{iPhone Rewind} :: August

The freezer meal prep continued! It has definitely been doable and efficient...but I will say that knocking it out in a day or two {with help!} is definitely preferable to cooking longer every day :)

All toddlers eat food off the floor, right??  Sigh. 

Bath time fun :)

Fun water play date with these cuties!

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt...we had our first legitimate tumble and poor baby girl's face met the concrete. She was ok; it didn't seem to bother her much, it just looked pretty bad for a little bit.

She can be such a Mama Pup...when the babies are up from nap, she will not stop giving me the death stare until I go get them haha.

Getting Eli and Maddie's outfits ready for when they meet their little brother! :)

She's one tough little cookie :)

When Daddy joins you on a Target run, you leave with new toys and fedora hats...naturally :)

Charley Claire celebrated her 1st birthday with a super cute Milk and Cookies party!

Love my silly boys :)

When you just. can't. even.

No, thank YOU Target. You made life so much easier for this largely preggo mama towing 2 toddlers around!

Eli discovered BBQ sauce :)

He likes to give me a hard time about matching outfits...but he indulged my crazy a little and surprised me with these ADORABLE t-shirts for our first photos as a family of 5!

We had the special privilege of attending the baptism of one of our former Redeemer members. We had baptized her mom Dannie when we were meeting, so it was so special to celebrate Kylee's baptism!

Some days call for 2 hats :)

The price I pay to grab a quick shower while the twins are awake :)

We had a lot of rough days this month...we are definitely learning to assert independence.

Working hard to finish Aiden's nursery quilt!

This is pretty much what my bump looked like for most of my third trimester...Aiden found a spot he loved, and he stayed there. And my belly was lopsided :)

Those curls!!

I felt pretty big toward the end...but when I did a 38 week twin bump vs. singleton bump comparison, I was reminded of just how big I had been with Eli and Maddie :)

This boy LOVES his dog...and gives her LOTS of hugs :)

Some days are just hard...  #reallife #toddlers

I am super excited about my new journaling Bible! I got an amazing deal on it {$9!} and I am looking forward to start using it!

Eli and Maddie have started spontaneously giving each other hugs, and it's just about the cutest thing EVER!

Baby Bump :: Week by Week // Month by Month

Today I would have been 40 weeks...and I am just so glad that I am not still pregnant :)

Aiden Michael made his debut this past Sunday at 39 weeks + 3 days, and we could not be more over the moon to have him here with us! I promise to blog about all the things, just as soon as I can. Until then, here's a look back on the past 9 months as Aiden grew in my belly :)

1st Trimester :: Month 1 :: Week 3 // Week 4

1st Trimester :: Month 2 :: Week 5 // Week 6 // Week 7 // Week 8

1st Trimester :: Month 3 :: Week 9 // Week 10 // Week 11 // Week 12 // Week 13

2nd Trimester :: Month 4 :: Week 14 // Week 15 // Week 16 // Week 17

2nd Trimester :: Month 5 :: Week 18 // Week 19 // Week 20 // Week 21

2nd Trimester :: Month 6 :: Week 22 // Week 23 // Week 24 // Week 25 // Week 26

3rd Trimester :: Month 7 :: Week 27 // Week 28 // Week 29 // Week 30

3rd Trimester :: Month 8 :: Week 31 // Week 32 // Week 33 // Week 34 // Week 35 

3rd Trimester :: Month 9 :: Week 36 // Week 37 // Week 38 // Week 39

39 Weeks

How far along? 39 weeks

Days since transfer: 254 days

Total weight gain: +35.0

Maternity clothes? I'm just trying to make it to the end fully clothed haha! I am definitely wearing the same 2 to 3 things over and over, simply because they {mostly} fit. I have officially outgrown most of my maternity clothes, but refuse to buy anything else...because he could come ANY day now! My belly is even starting to hang out from underneath some of Mike's t-shirts...haha.

Sleep: I have actually been sleeping fairly well most nights. I have been napping in the afternoons when the babies nap, so I still have some insomnia at night, but it hasn't been too bad. I am feeling pretty sleepy throughout the day, and feel like I could sleep all day...too bad I can't! :)

Best moment of the week: Hitting full term! Getting my major work to-do's done! Also, learning that we have at least made some progress! It hasn't resulted in actual labor yet {which is frustrating}, but at least I know we're getting closer...even if it's slower than I would like :)

Cravings: I haven't been as hungry, mostly because I have felt nauseated off and on. But I am drinking a TON of ice water, and I am starting to crave sushi, because I am close to being able to eat it again!

