Dear Store Clerk.....

Dear Motherhood Maternity Store Clerk,

I just wanted to tell you a few things.
Its nice that you greet me when I come into the store, but leave me alone after that. I don't want you to ask what I am looking for today, or if you can help me find anything. I just want piece and quiet. I didn't come so you could be my personal shopper. I WANT TO PICK OUT MY OWN CLOTHES!
Please don't come by and grab each and every item of clothing out of my hand as soon as I pick it up to put in a room for me. And then add 2 shirts for every one shirt that I pick.
Please don't suggest sizes to me.....when I say I want a large, thats what I want. Yes, I realize I fit in a medium right now but I still have 2 months to go and want my shirt to fit comfortably, not skin tight.
When I say I don't wear tank tops, please stop picking them out for me to "just try on". And don't say, "Well it's summer and its pretty hot outside." Yes I realize its hot but that doesn't change it for me. The same goes with shorts.
Sales lady.....just because you think something is cute and you have it in every color, doesn't mean I like it. They have different styles for a reason.
When I go over to look at the bras please don't hover. Or ask me what size I wear. Why not just ask me how much I weigh too.
And one last thing.....when I go to check out don't be so snotty to me and ask what was wrong with ALL the shirts I tried on. Because really I only tried on the 3 I picked out, the other 7 I left on the hanger. And don't ask me 4 times am I SURE I don't want to try anything else on....because at that point in my shopping adventure I will be so ticked off that I may give you a piece of my mind.....your lucky I didn't today.

By the way.....I will go ALL the way across Tucson to the other store from now on, or make sure you aren't in there.

Sincerely,
Nicole

26 Weeks

Here is my 26 week information......baby is still an eggplant.




Baby's now the size of an eggplant!
Baby's soaking up your antibodies, getting her immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and she'll soon be practicing the blink...perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.


Weight Gain: Not sure.....can't be too bad yet.

Sleep: Please?! Not so bad, but I feel the need for more.

Name: Still nothing. And really I don't mind not having anything yet. We will know it when we hear it.

Food Cravings: Nothing too crazy. I wanted pasta so Jeremy and I went to the Outback to eat last week......holy heartburn.

Best moment this week: Going to see Date Night with my husband....good movie. And discovering the best cupcakes ever!

What I miss: sleeping in, wearing my pj's all day.

What I am looking forward to this week: So many things! Jeremy and I going to be ushers at the Gila Valley Temple, going to the temple open house with our family, and getting away this weekend at Jason and Heidi's house....

I did have a little panick attack this week. 26 weeks is scary! I am going to compar it to turning 26......not really in the early 20's anymore...much closer to 30. And it pregnancy weeks 30 is nearing the end. That is SOOO scary. I cannot believe I am almost to 30, then it will be 35, then 38, then going in to deliver. I know this all has to happen at some point, but still it was an eye-opener.
Also I am getting some form of nesting. Since I don't have my own house to nest in...I am feeling the need to ready the house we will move into. Jeremy probably thinks I am crazy, but is not willing to argue with me. I am really staring to need to ge things going so I can see that we won't live here when this baby comes.

90 Days

I always joke around with people and tell them I am not going to buy any baby stuff until I am within 90 days of delivery. That way whatever I don't need...either boy or girl stuff.....as long as I have the receipt I can take it back.
I have been saying that for months now, and it always seems a million years away.
So yesterday my sister Jennifer and I were in Tucson visiting our grandma in the hospital. Then of course we stopped at Target on the way home. I found a cute girl outfit that was only $6 that I just couldn't put down. So I decided to buy it. As I was checking out I was joking about keeping my receipt. Then it occured to me.....it was 90 days to the day. Oh my goodness......90 days. I cannot even believe that its creeping up on me so fast.

90 days until we meet our new baby!

90 days until we find out if its a boy or girl...

90 days until I have another c-section

90 days until Jayden is a big brother

90 days until Grayson and Colby have another sibling

90 days until Jeremy gets to wait on me

90 days until I get to be a stay at home mom again

Of course now that I am in my "90" days.....I am still really hesitant to buy anything.

DiApEr bAg

After countless hours of research and searching....I have finally found the diaper bag I want. Of course I can only find it online so I don't know how it really looks. But I guess thats a risk I have to take.

