Tummy Tuesday 25 Weeks

Is it Tuesday already? Really?- This long weekend has me all thrown off.

Again this week was uneventful, not much to talk about... "Auto-pilot" as the Doc calls it. 

Sylvia is now 13.5 inches long and weighs about a pound and a half, but slowly packing on the pounds to fill out all that wrinkled skin she currently has. I can tell she is getting bigger because it is getting harder and harder to catch my breath. If I get too long winded explaining something to a patient, or telling a story I start getting short of breath. Looks like she is already big enough to be squashing my lung capacity. And, apparently she is also growing more hair and if we could see it we could discern it's color and texture, but I am calling bull on that. If history tells me anything, it's that my babies are born BALD and remain BALD well past their first birthdays. 

I am getting more consistent heartburn, especially at night- and back pain is beginning to show it's ugly head at the end of a long day. For the last few weeks my belly has been getting too big to comfortably sleep on my stomach, but we are now officially over that hump. I'll be sleeping on my back or side from now until mid September, which I guess can be expected since my uturus is now approx the size of a soccer ball. I've got a pre-natal massage I have been saving for when I can't lay on my back any longer. Wonder what they would charge just to let me come in and lay on the pre-natal pillow thing and take a nap?

There has been one new pregnancy symptom this week. Insomnia..... UGH! I never had it with either of my first pregnancies so I am not positive it is pregnancy related, but the internet says it can be- so that means it must be true, right? I can go to sleep just fine. Like, most nights I am sleep before my head hits the pillow, but after my middle-of-the-night-bathroom-break it is a crap shoot whether I am going to be able to go back to sleep. I have never.... never had a problem sleeping- and this is super frustrating.

But on to a bit of exciting news....Sylvia has gotten her first item specifically purchased for her. 

A box of diapers that were on clearance because the box was damaged. They will absorb body fluids all the same regardless of what the box looks like...Bless her little 3rd child heart!

Tummy Tuesday 24 Weeks

We have now reached 24 weeks (and 5 days) and this is a monumental turning point, because 24 weeks is the approximate age a baby can first survive outside the womb. Especially being a white female- the odds are in her favor. Hard to believe.... I just hope she stay put an cooks a good bit longer. 

Sylvia is now 12.5 inches long and a 1.5 pounds. She has a very lean figure at this point, but will soon start to plump up. At her check up today doc said we were on "auto-pilot"- everything looks good, sounds good (136bpm), and feels good. Next appointment is in 3 weeks for the glucose test. Guess I should maybe stop eating cookies for breakfast between now and then, huh?

And I am still feeling great! My uterus is now above my belly button which is great because my hernia no longer hurts, but bad because that means heart burn is getting more frequent. Bathroom breaks are a little more regular now, although I am not getting up in the night nearly as much as I did with her sisters. No real complaints.... yet, anyway. We even took a 4 mile family walk a few days ago (I was talked into it with the promise of a snow cone 1/2 way though)- and I just knew I would be sorry the next day, but my body felt fine. I think the exercises to keep my hips aligned must be really working because my knees and back feel much better than they did with Margaret. So, fingers crossed I don't get super uncomfortable this time.

Tummy Tuesday 23 Weeks

Welp, here we are 23 weeks. Nothing too exciting to announce. 

Still feeling great! Running once or twice a week- whenever I can sneak away from the girls because pushing them in the stroller while running ain't happening. I have a feeling it will be a lot more walking starting next week once MDO closes for summer. I am starting to get some heart burn and occasional back pain but nothing to complain about...yet. Hopefully if I keep up the exercises my  personal physical therapist (ha, just kidding- just a good friend I annoy the snot out of with my aches and pains) gave me to keep my hips in line I won't have the pain I had with Margaret. 

