#4- 25-28 weeks

Whoops.  What can I say?  Things are busy.  Life is busy.  This is how it will be for the next umpteen years of my life.  Tending to these kids, growing them, teaching them, and the biggie- NOT SLEEPING.  I miss sleep.  I miss it so much.  I feel at any point of the day I could lay down and sleep. I curse those days where I casually tossed sleep around like it was nothing.

Enter THIRD TRIMESTER.  Say what?  What in the Sam's hell is going on?  Third trimester?  There are only TWELVE weeks until this baby's due date.  Only 12 weeks until Christmas folks.  Maybe you should start panicking with me.

The last month hasn't been overly spectacular in the pregnancy department.  Obviously it's wonderful seeing Squirt grow and man alive is s/he active.  Squirt moves around so, so much.  Not surprisingly, baby is the most active at night.  Rolls around, kicks, punches, does some sort of quivering move.  Do babies get the shivers?  That's almost what it feels like.  I do believe both Simon and Ada were active night babies.

Heartburn has come back with a vengeance.  Everything gives me heartburn.  Not even just food related.  I can sit wrong and I get heartburn.  If things are too squished in there at all the heartburn starts almost immediately.  It's not as horrible as it was with Ada but more frequent than with Ada.  I don't think anything could compare with the rolling waves of acid that came with Ada's pregnancy.

Rolling over in bed is an insane amount of work.  I feel like a big, fat cow.  Our scale decided to play a mean trick and was "broken" of sorts and told me a certain weight that I was quite happy with.  One week later it told me I had gained 10 lbs.  I was not happy with that.  Turns out, the 10 lbs heavier was correct.  Blah.  At least I have no stretch marks, right?

Cravings have been: meatloaf with mashed potatoes, berry flavored things but not the berry itself (this is the weirdest thing as I am normally an avid berry avoider) and caramel rolls (I haven't indulged in this yet).

One very happy milestone that we have finally reached is that our baby has names.  This has been the longest that it has taken Max and I to pick out a name.  It has really felt like a weight on my shoulders and made me feel like I couldn't bond with the baby.  I like to call the baby by name in my head (I alternate the names since we don't know the sex) and being unable to do so has made bonding take longer. That and the fact that I have three small kids running around and can never think about being pregnant.  Either way, my sweet babe finally has names and no, we won't be telling you or anyone. Everyone can find out when Squirt comes out.

I have been pregnant 5 times.  This is my 4th pregnancy to reach this stage.  Never have I had a child focus his/her movements so much on my pelvic floor.  This kid rarely kicks up on my stomach.  It is always a straight shot for my lady bits.  What the world is s/he doing in there?  It is a very strange feeling.  I've been trying to just get used to it but I can't.  It feels so foreign that I wish I could reach up there and just turn the babe so s/he would kick my ribs.  I'd rather have my ribs kicked than my lady bits.  A mild comparison would be like when you get a pap smear and they take that 12 inch Q-tip and scrape it all along your cervix.  Scrape scrape scrape.  The baby is continually giving me a pap smear all day long.  I love this baby but I do NOT love that.

There really isn't much to do to get ready for this baby.  The pack and play can be set up in our room the day we come home from the hospital.  Ada is kicked out of the crib and happily established in her big girl bed.  Not that the baby will need the crib for a few months after birth anyway.  I found the car seat, the cozy zip up warmer thing for the car seat and the car seat cover.  I'll wash those when I get the energy to find the newborn boy & girl clothes and pick out a weeks worth of both to wash.  What else is there?  I think the baby tub is in my closet somewhere.  Swing will be out already because I have a baby starting in November for daycare.  Done.  Man, fourth babies are easy to get ready for.

I probably should mention hormones.  Um, they are a bit whacky lately.  And by a bit I mean they strike at
random and weird moments preventing me from being the levelheaded gal I normally am.  Even in the midst of a hormonal breakdown, I know it's the hormones but they are so powerful they take hold and don't let go.  Poor Max.  Poor poor Max.

