35 Weeks!

I just can't believe we are already at 35 weeks. I think I say it every week but this pregnancy has absolutely flown by. I guess a combination of chasing the boys around all the time and not being as miserable as I was with my last pregnancy has just made it go by so fast. It feels like as soon as I post a weekly update I'm already getting ready to post the next one. Of course, when I don't update it until Wednesday, I guess that's to be expected.

I went through a period there for a little while where I was a little overwhelmed with knowing we were going to be adding a newborn to our family while we still have two "babies". I struggled with that for a while and can't help but feel a little guilty. But now, I am so beyond excited about adding this little guy to our family. I'm excited to have another itty bitty baby in the house. I'm excited to have another sweet boy to love with all of my heart. I'm excited to see Smith and Sanford be big brothers. I'm excited to see Zach hold a little squish. I'm excited for him to get peed on hahaha. I'm excited to breastfeed. I'm excited to just cuddle my baby boy as much as possible. I'm excited for him to actually let me since his big brothers won't sit still long enough to do much cuddling. Its definitely going to be a shock to them having to share Mommy and Daddy but I think they're going to be great. We've been talking about babies a lot and now every time they see a baby (or even a kid up to about the age of 7) on TV or the computer or even in a book, they say "bayyyy-beeeee!!!" They have grown up so much over the last couple of months. They're both so smart and they keep us laughing constantly. I hope and pray that I can be the mommy they need as well as the mommy that baby brother needs. Thankfully, at their age, I think they will be young enough to not really realize that Mommy is a little preoccupied with baby brother and will be okay with having someone else do a lot of the duties for the first few weeks. Life is definitely going to change a lot in the next month but we're all excited!

35 Weeks

How big is baby? BabyCenter says he is about 5lbs4oz and 18in long (about the size of a honeydew melon). As usual, I think its safe to say that he's probably bigger than that. I guess we'll find out in a few weeks. 

Total weight gain? I feel like my belly alone has gained 10lbs over the last week. I have a feeling I've probably put on a couple of pounds. 

What is baby up to? Moving around a lot. He's putting a lot of pressure on my bladder. Sometimes when I get up to go potty in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning, I literally have to carry my belly so that I don't feel like I'm going to pee on myself lol.

Started showing yet? A little. This morning when we went to the nursery after church to pick up the boys, the boys went two separate ways and since Zach loves to leave me to chase BOTH of them most of the time while he strolls towards the door, I decided today was a good time to let him chase both of them in opposite directions. So, while he wrangled them, I strolled leisurely down the hall. When I got to the end, I turned around to see if he had caught them yet and a woman said "you look like you're about to pop!" I smiled and said "No, I actually have another month." and she chuckled and said "Oh, no you don't." I wanted to say "I didn't realize you were a fortune teller." I just don't understand why people think it is okay to make a pregnant woman -who already feels like doodoo- feel like crap even more. I had already walked all over this huge church and my back and belly were killing me. I don't need you to tell me that I'm "huge" or "look like I'm about to pop". Believe me, my body tells me that enough. Stepping off my soapbox now.

Maternity clothes? Oh yea. And unfortunately they're not fitting any better than they have been. 

Stretch marks? Still don't think there's any new ones but honestly, I don't really pay any attention. Most women are freaking out about stretch marks but after having twins, its a lost cause. So, I'll just embrace mine.

Sleep? Other than having to get up to potty a couple of times a night, I've been sleeping pretty well. I've been waking up feeling pretty rested which is a nice change as well.

Best moment this week? This has been a pretty good week overall. Had a doctor appointment on Tuesday and we were only there for about 45 min (as opposed to 2 hours like the previous appointment), had my bi-weekly women's bible study on Thursday morning, got to walk around Target for about an hour and a half Thursday (although I only stayed that long because a monsoon rolled over and it was literally raining so hard I couldn't see my truck from the front door and I was parked in the closest parking spot). Thanks to my crafty sister-in-law and father-in-law we now have a beautiful hospital door hanger that I am literally obsessed with and can't wait to see in person! Between Mom and me, we got the fabric for the boys' Big/Little Brother shirts bought and I've been in full on nesting mode. My hospital bags are packed minus my last minute items such as my phone charger, makeup bag, etc. I got the car seat cover washed and put back on, I'm close to being done with the boys' brother gifts, I got the bassinets put on the pack-n-play so baby brother actually has somewhere to sleep when we come home, and I've just been doing random decluttering around the house. It feels so good to get things done. 

Miss anything? As usual, I'm missing my energy. This stupid SW Florida heat kills me. Just being outside for a few minutes about knocks me out sometimes lol. I'll be happy to see "winter". A high of lower than 90* and a low lower than 75* would be awesome right about now. We're actually having some cooler weather coming this week. The highest high is 89* and its even supposed to get down to 70* a few nights. Score!

Feeling movement yet? All. day. long. Oh, and all. night. long. This child is active. 

