yikes!

Wow, I cannot believe that seven weeks have gone by since lasting updating this blog...This post is way overdue!

Tomorrow marks 19 weeks!!! I can hardly contain myself when I say this because for me that could really mean I am halfway done with being pregnant!  Don't get me wrong...I love being pregnant in some ways, but don't love it in some ways as well.  Today I am 18 weeks and 6 days, and the ticker at the top of my blog says baby is about the size of a sweet potato...that sounds just so sweet!

At 13 weeks I had another ultrasound  for the routine genetic testing that my doctors office offers.  Here are two pictures of Baby #4.

Feeling much better these days.  The morning sickness still comes and goes, but nothing bad at all.  We have our "halfway" ultrasound scheduled for next Tuesday and we ARE going to find out the gender of the baby and yes, we will be sharing the news after we have told family members.  Our guess is a girl, but you never know. 

Here is a picture from our family vacation of the baby bump, 17 weeks.

it sounds good

As of today, I am 12.4 weeks pregnant.  The morning sickness has been a lot better since about week 11.  Still feel touches of here and there and just about every night between 7-8pm it kicks in, but I don't have much to complain about compared to before.  I am happy to be "almost" out of the first trimester!

Today was a routine exam with Dr. Henderson.  Jason and Laine came with me.  Tanner has VBS this week; which he is enjoying very much.  We were able to hear the heartbeat today.  I don't know what I was getting a little nervous about hearing the heartbeat this morning.  I have already been able to see the heartbeat at one of my previous ultrasounds, but for some reason this morning I just started having some "what if" thoughts, and those don't do any good.  By the time we were at my appointment I wasn't nervous anymore.  Dr. Henderson found the heartbeat right away and said "it sounds good", such wonderful words to hear your doctor say.

The only other thing we have going on right now is a new vehicle search.  Last weekend we went to a Carmax dealer and looked at many potential vehicles, most of which we realized are just too small for a large family.  There, I just said it, a large family!  Sometimes it's still hard to believe that we are going to have four children.  Anyways, we narrowed the choices down to two, the Toyota Sequoia or the Honda Odyssey.  Then we were able to test drive both.  First the Odyssey, I was immediately in love.  It didn't hurt that it also had all the bells and whistles and was only a 2010.  I also liked the Sequoia, just had a nice "truck" feel about it, which we are used to.  Mark wasn't as thrilled with the Sequoia as he thought he would be though, I was surprised.  So, we think that we have settled on the Odyssey.  I don't think that I ever really thought we would have a minivan, though I have liked them for some time now.  We just know that it's going to be a great family vehicle, and something that will be really nice for my everyday life of running the kids around town.  So now we are on the hunt for the perfect used Honda Odyssey with low miles and some bells and whistles.  I am pretty excited!

baby bump picture 1

10.5 weeks

10 weeks!

I am finally in the double-digits!  Even though I am only 10 weeks today it seems like it has already been a long pregnancy.  The all-day morning sickness continues, sometimes better than others.  It seems that right now I feel pretty good in the morning and then slowly deteriorate throughout the day.  I am looking forward to the days of feeling like myself again and not gagging about anything and everything.

Last night I was having a major pregnancy craving for chocolate pudding and chocolate pudding popsicles.  I voiced my craving to Mark and he went to the store for me...wow!  What a surprise, I don't think that he has ever done that before.  I felt a little guilty, but was so very thankful and felt loved at the same time. 

Seems like I have been feeling very uncomfortable lately, which is another reason why it's hard to believe that I am only at week 10 out of 40.  My pregnancy belly is definitely showing as well.  I guess when you're on pregnancy number four things happen a little faster. I will try to get a picture of my baby bump sometime today and add it to this post.

what the days look like

I keep thinking of how bummed I am that we can't do a lot of fun activities outside the home at this time due to my condition, but then I edited this image and it got me thinking that I am really enjoying just sitting in the backyard with my children and spending time with them.

first "real" appointment

Today marked my first "real" visit to Dr. Henderson's office.  I say the first "real" appointment because I feel like I have been to his office and a few others quite a few times already, but today was the first time I was seen for a regular OB appointment.

All went well.  He reminded me that this time the c-section will be a little harder because this will be the fourth time having this surgery and there will be a lot of scar tissue and things to get through during the surgery.  I am very confident in his surgery skills though, my third c-section was my best one so far, far better than the first two (which I had a different doctor for).  My prayer for that situation is that when I do go into labor he will be the doctor at the hospital at that time.  I would really like for him to perform the surgery, and since I most likely will not make it to the scheduled c-section date I just really hope he will be there to do the surgery.  I am not looking forward to the recovery though.  That first time you stand up after having a c-section is a little scary, no feeling quite like it in the world, but then again there isn't any feeling quite like having a baby either.

The only other new thing going on right now is that I bought a pair of Sea Bands to help with my nausea.  It has been really hard to care for my family, to do even a little house work, and especially to cook.  I have been wearing them for about one day now.  I'm not sure if they help, but my day has been pretty good so far, still nauseous, but not horrible.  Maybe it's all in my head, I don't know, but maybe they really do help ease the nausea a bit.  That reminds me, time for a snack!

baby's first picture

Baby #4 - estimated due date February 3-7, 2012!

Second ultrasound today.  The tech found the baby right away, and it's heartbeat too!  Everything looks good.  The baby is measuring a little larger than 7 weeks and a couple days.  She is thinking that I am more closer to 8 weeks pregnant.