Tummy Tuesday 20 Weeks

And just like that, we are half way. Well, unless she comes 2 weeks early like Mary Claire, or 1 week late like Margaret. Maybe she will split the difference and come around her due date?

Had the consult with the surgeon this week about my hernia. He reiterated what the OB said- that at this point in my pregnancy I should not have a problem with bowel getting stuck in the hernia because the uterus has pushed my intestines out of the way and it is blocking anything from getting in to the hernia. He described it as "significant, but not alarming" and I will need surgery to repair it after delivery. I asked him if I should just wait until the delivery of baby #4 to have it repaired, and he thinks I should go ahead and do it now, but be VERY cautious to not lift anything heavier than the baby for 4-6 weeks post op, and give it 18 months to 2 years to completely heal before getting pregnant again.  So there you have it folks....

Baby girl is STILL nameless, and it is kind of  a sore subject at our house. We were probably closer to a name last week than this week. We had all but settled on Ada Ross, I felt like maybe I was being too nit picky about the name. But when I started telling people that she would probably be Ada Ross I would get replies that just affirmed my thoughts about the name. I don't want her to have to spell her name, or correct the pronunciation for the rest.of.her.life. Back to the drawing board...
Chase really wanted her to have had a name months ago so we can be calling her by name- especially to the girls so they will "know her" before she is here. I'm not just being difficult for the sake of argument, I wish we had one too, but I just can't settle- just like he can't settle on Lucy. I want us to both like the name. So, she is still nameless, but very, dearly loved.

Still nameless baby girl #3 is 10.5 inches long and weighs about 10oz. She now sleeps and can be awoken with loud noises or movement. In our case I think it is lack of movement. Those who know me know I rarely sit and do nothing. There is always something to do 'round these parts. But, the second I lay down to go to sleep she starts gymnastics practice. It's like my movements rock her to sleep, and then when I get still she wakes up. Let's hope this isn't something that sticks around once she is here.

Momma is still feeling good. Baby Center says I should have gained about 10 pounds, and well- I have almost *almost* doubled that expectation. Over achiever here. But, right on track to gain 50 pounds like I did both her big sisters. I've also gotten heart-burn once or twice this last week, so that may be starting up too.  But over all feeling great!

Tummy Tuesday 19 Weeks

How are we almost half way? So hard to believe that Thursday will be the half way mark.

Momma is feeling great! I have my energy (and better attitude) back. You don't realize how grumpy you can get when you are sick and tired all the time. I have even started back walk/jogging. Feels good to get outside enjoy this beautiful weather and break a sweat. Even beginning to get the pregnancy glow- the horrible pregnancy acne I was having has reverted back to my regular old adult acne. Now, this is what I remember loving so much about being pregnant. Trying to saver every moment of this feeling, because before I know it, I will be hot, uncomfortable, and miserable and then she will be here. 

Before she gets here I guess we better decide on her name though. I never dreamed I would have this much trouble naming a baby. The problem is there is a name I just LOVE... Lucy, after my great-grandmother Mary Lucille. But that is the ONE name on the list that Chase is not crazy about. It's not that he doesn't like the name, it's just that he had a dog named Lucy growing up. I mean, I get it.... but.... ugh! It was my first pick for both of the girls, but since it was not his favorite we came up with a name that we both loved. (side note: he did agree when we decided on Mary Claire's name that if we had 4 girls the last one could be Lucy and at this rate....) But this time there is just not another name I LOVE. Sure, I have a laundry list of names I like, but all of them feel like I'm settling. I want to LOVE it!

Honestly, this kid has had a "name" like 4 times. Depending on when you ask me you would get different names. I have done them in monograms to see what they will look like, we have called her that to each other, but then after sleeping on it I change my mind. 

(1) Lucy Maire -calling her "Lucy"

 Chase conceded but then I opted out because I wanted him to WANT TO name her that. Can you say hormonal? But it is his baby too I guess.

(2) Ada (Something) -calling her "Ada"

Ada is very close to Ava which is a popular name, so I am afraid she would get "Ava?" "No, Ada" all.the.time. I don't want her to always be correcting people. Plus both big sisters have longer names so I don't think it flows well with them. Would she feel like the black sheep?

(3) Virginia Anne -calling her "Virginia"

This would be a very sentimental name for us, because she would be named after my MiMi. If naming her Virginia could guarantee us that she would act like MiMi it would be a no brainier. But, MiMi isn't fond of her name, and has said to me, "Don't do that to that sweet baby." So, if MiMi doesn't like her own name, I don't want to risk this baby not liking her name.

(4) Ada Ross (calling her "Ada Ross")

Another double namer, and the name we are on now. Ross was the middle name of our boy name, but I think Ada is feminine enough to hold a male name as a middle name. But when people ask me if we have a name it just doesn't roll off my tongue. It's Chase's pick, and truth is it is growing on me. So, I guess we will see. 

