How far along? 36 weeks

Baby’s size: I am pretty sure she is the size of a watermelon already!

Maternity clothes? yup

Sleep: the past two nights the girls slept through the night.. I, however, never do. lol

Worst moment this week: I have apparently pulled a muscle in my shoulder. Thankfully, it is only a dull pain most of the day. By the end of the day and after all of the use, it is a sharp stabbing pain that is kinda miserable. Pray that it heals quickly!

Best moment this week: We are getting lots of things checked off of our to-do lists! HOORAY!

Miss anything? I miss switching the laundry from the washer to the dryer without feeling like I am going to pass out from lack of oxygen!

Movement: HUGE movements. It’s crazy to lay on the couch or in bed and feel her literally ROLLING around!!

Food cravings: Peanut butter and banana smoothies…

Anything making you queasy or sick: Just like last week, being awake makes me feel sick. haha

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: lots of contractions still

Belly button in or out? out

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or moody most of the time: I am trying really hard to be happy despite any circumstances around me. I am feeling stressed out because Scott is leaving for camp on Monday and will be gone. My sisters are coming to take care of me, and I am excited to see them.. but I hate when my partner in crime is gone. 🙁 We go to Ohio this weekend because Scott is doing the wedding of one of our former teenagers. I am full term next week! Yikes!! But, I have so much to be thankful for, and I am trying to cling to that and enjoy these last few weeks of being pregnant.

Since I spent half of my 26th birthday in the hospital, and the other half with my family in town, I didn’t really get to post anything about it. Not that my birthday is anything special, I usually have to be reminded of it every year. haha! I saw someone else do a post like this. I figured I’d jump on the bandwagon a month late. I need to pass the time. 😉

1. I was born in New Mexico. Everyone thinks that is a foreign country, but check your maps. It is one of the 50 states ya’ll.

2. I always wanted to be a teacher when I was a little girl. I would make my younger sister be my “student” and teach her everything that I was learning. (Your welcome for your awesome grades, Amanda!) I taught preschool when Scott and I moved to Michigan and hated it. I loved seeing the light go on and the kids get so excited when they would learn something new, but couldn’t stand the awful parents who think that their children are perfect and should be reading when they are THREE.

3. My favorite season is Fall. I don’t think this is a secret. I love the weather, the crisp air, and the delicious pumpkin flavored and scented EVERYTHING.

4. I am a coffee addict. I love it hot or iced, as long as it’s sweet. I give it up practically cold turkey during every pregnancy though.

5. Halloween is my favorite holiday. It wasn’t always that way. I think it really started because it was Chloe’s first real holiday. Then, it was Addison’s first. As long as this baby comes after the 4th of July, it will be her first as well. There is nothing like celebrating holidays with kids!!

6. I love moose. I think the name is funny, and they have adorable faces. I would love to see a male moose in real life (antlers, people!!) but only from a distance.

7. Pink is my favorite color, but I also love any aqua-like blue.

8. I saw the ocean for the first time when Scott and I went on our honeymoon. I fell in love with it, and would live on the beach if I could.

9. Scott and I have been together for ELEVEN years. It seems completely crazy, because I don’t feel old enough for that to even be possible.

10. I love being a mommy to all girls. I want to punch everyone who tells me that I NEED a boy in the nose. I would never be disappointed if I had a boy one day, but I am not disappointed by having all girls either.

11. I surrendered to the ministry in Junior High. I was doing a brown bag speech and had to say what I wanted to be when I grew up… I had no real idea (teaching had exited my mind around this time), so I started praying really hard about what God wanted from me. It was then that he revealed his plan to me, and I have never looked back!!

12. I did show choir for four years. It would have been six, but I had to get a job. The schedule for SC was really demanding, and I decided that I wouldn’t be able to balance it, a job, and homework. I was heartbroken.

13. Sometimes I wish that I would have done more extracurricular activities in high school.

14. I am addicted to sweet tea.

15. I am a huge cry baby. I cry during movies, commercials, while overthinking, and every time my husband leaves.. even if it’s only for a day.. When he had to go home while I was in the hospital I sobbed in my room.

16. I love my husband possibly more now than when we got married. I feel like every time we have a child, I fall more in love with him when I see the way he loves the babies.

17. I can’t wait to see this baby and finally call her by her name.

18. I have a really short temper, and it is something that I am really working on fixing. I am not proud of it at all.

19. I love fishing. I grew up fishing with my dad on the weekends in the summer time.

20. I also love drag racing. I used to help my dad work on his dragsters. Once I even got to pretend to be 18 (I was only 12) and go out on the track with him and his buddy to help him. It was amazing.

21. I look up to my mom so much. She is one of the most hard working women I know. She loved us all unconditionally, and is so talented. I admire her more than she will ever know.

22. I love my “in-laws”. I know so many people have issues with theirs, but I feel like I hit the jackpot!

23. I have always wanted to go to Italy, but I am afraid of actually going.

24. I really wish that I had dark hair; natural dark hair. Bright blonde is cool and all until people think that their blonde jokes are funny. Here’s a news flash: THEY AREN’T.

