Anatomy Scan, Gender Reveal, & More!

This poor blog hasn't been updated in awhile but things have been super exciting over here! :) I just don't like doing the blog unless I am on my laptop because it's easier to type it all but I hardly ever go on my laptop! I will try to be better especially because there is only 15 1/2 weeks left max! 

We are more than halfway to meeting this amazing little blessing and we are all soooo excited! 

February 19th- 19 weeks 4 days

On February 19th, at 19 weeks 4 days, I felt movement for the first time and was 100% sure it was baby movement this time! It was super exciting for me as I have been waiting for this moment. I felt the twins around 15 weeks but I knew with my anterior placenta it would take longer. But once I felt that first movement with this one, I have since felt it daily and it is amazing!!! I absolutely love feeling baby movement as it gives me reassurance that the baby is doing well in there!

On February 26th, at 20 weeks 4 days, I say the maternal fetal medicine doctor for our anatomy scan! The team I saw there was amazing! I was honestly very nervous but yet excited for this appointment. It takes a long time to get everything they need and they check into everything which is great. But with the twins, I got lightheaded and thought I was going to pass out and be sick so I was worried about that. Plus, I went to this alone due to Paul working and was terrified I would get bad news by myself. I made it very clear I wanted to get the gender in an envelope so we could find out together and the ultrasound tech was very good about that. Anytime she needed to even go near that area, she had me look away or close my eyes! The baby was super active and it was the weirdest but coolest thing to be able to feel it and see it on the screen at the same time! Unfortunately, because the baby was so active, we didn't and weren't able to get all the pictures we needed. The baby was breech and looking down the whole time so we couldn't get very good pictures of the face at all. They had me lay on my side to see if that would help but it didn't. And we weren't able to get a picture of all of the baby's fingers! You could see the hand go flying across the screen but it was always too fast! They also weren't able to get all of the heart pictures they wanted or needed. But I am very pleased to share that everything we got looked great!!!! Baby is big and measuring in the 78th percentile at 14 oz! The heartrate also looked good at 148. I also confirmed I do not have polyhydramnios this pregnancy like I did with the twins. I feel that contributed a large amount to me measuring big fast and my body thinking it was baby time way too early so I was very pleased to hear this. I got the gender in a very cute envelope and everyone thought I would look and not say anything but it was a very big deal to me to have all of us find out together. I dropped it off at Save More, a local grocery store, to have them make us 4 long john donuts filled with frosting colored to represent the gender and we would pick them up the next day. I definitely felt relief after this appointment and was happy! 

February 26th- 20 weeks 4 days

February 26th- On my way to the anatomy scan

February 26th- The best face picture the baby would let us get!

The next morning I went and picked up the donuts and we setup my phone to record us all finding out together. We quickly found out that we are having a BOY!!!!!! Bentley was soooo excited, Karley was surprised, and I was totally shocked! I have no idea why, but I truly truly thought this baby was a girl! But no matter what, we are all so excited! 

February 27th- Gender reveal long johns

Blue frosting faces!

Handprints on my belly

Paul and I had 16 boy names we acquired. Picking out names is hard as we don't agree on many but it is important for both of us to agree! We have narrowed it down to 2 names but still haven't been able to decide on those. Time will tell! 

Knowing it will be a boy, I was able to go through the 1 tote of baby boy stuff I kept in the basement. I was honestly pleased and shocked to know how much that tote actually held! I thought I didn't keep much at all but I found the swaddles I thought I had sold and a decent amount of clothes. I was happy about that! I brought everything upstairs into Karley's old room which will become the nursery. I sorted all the clothes into sizes and hung them up. Slowly but surely I have been accumulating things and honestly we are sitting pretty darn good with things! 

February 28th- Organizing the clothes

We decided early on that the nursery theme was going to be The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It is one of my all time favorite books! But I quickly learned and realized things in that print are expensive and/or hard to come by! We didn't really do a theme for the twin's nursery so I was excited to have one this time but plan to keep things pretty minimal. I talked to my grandma who agreed if I got the fabric and elastic that she would make us crib sheets and changing pad sheets. I got 2 different fabrics. I found a pillow that someone just had stashed away that had been homemade but they never used too. I created closet organizers in the theme too! I also bought a garland that we are going to use as a valance. I have a friend making us 3 canvases with the tiny caterpillar with the sun, a bigger caterpillar, and then a butterfly for wall décor. The walls are currently a very bright pink. Eventually Karley will be going back in that room and the 2 boys will share a room so we kept this in mind when choosing the new paint color. We will be doing a bright yellow and let Karley help pick it out. I cannot wait to get it all together and see what it looks like! 

Closet organizers for the closet I made

Gift we received that couldn't be more perfect!

Pillow that I came across!

Paul has been working very hard on finishing our basement. About a year ago we started the very first step in painting the floors. Now we have wooden flooring down and the walls are framed in. He also put in the outlets and ran electricity to them but they aren't live yet. Next, he will put in the insulation and the drywall. We will paint the drywall and then put up a wainscoting. After that it will just need the ceiling and carpet! I cannot wait to have that space finished off. 