Symptoms: Large, uncomfortable, hot. My fingers are pretty swollen, especially in the mornings, and feel a little arthritic for a lot of the day. My feet started swelling today after I had been up and walking around in the heat for a good portion of the day, but sitting with them up for a bit seemed to help. All the signs that labor is impending...

Labor Signs: Oh man. I had one full day of contractions, back pain, hot flashes, nausea...all the signs pointed to him coming at any moment. But I have had absolutely zero labor symptoms for the past 6 days...he is hanging on to the bitter end! Despite that crazy day of "almost" labor, I am still dilated at 3cm, 50% effaced.

Looking forward to: Meeting this silly little boy :) Come on out, Aiden. We're excited to meet you whenever you're ready!

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Size of baby? About the size of the body of a 4/4 violin, a full rack of pork back ribs, or a box of a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts

Development: While his body isn't growing as much, his brain is. It's already 30% bigger than it was just four weeks ago! His skin has now finally changed from pink to white, because a thicker fat layer has been deposited over the blood vessels.

Heartbeat: Was in the 150s at my OB appointment on Tuesday.

Movement: Still moving all the time. His movements are increasingly more painful, as I feel his little knees and elbows.

Current Position: Head down, station -2

Baby Countdown :: Zero Progress

I saw my OB again today. I have had zero contractions {and not even any Braxton Hicks} since Friday, so I was curious to see if I had made any progress at all...

...and there has been none. Zilch. Zero progress. I am basically in the same place I was before all the crazy contractions. What?? Haha. My type-A, planner brain is exploding over here. The unknown and imminence is driving me crazy! There is nothing about this that can be predicted or pinpointed, so it is really requiring a lot of patience and trust and surrender of control...some of my personal strong suits {not at all}.  :)

This silly boy is perfectly comfortable where he is, and he is still pretty high {station -2}. My OB has even commented several times about how he is curled up in his favorite position. Thankfully, he is head down, and I have made some progress {3cm dilated, 50% effaced}. So it could definitely be worse {good reminder from a sweet friend}. He just needs to turn a little bit and settle further down...and decide to join us on the outside!

In other fun news...when I went to start Mike's car to head to my OB appointment today, it wouldn't start. Turns out, he had a dead battery! So we were able to get that replaced, and we are thankful that's all it was. Definitely glad that happened now, and not when we needed to head to the hospital! So even in the little things, the Lord is orchestrating the perfect timing for Aiden's arrival. I just need to remember that as we continue to wait on this sweet boy...

T-minus 16 days...give or take about 16 days {I won't be updating every couple of days, just wanted to record my appointment for today}  :)

Baby Countdown :: Come on, {Real} Labor!

I have officially made it longer than I did with Eli and Maddie! With them, I made it all the way to 38 weeks + 2 days {a HUGE praise for twins!}. Today, I am 38 weeks + 3 days with Aiden. 

After I posted on Friday, my contractions started to pick up. I started timing them, and I even made it to every 5 minutes for an hour {the official "call the doctor" time}. But I wondered if it was possible for them to stop. So I decided to take a warm shower and then call. The contractions slowed to every 7 minutes, and stayed that way for about 3 hours. Then moved to every 10-15 minutes. Then completely disappeared by the morning. 

And there has been nothing since. Zero. Not even Braxton Hicks. Sigh.

I'm glad I didn't call and then have to be sent back home...but it's slightly disappointing that I had contractions for 20+ hours, and then they just stopped. I mean, come on! Haha. I go back to the doctor on Tuesday, so I am hoping that I at least made some more progress with all those contractions??? Come on, you silly boy! Haha- we're ready to meet you!! :)

T-minus 18 days...give or take about 18 days :)

Baby Countdown :: The Waiting Game

When I went in for my 36 week appointment, I was already dilated 2cm, and my OB told me to make sure my bag was packed, because she didn't think I'd make it to my due date. I had a bit of a panic moment, thinking Aiden could arrive at any moment, so we rushed around to finish our baby to-do list {what have I been doing all summer??}. I had lots of contractions, and really felt like we would meet him early...

