Random Pictures and Pregnancy #4

Life at our house.  The kids just helped me make some cookie dough and Reagan is working on some project she created. 

This picture cracks me up mostly because you can see the difference in head size between Will and Ainsley.  Ainsley is in the 10% for head and Will is above the 97%.  Too fun.  I love these kiddos.

I haven't mentioned my pregnancy much because, well, I have been in catch up mode and this pregnancy has been a little unique in the fact that I currently can't remember how far along I am (somewhere around 27-29 weeks) and it has been this way from the beginning.  Usually, I know when I am due and every other little detail.  This time around, life has been just a tad crazier.  I also realized that I have never announced that we are having..... drum roll...... a GIRL.  We are pretty excited.  I think we may even have a name picked out (miraculous for us). 

So some details about the pregnancy so far.  I started having sciatic pain at 6 weeks.  AWESOME.  Not really.  I always forget how miserable morning sickness is.  This time around, food was not appealing... at all.  Usually, I just don't want to make food but I am okay to eat.  I cannot tell you how many dinners I skipped.  Just couldn't do it.  I also had been running regularly for several months beforehand and was able to keep that up until 21 weeks.  My back/legs hurt regardless of running so I figured why not.  At 21 weeks my hips would no longer allow it.  My last run put me on the couch for an entire day.  I was pretty discouraged about that.  I was able to hike the Y at 22 weeks.  Getting down was.... not pretty but going up wasn't bad. 

At 25 weeks I looked very pregnant but not one person had asked me when my due date was.  With Will people started regularly asking me at 21 weeks and would then say something about "poor you."  Also, this time even though I looked very pregnant I had only gained 5 lbs.  Yahoo!  I realize most people need to gain more but I did not. 

My sciatic nerve randomly stopped hurting around 24 weeks (okay, maybe not so randomly... my kids started heavily praying for this) and has not bothered me since.  Unfortunately my sacroilioc joints started in heavy.  I think this joint pain is what curbed the running.  I finally decided to head to a chiropractor and can I say HEAVEN!  Marcus has been amazed.  He has never been to a chiropractor (my grandfather and two uncles were chiropractors) and is a true UNbeliever.  Until now.  Now he is amazed at what I can do compared to last pregnancy.  I go twice a week because I believe I need it.  I LOVE those days.  I feel better overall and learned that studies show that labor is generally much shorter for those that are receiving regular chiropractic care (12 hours is hospital average and 6 hours is chiro average).  This may or may not be true for me but right now it sounds perfect:).

Regardless, I am still in regular pain but able to walk and function at a much higher level than last time.  Last pregnancy was miserable.  The entire time.  Seriously.  The last two months I just kept wishing they would put me on bedrest because of the pain.  Horrid.  End result - I am feeling much better this time around.  I have had three days where I have been completely down, which is super frustrating for me but only three days. 

The only other problem I have encountered this time is pain from an umbilical hernia.  I never knew I had one until my first pregancy (the doctor said it is from when I was a baby).  I have never had pain from it or had anyone else mention it.  This time around, it has been painful (the second reason I had to stop running).  The last two weeks I ran, it gave me a ton of pain but has settled down since I stopped.  Hopefully, it won't act up as the baby gets bigger.

Oh yeah, I have to mention that I have had horrid dreams this pregnancy.  I usually have vivid, bad dreams when I am pregnant but this time has been the worst.  It is keeping me up at night for several hours.  The dreams are very real and either scary or sad.  One week Will was eaten by a tiger in the woods and another night hit by a car.  Awful. 

Even though I miss my body and feeling 100%, I am very grateful for this little one that is growing inside of me.  I am excited for the love she will bring into our home and for the excitement the other kids have in anticipation of her arrival. 

And that is the very long version of pregnancy #4... so far.