Baby #5, Weeks 30 through 33

I'm playing catch-up on here! I was going to update a 30 week post but had a prenatal appointment the day after, so I was going to wait to update that post. But at that appointment, I was measuring large(again). I was suppose to measure at 30 weeks, but I was measuring between 34 and 35 weeks. Too much of a discrepancy for my doctor to be at ease. So he scheduled an ultrasound for the next morning to check on baby, my fluid, baby's position, due date, etc. I held off on updating my blog since it took a few days for my doctor's office to call me back.

When I finally got the call, it was discussed about possibly moving my due date from 2/21/16 to 2/10/16, but I would have to wait until my next appointment... which isn't until today, JANUARY 4TH! Which has been a pretty long wait. So I've held off on updating, but I've kept track on here as the weeks have gone by. A lot has happened these past few weeks and I don't want to miss out on this stuff since I tend to forget things quicker and quicker these days! This is a long one! And to top it all off, I have no photos from week 30, 31 or 32. Serious pregnant brain... But I do have my 33 week photo taken! In fact, I have a LOT of them! I had my winter maternity session yesterday by my amazing friend Taycey of Taycey Post Photography! Check out her page for more photos! The previews she posted left me speechless!

How far along: 30 weeks (12-13-15)
Weeks to go: 10 weeks

Baby is the size of: a large head of cabbage!

How far along: 31 weeks (12-20-15)
Weeks to go: 9 weeks

Baby is the size of: a coconut!

How far along: 32 weeks (12-27-15)
Weeks to go: 8 weeks

Baby is the size of: a large jicama!

How far along: 33 weeks, 1 day
Weeks to go: 6 weeks, 6 days

Baby is the size of: a pineapple!

Gender Prediction: Boy

Weight gain: 33 lbs and I'M FEELING IT... ugh. 

Starting to show yet?: Oh yes!

Maternity clothes: Yes! Pretty much all I'm wearing these days. And I am seriously outgrowing my maternity clothes fast! I've gained more at this point than I have during any other pregnancy, but I weigh as much as I did when I got pregnant with Caitlin. Which still blows my mind... but it's also hard for me to see a number on the scale greater than 200 lbs. I know I'm pregnant, but coming from a huge weight loss, it just bugs me. 

Belly button in or out: Flattie. My hernia makes it look like an outtie.

Sleep: So/so. I'm pretty sure Adeline has a form of insomnia. Some nights are great, some she fusses a little bit, and others she's up for three to five hours. We did this a few weeks ago, but it hasn't gotten any better. We had a good spell, but now we're back to it. I'm not sure what's going on, but it's turning me into an overly tired/emotional pregnant woman. I have no idea what's going to happen when Jedi gets here... We're thinking about moving Squishy into her big sister's room within in the next week or so, but we're worried that she'll wake up the other girls. I have serious anxiety about it. But I'm praying that the Lord will bless us with a smooth transition! I'm hoping that being in there will help her sleep through the night. She's been in her crib on the other side of our room since she was about 3/4 months old. She was in a bassinet by my side of the bed before that. Time to move her on up! She's 18 months old today!

Movement: Baby Jedi is rocking and rolling everyday! Baby is head down(according to the ultrasound on 12.15.15. I feel kicks and nudges all over, and we've been playing the "guess what part this is" game! Is that a hand, foot, elbow, knee, etc.?! It's been amazing and super creepy to watch all the movements! And even though this has been going on for a while, I haven't really mentioned it before, but I hear a popping/cracking sound sometimes when Jedi moves! My doctor told me today that it is nothing that causes concern! It just happens sometimes and there is no real proof as to what it is that makes the noise! Just guesses: amniotic fluid moving around, baby's bones popping, my bones popping, baby kicking my organs/intestines, etc. It's not painful, just creepy!
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions every day. Some are really painful, but for the most part, they don't hurt at all. Just super uncomfortable in my larger state.

