Thirty Six Weeks

How Far Along - 36 weeks 2 days

Total Weight Gain - 30 pounds - I feel very confident in saying this right now "I don't really care"! Yes, that is how I feel right now about a lot of things.. weight gain is one of them! Even my doctor laughed last week when I made the comment about how I feel like I gain a pound every time I go there! He said well you hide it well.. I guess when you have "about" an 8 pound baby in your belly 30 pounds can be expected.

Maternity Clothes - Can you say the same shirt every day and the same bottoms every day?! Ok, so maybe it's not that dramatic but literally I have like 3 shirts that fit over this belly. I've put some of my more comfortable bottoms in my hospital bag so the other comfortable items are on repeat.

Sleep - It's going pretty well, getting up a lot to empty the bladder and working through contractions from time to time. Comfort is hard to come by and baby girl sometimes feels like she is trying out for the women's gymnastic team! Sometimes I just lay there so I can feel her move and really enjoy my last few days with her.

Miss anything? Just normal clothes and normal activity. I'm definitely looking forward to the day when I can wear normal clothes and not feel tired just walking from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Cravings - Craving anything I can have that I have had to give up over the last 9 months. My most used emoji's to my husband are currently... sushi, wine, and beer... and baby.

Symptoms - CONTRACTIONS ... last Wednesday we thought we may be headed to the hospital to welcome baby girl. But after about 4 hours and contractions and then becoming 5 minutes apart and pretty painful.. they stopped. Not sure if I was disappointed or not but either way we gained a few more days for baby girl to prepare for her arrival.

Looking forward to- We have 4 days until we head to the hospital to welcome baby girl 5 it seems so strange to know she will be here in our arms. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it and all that comes with it. At our growth scan last week the high risk doctor estimated her to be around 8 pounds... to say I was shocked is an understatement! What do I do with all these newborn clothes?! My doctor actually thinks she is probably more like 7 pounds as I was measuring 35 weeks on Friday. Either way baby is girl is healthy and we likely won't have to have any NICU time. He feels good about our date and the health of this little one and that is all that matters.

4 days left....

Thirty Five Weeks

The exhaustion is real in this photo...

How Far Along - 35 weeks 2 days

Total Weight Gain - 26 pounds - With just 2 weeks left I am feeling like this is a good weight... It's hard to say for sure though, I feel like every time I go to the doctor I gain another pound which would be ok if I only went once a week!! We will see where I am at by the end of this week probably 29 pounds!

Maternity Clothes - This is the time of pregnancy when you just feel like nothing fits and the things that do are pretty tight so I am pretty much left feeling huge and very repetitive in the maternity clothes department. But the end is near so we (Me and this big ol' bump) will make it!

Sleep - The twins have started sleeping through the night again (maybe waking once or twice but mostly going back to sleep on their own) making it a little easier for this mama to get some rest. And I am happy to report I have been sleeping pretty well. It is hard to get comfortable but I have been able to get some consecutive hours of sleep which is really all one can hope for at this point in pregnancy.

Miss anything? Putting on socks and shoes, bending over, and just completing simple tasks. When your belly is big and in the way it just makes the usually every day tasks a little harder to complete.

Cravings - Nothing really even sounds appetizing at this point, sometimes I feel like I could eat anything and everything I could get my hands on and other times the thought of food is just not appealing.

Symptoms - Swelling is definitely making its appearance in these final weeks my hands, feet, and ankles especially at the end of the day. Some headaches here and there and just general discomfort.. all symptoms to be expected.

Looking forward to- Now that the c-section has been changed once again (my doctor overlooked his vacation) to March 19th and it is official we have under 2 weeks until we finally get to meet this baby girl. This is a busy week full of doctors appointments to continually check on her as well as a final growth scan. While we are more than ready for baby girl's arrival we are making sure to shower our 4 daughters with lots of love before they all become big sisters again... or for the first time!!

The kids getting in on the "bump" photo action 

Thirty Four Weeks

How Far Along - 33/34 weeks
I'm just going with the "double week" dating system at this point.. the number of weeks doesn't change the fact that she will be here in 3 weeks!

Total Weight Gain - 23 pounds - The doctors office got a new fancy digital scale last week so maybe it's more accurate than the old style slide scale... we will see at my appointments this coming week!

Maternity Clothes - Every time I walk into my to find something to wear (most likely one of my 5 gray maternity shirts) I see my "non-maternity" tops and I find myself asking "could I fit in those" haha no way but listen after a while you just want something different! I know this belly has really gained some circumference over the last weeks because my favorite tank tops are starting to no longer cover "all" of my belly... but I'm gonna make it work... because hey they are my favorite!