Week 25

Baby's now the size of an eggplant!
That oh-so-handy sense of equilibrium is kicking in, and baby's learning to distinguish right side up from upside down.


Weight Gain: Not sure...but after vacation and all the churros, cotton candy, caramel apples, and mickey ice creams I am scared to find out. Although I may have walked enough to balance it out.

Sleep: Ehhhh...its ok. I know it will only get worse from here.

Gender: Same.....don't know. Its funny when strangers ask me if its another boy, its almost like they are scared for me.

Name: Still no boy name. I joke around and call it Fatso because thats what Jayden said...he thinks it funny when I do.

Food cravings: I have eaten anything and everything I crave. Right now I LOVE meatball subs from subway....had one for lunch today.

Best moment this week: Getting to see how much fun the boys had.

What I miss: Honestly....my own house, my own kitchen, my own space.

What I am looking forward to this week: Going on a date tomorrow with my handsome husband, painting a dresser I got awhile back, sleeping more!

Oops skipped a week...

Whoops....I didn't do week 23, I just skipped to 24 because I guess I just never got around to it. So here we are are 24 weeks! YEY!



Baby's now the size of a papaya!
Baby's skin is becoming more opaque as the fat starts to pack on. And, thanks to the formation of small capillaries, her newly thick skin is taking on a fresh pink glow.


Weight Gain: I am at 15 pounds total. When I had my doctors appt yesterday she said something about my weight and I thought I was in trouble. But just the opposite, she said so far I was doing really good and she thinks this time I won't gain as much.....well here is to hoping.

Sleep: Now that we turn on the A/C at night I am sleeping very nicely!

Gender: Still don't know.... but I narrowed it down to a boy or girl.

Name: We have yet to decide. Jayden's suggestion is Fatso....too bad there isn't a "y" in it.

Food Cravings: I never got my cheesecake....but am still hopefull. What I really want is some shrimp from Bubba Gump's Shrimp Factory...only 5 days then I will get some.

Belly Button in or out: Still in.

Best Moment this Week: I went in for a check up yesterday. The n/p was trying to get the heart rate with the doppler and the baby did not let her. Every time she put it on my stomach the baby would kick it until she moved it. The baby did it 4 times before the n/p moved to the other side of my stomach....it was really funny.

What I miss: Being able to stay home.

What I am looking forward to this week: Disneyland! Bubba Gump's Shrimp Factory, the beach, How to Train your Dragon, seeing how excited the boys are when we tell them we are going on vacation....they STILL don't know. Just getting to spend time together and making memories.

22 Weeks

Here is how big baby is:




Baby's now the size of a papaya!
Baby's settling into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.




Here are a few survey questions:

Weight Gain: 12ish pounds....I only weigh in at the doctors

Sleep: Getting uncomfortable....I bought a body pillow but its not doing its job. I wake up alot at night with hip pain.

Gender: Still don't know.....just waiting. Although some lady came up to me at Easter and said my baby is a girl and walked away....umm weird.

Name: Still in negotiations for a boy name. Jeremy suggested a name as a joke but I really liked it. But for a girl....Brinley

Food Cravings: I am DYING for a piece of Blueberry Cheesecake...maybe tomorrow I'll get some

Belly Button in or out: Still in, but getting flatish

Best Moment This Week: Getting to spend time with family at Easter.

What I Miss: MY own house!

What I am looking Forward to this week: Opening day on Saturday, both boys have games and hopefully getting to see Garrett & Rose's new baby.

Being a Boy Mom

I was reading lurking on a message board and sometimes find it leads me to lurk on other people's blogs. So I was reading this one about a woman who had a friend who had just found out she was having a boy.....she was upset it wasn't a girl. This was the advice/ words of wisdom:

You’re going to be a Boy Mom, and you’re going to be okay. In fact, you’re going to be great. You’ll love it so much that you’ll never be able to imagine NOT being a Boy Mom. It doesn’t matter that you LOVE being a girl, that you embrace every opportunity you get to dress up, do your makeup, get your nails done. It doesn’t matter that you much prefer shopping for shoes to browsing the sports store. Your love for all things zebra print, pink and soft does not mean you can’t and wont develop a love for “little man” clothes, toy trucks and OshKosh overalls paired with a toothy grin and muddy knees.

Being a Boy Mom means slobbery kisses and hugs that start with a running leap.

Being a Boy Mom means saving hundreds on clothes, even if only to spend that amount or more later in life on ER visits.

