Let the Countdown Begin

This past week another great milestone was I hit 30 weeks pregnant.  YAY!  I can start counting down now.  Counting down is so much better the end is nearing, the end is still the end of July.  I am going to be miserable in July and probably grumpy in June.  I have so so much packed into the rest of May it will fly in a blink.  Good and bad because every second that happily passes quickly till I have a new baby is another second gone of my other babies lives.  I do so much wish time would stop and I could have more of it with my precious children, even if that meat pausing pregnancy.

For now lets focus on 30 weeks!



The whole pregnancy has gone pretty quick.  I am feeling well.  Good days, bad days, today a sunburn day.  I am busy as ever and baby is okay with it.  I have heartburn all the time.  A soda with me always, it helps.  But has also helped me put on a lot of weight.  I am at 167 pounds, OVER what I delivered at last time and still 10 weeks to go.  Good thing my gym has babysitting.



Many things are harder.  I can barley lift my little 25 pound princess.  The babies do not fit on my lap.  I am generally uncomfortable and am very tired of climbing swing sets and bleachers to retrieve kids.  I don't have any specific craving but I am hungry all the time.  Baby moves constantly, I love it and it reassuring.  Evan thinks its funny and often touches my belly.  Smiley and Faith have no idea that a baby is coming.  They are to young to understand so I don't even try.  The older boys are excited by more focused on themselves and what they have going on.  However they do get disappointed that I do not take the on bike rides anymore.  I will try my best to fit one in this week.  Last time I did was at t he beginning of the month and I drove in the car with the windows down behind them.  Does that even count?

I have bought almost nothing for this child.  I have a lot of baby items all ready and should look at what I need clothes wise since Faith was born in March and this one will be in July.  But having done this 4 other times I no how truly little you do need.  I bought 1 pack of diapers.  Ha!  I know I will be making a trip to Sam's club soon.  And I would love a side by side pink jogging stroller.

Doctors appointments are every two weeks but I always call and cancel.  I find an excuse and push them three weeks apart.  Baby is doing good heartbeat stays in the 140's and I have other things to do.  If something were amiss I would call them.

Overall and thanks to God it is good.  Let's keep counting down.

Diaper Wreath

For our new little girl some friends decided to surprise me with a sweet wreath.  You have seen diaper cakes, now diaper trikes but have you seen diaper wreaths?



It is a bunch of diapers wrapped around wire I imagine?  I don't really now I can't bring myself to open it.  Little patriotic clothes folded and tied to the diapers with red white and blue ribbon.  A big bow attached and glittery stars all around.  The best still itty bitty tiny patriotic sandals.

When they made this for me they new the baby was going to be  July baby.  But it was when we still did not know if it baby was a boy or girl.  It is good she turned out to be a girl because they had faith and got girl clothes!

I love it.  It looks so good and is something too cute I will have to replicate.

How is the baby doing?

I get this all the time.  Then usually followed by another comment:

• wow your brave
• better you than me
• are you having more
• this IS your last isn't it
• did you move
• you know how this happens right

There are the few who have been nice and truly happy for us but it is not the majority.  The comments and remarks people say to me, about me have been hard and hurtful.  My kids and family are excited.  They are very much looking forward to another sister AND hoping to still add another in the future.  The boys want a sister for each brother, I feel so lucky that we are being blessed with two girls.  Through all this I have felt more guarded of this pregnancy than any other so few picture I have took and only one update.  But as I enter my third trimester this week I felt an update was do.

I will be 28 weeks on Wednesday entering my third trimester!  But I consider it the end when I can start counting down not up.  So for me 30 weeks is final stretch.  Personally I believe that I am further along but ultrasound after ultrasound confirms that I am due July 25.  We will see.  I have had more ultrasounds with this one than any other, that has been so nice.  They also say this is the biggest baby I have carried.  By the looks of it she will be over 10 if they let me go to my due date which they assure me they wont.  By that time I will be ever so thankful.  Truthfully I will probably be such a pain in their side at the end they will take her early just to be done with me.

I have been busy.  I don't always have time to stop and think about being pregnant.  But when I do it is because I am uncomfortable, in pain, or having such sever heartburn ahh.  The more you have the more it hurts and the harder it gets.  There are still wonderful moments when I can feel her move in my belly.  That is always what I miss most about being pregnant.  That and eating what I want.

Speaking of eating I am huge.  I am weighing now what I delivered my last one at.  I would like to think the weight gain will slow down but I still have a good bit left and I am always hungry.  Since I joyfully became pregnant when my baby was only 7 months old I also started with some extra baby weight.  I am not to worried I am sure I will lose the weight just a bit slower.

