This week has been such a good, happy week.
I am feeling so content and happy.
This has been a stressful pregnancy with a lot going on, and I am so glad to have a little calm come over our lives for a while.
I’ve cooked a few meals this week and have felt those tinges of hope come back that I will be myself soon.
I’ll have my body back and I’ll be capable of all the things I was capable of before.
I had my now weekly appointment this week with Janae. (weekly!!) She is always so good at calming my nerves and helping me feel so much better about every little detail.
Baby is still head down and posterior.  I’ll be doing pelvic rocks and side-laying to get him/her to flip over, but even if this little one stays put, we’ll be fine.
Not my first sunny-side-up babe.
I am just 2 lbs away from being exactly where I delivered all my girls.  So funny that my body always finds the exact weight, even when it starts on a completely different number.
I started my 5 week formula when we got home from California.  So surreal to already be at this point.
Last night Brady and I strolled through target getting our last minute baby things like diapers, nursing bras, a new robe for me.. I was remembering so vividly when we were doing that for our first baby.
There is a calmness about welcoming our 4th.  We know what to expect, we know the routine, we’re actually experts by this time – having been raising babies and kids for 7+ years now, but the anticipation and excitement is still just the same as it was with that first baby.
The surprise gender is starting to reeeeeally make me anxious.  I have really enjoyed not knowing what we’re having so much, but the nerves are getting to me this week!
Like – what if it’s a boy? What in the world will I do with him?  What if it’s a girl? What in the world will I name her?
Things like that.
I am also so curious to see what this little one will look like.  Grae threw us a huge curve ball with her giant blue eyes.  Will it resemble me? Will it be Stella’s little twin? What coloring will this one have? So fun to see how genetics come together.
Food is hit or miss with me – the only thing I could eat every single day is Pasta Factory’s Poppyseed Chicken Salad.  I could eat it for every meal.  It’s all I ever want.
My sweet tooth may be dying down a bit.  I have been such a chocolate lover this pregnancy but my heartburn has gotten worse and I think it’s slowed me down a bit.
Soda tastes good to me again, so I’m loving my swig runs.
I must chew alllll the ice alllll the time.  (which is probably why I’m liking swig so much these days.)
I’m back to eating tomato toast every morning for breakfast – toast, mayo, cheese and tomatoes.  Heaven.
My biggest complaint this pregnancy has been my aching ribs.  Last week I could barely straighten my left arm without feeling a shocking pain to my ribs.  I went to the chiropractor and had THREE ribs out of place.  I felt better almost immediately once he popped them back in.
I have had a cough now for 5 whole weeks.  I have felt like I was on the tail-end for the last 3 weeks! It has been such a killer.  I even got on an antibiotic before we went on vacation and I think it helped, but I’ve still been coughing every day.  It’s been torture with my sore ribs and a giant baby shoved up underneath them trying to cough.  No wonder they’ve taken such a beating!
I’ve had some mild sciatica and the normal aching hips – but my ribs keep me occupied with complaining.
I think this has been my most uncomfortable pregnancy – and I’ve been uncomfortable for quite a few weeks now.
Every time I say that someone says “yeah, that’s the fourth baby!” So if you are planning on having 4 kids.. be warned.  Each one is a little harder on the ol’ bod.
I have to nap pretty much every single day, even if it’s just for a quick cat nap.  If not, I seriously can’t keep my eyes open by dinner time.  It’s ridiculous.
Today I said “I’m going to try to skip my nap today and do something productive.” But Brady reminded me that napping is productive when you’re 9 months pregnant.
It’s true.  My biggest job right now is taking excellent care of myself as this baby relies on me these last few weeks.
We are just getting so ready to meet this precious little one and see how it is our perfect missing piece.♥