17 weeks | Baby #4

1.29.17 | 17w1d

I'm bringing back the weekly template, folks! Deja vu!



Photo thoughts: I feel pretty freaking huge at times (evenings) and other times I think I barely look pregnant. It also depends on what I'm wearing, but I think the above picture makes the bump look small. This was how it looked on Friday evening:



Size of baby: My phone app tells us baby is the size of a pomegranate now, and old blog posts talk about an onion or turnip. Pretty legit baby in there! Five inches seems like less of a jelly bean and more of a real, growing baby.

Cravings/Aversions: Obsessed with any and all food. Why is this even a topic? I noted I was loving diet soda in past pregnancies, and am totally digging it now, too! Except we don't even keep it in the house, so it's a special treat if I eat out and is very rare. But Diet Dr. Pepper, I love you. Also anything salty...or sweet. Cereal at night is the bomb, I'm still not loving my morning cup of coffee but I refuse to give it up, and I think I'm eating healthier overall compared to past pregnancies but who really knows? I made baked salmon, roasted brussel sprouts, and cubed sweet potatoes the other night and it was insanely good. Also needed a cereal snack before bed because, duh.



 
What I'm loving: Feeling the baby kick every single day, and many times I can feel it from the outside. I haven't had Nate or the kids give it a feel just yet, kind of ant to keep this special time all to myself. 

In a non-pregnancy topic, I'm loving my new job and just completed my first full week at the office as Rehab Supervisor. It didn't feel all that different to work four, five hour days but I was certainly exhausted by Friday night. I'm learning the ropes and think this job has potential to be whatever I want it to be, which is an excellent thought.

Pre-work selfies, office job edition!






  
What I'm anticipating the most: Anatomy scan in less than three weeks! Finding out the sex. Currently stalking Pinterest ideas for a reveal, seems everything has been done a million times before. Also, the day of my ultrasound, I might have to go back in to work for a meeting afterwards so plans for a photoshoot that same day are probably derailed. Also can't decide if we should tell the kids right away and then tell the internet separately, or what. I do think we just want the tech to tell Nate and I during the ultrasound though, we did that for Truman and it was fun to watch the whole US and not turn our heads every five seconds.

Miss anything?  Kind of miss the idea of running and being in shape, but not that much. ;) I didn't even walk on the treadmill this week and I'm not mad about it. Missing red wine this week as Nate pours himself a fat glass in the evenings (jerk). 

Worries: This is not a healthy category for me, because I could go on and on with too many worries to verbalize. But I will just say that getting the call from the nurse, who said my Quad Screen was clear of any concerns was THE BEST. I didn't realize how much I was worried about that test until I could breathe again. Thank you, God!

Differences between pregnancies: I actually read back over Porter's 17 week post before writing this one (hence the template), and am shocked by the similarities. I didn't remember that I thought he was a girl, too. The kids have been adorable and excited, just like last time, and Truman still takes the cake for the most excited sibling ever. I think I look the biggest right now, but am feeling basically the same as the last two times (the sweet spot of pregnancy, when I'm in love with being pregnant!). It should be noted that because my due date is the EXACT SAME as it was for Porter, I am loving Timehop these days---what an easy way to compare pregnancies.

How I'm feeling: Really good. Embarrassingly so, because I'm sleeping like a rock (when Porter or Cecelia decide to sleep through the night, that is), and I have great energy through the day until bedtime. I think I'm still riding the 'new job high' with adrenaline and have been thinking a lot about work even when I'm not there, but the week just flew by and I'm excited to take this next step in my career. I'm mostly just feeling ridiculously blessed with so many awesome happenings in 2017. At the risk of coming across as 'hashtag blessed', I'll just say that sometimes I feel overwhelmed. Because I truly have everything I could have pictured in life at this time, and I know nothing is a guarantee. Therefore, celebrating the little (and big) moments are a must! 

Movement: Yes, I love it so much, and feeling this baby kick is probably my most favorite thing in life right now. I'll forget that I'm pregnant and will be totally focused on a million other things, then I'll feel a kick. It's like the baby is saying, 'Hey, mom. Remember me? I'm growing in here and I'm going to come out to meet you soon.' Call me a hormonal mess, but it's just the greatest.

Boy or Girl: I think it's a girl, but apparently I said that with Porter, too! Really, it doesn't matter to us either way and we will be finding out crazy-soon.

The Bump: Possibly the biggest yet, and still freaking hilarious to look back at my first time bump. Strangers are definitely not noticing though. Still getting lots of shocked 'small' comments (i.e., you don't even look pregnant). Those comments don't bother me anymore, after four pregnancies you get used to saying, 'I'm tall, so that helps!'

Milestones: Kicks from the outside. Starting my new job. 

Best moment of the week: Hearing about the negative quad screen, for sure. 

Quotes from the kids: One night I was reading to Truman and Cecelia before bed, and CC told me the baby is getting bigger as she kissed my belly. She then said that she's really worried about when the baby comes out of me, and we started talking about labor for a bit. Truman asked if the baby comes out of my butt (!) and I said, 'No, the other private.'

C: "Oh yeah, your Fa-gina."

T: "That sounds like it hurts."

C: "How does something that big come out of a hole that small?" (EXACTLY, CHILD, YOU NAILED IT!!!)

T: "Well, I guess it's a good thing boys don't have babies. It would be coming out of a hole even smaller, then!" (ALSO, PAIN TOLERANCE IN MEN, BUT I DIGRESS). 

Freaking hilarious, right? I think the age gaps between this baby and the other three kids will be pretty awesome. Seven years for Truman, five for Cecelia, and three for Porter---I'll have two great helpers and one kid that is NOT a baby anymore, even though he likes to call himself 'your baby'. Porter has been requesting that I hold him and says he isn't a big boy, but he's a baby. Obviously we are obliging all of the hugs and reassuring him that he's still our special buddy, but he IS getting big! 

We brought out the froggy potty and he sat on it a few times, then quickly got over the concept. Sigh. It's probably time to just freaking potty train the guy but I'm tired. Also, we should really think about moving him to a big kid bed, but since we'll be doing the addition soon, it seems like something that can wait. I realized that this will be our first baby who won't have a fancy, decorated nursery ready for him/her after birth. I'm not going to touch Porter's room, which might turn into the baby's room, until we are certain how we will lay out all of our bedrooms. What on earth will I do with all of my creative-pregnant energy if I can't spend hours on Pinterest, looking at nursery ideas?

I'll just hunt for gender reveal ideas instead. And baby names. And maybe I'll sleep more and chase three kids around the house. Then we can tackle decorating a room or several after the addition is finished, what a concept!

First pregnancy, Second pregnancy, Third pregnancy all at 17 weeks.