My last post was on June 20, when I was 39 weeks pregnant. I had not even the tiniest clue that our baby would be born two days later!
More of a labor story and eventual baby updates will come soon, but I did want to share that our surprise baby surprised us on SO many levels! First of all, may we introduce:
That’s right … it’s a BOY!! For all of my conviction that we were having a girl, for all the times we were right before, for all the kids’ certainty … (for all the tiny little things like baby girl socks I bought while pregnant and now have tucked away) … Adam Robert joined us and made our family complete with THREE boys and one girl.
I can quite honestly say that I never thought I’d be mom to three boys! This will be an interesting ride, and we will be renewing that Sam’s or Costco membership, you better believe it. I may even have to learn about sports.
Anyway, Adam also surprised us with a pretty fast (but decently paced!) labor. Labor started Sunday night, I didn’t quite believe it since I wasn’t at 40 weeks yet, and he was born Monday morning.
He is a wonderful baby, he really is. And a redhead! Wow, does he have some RED hair. I hope it stays!
We’re taking it easy (as easy as we can with three older siblings), but I’m getting antsy about getting out and running or at least doing some yoga again!
How far along? 39 weeks today … And hoping this is the last pregnancy update I write BEFORE the baby arrives!
Total weight gain/loss: much to my surprise, the weight gain has slowed down. Even with some extra water retention this week, I’m up about 28 pounds from the start of pregnancy.
Maternity clothes? I’ll take what fits at this point. I’ve been surprised to not be in my largest shorts, but I can tell that some of my standards are getting snug. I’m officially working from home now until the baby arrives, and I’m so glad to be out of work clothes and into shirts, shorts, and yoga pants. I did get another Stitch Fix this week, focused on transition from pregnancy to postpartum and nursing, and it was GREAT. Such a relief after the last one. I need to do a summary SF Maternity review.
Stretch marks? So far most of my pregnancy marks seem to focus on my legs. I think I can safely say this after four pregnancies! All things considered, that’s not too bad! I think I’d rather have them on the inner thighs than across my abdomen. I do have some elsewhere, but not too badly.
Sleep: Well, yesterday I was awake since 2:30 a.m. What does that tell you? My lunch breaks have become 20 minute cat naps when I can’t function anymore. I put on a Hypnobabies track and pray for some rejuvenation. Most of the time it works! The great thing is that the track almost always brings me naturally up to being awake after only about 20 minutes … I never can naturally keep myself to the cat-nap length otherwise. (Must remember this for quiet moments after the baby arrives!)
Jude demonstrates how I feel these days. Best moment this week(s): I’m working from home full-time now! It’s a real relief to be in a more comfortable, quiet environment, I can tell you.
Movement: Much smaller movements now. Mouse is running out of room! S/he still moves quite a it, with a day or two of quieter times per week. Then the squirms and kicks and hand waves start up again, but there’s not just no room!
Food cravings: ice cream bars and Chick-fil-a waffle fries. I don’t know why. I guess the sweet tooth that went away in most of my pregnancy is trying to come back!
Anything making you queasy or sick: still the random smells, although thin has become much better.
Gender prediction: Still thinking it’s a girl! Even Jude thinks so now. He’s started to agree that there is, in fact, a baby in Mommy’s belly and soon it will be at our house. I asked if he’ll be a big brother then like Seth: “YES!” And is it a baby sister or baby brother? “SISTER!”
All my babies in one chair. Belly Button in or out? Still half in and out.
Wedding rings on or off? I’ve started leaving my engagement ring off because the extra width can be uncomfortable some days (my band is very thin). Otherwise it fits fine, and this is definitely the longest I’ve worn my own rings during pregnancy!
Feeling all the Feels or Just Some of the Feels? The cranky and irritable stage has fully set in. I firmly believe this is God’s way of protecting the new baby … Every pregnancy, the last few weeks I’ve wanted to be a hermit, haven’t wanted people to touch me, and have been super cranky about being interrupted by the outside world. I think that’s how our bodies prep to focus a mom on delivering and caring for a tiny baby!
Weekly Wisdom: i don’t know about wisdom, but I did buy my first Erin Condren planner! I need something to keep this life organized … And for a girl who has happy dreams about perfect office supply stores, this planner seems likes good start!
Seriously though … We did a “Super Sibling” class and tour at our hospital, and I think it was a really good idea. Short class on basics of baby care and what newborns are like, then a tour of where mommy and the baby will be. Seth goofed off through it, but I still think pieces sank in for him. Nora LOVED it and it shows up in how she holds and plays with her baby dolls now.