I have the dreaded glucose test on Monday.  This will be my first doctor appointment in 15 weeks.  Can't go another 15 weeks can I?  I'll probably do another appointment at 32 weeks and at 36 weeks start the weekly appointments.  I dilate and efface so early and walk around in a labor state without actually being in labor that those last weekly appointments are very important.  We have to keep track of what is going on so we don't have a car baby.  All my labors have been cut in half every time so that would mean this one will be, what, 45 minutes from start to finish?  I'll just step aside at a family Christmas gathering, squat down, give birth and be back out for dinner.  Who would want to miss the feast?

#4- 24 weeks

Week 24.

Hormones: Not cool.  Making me cry at everything.  Like watching Little Women when Beth dies.  Sob.  When Dexter gets on and off the bus.  Sob.  When I'm lying in bed at 4 in the morning and can't sleep.  Sob.  I don't handle hormones well.

Heartburn:  It's baaaaaaaack.

Aches:  Located in my hips and lower back.  Baby is getting heavy and my hips are spreading.  Always awesome.

Patience (especially at this very moment):  Zero.

Hunger:  Operation Eat Everything in Sight.

Boom.  Week 24.

There are too many people waiting to see my short hair.  Sorry but it's nothing special.  I didn't have the gal style it or anything.  I don't know how to work short hair anymore so since I will have another appointment soon for some color I figure I will style it then when I know what I will do with it.

#4- 22 & 23 weeks

I squished two weeks together.  I'm a busy gal, you know?  We took the picture but I left immediately to get away from my kids and re cooperate from, well, being a mom.  Then a day went by and another and I said, "hell, I'm not writing something now when I'll have to again on Friday."  See how that goes?

Things have been fine.  I'm still pregnant.  My little Squirtypie is growing and getting large.  Kicks and whacks are getting stronger and stronger.  I swear, the other day, it was like s/he reached out and purposely flicked my lady bits.  It was the weirdest feeling and honestly felt like a flick from the inside.  What the devil is Squirt doing in there?  And what's the problem with my lady bits?  Doesn't s/he realize that soon enough s/he will be making a super fun journey down that path?  Better be nice to it.

An issue of pregnancy that I'm struggling with is the fact that it means waking every day and discovering a new smell that makes your entire house smell like a garbage truck.  Why do I have to have the sniffer of a bear getting ready for hibernation?  There isn't a day that I can't find something that stinks.  Yikes.  No cleaning will get rid of it because once I figure one smell out another emerges.  And it's not just the crap that Ada is literally putting in her pants or the fact that I have two small boys who think tooting is the most hilarious thing ever.  Actually, I have discovered that my boys have really smelly feet.  Instantly brought me back to the days when I lived at home and my brother's feet would reek up the whole house.

My tots.  They are getting big.  The women out there who cherish and love their big bosoms, who show that deep V cleavage off to kingdom come... those women?  Something has knocked them off their rocker.  Maybe they just don't remember the glorious time in their early teenage years where tiny tots were glorious and not having to wear a bra offered so much comfort.  If you can't tell, I love my tiny boobs.  LOVE them.  I don't care who knows it.  Tiny boobs are the way to go.  Why boob jobs outnumber breast reductions is beyond me.  I have reached the stage of pregnancy where my lovely lady lumps (I hope this is what Fergie was referring to.  Maybe I should look that up.) have started preparation for the months to years of breastfeeding and are plumping up.  I had to dig up bras and pay attention to what shirts make my bra-less state look ridiculous.  I am not enjoying this.  Needless to say, my husband is happy about it.  Whatever.  Men.

Sneezing has become very dangerous.  It was dangerous before.  I mean, imaging pushing three kids out of your whooha.  I don't care how many kegals you do... that thing is never going back to normal.  Add in the pressure of a baby who likes to lounge on your bladder like it's a giant water bed?  Yikes.  You better be prepared and have those legs crossed or you are about to need to change your undies.  Let's be honest, you just can't be prepared for every sneeze.  It just doesn't happen.  Thank goodness I'm home all the time.  What do those poor souls do that go to work and sneeze?  They spend the day in damp knickers, that's what.

