26 weeks | Baby #4

26w5d is practically 27 weeks, but I'll do the post now anyway! I can't bring myself to combine weeks yet, but it could very well happen for this baby. I'm sure he won't care either way.

This was taken right at 26 weeks, actually. Again, because you care.


I had my OB appointment today and it went well, drank the nasty glucose drink and will hear back only if it's abnormal. Ute is measuring on track, baby's heart rate is145, my weight gain is 19 pounds which is spot-on for both Cecelia and Porter's pregnancies. I guess time will tell through this final trimester if I keep packing them on (like with T and C) or if things level off significantly (like with P) but I don't feel huge yet. BP is good, too, and now I'll go back every two weeks until 36 weeks when it's weekly. Holy moly.

This morning before work, before I had a million hot flashes and had to ditch the cardigan. Also, this post contains a ridiculous amount of belly selfies.


Post-hot flash, at the OB. Dresses are my jam lately, just so you know.


I didn't have a chance to tell my OB that I started listening to the Hypnobabies CDs and reading the home study workbook, but I'm going for it. I am all for trying to reign in the anxiety, pain, and worry that comes with labor for me and aiming for the most peaceful, calm, enjoyable birth possible sounds divine. Trying really hard not to feel like a skeptic, because I do believe the in power of positive thoughts. I don't want to earn bragging rights for going without an epidural at all, but mostly want to experience a peaceful and quick birth on this last go-round. So really, meditating for 30 minutes a night is a win-win situation because I usually pass out and feel incredibly relaxed within a few minutes.



Also, we picked a name!! I mean, I'm 99% sure we picked the name. I literally could not take going back and forth between two names for this child and ended up going with Nate's preferred pick. It feels awesome to identify this baby as more than 'baby' and naming him makes it even more real. Hearing the kids call him by name will never get old, either. This is really happening!! I guess there is still a small chance my indecisive hormones will get the best of me and we will change it to something else, but I doubt it. Yay for a name!

Comments from the public: 'You look so cute pregnant,' came from a nurse at work today, completely out of the blue. Thank you, dear nurse! 'You don't even look like you're going to have a baby,' came from my OB, which is awesome because she does not sugar coat things. And also, she just saw my weight gain;) 'Is this your first baby? Your FOURTH? Good lord, you look good for having four kids,' came from my lab tech during my glucose blood draw today. She is my new best friend, and I invited her over for dinner and a movie later. 'Oh, THERE is your belly, you really are pregnant,' came from both Truman and Cecelia's teachers this week. I'm not sure if I've popped or it was just wearing my coat unzipped that caught them off guard.

Changes!


House updates: it looks like we might be able to sit in front of the board to get all plans officially approved at the end of this month! That means we could potentially break ground in May and this makes us really happy. I mean, fingers crossed that all goes well with the structural engineer, then the board, and the appraisal. We are moving right along with the addition, and perhaps we will have a new roof by the time baby comes. YES!

Comparing pregnancies: with Porter I was working away on his nursery and felt hungry constantly. With Cecelia I was busy painting every single wall in this house, and was hungry constantly. With Truman I was freaking out over shrunken jeans, was reading baby books, and had basically completed the entire nursery. Sigh. I do feel satisfied with the progress we are making in the attic, taking more toys and clothes and JUNK to Goodwill. This will be how I prepare for baby: spend my nesting energy on purging everything we own, in order to have it cleaned out for the messy addition. Works for me!

This little guy remains quite active and will kick me with a 360 degree round-house kick. Literally, kicks to my cervix, my ribs, my belly button---he is doing cartwheels in there and I love it. I'm not sleeping great some nights and considered buying a pregnancy pillow one night when I laid awake for 2 hours. But some nights are heavenly and I am seriously paralyzed, I sleep so well. I still have that strange acidic taste in my throat and I CAN actually achieve 'belly is full' status, but mostly I'm pretty ravenous anyway. Exercising consists of chasing three kids and working part time, but also I do enjoy walks on the treadmill or outside with Henry dog.

Truman, Cecelia, and Porter are already so sweet to this child. My favorite moments are when Truman kisses my belly goodbye most mornings before school. Cecelia tells me that she loves her baby brother (this one, not Porter as much, depending on the day) and can't wait to hold him. Even Porter will get in on the 'gushing over baby bro' action at times. I still can't believe he is going to be a big brother and no longer our baby. I have a feeling he will rock that title better than expected!

That's pretty much it for this week. See you in about two days, third trimester!

25 weeks | Baby #4

3/26/17 | 25w1d

Twenty-five weeks seems really far along, doesn't it? I mean, fifteen more weeks until my due date or about 3.5 more months? That's insane, I can hardly believe it.