Seth’s swaddle actually shows how he used to wiggle out of it …
Milestones: One week until my due date! Will this baby be like Jude and come one day early, or Nora and come almost a week late (and arrive near Nora’s due date … July 1)? Will this be a June or July baby? Who knows?!
Pregnancy Fitness: I am breaking out the pregnancy yoga again now that I’m working from home. I need the relief in my lower back … And maybe those squats will prompt a baby into better positions for labor. 😉
I decided the monthly(ish) updates worked for me … maybe I’ll get a little more frequent as we hit the last 4-6 weeks!
How far along? Today is Monday, May 18, and I’m actually 34 weeks and a few days. It is crazy how time is flying.
Total weight gain/loss: BabyCenter tells me this is when the baby gains about half a pound a week, and I can certainly feel it! I’ve gained about 23 pounds total since the beginning of the pregnancy now. Yes, that is about 10 pounds since my last update! I’ve still been watching what I eat but the baby growth has been insane. The fluid retention too … ugh. Welcome to the third trimester, the start of summer, and Houston. Yay.
Maternity clothes? I did pull off the wedding outfit I had planned at my sister’s wedding at the end of April … with help from maternity Spanx and a Stitch Fix maternity camisole that essentially was a body stocking. It was so long that it covered me to mid-thigh, and it was much appreciated! Otherwise, I’m starting to move up to the fantastic third trimester sizes … one size bigger than I’ve been wearing all along. My pajamas don’t fit, my clothes are too tight, I’m hot, and I hate getting dressed in general. Yep, right on schedule.
Family photo from the wedding, beautifully captured by Magnolia Photography. Were special.
Stretch marks? My legs will never be the same. Let’s just leave it at that.
Sleep: Has become a horribly uncomfortable experience. Even with the pillows propping me up, I get breathless on my right side, sore on my left side, and all-around cranky. I also now have a regularly timed (it seems) pee break in the middle of the night. C’est la vie, ce sont les dures semaines.
Best moment this week(s): We went for an elective 3D/4D ultrasound at the end of April so the kids could see the baby. I’d never had one before, and I’d heard they can either be great or a little spooky. We lucked out and got a GREAT view of our Baby Mouse!
Movement: ALL THE TIME. Mouse still has occasional quiet days, but is definitely at the size where I can feel most movement. S/he really likes to plant feet into my right ribs, and also likes to roll from side to side. Not quite the gymnast that Nora was, but definitely a mover!
Food cravings: Warm cookies. The lack of warm cookies almost had me in tears one night, and I knew was being totally irrational and still couldn’t help it. I just don’t understand why people can’t drop everything and find warm, fresh-baked cookies. Oh, and a Coke! Ice-cold Coke sounds WONDERFUL.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Lots of smells, including cigarette smoke in any form or fashion. I’m grateful for a current allergy attack because I can’t smell things.
Gender prediction: Still thinking it’s a girl, but a little less sure after that ultrasound! There are some distinctly Seth characteristics in that sweet face … but also Nora, and also Jude! We’re having a hard time coming up with boy names, but now I feel more urgency to get one lined up!
Belly Button in or out? Half in, half out! This may be my first pregnancy with an outie.
Wedding rings on or off? It depends on how hot it is and whether I’ve been traveling. After my trips to DC and North Carolina I definitely had to take the rings off. They’re back on now, but not as loose as they were.
Feeling all the Feels or Just Some of the Feels? More and more emotional. I’m over it, but I know it’ll just get “enhanced” as the fatigue sets in from not sleeping well and carting around the extra weight!
Weekly Wisdom: It’s really hitting me that this is my last pregnancy. The constant baby gymnastics can be exhausting, but I know for sure this is the last time I’ll experience them. With Jude we were on the fence about whether we’d have another, so I tried to enjoy as much as possible. Now I know this is our last baby, so I am trying to savor the special things about pregnancy that I won’t experience again.
Milestones: 40 days until my due date. WOW.
Pregnancy Fitness: I’d love to say that I’m still keeping with the yoga, but honestly … walking in general is a fitness exercise for me right now. The last month has been crazy with travel and family commitments, so I’m hoping to get at least some pieces of yoga practice in again before baby arrives. If nothing else, I’m at least doing my Hypnobabies tracks for MENTAL fitness!
Can you tell this is our fourth child. Poor little baby … I barely have Jude’s baby book filled out. Maybe I should do that before Baby Mouse arrives.
How far along? 26 weeks when I started this post … now almost 27!
Picture by Seth, my 6 YO. 🙂
Total weight gain/loss: I’ve gained about 13 pounds total since getting pregnant. Since I was above my target weight anyway, I’m fine with that!