25. I love my church family. They are the most kind, compassionate, and loving bunch of crazy people.

26. I hate doing things that everyone else is doing. My sisters are both running (which is AWESOME) but it makes me want to find some other form of awesome exercise just so that I can be different. I am going to blame being the middle child?

There you have it. Twenty-six random, but not-so-random, facts about myself. I know that I am such an interesting person and you were all dying to know. 😉

How far along? 35 weeks

Baby’s size: she is baby sized

Maternity clothes? yup

Sleep: the girls still aren’t sleeping well, and neither am I

Worst moment this week: Yesterday, Chloe was supposed to have day 2 of her baseball clinic. Last week, they gave all of the kids a jersey and some other fun stuff. She refused to put the jersey on and didn’t follow any directions. So, this week, she was told that if she wouldn’t put her jersey on, she didn’t get to play. We have talked it up all week (and she really is excited to play.. we aren’t just forcing her..). She threw a HUGE fit and wouldn’t put the jersey on before leaving the house. We got in the car and drove to the park where she could see all of the other kids. She still would NOT put this jersey on.. so, we left with her screaming and flailing in her car seat because she wanted to play. If she can’t even follow the directions to put on the jersey and be part of a team, she obviously is not going to listen to her coaches.. AGAIN. So frustrating.. hopefully that will make her learn and she will listen next week.

Best moment this week: My husband is officially ordained. I am so proud of him and thankful for him being willing to answer the call of God on his life.

Miss anything? driving. I want to drive myself somewhere… anywhere..

Movement: Lots of huge movements that are starting to get painful! Strong baby girl!

Food cravings: grilled cheese is my jam!!

Anything making you queasy or sick: the waking hours

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: lots of contractions

Belly button in or out? out

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or moody most of the time: moody.. I have a 3 year old who stomps her feet and screams at me while claiming that she doesn’t like her room, her teachers, her sunday school class, her toys..and that she doesn’t want or need me around. I feel like I am just a huge burden on my husband because he has to drive me to appointments constantly… I am looking forward to my hospital stay. “alone” time sounds so nice right now..

How far along? 34 weeks

Baby’s size: the size of a baby? over 4 pounds..

Maternity clothes? nope, back in regular clothes. wink.

Sleep: My children are not sleeping well, my back hurts, and the baby moves all night, so sleep is not so great.

Worst moment this week: I don’t know.. nothing too horrible really..

Best moment this week: My mother-in-law is in town and has been helping out a TON. It is awesome to have her around. I also got some answers from the neurologist finally. I am not diagnosed with epilepsy..yet.. He said that I may have it, but wasn’t going to call it that because I have only had one full seizure with many, many partial ones.

Miss anything? driving.. of course.. and regular clothes. I walked through the mall today and saw tons of cute dresses, etc. and am ready to get back into them!!

Movement: oodles

Food cravings: nothing.. but my “MIL” has been making sure that I eat… which is good because I need someone to force me some days..

Anything making you queasy or sick: heartburn.. the usual

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: constant contractions, but nothing that is harmful to baby.. just annoying to me.

Belly button in or out? out for sure

Wedding rings on or off? on!

Happy or moody most of the time: still moody… the girls are into this screaming thing where they scream at the top of their lungs if they get mad (which is all of the time).. and Chloe’s attitude is worse than a teenage girl going through puberty, so my patience level is just gone..

Looking forward to: seeing this sweet baby.. I cannot believe that in just THREE weeks, I will be full term! YIKES!!

I finally got to see my neurologist yesterday. That is the one appointment that I have been the most anxious for. That is what all of this has been about.

Basically, it was just an appointment to make sure that I was handling the medicine alright, but I was able to have some questions answered. Every time he would answer a question, he would say “People with epilepsy…” and then answer. I stupidly did not ask if he was diagnosing me with epilepsy or just using it as a reference. So, I will be calling on Monday because I know that my OB will want to know as well.

If anyone who reads this is around me and I have a seizure, you are supposed to call 9-1-1 while I am pregnant. Even if it is super short. Once I am no longer pregnant it is not necessary unless if it lasts 5 minutes. Then, it is considered an emergency and I would need to get to the hospital ASAP. Otherwise, as long as I don’t hurt myself in a fall, just let me go and make sure that I don’t hurt myself or anyone else during it.

It was confirmed that the “dizzy spells” that I had previously described are in fact partial seizures. It feels so good to finally have an answer and know what they are. I was tired of feeling like I was just crazy because no doctor had ever been able to figure it out. They would test my heart and find nothing, and then just drop it because they had no idea what else it could be. I guess that my description was off, because I never knew HOW to describe it. They were just weird and scary.

I also found out why the nurses always act like my “condition” is such a big deal. I never thought it was a huge deal to have seizures.. obviously it is a bigger deal during pregnancy. I just thought it wasn’t anything to worry greatly over. I found out that even a short seizure can case contractions to start in pregnancy. They can also deprive your baby of oxygen and greatly increase your risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. So, big deal. I am 100% in God’s hands, and since going on the medication I have not even had a partial seizure like I had been constantly having before. I am so thankful for the Lord’s protection. I am so thankful for His perfect timing.

