18 weeks | Baby #4

2.6.17 | 18w1d


Photo thoughts: Maternity pants still fit me oddly but definitely tighter. Lots of my tops are already too short and therefore maddening, this one isn't horrible though. 

Size of baby: Current phone app tells us I'm growing an artichoke, past posts mention a bell pepper and sweet potato. Pretty big!

The Bump: Large, in charge, high, fluctuates by the hour. Many times I'll catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror an think, 'I'm seriously really pregnant now.' And yet, I know it's going to grow at record speeds through the end.

Before bed, feeling very pregs.


Cravings/Aversions: Appetite like woah, will power to eat normal portion sizes dangerously low. This was the week I realized I'm going to gain a very respectable amount of weight during pregnancy, I can start to feel it, and I do.not.care. At least for now, I plan to live it up and feed this growing babe! I'm sure a few more weeks of overindulgence will have me singing a different tune. I wanted buffalo chicken ranch dip today for the Super Bowl and HAD to make it. I don't even like spicy food but this hit the spot. Going to town on Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, too, and *had* to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Saturday morning. Food is so delicious.

What I'm loving: This sweet spot of pregnancy. I get really annoying during the second trimester because I feel good and I'm rather emotional and mostly happy, so I'll leave it at this: thankful to be doing this all over again. 

What I'm anticipating the most: February 16th--anatomy scan day! Also, I have a regular OB appointment this week. 

Miss anything? Booze and running, but what else is new?

Worries: I'm going with my positive mindset and not letting many worries creep into my head right now. But there's always an underlying sense of worry about the baby's health and then I remembered the panic of having a newborn, when I check to see if he/she is breathing and try not to imagine horrible things happening on the other side of the womb. Yeah, let's not think about any of that right now, right?

Differences between pregnancies: As noted in Porter's pregnancy at this time, I found my B-cup bras and never looked back. This time I have been wondering where they are because I need them, but I'm pretty sure I donated them to Goodwill during my fit of purging that happened over the last year. I think I still have some of my C and D cuppers ready for the next few weeks though. Is it odd that my boobs increase FOUR cup sizes during pregnancy, then with nursing they stay pretty large and in charge? I'll admit this is one of my favorite parts of being pregnant: pretending that I got a boob job, even if just temporarily. 

I had a major growth spurt with Porter around now, too, and was starving all of the time. Sounds super familiar, and I still love that these last two pregnancies are identical down to the due date---I was complaining about the winter three years ago and have found myself on repeat with that thought this week, too.

With Cecelia's pregnancy, I was feeling daily movement and worried if I didn't feel her move in the evenings. I'd say that is the same now, because this child seems to be super active already. I haven't busted out my doppler in weeks and weeks though, and I think my mental state is a lot better this fourth time around compared to being pregnant after my loss. 

Then with Truman's pregnancy, I was just starting to wear a Be Band to keep my regular jeans from hurting my 'belly' too much. Laughable, I know, it's just my favorite to read these first-time posts from my perspective nearly seven years later! I was feeling movement though, and of course was still (annoyingly) running. Strange to think I was still working full time back then and I can barely remember what I actually DID with my free time! Sometimes Nate and I reminisce about our newlywed years, pre-kids, but we come up blank with memories since it seems like a different lifetime. Can't wait to re-read much of my blog as we go along this pregnancy, really happy I have been blogging for nearly TEN years now. Ten, you guys. I am officially geriatric in blogging and also pregnancy ;)

How I'm feeling: Energetic, thankful, busy at my new job, perplexed by how fast time is flying. I was able to walk outside with Henry or on the treadmill three times last week which felt like an accomplishment. 

Sleep: Excellent. I took a two hour nap on the couch with Cecelia today, and haven't done that in....months? Needed it.

Movement: A lot in the evenings and when sitting down. I tried to have Cecelia feel some kicks this week but the baby stopped each time I put her hand on me. Don't be shy, little one! 

Boy or Girl: Still think it's a girl but I've been known to be very wrong before. I did add to my secret name list on my phone, both for boys and girls, which makes me excited to find out and move forward with that whole process. I've decided that Nate and I will find out in the ultrasound room on 2/16, then after school and after a work meeting for me, we will tell the kids later that night. I plan to use a Pinterest idea to tell the kids: a pull string piñata full of either pink or blue confetti. I decorated an old white paper lantern and then we did a trial run with confetti being pulled out of the lantern....still needs some work, but should be cute if I can conquer the physics of confetti falling out of a lantern in a 'pretty' way.



Milestones: Consistent and reassuring movement? Not any huge milestones this week, I guess. 

Best moment of the week: Unrelated to being pregnant, Porter is now telling me, 'You are my best, best friend. I love you. You are my biggest hero.' He's been giving me a lot of cuddles lately and asks me to hold him, or carry him a few times a day. I'm not sure if he can sense that things are changing, or maybe he's adjusting to my new job, but it's pretty sweet. 

Least favorite moment was when Truman was sick and home from school from Monday through Thursday. He had a fever on Monday and Tuesday, then he was just so fatigued and couldn't sit up on Wednesday and Thursday. Finally by Friday, I convinced him that he had to try and go to school, which was a good move---he did great. But those four days with him at home, me shuffling my work schedule the best I could, and relying heavily on my in-laws to 'watch' Truman as he laid on the couch and napped wasn't fun. This time of year can be the worst, and I think every year we all get sick around this time with various bugs (fevers, stomach bugs, sore throats, etc.) 

Also, Truman is a total baby pusher and told me that I will probably have ANOTHER baby in 2019. Because, you know, four kids is not enough since this current baby will grow up and won't be a baby forever. He tells me he LOVES babies and needs to have one at all times. Sorry buddy, this is it for me and then you can grow up and have your own babies! Also, have a ball with the hundreds of baby dolls in the basement. 

Here's to a healthy week! Cannot believe I'm getting close to the halfway point of this pregnancy. 

18 weeks: 
Round one | Round two | Round three