Almost named baby girl is 8.5oz and approx. 9.25 inches long. Her arms and legs are now proportional to her body and her scalp is beginning to sprout. She has everything an adult has, only in miniature. I can feel her move regularly now. Most of the time it feels like she is just rolling or squirming, but every now and then I feel a kick. Best.Feeling.EVER.

Tummy Tuesday 18 weeks

Here we are, 18 weeks! Hard to believe we are almost half way there. 

We got to see our sweet baby girl again this week at our big ultrasound. 

Now that is 8oz of pure sweetness if I have ever seen it!

Ultrasound tech kept going on and on about how "cooperative" she was how "beautifully she scans" how "easy" she is making it. Music to my ears! Fingers crossed for a Cooperative, Beautiful, and Easy baby once she is here.

She was so "perfect" for the ultrasound the tech decided to turn on the 4D ultrasound. She said she does't typically do it this early but since she gave her the "best aorta shot all month" she would try it. 

Boom! Nailed it! 

Now I typically think 4D ultrasound are really creepy looking. They usually look like a smushed face (or part of a face) up against a fluffy cloud where you can't tell where baby ends and placenta begins, but this picture isn't creepy to me at all. Maybe it is because it is a full body picture, and easily recognizable- but more than likely it is because she is mine, and no one ever thinks their kid is ugly.

Then the Doc confirmed what we already knew, she is absolutely perfect!

We talked a while about the Zika virus that is now in Shelby County. OB said Yes, if an infected person gets bit by a local mosquito then the mosquito is then infected and can either procreate, or infect other people to spread the virus. There not enough information yet to know if the baby's brain atrophies or just stops development. But she said at this point she is not concerned for pregnancies this summer. Yes, there will be a few cases but next summer is when the real problem will arise. What she said is alarming is they don't know how long the virus stays in your body with the ability to harm the baby. So if you (or your husband) are infected this year- are you at risk for years to come? Now that is scary! She said this summer I am more likely to be in a car wreck or fall down stairs to harm the baby than the Zika virus to harm her. And just because I (or Chase) gets infected does not mean the baby will be infected. Just puts the baby at a higher risk. So, a little sigh of relief, but we are still getting the yard sprayed. for mosiquitos. 

This is also the last week I am working full time. Next week I start back to my 2 days a week! WAHOO! Maybe then I will not be so tired all the time? 

Baby girl is still nameless... I start leaning toward a name the talk myself right back out of it. UGH, naming a person is hard!

Nameless, yet oh so loved baby girl is now 8oz old per the ultrasound. and around 8.5 inches long. Her little ears are now functional so she can hear us. :)  Maybe we should try the kick once for this name or kick twice for that name game?

Tummy Tuesday 17 weeks

Baby girl #3 is still nameless. We have a list of good options, but nothing is just PERFECT. With both Mary Claire and Margaret we had a name before conception, but this one is just so much harder. Both the girls have family names, and we would like to continue that with baby #3 but we are running out of good options we can agree on. Some of the top contenders are:

Lucy

Alice

Ada

Olivia

Cecelia

With solid family middle name options:

Marie

Leigh

Lane (it's a stretch for "family" but an option still)

I really like all the names on the list, but they all have their pros and cons. Some of the cons automatically remove them as an option and other "cons" only one of us feel (uhem... Chase). 

So then I started thinking names outside of the family thinking we could pair it with a family name and call it done. I came up with Nora, Madeline (not lynn but line) or Jane. None I felt was prefect either- nothing to risk this baby feeling like the black sheep without a family name.

So here we are... undecided. Lots of good options, but nothing that doesn't require compromise. We get to see her again on Friday at the ultrasound appointment. Maybe after seeing her again we can make our final decision. 

Nameless, but oh-so-loved baby girl #3 is now 7.75 inches long and weighs about 5oz. Her skeleton is changing from cartilage to bone, and her little heart is already pumping 100 pints of blood a day! I have been able to feel her more and more each day- especially after I eat or when I lay down at night. She has plenty of room right now to do flips and rolls, but space will soon be getting tighter and so will my clothes. My hernia has been bothering me more than usual this week, but once I reach 22 weeks my uterus should move my gut up enough that it can not get caught in the hernia and cause a problem. I will be seeing a surgeon for a consult in the next few weeks to come up with a game plan to fix it after she get here. 

The stomach bug also hit our house this week. YUCK!!! Daddy took one for the team and played nurse so I wouldn't get it , but then he got it. It was a rough couple of days here at the Peeler house. Not sure I didn't get a twinge of it because I felt like I was back in the first trimester for about 4 days, but it's gone now thank goodness!

Excited to see our sweet baby again in a few days!