This week baby is the size of a cauliflower and his kicks keep getting stronger, consistently happening whenever I eat, sit down, or try to fall asleep. I told Nate that 8pm seems to be this kid's most active time and we agreed that seems to be par for the course. I've caught myself wondering what it would be like to have a child that sleeps well, within his first year of life. I cannot imagine and know I shouldn't even get my hopes up to have a 'good sleeper'. 

In that same vein, Porter slept through the night last night for the first time in weeks, perhaps months. Can I get an 'amen'? Sticker charts really work for our children, point taken. Hopefully he keeps this up, mama needs some freaking sleep because I'm tired. My sleep is still fairly light and restless but at least I didn't have to physically get out of bed until 7 am this morning---the glory. 

Completely unrelated to pregnancy but I'm plunking it here anyway: Truman lost not one but BOTH of his top teeth this week, within 24 hours of each other. I'm not sure why these teeth got me, but they did. My biggest boy, weren't you just cutting those teeth yesterday? He looks so different. So big. Hold me.







Let's talk about this comparison for a second. Yes, my hair was crimped. 1988 was a great year. And come on, people who say Truman only looks like Nate!

Back to this pregnancy...

I had my first comment of, 'Oh, you are due in July? That is so SOON. You are going to have your hands full, aren't you?' I mean, don't we already? Our hands were full a long time ago, this will just be a new dimension of 'full'. But of course, our hearts will be even more full than our hands, with more love, more loudness, more memories to be had with our bigger family. I've been feeling overwhelmingly blessed this week and humbled by this baby in my belly. Bear with me here, I feel lots of emotions coming on during this post.




Also, I've noticed a gross, acidic taste in the back of my throat after I eat. I don't know if this is heartburn or reflux or what, but it's pretty annoying. I've never had heartburn before and figured it would be more in my chest--this feels like my food is too acidic, if that makes sense. It doesn't matter what I eat though, everything makes that taste appear. It's not painful but it makes me want to drink water and not eat as much food. Novel concept!

There were several more hours spent in the attic this week, sorting and purging and creating boxes to go to Goodwill. I finally went through my 'keepsake baby boy' boxes and nearly cried when I found that I've saved lots of tiny boy clothes. Anything remotely sentimental, with memories attached from the other boys, were in those boxes. I love hand-me-downs so much (it's the comparison thing, I can't help it) and am so happy that I didn't actually purge everything we own last summer and fall when I couldn't handle our attic anymore. It's looking really great up there! I have three bins of girl clothes that I'm trying to pass down to our friends, but everything else has been donated or stored for safe keeping. The baby has two bins of toys that I'll keep. I think we found a car seat to purchase from a friend. Still looking for a mamaroo. And of course, no nursery to decorate until the fall or winter when our addition is fully finished. 

OH, and the floor plans changed again. We have decided not to mess with the attic because the beams are not the correct size and there will be many structural issues if we push for the walk-up attic becoming a fifth bedroom. (Read: TONS of money). Instead, we have a new plan for adding a fourth master bedroom, master bath, master closet, and a fifth kids' bedroom in our second floor addition. This fifth bedroom will probably be the baby's room and will be the same size as Porter's current nursery. I've wanted five bedrooms since we started this process and to see it all drawn out is so satisfying! Now we just need the structural engineer to make his recommendations and then we sit in front of the board for our suburb and cross our fingers that everything passes. I'm guessing we will break ground in May or June. Really hoping we have a roof on our house when I give birth but we will take it as it comes, I suppose!

I must be highly emotional today, this is the third time I've almost started crying when typing this post. Hormonal pregnant woman alert.

With Porter, we were coming off a horrible round of illness for the family and I had gained 17 pounds so far. This time I'm at about 15 pounds according to my (rarely used) scale. With Cecelia I hit the 20 pound mark at 26 weeks, and with Truman I was at 18 pounds at 25 weeks. I know, NOBODY CARES about my weight gain and when it happens but these things are fascinating to me. I love comparing pregnancies and also my children, as bad as that sounds.

All three times before this we had named our baby by 25 weeks. This time we are down to two names and of course I prefer one while Nate likes the other better. I might just agree with his top pick, since I did choose both names anyway and love that choice also. Or I might keep working on him to fall in love with my top name choice. Or maybe we will just wait until the baby is born to decide but that thought makes me panicky for some reason. (Type A, so different than what we've done before this). 

