Baby3, we are so ready for you!!!

This is at 37 weeks, full-term!!!!!!

Counting down the days, my friends. Counting down the days. I have friends who want their babies to just keep on baking, even past the due date, because they know the hard realities of having a newborn, nursing beyond sleep deprivation, and juggling other children too. But I just get SO miserable the last few weeks of pregnancy, all of that just sounds way better than how uncomfortable I am right now. I'm already not sleeping, so I might as well be holding a sweet baby in my arms while I'm wide awake, right?? Come on out Baby3; this Mama is sooooo ready for you!!!

Buckle boys ready for their bike ride.

In the spirit of counting down... I started this a few days ago, but now we're actually one week out!!!

10- More days til Baby is due, and the number of days I'm refusing to wear any more maternity jeans. They're just so uncomfortable now. Yoga pants 4 lifeeeeeeeee.

9- Probably the average amount of times I'm waking up at night now. Between gagging on my snot (yep, super congested lately.. It's lovely.) , heartburn, having to pee, tossing and turning with my huge belly, and re-arranging the three pillows it takes to keep me somewhat comfortable... Ugh. Sometimes I just give up and go downstairs and sit on the couch for hours, because it's so miserable to lay down. Being sick while you're pregnant should not be allowed.

8- About how many bags are lined up in our hallway, ready to go. Packing for all 5 of us when I go into labor is a LOT of stuff.

Heart.melting.

7- The number of people off the top of my head that are pregnant and due within a week of me!! A couple have already had their babies! Crazy how babies really do seem to come in big waves.

6- About how many Tums I've been taking throughout the nights lately. They just hang out on my nightstand now.

5- About how many times a day I try to prevent Owen from having a major meltdown when his latest prized possession that he MUST be carrying around with him at all times disappears under some furniture... And I try to dig it out, while trying not to smush Baby3 in the process. We're at beached whale status, people, and shimmying on my belly is completely ridiculous at this point.

Free ice cream is the BEST.

4- The number of people we have lined up to watch the boys when I go into labor. Surely someone will be able to cover it, right?!!!

3- The number of littles I'm about to have in CLOTH diapers. Seriously people, say a little prayer for some potty training around here. Yikes.

Doing their part in helping me stock the freezer for when Baby comes!!!

2- Genders that our baby could be. Dyinggggggggg to know which it is!! Honestly, I have been so consumed with caring for the boys, that I just didn't think about it much during most of the pregnancy. But lately, it's been driving me crazy to know if it's a boy or girl!!! Everyone asks me if I have this "feeling," but I really just don't. All 3 pregnancies have been very different, and all the old wives tales are all over the place. I keep picturing the moment of birth with both genders, and cannot WAIT to hear Andrew say, "It's a boy!!" Or "It's a girl!!" I literally cry every.single.time we talk about that moment. And I think he's excited to have an important job in the birthing process, which is really sweet. (Graham is predicting GIRL.)

1- Name we still have to decide on. Boy's full name is finalllllllly picked. Girl's first name has been decided forever, but we still can't land on a middle name.

Easter.

Also, just for my records... (I really like to compare. Sorry if TMI!)

Baby3:

37 weeks appt- 0 dilation

38 weeks appt- 0 

Baby2:

37 weeks appt- 2

38 weeks appt- 2.5

39 weeks appt-3.5

Owen born!

Baby1:

37 weeks appt- 0 

38 weeks appt-1

Graham born!

My OB is predicting I go before my due date this time, and that it's another boy! She doesn't make many predictions, but when she has in the past, they've usually been right! Curious to see!!! 

36 weeks with #3!

36 weeks checkup-
totally looks like I'm hiding a basketball under my shirt these days!!! 

How far along?  36 weeks! HOW am I 9 months preggo? Why does it fly by so fast?!

Maternity clothes? My maternity jeans have started getting more uncomfortable lately, so I've been loving yoga pants and maternity leggings lately. 

Sleep? They say the last part of pregnancy prepares you for the sleepless nights of nursing a newborn. I think that's the worst preparation everrrrrrrr. Shouldn't we be able to sleep more now to prepare?? Ughhhhh sleep. So uncomfortable. So much tossing and turning. I can't wait to sleep on my belly again. I go back and forth between napping almost every day, to having these nesting bursts of energy, where I just plow away at my to-do list, because I'm starting to realize how soon this baby is coming!!! Eek. 

Graham literally hasn't taken a nap in months,
so him falling asleep with me one afternoon was pretty precious.
Snuggles with the firstborn. Yes please. 

Best moment this week (month)? 
Good checkups at the dr! And some unexpected days of sunshine!!!!! 

These boys and their trampoline.

All boy.
A big pile of dirt, shovels, and a wheelbarrow, and they're good to go.

Miss anything? My body is sooooo ready to not be pregnant any more, but I know the baby needs to cook for a little bit longer. And we're so not ready logistically. But yeah, just missing the same old same old... Being comfortable, fitting into clothes, sleeping, etc.

Movement? More/ stronger movement. Hiccups (love being able to tell baby is head-down during these)!

Food cravings? Sweets. 

