Fifth Pregnancy... So Far

I thought a little update on the baby we are expecting would be a good thing to document. It has been so hard for me to sit down and get thoughts to paper, or any other medium lately. I have always noticed a drain on my brain power during pregnancy. But this time, it is especially acute! I feel like I am living in a fog that will not lift. Reading saps me, schedules make my head spin, preparing my Relief Society lesson for the month leaves me stressed and confused. I HATE it! I have never felt so unproductive. Mainly because I forget the task I am in the middle of.

This brain drain is also beginning to have a cost associated with it, and it is adding up! I went to the Farmer's Market to see my chicken lady and bought a beautiful, whole, fee range chicken to cook up for dinner the next night. She put it in a bag for me.  I went to put the chicken out to prepare the next day, only to suddenly recall that I had put it in the bowl on my table after buying it, and there it sat, for 24 hours. Money down the drain.
This past weekend, Del and I went to the city for the night, and long agonizing story short, I ended up throwing my car keys away.
A tow and new set of keys and too many hundreds of dollars not to give me a stomach ache later, and I have yet another frustrating example of pregnancy brain.

 These are just two examples. I am having trouble recalling the others.

Shocker.

Honestly, having my kids home all day, and trying to keep up with their swim team season, Summer camps, music lessons, and doctor's appointments, is not helping me keep a clear head. I am grateful in many ways for these months leading up to the baby, with just the older kids. We have managed to have some fun along the way in spite of my pregnant body.


I have no choice but to be patient with myself, and so I am holding on to the hope that things will return to normal after I get settled with the baby.

I am 26 weeks pregnant. I am definitely in maternity clothes, and have gained weight, but just how much is between me and the scales. Ha! Let's just say that I am bigger than I have been with any pregnancy at this point, so far.
I am really hoping my body remembers to cooperate like is has in the past as far as getting fit after delivery!

We found out at about week 16 that this is a baby GIRL! We are so excited! Finding out was so much fun! We went to a 3-D ultra sound company, and it was worth the money! The time spent with your ultra sound is so personal and fun. We were able to get some really cute shots of our little girl. She has the prettiest profile! The 3-D is just amazing! To see skin and a hairline at 16 weeks is mind blowing! She had her little forearms up next to her ears, and her head tucked into her chin, so we were not able to get a good facial picture of her. But from what we did see, she is precious! I was immediately taken with  how cute her developing features were!

Here is one of the 3-D shots at 16 weeks. Tiny little thing. She keeps those arms up by her head in every ultra sound we have had! It is kind of hard to determine what is what, but this shot is looking down on her head. You can see her forehead, the bridge of her nose, and her forearms up next to her ears.

We also felt really secure in the gender determination by the technician we had. She trains other techs in gender ultra sound. That is always good to hear after being told our very boyish Wally was a girl years ago!

I am finally out of the nausea faze. I have had a couple of nights of sickness since is officially subsided, but for the most part, it is better. I am now dealing with Braxton Hicks contractions. These are nothing new to my pregnancies, as they have always started early on. I have been ordered to drink a gallon of water a day to help ease them!

That is a LOT of water! I have gotten to the point that I can handle it for the most part on the good days when the baby is not laying as heavily on my bladder. At my 20 week ultra sound at the hospital, it was confirmed that not only is this still a girl, but she is snuggled right up to my bladder, and her head is super low. Gonna be a comfy one!
The water is helpful on the good bladder days, but I have found the main benefit has been for my skin! Wow, it is amazing how that much water clears up your skin! I guess I'll keep it up as best I can just for that perk!

Unfortunately, the 20 week ultra sound also revealed that the placenta is low lying, and could possibly be growing down. This could lead to placenta previa, which would lead to bed rest and a C-section! I had another ultra sound just this past week, and the GREAT news was that my placenta is moving in the correct direction, and for now I am out of the woods! I will be monitored by ultra sound continuously to be sure it stays that way.

Our little girl was showing off all her charm during her ultra sound. She sucked her hands and thumb! She yawned and practiced her bubble blowing with her mouth! She played with her toes, pulling her feet way up by her head! It was so much fun watching her just exist in there! It still amazes me that there is a person doing all of her sweet little movements inside of me!

So I have officially recorded something on this pregnancy! Three more months!

Here are the pictures from the last ultra sound that the awesome tech gave me.

Playing with her toes.

Sucking on her hands, and grabbing her feet.

Great shot of her foot!

Profile shot. She kept stretching her neck backward.

Sucking her thumb! So sweet!

The picture of her yawing is kinda creepy when you can't see anything but black and white bones!