Turning over in bed has gotten fun.  I know it will just get more fun.  Heaving and lurching the belly just so you can roll over sounds great I'm sure.  Grunts and groans just to roll over.  I have to do this quite a bit as my hips and lower back give me some trouble.  I had some of these issues with Ada but not to this extent and not so early.  I'm chalking it up to the fact that I am pregnant for the fourth time in 5 years.  That's a lot on a body.  Sometimes I just want to ask Max to just stand on my hips just to put some pressure on them and get them back into the right spot but you have to lay on your stomach for that and laying on my stomach was out the window a loooong time ago.  I'll just have to deal with it.  I wonder how long before the kids are mimic-ing my hands on hips pose?  That should be funny to see from Ada.

Onward to week 24.  I honestly had to look back on the calendar and count how far along I was.  I forgot.  Next doc appt is at 28 weeks.  I'm really stretching those bad boys out.  I figure baby is moving and I'm healthy.  No need to give those insurance companies what they want.

***FYI- Turns out that wasn't what Fergie was talking about.  My ass is getting big too but who wants to talk about that?****

#4- 20 weeks HALFWAY!

I'm halfway done brewing my fourth baby.

As the queen of getting pregnant, I'm having a hard time reminding myself that this could very well be the last time.  I'm so busy that it's hard to take the time and savor some of the things going on.  I am NOT savoring the pure exhaustion that fills my every waking moment.  I could do without that.  I am trying to pay close attention and put away in my mental memory box the delicate little kicks and rolls.  The swishes I can feel going on in there that will only get stronger and stronger until they almost hurt.  It really is the best part of pregnancy the feeling of the movement.

My belly is getting large.  I often "forget" that I'm pregnant and get really annoyed when my belly doesn't fit into tight places it used to or I bump into things that I feel like I just could do fine last week.  Squirt is really getting big in there.  I've even started outgrowing some of the maternity clothes that I have.  DANG.  I personally feel that as a mother and a growing mother at that, sorting through clothing is one of the worst jobs and the most unappreciated.  Sorting through three kids worth of clothes is ANNOYING.  Add my own clothes to the mix and I'm just done.  Everyone should just go naked.  Ok, not naked.  Most of the time my kids are in their underwear though.

There really isn't much to report for this week.  I'm not as funny and clever as last week because I'm a different sort of exhausted right now.  My funny posts come on the days where I'm both exhausted and irritated with the day.  Then I don't give two sh*ts about what I say.  Now I'm just too tired to even think.

I had my first chiropractor appt this week.  I'm all messed up but that doesn't surprise anyone.  Now I'm just all sore.  Again, not surprising.  We do have our ultrasound on Monday!  Very excited to see our little Squirt up on the big screen!  We plan on bringing the whole clan to the big event. That poor ultrasound tech...  This is when we will see how Max does on his skill with reading people.  He is 3 for 3 on guessing the sex of the baby based purely on how the Doctor acts/talks during the ultrasound.  The Doctor that did the other three no longer works at our clinic so this will be a new person.  I can't even tell you how PISSED I'll be if this person screws up and tells us the sex of the baby.  The wrath of my hormones will be upon them.

You know, I'm enjoying the nice tan that my arms and face have accumulated over the summer.  Too bad my belly screws up my "tan" facade and shows what my skin tone really is

#4- 19 weeks and counting

What the HECK.  Nineteen weeks?  NINETEEN WEEKS?  I swear, I just rolled over and told Max, "Whoops...well, that takes care of that.  I'll be pregnant. You watch."

This is flying by.  People, you better start your Christmas shopping because I will blink again and wake up pushing this human out of me.  Holy schnikes.  NINETEEN WEEKS.  Let me get over my shock.