Now, reading back through my three previous blog posts at 25 weeks, something really sticks out to me. This was me at 25 weeks pregnant with Truman:

That's it... jumping back on the fitness train, and packing on the lbs marks my twenty-fifth week. I really love being pregnant you guys. At least right now, at this point in the process, I'm feeling incredibly happy and blessed and ready to pop out another 3 after this one. But I suppose I should bite my tongue until I experience the glory of labor and delivery, the frenzy of living with a newborn, and lack of sleep. Call me naive but I cannot wait:)

Huh, I guess I AM going to have three more kids after Truman. Who would have thought? 

And then this was me with Porter's pregnancy, and what I said in response to that paragraph from 2010 with T:

Everything and nothing has changed this time around. I still adore being pregnant and frequently want to cry over my love for the process. I still believe I could 'pop out another 3 after this one' in some ways, but in other ways I feel very at peace being finished with this stage of my life. I still get excited thinking about labor and delivery, life with a newborn, and the changes it will all bring. Even now as 'an old pro' I cannot wait, even though I know it will be hard as hell along with being more amazing than I could have imagined back then. I could have never imagined how life would change going from 0-1 kids and it's every bit as special and exciting going from 2-3. Every bit.

Spot on, Julia of 2014....except for the part about being 'finished' with the baby stage in your life. I mentioned this a lot in my weekly posts with Porter, trying to wrap my head around him being our last baby. And I still think going from 3-4 kids will be every bit as special as the other transitions we've had. I have perspective now, age and wisdom, and a boat load of tiny human beings to remind me that time freaking flies. They are not lying when they tell you this, mamas. 

It's better than I could have imagined and it's also so much harder than I thought possible. It's both ends of the spectrum, EXTREMELY amazing and extremely difficult, to be a mother. The good outweighs the bad though, for all of it---pregnancy, labor and delivery, newborn life, a growing child. This has been the most incredible ride of my life and I get a little teary when I think about doing it all over again. Four kids. Holy cow. Thank you, God. 

I can say with certainty that I don't want to pop out three more kids after this, however. Mark my words, this is our last, and I'm soaking it in for all that it's worth. Bring on April and a real spring! Let's do this.

24 weeks | Baby #4

Viability day, achieved! Which doesn't mean anyone is ready for this baby to be born, but it's still an awesome milestone to hit. You're getting so big in there, buddy.





This was the week that I can tell I'm slowing down a little bit. I get out of breath pretty easily with any physical activity and I'm grunting when I have to grab something from the floor. Grunting already? I know.

But nighttime belly is not a joke.


I've been forcing myself to walk on the treadmill or do my exercise DVD more regularly because I feel fantastically energetic after I get moving. I'm able to eat like a 500 pound man and really need to chill out on the appetite, and exercise seems to help that little issue, too. I still love food with a passion and if it weren't for my old blog posts, I'd be worried that this would continue forever. Alas, it seems like a few more weeks of being ravenous then my love affair with food dies off a little bit. Trail mix, potato chips, and La Croix are my faves for now. Also handfuls of M&Ms rock my world. Oh, I could go on about food but I'll stop there.

I'm also more tired overall, feeling like I could sleep forever at night and I never feel fully rested in the morning. If I wake up in the middle of the night (ahem, Porter) I have a hard time falling back to sleep about 50% of the time. The other 50% of the night wake ups mean that I just feel drugged in the morning, like I can barely force my eyelids to open. I cannot lay on my back anymore because I feel like I'm drowning, so laying on either side is fine, I guess. Rolling over takes a lot of effort, just like bending over....fourth time mom in me knows this is SUPER EARLY to feel like a whale!



I mean, I don't feel gigantic but I'm feeling the changes in my body like woah. I'm so tired and slow. That about covers it when people ask me, 'So how are you feeling?' This is the most popular question in my life right now, and usually I just say, 'Still feeling good! Still in the sweet spot of pregnancy.' But now I've added, 'I can tell I'm slowing down a little bit.' Most of the time people also say, 'You aren't even showing yet,' but let it be known that this phrase is uttered when my winter coat is covering the bump. I mean, I'm absolutely showing but winter coats are quite forgiving, people.

Friday was a super busy day for me and this baby: I worked my five hours in the office, rushed back to school to conduct Truman's St. Patty's Day party in his class, then sat catatonic for an hour at home (so.much.screaming), picked up our sitters, and went to dinner with Nate for a date night. After that we went to the neighbor's house for game night and I managed to stay out until almost midnight. That obviously did me in and I  napped like a boss on Saturday. But although I feel tired and slow, I suppose I can still gather up the energy to survive a long day here and there. Not sure how much longer I'll be able to do it!

My buddy was so excited. Our Shamrock Man craft was a hit, as was the Lucky Charm bag of 'Leprechaun Bait.'