On New Year's Eve, I started having contractions for the fourth day in a row. They were stronger and closer together. I was getting worried around 3:30 in the afternoon, so I went ahead and called in. I was told to go in and be monitored. Long story short, after three hours of being monitored and having tests run, I was diagnosed with a very minor UTI. I never want another one again. My belly just plain hurts. I have having a mix of Braxton Hicks contractions, real contractions, and a TON of irritability.  It was a roller coaster... I was just glad to go home pregnant! I was very nervous about really being in labor... I did not want a New Year's Baby! I am on an anti-bacterial to treat the UTI. 

Best moment this week: Week 30: Friendsmasgiving Extravaganzaka and my friend Becky's "Last Fling Before the Ring" party! Friendsmasgiving was an ugly sweater party where a ton of us got together to eat a large Thanksgiving/Christmas meal and then play games afterwards! Including a white elephant gift exchange! It was a ton of fun!

Then the next night was my friend Becky's party to celebrate her getting married! We went to A&G's for supper, had a pure romance party, and then went to the Lobby to hang out! It was a crazy night for the weather(thundersnow in Iowa!), but we all had a blast!

Week 31: My ultrasound! I was very excited to be able to see Baby Jedi again! I went with Charles on 12-15-15 for the ultrasound. We kept to our promise to NOT find out our baby's gender, but it was difficult! We held strong! We got to see Jedi very well and it was pretty emotional and wonderful! Jedi has chubby cheeks! We watched Jedi open his/her mouth and even to to see his/her iris in his/her right eye! It was amazing!

Top: Profile - Bottom Left: Face(you can see Jedi's eye and iris!) - Bottom right: nose, lips, and cheeks!

Also, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS!!!! Charles and I had a date night with our friends Taycey and Keith at the Science Center to watch the movie on the IMAX screen! It was incredible! Awesome, awesome movie! Though I don't think I'll ever go to another IMAX movie again! Haha! Week 32: Christmas! We had a wonderful Christmas! We decided to do the four present thing: something to wear, something to read, something needed, and something wanted. It made shopping easier, but we did have to travel to buy one of Vivian's gifts. Each girl was over the moon excited!

Our tree - Rosie, Vivi, and Caity wearing the shirts they got from Santa - Adeline opening her shirt!

Week 33: Getting to go home after the labor scare!

Worst moment this week: I'll combine all the weeks together on this one: sleeping at night. Or rather, NOT sleeping at night. Oy. It's been awful. I'm so tired, but I'm so uncomfortable all the time. I can't get comfortable. And when I do, Adeline starts fussing... night after night.

Miss anything: Sushi, smaller boobs, being able to sleep, being able to breathe, bending over and tying my own shoes, putting shoes/socks on without struggle, and getting in a good, sweaty workout. 

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

Cravings: Cheese, Ramen(did not give in), Doritos
Aversions: Raw meat
Appetite: Goes back and forth between starving and not being hungry at all. I think it's the sleep. Or lack of...

Queasy or sick: Runny nose. Still.
Workouts: Zumba, walking, some light lifting, and working on the remodel!

Emotionally: I'm a wreck. All the time. Highs and lows. I know baby-time is getting closer and I'm totally unprepared! I've been battling my anxiety almost every single day. Not finding out the gender was suppose to be fun, but it's actually giving me anxiety! Oy! I'm trying to stay positive and enjoy this! We are SOOOO close to meeting baby! I'm anxious, excited, and stressing! I'm still waiting for the nesting phase to kick in! My house is still a wreck from Christmas break, so I'm focusing this week on cleaning things one at a time and resting between. Otherwise I get overloaded and shut-down. I'm washing a week's worth of gender neutral outfits for baby to help my anxiety! Seems silly that not having baby's clothes washed and prepared is causing me stress... but that's pregnancy for ya!
Physically: Exhausted! Still! I'm not sure that this has changed! It doesn't help that I get winded just walking up the stairs! Baby is in my ribs and it makes it uncomfortable./difficult to breathe. It's more irritating than anything, but I'm pushing through and keeping myself moving! I fear that I'll be pregnant forever... I've already reached that point in this pregnancy and it's driving me nuts!

Looking forward to: Meeting this baby! My next appointment, which sadly isn't until my 36 week check up on Jan 25th. Charles' birthday on Friday! Girl's night on Saturday! Cleaning my house! Preparing things for Baby and packing my bag!

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!