I’m just completely astonished every single week that we have actually made it through another week!! From the other side of that, I’m also shocked that the number of remaining weeks keeps going down. Seven weeks, folks. Seven. My gosh. Dekker asked me this morning how much longer it would be until Bambina was born. He said seven weeks still seemed like a long long time. When I told him many women are pregnant for forty weeks, he was completely blown away! Suddenly seven didn’t seem like many at all. I’m with him. It feels kind of long, but in the grand scheme of things, its not long at all!
Size Comparison: I aaalmost want to throw this category out the window, lol! Its been SO all over the place recently, but I’ve made it this far. Why stop here? Plus I really like one of the comparisons on my usual app 🙂 Remember those square plastic scooter boards from gym in the early grades at school? Apparently she’s the size of that. Go figure! Lol! Also, a naked armadillo. The biggest thing, I think, is that we’re at the stage of the game where I’m theoretically gaining a pound per week, and about half of that weight is going straight onto the baby! So I hear, anyway!
Appointments: I had a prenatal appointment on Friday. Brady was going to join me, like he used to for every single appointment, but the kids were sick and snotty and unfriendly and it just wasn’t a good day for it :/ Too bad. I love having him in the appts if at all possible, and he hasn’t met my student doctor yet. But thats fine. I went in myself and had a decent appointment. If I remember right, I’ve never talked weight too specifically with you guys, but I believe at my last appointment a month ago, I had gained 9 lbs all together. Welp, as of Friday, I’ve gained 15 lbs! Oy! Lol! I’m not in any way suggesting that 15 lbs is too many, AT ALL, but 6 lbs in four weeks is a good amount 😉 This is how my pregnancies tend to finish off, though. I get so much bigger at the end! As do my kids, lol! There are always a couple of big months. I’m not worried 😉 The rest of the appointment was fine. I had changed my reflux medication dosage, and asked for a prescription for it. That felt like a bit of a failure but barfing up acid literally all day long just isn’t my idea of a good time. Nope nope nope. I asked a couple of questions about the iron I’ve started taking, and if there were any rules about how close to baby day I can go to physio. I admitted to him that my anxiety is weirdly going up these days, which I wouldn’t have expected, but turns out to be the case. We didn’t talk in too much detail about it, but we did when Dr. Guselle joined us at the end of the appointment. When she came into the room, he mentioned to her that I was having anxiety, and she right away tilted her head, sat herself up on the exam table, and said “Oh dear. Why are we anxious?” I sputtered my way through my somewhat pathetic, irrational fears about the baby dying, and how I KNOW I have no reason to believe she will, but that the closer it gets to her being born, the worse its going to hurt if she were to pass away. My wonderful doctor is SO understanding. She completely dismissed my dismissal of my own feelings (if you can follow that, lol) and reassured me that she knew exactly why I was feeling that way. She and my student doctor went over ALL the things they’ve observed through my pregnancy that should normally bring a person confidence. The growth of my uterus has been consistent and on track. I’m not swelling. My blood pressure is great. I have no signs of premature labor. Baby reacts to my exams, as is seen in her heart rate (which was between 135-150 bpm, by the way.) She’s even consistently head down! Everything looks right. They were totally understanding and sensitive about where I stand, but without asking directly, it seems like they are going to try to limp me through the end of my pregnancy, ultrasound-free. Which I understand and respect, completely. And I know I could just ask if I were really, truly suffering. But, for now, its ok, and I can make it. Its just a little longer. It was a good appointment.
How am I feeling emotionally: Huh. Kind of jumped the gun on this one. Read above, lol!
How am I feeling physically: I’m doing pretty ok. My pelvis hurts a bit more than usual these days, with that wretched right leg pain back again, but I’ve also been so much busier and more active than usual over the last week and weekends that I think it makes sense. I need a chiro adjustment, and since Brady’s work is full but not unbearably full this week, that may even come in the next few days. I’ve been congested and had semi-plugged ears through most of this pregnancy, and that continues on, though I hoped it would at least lessen when spring rolled around. Not the case. I do tire out pretty quickly, and fall asleep earlier in the evenings than I used to. If I become a flaky friend over the next couple of months, please forgive me. I’m so so tired, haha! Its hard to find that middle ground of how hard to push myself and when to just let myself be comfortable and at rest. Another physical symptom thats hanging around is my reflux, and its craaazy. My prescription doesn’t even cut it some days. That being said, however, its an old bottle of capsules, so perhaps they’ve lost some potency. I’ll know soon enough when I inevitably cash in for a refill. And on the baby side of things, she is feeling pretty cramped in there! I can feel her try to stretch out ALL the way, and her feel will go aaaaall the way up between my ribs and poke my sternum, and she’ll so lovingly kick at my sternum while head-butting my cervix. Its not the most comfortable 😉 but I wouldn’t trade it. I love that she’s big enough for me to sometimes be able to identify which parts are what and how she’s laying. I love her.