I knew this pregnancy would go fast.  I mean, I have three small kids so there is no time in the day to dwell on anything let along the fact that another human is growing inside me.  I'm pregnant over an insanely busy summer so weeks are flying by just from our schedule.  Friday turns into Thursday immediately.

Anyway, onto baby talk.

I had a bit of a scare?  No, that's not the word... a concerning moment a couple weeks ago.  I've been having Braxtons as you know which is no big deal but I started having some intense, and I mean intense pressure with some cramping thrown in for good measure.  While I was sure this was probably somewhere along the lines of normal, this was not normal for me.  I never had anything like this while pregnant with the other three so I called up my doc's nurse to see what she thought.  In stellar VIP style, Susa (the doc) actually called me back.  I was shocked too.  I'm sure we will see it on our bill.  I had no bleeding and he didn't think it was labor so early on so there was no reason to come in unless that started.  I was told to "take it easy, Jessie.  You need to slow down." Hahahaha.  Yeah, that's happening.  HELLOOOOO, Susa, you have been all down in my business three times getting the fruit of my loins out of my body.  Slowing down is not possible.

In all seriousness, I do really need to tone things down and have been trying.  I find it very hard to have restrictions during pregnancy but my husband is awesome and just making me sit.  "Relax" is a work I hear often.  I try to do this for the baby.  I feel immensely guilty though when I see Max come home from working all day and then run around the house tending to the kids, making dinner, checking on me to be sure I'm listening.  Have I mentioned how awesome my husband is?  He rocks.

My little Squirtypie is very active now.  I feel him all the time rolling and kicking around in there.  Max has felt him once while we were snuggling to sleep.  I was facing his back and the baby gave a giant kick and Max felt it on his back.  Dexter has also felt the baby with his hand but it was so faint I think Dex didn't believe it was from the baby.  Squirt will get stronger and stronger and then he will believe it more.

This summer is dreadful.  Awful.  Disgusting.  Hence the fact that I didn't even want to put on shorts to do a bare belly photo.  I can't stand this heat when I'm pregnant.  Why, oh WHY can't fall come?  Not fall so much as the weather?  Forget summer and the stupid humidity this year.  Normally, sure, throw it at me.  Love it but this year?  Yuck.  I'm miserable.  I think of those poor, poor souls due in August or September and I think, "Suckers!  Didn't know when to get preggo".  This heat causes swelling, water retention and bad attitude out of me.  My poor kids are only allowed outside with me during the early morning or late evening.  This is a boring summer for them.

I read that I'm supposed to stay off my back now.  Good gravy.  I already had to give up my stomach sleeping months ago and now I have to stay off my back?  What are they trying to do to me?!!  And for some reason, I have developed this horrible trait where if there is any light in the room, ANY LIGHT, I can't sleep.  So, in a tricky turn of events, I am actually starting to sleep though the night (no pee wake up calls!) but waking up at 6 to pee means I'm up at 6 because those tiny amounts of light coming through the blackout curtains keep me awake.  Dumb. This lack of sleep is contributing nicely to my bad attitude from the humidity.  I must be a joy to be around.

Until next week!  When I am halfway done.  AH!

#4- 17 weeks

I'd like to start by saying:
A.  I don't like to base my photography skills on my weekly photos.  I promise I am better than what these show.  I'm generally in a hurry for these and my house is dark.  Get it done.  In and out.  You get the picture.
B.  I dug up the weekly photos from my pregnancy with Dexter so you can compare a wee bit.  I had to crop that weird though because I don't know what I was doing back then when I saved everything.

Another week skipped.  This has been and continues to be a crazy busy summer.  Last weekend I was up on the North Shore visiting my friend, Sarah.  Rachel came with me and it was a heavenly escape from the mom-ness of our lives.  For the first time, I had a rough time transitioning to vacation mode where no one needed me, there was nothing to do and nothing to clean.  I could just sit down.  Perhaps read a book.  It was amazing.