Sleep - Soon to come a post about (re)sleep training toddlers after you move and put them in beds... If that tells you anything about how my sleep has been! I just keep reminding myself that baby girl will be her in 3 weeks so I have 3 weeks to get the twins on a good sleep schedule AND sleeping through the night again. There is progress so I am hopeful I can maybe have a week before she arrives of something that resembles sleep. when I do get a chance to sleep uninterrupted by the twins I am sleeping pretty well. Eventually, my hips start hurting and indigestion sets in and by that time the twins are usually in bed with us... So it is what it is at this point!

Miss anything? Getting out of bed without feeling all the muscles pulling in my belly and walking from the bed to the bathroom without being out of breath! I love hearing other say I sound like I just ran a mile when they talk to me on the phone... I want to say "why yes I did just run mile, thank you very much". Baby girl certainly loves to have her little booty pushing right up under my ribs... I am however thankful that it's not her foot or elbow!

Cravings - Still pretty much hungry all the time and majorly craving anything sweet but finding chocolate gives me indigestion so I am kinda just doing what ever I want and dealing with the backlash as it happens. Hey I only have 3 weeks left might as well enjoy them!!

Symptoms - If you didn't notice yet... indigestion! I Remember how bad it got with the twins to the point where I was sleeping sitting up. I am feeling that time is rapidly approaching. Sometimes it gets to the point where I actually feel like I will be sick... so that is fun. I've also started to get some mild swelling in my hands and feet as the day progresses.

Looking forward to- March 15th?? Ok, so yes, when you get to the end of your pregnancy you start to feel like "I'm just ready" while I do feel that way I am conscious of that fact that if not for the Cholestasis I would still have 5-6 weeks left. Even though the thought of meeting this new little girl is on my mind daily I am also trying to cherish every single movement and moment I have left with her all to myself... and maybe trying to commit all of it memory... we never know what the future holds. My sister in-law and good friend are throwing me a little baby sprinkle this weekend... I can't wait to spend some time with my friends and family.

Thirty Three Weeks

How Far Along - 32/33 weeks
Right now my OB and my High risk doctor are not on the same page regarding this date. The high risk doctor says due date is April 1st and my OB says due date is still April 9th. I do tend to agree with my OB based on all of my dates. However, having cholestasis means an early delivery at 37 weeks. So it is hard to not worry about if the date is off by 8 days. My OB understands my concern and has agreed to meet me and the high risk doctor half way so we are delivering at 37 weeks 4 days (based on the high risk doctor's dates) and 36 weeks 4 days (based on OB dates). We both feel comfortable with this and baby girl is doing really well and will continue to be monitored closely until the delivery date.

Total Weight Gain - 21 pounds - My weight hasn't changed much over the last few visits, at one point I actually had lost 3 pounds which is pretty funny considering this girl already weighs 5 pounds! Since I am now going to the Doctor twice a week for monitoring that means I get to also check my weight twice a week... yay me.

Maternity Clothes - No change here! And I did buy myself a new shirt the other day for  our family/maternity photos because well.. it just made sense. I am getting to the point where I need to start thinking about packing my hospital bag and this has always been a tough one for me. A lot of the things I wear at home I will want to wear at the hospital so I struggle with when do I actually stop wearing them at home and put them in the bag??? We still have four weeks until it's time to "go" but I have a feeling those four weeks are going to go by really fast!

Sleep - Since moving and getting the kids into their own rooms I've been sleeping a little bit better... a little. I gave up the body pillow and that seems to have helped some as well.. I feel like I have a bit more room to move around. The twins are in toddler beds and we have been working through getting them to sleep in their beds all night (mostly Olivia), so they have me up several times a night, in addition to the braxton hicks, and new leg cramps!

Miss anything? I'm not missing too much these days; I guess when you are this far a long in pregnancy what you once missed is kind of a memory. I know I will soon be planning my first meal of sushi after this little girl arrives!

Cravings - I'm just hungry all the time... all.the.time. Being hungry leads to a lot of cravings and also the feeling that nothing sounds good. Standing in front of the refrigerator or pantry trying to decide what to eat is really annoying especially when you feel like you could eat everything! I do however think I could eat donuts every day... this is one of those cravings that you can actually taste when you think about it or say the word... if only it was that easy!!

Symptoms - Aside from the cholestasis symptoms as well as the side effects of the medication things are pretty much the same. Braxton Hicks and real contractions are the top of my list. I am trying very hard to listen to my body right now and  know when it is time to take it easy. Weekly NSTs make me feel a bit better knowing that the "contractions" are being monitored. I've woken up a few times with major leg cramps and the other night I had to wake the hubby up to help me get rid of it!

Looking forward to- Nesting has started and I find myself wondering if I should wait, I know that we are getting close to the 37 week mark so there is no time like now to get started. Because of the cholestasis I am required to see my doctor twice a week once for an ultrasound and once for an NST. It is great to see baby girl and know that she is doing well!

