Ryann's Christmas Program

Lets play a little catch up, shall we?  I've been editing pictures, but haven't actually put any of them in to a blog post.  I apologize to the few family members who still read my blog!  Ha.

Mid December Ryann had her Christmas program at school.  The singing was as good as you would expect from a large group of 3 and 4 year olds, but whenever you get a bunch of them together all dressed up it is adorable.  Ryann spotted us in the audience and gave us some big waves.  But I'm pretty sure her main goal of the night was to eat a cookie after the performance.  As soon as her cookie was gone she was ready to get home to bed.

Elsie spent the entire program crawling all over everyone, but mostly Papa.  She also tried to wipe boogers on his face.  Sorry about that Papa!  She was pretty cute, excitedly clapping after each song, and the cookies were pretty much a win in her book as well.  Overall, a good night!

Such a pretty little girl :).  I absolutely loved her dress, but accidentally bought her shoes a size too big.  They were slipping off here and there, but she rocked them anyway.  Love you Ryann!

eight weeks

Hello baby!  Alright it still doesn't look like much, but I was thrilled to see the little girl or guy.  Christopher snagged the portable ultrasound machine from work to 'practice.'  We aren't going to go crazy with the ultrasounds all the time, but it was very reassuring to see that the baby had grown, and to see the heart beating again.  He hasn't done any readings about measuring for dates, but baby was definitely bigger than it was two weeks ago.

how far along:  8 weeks (compare to 8 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:  according to the bump a raspberry, about .63 inches.  Baby is wiggling his or her little arms and legs, and the taste buds are now forming.

weight gain: -1 pound.  Gained back three pounds in the last few days.  All of the sudden I needed to eat ALL THE FOOD.

maternity clothes:  nope 

symptoms:  Some nausea and food aversions, however not near as bad as last week.  Some fatigue, some bloating.  A kind of gross taste/feeling in the back of my throat, which I think is related to maybe a bit of reflux.  Basically I just feel kind of blah.  Not super horrible, but not myself.  The one thing that is out of control are smells.  Everything smells absolutely horrible to me.  Last night I could smell mushrooms from across the house.  I couldn't stand it.

exercise:  Much better than last week, even though I would have liked to accomplish a bit more.  I went to two barbell strength classes, did a 3.5 mile run, a 4 mile run and walked a mile.

cravings/aversions:  Pinterest makes me gaggy.  I can't handle scrolling through all the pictures of food.  Pizza is on my no list, which is strange.  In general nothing ever sounds good.  Unless it does, and then I must have it right that minute.  This week it was the cheese bread that my mom makes for 4th of July.  I don't know what all the sudden I had to have it, but I did.  So Chris picked up the ingredients and I ate nearly half a loaf.  Whoops.  Also I'm super cliche and craving fried pickles.  We had some on New Year's Eve and they are all I can think about.  Last night I swore I could smell pickles.

movement:  nope

sleep:  Kind of crappy.

gender:  I'm definitely leaning towards boy.  And for the first time in three pregnancies, I actually think boy in my head, as opposed to just telling myself it will probably be a boy.  I refer to the baby as he, and am gravitating towards boy things.  I've never been right, but maybe this time?

looking forward to:  We met with a contractor who will be doing work on our new house, and I am really looking forward to getting all that started.  I'm so excited to make it our own.  Picking out paint colors and such for an entire house is rather daunting though!

worries:  Feeling pretty worry free at this exact moment.

what's different this time:  I think I'm feeling better than I was when I was pregnant with Elsie, despite it not being great.  It is still hard to believe I'm pregnant.

best moment this week:  Seeing the baby quickly jumped to the top of the list.  But spending the night in our new house and pondering what it will be like to live there was pretty awesome.  It also made me teary because I'm so sad to be moving away from my friends.  Still fun though.  2015 is going to be quite the year.

elsie - twenty two months

Seeing as this post is well overdue, and the blog has been on radio silence, I figured I better get it done!  Sorry it is late E, love you!

I asked Elsie how old she was the other day, "TWO!" Ha.  Let's not get ahead of our self kid.  I'm hanging on to the last two months of you being one!  It is strange though, I refuse to say she is two, because she isn't, but I also feel weird saying she is one.  She seems so much older than how I perceive a one year old.  So, she's almost two.

My lazy bum didn't measure her again, but when we were at the hospital she wasn't quite 26 pounds.  I was surprised by that.  I can't remember how tall she was.  They never told me, it was just written on the dry erase board in our room, and I forgot to write it down.  But tall.  She has to be tall.  She seems huge.  There are a handful of 2T clothes in her closet that already seem too small.  It is her height, combined with her belly that is still a force to be reckoned with.  And it just hangs out of her shirts.  I can't imagine what she'll look like when that baby belly disappears, I'll miss it!  Still size 4 or 5 diapers, and size 6 shoes.