Food cravings? Easy stuff. If it takes a lot of effort, chances are I don't want it. Convenience is where it's at right now.

Food aversions? Mostly just trying to avoid stuff that will make my reflux worse. Other than that, nothing really grosses me out.

Symptoms? Just a lot of annoying pain. When I'm on my feet a lot, my back, hips, etc hurt pretty badly. I can also tell I'm beginning to retain more water so when I do a lot of walking or standing, my feet get a little puffy. Not so much that you can really tell by looking at them but I can definitely feel it. 

Anything making me queasy or nauseous? Not really. Just reflux. Mylanta is my friend.

Signs of labor? None thank The Lord. Praying this pregnancy echoes my last pregnancy and that I can make it to term.

Rings, on or off? The last couple of times I've tried to wear all three of my rings, my finger was too puffy so I had to settle for wearing just one. Stupid fluid retention. 

Mood? Its been pretty good I think. I've had a bit of an energy boost so that helps.

Looking forward to anything? Getting everything done and welcoming this sweet little angel into the family. Most people have trouble believing that they could love another child as much as their first. Lucky for us, we had two the first go 'round so we know that you can love your second (or third in our case) child just as much as your first. I'm so excited to meet this little guy but honestly, I'm not really in a hurry for this pregnancy to end. It has flown by so quickly and has been relatively easy. Pregnancy is such a cool thing and is so fleeting. I know it won't be long before I miss feeling these kicks and jabs in my ribs. So keep cooking little man. We're excited to meet you but take as long as you need.

35 Weeks (Twins) vs. 35 Weeks (Singleton)

Y'all, this belly needs its own zip code! I thought I was huge with the twins but the fact that I'm just as big this time with a singleton makes me say WHOA! Its crazy how different the size is effecting me this time. With the twins, it literally felt like the skin on my belly was ripping apart. It wasn't uncommon for me to be in tears because of it. This time, I don't have the ripping feeling so much as my back and belly just hurt all the time. My back is hating me for gaining 40lbs out front in just 8 months lol.

 34 Weeks vs. 35 Weeks

34 Weeks

Man, reality is really starting to sink in. In just over a month, we will be bringing home our sweet baby boy and life will get even more crazy than it already is. Zach's job here in Cape Coral will be finishing up right around the time I'm due which means we could be facing another move soon after he's born (And no, we don't know where we will be going after this job is over. Chances are, we probably won't know until a week or so before they expect Zach on site.). Plus, the holidays will be quickly closing in on us which means we will probably be doing a lot of traveling. Add a newborn baby, two 18 month olds, 3 labs, a tired mommy and daddy, and a minimum 12 hour trip home to that equation and you've got craziness. Why can't we ever do anything the easy way lol? But I guess that's what makes life interesting, right?

34 Weeks

How big is baby? According to BabyCenter he is about 4lbs12oz and almost 18in long (roughly the size of a cantaloupe) but he weighed about 4lbs13oz at my last ultrasound 2 weeks ago so I think its safe to say that he's grown. I had my 34 week appointment yesterday afternoon and when my doctor measured my belly, he just chuckled and said "well, looks like you've got a healthy baby in there." He seems to be finding it funny every time he measures my belly. I forgot to ask him how many weeks I'm measuring now but with that reaction I'm guessing I'm measuring 2-3 weeks ahead as usual. 

Total weight gain? At my doctor appointment two weeks ago, they were super busy and took me the other side of the office where a different nurse checked my vitals and weighed me on a different scale than usual. That scale said I had not gained any weight since my previous appointment but being a different scale, who knows how true that was. Yesterday, they weighed me on the usual scale and it said I had gained 8lbs in 2 weeks which I'm 95% sure isn't true. I just weighed on our home scale and even though I've already eaten breakfast and had a good bit to drink, it says I've gained about 3-4lbs since I last weighed but since I usually weigh first thing in the morning before I eat or drink anything, I don't know how accurate that is. Soooo anyways, we'll say that I've gained a total of about 43lbs. Yikes!

What is baby up to? Still very active. The doctor yesterday said he thinks he may have turned around. He was breech at my last appointment. I hadn't really noticed a huge difference in the way I felt but I have noticed the jabs are a little different than they had been. I was having a lot of discomfort in my ribs and a ton of hard kicks to my bladder but the last several days it seems like less pressure under my ribs and more jabs right around my belly button so who knows. I guess we won't know unless they have to do another ultrasound.

Started showing yet? Oh yea. According to most strangers I come in contact with, I am "too big". I've actually started telling people that I'm due "in a few weeks" when they ask. It sounds better than 5 weeks lol.

Maternity clothes? Well, yea. And most of my tops are juuuust about too short. I have to be pretty strategic with stretching my stretchy cotton tops over "the belly".

Stretch marks? I don't think there's any new ones but hey, what's a few more?

