October 23, 2017

twenty-seven weeks | baby five

IMG_0962

Somehow here we are in the third trimester.  Despite my obvious belly, I still don't feel 'very pregnant'.  It is so strange.  But less than three months and another little lady will be joining our bunch!

how far along:  27 weeks (compare to 27 weeks with Ryann, Elsie and Thea)

size of baby:  A banana.  Probably around 15 inches long and a little over two pounds. 

weight gain: +22 pounds.

maternity clothes: Yes.  Really I want to wear 'comfy clothes' most of the time, except I don't really even have any acceptable comfortable clothes.  The majority of my maternity stuff is from when I was pregnant with Elsie, when I was a solid 10 pounds or so lighter, so most of my workout clothes and lounge clothes worked a little better.  Now?  Not so much.  I don't want to buy anything, but at the same time, 10-12 weeks of not having anything I really want to wear also sounds like no fun.

symptoms: I'm tired, and overall I've got random aches and pains, but I really really shouldn't complain too much.  I've noticed a little bit of swelling, today I couldn't comfortably zip my tall boots.  Per the usual my most prominent symptom is restless legs.  I don't think it is as bad as it was with Thea, but I'm not sure.  It is pretty frustrating.

exercise:  I stopped trying to run, and haven't really been doing too much strength training, and somehow my body feels much better.  What can you do.  I hate watching the muscle tone disappear, but I was getting headaches while working out, and I don't particularly like being in pain, so I guess it is better this way.

cravings/aversions:  I still would prefer fruit and salads.  Or soup.  But I think that is just me in general, not necessarily pregnancy related.  I'm getting full a lot faster.

movement:  Lots and lots more movement all the time.  Chris can regularly feel her wiggling around, the girls don't have enough patience.  But they have all felt her move at least once.

sleep: Same old same old.  In theory I'm sleeping fine, but I still wake up exhausted.  I think I'm needing more sleep, but if I sleep in I don't get any alone time before the kids wake up and that just makes me irritable.  I need to not be needed first thing in the morning.  And I know that is coming to an end soon so I'm trying to enjoy it when I can.

gender:  Girl

looking forward to: Getting the girls rooms ready!  Really I only have a solid plan for the nursery, and part of it is dependent on picking a name, but I'm excited.

worries:  That something really bad will happen, or this child will somehow randomly have a giant head and not come out as easily.  You know, because those two things are close on the spectrum.  It is how my brain works, I can't help it!

best moment this week:  Name conversations have become pretty entertaining.  Especially when they include the girls.  We have two front runners but I can't commit to either.  So we keep throwing them out there.  Ryann suggests normal names, but most of them are pretty popular.  Elsie naturally throws in things like Cookie Pizza and Princess Pickles and Shimmer.  And Thea really really wants us to call her Ella.  Which is a lovely name, but rather popular and too much like Elsie.  I just think it is cute that she has randomly attached to a name.

IMG_0963
IMG_0783

Thea snuggling with my belly and last weekend at 26 weeks. :o)

October 3, 2017

twenty four weeks | baby five

IMG_0459
 
how far along:  24 weeks 2 days (compare to 24 weeks with Ryann, Elsie and Thea)

size of baby:  An eggplant? 

weight gain: +19 pounds.  I can't get enough peanut m&ms...

maternity clothes: For sure.  The weather teased me there and actually felt like fall for a day or two, which expanded my wardrobe, but then it was back to 85+ degrees.

symptoms: I've actually been pretty tired the last week.  To the point that I fell asleep while the girls were playing and woke up a couple minutes later to Thea drawing with blue marker on the wall.  Fail.  Other than that, just noticing the belly more and more.

exercise:  Lots of walking.  About 100,000 steps a week.  And trying to do the occasional squats, push-ups and planks.

cravings/aversions:  I can't say I'm craving anything in particular, but I'm eating way too many sweets.

movement:  Some days I feel lots of movement, some days she is pretty quiet.  I'm hoping it is just in relation to the anterior placenta and how she is positioned at that particular time.  But the quiet days always increase my anxiety a bit.

sleep: I don't feel like I'm getting very restful sleep.  I'm not waking up in the middle of the night too much, but in the morning I definitely don't feel refreshed by any means.

gender:  Girl

looking forward to: Actually deciding on a name, and getting started on the great game of musical rooms.  Decisions in the design department aren't my forte right now either.  This weekend my parents are keeping the girls for a bit so Chris and I are venturing to IKEA and Home Goods.  Hoping I get a few things to start the room switching process!

worries:  Right now I pretty much focus on whether or not I'm feeling enough movement.  Her heartbeat is still nice and strong when I use the doppler, which I've tamed down to maybe once a week just to calm my nerves.  I know the rest of the pregnancy is going to go by really fast, and I don't want to wish it away, but I want her safely in my arms so bad.

best moment this week:  Viability week!  Baby girl has a chance.  :o)

IMG_0335

And just another picture I took this past week because I actually got dressed in regular clothes on a weekday.