Pregnancy #4 update...

Our little bundle at 36 weeks. Thats the face if you cannot tell. Nose and eyes and what not.

This Pregnancy has certainly been trying to test my body. Its been a long hard battle this time around. Is it worth it, of course! We are so excited to meet this tiny human in just 2 short weeks it just seems like this pregnancy has been one to certainly remember.

35 Weeks

Aside from all the normal pregnancy things, my extreme nausea and dry heaving during the first few months I have also had 2 rounds of bronchitis, bells palsy and an overnight stay in the hospital with preterm contractions. This is the biggest I have ever been and I still have 2 weeks to go. My body aches in every place imaginable.  I don't sleep much and the swelling set in a few weeks ago. I would swell during the day and it would go away while I slept. Now for the most part it just stays and makes my legs and feet feel like exploding.

This is me after being awake all night in the hospital being poked prodded and having contractions all night. It was tiring.

Essentially, a few weeks ago, I started to have fairly close contractions around 6pm. I had been up and about all day and the kids had been trying my patience. I figured once I got them to bed I could put my feet up and they would slow down. And they did a little. I was probably having 4-5 an hour. They hurt pretty bad but I wasn't too worried. They slowed a as I was going to bed. I slept for about an hour being awoken a few times by contractions. But about 11: 30 I could no longer stay asleep and I was wishing them away...

Finally about 12:15-12:30am I started timing them. They were worse then I thought. They were coming every 2-4 minutes and they were pretty painful. I timed them this way for about an hour, trying to decide what to do. Seth was out of town so going to the hospital in the middle of the night was not something that I wanted to do but it was clear that I had to.

I called the nurse who advised I go in because of my c-sections. I then called seth and sought his advice. Then it was grandma and grandpa to the rescue. I called them and by a miracle they were still awake and made it here very quickly. Russ gave me a blessing and stayed while the kids slept and cheri carted me to the hospital enjoying my contractions with me.

Long story short, I was admitted, given IV fluids checked and checked some more. The fluids slowed the contractions a little.  We waited on the doctors advice on what to do next. After several hours they gave me a shot to help relax my uterus and stop the contractions. That lasted about 3 hours and they started up again. At this point I really thought I was going to be having the baby as the contractions wouldn't stop. All the while Seth is trying to figure out how to get home and what to do.

I was then given another shot of the same medicine and that one worked better. I was still having contractions but not as painful and only a few an hour. Finally around 5pm I was released. My sister came and hung out at the hospital and drove me home. I was on "couch" rest for a few days to see if that helped and it did. Seth made it home about the same time I did.

Everyday since then I have several painful contractions but everything is fine. My body just wants to give me pain. Some days are better than others and sometimes I swear that my water is going to break they are so painful. Its amazing that they can hurt so bad an I am not even dilating.

So that's my second visit to the hospital this pregnancy, lets hope the next one I have a baby in my arms :)

36 Weeks

Here is a front shot courtesy of Emily. My friend Kelly and I spent a day making freezer meals. My belly looks like I literally swallowed a basketball.

Then there are my lovely feet and legs. This pic isn't that bad really. But there have been a few days where my ankles are twice their size and my legs are just awful. 

Here we are today. Exactly 2 weeks (or less) to go!!! I feel it. I have been told this baby will probably be weighing in over 9 lbs when its born.  Which I believe!! I haven't been anxious about the babies gender until now. But seeing that it is getting so close I cannot help but wonder!!! We are all so excited. There is at least one conversation a day revolving around the baby and what we will name it if its a girl, since we already know what our boy name will be. The kids are all insisting its a boy so if its not... there are going to be some sad little kids. But no matter what when they see a cute little baby I know they wont truly care.

Two more weeks, two more weeks, TWO MORE WEEKS!!!!