Sleep? Zach is convinced that our mattress is getting worn where we both sleep every night so instead of flipping it, we tried to swap sides of the bed the other night. BIG mistake! I have a chronically pinched/irritated left sciatic nerve which makes it really hard to lay on my left side so I always sleep on the right side of the bed. The night we tried swapping was miserable. I couldn't get comfortable to save my life. I think I finally fell asleep at about 3AM and woke up hurting. The very next night I insisted we swap back. I slept soooo much better. I do usually have to get up at least once or twice, sometimes three times in the night. I've also had some seriously bad restless legs for the last several weeks. I remember I had them bad with the boys too and it is so irritating. Just lately they've started not only bothering me at night but also during the day, mostly in the evening. It feels like I have a million little needles poking me and I have trouble sitting still.

Best moment this week? Zach's parents came down for the weekend which allowed he and I to get a little one on one time. Friday night we went to the movies to see the new Maze Runner movie and then Saturday we both got pedicures :) and grabbed lunch. 

Miss anything? Feeling good lol. But I know that in just a few weeks I will be feeling much better AND we will have another sweet little baby boy to love on.

Feeling movement yet? Constantly.

Food cravings? Nothing particular. Just sweets in general and anything easy. I don't have the energy or even the care to cook much so I'm usually going for super easy stuff. Think chicken and rice and cereal.

Food aversions? Nothing really. Just trying to avoid spicy stuff since I've had an increase in heartburn and reflux.

Symptoms? All of the annoying stuff. A lot of pain in my back, pubic bone and hips, legs, tailbone; restless legs, rib pain, peeing frequently, heartburn and reflux, round ligament pain, fatigue. You know, the usual. Some times its easy to focus on how tired I am and how much my body can hurt at times, but then I remember that it'll all be over soon and it won't be long before I long for these sweet movements I feel inside of me. Pregnancy is tough but it is all so worth it.

Anything making me queasy or nauseous? Not really. Just frequent heartburn and reflux.

Signs of labor? None. Praying it stays that way.

Rings, on or off? Off at home, on when I leave the house. I can tell I'm starting to retain more water and swell a little more. I put on all of my rings yesterday to wear to my doctor appointment but they were so tight I had to settle for wearing just my engagement ring. They were so tight, I had a little trouble getting them off lol.

Mood? These stupid pregnancy hormones still have me feeling all emotional and junk. I hate this part of pregnancy. The smallest things can make me cry and I over think everything.

Looking forward to anything? Meeting this sweet little boy and becoming a family of 5.

33 Weeks vs. 34 Weeks

34 Weeks (Twins) vs. 34 Weeks (Singleton)

33 Weeks!

33 Weeks

How big is baby? BabyCenter says he weighs "a little over 4lbs" but at my appointment last Tuesday (a week ago tomorrow), they did an ultrasound to measure him and he was 4lbs13oz. At the time he was measuring 2 weeks ahead (34 weeks at the time).

Total weight gain? I weighed this morning and I have gained 1 lb since the last time I weighed at home which means I've gained 41lbs. According to the scale at the doctor last Tuesday I had not gained any weight since my previous appointment. 

What is baby up to? He's constantly moving around a lot. The ultrasound showed that he is actually breech which explains why I am having a good bit of trouble breathing and having a lot of rib pain. His head is lodged in the left side of my rib cage. Sometimes I can push him away but usually he's so deep into them that I can't do much except just wait and hope he shifts soon.

Started showing yet? For sure. I am pretty self conscious because I am so much bigger than other woman who are due around the same time as me. Oh well, can't do anything about it. I guess he just has plenty of room to swim around in there.

Maternity clothes? Oh yea. And I've made the mistake of drying a lot of my tops on "high heat" so I'm pretty sure they've all shrunk PLUS I'm getting bigger and bigger. Sooo, if my shirt looks too short, just disregard it and know that I am fully aware that you can probably see the band on my maternity shorts.

Stretch marks? I may have a few news ones. I'm not sure. There's a few on my hips that are pinker than the others but I'm not sure if they're new or just old ones being stretched out again.

Sleep? I feel like every morning I wake up and I haven't moved at all all night. When I have to roll over, it usually wakes me up and it also usually makes me feel like I need to pee urgently because he shifts onto my bladder. Even though I've slept straight through the night most of this last week, I don't feel like I'm resting well. I wake up every day feeling like I only slept a few hours. Last night, though, I fell asleep at 10pm (a little earlier than usual) and didn't move until 2pm when I woke up and had to pee. Then I slept until Zach got up for work at 6am and was only awake enough to realize he was getting dressed and then let the dogs out. I don't even remember him coming to tell me bye. The boys slept until 8am and I woke up disoriented thinking Zach had forgotten to come back to tell me bye. That was some good sleep.

Best moment this week? Its been a bit of a tough week. Not because of anything that has happened but mostly just because my pregnancy hormones have been in full swing. I feel like I can cry at the drop of a hat, I'm extra sensitive so my feelings get hurt over stupid stuff, and I just want a good nap lol. I did start a new women's bible study on Thursday that I'm pretty excited about. Its geared toward stay at home moms and we'll meet every other Thursday. Our first get together was this past Thursday and the group I'm in I think is going to be really great. I left feeling super excited about our next meeting and wishing it was an every week thing.