I drive by a Dairy Queen every time I go to my dr's appointments.
I haven't stopped to get a Blizzard in nine months.
The hubs and I definitely celebrated 36 weeks with Blizzards.
#worthit #goodhubs

Dr appointment: Measured 34 (instead of 36) at this appointment, and Dr is predicting this baby will be closer to Graham's size (6.15) than Owen's (8.6). She doesn't make many predictions, but the ones she made with the boys were all right! We'll see this time. ;) Everything's looking good this time around. I'm going every week now, and she'll start checking my dilation next week! Eek.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Not anymore. Whew.

Labor signs? Braxton-hicks have definitely picked up! Much more often, and tonight I actually had some crampy ones for a while. When I laid down, they faded out, but it made me nervous!! I think this is around when they started for both boys, but it caught me off-guard this time. 

Symptoms: Braxton-hicks. Belly. Heartburn. Pretty worn out. Emotional. 

Belly button in or out? Oh it's very OUT.

Wedding ring on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? Moody.

Name possibilities? We literally haven't made any progress in 9 months. People. It's starting to drive me a little bit crazy. We have a leftover first name for a girl from Owen's pregnancy that we're set on, but no middle name. And no boy names. A couple months ago, I started calling the baby a combo of my two favorite names (that Andrew hasn't agreed to) just so I could feel more connected. Graham calls the baby these names now sometimes too. Haha. Oopsie.

Snuggles with my sweet baby who's about to not be my baby anymore. :(

Looking forward to? My most common phrase these days is, "Who are you, little one?!" I am just dyingggggggg to know if it's a boy or a girl, and what our family is about to look like!!!!!

Thoughts from the Baby Daddy on #3

Andrew wanted to do a funny pic to announce this pregnancy,
but don't be fooled- he is beyond excited!

(Jaye) What's been the best part of this pregnancy?
(Andrew) Not being anxious. The surprise gender- not knowing what to expect, but you know it will be good.

What's been the worst part of this pregnancy?
Jaye's been a little more hormonal/ emotional in this one than the others.

#typical

How has this pregnancy felt different, not knowing the gender?
There's a different kind of excitement that comes with this one. You get to play out lots of scenarios in your head of what it'll be like.

What are some of your favorite memories over the last 9 months?
Telling Graham and Owen that another baby is coming. Watching the boys transition to sharing a room. Seeing Owen point to his belly when we ask him where the baby is. Graham listening for the baby's heartbeat on Jaye's belly. Praying for our next baby with our current babies. 

What's been the most surprising thing about this pregnancy?
How quickly it's gone. I feel like we just found out Jaye was pregnant, and now the baby can come anytime! There's a lot of freedom that comes in not being anxious. I'm just excited.

Andrew reading to babies #1 and #3.

Are you nervous about labor this time?
No. I feel like Jaye knows what to expect, I feel like I kinda know what to expect. I hope I get to be here to see all of it, like for Owen's labor. 
(I started laboring with Owen at night, and it was super fast, so Andrew got to see the whole process. He only was there for the end of Graham's. ;)) 
The anticipation was like opening a present.

What do you think it will be like during the delivery of a surprise gender??
A lot of anticipation and just excitement. There will be no disappointment for a boy or a girl. If it's a girl, there will be tea parties, and that will be fun. If it's another boy, it will be fun to see what he's like, since G and O are so different.

What are you nervous about being a dad of 3 kids?
Losing my hair. General exhaustion that comes with managing a household with that many people in it, as an introvert.

I give them carrots, and they refuse to eat them.
Carrots off Daddy's plate= magical.

What are you most excited about being a dad of 3 kids?
Being proud. I'm excited to be a dad again. it's a blessing, and to get to do it 3 times is amazing. I just think- JOY.

What kind of dad will you be to 3 kids?
A little on the crazy side. Don't you have to be, to have 3 kids? ;)

What has Jaye missed the most during this pregnancy?

Strawberry margaritas. Being able to run.

What has Jaye most needed to hear in this pregnancy?

That she's beautiful and justified in taking a nap at any point in the day.

Is Jaye the stereotypical preggo woman this time around?
No big cravings this time. Jaye has felt more crazy this time around, but I remind her that she's just pregnant.

Has Jaye had any crazy preggo hormone moments this time?

I can't remember them now, but there were moments when I was just wondering- what just happened? And then I remind myself she's pregnant, and this probably won't matter in 12 hours, and it usually didn't.

How did you feel when Jaye told you she was preggo?

We found out together. Just excitement. It's what I'd hoped for. Answered prayer.

How did you feel when you first felt #3 kick?

This is really happening! We will actually be outnumbered. Excitement. Joy.

What baby chores will you help with? 
Diaper changes. Laundry. Just holding a baby--or child who is wanting affection.

What baby chores will you dread?
Tar poop. 

How do you think life will change once we have another baby?
I may start drinking coffee. I understand now why parents do. The effects of drinking coffee becoming exponentially more appealing with each child I have.

What do you think #3 will look like?
Girl- she'll look like Jaye. Boy- he'll look like Graham.

What do you hope little #3 is like in general?
Caring. Loving. Kind. Forgiving. Definitely will need to be forgiving. Strong.

What are you most looking forward to once #3 is born?
Holding a little baby again. I didn't appreciate how quickly that time passes with the first two, but with the third, I know I won't get these opportunities for very long.