E's night time sleep hasn't been quite as good.  She goes to bed around 8pm, and wakes up at 6:30am.  Not terrible, but I liked not hearing her until 7am!  Ha.  She is, however, napping again.  So I'll take it.  I seriously didn't know what I was going to do with myself if that kid gave up napping.  Probably cry.  Elsie is still regularly taking off her pajamas after we put her to bed.  And once, just once she took her diaper off as well.  I walked in to her room in the morning, she stood up, shook her little bum and said "I'm naked!!"  I was so shocked and didn't know whether to scold her or laugh.  It was kind of (a lot) funny.  Minus the part where she peed in the bed.  But so far that has worked to our benefit.  She lost her regular blankets for a day because they had to be washed, and we told her if she ever pottied on her buddies we'd have to throw them in the trash.  She is rather protective of those buddies (all like freaking 11 of them now) so I think that is keeping her in check.

Elsie is definitely learning more and more every day.  I'm still pretty bad about actually sitting down and working with her on things, but she has picked up most of her colors, lots of shapes, can count to 15-18 and can sing the ABCs.  Not as well as she can sing Let it Go, but hey.  She's got her priorities.  Side note, she has watched this light show set to Let it Go maybe one hundred times.  She's obsessed.  Thanks Meg.  :o)  She can pick out the letter O and the letter Y when she sees them in print.  I'm trying to work on E since it seems like a logical one, or A, but she is obsessed with O's and Y's.  Whatever works.  She has gotten pretty good at puzzles (not the jigsaw kind of course) and stacking/sorting type activities as well.

Some of the things that come out of Elsie's mouth are just the cutest.  My favorite by far is when she says "I so ex-SIGH-ted!"  She says it about random things.  Sometimes at night as I put her to bed I'll tell her our plans for the next day, to which she'll reply "Yay mommy! I so excited! Yay!"  Sometimes when she says she is all done eating I'll ask her if she is sure, does she need anything else.  She'll reply, "No more.  My belly happy!"  Also she regularly tells me, "hair bodder me!"  Haha, lots of time when I lean over her or something my hair will get in her face, like when I'm buckling her in to the booster seat and such.  Or she'll say it when she is trying to lay her head on my shoulder and my hair is in the way.

roaring like a dinosaur

One not so cute thing, Elsie is, um, kind of a turd.  She loves to torment Ryann so incredibly much.  It drives me crazy.  She picks fights all the time and does anything to push Ryann's buttons.  She chases her around the house.  She pulls her hair.  Sits in Ryann's chair.  Steals her stuffed animals.  Anything she can do to get a rise out of her.  It drives me absolutely crazy.  What a punk.

On the flip side, Miss E absolutely loves being my little helper.  She is obsessed with unloading the dishwasher and throws a huge fit if I try to do it without her.  She also constantly asks to do the laundry.  "Go downstairs?  Do laundry?  PEEEEEASE!"  She will fling herself on the floor and cry if I don't take her down with me.  And she just randomly gets it in her head that it is time to do laundry.  I generally try to go down to the basement when she is napping to have it all sorted and ready to go, but sometimes she just plain demands to do it before I'm ready.  At least she keeps me productive?  Ish... Elsie always wants to help me vacuum too.  So very cute, and so very annoying.  She just can't actually get the thing going because it is bigger than her.  And even if I try to be in control while letting her hold it, it just doesn't really work.  But it makes her happy for a bit.  Oh and if I'm wiping down counters or something, she has to open the cabinet and get herself a paper towel to wipe stuff down too.

Which reminds me, one day she was doing just that.  Opened the cabinet to grab a paper towel so she could clean too.  Well she pulled too many, and then all of the sudden she was running across the room and spinning all while emptying the entire roll and laughing hysterically.  It was a scene straight of a sitcom.  I was so pissed but couldn't stop laughing.

Elsie girl, you keep me on my toes and make me smile every day.  I love you!

seven weeks

how far along:  7 weeks (compare to 7 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:  according to the bump a blueberry, doubling in size from last week to about half an inch.  He/She is developing a permanent set of kidneys, and the arm and leg joints should also be forming.

weight gain: -4 pounds.  Just as the stomach bug disappeared, the nausea and aversions set in.  Yay.

maternity clothes:  nope

symptoms:  I've just felt gross the last few days.  Food sounds disgusting, it smells disgusting and I simply can't make myself swallow much of it.  I'm even having a hard time forcing down water.  No puking, which is good I guess, but ugh.  I hate this useless, helpless feeling.  Thank God for Christopher, he has totally taken over and tries to help me as much as he can.  Getting me things, taking care of the girls, going out of his way to try and help me feel my best.  I love him.  I've also been getting dizzy and feeling like I'm going to pass out.  That is super fun.