Miss anything? Our Texas friends! It seems like we have missed so much lately. New babies, birthdays, get togethers. Even though we were only there for a short time, we made some really great friends that we are blessed to still have even though we are over 1,000 miles away. Hopefully we can get back to see everyone sooner rather than later.

Feeling movement yet? All the time. I'm hoping the amount of movement isn't an indication of how energetic this child will be because if it is then I better get some new running shoes. 

Food cravings? Nothing really. Just quick and easy things. The boys and I have had colds/allergies for the last couple of weeks so everything tastes a little funny to me due to the drainage. Things that I usually love don't taste right anymore. The pregnancy congestion was misery when I was pregnant with the boys and I was really hoping to avoid it this time around but it seems like it may never go away. 

Food aversions? Eh, nothing really.

Symptoms? I feel like such a complainer on this question. I really did feel like a million bucks until about 31 or 32 weeks. Then all of the sudden it was like my body just up and said "Nope. I'm done! Not doing it anymore!" The hip, pelvic, pubic, etc pain is pretty intense. Especially when I've been on my feet a lot. I mopped the playroom Saturday and afterwards I seriously thought my pelvis was going to shatter into a million pieces lol. I went straight to bed for the next hour or two (the boys were napping). Other than the pain, everything else is just minor. Rib pain, bladder jabs, congestion, itchy skin, fatigue, mood. Another thing that has happened in both pregnancies that I always forget about is numbness on the outside of my thighs and some of my toes. It doesn't really bother me but it is a somewhat bizarre sensation.

Anything making me queasy or nauseous? Not really. Just have random reflux. At night usually. 

Signs of labor? None thank goodness. 

Rings, on or off? I usually only wear my engagement ring when we go somewhere. Sundays I have been wearing all three of my rings and they haven't bothered me. They all still fit fine, I'm just afraid if I wear them too much they will start irritating my finger.

Mood? To be honest, its been pretty bad this week. I've had some serious pregnancy emotions going on. Just ask Zach. Anything and EVERYTHING can make me cry at the drop of a hat. Its been a pretty rough week emotionally for me. I'm ready for this crap to go away. Sooner rather than later please.

Looking forward to anything? At this exact moment, as I lay in bed with my feet propped up, I'm looking forward to getting a pedicure. This foot situation is serious! Other than that, just looking forward to the rest of the pregnancy and trying to enjoy it as much as possible. Its so easy to get to the third trimester and be so tired of being pregnant that you just wish it away but to be honest, pregnancy is such a cool experience. Feeling your child move around inside of you, although painful and uncomfortable at times, has got to be the neatest thing anyone can go through in life. With that being said, it'd be nice if little buddy would get out of my ribs! lol 

32 Weeks vs. 33 Weeks

33 Weeks (Twins) vs. 33 Weeks (Singleton)

This has been a trying week for me. I really try to keep this blog as real as possible because for me, this is like a journal that I can look back on in the years to come and reminisce on what life used to be like. I love looking back at the entries from when I was pregnant with the boys to see how I was feeling and what was going on in my head then. Some people probably think that I am too transparent but that's just who I am. I am an open book. My lack of a filter has gotten me into my fair amount of trouble in my life but I don't think its fair to sugar coat our lives because you never know when someone is reading it thinking their life is the pits but yours is perfect. Truth is, none of our lives are perfect. 

We talked in our life group a few weeks ago about how our social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc) are our A+ self but the truth is, the A+ part of our lives is nowhere near as common as our B, C, D, and even F parts of our lives. At some time or another, we've all had a messy house, misbehaved kids, financial issues, relationship issues, etc. Don't believe everything you see on someone's social media account because chances are, just outside of the picture is a complete mess. For example, my weekly picture I took tonight was taken with about a million toys just under my feet and I had to slide the recliner out of the way to get to a blank wall. We have groceries covering the kitchen counter that neither of us had the energy to put up after our trip to Sam's tonight, and I had to throw away leftovers that have been in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks so that I could fit the pizza box from Sam's because I was too lazy to transfer the leftovers into Ziploc bags. 

The good news is the sink is empty, I made our bed today (for the first time in months), the boys had baths today (because Smith threw up in his bed this morning. Don't worry, he's not sick. He just has an extremely sensitive gag reflex), and they both have clean sheets on their beds. Gotta look on the bright side, right? :)

So, the moral of the story is I am stinkin' blessed y'all! I have an amazing husband who works harder than anyone else I know to provide for our growing family, two beautiful little boys who love to read books and watch Peppa Pig and Baby Einstein, a roof over our heads, great friends and family, and another sweet little boy on the way who is going to add so much to our sweet little family. We can't wait to love on him and spoil him. 

32 Weeks…Whoa!

32 Weeks

How big is baby? BabyCenter claims he now weighs as much as a jicama. Ummm, yea. Whatever that means. Because every Southern girl knows what a jicama is. Insert big eyed emoji. Apparently the average jicama weighs about 3.75lbs and apparently he is roughly 16.7in long. So yea, those are some pretty exact measurements. But, since as of 2 weeks ago I was measuring 3 weeks ahead (which obviously doesn't mean the baby is measuring 3 weeks ahead, just my big ol' uterus is), I figure he's probably a little closer to the 35 week measurements now. If that's the case he weighs 5 1/4 lbs and is about 18in long. I have an ultrasound Tuesday and I believe they will do measurements on him then so I guess we'll see.

Total weight gain? 40lbs …I need this kid to start eating me alive like his brothers did because this is not cool. 

What is baby up to? Beating me up from the inside. My ribs are definitely stretching out which stinks because they had literally just stopped hurting from having the boys. My rib cage was so bent out of shape with them, I literally felt like I could feel them popping. Now I'm constantly bending from side to side to try to get them comfortable. 

Started showing yet? Nope. Not at all. Insert side-eye emoji. I went to Publix yesterday (by myself for once!) and had 3 separate people assume I was about to pop right then and there. They're always surprised when I tell them "Nope, still got another 7 weeks to go!" lol.

Maternity clothes? Oh yea. And I swear my tops are shrinking lol. They're getting shorter and shorter with every wear.

Stretch marks? I'm not sure if I have any new ones or if my old ones are just showing up a little more. I'm not too worried about it because the ones I got from the boys faded pretty quickly. Plus, I don't plan on wearing a bikini any time soon.

Sleep? Not so great lately. I have all but cut out caffeine but I still have trouble resting well. My restless legs have come back with a vengeance. It feels like I've got a million little needles poking me. And every time I roll over the chubster rolls over onto my bladder so I immediately have to get up to pee. He's seriously been trying to make me pee on myself all week. He's been super violent in there and is taking it all out on my bladder. Not cool little big man! This morning I woke up and I'm pretty sure I had not rolled over all night. I usually wake up to roll over and I don't remember waking at all. I also had to pee so bad that when I did finally get to my feet, I had to hurry to the potty because I seriously thought I was going to pee all over myself. Don't worry, I made it!

Best moment this week? Its been a pretty uneventful week but probably the fact that Mom was here last weekend and finally got me somewhat into the nesting spirit. Over the last few days I've pretty much gotten my hospital bag packed and gotten a ton of laundry done. While Mom was here, she did a ton of laundry, got all of the baby's stuff washed from NB up to 3 months (just incase he is a chunker when he's born),  blankets, hats, socks, etc. We got his makeshift nursery set up in our room since first of all, his "nursery" is also the guest room, and second, its on the other side of the house. So we got the pack-n-play set up (still got to attached the bassinet), got a plastic "dresser" thing with all of his essentials (gowns, onesies, swaddles, bibs, burp clothes, etc), and a cedar chest with all of the blankets and things that won't fit in the "dresser". That way it'll all be right here close instead of having to walk to the other side of the house to get it. Especially since we will have guests staying in that bedroom for a couple of weeks. Honestly, I am nowhere near as stressed out about having everything perfect this time. I think last time, being the first time, I obsessively nested starting at about 22 weeks. I got started pretty much as soon as we found out their genders. This time, 1) I don't have as much time to think about it, and 2) I've already been there done that and I know we've got pretty much everything we need so there's no point in worrying. 

Miss anything? I've been absolutely exhausted lately. Chasing the boys around wears me out. Most days I do the bare minimum and anything on top of that is just icing on the cake. I'm really trying to take in these last few weeks with my boys before they have to share Mommy with little brother. Although I'm super excited to be adding another sweet little boy, I can't help but feel a tiny bit bad that they'll have to share even more time with us. But, I just remember that kids are resilient and as long as we do the best we can and show them as much love as possible, they'll be okay. 

Feeling movement yet? Oh yea. Child is going cray-cray. Today in our LifeGroup, I learned not to push him out of my ribs because he will just take it out on my bladder. "Get back in my ribs little buddy!"

Food cravings? Ice cream, ice cold water, strawberry PopTarts.

Food aversions? Nothing really. It changes day to day. 

Symptoms? Typical pregnancy stuff. Back pain, pelvic pressure and pain, hip pain, round ligament pain, trouble breathing, trouble sleeping, restless legs, congestion, fatigue, etc lol. 

Anything making me queasy or nauseous? Not that I can think of.

Signs of labor? None so far. I'm just praying my body can make it to 39 weeks! 

Rings, on or off? I wore all three all day today with ZERO issues. Yay!!! First time in forever!

Mood? Impatient lol. I've also had a few days lately where I just feel like anything could make me cry for no reason. Stupid hormones!

Looking forward to anything? Meeting this baby boy! Smith and Sanford seem so big now. It's going to be so crazy having another itty bitty baby. I still can't believe we're so close.

31 Weeks vs. 32 Weeks

32 Weeks (Twins) vs. 32 Weeks (Singleton)

It cracks me up looking back at pictures from my last pregnancy. I feel like I always looked defeated and exhausted haha. Not that I look all chipper this go 'round or anything but last time, I don't think I realized just how worn out I looked and felt. This pregnancy I've had more energy but I think I've had more pain.

31 Weeks!!

31 Weeks

Y'all, this belly is serioulsly epic. And yes, we're sure there is only one in there.

How big is baby? BabyCenter says at 31 weeks he is over 16 inches long and weighs about as much as a coconut. At my routine bi-weekly OB appointment last week, my fundal height was measuring about 3 weeks ahead. He said that within 3 weeks either way (27-33 weeks at the time) is still considered normal but wanted me to have an ultrasound just to make sure. I go back next week for my next OB appointment so they'll do an ultrasound before I see my doctor. I guess we'll see just how big this boy really is then. 

Total weight gain? I weigh in the morning before I eat or drink anything. I feel like that is the most accurate way to keep up with it but I always forget. Our scale is right by our bedroom door too but somehow I never think about it. 

What is baby up to? Growing growing growing and moving moving moving. By the looks of my picture from last week compared to this week, he seems to have changed position as well as grown.

Started showing yet? Insert stupid look emoji. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, thinks that I'm going to deliver right there wherever I am. Zach and I went to dinner the other night at Cracker Barrel. There was a middle aged couple sitting at the table behind Zach. When they got up to leave I could tell they were coming straight for us to say something to us. They both had big smiles on their faces and the man said to me "Boy, I hope you make it through dinner!" Zach and I both just politely chuckled. He went on to tell us that their daughter is due in 3 weeks but that I am "waaaay bigger than she is." Zach said "Well, she's still got another 8 weeks." They both seemed a bit shocked and I think a little remorseful as well. I quickly explained that we have 16 month old twins which is most likely why I am so big. Then Zach added that I'm also measuring 3 weeks ahead. They meant no harm but I still felt like giving them a little slap over the head just for good measure. Why is that people feel it is necessary to comment on a pregnant woman's belly? Don't they realize that pregnancy isn't always the most confident time in a woman's life? At least not physically. 

Maternity clothes? Of course.

Stretch marks? Haven't noticed any new ones yet but then again, I don't really pay attention either.

Sleep? Its been decent. Some nights are better than others but I think overall its not too bad.

Best moment this week? Having my mom spend the weekend here. I've been trying to get into the nesting mood but just haven't gotten motivated. I pretty much told her that we needed to get some things done and it was up to her to get me motivated. Sure enough, we got a lot done and I am starting to get the itch. Hopefully it sticks around.

Miss anything? Energy, as usual. And of course my momma since she left this afternoon :(

Feeling movement yet? Oh yea. Homeboy has been firmly planted in the left side of my rib cage for about a week now and he loves to knead the inside of them. Sometimes when I'm laying in bed I can feel him rubbing what I assume is his feet along the inside of my ribs and also down by my right hip. He's been pretty violent in there lately.

Food cravings? Ice cream and ice cold water. And obviously not a food craving but the smell of cleaning products, especially laundry detergent.

Food aversions? Nothing particular. It changes every day.

Symptoms? Up until yesterday (Sunday), I have felt pretty awesome other than being fatigued. Well, I decided to go Spanx-less under my dress for church and let me tell you, those things offer way more support than you realize. The church we go to down here is rather large and you have to do a lot of walking. By the time we got from the car to the nursery to drop the boys off, my back was seriously hurting. It wasn't the typical back pain, it was tight, muscle burning back pain. Like when you do a hardcore workout and later your muscles are just on fire. I was also having a lot of discomfort down in my hip area. To be honest, it freaked me out a little because I've never experienced that pain while pregnant before. I've had consistent back pain since I was about 15 but this was just different than what it usually feels like. I was afraid it was back labor. By the time church was over (after walking from the car, to the nursery, to our LifeGroup, to the worship service, back to the nursery, and then to the car) I was almost in tears. Not so much because the pain was so intense but mostly because I was scared. Turns out, it was simply because my back was so strained from the weight of this child in my belly and I had zero support. Luckily I had brought my pregnancy support belt (cue the chuckles) so I wore that the rest of the day and it helped a TON. I also think it may have been worse because he had been even more active than usual and had been tearing me up since about 6:30am. He seems to have changed positions, maybe more head down, so I think all of that combined just did a number on my back and I was all off kilter. Its been 100X better today though and I will be sure to make sure I wear some kind of support from now on.

Anything making me queasy or nauseous? Not really but I have had some extra reflux.

Signs of labor? Just typical pregnancy aches and pains.

Rings, on or off? Same. Engagement ring on.

Mood? Pretty good I think. 

Looking forward to anything? Meeting this sweet little boy. It won't be long before we're a family of 5. Yikes! 