We ordered new furniture for the living room in January. When I had a C-section with the twins, a recliner was the most comfortable spot for me to sleep. Therefore, I wanted to get one for our living room, as I will be having another C-section, which turned into replacing all of our living room furniture. Trust me, it was needed! So we ordered a couch and recliner and will be getting a love seat and another recliner in the future. When we ordered it they told us it would be in around April/May. Well the last update we got was that it may not be here until August!!!! Needless to say, that won't work for me so we may be borrowing a recliner or using the old one in the basement to get me through! 

I cleaned out the van including taking apart and cleaning car seats. I moved the twins to the very back of the van and wasn't sure how that was going to go. But they love it and say it's like riding in a limo! I stow and go-ed the middle captain chairs and it sure is nice to have all that room. The baby will go in one of the captain chairs. 

Speaking of that, we recently received the baby car seat and stroller travel combo. We went with a Graco. I had a Graco travel combo with the twins too and really liked it. I still actually have the double stroller. But I made sure to get a jogging stroller this time. I like it! 

With covid, we truly don't go anywhere or do anything. On a whim, I asked Paul if we could go and do something this spring break. He was surprised but glad. Our spring break was very early compared to other schools so I hoped that would keep the amount of people down. Plus we would be going during the week too! We looked around and decided on going to Chula Vista in the Dells. We brought most of our food we would need with plans of eating what we didn't bring right at the places in our hotel so we wouldn't have to leave. When we got there we were shocked how empty the parking lot was. When we checked in, I asked at the front desk how many there was and she said about 100. I am not sure if that was 100 people or 100 rooms but still it was minor compared to what a hotel in the Dells would normally be like during spring break. The twins were able to go on every waterslide and ride! They have gotten much more confident to do slides on their own and with their swimming. It was awesome to watch! The most they ever waited in a line was 2 people! And one morning, we were the first people in the whole waterpark and had it all to ourselves! It truly wasn't busy at all and I was super glad we made the decision to go! My mental and emotional healthy needed it and truly I think we all did! We did the arcade too. Overall, it was a great few days of family time away from home! Paul was worried I would get bored because I couldn't go on any of the slides but I wasn't! I enjoyed watching them, taking pictures and videos, and relaxing in the pools. 

March 17th- 23 weeks 2 days and embraced the belly out at the waterpark

After we got back, on March 18th at 23 weeks 3 days, I had a quick ultrasound and cervical check. The baby is still breech but was active and had a heartrate of 152 which is his norm. My cervical measurement was 3.6 which they are happy with. I am glad they are keeping a close eye on me and things! 

Unfortunately, just a few days later, I had some pretty intense low cramping for about 1 1/2 hours and it scared me and spiraled my anxiety. Thankfully I saw my OBGYN the next day and got reassurance from them. They told me because it stopped on it's own, I didn't have any pressure or bleeding that it should all be okay. But if it happens again or any of those things happen, to definitely call back. My OBGYN told me he laughed when he saw my cervical measurement. I was confused but he said "Because it was good and I know you are just waiting for the shoe to drop!" He truly is correct!!! He informed me he knows my personality! :P Baby had a heartrate of 148 and was moving around. He has been measuring my fundal height but I am unsure what it is. Part of me wants to ask and the other part of me doesn't. My fundal height measured wayyyy ahead with the twins and I think that was also part of the reason my water broke early. So for now, I am leaving it a mystery! 

The baby movements continue to get stronger and stronger. Every time I have Paul or the kids try to feel them, he either quits moving, the movements get less intense, or they say they can't feel it which surprises me. At school I had my arms over my belly holding my coffee and his movement literally moved my arm! I was shocked. And on March 24th at 24 weeks 2 days, Paul finally was able to feel him move! But since then he must've moved because the movements aren't as strong so the twins haven't been able to feel him yet.

Paul feeling movement

I am so glad to be 24 weeks as that is when viability is and after my past, that is a huge milestone to me! Truly everyday and every week is! 

March 22nd- 24 weeks!

I feel like I am big and a few people have even commented on it asking me if I am sure I won't need a sub for me this school year, if I am positive there isn't 2 in there, etc. It is kind of annoying!

I have gained more weight thus far than I would've liked but my doctor hasn't said anything about it. I have changed things up and added more fruits and veggies in and also added in more walks. But I still continue to gain. I guess this is just the way things are going to be! And as long as baby and I are healthy, I will take it! 

Yesterday I didn't feel good, had some pains, etc. and it spiraled my mind of course. The day before my water broke with the twins and the day before I gave birth to them, I felt sick so it is a trigger for me. Paul thinks I just overdid it. After sleeping last night, I feel better today! But I am realizing my anxiety is real and I may even have some PTSD from the twin's pregnancy; especially as I near the time frame when my water broke with them! I am going to work on focusing on the positive, embracing each day and week, and also doing things to keep my mind busy! 

Tomorrow bring us to 25 weeks and I am so glad!