are moments when I feel like this pregnancy is going to last forever... the first trimester is so hard for me! But now that I'm finally in the final week of the first trimester, I am relaxing more and more! I'm still nervous that we won't have a girl name picked out by the time Baby #5 gets here! We've had 3 to 4 boy names picked out for the past six years... so if Baby is a boy, we want to meet him first before naming him! Same goes for a girl baby, but we don't even have any real options that have stuck out for us yet! We like the old-time names, but not too old-fashioned. Caitlin is more modern, but Rosalie, Vivian, and Adeline are more old-timey. I want a baby name to flow with the names of baby's big sisters if baby is a girl! But so far, I've got nothing! AHH!
Physically: Exhausted. Tired. Beyond exhausted and tired... is there a word for that?! I literally have zero energy by the afternoon. I'm finding some pick-me-up snacks to help! Almonds, organic granola bars, clif bars, quest bars, etc. I feel like I shouldn't be so big for only 13 weeks, but I know that every pregnancy is different! I just feel large... not working out is NOT helping!

Looking forward to: Feeling Baby more even MORE! My 16 week appointment! Scheduling my 20 week ultrasound! School starting up for my girls! Cleaning my house!

Baby #5, Week 11

I feel like I shouldn't be showing this much...

How far along: 11 weeks
Weeks to go: 29 weeks

Baby is the size of: A fig!

Gender Prediction: Boy... wishful thinking? It'll probably be a girl!

Weight gain: 2 lbs

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes! It honestly surprises me that I am showing so much! But I know that this isn't my first pregnancy... and I know that my body has changed a whole lot since my first pregnancy! Trying to just own it and not feel fat! But it's a bump! It's the only place that's gotten bigger on my body aside from my boobs!

Maternity clothes: Some, mostly medium sized maternity shirts. Otherwise I pretty much live in my yoga pants, jeggings, and large t-shirts! 

Stretch marks: Just a lot of old ones!

Belly button in or out: In, but I'm having a lot of hernia pain already. Especially when I cough or sneeze. Which has been bad this week since I've been sick! Boo!

Sleep: I keep waking up on my belly! Which scares me, but I know that I'm not crushing Baby! I just need to be more careful! And I know that when I'm bigger, it'll be harder to roll in general. I'm just trying to be more careful! Otherwise, sleep has been so-so. Adeline is teething and still wanting to nurse 2 to 4 times a night. It's getting more painful for me, but I'm still producing milk for her. 

Movement: Not yet! But getting excited for it to happen soon!
Labor Signs: Nope!

Best moment this week: Explaining the size of Baby to his/her big sisters! We went to the store and looked for things that were close in size! The girls kept getting excited over how big the baby is going to be when he/she comes out!

Worst moment this week: The emotional roller coaster I've been on. Really high highs, and really low lows. My temper is very short. I am aware of it, so I generally tend to just walk away from situations that I feel like I just cannot handle. Even simple things can make me very upset. I've been praying for patience and understanding. My pregnancy OCD has kicked into high gear, already.

Miss anything: Energy! I feel so incredibly tired all the time!

Wedding rings on or off?: On during the day. Off at night.

Cravings: Biscuits and gravy! Grape Nut cereal with milk or on top of yogurt!
Aversions: The smell of our trash can. I almost instantly puked when I walked past it on Thursday!
Appetite: Hearty! But my eyes are bigger than my stomach! I still need to eat every 2 to 3 hours or I get hangry! 

Queasy or sick: Depends on the day!
Workouts: Zumba, 30/30, walking, and running. I still feel very tired while working out. I can't really do the jumping songs in Zumba, which makes me sad. I can't really get into the songs either cause I won't want to finish class from being so tired! Haha! 30/30 about killed me on Thursday! I hadn't gone in a few weeks with the Policy Council meeting, family pictures, etc. going on, so I was already losing my strength! I. Am. SORE! I ran three miles Saturday(can't go more than that with this humidity) and felt incredibly tired afterwards! It took me 30 minutes to run, then I took a 2 hour nap shortly after! Exhausted? I'd say so!

Emotionally: Like I said earlier, I am all over the place. I can keep it together, but if you catch me in a vulnerable moment, I'll probably cry my eyes out in front of you! I apologize in advance! I cried Friday night while watching an episode of Chopped on Netflix! It was the iberico ham episode. The chef guy was making biscuits and gravy using the ham and I was crying because I wanted some... Legitimate tears. I looked at Charles and he laughed and said, "Just let it out, hon!"... so I did! He made me biscuits and gravy the next morning! I love that man!
Physically: Exhausted. If I stand up too quickly, I can feel my muscles and ligaments tighten around my belly and it's rather painful! I have to be careful! There's part of me that forgets that I'm pregnant when I'm trying to run after my girls! Until I stand up suddenly and remember!

Looking forward to: Charles and my eight year wedding anniversary! My next appointment/ultrasound! The second trimester! Feeling Baby move!