Being a Boy Mom means developing a keen eye for bugs and coming to terms with the fact that sometimes they can just be considered an extra helping of protein.

Being a Boy Mom doesn’t mean you won’t continue to be squeemish about things like spiders, it just means your squeels will be entertaining to the boy who taunts you by trying to eat one.

Being a Boy Mom means being the builder of block towers so big they lean and topple, leaving you both in stitches.

Being a Boy Mom means developing a very watchful eye while changing diapers, always on the lookout for that surprise pee stream attack.

Being a Boy Mom means having the pleasure of watching your son learn from his father.

Being a Boy Mom means you’ve been given the tremendous opportunity and challenge to raise someone who will grow up to be a respectful, loving and kind man. He may break hearts, but hopefully, with your guidance, he will do so gently, and ultimately he will make some lucky woman very, very happy.

Being a Boy Mom may mean giving up the fantasy of getting your nails done together after a frilly tea party, but it’s replaced by so many fun future memories that you can’t even begin to think up because right now you just don’t know what to do with a boy.

I just thought that this woman did good job describing how it is to be a mom of boys. I love each of my boys and can not imagine life with out them, or imagine them being a girl. They may be crazy, but thats ok, they are sweet too... There is nothing like having one bring you a flower (usually a weed) and say they picked it just for you, and watch and wait for you to put it in water so it won't die.

People always ask me what I hope this baby is...a boy or a girl. And really honestly, I would love another boy....but I am sure I could learn to live with a girl.

21 Weeks

Made it to 21 weeks! All of a sudden I cn feel alot more movement. Jeremy and Jayden have felt it too. Jayden was laying in bed with me and he felt it with his hand. At first he said it was a whimpy kick so it must be a girl, but after some careful thought he decided that if it was kicking it must be boy. Jayden is going to go to a new baby sitter, she is pregnant too but with twins. Jayden was pretty amazed by that and had a few questions.....like....why is mommies stomach bigger when we only have one baby in there? So I had to explain that my baby is older than hers. He seemed ok with that...its only a matter of time before he asks how its coming out.

Right now I don't really have any foods I don't like. But there are some that I REALLY want like...watermelon, and cheesecake with blueberries on top....yum.

Here are a few facts about baby John/Jane Doe:

Baby's now the size of a banana!
Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, if baby is a girl, her womb is now stocked up with her lifetime supply of six million eggs (the number will drop to around one million by birth).

20 Weeks

Finally half-way there! Its becoming more real to our whole family now. Yesterday I told Jayden that his shoes were getting too small and he needed new ones. He then told me to keep them for when our baby gets "bigger & bigger". Jayden seems to be pretty accepting of another sibling. He is even practicing feeding his cousin Ava baby food. He also was following his cousin Alanas lead and was trying to breastfeed a doll......I will let Jeremy explain that to him. Grayson and Colby are both older so they have to act cool about it.....but I know they are secretly excited, especially Colby, he loves to hold babies.

It seems like in the last week or two our baby has had a big growth spurt. And has also changed positions alittle bit because it kicks me where it should now. SO here is what is going on with our baby this week.......




Baby's now the size of a cantaloupe!
Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.


Maybe later today I'll post a 20 week picture...only after I take a shower and do my hair.

Kung Fu Fetus

Warning...this blog contains TMI!!!!!


Wow I cannot believe the title to this blog....but it is the honest truth. For a few weeks now I have been patiently waiting to feel those first few kicks that only the mom can feel. The butterfly feeling in my stomach. I kept thinking I felt it, then it would just end up being gas. (See TMI..)
So I just kept waiting and waiting. That was until yesterday and today. WE have skipped the nice, sweet, loving kicks and have just moved onto the "Ouch that hurts" kicks. I think we are right in thinking that my kids are just going to get meaner with each one.
This baby doesn't just kick me anywhere......it feels like its trying to kick down the door to get out. Not just once and its over......it does it like 4 or 5 times then stops. Yikes...... Just in the past 2 days it has happened 4 times. It usually happens when I am driving. I have heard of babies kicking their moms in bad places but to feel it yourself isn't too great.....ahhh the joys of motherhood. If it keeps this up I am going to have to try hanging upside down or something to confuse it.