I am very excited.  The addition of another little girl sounds wonderful.  I worry about Faith and her not being the baby.  She is so very close to my heart.  But I have worried about this with all of them how the others will feel and the changing dynamics.  Each time it has worked out wonderful as it will this time.  Every baby makes are family happier I could not nor would not want life with out any of them.  Five may be a lot but it certainly is not to many and most definitely not unwanted.

We are planning on this being the last.  But never say never.  I just love babies.  And I love the kids my babies have grown into.  They are amazing.  Such blessings!

I have a few ultrasounds and a few picture to let you enjoy.

So itty bitty.

I can't believe in just two weeks she grew to a little girl just swimming around.

Ah look she is sucking her thumb!  Just like my Smiley!!

Freaky?  Yup.  The boys loved this one.  Looks like she will love Halloween.  What should I dress them up as this year?

A little more normal from the side.  A sweet profile and her spine.  I am looking forward to meeting her!

Hello little baby I love you so much, we all do.  We few more months to go believe it or not.  I never understand how you babies fit.  I am always amazed how big I get.  But you are a miracle and that is part  of it.

Fastnaucht Day

Happy Fastnaucht Day!  To all my friends living in Dutch country and everywhere else.  What is Fastnaucht Day?  Don't worry if you never heard of it.  It is common out here but I never heard of it till I moved to Pennsylvania either.  Once I found out about it I thought how could I have gone over 20 years without it.

Lets go to wiki to explain it...

A Fasnacht, sometimes spelled Fastnacht or Faschnacht or Fosnot or Fosnaught, is a fatty doughnut treat served traditionally on Fastnacht Day (Shrove Tuesday), the day before Lent starts. Fasnachts were made as a way to empty the pantry of lard, sugar, fat, and butter, which were traditionally fasted from during Lent.^[1][2][3]

Basel, Switzerland conducts an annual fasnacht festival. The Pennsylvania Dutch territory surrounding Lancaster, Pennsylvania, celebrates the custom as well. Most chain supermarkets in the eastern Pennsylvania offer fasnachts, although WalMart offersPączki instead. The pączki is traditionally eaten in Poland on the Thursday prior to Fasnacht Day, although in Polish communities of the US, the tradition is more commonly celebrated on Fasnacht Day. Commonly pączki are round, rather than having straight sides, and they are filled with jelly, or sometimes creme filling.^[1][2][3]

In parts of Maryland, the treats are called Kinklings, and are only sold in bakeries on Shrove Tuesday. The German version is made from a yeast dough, deep fried, and coated or dusted in sugar or cinnamon sugar; they may be plain or filled with fruit jam. Pennsylvania Dutch fasnachts can often be potato doughnuts, and may be uncoated, powdered with table sugar, or dusted with confectioner's sugar.^[1][2] [3]

The term is synonymous with the Carnival season Fasnacht in southern Germany, Switzerland, Alsace and Austria. Although usually written "Fastnacht", there are many local spoken varieties: Fasnacht, Fassenacht, Fasnet etc.^[1][2][3]

The German word Fastnacht translates as Carnival in English.

That sums it up pretty good.  Some of you also celebrate fat Tuesday.  And today will make you fat.  Everywhere you turn around there are fastnauchts.  People hand them out to neighbors, friends, co workers you can't avoid these delicious treats.  I stopped at the market on my way home and picked up a dozen for my family.

First thing my boys yelled as they got home "Happy Fat Tuesday mom do you have any..." they were cut off mid sentence once they saw the yummy treats on the table.  They dove right in.  I got half powder sugar, and half table sugar.  Everyone like different ones and I had one of each.

Ah they were delicious.  And oh so fattening.  Each fastnaucht is around 500 calories.  WOW.  Even though I am pregnant that is a lot of extra calories.  So we headed to the gym.  Picture are never flattering when hold a doughnut.

I love to run so I though I would run it off.  

Well I ran and ran.  I ran 4 miles.  I did not run off the 1000 extra calories I had just inhaled but any is better than none.  

And did you see what those fastnauchts did to me?  All the sudden they made my belly big.  My bump is now here.  My bump might just be fastnauchts.  We will see in a day or two.

Well after gorging and running it time for rest.  Happy Fastnaucht Day!

Gender Reveal

So today I found out what baby will be.  I was not planning on finding out till baby was born but sometimes things don't work out as planned.  I found out with all the others so this time I wanted that surprise but questioned if I would be able to wait.  Plus I wanted a baby girl and if it was not another princess I did not want to be upset.  Don't get me wrong I would love a little boy too.  I have the 3 best ones in the world all ready and a partner closer in age for Smiley was a nice hope.  But I wanted a sister for Faith.  That way each sibling would have at least a brother and a sister.  Plus I gotta admit I love the bows and dresses.