The leprechaun visited our house this year for the first time and these kiddos were pretty out of their mind in the morning. So much green! Green toilet water, green footprints, green streamers, green Tic Tacs....he really outdid himself, that Lucky.


Also, I 'had' to make these for the party. No chemicals at all, no sugar, all natural. Wink wink.


Porter, Cecelia, and Truman were all named by 24 weeks. Quatro remains unnamed, poor guy. Also he doesn't have a fancy nursery all painted and decorated and probably won't until several months AFTER he is born. The horror!! We are making a lot of progress with our architect however, and I can't wait to move forward and get to the ground-breaking stage. I'm holding tight to the dream of a fifth bedroom, but also realize going from three to four bedrooms will be excellent, too. A fifth would be such a massive bonus though. And let's not forget a master bathroom---seriously, can't imagine the glory!

Somewhat related to this: I took an entire van-full of diaper boxes to Goodwill on Saturday. What did they contain, you ask? Kid clothes, adult clothes, random kitchen items we've had stored in our attic since 2012. When I say that I took a 'van-full', I mean that I literally hauled away 25 diaper boxes, three big storage boxes, and four large garbage bags to donate. It felt SO good to finally go through those boxes (again, since I compiled them in the fall), and purge them out of our house. I pulled out plenty of baby boy clothes that I will actually use again but for the most part, I'm all about downsizing. There is still a boatload of work to be done in the attic, which is our main storage area right now, but this was a giant push towards getting it cleaned out for the new roof and addition. YES.

Not even all of it:


Those who know the spacious trunk of a Honda Odyssey understand that this is impressive:


Baby boy is active and kicking in there more often than not, and he seems to get hiccups a few times each day. What a surreal feeling, both the hiccups and the kicks. I love it! It's also surreal to look at my current belly and know it's going to get SO much bigger. I can't quite imagine it yet, and I can't wrap my head around another little boy in this family---one that we haven't met and one with his own personality and story. I'm not sure it will feel real until he is in my arms, which is something I've said every time now.

All four times at 24 weeks. Love these comparisons, so different each time!


So 24 weeks, viability day, basically six months pregnant, and feeling mostly good. Time is flying!

23 weeks | Baby #4

3.13.17 | 23w2d



Forgoing the form this week because I want to keep it short and sweet. I mean, the week is practically over already and this was the first time I had to double check my dates. I think from now until week 30 is going to fly and perhaps there won't be many remarkable things to note.

And still, I document weekly! (Just barely, but it counts).

Baby boy is growing and so is my belly. I feel pregnant but also forget about the state of my uterus until he starts kicking like crazy. I'm feeling good! Sleeping fair, but mostly because of Porter and his nighttime antics. We removed the side of his crib to see if freedom helps him manage dropped loveys/waking early, but so far it's not much different. Ah, broken sleep, I remember you well.



I have Porter's wicked cough this week, and it just won't quit. It sounds pretty awful but I don't feel sick, and yet I should probably get it checked out if it doesn't clear soon. We got hit with a foot of snow on Monday, right after 'springing forward' with the clocks, which means Wisconsin winter is still in full effect despite the confusing time change. We were supposed to fly to Mexico, sans children, on Monday for a six day vacation in paradise. Alas, Zika virus made this trip impossible and we are here in the snowy cold instead. We were able to get airline credit for our purchased plane tickets and the deposit on the condo can also be rolled over to a different time. I wonder if we will be able to pull off a trip like that with FOUR kids at home. Will we need six babysitters? Ah well, margaritas, the ocean, and the warmth can wait I suppose. Baby is kicking me right now to solidify that statement. ;)





Wahhhhhhhhhh.



We haven't settled on a name for baby boy but I think we've narrowed it down to four possibilities. I had a great OB appointment last week, when we spent the entire time discussing name options and marveling at how hard it is to select a third boy name. My OB has three boys and a girl and is very concerned about us selecting another name that coordinates with our others. Also, I'm up 13 pounds and blood pressure was kind of low, measuring right on track and doppler sounded beautiful. Next time I go in to see her I do the glucose test at 26-27 weeks, then I start going every other week. I'm scheduled through the beginning of June and had a major 'OMG, I'm having a baby soon' moment when booking these next appointments. I mean, July seems forever away but it also seems like forever since I wasn't pregnant. It's going so quickly and I'm more than happy to have plenty of time before baby actually arrives....seems there is so much to do before he comes.

I mean, he needs a name. I need a new car seat, should find a swing to borrow since I sold mine, and I need to figure out what clothes I've kept and how much I've given away. We started organizing and purging in the basement to make room for our attic storage....which is the next big step. The attic is where I keep all kids clothes, baby gear, and basically all of our stored items in this house. The attic needs to be completely cleared out so that it can be refinished into a fifth bedroom. I'll post before pictures someday and you will understand this massive undertaking. We are meeting with the architect again today and want to get this show on the road already, I hope we can break ground in the next 1-2 months!