Please continue to pray for us as we have some decisions to make that are difficult. I also still have continuous doctor’s appointments through the rest of the pregnancy and my husband has a lot going on. He is getting ordained next Saturday and I am SO PROUD of him and his willingness to follow the Lord and lead his family. His mom is in town to help out so that he can focus on that and not have to worry about the girls or taking me back and forth to the hospital.

Yesterday, I spent FOUR HOURS at home having contractions every 10 minutes. I ignored it for a while.. chugged 30 ounces of water and laid on the couch.. and still.. every 10 minutes.. Waited twice as long as they told me to before heading into the hospital. They were painless other than the fact that she is sitting really low, so having Braxton hicks pushes her downward.. which is just not comfortable for anyone.

Now, it was a Wednesday night, which means that my youth pastor husband had a lot on his plate. Throw his psychotic pregnant wife that can’t drive on his plate and just knock it all over the place. As soon as they hook me up to all of the monitors, NOTHING!!

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want a preemie, and I am thankful that it stopped. There were no signs of labor. They tested for some infections because they said that could be the cause of the “false labor” that I just put up with. They said that my uterus was just “irritable” because it was contracting over and over again.. just nothing big enough to be a concern.

As soon as they send me home and I start walking to the car with Scott, guess what starts again?! Obviously, I didn’t need to go back to L&D, because nothing was happening or wrong, but it was just plain annoying.

This morning at 6:55 AM I get a call.. that I ignored.. and a message saying “We have some test results to share with you, and need a pharmacy number to call in a prescription.” So, I am thankful that I went in and looked like an idiot, because they wouldn’t have found the infection otherwise.. but I think I am just as irritable as my crazy uterus.

Someone get my husband some oreos. He deserves them..

How far along? 33 weeks

Baby’s size: the size of a baby? Oh, 4 pounds or so probably..

Maternity clothes? I am 8 months pregnant.. duh

Sleep: Last night was the worst night of sleep in a LONG time. My back is uncomfortable and my knee is hurting, so it’s a struggle to fall asleep and stay that way.

Worst moment this week: Thursday evening I decided to take an express flight down the stairs that felt like slow motion. The baby was moving just fine, so I knew she was OK. I hurt my knee, bruised my side, and sliced the tip of my finger opened.

Best moment this week: Yesterday I got to lay down during my non-stress test. It took twice as long as it’s supposed to because she wasn’t doing what she was supposed to (they look for a certain acceleration in her heart rate when she moves, and it wasn’t accelerating enough). I got to lay for an hour with nothing but the sound of her heart beat and occasionally talking to the awesome nurse that I had when I was discharged from the hospital!

Miss anything? driving.. be able to go to the store when I NEED to.. I didn’t even get to buy my mom a birthday card yet and her birthday is TOMORROW.

Movement: lots!!

Food cravings: I have been skipping a lot of meals because I just don’t want anything..

Anything making you queasy or sick: not eating makes me sick..

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: the usual

Belly button in or out? out.. Addi asked me what it was a couple of days ago.

Wedding rings on or off? on still

Happy or moody most of the time: really moody. I am tired of the girls fighting constantly and being stuck at the house.. at least it is getting really clean.

Looking forward to: my due date.. 7 weeks to go!

Here is our now-beautiful nursery AND bathroom!! The bathroom was a total surprise to me, and it is beautiful!!! A huge thank you to everyone who worked so hard to get it all done. There were two men who put (literally) their blood and sweat into this room. My mother-in-law is a rockstar and came up to help us out after all of my drama. She painted a lot of the rooms, the doors, and did a ton of touch up work. She also helped to clean the entire “outer portion” of the basement when a pipe burst just an hour after the men finished these rooms. She also put up with our freezing house, as our furnace went out during an obnoxiously cold week of May.

These pictures are shocking and not for the faint of heart. 😉

How far along? 32 weeks

Baby’s size: the size of a baby? lol Not sure..

Maternity clothes? Yes

Sleep: My sleep is starting to go back to the crummy way it was before.. nooooooooo

Worst moment this week: Yesterday.. My girls fought all morning long for whatever reason. Addison refused to nap and painted with her POOP!! Not once, but TWICE!!!!!

Best moment this week: I am alive and still pregnant with a baby that moves like crazy.

Miss anything? Driving.. being treated like a real person.

Movement: oodles of movement

Food cravings: A cake batter blizzard in a waffle cone. Thank you husband..

Anything making you queasy or sick: heartburn still

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: I am still having lots of Braxton hicks.. especially the more I walk.

Belly button in or out? still mostly out

Wedding rings on or off? They are on right now, but my hands are really swelling so I am afraid that won’t last much longer.

Happy or moody most of the time: I feel crazy.. just really emotional. (still!)

Looking forward to: November when I can drive.. lol! Seriously though.. just looking forward to a healthy delivery and finding out more about my “condition”. It’s been scary, difficult, and so many other words that I can’t even find. I never imagined that I would be in this kind of situation. I am so blessed in the midst of it, but I think that I have finally learned that I am not invincible.

The room is done and coming together so nicely. I am going to do before/during/after posts. It is amazing what these wonderful men accomplished in our home. I love it!