Fast forward to my 37 week appointment: I was still only dilated 2cm, and my OB asked if I would want to schedule an induction at 39 weeks. To be fair, it's a routine question for her patients, but the vibe was that maybe we didn't need to worry so much about him coming early after all. I barely had any contractions this week, and it seems like he is perfectly content where he is. 

I started having legit contractions around midnight. They're still not close or regular enough, but it's something. I have also felt super nauseated, and have had some intense lower back pain. At my 38 week appointment today, I had progressed to being 3cm dilated, 50% effaced, and he's in station -2. I was hoping I would be further and she would send me to labor and delivery, but I guess some progress is better than none! I'd be more than ok if things sped up and he came this weekend :)

But for now, we're playing the waiting game.

The good news is that we have everything checked off our baby to-do list. We are actually ready for him, and I won't have to worry about finishing anything up after he arrives! Our bags are packed, the nursery is set up, and the freezer is stocked. We're at the point where I want him to come soon, so I don't have to re-set and re-stock what we have already prepared for the last minute rush out the door haha!

I definitely don't feel as uncomfortable as I did with my twin pregnancy, but I'm also not feeling my best. I am so thankful I didn't have to do bed rest this time, but I'm moving slower and feeling pretty tired and achy by the end of the day. Chasing 2 toddlers under 2 with a gigantic belly makes for some interesting challenges! I have enjoyed this pregnancy, but I think I am ready to have my body back and relieve some of the typical pregnancy aches/pains :)

It's a little strange this time around because I feel like I'm still clueless about this whole going-into-labor thing. I was able to avoid a C-section with Eli and Maddie, but I was induced. So waiting around for labor to start just feels different this time around. I'm not trying to keep him in as long as possible; instead, he is ready anytime, and we are ready for him to come out! Is that a contraction? {probably} How far apart should they be when I call again? {every 5 minutes for 1 hour} What if I miss it? {you won't...at least that's what people say} Will my water break? {maybe, maybe not} Will there be enough time to get Eli and Maddie settled before we have to go to the hospital? {hopefully, but we'll figure it out}. Haha- I know we'll be fine, I just feel like a first time mama again!

My OB won't let me go a week past my due date {due date is August 30}, and I'd really like to avoid another induction, if possible {pitocin is NO JOKE}. So Mr. Aiden has 20 days to come on his own! Plenty of time for him to figure it out, right? :)

So for now, we wait. We do a lot of walking/squatting/moving to encourage him to come on his own. We have that last minute play date or lunch {if I can muster the energy}. We soak up our last remaining days as a family of 4. Because all too soon we'll be in the bleary-eyed newborn stage, trying to figure out life as a family of 5 {five!}

T-minus 20 days...give or take about 20 days :)

38 Weeks

How far along? 38 weeks

Days since transfer: 247 days

Total weight gain: +34.0

Maternity clothes? Still the same...but really, whatever will fit :)

Sleep: Still getting up in the middle of the night to pee. I am staying up a bit later, and am able to sleep until about 4pm...and then seem to be up for the day. I guess that's better than being up from 2am-4/5am? Blah.

Best moment of the week: Getting more freezer meals done! We are at full capacity in our freezer, so we are all set for when he arrives...and I am thankful, because all the extra meal prep hasn't been my favorite. But I know I will appreciate it a month or two from now :)

Cravings: Jimmy Johns veggie sandwich. I still ate an obscene amount of food this week, so I am not surprised at all by the last minute weight gain...

Symptoms: Large and uncomfortable. Still not quite to the extent of the twins, but since I am not on bed rest, I am pretty tired and achy by the end of the day. He is definitely sitting on my bladder pretty much all day, and it can be pretty uncomfortable to sit in certain positions because he is so low.

Labor Signs: Nothing this week. I mean, I have had some contractions, but they are back to here and there, nothing consistent {though they seem to be a little stronger}. After all that panic last week that he could come at any minute, we made zero progress and I saw no other signs of labor coming. So who knows when he'll make his debut. I'll go back to my OB tomorrow to see if I have made any progress at all.

Looking forward to: My OB appointment tomorrow! I am really hoping I have dilated a little further...I'm ready to meet this sweet boy!

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Size of baby? About the size of a gallon of ice cream or bucket of fried chicken, an Oscar statuette, or a beach ball {LOL- yep}

Development: All systems are almost go! He is continuing to shed vernix and lanugo, and he's swallowing amniotic fluid. His lungs are still maturing and producing more and more surfactant. He's continuing to add fat and fine-tune his brain and nervous system.