In case anyone likes floor plans as much as me:




That's pretty much it right now, onto week 24!

22 weeks | Baby #4

3.7.17 | 22w3d pregnant

Photo thoughts: Yep, I'm pregnant!

Size of baby: A coconut, a spaghetti squash, a papaya...something like that. I think I read baby is about a pound now

The Bump: Seems big but people are still shocked when I say I'm pregnant. I think bundling up in winter coats and layers really helps with this effect of hiding a pregnancy. Belly button is officially out in the evenings, ready to make a debut with any semi-fitted shirts. 

Cravings/Aversions: Still hungry all.of.the.time. Still enjoying sweets, peanut butter, sparkling waters as a treat, bulletproof coffee each morning, and yogurt. Also, Girl Scout cookies will be my demise. I have an OB appointment this week and I fear the scale. Also, Truman wanted me to make frosted brownies for his birthday treat at school, and then ALSO wanted me to make my homemade chocolate chip cookies for that Friday as a treat. Then we had cake for his party, so our dessert selections are out of control right now.

What I’m loving: The second trimester of pregnancy. Watching my oldest turn seven like it's no big deal to grow up and turn into a legit man-child. Visiting my mom and Memaw this week for Truman's birthday. Moving right along on house sketches for the addition. Also really enjoying my office job, although it's hard to keep it to 20 hours a week, always seems like I could stay longer but I don't want to burn out.

What I’m anticipating: Our house being in shambles during the renovation, getting bigger and more tired, and then birthing a baby. SO MANY CHANGES ON THE HORIZON.

Miss anything? Running, my old clothes, alcohol, and feeling excessively energetic and ready to tackle the world. Also, feeling more at peace and gaining perspective with each pregnancy, so I know this time is truly fleeting. 

Worries? Not really! Occasionally I worry that with all of the changes coming up for our family this year, someone is going to have a mental breakdown. But then I remember that all of these changes are amazing ones and we will just have to handle the stress that comes along with change. A new baby, new jobs, house construction...we've got this!

Differences between pregnancies? With Porter, we had just celebrated Truman's birthday (same), a name was picked (nope), I just had strep throat (NOPE), mom and Memaw just left after a visit (same), I was planning the nursery (um, nope), and we had just put bunk beds in Truman's room for Cecelia to share. People were noticing my bump and I was mostly loving being pregnant. Yep!

With Cecelia , I was craving pizza and diet soda, NOT drinking coffee, and we had our inspection on the house so I was getting all ready to decorate the heck out of it. This post made me want a Diet Dr. Pepper and I cannot believe I wasn't drinking coffee back then. The horror.

With Truman, I was freaking barely showing. We had just bought a camcorder (!) and we settled on a name. Seriously, 2009 was a long time ago! The only thing similar to this pregnancy is I wasn't staying asleep very well, and I'm pregnant with a boy. Everything else is incredibly different and I admit, I love reminiscing about the days of my first pregnancy. What a sweet, simple time! 

How I’m feeling: Pretty good overall, but definitely more tired, I have a cold so that blows, and feeing my body change with pregnancy is always...interesting. I'm embracing it for all that it's worth, though, knowing this is really the last time. Side note: Truman says we will have a fifth baby someday and we remind him that he can grow up and have his own family next!

Sleep: Meh, not as great anymore. I do have a cold so I can't breathe well, and then if I wake up I cannot get back to bed. Also, I feel like I sleep very lightly and am aware of every repositioning effort throughout the night. I took a nap on Sunday because Porter was up FOUR times Saturday night and I wondered how in the heck I'm going to live on broken sleep again. I'm telling myself it's very different when you wake for a sweet newborn who needs to nurse versus a loud two year old who knows better. And also, not being pregnant means better sleep. I'll just get used to it again, but I'm definitely not right now.

Movement: Yes, right now as we speak, he is kicking my bladder. You can see movement from the outside and he is getting hiccups occasionally. He feels like he's literally doing cartwheels in there, as I feel kicks or punches literally everywhere!

I also want to make this category about my own movement or activity level. This week I rediscovered my Bar Method Pregnancy Workout DVD. I love/hate it. So hard. So good. It's a far cry from the cardiovascular exercise that running is, but that's okay because I need to strengthen my bod and not just beat it to a pulp on the pavement. I've also gone for a few walks outside or on the treadmill, as Weeds is my favorite treadmill show right now and it's getting really good/horrible.

