I was planning to write this after my 18 week visit but here we are with a fast approaching week 22! The nausea is finally subsiding & I am mostly energetic, at least enough to mop the floor today for the first time in forever (not to quote Frozen). I went into a nesting frenzy the week after we found out it was a boy. I was quite productive as I sped through bins of clothes for both boys & girls packaging up what would not be used whether due to opposite seasons or if they were extremely well loved. This turned into going through all the toys as well. Final result, multiple things to pass onto friends with new babies or growing girls + a good amount to drop off at a nearby donation site. I am feeling refreshed just looking in closets : )
I was finally forced switched a portion of my closet over to maternity clothes. It is so strange how body shape changes over time through pregnancies & breastfeeding. I have only gained 6 pounds so far but as of a few weeks ago, could not fit into ANY regular pants or shorts. It also made me laugh thinking back to the super speedy weight gain with the twins & how awkward it felt.... by about week 12. Rob encouraged me to do a little bit of shopping to spruce up my seven year old wardrobe which was about half the size since I passed many things along thinking there was no way we would do this again. It was fun to look around & get some new things. The girls think the stretchy part of the pants that goes over the belly is hilarious & cool. Charlotte wants to try on just about everything I have convinced something will eventually fit. I for one really appreciate the bagginess of things that assure me they will not be too snug come September.
Baby boy is growing too & measured around the 70% percentile in height & weight! Here we are at 20 weeks....
We were looking forward to the anatomy scan at 18 weeks in order to rule out cleft lip or palate since that is a risk with the seizure medication I am taking. We were so thankful to see that he was perfectly formed & quite curled up! I don't think any of our babies ever touched their toes to their forehead during an ultrasound...haha! Flexibility will be great quality to have at the Nest whether physically as he wrestles with his twin brothers or emotionally as he brings the headcount up to seven around here! Sweet Johnny number five....
At the Women's Clinic where I volunteer, I welcomed a quick little peek a few weeks ago & we got a great 3D picture of his face, arms & hands. He reminds us of how Owen looked in the womb....maybe because he is so tiny ; )
I just referred to him as Johnny number five but as previously mentioned, that will remain on the nickname list. Boys are SO challenging for us in the naming category.We have finally decided on a first name that we love. An official "announcement" will come when we decide on the middle name...who knows when that will be ; )
As always, our little brood has been keeping Rob & I busy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! They are thrilled that there is a baby growing in mommy's belly & can hardly wait for October to arrive. When the little guys & Lolo woke up from a nap yesterday we went to the freezer for an afternoon Popsicle (or Popstible as Eloise says) that we had talked about ALL day long. Excited screams quickly turned into two girls with tears in their eyes & two boys lying on the ground in true two year old fashion when only one measly little Popsicle was found. I was kind of sad too.
Charlotte was so concerned & said very seriously "What are we going to do about this?" I helped the boys up & explained the situation in greater detail before saying "What are we going to to do? We have to go straight to the store & get another box of Popsicles!" They could not believe it & one of the first things that came to mind is the decrease in spontaneity when you have a newborn to care for. So, for the time being I am going to try to be fun, spontaneous & welcoming ideas from the kids that may have to be turned down come October. It is still quite the ordeal to just buckle children into carseats & I do dream about the day when there are more booster seats than 5 point harnesses to fasten but for now, I just plan for an extra 10 minutes or more depending on mood. That sounds absurd but sometimes it takes that long considering there is a mud pit next the car that someone always steps in, I have to contort my pregnant body to buckle the person in the middle seat in the back row & passengers are not always compliant with my wishes ; )
A few things I want to remember at 22 weeks:
- how obsessed the boys are with my outtie belly button. They press on my belly button then Anson yells "Oh no! Baby come out right here!"
- that Eloise was the first in the whole family to feel him move the weekend of her birthday
- how Owen respositions himself about 6 times while attempting to snuggle on my lap before giving up & saying "mommy, belly, so big"
- that Charlotte always seems to be briefing everyone on how they can help me once the baby is here....keep it up mini mama!
- how many wiggles I feel when I lay down in the evening & anytime I get up to use the bathroom during the night
- that Eloise can't help but ask everyday if she can carry the baby on the tile since she is SO big
- how much Rob & I are enjoying our late night dates at the kitchen table with Central Market queso & a bag of tortilla chips
- that I should probably trim down on the amount of chocolate ice cream I am eating IN MY BED every night...never in my life have I eaten in my bed
- how at some point everyday I look down to see eight little hands on my belly waiting to feel a kick & my heart swells with joy
- that Charlotte says "I just really wish the baby could be here today, I'm so excited!"
- how scared I feel imagining having so many little people to take care of this fall
- that God continues to remind me that He is with me, that he knew what every day of my life would hold before I was even born, that He sustains me, that what I'm doing has value & that there is grace when I fail
What a whirlwind of physical, emotional & spiritual growth for all in the Nest! I can't believe it's June & there are things on the calendar through July. It seems as though we will blink & there will be a baby boy snuggled on the couch with us!
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