Heartbeat: Looking forward to hearing it again tomorrow...it just won't ever get old :)

Movement: He's still moving quite a bit. Lots of hiccups and belly rolls!

Current Position: Head down!

38 weeks- twin pregnancy - this was the last bump photo before Eli and Maddie were born! I thought it would be fun to compare the 2 bumps in the same outfit...definitely a little smaller this time around :)

37 Weeks

How far along? 37 weeks

Days since transfer: 240 days

Total weight gain: +32.0

Maternity clothes? Yes. My running shorts and t-shirt uniform is working only because I am wearing Mike's t-shirts...but I only have 1 or 2 pairs of shorts that don't feel too tight and uncomfortable. Definitely running out of options...at least cute ones :)

Sleep: I think good sleep is officially behind me...at least for a few months. It has been insomnia, but the last couple of nights, it has been contractions. So that's super fun.

Best moment of the week: Definitely checking more things off the baby to-do list! We got all the remaining baby items out of the attic, installed the car seats, knocked out a few more freezer meals, packed our hospital bags, and finished the nursery. Whew! I had a bit of a panic moment last week, thinking he was coming any minute, so I pushed Mike to help me get all this stuff done. Now I can breathe a little easier knowing that we are really ready for him now :)

Cravings: Nothing specific, but I have been wanting ALL. THE. FOOD. Seriously, I have been SO hungry this week. I have eaten an embarrassingly large quantity of food haha.

Symptoms: We hit early term! So there are fewer concerns for preemie issues, which is such a blessing. I have felt pretty achy and tired this week. My fingers are pretty swollen in the mornings, and I have to pee every 10 minutes haha.

Labor Signs: Things are definitely happening. I will spare you all the details, but there are definite changes, even ones that I never saw with Eli and Maddie. The good thing is that Google tells me that labor could be hours or still weeks away. So that's {not} helpful...I have also had some legitimate contractions this past few weeks. To the point where I actually feel them, and start timing them, but they just go away. But nothing at all today, and at my OB appointment this afternoon, I was still only dilated at 2cm {50% effaced}...so who knows? 

Looking forward to: A jam-packed weekend! We have been trying to meet with a number of people because we know we'll be off the radar for a bit when Aiden is born, so we have a ton planned this weekend. Eli needs a haircut, dinner with Granny and Grumpz, breakfast with friends, a Sam's run to stock up for baby, a friend's baptism, dessert with friends... we might have gone overboard with the scheduling, but it will be fun nonetheless!

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Size of baby? About the size of a Zack Morris phone, half a medium pizza, or a lightweight kettlebell

Development: His lungs are likely mature, and he is packing on about a half an ounce per day {or half a pound per week}. He is practicing his breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking his thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side. His head is huge {awesome}, about the circumference as his chest. My development app also says that mamas carrying boys tend to eat more that those expecting girls...so that explains my crazy appetite haha.

Heartbeat: Running in the 130s today :)

Movement: He is still moving a good amount- stretching, rolling, and wiggling. And it kind of hurts when he moves around.

Current Position: Head down!

37 weeks- twin pregnancy

36 Weeks

How far along? 36 weeks

Days since transfer: 233 days

Total weight gain: +30.0

Maternity clothes? Yep...and I officially started wearing Mike's t-shirts haha. Sometimes you just need to cover that belly and not have it stick out the bottom of the shirt you are wearing, even if you're hanging out at home...

Sleep: I have been up several times in the middle of the night, but thankfully have been able to fall back to sleep fairly easily. Or at least with enough time to get at least an extra hour of sleep before I have to get up and start my day. I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to get up in the mornings...it's like I am waking up right in the middle of a sleep cycle, so I just feel so groggy, like I could sleep all day.

Best moment of the week: Checking in on our sweet boy! I am still a little sad I haven't been able to SEE him as often as we saw Eli and Maddie, but I am thankful for that doppler and the ability to hear his little heartbeat!