Milestones: First comment of, 'is this your first baby?' is always fun, especially when the questioner follows that up with wide eyes to my 'no, this is my fourth'. Veteran mom status! 

Names: I'll make this a topic until we decide;) We have a list and some are starred, but I'm feeling very 'meh' about them now. I don't know why, because we have some perfectly awesome choices. Requirements: cannot rhyme with the other kids, but it needs to coordinate with their names. I don't really want the same starting initial as their names if possible. We like names that aren't super common but aren't completely made up. Very partial to Thomas the Train names, like Porter:) I seem to be drawn to nicknames this time, and specifically a one syllable nickname seems adorable for our boy. I like a few really strange ones that somehow Nate hasn't totally vetoed, but I think I'll keep searching online and in my head/everyday life for The One. Plenty of time to decide, I know.

This boy wants a name ASAP, I can tell.

Best Moment of the Week: Celebrating Truman's birthday alllllll week long. It was also Dr. Seuss week at school, so not only did he get to be the start student for his birthday and do fun things each day with that, he also got to dress in strange clothing and participate in school spirit while being 'wacky'. Mom and Memaw both flew in for a short visit, we had a birthday party for T on Saturday that was a ton of fun, and it was a week full of gushing over our biggest guy. He is so helpful and smart, it's hard to describe...but he deserves a post of his own on this blog, soon!

Sibling Talk: Did I mention that Truman requests to kiss my belly goodbye every morning before he walks into school? He give me a hug and a kiss, then says, 'baby boy!' and I let him kiss my winter coated belly. Cecelia has told me many times that she is 'super excited' for the baby to be born. Porter mostly likes to call himself the baby, but he did get to hold a newborn this week and loved it. 'She is so tiny, Mommy,' is what he told me as he held our neighbor's sweet baby girl. He even ooh'd and ahhh'd over baby Cleo, kissed her forehead, then said, 'How am I going to play with my trains while I hold the baby?' Logistics of being a big brother!

21 weeks | Baby #4

2.26.17 | 21w1d

Photo thoughts: Objects in mirror appear bigger in real life.

Size of baby: The kids say he is an endive, old posts say a carrot or a banana. He's had a growth spurt, no matter which food he's become.

The Bump: Big at night, not so much in the morning. Kind of pointy. Belly button almost popped. 

Cravings/Aversions: Digging trail mix this week, Babybel cheese, La Croix, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch at night. 

Ideal meal, plus cheese and trail mix:

What I’m loving: All of this movement. Food. Thinking of names with Nate and the kids. We have about four solid choices, created from my original list of twenty names. You know I won't be sharing the actual name here once we decide, but possibly I'll share the rejected options;) We aren't there yet, but Nate did seem pretty agreeable to 2-3 of my ideas the other night, which made me incredibly happy. I was expecting him to be 'meh' about them all and I know once we decide, Truman will probably paste it to his forehead so everyone in the world will know this baby's name. He's still so excited, you guys. They all are.

Also, love my new blazer for work!


What I’m anticipating: The birth still seems like it's a million years away, but I've started thinking about how I will be experiencing the amazing-awful labor and delivery in about five months. This time I want to remain calm and relaxed, and not totally lose it at some point. Each birth has been better with this concept of remaining in control but it's so easy to let anxiety and pain overtake my labors. I mean, I'm all about the epidural, even if my last two haven't been as amazing as my first one. I just want to figure out a way to make my brain conquer the pain so that I don't freak out. My friend let me borrow her Hypnobabies CDs, so I might try those for an option. I always go into labor wondering why I didn't mentally prepare a little bit more. Might as well have a tool for coping with my fourth birth?

Miss anything? Alcohol, running, being fit. But honestly, I'm still feeling grateful and content at this stage of pregnancy and know that it's all so fleeting. It's going so fast. And I really love being pregnant.

At nearly midnight on Friday, after a neighborhood girls' night out.

Worries? Not really any. 

Differences between pregnancies? Truman's pregnancy had me freaking out about gaining 13 pounds, along with the fact that my OB wanted me to gain more than 30 total. Mission accomplished on that one, since I did gain a whopping 43 pounds with him by the end. We also settled on a name for Truman this week, I remember that like it was yesterday and yet it was seven years ago. T's birthday is this week so I'm already feeling sentimental about my oldest getting so....old, and now reading this post has me all teary yet again. I'm crying a lot lately, actually.

With Cecelia, I had gained 11 pounds but wasn't freaking out about it. My belly button was really close to popping (same as now!) and we had just bought our current home. We hadn't settled on a name and I was gearing up to decorate her nursery. With Porter,  had a ravenous appetite and was worried I'd gained 15 pounds but was only at 11 again. I referred to it being my last pregnancy several times and we had not only settled on his name, but I also painted the nursery already. Woah. Apparently I was an overachiever with my first pregnancy and also my first-last pregnancy ;) 

How I’m feeling: Good! I just weighed myself after those above paragraphs and I believe I'm up ten pounds, which is about right and also shocking it's not more. This week I've been trying to reign in the appetite but Girl Scout cookies and Costco make this ridiculously difficult. I've noticed the changes my body is making this week, basically adding curves all over compared to my non-pregs state. I mean, all of a sudden I have a butt and thighs and boobs, and clothes fit differently. This is expected and I'm not complaining, it's always just an adjustment to my new lovely lady lumps;) 

I'm doing really well with my energy levels during the day but will hit a major slump as soon as I sit on the couch in the evenings. I think combining the new job, along with the house renovations and this pregnancy makes it seem like time is FLYING BY and also gives me more energy to handle all of these transitions. For now. I am anticipating hitting the wall in a few more weeks, I'm guessing.

Sleep: Good, but if I get woken up anytime after 4 am, I'm up for the day. I cannot shut off my brain after 4am even though I'm exhausted. This happens about 1-2 times per week when PORTER decides he needs me to come and cover him up in the crib. Or if he lost a sock. Or if he dropped Duckie. I greatly enjoy going to bed at 9pm those nights, and sometimes I have to nap but not usually. 

Movement: THE BEST. So much movement, it's my favorite. I might be feeling some hiccups every now and then, too.

Boy or Girl: BOY! 

Milestones: Over half-way? A good start on name ideas? Buying a bigger bra?

Best Moment of the Week: Truman is filling out his 'star student' poster, since his birthday is this upcoming Wednesday. The number of times this child mentions his baby brother in utero seriously tugs as my heart daily. Also, we caved at bought the digital copy of Moana this morning, and I made chocolate chip pancakes to create an awesome Sunday morning. I've cleaned the house, we have grocery shopped, and we believe weekends are just unbeatable. Even when it does snow a few days after being 70 degrees. 

Sibling Talk: Porter --> "Let me see that baby. (I lift up my shirt). Hi, baby! You swimming? I'm a baby, too. I live in your tummy, too. Mommy has a baby in there, daddy has a baby in there, I have a baby in there...." Yeah, he's getting it but not quite. 

Fun week!

20 weeks | Baby #4

2.19.17 | 20w1d

Photo thoughts: The bump looks small to me here. Henry looks comfy. I wonder how long I can wear non-maternity joggers? And hello, sunshine!

Size of baby: A banana! And we know he is 13 oz according to the ultrasound, and measured 6 days ahead for overall size. This means nothing and I will not tell myself I'll go early this time...for now.

The Bump: Still fluctuating by the hour, sometimes seemingly small and others big. Belly button holding on for dear life but nearing outie status.

Cravings/Aversions: No aversions whatsoever. I'm loving all foods, some healthy and some really unhealthy. This week I made baked oatmeal and granola, and rediscovered my love for cucumbers with hummus. But also burgers, fries, Jimmy Johns, and cookies completely hit the spot throughout the week. Food tastes so amazing lately and I am a never-ending pit, it's hard to show any willpower.

What I’m loving: This sweet spot of pregnancy. Knowing baby is healthy. Knowing he is a boy. Feeling movement and feeling connected to this little guy. Plus, it's been abnormally warm here, with temps in the 60s for the past few days. Sunshine and warmth and fresh air will always make for the best days around here. I wish it would stick around until 'real spring' comes but alas, we know better. It's only February, after all.

What I’m anticipating: Now that the ultrasound is over and went extremely well, I don't have a huge event hanging over my head. It's time to look at the last half of this pregnancy and try to embrace it the best I can, since I have a feeling it's going to fly by....until the last few weeks when time stands still. ;) Non-pregnancy related, we met with the architect this week and have some plans to consider for our house addition. So we are anticipating major changes with our house, pinning up a storm, and trying to channel my energy into cleaning out the attic for good. The sketches look awesome and we are pumped to move forward with the house growth.

Miss anything? With the warmer weather, lots of runners have been jogging past our house and I'm eager to get back to my favorite hobby. I walked four times this week and notice that I get pretty short of breath if I walk quickly. Henry was also huffing and puffing on our latest excursion...two old bags trying to get active.

Worries? Nope, feeling immense relief after the ultrasound. 

Differences between pregnancies? Truman's pregnancy, Cecelia's pregnancy, and Porter's pregnancy all seem pretty similar to this one in different ways. I'd just started to feel pressure down there with Porter and was hungry all of the time, and headed to the ultrasound right after writing my 20 week post. With Truman and Cecelia we hadn't had our ultrasound yet and I was feeling pretty good overall. My belly was still crazy small with Truman but it's pretty similar for the other three pregnancies at this point. 

One, two, three, and four at twenty weeks: My how my hair has changed. 

How I’m feeling: Pregnant and happy. 

Sleep: I can go to bed before 9pm most nights and still feel tired in the mornings, but I am sleeping well and without complaint.

Movement: So much, it's the best. He was sleeping during the ultrasound at first, then the tech tried to get him to move around by bumping him with her wand. That made him mad and he started to do backflips in there for the rest of the time. She commented that he's kicking me in the cervix a whole lot and he likes to lay sideways, across my belly. I'm still loving all of this movement because it cannot be ignored, and if I forget I'm pregnant for a second he will remind me with his kicks.

Boy or Girl: BOY! We were shocked at first since everyone thought this was a girl. It didn't take long to feel like this is the way our family is meant to be, with two little boys at the end of the bunch. It seems like we know a lot of families with three boys and I think I'm being initiated into a special club of #boymoms. The noise, the dirt, the trucks and trains.....and the mother-son bond that is indescribable. Bring it on, again!

So who do you think he looks like? ;)

Milestones: Halfway through this pregnancy, big ultrasound completed. Also, had someone ask me if I'm pregnant when they didn't already know the answer. That's always a fun milestone. Pretty big week, indeed!

Best Moment of the Week: The ultrasound, of course. Comparing this one with a perinatologist to our 'usual' tech from the past, it wasn't all that different, honestly. They did do a vaginal portion of the ultrasound to really look at my cervix and placenta, but time-wise it wasn't that much longer or more detailed than before. The nice part was having the OB come in immediately after to give us our normal results, when usually it would take a day or so for my own OB to call and give me that report. The tech focused on the brain and heart but talked throughout the exam, so we weren't just sitting in silence wondering how everything looked. Modern technology is certainly amazing and Nate and I both loved getting this detailed look at our boy.

Sweetest babe, sucking his thumb (or at least, trying to)

Sibling Talk: Lots of comments from Truman about how much he loves his baby brother, and discussion about names. Cecelia has also come up to me and kissed my belly, showing her love for this baby. Porter mentioned teaching him to 'play trains' and has seemed extra snuggly this week, declaring that 'I'm still little,' and 'you are my best friend, Mama.' I'll take those hugs and sweet words any day and am happy to cuddle him for reassurance. I think he gets the idea of a new baby more than we initially thought and I don't want Porter to feel lost in the shuffle of four kids. I guess moms always feel like this before having another baby---concerned that the current 'baby' won't adjust well to the new role of big sibling. Whenever I start to worry about that, I remind myself that Porter is one-of-a-kind and a tough little dude. I don't think it's possible to forget about him as he's talking a mile a minute and making others laugh non-stop. Ah, the transition of a growing family, with four individual personalities needing attention and love. We are up for the challenge!

A note from Truman, on the back of the note I sent to school. Note the little baby curled up at the bottom. I mean, come on!

It's A...

HEALTHY BABY!







BOY.

Three boys and a girl.

Nate has his foursome in golf. Cecelia and I can remain the queens. We are so happy.

And this guy is 100% excited, not disappointed in the slightest.


I haven't uploaded pictures from the ultrasound yet, but it couldn't have gone better. Baby boy looked beautifully normal, measuring right on track (actually six days ahead, but who is counting?). He was sucking his thumb and moving around but 'very cooperative' as per our ultrasound tech. He was spread eagle and I spotted his 'goods' before the tech could confirm this little boy is indeed, a proud boy.

The best part was having the MD come in at the end to say, 'Your baby is growing perfectly and there are absolutely no signs of birth defects or concerns.' We are so thankful, it's hard to even describe.

After working all morning, then going to the ultrasound, then meeting with our architect to talk about the addition, then me going BACK to work, then the gender reveal, then going out to dinner, and then Nate returning to work late tonight....it's been a heck of a day.

Porter has been talking about naming his brother 'Sir Handel, Skarloey, or Percy.' Thomas and Friends fans will understand. Truman suggested 'Noah' and Cecelia votes for 'Peas.' They are all hoping this boy loves trains as much as Porter and they can't wait to tell their friends the news at school tomorrow. Both of their teachers emailed me tonight to say Truman and Cecelia were SO excited today, and their classes can't wait to hear all about the baby. I mean, really, can we get more pumped around here?

More to come, I am just exhausted in the best way possible.



I am starting a very basic, boring You Tube channel. Here is the video from the reveal, the stinking pinata did not behave how I hoped but it did the job, I suppose.