Baby #3

I haven't done very many (or any?) posts about this pregnancy. As any mama knows, the more kids you have, the less time you have to devote to thinking about a new baby. This pregnancy has been harder, in a different way, than the other two. Kids are not sensitive to mommy when she feels sick. They don't care that my back hurts or I am tired...they still want food! and shows! and their toys! and to go somewhere! I also have had nausea throughout this entire pregnancy, instead of it ending after the first trimester. This is lame and I don't think it's fair at all. Having food aversion, nausea and gestational diabetes is basically the worst combination ever. I HAVE to eat so my blood sugar remains steady, but eating makes me want to (or actually) vomit. It is a difficult cycle.

My weight gain has been good - less than 10 lbs with 4 weeks to go. I worked really hard to walk and watch what I ate in the hopes that I could avoid gestational diabetes and be able to *gasp* go into labor ON MY OWN. What a novel idea!? Unfortunately, it does not look like that is a possibility, which is, of course, disappointing. BUT I am grateful to be a mom to another child, and how she gets here won't matter. At this point, I am just praying that they will let me get to 38 weeks. She is measuring about 2 weeks ahead in terms of size, so fingers crossed! Things have been a little stressful including contractions that came every 10 minutes for over 15 hours, shooting my blood sugar into the 300's, and generally freaking this mama out. They are estimating baby to be well over 7 lbs with 4 weeks to go, which is scary for several different reasons. ;) I am trying to take things easy and remain optimistic though!

I have to give a quick shout out to my Mom and Dad, Emily, and Elena for completely saving my life these past few months. My parents take my kids every time I have a doctor's appointment so I don't have to bring them with me. They have been helping with preschool pick up and drop at least a few times a week this past month or so. They take my kids out of the house when it feels like more than I can do. Emily and Elena drop off meals, go to the grocery store and run errands for me, and generally make my life worth living most days. Brooke and Beth have also stepped in to help when they can and I am so grateful to all of you!

We have been getting this question a lot, so just so you know, Jared and I do NOT have a name picked out, but we have LOTS of possibilities. We never pick a name before we meet the baby, but we usually have a "short list" of 2-3 names we both like. This time around it is proving much more difficult to agree. Jared really wants to have a family name from his side of the family, but with this being grandchild number 18...the pickings are slim. I would love to have at least a family name for the baby's middle name, so hopefully we can come up with one we both like!

Jared's current favorites are:
Jade
Rose
Addison
Roxanne
Josie

My current favorites are:
Bianca
Josette
Lydia

 Fingers crossed that we can agree before we leave the hospital - or come up with something better!

Baby's First Picture

20 weeks

28 weeks

32 weeks

36 weeks and wearing the same shirt. Thank goodness it still fits!

Emotionally, I am doing a lot better with this pregnancy than I did with number 2. There haven't been very many panic attacks or freak outs that I am making a horrible mistake! Just a few ;) I do not feel ready for this baby, but I am excited to meet her. I feel blessed to have this opportunity, and I try to remember this when the days are long and hard, and when I feel like crap. I am so grateful to be surrounded by friends and family who are so supportive over this crazy life we have chosen. Thank you to everyone who makes me laugh, asks me how I am doing, offers to help, and listens to me cry when things get overwhelming. Love you!