Cravings: Still hard boiled eggs and kale...at least it's healthy {and I can actually eat it!}

Symptoms: I have felt A LOT more achy this week...by the end of the day, my back is killing me, and I am definitely waddling just because my legs hurt haha. I definitely had to put my wedding rings on a necklace this week. My fingers are pretty swollen with the heat, so it was just safer to go ahead and remove those. My feet haven't started swelling yet, so I am kind of surprised. Though I am sure that's coming :)

Labor Signs: He has definitely dropped! As of my OB appointment on Tuesday, I was already 2cm dilated, and my doctor said she could feel his head. She doesn't think I will make it to my due date and advised me to make sure I had my hospital bag packed {!} I had a lot of cramping after that appointment for about a day, but thankfully that subsided. I think next week's appointment will be a better indicator of whether or not I am progressing in any significant way.

Looking forward to: Meeting our little guy- we're so close! Although, I have to be honest: I had a little panic moment when my OB said she didn't think I would make it to my due date. Really, if he came tomorrow, we'd be fine. But there is still so much I want to get done before he makes his arrival, so I am hoping for at least another couple of weeks to get it all done!

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Size of baby? About the size of a 2L bottle of soda, a footlong sub, a throw pillow, or a power drill

Development: Bring on the pink skin and chubby little legs! His growth will slow down in the coming weeks. Most of his bones and cartilage are quite soft and most of his systems are pretty mature. Blood circulation has been perfected, and his immune system has developed enough to protect him from infections outside the womb. His digestive system still needs a few finishing touches though.

Heartbeat: Was running in the 150s at my appointment on Tuesday

Movement: Still moving all the time, and poor little guy has had a lot of hiccups. But I can definitely tell that his movements are easing up a bit...he's finally running out of room!

Current Position: Head down!

36 weeks- twin pregnancy

35 Weeks

Oh yeah...that would be my idea.

How far along? 35 weeks

Days since transfer: 226 days

Total weight gain: +28.0 {so much for gaining half of what I did with twins haha}

Maternity clothes? Yep. My running shorts and t-shirts are still my go-to during the day, but my belly is definitely sticking out from underneath my shirts. It's SUPER attractive. I am smaller than I was with Eli & Maddie, but I forget that I was on bedrest with them for the last 6 weeks. And I basically wore Mike's t-shirts and stretchy pajama pants {or let's be honest, no pants, since I was at home haha}. That's not exactly acceptable in public :)

Sleep: Guess the insomnia is here to stay. Sigh. I have felt the need to nap in the afternoons, but just haven't been able to as often as I would like. This little guy just doesn't seem to understand that Mama has things to do! :)

Best moment of the week: Getting more of Aiden's nursery ready! I just have a few decor items to work on, but otherwise, it's pretty much done. That's such a good feeling! Also, Mike taking his last work trip until after Aiden comes. We can definitely manage for a couple of days on our own, but it is getting increasingly more difficult to wrangle 2 toddlers all day by myself without relief at night. So we're glad he's sticking close to home for awhile.

Cravings: Hard boiled eggs. And kale. 

Symptoms: More of the same...Braxton Hicks {especially when I do too much during the day}. Insomnia. Sciatic pain. Snoring. Waddling. Achy. Hot. General big-ness. My fingers are swollen a bit in the mornings, so I wonder how soon I will need to remove my rings...also, I haven't mentioned this yet, but let's talk linea nigra. I had it with Eli and Maddie, and it got super dark. It was just starting to fade when I got pregnant with Aiden, but it hasn't really darkened until now. Not quite as dark as before, but definitely more noticeable. Such a strange pregnancy thing.

Labor Signs: Just the Braxton Hicks here and there. Nothing consistent or worrisome. My body is also gearing up for breastfeeding, so I am hopeful that's a good sign for nursing this little guy!

Looking forward to: Checking in on Aiden next week! My OB appointments will start getting closer together now that we are getting ready to hit baby month! Also, a fun, full weekend: sweet missionary friends over for dinner and then swimming and lunch with family.

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Size of baby? About the size of a carton of one dozen eggs, a 50 lb. rubber hex dumbbell, or a picnic basket

Development: He will pack on the baby fat until delivery day! His brain is developing at a rapid pace, though his skull will remain soft {good thing for Mommy}.

Heartbeat: Looking forward to hearing it again on Tuesday!

Movement: He is still moving all the time, though this week, his movements felt more violent haha. It almost feels like he is stretching out as far {and as hard} as he can in every direction and is somewhat frustrated with his lack of space :)  It is actually starting to hurt when he moves!

Current Position: Still head down. He likes to stick his little butt out on my right side...and then bounce on my bladder.

35 weeks- twin pregnancy