In case you missed my last update I talk all about the due date changes and the cholestasis.. you can check it out here (pregnancy update).

Twenty Seven

How Far Along - 27 weeks 1 days ... Hello third trimester ... I think ?

Total Weight Gain - An unscheduled trip to the doctor this week has me at a 17 pound weight gain. I really don't know how I gained 2 pounds since my last appointment like 10 days ago... maybe it doesn't matter and you know it's a girl thing worrying about weight gain.. it's silly really to worry when you are pregnant and you are supposed to gain weight. Either way I'm feeling ok with where I am at and it feels like baby girl is getting bigger by the day.

Maternity Clothes - Yes, this belly is really out there and even some of my tops are starting to get too tight. And then that strange thing happens when your shirt covers your belly but doesn't really go far enough down and kinda sticks out.. yea we are there. I am really trying to keep myself from buying new clothes... I think I can make it!

Sleep - You were really hoping I was going to say its been great weren't you ?? Yea so was I.. but it's much of the same as in the past. I am trying to get to bed a little earlier so that I can try and get some more sleep. Since we are living with family the twins being in our room has made things a little difficult. I get up a lot during the night because .... well it's pretty much crazy why I get up for them. So I am working on letting them "fuss" without mama coming to the rescue.

Miss anything? Sushi for sure and I am usually not much of a "drinker" but whenever my husband drinks a beer it looks very good for some reason... maybe lack of sleep. Regarding the sushi I think I will request it after baby girl joins us.

Cravings - Passion Fruit Green Tea from Panera is amazing ... I love their green tea in general but this new twist is so refreshing and tastes amazing and then when you pair it with a cheese danish my cravings dreams have come true. Starbucks and Panera are both a big treat so I try to keep them as "rewards" for...well you know... surviving on 3 hours of sleep!

Symptoms - Did someone mention braxton hicks??? Oh that was me.... I'm not surprised, they are coming more frequently now and sometimes include lower back pain. Nothing too concerning at this point but I do know they are a sign that it is time to slow down. Some round ligament pain has returned and of course when I least expect it. My body is just tired in general but I know it's part of the process so I am just listening to my body... like I should have done with the twins. My unscheduled visit to the doctor this week was a result of some major skin itching on my belly, chest, and neck. No rash or sign of a reason why, I've been doing things to try and alleviate the itching but nothing seems to be working. The doctor doesn't seem too concerned but is running some blood  just to be sure.

Looking forward to- Nesting! And hopefully soon I will be able to get in the grove of officially getting ready for baby girl. We will find out tomorrow if we are "officially" approved to rent a house! Next appointment is a week away and it is glucose test time and then appointments every two weeks hopefully an ultrasound will be coming up as well!




Is it me or does my belly look bigger when it's taken via selfie???

Hair done, contacts, and makeup... must have been a special day/night (it was New Years Eve!)! 

2015 Year in Review

Wow! What a year full of love, laughter, surprises, tears, and big changes. We traveled, spent time with family, and bonded as a family of six. Here's a little look back at all the fun we had...

January

Hubby went away for two weeks (day one of eleven) and we survived just mama and the 4 girls...

February the twins turned one and half and were far from the babies we once knew 

And we had some family photos taken...

March was a lot of family time with my mom visiting, the Maroon 5 concert with my sister in-law, Kendal's Odyssey of the mind competition, and a day date with Madison.

April - we celebrated Madison's 9th Birthday

We had our first camping adventure 

I went to PA to visit my sister to help celebrate her new house, engagement, and pregnancy!

May started our potty training adventure at just 21 months we took the leap with the 3 day method.. we can't say we are 100% trained at this point but we are close...

June started summer break lots of fun with all the girls

A trip to urgent care for Charlotte's smashed toe

July I was able to capture the birth of my good friends first daughter 

We headed north for a two week vacation to PA, NY, and DC to spend some quality time with Family.

August is a big month for Birthday's in our Family - aside from Kendal and the Twins my niece also celebrates her birthday!

Kendal Turned 11!

And the Twins turned 2!

September was the month to announce baby five was on the way! 

I was able to write a guest blog post for Twin Talk Blog and shared it with you all... do you want more?

Then we announced and shared our Journey to baby five

We had to say good-bye to our first family dog Rocky

And I started my first bump date at 11 weeks! 

October we struggled with two Toddlers that didn't like to get ready to leave the house

We announced the gender of baby number 5

My sister welcomed her first baby, a girl and I became an aunt again!

November we celebrated Thanksgiving with family and friends and we lost the pacifiers

December was all about the Holidays and family time...

Christmas and Disney World

The year flew by and looking back on all these memories I can't help but picture a new little sister in the mix. The last 2 years as a family of 6 have been wonderful with so many memories made I know the next years of our lives are only going to get better. But first up.. 2016 and we're ready for it!

2014 Year in Review