exercise: This week was pretty much a wash.  Between feeling like crap and Christmas and just having a lot on my plate, I ran once.  3.5 miles.  Hoping to do better next week!

cravings/aversions:  The only things that ever sound good are Pink Lady apples (and only Pink Ladies, no other apple will do), Townhouse crackers, fruit smoothies and onion rings.  Oh so nutritious.  I need to grab some stuff to make green smoothies, at least that would be good for me.  The thought of almost all other foods makes me want to puke.  I don't even want chocolate.  What is wrong with me?!?!  That might have been the most depressing part of Christmas.  Not wanting to eat all of the delicious things that I love so much and look forward to at the holidays.  Wah wah.

movement:  nope

sleep:  Meh.  There just isn't enough sleep.  Ever.

gender:  I really have no idea.  The Chinese gender chart and the Mayan gender predictor or whatever both say boy.  I've referred to the baby as a boy.  Maybe it really will be a boy this time?

looking forward to:  All I'm wishing for right now is a healthy baby, and not having the urge to vomit 24/7.

worries:  Nothing and everything.  There are so many what if's in the back of my mind.  A miscarriage could still happen.  We are going to freaking have 3 kids!  Yadda yadda yadda.  But I'm not consumed by any one thing, nor do I feel overly worried.  Woot.

what's different this time:  Nothing is jumping out at me right now.  I have a feeling the lack of nap time during the day might take its toll on me this time around.

best moment this week: Christmas was pretty great despite not feeling the best.  I also told my Dad that there is another baby on the way.  It was brief, without any build up or cutesy reveal, but it was the best opportunity I had without the girls overhearing.

six weeks

Dearest third child.

There will be no photo this week.  And uh, probably a big ol' fat chance of one next week.  I promise I love you no less than your sisters.  But honestly, life is crazy and it is only going to get crazier, so please excuse me for not documenting my non existent belly for a few weeks.  Thanks.  I promise once there is an actual belly I'll at least take a picture on my phone.

I really do love you.

Whew, ok, moving on.

This has been quite the week!  My first doctor's appointment was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.  My mom was in town with my dad for some meetings and she wanted to go shopping, so we ventured to the mall, with the excuse that I wanted to get home a little early to work on wrapping presents or something.  Naturally while there, my doctor's office called asking if I could make it there in 30 minutes because a surgery had been pushed back and she wouldn't be available that afternoon.  I was flustered, but tried to play it off like it was a follow up from my chemical pregnancy.  So my mom took me home and I headed over there.

The appointment went fine, my blood pressure was 102/76, I chatted with my doctor, and they drew some blood.  I was in and out really quick so I texted my mom and asked if she wanted me to meet her for lunch.  I headed her way, and we sat down at California Pizza Kitchen for some food.  While we were waiting for our meal she asked me how my appointment went.  I said oh fine, everything looks good, I'm alive.  And she responded with, "And you're not pregnant?"  Haha, shoot.  She was on to me, and I couldn't hide it.  So I told her :o).

The high of the day was short lived, because by that evening I was run over by a stomach bug semi truck.  It was miserable.  I stopped throwing up in the wee hours of the morning, and had ventured out of the bedroom around 9am.  Not much later I got a call from the doctor's office.  My HCG quant looked good, with a number of 27,105.  They had also checked my progesterone, and while it was within normal pregnancy limits (they said they look for above 10), it was low at 12.  So they called in a script for progesterone supplements.  The nurse also said my doctor wanted an ultrasound for viability, and was I able to be there by 11:30am?  Mind you I was still feeling somewhat close to death, but I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to see that little baby.

I was nervous, because at six weeks it really is a toss up whether or not the heart will have started beating yet.  So not seeing a heartbeat wouldn't mean the pregnancy wasn't viable.  But it sure would have stressed me out.  But almost immediately after the tech started the scan I saw the little flickering heart.  I was so relieved and happy.  The baby measured 3mm, or 5W6D.  Off by one day from what I thought, so for now I'll go with that.  I scheduled my next appointment for January 21st, I look forward to hearing the heartbeat! 

how far along:  6 weeks (compare to 6 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:   according to the bump a sweetpea, a mere .25 inches.  Baby should be sprouting some eyes, a nose, ears and cheeks this week!

weight gain:  As of this morning, I'm down 4.5 pounds from my starting weight.  But seeing as I was puking my guts up for about 10 hours straight with some hellish stomach bug I'm not all that surprised.  I haven't had any real food aversions or lack of appetite yet, so I'm sure I'll gain that all back soon.

maternity clothes:  nope

symptoms:  Slight nausea and headaches.  And bloating.  Bloating is so damn annoying.

exercise:  I managed to run a total of 11.65 miles and walk 1 mile.

cravings/aversions:  Sometimes nothing sounds good and sometimes I want to eat everything right at that very moment.  The latter isn't very helpful with this whole bloating thing.  Really more than anything I am just too plain lazy and tired to cook anything.  Suppose I should remedy that.

