It's been a while, I know. I seem to start every post like that now. Fortunately (and sadly for the blog), this pregnancy has been uneventful. My twin pregnancy was too, but with the constant monitoring and the fact that it was a first pregnancy, there as always lots to report.
I feel incredibly fortunate that things have gone smoothly so far. The little dude always has a nice heart rate and is perfectly sized for his gestational age at each midwife appointment. He's a mover. Clearly, his sisters stretched out his digs because he was constantly doing flips until recently. Now, at nearly 36 weeks, his quarters have become tight so movements are quite as drastic. I'm grateful though because as of Thursday, he was head down. He's strong though. His kicks and stretches are forceful. He lets me know when I'm in a position that he doesn't like. The girls did the same but I think because there were two of them and they were smaller, their kicks didn't stop me in my tracks. According to my weekly email, he's somewhere in the 4.2 - 5.8lbs range and is likely around 18". He is going to fatten up quite a bit before birth, but won't grow much longer.
Overall, I've been feeling pretty good. My sleep wasn't great in the first trimester, but once the fatigue subsided and I started exercising more, it improved. I still have nights where I'll wake and have trouble falling back to sleep, but it doesn't happen more than once or twice per week. I've stayed active with bootcamp twice per week, yoga and dog walking (and the general running around that comes with having two 4-year olds). As a result, the common pregnancy aches and pains have been kept at a minimum. Recently, my lower back has started to get sore when I'm on my feet all day and don't take time to rest (don't tell my Mom!). Once I lie down, the soreness subsides. He is also lying extremely low in my belly, so the pelvic pressure can be intense at times. Changing positions usually alleviates it. I've been getting Braxton Hicks contractions for quite a while now, but they really aren't bothersome.
While I can't wait to meet this little guy, I'm also trying hard to enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy knowing that it will be my last. I love feeling him kick and watching the waves across my belly. I love the way the girls give him kisses, hugs and constantly ask me how the baby is doing today. At just 4, they take such good care of me. They can tell when I need to rest and will set up the pillows on the couch for me. The three (or four, I should say!) of us have found a position that works so that we can all have a cuddle. When the kicks to my pelvis are particularly strong and stop me in my tracks, I love how Teagan will say, "I know, Mommy. The baby kicks you hard." I'll miss all of that. I'll also miss it being the three of us. Being home with the girls for the past 4.5 years has been a roller coaster. It's been wonderful and I'm so grateful for the time we've had. From the day trips to the quiet afternoons reading and doing crafts to the classes, activities and park visits to cooking and baking to finding new ways to manage fights and tantrums, it's been adventure! In a way, I think I'm also mourning my babies, as the girls become kids who recently started kindergarten. But, that's how life goes and we're onto a new adventure!
The girls' playroom has been turned into the baby's room and the basement has now become their playroom. The baby is becoming more of a focus in our house as his due date approaches. The girls have been incredible with it all so far. No doubt that the tough part is yet to come, but so far, they're been great. As excited as they are for his arrival, it has got to be hard for them. I do feel anxious about how they'll do when he is finally here, but know that we are going to do everything we can too make sure they feel loved. They are going to love helping out and at 4.5 years old, there's a lot they can do. It makes me grateful for the age gap.
Embarrassingly, I haven't taken any bump photos during this pregnancy, apart from one at 22 weeks. A pregnant friend of mine asked me for a picture the other day, so I snapped a quick selfie. And then for fun, compared it to my twin bump…such a difference! I'm grateful that I was pregnant with twins first!
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| 35 week singleton bump |
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| 36 week twin bump |
We recently did a maternity/family photo shoot with my amazing photographer (and childhood!) friend, Lauren. She's been doing photo shoots for our family for the last few years. Her work is amazing and we couldn't be happier with the most recent photos. We'll be back in her studio for a newborn shoot soon!
I'll do my best to get another update in before the little man arrives. I'm hoping that I have a minimum of two more weeks!