I have seen more ultrasounds with this baby than any other.  A blessing.  But many times I have to go to ultrasounds because they can't find the heartbeat.  Today was the same situation.  As a matter of fact I have never heard the heartbeat of this one I have seen it many times but never heard it.  It was counted for me once very early at 180 something.  Which was normal for the week.  On the high side but normal.  Today after a few cups of morning coffee they again could not the heartbeat.  So ultrasound it is.

Baby was fine just moving all over the place.  We saw the position of baby and the it moved completely, flipped around.  We were watching baby with ultrasound and saw the heartbeat so tried to catch it with the doppler.  She sorta did it was jumping up and down as baby kept moving.  The range was 144-166.  But we could never hold it long enough to hear it or get a god reading.

The doctor slipped sounds like a...

Ugh I did not really want to know.  But she said what I though anyways.  The baby flipped around again and the bottom with legs open was front on screen.  Doctor knew what it was.  I had a hard time.  I think I saw the right parts.  But the doctor smiled.  She knew.  I know what she knows too.

I love the big gender reveal parties.  However I do not have time for one right now.  We are heading into March Madness our birthday season.  So I am trying to plan many parties and quickly running out of time as it is.  But I though I would have a quick blog land one with you.

So what do you think it is?????

The facts:
I have 3 boys number 1, 2 and 3.  Number 4 was a girl.  This is number 5.
My husband has 2 brothers.  I have 1 but people say it is the fathers that count.
The heart beat under 10 weeks was in the 180's.
At 18 weeks it is jumping from 144 to 166
I look bigger all over.  But no bump.  Never lost the weight from last time either.
I was 32 when I conceived in October and will be 33 when I deliver in July.
Gender charts were NOT always right before.
And I saw this new prediction method it makes me laugh but you go by the last babies hairline and Faiths is straight.

Okay this one cracked me up.

Source: doobybrain.com via Karen on Pinterest

I wish this cake was really here so I could eat it.  I wish you were it so I could share it with you.

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Will it be pink or blue?

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Take a quick peek.

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Lets have a slice of PINK!  Because it is so sweet.

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Yes!  It is another GIRL!!

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Source: pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com via Karen on Pinterest

Faith will have a sister!  Everyone will have a brother and a sister.  I love these.  Trust me I have been running through the cuteist sister outfits.

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

I got my wish and I am happy.

Source: etsy.com via Karen on Pinterest

Now to think of names?

1 week postpartum

I feel very good. I can touch my toes I can sit down and get up. I can twist or curl up on the couch. I am not at the I miss being pregnant stage yet. Maybe because I still look pregnant. About in my 4th month.





With the first baby I had I brought my normal clothes to the hospital to wear home. Bahaahaa. Well it wasn't funny then I cried when they would not fit. I really thought that you can fit right back into your old stuff as soon after you have a baby.

This time I brought my jogging pants and a bigger Lilly shirt. There is still no sense in not having style. I am not in the dark on the weight you still carry around or the fact that I will look early pregnant for a little while. I look at it in two ways
1. I am healthy and feel good with a new baby and that is what is important not my size
2. It can be fun to lose the weight. I do love getting back to the gym, back to running. None of which I have done yet or will for another month or so. I have a lot of stitches and just can't. But I enjoy the weight falling off and being able to get rid of the bigger clothes.

My drawl back is I have not told the sweets part of my mind we are not eating for an army anymore.

Time to dust off my wii fit, find my workout dvd's, and treat my self to a pair of those shape up sneakers. I can't wait for the weather to get warm to throw the babies in the stroller and walk. Believe it or not it SNOWED yesterday! The end of March and it was so cold and snowing.

Does anyone else out there have great weight loss tips?

The pictures I was taking of my 1 week postpartum were self timer pictures. Smiley was so happy to keep saying cheese and would run to push the timer button over and over. I had a great time with taking them with him. This kid has my heart.

An extended stay

We both thought we would be in and out of the hospital in no time, under 24 hours like we were for the last two births. But that was not the case. We stayed 3 days. No that is still not a long time but that also means we were away from our boys for four days now. That is hard to do and we have never been away from Smiley before.

Things were not going bad at the hospital. I was fine in some pain but that's to be expected. Faith was not eating much and dropping weight. This was a little worrying but if you have ever tasted baby food you could understand. Every baby drops a little weight after birth and Faith dropped to 8lb 1oz. So we keep trying to feed her.