SnEak PeEk

We went for our 19 week ultrasound this week.
I debated about bringing the boys with us. But after like 2 seconds of thinking I decided against it. I could just picture one of them (probably Jayden) walking over and pushing buttons on the
very expensive machine. Or climbing and jumping off chairs in the room and me getting irritated and the tech not sure whether to take my side or call CPS. SO we went alone. We had big plans anyway.

Before our appt we went for lunch at Chipolte (not sure if thats how you spell it) Then we noticed a Cold Stone Creamy next door....and if you know Jeremy, you know he doesn't pass up any ice cream. My reasoning was it would make the baby more active for us. (and then I could possibly see "accidently" what it was)

Well my plan didn't work out so well. I think our ice cream put
it (I am OK calling the baby an "it") in a sugar coma. It barely moved the whole time. The woman had a hard time getting the shots she needed.
She had to really push to get a side profile shot for us, because apparently this baby is a big snuggler. It loves the placenta and snuggles right up to it. (In the picture my placenta is the big blob)

SO for all you people who NEED to know the gender, we probably couldn't of gotten it anyway.

But most importantly everything looked good and normal.

When she was looking at the heart I mentioned to her about Colby's heart problem. So she will recommend to my doctor that I go for a fetal echo.

Not because there looks like any problem, but just because they will want to be sure. She said I would go at 24 weeks and 30 weeks. That will be alot of temptation for me.

IntelliGender

I took this test today. When I told my sister Melissa that we were not finding out the gender, I told her about this test I had heard about. You basically pee in a cup and it tells you what your baby will be. I told her if she bought it I would do it. So the next week she went out and bought it......but didn't give it to me until yesterday.
Jeremy didn't really like me doing it...but really how accurate is a test you can buy at Walgreens right next to the "At Home Paternity" test. (Maury is going to lose some business if that really works) Even in the directions it says not to paint your nursery based on the results. And to not make any financial decisions based on the results.


The directions were very clear about what to do. It had to be taken FIRST thing in the morning, and then you have to swirl it, not shake it. Then set it on a white surface. Not quite sure why. But I followed as best as I could. These were my results.......

If you can't read it it says girl. Now just to let people know, we are not considering these to be accurate...please don't buy anything based on this result. The only person completely convinced I think was Makena (she was here this morning). I don't think the test knew I had 3 boys already.

Not something I would usually wear

Ok, so when you are pregnant CLOTHES are a big issue. When should you start wearing maternity clothes, what size do I get, etc.....women have big issues with clothes.....even when we aren't pregnant. I remember being pregnant with Grayson and not wearing them for a REALLY ling time.....probably because they were REALLY ugly, and I was a high school student and event though I was pregnant still had to look cool.
So this being my 4th pregnancy I got into maternity clothes pretty early on...they were just more comfy.
Just like with normal clothes, I still wanted to stick to my normal style. Until yesterday......

So I ran to Tucson to get a baby shower gift and decided to go get an outfit for myself too. I invited my mom to come....and her and the sales associate FORCED me into trying on a shirt with leggings.....I know thats scary.
I liked the leggings but just couldn't find the right shirt. I told them I didn't want my butt to show. Thats just gross.
So long story short I came how with an out fit I never would of bought on my own...too scary. Now I just need to work up the courage to wear it.

People Just Don't Think

I am just about ready to HIT the next person that asks when I am due....then replies," Wow....... you are going to be pregnant all summer, that sucks, you are going to be really hot." NO KIDDING. I am 18 weeks along, do people not think that maybe I have realized that by now??! Do people realize that its not like I picked out a day,"Oh, yeah August 10th sounds pretty good."
For now I just smile and reply, that I would rather have my baby during the hot months, then give birth during cold and flu season.

Almost half-way there

I am almost to the half-way mark. I am 17 weeks now. I am in no hurry for this pregnancy to be over yet. Although I am ready to be done working....but until this kid comes, I have to work.

I am finally looking pregnant to the outside world. I thought I looked pregnant, but to others it probably just seemed like I had a few too many donuts. But now finally, its noticable.

We get to go for our ultrasound on March 15th. I almost don't want to go because it will be REALLY hard to not just give in and find out who is in there. But I will be strong! I told Jeremy if he didn't go I would find out.....so he will probably go with me. I am undecided whether or not to bring the boys with us. I think they would like it, but only for about 2 minutes and then they would be climbing all over stuff and distracting me. Do they still record them if you bring in a tape?