movement:  nope.

sleep:   I go to bed freezing cold and wake up sweating like crazy.  And then I'm just really uncomfortable and can't sleep.  Plus my children haven't been sleeping well so nobody in our house is sleeping.  UGH.

gender:  I'm leaning towards a boy.  Then again, I've thought a boy the last two times and been quite wrong, so there's that.

looking forward to:  Christmas.  Other than that, nothing really.

worries:  Really hoping that the progesterone supplements do their job, and my levels don't drop low enough to endanger the pregnancy.

what's different this time:  The progesterone supplements.  Also, I have this really heavy feeling low in my belly.  I don't remember it the last two pregnancies.  It is different than the bloating.  And I feel like I was more tired the last two pregnancies.  I'm sure the fatigue will come, and I have been tired, but not like I'm going to die if I don't go to sleep tired.

best moment this week:  Seeing the little babe's heart beating.  I don't think it matters how many pregnancies you go through, an early ultrasound with that itty bitty heart beat is just amazing.  Somehow my body is taking two little cells and turning them in to a freaking human.  There is a speck measuring just millimeters inside me, with a beating heart.  How is that even possible?

five weeks

how far along:  5 weeks (compare to 5 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:  according to the bump an appleseed, a wee .13 inches.  The major organs are starting to form.

weight gain:  A whopping .2 pounds.  Although based on the amount of hunger I've been feeling in the afternoons and evenings it is going to be a whole lot more than that soon.  Unless morning sickness sets in of course.

maternity clothes:  nope

symptoms:  I get queasy here and there, but nothing crazy.  I am so incredibly irritable.  It is insane.  I almost can't stand myself.  I did have some terrible reflux during my longer run this week.  That was gross.

exercise:  Two 3 mile runs, a 5.5 mile run and one barbell class.  I want to try and lengthen my runs a little bit, but being cold and dark in the mornings isn't really motivating.  I'm hoping to run a 10K in February, so I don't want to start slacking off.

cravings/aversions:  In the mornings nothing sounds good.  I can't decide if I don't want the food, or I'm too lazy to cook.  A little of both maybe.  And eating some chicken sausage the other morning felt like torture.  It isn't that it doesn't sound alright, but trying to chew it, I don't know.  It was just gross.

movement:  nope.

sleep:  I'm so restless throughout the night.  Tossing and turning and in and out of sleep.  I'm still anxious about getting to the next day, paranoid that I'm going to have a miscarriage.  I'm hoping that once I see or hear a heartbeat I'll relax and sleep a little better.

gender:  No idea.

looking forward to:  My first OB appointment on Wednesday (12/17).  I doubt that I'll get an ultrasound or they will really be able to settle my nerves, but still.  I'll be a day shy of 6 weeks at that point, and I feel like that would be a good step towards a healthy pregnancy.

worries:  Just still so paranoid about a chemical pregnancy or miscarriage.

what's different this time:  Even though I think about the pregnancy regularly, I keep having to remind myself I'm pregnant.

milestones:  Forget this line.  I hated it the last two pregnancies.  It disappears next week.

best moment this week:  Because I'm terrified about losing this pregnancy, I've taken an absurd number of pregnancy tests.  A few days ago the test line was actual a fair amount darker than the control line, and that is giving me some confidence!

thanksgiving 2014

Per the usual, I didn't take as many photos on actual Thanksgiving day as I would have liked.  But I was a wee bit occupied chasing Elsie up and down the stairs a million times.  Seriously, she has rug burn on her belly from sliding down over and over again.

We had a wonderful time with Christopher's family on Thanksgiving day.  Plenty of tasty food was had by all.  Well, Ryann didn't eat anything but the fruit cup and squeezy pouch that I brought for her, but the rest of us were quite pleased.  Elsie discovered she loves mashed potatoes, it is just something I don't really make.  The girls also received some gifts since we do Christmas with my family.  We are now the proud owners of a giant unicorn and an 8 foot caterpillar thanks to Grandma 'Nita (she did ask me if I'd allow it before giving them to the girls, I think we'll have enough space in our new house to handle them!).

Friday morning the girls and I headed to my parents.  Shortly after we arrived my sister and her boyfriend made it over, and Chris joined us in time for dinner.  My mom's food certainly didn't disappoint.  And the weather over the weekend was amazing.  The girls spent plenty of time in the bounce house and driving their car around the driveway.  We made some brownies and helped decorate my mom's Christmas tree.  And my mom and I did some holiday shopping online.

Just a little tidbit I wanted to remember... Elsie loved looking at the tree, and picked out the carousel as her favorite ornament.  It just so happens to be the 2013 ornament my mom bought to represent her birth year.  A little crazy to me that she actually picked 'her' ornament as her favorite!!