Pregnancy #4

I'm writing this a week before my 34th birthday & I am 34 weeks pregnant.  I feel very blessed to have had four "easy" pregnancies (and no miscarriages - I was afraid I would this last time for some reason).  All four pregnancies have had a lot of similarities.  I have only thrown up a few times, and don't get major morning sickness.  I am typically more tired and have less energy, but not sick.  I have learned that I feel better if I eat every couple of hours, so that seems to really help.  I drink as much water as I can, which is always challenging to me.  Mentally, I try to convince myself that I can still have productive days and can feel good.  I typically carry high and forward since there isn't much room between my hips and ribcage.  The major difference is probably that with Rachel I gained the most weight (45+ pounds), and the others have stuck right around 35 pounds (so far with this one, I have gained 30 pounds with 5 or so weeks left).  The other major difference, is that this is the first time that a pregnancy has actually "got me out of" girls camp!  Kendall and Andrew both came with me at 30+ weeks.  But the timing on this one, will not work - I am officially due on July 22, but will be induced July 18.  I was initially called as Ward Camp Director, but they leave July 17, so I had to let them know that I couldn't go.  I have still been helping on the committee, but won't be able to attend.

With this pregnancy specifically, I have craved white bread, sugary cereal and donuts (yikes!).  I really wanted to stay active this pregnancy to see if I felt better for the labor and recovery.  That was a great plan up until around 18 weeks, when I sprained my ankle playing basketball.  The last pregnancy sprained ankle was terrible (Kendall) and it was bothersome for weeks and weeks.  Thankfully, this one lasted about a week or two, then I felt much better.  But it got me out of my exercise routine, and I have not been super active with exercise since then.  Other than yard work!!  We have been working so hard in the yard all spring, and I have done as much as my body would allow.  I even helped Brandon lay the sod since a storm was coming in.  I feel like on lots of occasions when people check in and ask how I am doing, I tend to say, "really good" or "it's business as usual around here" because that is what I am constantly telling myself.  I don't have time to just sit around and be pregnant - I know what is coming and I feel like I have a ton of things I want to do before baby comes.  I want to be able to relax and enjoy the baby's first couple months - one of my most favorite times with my babies.

Just this week, I got hit with a 24 hour fever/flu that knocked me out for quite a few days.  I stayed in bed for a whole day, and then slowly tried to do a little more each day.  It put me in quite a funk, not being able to take care of my responsibilities, but I was very grateful to Brandon and others who helped me out while I was recovering.

For the next five days, Brandon will be gone with the Teachers Quorum for High Adventure Camp, and I have been anxious about him being gone and all sorts of things.  I asked him to give me a blessing, and I am grateful that it has helped to calm my nerves.  Before we got pregnant last year, I had so many fears about having another child (i.e., age gap/caboose, miscarriage, health concerns, being spread too thin, selfishness, delaying the next "stage" of life, unknown future and what we may face, etc.).  I just kept having the feeling that something bad was going to happen.  I felt very willing to do whatever Heavenly Father wanted us to do, but the fears were real and seemed hard to face/address.  These fears had mostly subsided after we got pregnant, but they have been starting to creep back in with us getting closer.  I am thankful for the blessing I received, and I am feeling more confident that with the Lord's help, we will be able to handle whatever comes our way.  We are anxious to meet this little guy and we know that he will be here before we know it!

approx 26-27 weeks

approx 31 & 34 weeks