She never really got it at the hospital but is a little eater now and up to 8lb 3 oz.

Since we were there the hospital not only fed Faith but us as well. Aside from all the "wonderful" hospital meals and all the fast food runs I had Jay going on to make up for them, they did make us both one special meal.



It was about the same as the rest honestly but it had some wonderful cheesecake!



I ate his and mine. Oh well I don't have to lose the baby weight yet.

Throughout the days visitors stopped by. They brought flowers and balloons all in pink.



But mostly we just got to know our little girl.





We looked in her eyes we smiled when she was comforted by our voice. We held her constantly. I worried. We were gave the green light to go earlier. The morning of the second day. But something in me did not want to go. I wanted to stay and for more than there delicious food. Something in me was feeling a sense of not right and a need to stay. So we stayed. It turned out to be nothing. Like I said Faith was doing good. I got stronger and felt better. I still don't know why I had such a hesitant feeling but I listened to it. No harm done that I did and you never know what we avoided by doing so.

It's a girl!

It really is! I wanted them to double check first thing when I had her. I wanted to be sure. After 3 boys and a family history of boys on Jay's side, how could I not have that underlining disbelief. But Yes sure enough IT IS A GIRL! I have a daughter! My daughter, it still does not roll off the tongue with ease but is so great to say.

Announcing our sweet perfect gift from above:

FAITH HUSE CLIFTON



She did not come early she did not come on her own but she is here and she is healthy. She did come on March 22, a little over 39 weeks.

She was a scheduled induction. I have had 3 of my 4 kids induced, 2 by choice and the first by necessity. It is not the route I like to go. I wish they would all come on there own early. Even though it has been done 3 times I do have my reservation about it. Talk about a sleepless night before. We woke up early and arrived to the hospital by 7 we even parked my to small car in the right parking spot.



Do you see that sign? In front of my 5 passenger 500 that tightly holds 3 kids in car seats and now I have 4 in car seats.



The sign however was proved to be a lier. It was not a 10 minute delivery. It was my longest. I was in labor for over 6 hours. The beginning was bad. Contractions were coming and were becoming painful.



Those were not the big ones but as long as I could hold out to get an epidural. Anyone induced knows it has to be one of the most painful things in life. I wanted to have this baby I wanted it over so I tried to delay the epidural which delays the baby, sometimes. But it was painful and I chose comfort. Unlike my last birth with two failed epidural attempts resulting in a spinal this one worked the first time and was not that bad. I was hooked up to every monitor like something out of a science fiction story.



Jay spent the entire time on his phone.



He tweeted away the entire day. Normally I would not appreciate this but it made him happy, it kept him busy, it kept him from driving me nuts. He posted constantly notes and pictures about how the labor was coming along. I am surprised how many people were following it. It was great for our far away friends and family.

At one point we thought she never was gonna come. My contractions, according to the moniter, got smaller and further apart. Looks like they will have to turn that poticion up again. Jay figured this would be a good time to go get lunch. Shortly after he left the doctor came in to check. She looked down and said where is he? I told her he left and his number is by the phone. Yes I do not know my husbands cell number. We have new phones new numbers and have not learned them yet. So he wrote it down for me. She called and said get back baby is coming.

Yeah! I said I am at 10? She said you are at 10+ the head is coming out. So much for the monitor. He raced back he ran in grabbed my leg and 1 push baby was here.



I am not so sure she is happy about this.

She was perfect, purple but perfect. 10 finger 10 toes and a vagina. Yes it is a girl! A big girl. She weighed in at 8 pounds 6 ounces. Not the 7.5 they thought she would be.



Either way I will gladly take her. But after they clean her up.





I think part of them taking the baby to almost out of sight then is to distract you from all the clean up and pushing on your belly the rest of the L&D team is doing. Ouch.



Whew. Glad its over. But I still look like they left a baby in me.

Oh my goodness she is here.



She is so tiny. Even at 21 and a half inches.



We spend so much time just looking at her. Falling in love.



it is just so easy when she is so cute.





She has the prettiest eyes deep blue. I am entranced when I stare in to them. They are little latches on to your heart.



She has a chubby body that is so kissable!





And these little tiny hands. Smaller than a silver dollar.





She is just amazing. There is such an overwhelming joy that she brings to us. Such a sense of protection. I want to hold her always and keep her happy, safe. I understand the fear of guys coming to her now of her heart being broken. I want to shield this perfect angel and that all is so far off.



I want to play with her and teach her. Dress her and make things for her. I have a daughter now and everything that comes with it.



I am happy. I am praying thanks for her, she is such a blessing. Undeniably a gift from above and forever ours.