I get to decorate a nursery this time. We will be moving a month or two before we have the baby, and we get a nursery. I am not quite sure about colors..that is a challenge. I was thinking something like brown and green, but add in pink or blue later when we know. But I have a while to think about it.

I can't wait until it starts kicking alot so that the boys can feel and know that something is in my stomach, and we aren't just teasing them.

Food

I have noticed lately that whatever food I start liking and buying alot.....my craving gets passed onto Jeremy. I started liking bagels.....so he ate them. I started eating life cereal all the time....he eats it everyday. I had some cut up strawberries with cream on top.....he ate my bowl of them. Its not like we have no other food to eat...he just wants what I have. Oh well, he gain weight along with me too.

Tears at Monster Jam???

One thing I have noticed my last few pregnancies is that I tear up REALLY easy.
When I was pregnant with Jayden we went to Disneyland, anytime I would see the boys get excited or really happy......I would tear up. At Disneyland this is excusable.
So we went to Monster Jam (monster trucks) in Phoenix last weekend. The boys were all really excited. We get there and we are hurrying to get ot our seats....and what happens??? My eyes start getting misty. All we are doing is walking thru the stadium, and I can hardly see because my eyes are watering. How many other people have ever cried at monster Jam? Probably none. So then everytime Jeremy looks back at Colby and I to see if we are keeping up, I turn my head away so he can't see the tears in my eyes.

Potatoes + Franks Red Hot = Yum

So of course when you are pregnant food is a big issue. There is always food that you love, and food that you stay away from. For a few weeks after christmas ALL food was food I wanted to stay away from. But eventually that has gone away and now I just want desserts! Well thats not completely true, I really like potatoes. Mashed, baked or fried, all potatoes are good to me. But of course its not just a potato alone, it needs some friends...like butter, sour cream, salt pepper and most importantly Frank's Red Hot sauce. For reason it just doesn't feel complete without it. I went out to lunch with some co-workers and what did I order???? A loaded baked potato.
One bad thing about finding out which foods I don't like right now, is that I learn by trial and error. Meaning I have to eat, or attempt to eat before I find out I don't like it. Some things in I don't really like are:
Chicken Nuggets
Mushrooms
Green Bell Peppers
Chicken (it has to be cut up and put in my potato if I want to eat it, but just plain....no)
Any meat(I just can't stomach meat, the meaty taste is just gross to me)

For now thats my list...I am sure I will have more to add later.

Are hormones contagious?

The other night Jeremy and I woke up at like 11:30, and could hear Branson's music up really loud. Well of course my first reaction was anger. It had already woke up Jayden causing him to get in our bed. So Jeremy is mad too. I tell him to text Branson and tell him to turn it down. This being our 4th pregnancy, Jeremy knows now that no matter how odd my request....just do it. So he does. There was no reply. The music still really loud. Me too mad to fall back asleep. So I have Jeremy get up and go do it himself. Well the door was locked. He peeks in the window, and sees its a DVD menu playing over and over and over. This next part is alittle bit unclear, I don't know if it was his idea or mine. But I am pretty sure he thought of it himself. Unable to get Branson to turn off his movie, Jeremy goes into the closet in the hallway where the circut-breaker is. He switched off the power to that part of the house. I am so proud I could cry. What a good husband. After so many years of marriage my irrational pregnancy thoughts have turned into his. The next part is something I would of done differently, Jeremy was nice enough to turn the power back on....I would of left it off and let him figure it out himself. So my question remains...are hormones contagious?

Had a suprise ultrasound

So I had my regular doctor's appt this week. It was my 12 week check up. So I told the doctor all about having a upper respitory infection and I had finished my antibiotics, and it still hadn't cleared up. So he gave me another perscription. So hen he tries to get the heartbeat. No luck. This was the second appt in a row he couldn't. So he decided to send me over to the hospital for an ultrasound. Thank goodness that I am a positive person, I only had one little doubt.

My "OTHER" Blog

I almost feel like I am cheating on my first blog. But yes I do have 2 blogs. Crazy...I can barely keep up with one, why have two? Well sometimes pregnant people tend to go on and on about themselves, and I just figured that not everyone wants to hear about it all the time. So this way its optional! So this is where you will find out updates on our baby#4. Another good reason is at the end when people ALWAYS ask "how are you feeling" (I said that with a whiny voice) I can just refer them here!