Anyway, so Squirt grew.  I'm feeling my little lovebutt more and more every day which is great.  It sounds like Max is excited for when we will be able to feel the babe from the outside.  I remember clearly this happening before the 20 week ultrasound with Ada but this baby doesn't feel as strong as she did so I don't know if that will be the case this time.  I can't wait though for the boys to feel the baby.  They will be so excited!

I was starting to get out of that first trimester exhaustion but this past week has just completely leveled me.  I am so, so exhausted I can barely do much more than stay off the couch.  Because this is impossible to do with three small kids I've been as crabby as a bear.  I hope my kids still like me by the end of this pregnancy.  It is just unbelievable how tired pregnancy makes you.  I feel like a schmuck when my hubby comes home and I haven't even been able to clean up the kitchen after lunch.  Thank goodness he is very understanding.  I know I need to tone things down and just take it a bit easy but that just doesn't seem possible.  There is too much to do anyway and the few things we are doing around here to prep for baby need to be done during the summer before daycare starts back up again.  Fall is coming and things are insane for the photo business so basically it will be go go go until November.  Then I will only be a month out!

I'm surprised to say that I've already been getting Braxton Hicks.  I was going to look up to see if that is normal or not because it just doesn't seem like I should be getting them this early.  I know I don't drink enough water which causes them but I never drink enough water and didn't with any of my pregnancies so this isn't any different.  Again, I probably just need to take it easy.  I'm overdoing it.

Here and there I feel a lot of pressure on my pelvis almost like things are settling or something.  I don't remember that happening so early with the other three.  It seems once you hit the 4th pregnancy, your body and uterus just give up and say, "TO HELL WITH YOU".  I have all the late 2nd trimester pregnancy symptoms already.  My back is a bit sore, my hips get achy and I swear I can almost feel my body walking in a waddle.  Honestly, the bod is giving up.  I had my first bout of swelling this week.  Super awesome.  My legs and feet were a bit puffy.  I'm sure that was from driving home from the North Shore as I noticed it right when we got home.

Sorry, no cheeky snarky words of life this week.  I'm too tired.  I'll be skipping next week again as we are heading up to the cabin for a long weekend with a hellaofalot of people in a small cabin.  Good times!

#4- 15 weeks

How are you supposed to start these things?

Dear Squirt,

This week we got the flu.  That was not fun.  Why the dickens in the flu going around in July?  That isn't right.  After we finally felt better, my stomach was so flat that it didn't even look like you were in there.  Seems as though you have made me regain my shape already.  

We went to the Afton Strawberry Festival last weekend and we stopped at this one vendor who sold  salsas and jams.  When I told him that I don't normally like strawberries but have been craving strawberry flavor with this pregnancy, he looked around at our little family of tiny kids and said, "I love me a good Catholic woman."  Hmmm... As if our frequency at reproducing is strictly religion based.  I know he meant it in good humor but he's lucky that I'm easy going.  I informed him that I am indeed not Catholic but merely extremely fertile.  Take that.

I know I felt you this week!  I can't pinpoint a day but here and there you have made yourself known.  Even just within the hour when I was bent over trying to get the best angle for blowing bubbles for your siblings you gave me a kick and made yourself known.  Granted your kick felt like little flutters but it was you.  It's nice to finally feel you!  Dex and Simon will be so, SO excited the first time they get to feel you.  It will be a while before that.

You gave me my first heartburn this week.  I'm not looking forward to the heartburn that you will give me later.  It was manageable this time and I could even forget about it for a while but it was there.  I only get heartburn while pregnant.  

Your father and I have no headway on your name.  Generally I'm very strict about making sure we have it picked out before the ultrasound since you father is so good and guessing what you are but this time?  Eh.  We have gone through and dissected names three times and I'm just not wanting to deal with it.  Daddy might get his way and will just come up with it when we do.  The only names we end up liking are on the top 100 and I try to stay away from that.

Love you Squirtypie.  Until next week!