Baby Ryleigh Update

Well, today marks 38 weeks and 5 days of being pregnant with Ryleigh Jean (it's 4:50am on Tuesday) and I'm still pregnant. Baby girl is happy and comfy inside my large belly and isn't showing signs of coming just yet. Oh how I wish it were time to meet our sweet baby girl! My comfort level is dropping ever so quickly and my patience is growing a bit thin with waiting. I know, I know, I know that she will come when she is ready and it will be perfect, but oh my goodness, I'm ready to birth this baby girl right now! She's most likely around 7 lbs and 20-21 inches long. I have an appointment with my chiropractor on Wednesday afternoon and with my OB on Monday morning. I would LOVE it if I wasn't able to make it to those appointments because of delivery but oh well, I guess I'll just have to continue the waiting game.

Ryleigh-

Mommy, Daddy, your big sisters and the rest of our family and friends are super ready to meet you. Please come as soon as you are ready! We love you so much already baby girl!!

Love,

Mommy

Current discomforts: cramping in my right leg, hips falling asleep in bed, Braxton Hicks contractions, stuffy nose and sore throat (happened over night), itchy belly and overall just feeling anxious and ready to get this show on the road. I'm a bit nervous about natural unmedicated birth but I REALLY do want to do it. I'm praying that it works out for Andrea, my cousin, to be at the hospital with Chase and I to help coach me through the delivery.

He is Risen! Happy Easter!

On Saturday morning we went up to Bluff Park for the 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt. This year it was held at the playground next to the Shades Cliff pool. We all had a wonderful time visiting with friends! The egg hunt was a huge it with these sweet girls. In the picture next to BR is her little friend, Sawyer, from school. Chase went the high school with Sawyers daddy and her mommy and I are also friends. It was great to visit with them this morning! 

Happy Easter from our sweet little girls! 

On Sunday afternoon, we went out to my Aunt and Uncles house for lunch and to spend time with family. I took it as an opportunity to get a picture of the 4 of us hopefully just a few days before we become a family of 5. My belly look HUGE next to Savannah's head. haha 

Doodlebug was in a mood and didn't want to take this picture so this is as good as it got. It shows her personality pretty well I think.

All these sweet cousins had a great time playing together yesterday. We were so thankful to get to spend time with the Preston boys while they are down from PA for Spring Break. The kids always have such a wonderful time together!!

Our Savior has conquered death so that we may be forgiven and free! Thank you, Lord Jesus!

Happy Easter! 

Baby Bump @ 38 Weeks

How I'm feeling at 38 weeks: Thankfully, I'm feeling pretty good still. I am very ready to have baby Ryleigh in my arms but I'm not totally uncomfortable yet. I'm still sleeping pretty well and my hip pain is much better since I've been going to the chiropractor on a regular basis. I've started having some pain in the bottom of my right foot that I'm assuming is from wearing flip flops recently due to the warmer weather. The pain gets pretty bad at the end of the day but I'm trying to ice it and stretch the muscle as much as I can. I'd love to go on some good walks to help get labor going but I have to hobble and that just looks pitiful. haha!

Baby's Development at 38 weeks:

Pretty much all systems are a go at this point. Ryleigh's lungs are finishing up some development these last few days and then she should be ready to come on into this world. I'm hoping she'll be around 7 pounds when she's born. (Brantley was 7lb 10oz, Savannah was 6lb 10oz) She is growing still because this belly is amazingly large. It still amazes me how much my stomach can stretch to grow these sweet tiny humans!

Doctor's Appointment at 38 weeks: I had my 38 week visit on Wednesday morning. It went well. Ryleigh is still measuring right on track at 38cm and her heartrate was great. She is a total wiggle worm so Dr. S has a really hard time getting a good read on her heart rate. I have dilated just a touch more to 1 1/2cm and I'm still about 50 % effaced. Dr. S said not to worry about those numbers too much. Labor could kick in at any point no matter what I was on Wednesday. My doctor will be out of town for Spring Break next week so I'm going to skip my 39 week appointment in hopes that I'll have Ryleigh next week. But if not, I have an appointment to see her again on Monday, April 4th. I really hope I have Ryleigh by then and don't need to go to that appointment.

Labor Prediction: My guess is that I'll deliver her one day next week. That may be kinda inconvenient for Chase because of work conflicts but if Ryleigh decides she's done cooking around the same time her sisters were delivered, then it puts her at Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. I'd really LOVE to have her this weekend but I don't feel like it's coming in the next day or so. Making it past Easter would be nice but at the same time nothing could be sweeter than having our sweet baby in my arms. The only day I would prefer for her not to come is next Thursday, April Fools Day. Please no! I just don't think that sounds like a fun birth date.