Wish Lish/Purchases: This is a big one this week!! For Mothers Day, I received the beautiful diaper bag I’ve been pining over!! YES! I’m SO excited to load it up with her little stuff! I’ve owned a similar bag in the past, and its been improved since then, in lots of ways! It has a few more pockets that look actually very convenient for holding bottles, and it also has a crossbody strap on it for my husband who often carries the bag and doesn’t love the shoulder strap. So everybody wins! I’m SO thankful for it!! Yesterday, my mom and I put in a few solid hours of shopping for the baby party, so all kinds of things have been acquired for that, which feels SO real and SO exciting!! Lastly, the one little thing we get every kid that isn’t really a necessity but more of a tradition is a single little toy for in their car seat. Now, let me remember… I THINK Dekker had an owl that jingled. Laela had a flat little bunny that made a crunchy sound. Rowan had an elephant with a wooden ring on the end. Sadly, I cannot remember for the life of me what Solly’s car seat toy was! And being that he’s the most recent kid, I should remember!! I’ve scoured the blog from his birth to him being in a convertible seat, and it appears I wore him in a carrier so much more than the other kids, and have WAY less pictures of him in a car seat than I do of the other kids. Shoot. Sorry, Solly! Hopefully a lack of car seat toy never did any psychological damage! That ALL being said, we bought Bambina a little coral colored teething toy in the shape of a pineapple. I ordered it yesterday, thanks to a free shipping promo for Mother’s Day. LOTS of fun purchases in preparation for her homecoming! We even got the cradle out of the garage finally!
Pictures: Todays bumpity bump!! Look at her go!
Isn’t it funny how round bellies look, but from different angles, they’re actually suuuper lumpy? Lol! My babies almost always hang out on the right side of my body, so its much more stretched out and bulbous. Meanwhile the left side of my body, mainly my ribcage, take a serious beating! Lol! But I’m SO big this week! And SO PINK! Lol!
How are the kids feeling: The kids are just the cutest. This morning, as I was getting the kids up, I was on my knees, giving them good morning hugs, Rowan approached me with his belly sticking right out. He walked right up to be and bumped bellies with me. He just stood there and we looked at our bellies. He smiled up at me and said he wanted to hug the baby. He and Dekker both got nice and low down, and hugged my belly warmly, and wished their little sister a good day. It was adorable and exciting. I can just picture how our reality will change with another little one, and how our current four kids will be amazing siblings to the new addition. Dekker actually made a sign the other day, ALL on his own, inviting people to the baby party! I’d post a picture on here, but I think I’m actually going to save it and hang it on the door on the day of the party 🙂 As per his request, of course 😉 The anticipation is thick around here. We’re all more than ready.
Getting to know the baby: My little miss seems easily calmed. When she is really giving ‘er and kicking like a crazy person, I often just put my hand on her and rub her a little, and she slows right down. She still moves and shifts, but she is much more gentle and calm. I love that. I look forward SO MUCH to our first snuggles in person. The first time I can calm her from crying. The first time we doze together. The first time I feed her milk and wipe the little drips off her sleeping face. The first swaddle in her special homemade blankets. All of it. Don’t get me wrong. There is NOTHING like carrying a baby in your body. But I’m ready to have her in my arms.
The BEST part of being pregnant: I think the best part of being pregnant right now is nesting. I’ve been able to find a bit of extra energy here and there, and have begun gutting and purging different places in our house in preparation for Bambina. I struggled hard with nesting when I was pregnant with Jamin because it hit so early, and I didn’t know if I was jus super eager to have him, or if I was naturally nesting off of my pregnancy with Theo, since the two overlapped so quickly. I admit, after two consecutive losses, nesting feels scary in some ways. I’ve been hesitant to really get ready for her to arrive, because how awful would it be if she didn’t?? BUT! I just cannot and WILL NOT live that way. So these days, actually physically preparing for her arrival feels awesome. I sorted out some weird old stuff from my cupboard of bottles. We DID get a second fridge (Thank you, Cher, for hear my desperate cries in my last series post!) which is ready and waiting to be filled with baby party food! I have a little section in a closet with some of Bambina’s things hung up, though I will definitely wash them all up before the time comes. I cleaned out cabinets and part of the pantry. My room is tidied and the cradle just needs a wipe down before it can move up to its precious spot beside my bed. There is still lots to do, but the occasional burst of energy to make the things happen has been wonderful!
Favourite thing: My favorite thing of the week is probably the song “Classic” by the band MKTO. Its cute and catchy and I love it 🙂 I’m linking the video ONLY BECAUSE I want you to hear the song, but I really don’t care for the video or watching the guy sing it. So, sorry not sorry.
Its so cute and catchy and I love the song! So does the rest of my family. It was a quick, natural favorite.
Its been such a crazy busy time over the last few weeks! While its made time move super quick, and we’ve made some good progress, Brady’s work is relaxing just a little this coming week, and I’m hoping that means some extra energy for all of us! Hopefully we’ll be even more productive and get some real work done around here! Because, guys. Seven weeks left. SEVEN. I hope they whip by and Bambina is in our arms before we know it! I’m sure we’ll have no trouble filling that time.
** If I haven’t added you to the baby party event yet, speak up! I’m sorry! I wanted to add SO many more people to the list but I didn’t want to add like hundreds of people who have no interest, lol! There is still time but if you have any interest, let me know!! Open to ALL! Men, women, and children! Come on, come all! If you’re anticipating this girl a fraction as much as we are, we want to see you there! **