Maternity clothes? I discovered by reading Old Navy reviews that the weirdness I talked about in the last update (tight legs, loose hips) is common for those pants. DRAT. I do NOT want to buy more maternity pants. I also got another Stitch Fix (my affiliate referral link) in the meantime. Meh. I need to do a post on the ups and downs I have with them. My last fix with no guidance was great. This fix, with very specific guidance and feedback, was awful. I’m fed up enough that I’ve stopped the automatic shipments for a while.
Stretch marks? The marks I already had on my legs are turning purple again. Yay. At least I know they’ll fade. Meanwhile I’m moisturizing the heck out of my skin after every shower. I’ve also braved the Rodan + Fields Foaming Sunless Tanner (I’m an independent consultant, so yes that’s my link). The added color helps disguise the marks a bit. Sigh. I will be sort of sad to be done having babies, but NOT being done with these stretch marks.
My Preggo Pale legs with Rodan + Fields sunless tanner … a little better!
Sleep: I love my pillows. My husband loves my pillows … I keep having to push him off! I told him that I keep punching him when I turn over because he’s on my pillow, and it’s a total accident … for now.
Best moment this week(s): We had another ultrasound around 24 weeks, and we have another stubborn family member. Baby Mouse was holding onto his/her feet most of the time, lying transverse across my belly, and generally making life difficult for the ultrasound tech. It was pretty funny, actually.
Movement: Mouse has very quiet days then super active days, which I’m guessing are a cycle of growth spurts and busy baby time. S/he is definitely still able to turn some flips in there, though. Some of the movements I feel seem like little tiny waves and pokes, which seem to be more than I remember with the other three.
Food cravings: SALSA. Waking up in the middle of the night, needing fresh salsa. Which is sad since I’ve been told to lay off the carbs … not because of weight, but because my amniotic fluid levels are borderline high. Apparently carbs make the baby pee more, which leads to more fluid. Who knew?
Anything making you queasy or sick: Meat still isn’t my favorite. Now that I’ve been watching my simple carbs (sugars, white grains, etc.) for a few weeks, having anything higher in those makes me sick. Handful of M&Ms = tons of nausea and regret. Boo.
Gender prediction: Still think it’s a girl! And I want to know so I know which of these adorable Orla Kiely baby blanket sets to buy. I want them ALL.
Orla Kiely Baby at Target. I DIE.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On and loose, but the warmer temperatures have made my hands swell a little. In about a month I will have heating pad hands.
Feeling all the Feels or Just Some of the Feels? I’ll be honest – March has been a hard month. My grandfather passed away unexpectedly at the beginning of the month, which has been very, very hard. Our sweet nanny has had her own family sadness this month, and she’s needed to be out for a bit. We saw that our old house (sold when I was pregnant with Jude) was on the market as a rental. I (stupidly) looked at the listing pictures and … they didn’t change anything. My colors, my CURTAINS in most rooms, and my nursery that we created when I was pregnant with Seth. I was desperately sad about not having that, either, especially because I didn’t get to create a nursery space in our new house while pregnant with Jude … we were in a rental when he was born and moved to our new house when he was 8 weeks old and my maternity leave was almost over. All of these things, the stress and emotions, plus a heavy workload are making me feel very drained and emotional now at the end of the month.
Weekly Wisdom: Don’t look at listing pictures of your old house when a) you loved your old house, b) you haven’t been out of it long, and c) you don’t feel fully at home in your new house. Just don’t.
Milestones: We are swiftly headed to the less-risky third trimester! If Baby Mouse was born after this point but before 37 weeks there would still be lots of challenges but larger chances of survival. I try not to stress about these things, but reaching the 27/28 week milestone makes me feel significantly better.
Pregnancy Fitness: YOGA! I signed up last summer/fall for I Run 4 Michael, a program that matches runners with buddies who have special needs. We run in honor of our buddies, sharing the victories, the highs/lows together. I got my match last week and I’m so excited to have her to consider in my intentions in yoga practice and my accountability buddy as I start running after the baby is born.
Yoga belly in my For Two Fitness yoga tank.
Jude likes to help me “do the yoga” when he’s up in the mornings.
Total weight gain/loss: BabyCenter tells me this is when the baby gains about half a pound a week, and I can certainly feel it! I’ve gained about 23 pounds total since the beginning of the pregnancy now. Yes, that is about 10 pounds since my last update! I’ve still been watching what I eat but the baby growth has been insane. The fluid retention too … ugh. Welcome to the third trimester, the start of summer, and Houston. Yay.