Belly Picture for 38 weeks:

Savannah Claire @ 3 years 10 months

This little girl is a pistol ball! She is smart, sweet and a little bit sour at times. She can not wait to be a big sister and a big helper to mommy and Ryleigh!

Savannah is really enjoying her 3K preschool class right now. I'm so glad she's happy, having fun and learning lots of fun things. She will be attending the 4K program next year at the same school. Savannah has just started showing a lot of interest in writing her name and other names/words this past week and is doing VERY well. I'm super proud of her!

Savannah loves to play with baby dolls, watch Daniel Tiger, play ABCmouse, and cut and glue paper. She's also VERY GOOD at making big messes but not so good at cleaning them up yet. She all of a sudden is too tired or her back hurts. haha (I don't like cleaning up either sweet girl but you just gotta do it!) However, if you give her a bottle of Thieves cleaner and a rag she will gladly scrub the floor and the steps. Silly girl!

Savannah Claire is beautiful, full of personality and we love her so much! I look forward to seeing her become a BIG SISTER soon and see how she transitions into that roll. I truly think she will be a wonderful help.

We love you SO SO much Doodlebug!!

Brantley Rae @ 6 years old

 This beautiful girl of ours turned 6 years old back in January. That is still hard for me to fathom. How has it been 6 years since we brought her into our family?! Whether I can believe it or not, she is 6!

Brantley is in Kindergarten at Green Valley Elementary school and she is loving it. We had started the school year by homeschooling, which we truly did enjoy, but with me being pregnant and have a busy 3 year old at home, it was just a bit too much for me to handle at the moment. Brantley started at GV in January and has been so very happy. Her teacher is one of our friends so I know she's in good hands. Thank you, Mary!!

Brantley is becoming a good reader when she will actually try. She doesn't have much interest in reading on her own yet although she is almost reading on a first grade level at this point. I'm hoping she'll develop a love for reading over the summer.

Brantley still loves to draw, color and write. She is super creative and loves to make pictures for people. She will sometimes make Thank you cards for restaurant workers on the way there to give them. It's so cute! Yesterday she made one on the way to Firehouse Subs and the worker hung it up on their board while we were still eating. Brantley was so happy!! 

Our precious girl keeps getting smarter and more beautiful every day! I'm so proud of her and thankful that the Lord chose us to be her parents. Sometimes the days are hard but the reward is seeing her succeed, learn and grow.

Big Sisters

Brantley and Savannah as so very excited about baby Ryleigh! They look forward to having a new baby sister and talk about her all the time. We pray for her every night at bedtime which I think is just the sweetest thing in the world.
Last weekend it was warm enough for the girls to wear pretty dresses so we took them to the Botanical Gardens to snap some pictures of them at this age before life gets a bit more hectic with little bit in arms. So here they are....

This is such a sweet (and rare) picture of these two together. I pray that they will grow closer in relationship with one another each and every day. They can be and are so sweet to others but to each other they struggle a good bit. Lord, please grow their hearts together so that this is the love between them that is seen most often. Please!

Baby Bump @ 36 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 36 weeks: My hip/back pain has gotten much better since I started going to a new chiropractor a few weeks ago. It's amazing how much easier it is to walk and move around now that my hips are in line. Ryleigh has begun to drop down into my pelvis now that it is aligned so that is a major plus. Until now she has been tilted to the side (transverse).
-I've started doing more and more exercises to get my body ready for delivery and they feel really good. I've gotten them from my chiropractor and The Bradley Method book that I've started reading.
-I've started having more BH contractions. I'll have a few each day but as soon as I sit down, drink some water and rest, they stop.
Baby's Development at 36 weeks:

Ryleigh is the size of a Honeydew melon or a Spaghetti Squash!!

• Baby's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his or her own.
• Baby's skin is getting smooth and soft and the gums are rigid.
• Baby's liver and kidneys are in working order.
• Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go too.

(WhattoExpect.com says that Ryleigh is about 6 lbs and 20inches long. She's getting close to birth size!)

Doctor's Appointment at 36 weeks: Yesterday's appointment went well. Ryleigh is measuring right at 36cm/36 weeks. She was moving so much that Dr. S couldn't get a heartbeat on her but we obviously know she's doing well in there. ha! This was the first week that my cervix was checked for progress. I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced or thinned out. That's right in the middle of where I have been with the big girls at 36 weeks. I'm hoping I'll be a bit more effaced at least by next weeks appointment. Effacement usually happens ahead of dilation. I also had some blood work done that showed I'm slightly anemic, so I've begun taking an iron supplement to prepare me for delivery.

Labor & Delivery: I've chosen to try a natural, unmedicated delivery with Ryleigh. My doctor thinks I'm a great candidate since I've had fairly easy deliveries before and this is my third baby. I've been reading The Bradley Method book to prepare myself. