Hey Friends!

I have been missing from blog world for quite awhile!!  However, we are doing well!  Just busy busy busy.  Once I have time to blog (at night or during nap time), I just want to sleep or do something where I don’t have to think.  But, while I have a quiet moment, I did want to do a quick survey so that our sweet baby girl knows that this pregnancy has been on my heart and mind just as much as my other pregnancies.  It just may not be quite as documented as the other ones. Although, I do journal a lot, and that is some documentation.  I definitely think I’ve been holding this pregnancy a little closer to my heart as I know it will be the last one.

So, before I do the survey, I’m trying to think of any updates.  I went to the midwife to do my glucose screening for diabetes.  I love those drinks – I know…so weird!  The week & weekend before my appointment, I had been so tired that I would just cry at night. Not every night, but I was definitely so tired that my bones hurt and I was extra emotional. I was very discouraged in thinking how I would be able to keep this up another 10 weeks!  I figured it was from being a mom to 4 little ones during the day as well as being pregnant.  The Monday after my test the nurse called and said I passed my glucose test, but I was pretty anemic.   I told her ‘Oh Good!!’  I knew there had to be a reason I was sooo exhausted these past few weeks.  I’ve been on an iron prescription ever since & after about 5 days of taking it, I could tell such a differnece.  Am I still tired?  Yes, but not nearly as EXHAUSTED as I was.  So thankful for these tests and for supplements!!

We also had an ultrasound for baby girl done at 30 weeks.  It was so cool!  I had to have my placenta checked out as it was ‘low-lying’ at 20 weeks, but praise the Lord – it moved all the way up to the top of my uterus as baby has grown!!  I was sooo thankful as now I can proceed with my desire to have a VBAC.  I will post some pics soon when I can figure out how to get them off the disk!

Now, here is the classic survey

How far along? 31 weeks and 4 days

Total weight gain: I’ve stopped weighing myself.  I eat nutritious food and drink lots of water.  My body is just going to do what its going to do.  I will work to lose the weight after baby arrives.

Maternity clothes? yes yes yes!  My belly is large!!!

Stretch marks? Haven’t noticed any new ones after the boys stretched my tummy out.

Sleep:  Not great.  I am tired all the time & definitely nap during the day for *at least* 30 minutes while the kids are napping.  I’m up about every 3 hours to go potty at night & heartburn is now something fierce.  I love Pepcid, but even that seems to be losing the battle with my tummy.  Propping up with lots of pillow helps with the heart burn, but doesn’t give a great night’s sleep.  That’s okay, I know it’s just another way God designed my body to help adjust to waking with a newborn.

Best moment this week: Right now.  The boys have been sick with tummy issues this week, so they couldn’t go to preschool today.  Warner & Harper are better, so they went on in, but Maverick and Crews stayed home with me.  (Side note: I really like it when just one or two of the kids get to stay home. It allows me special time with them & they love not having to share mommy so much.  I realized that Maverick knows the entire alphabet today!  Way to go buddy!) Instead of me packing M & C up, shortening their naps & mine, Chris is leaving work early and bringing home H & W.  Such a blessing to me!!!!

Movement: She moves all the time – most active in the evening, but I can feel her rolling around all through the day.  She gets the hiccups a lot, too.

Food cravings: vanilla ice cream, Sonic Ice (hello anemia!!), and protein of any kind, but mostly red meat.

Gender: definitely a girl! We had it confirmed that she is definitely a girl at our last ultrasound.

Labor Signs: Quite a few Braxton Hicks & painful hips – my body is getting ready!!  After sitting or lying down, it takes me a few seconds to hobble around before my hips start working again. 

Belly Button in or out? It is definitely a outie and it kind of grosses me out.  haha!  It never popped out with Harper, and with the boys I don’t remember it popping out either – just being stretched flat.  It definitely pops out and you can see it through my clothes – yuck!

Wedding rings on or off? On!!!  They still fit!!!  I seriously can’t believe it.  They have never made it this far before! lol

What I miss: Really playing with the kids.  I’m always warning them – watch Mommy’s tummy or I can’t carry you right now.  I know it’s just for a little bit longer, but I can’t wait to run and play and tumble with them!

What I am looking forward to: My Mom coming next week.  Getting more stuff ready for baby’s arrival! 

Weekly Wisdom: I’m really trying to soak in being pregnant.  To enjoy the rolls, pokes, and jabs.  To not just want to pass out when I walk by a mirror and see my giant belly and double chins.  Pregnancy is such a miracle!  My body is only transformed this way for a brief amount of time.

Milestones:Getting Harper’s old clothes out, rearranging clothes & furniture to get ready for a new baby!  Crews patting and kissing my belly saying Be-Be.   Harper talking to baby every day & telling her she loves her so much and she can’t wait for her to be born so she can bathe her and watch Tinkerbelle with her and help change her diaper.    Precious sisters!

I also have realized that I’m almost 32 weeks!  I remember… with Harper, at this point I felt like I would be pregnant forever, and with the boys our big goal was 32 weeks, so I felt like anything over that was a really long time.  This time, I can’t believe I’m almost 32 weeks & I’ m not ready for it to be over yet!  It is going by so fast, and while I can’t wait to hold her in my arms, I have lots to do before she arrives!!! I’ve been nesting like crazy – cleaning the oven, the pantry, the fridge, cleaning out clothes, getting ready for a yard sale, etc etc etc.  I need to slllloooowwww this train down and enjoy my little ballerina in my tummy!

31 weeks