30 Weeks vs. 31 Weeks

31 Weeks (Twins) vs. 31 Weeks (Singleton)

Boy is there a difference between your first pregnancy and your second. Especially after twins. Geez! I may end up being bigger this time than I was with them.

30 Week Update!

30 Weeks

Ignore my crazy hair. I swear we DO have mirrors in our house. I just choose not to look in them. 

How big is baby? BabyCenter says he is roughly 15.7in long and weighs almost 3lbs (roughly the size of a head of cabbage). I go back to the doctor tomorrow afternoon (I still can't believe I'm already going every 2 weeks!) but I doubt they'll do an ultrasound. Doctor said they probably won't do anymore unless I have some sort of issue. Sooo, we're praying for no more ultrasounds :)

Total weight gain? As of a few days ago I was holding strong at 34lbs. Its going to come on more quickly these next few weeks.

What is baby up to? Still moving around a lot. This last week he has had his feet literally UP IN my rib cage. Smith and Sanford were breech the whole time so I never really felt kicks in my ribs. Mostly just pressure from their big ol' heads getting shoved up in there. I must say it is a very weird feeling but I kind of like it lol. The kicks are the coolest part of being pregnant.

Started showing yet? Oh yea. I wore a new shirt to church yesterday morning and although it was dark colored (navy blue) and not super form fitting OR loose, I had several people, strangers, come up to me and Zach during the Welcome and say "Glad to see you three!" Apparently I looked a lot more pregnant than usual. Most people think I'm getting ready to pop any day. I do a lot of smiling and nodding.

Maternity clothes? Definitely. They are seriously the best thing ever. I've been pregnant for 15 out of the last 23 months so I've gotten pretty used to the comfiness of maternity clothes. I may just wear them forever. Okay, maybe not. But they really are great. 

Stretch marks? Still, none that are new.

Sleep? Depends. I've been having a lot of really weird dreams. And oddly a lot of them are about snakes. I'm not even scared of snakes so I'm not sure where its coming from but I'd say I have an odd dream about a snake (or two) at least 3-4 nights a week. I also wake up sore every morning. I think because I can't curl my back like I like to so I end up arching it backwards almost. My lower back and hips are always hurting in the morning. Thank goodness for Tylenol.

Best moment this week? Oh gosh, where do I start? Zach has been trying to come home for lunch instead of eating out every day. So I think every day this past week he came home and we all 4 got to eat lunch together. We went to a BBQ Saturday night with our LifeGroup at the church we've been attending. Outside of Sunday mornings, its the first time we've gone to something as a family so it was nice to really get to know everyone and spend time with them. Then yesterday, after church, we took the boys to a local park that has a splash pad. It was a pretty hot day and we all had a blast. 

Miss anything? The boys have gone down to one afternoon nap instead of a morning nap and an afternoon nap. I think it has been harder on me than it has on them. I guess since they were ready to make the transition but Mommy really enjoyed those two naps. But, it just means more time with my buddies so its definitely not all bad. 

Feeling movement yet? All the time. He's currently doing a number on my bladder. 

Food cravings? Strawberry PopTarts mostly. Although its not a food craving, when I was pregnant with Smith and Sanford I craved the smell of laundry detergent. Not to eat. Just to sniff. I would literally make a detour in the store to walk down the laundry aisle so I could take in the smells. It was intense. I also used way too much laundry detergent when washing our clothes because I wanted to smell it. Just over the last week or two that craving has come back. So far its not as strong as last time but its definitely there. To let the dogs outside we have to walk through the laundry room and every time I walk through I get a whiff of detergent. I also leave the detergent box open so the laundry room will smell like Gain all of the time. Just typing about it on here is making me want to get out of bed to go get a whiff before I go to bed lol.

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Symptoms? I think my feet and hands are beginning to swell a bit. Its not bad enough to where anyone would even notice. I can't even tell by looking at them most of the time. Its more of just the way they feel. Thankfully I'm able to sit down and rest a lot during the day which I know helps a lot. Fatigue is a big one. I get wiped out pretty quickly. Especially when chasing the boys around. I just feel wiped out all the time. I miss having energy. Been having mild heartburn pretty consistently but thankfully its not too bad. I promise, I'm not miserable. It may sound like it but I'm really not lol.

Anything making me queasy or nauseous? Not that I can think of lately.

Signs of labor? None.

Rings, on or off? Engagement ring on when I leave the house. I don't wear it at home though. Too many chances for my finger to break out.

Mood? Good. As far as I can tell lol.

Looking forward to anything? My mom is coming to spend this coming weekend with us! I am so beyond excited! I'm hoping she will kick my butt into gear to start preparing for this baby because so far, I haven't done a single thing to get ready for him. I don't even know where the NB clothes are lol. Nesting kicked in at about 22 weeks with the boys but its nowhere in sight this time. Oops.

29 Weeks vs. 30 Weeks 

30 Weeks (Twins) vs. 30 Weeks (Singleton)

Not much of a difference.

