Baby #4 | 31 + 32 weeks

Well, well, well, here we are again: lumping two weeks worth of updates into one. #fourthbaby





I had an OB appointment last week, the day before I hit 31 weeks. Baby boy is measuring right on track, which apparently means he caught up by a week or two? I didn't really know he was measuring behind but my OB was like, 'that's great, he's caught up!' so whatever. I already thought he was going through a growth spurt but that just confirmed it. Also, I often wonder if he's head down and forgot to even ask at my appointment, but the more I poke around on him the more I think he probably is head down (my very trained opinion, ha!). I'm up 23 pounds, BP good (even sort of low!), and his heart rate was 144. I got scheduled for every appointment, up until the day before my due date. THIS BOGGLES MY MIND.

But you know what is even crazier? I'm less than two months away from my due date with this babe.

Now when people ask, 'When are you due?' and I tell them, 'July 8th,' they always inform me that it's REALLY SOON. I can't stop using caps, I'm sorry. It's just wild because this pregnancy is flying by.

My bump? It's getting bigger, less pointy, taller on top. It's legit and still fairly 'cute' and pretty fun to dress. I noticed the linea negra coming back over the past few days, too. Belly button is mostly out but maybe not as pronounced as it was with Porter? Who knows.

This was me last night at 31w5d. I mean, REALLY.


Tell me I look small here, I dare you.


In the past few days, I've been feeling a little more large and in charge and nearing the 'super pregnant' status of the final weeks. The top of my stomach feels stretched to capacity and I told Nate that I wouldn't be surprised if I get stretch marks this time. I can't eat very much without feeling disgustingly stuffed, although I very much want to eat my weight in ice cream and salt. It's harder to change positions in bed and I think I'm actually waddling a little when I walk. I sometimes feel short of breath even when I'm not moving around, I'm peeing all of the freaking time, and think I have heartburn at times.

All of that said, I still feel really great for 32 weeks pregnant. Truly, I do. I haven't hit the wall and mentally feel quite content making it to my due date or beyond. It helps that we are crazy busy and therefore distracted right now, and it helps that it's not super hot (or even remotely hot, actually) yet. I still love being pregnant and feel quite content overall. I don't take this for granted as I know many women are in pain and miserable at this point!

I have no problem going to bed at 9pm each night, but I feel like I sleep lightly and wake frequently throughout the night. This child is trying to bust out of my belly button and some of his kicks are bordering on 'painful', so he must be getting strong in there. Watching my belly jump around is a favorite hobby for everyone in the family. Sometimes I'll be talking to someone at work and I wonder if they are noticing my shirt move around like bag containing a wild cat. So far nobody has said, 'Holy cow, your entire stomach is jumping around,' but I do feel it, and he really puts on a show for his siblings when they put their hands on my belly.

Porter also got to feel his baby brother have the hiccups for a solid few minutes this week, and Porter's genuine giggles about melted me. He kept calling the baby by name and he was laughing, as he felt each quiver. It was a really special moment and one of the first times I realized that Porter actually does understand there is a person inside of me....I *think* he gets it, at least.

Worried about it;) A new favorite picture of my bud.


Other fun comments:
"Wait, you are only two months along?? There must be multiples in there!" -when a co-worker heard me say, 'two more months' and thoughts I said I was two months along. Lord, no!!

"Are you on maternity leave already?" -at the dentist's office. Um, no, I plan to work until the very end. So really, not even close when you think about it.

"Is this your first? OH, your FOURTH? Are you done after this???" -I think I've been asked this a total of 20 times during this pregnancy, and I don't remember people asking if our family is complete as often as they do this time around. Maybe because four kids seems like a ton of kids, so they are wondering if we plan to just keep having them until we reach School Bus Status? I don't know, it's odd. I usually just smile and say, 'No, we think four will be a perfect number,' and try to move on.

"You are all belly. You are so small." -I agree that my belly is pretty basketball-ish right now and I suppose the alternative to being 'all belly' is being 'huge all over'? So if that's a compliment, I'll take it! But I don't feel 'small' is a great word. As always, with every pregnancy, I know people mean well and they tend to compare my 7 month pregnant belly to someone who is six inches shorter than me, and therefore I look relatively 'small'. I prefer to compare my pregnant belly to my OWN pre-pregnant body, and in that case? Not small right now. Quite pregnant. ;)

"You still have a long way to go". -said at work. It kind of caught me off guard, because I feel like this pregnancy is FLYING and I'm honestly really glad that he isn't going to be born tomorrow. I am gratefully to have the next two months to get things in order and mentally prepare for him. So, I'm glad we have a 'long' way to go and really feel like the next two months will continue to fly by without time to really THINK about it.

New clothes for the growing bump. I kept this shirt only from the Stitch Fix box, just so you know!


Tomorrow we have our huge fundraiser we've been planning for the school. I've been working most nights and a lot on weekends on compiling a fantastic silent auction for the event, and we super excited to get the show on the road.

Then the next weekend is Cecelia's birthday, and before that (next week) I will be working extra hard at work, possibly for longer hours. It's actually been pretty insane at work this entire week with various projects and with my boss being gone. It's gone well but it's freaking exhausting, that is for sure.

After Cecelia's party, the following weekend is Memorial Day weekend. We have our favorite Minnesota visitors coming (Erin and Ben!), it's Cecelia's actual birthday AND our ten year anniversary that weekend.

So May is basically insanity, but all good things.

Also, I met with the contractor and architect this week and we are super close to nailing down a final contract with the GC, getting the appraisal, and then breaking ground. We just want the contract to be completely perfect and detailed to capture EVERYTHING we want to have done, so that we don't have to add things in during the process because that will cost substantially more. Seeing a total sum and getting the details of every part of the process is incredibly exciting. We are getting so close and it's going to be SO amazing....when it's over. ;)

What else?
Truman got a fidget spinner against my better judgement. It doesn't go to school with him but he really does love it.


These two have been super cute together lately, with Cecelia reading to P before bed and being a total 'little mommy.' They both eat it right up!


Last weekend: walk for our education foundation, soccer games, birthday parties, auction prep. GOOD TIMES!


Look what arrived!!! My birthday present has NOT disappointed me so far. Perhaps a full review at some point but yes, Tieks appear to be worth the money. ;)


New rain jackets for them, nicer than most of my own jackets at this point! But when you have a REI dividend to spend, somehow the children seem to get the nicest/best stuff.



Comparisons:
Porter at 32 weeks, Cecelia at 32 weeks, and Truman at 32 weeks. All so similar and yet SO different each time. I think my bump is most similar to Porter's pregnancy, for sure.

Bottom line:
I'm feeling really good and can be rather emotional about this pregnancy, if I really stop to think about it. I know I say this every post, but I cannot believe we are having another baby in a matter of 8 weeks. I love thinking about who this little boy will be, love thinking about his birthday, and his siblings' reactions to him. We cannot wait to meet this baby and yet we are perfectly happy to wait another few months;)

And with that, he just kicked me in the lung and I need to re-position, and go to bed.