Sylvia is now 12 inches long and weighs just over 1 pound. Such a big girl! Her ears are fully formed and she can hear what's going on in the outside world. Common loud noises (vacuum, dog barking, sister screaming, etc) will not be alarming to her as a newborn since she is hearing them in the womb. She is big enough now that I can see some of her squirming from the outside- not only do I feel her, I can now see her move! Supposedly she will start hiccuping soon. She hasn't yet, but I'm sure soon will. 

Tummy Tuesday 22 Weeks

Not much news this week, other than SHE HAS A NAME!

Sylvia Anne Peeler

No, Sylvia is not a family name, BUT maybe if you are really drunk at a loud concert and try combining Cecelia and Olivia (both of which are family names) - you could maybe get Sylvia. Maybe? It's a stretch. So no, not a family name, but a name we can both agree on.

I have had a lot of anxiety this go 'round on selecting a name because like I said before the first 2 came so easy. They were perfect. No compromising. This one on the other hand did not come easy, and there was lots of compromising. But after letting this name soak in for about a week or so I think it is just as perfect as her big sisters. Classic, Elegant, and Timeless. 

Baby Sylvia is 11 inches long and almost one pound, and she looks like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyes, and eye brows are all very distinct. Supposedly she also has hair on her head- but if she is anything like her big sisters she will be bald well up to her first birthday. 

As for momma I am still feeling great! No complaints over here. I have even gotten out for a few runs, although my knees feel it a little more than they did 20lbs ago. I must be exiting the "fat or pregnant stage" because I have had the first few random strangers ask when I was due, or how far along I am. So that's a positive.

Starting to make a mental list of the things I will need for her. Of course we have plenty of hand-me downs, but there are a few things that need replacing, need multiples of, and of course she needs some things that are new to her. Plus they are always coming out with new fangled baby gadgets. So, I am trying to get a list of those things together. 

Who's up for a little bump comparison?

Mary Claire                         Margaret                     Sylvia

All about the same... Only thing I notice is I am freshly showered with make-up on before I  had children. Oh, the joys of motherhood! 

Tummy Tuesday 21 weeks

Week 21 brought another doctor appointment. Baby girl's heart rate was 136 bpm which is on the slower side of normal. Maybe she will be a more mellow baby? *fingers crossed* Is a mellow little girl such a thing? My belly measured 22inches, which is apparently "perfect". And on a positive note, she said her records only show I have gained 10 pounds... say what?!?! I guess I had already gained a few pounds before my first appointment, and I also had some holiday fluff left over before I got pregnant. Either way I got a high-five from the doctor on my "minimal weight gain" #winning

OB went over the report the surgeon sent back to her after my appointment with him. After reading that and discussing things with her, I think we decided to wait to have it fixed until after baby #4. I will need to  keep a close eye on it between now and then, but they think it might be best in the long run to wait until our family is complete. 

Baby Girl is still nameless, but getting close. Chase and I had a date weekend this past weekend. No kids, no cable, no internet, and no cell phone service. We decided it would be a perfect time to play the name game. After much discussion (read... way too much debating ending many times in tears because I am hormonal and don't want to compromise) we are still undecided, but we did make progress. There are certain qualities we/he/I want in a name for our child, but we will just not be able to satisfy all of those criteria for this baby. Something has to give. We decided the best option would be getting outside the limits of "family names" for 2 reasons. 

1- If we are having this much trouble with a girl name now, it will be impossible to find a name if #4 is girl too.

2- We would rather have a name we both LOVE than a choosing a name we just like because it is a family name. No one will know it is a family name except us. And it is not like we were naming her "after" someone per say- just wanted to keep it in the family tree. 

So when not limiting us to family names we came up with 3 names we agreed would be a good option. One is my favorite, and one is his.... and of course they are not the same name. Why, would they be right? So, we are close, soooo close. But nothing official yet. 

Baby Girl is 3/4 of a pound now and almost 11 inches long (around the size of a butternut squash). Her little flutters and rolls have turned into more distinct kicks and punches.  Next appointment is in 3 weeks, so I can be on track to take my glucose test at the following appointment.