29 Weeks

This pregnancy seems to be flying by so quickly. In a way it feels like it was forever ago when we told our immediate families that we were expecting again (a little before Easter) but I also don't feel like I should already be 29 weeks. I guess when you've got kids at home to tend to,  it goes by more quickly than it does when all you have to worry about is peeing once an hour and eating every 2-3 hours. I also haven't stressed about getting things ready this time around like I did last time. I guess because I have a better idea of what a newborn needs so I don't feel like I need to be overly prepared but still. I should probably at least START to get organized. Zach's job down here in FL will be over right around my due date (hopefully a few weeks before) so after the baby is born, we aren't sure whether we will be staying around here for another job or moving somewhere else. Hopefully whatever happens it won't be as big of a move as it was when the boys were a month old (New Jersey to Houston).

At my doctor appointment last week, we discussed my chances of having a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). I had a c-section with the boys due to both of them being breech. I was really really hoping I could VBAC this time since it is less traumatic to your body than a section but after looking over my surgery records, my doctor feels that a repeat cesarean would be the safer option due to several factors. I was a little disappointed so I wasn't quite ready to schedule my c-section yet but will probably do that at my next appointment next week. By the way, I cannot believe I am already to the point in my pregnancy where they want to see me every 2 weeks. Its insane. In less than 3 months, we will have another little boy in our arms. I can't believe it!

29 Weeks

How big is baby? BabyCenter says he weighs about 2.5lbs (about the size of a butternut squash) and is a little over 15in from head to heel. When I went to the doctor last week he said that unless I have an issue or cause for concern, I may not have another ultrasound before he's born. That is crazy since with the boys we had a growth ultrasound at every single appointment throughout my pregnancy. This time he just measures my fundal height and that's it. I've been measuring about 2 weeks ahead the last few appointments but I forgot to ask last week what I measured. 

Total weight gain? 34lbs as of this morning. Not as bad as I thought it was but still not where I'd like it to be. Of course, it helps if you actually do something to prevent excessive weight gain rather than just talk about not wanting to gain too much.

What is baby up to? Moving around a lot still. This is a very active little boy. I have a feeling he is going to give us a run for our money.

Started showing yet? Oh yea. Everyone assumes I'm a lot farther along than I am. Even Zach will occasionally say "you're belly is pretty out there" lol. Thanks babe! 

Maternity clothes? A must. Most regular unisex t-shirts are too short to cover my belly. 

Stretch marks? No new ones.

Sleep? Its getting more and more difficult. I hurt my lower back and left hip in high school and it has been difficult to sleep on that side ever since. But, while I'm pregnant, obvisouly I can't sleep on my back or on my tummy so that limits me to sleeping on my right side 75% of the time. I try to alternate but its just not always comfy. I'm also beginning to have to get up to pee at least once a night as well which is always fun.

Best moment this week? There's been a few. Some of our closest and dearest friends got a call last Monday to let them know that there was a newborn little boy who was in need of a home and could be picked up Wednesday. This sweet couple has been through a lot to start a family of their own and God placed this beautiful little boy into their lives at just the right moment. When they called to tell us, we were literally holding back tears. I had chills and it was all I could do not to jump up and down for joy. (And if you've ever seen a pregnant woman jump, it ain't pretty.)

Miss anything? Having energy. 

Feeling movement yet? Constantly. And loving every minute of it. Its truly one of, if not the best part of being pregnant.

Food cravings? Strawberry PopTarts, ice cream (always), soda :( I did find out today that I passed my one hour glucose test so hopefully that doesn't make me be even worse about my eating. I'm not practicing very much self control this pregnancy.

Food aversions? None really.

Symptoms? This child moves so much. The last couple of days he has been chilling right on my bowels making me feel like I haven't…you know….gone in weeks which is pretty uncomfortable lol. Some extra heartburn and restless legs. Also having a pretty hard time sitting in one spot for more than a few minutes at a time. My butt bone starts getting extremely sore pretty quickly.

Anything making me queasy or nauseous? Not too bad. Just more sensitive to smells.

Signs of labor? None. Hope to keep it that way.

Rings, on or off? Engagement ring only due to my stupid skin.

Mood? Eh. I'm a little more emotional and sensitive but nothing too outrageous. At least not that I can tell.

Looking forward to anything? My sweet momma is coming to visit for a couple of days next weekend. She has limited off-days and is trying to save them for when I need her after delivery but 5.5 months without seeing us was going to be a little too long for either of our likings so a short weekend will hopefully help. I'm hoping to get a little bit done as far as organizing for the baby and a whole lot of girl talk.

28 Weeks vs. 29 Weeks

29 Weeks (Twins) vs. 29 Weeks (Singleton)

As usual, our lives are about to go through several big transitions (adding another baby, possibly moving and to who knows where, etc). Please keep us all in your prayers as we attempt to navigate the next few months. This crazy lifestyle of ours always seems to make everything more complicated but we know it will all work out in His time.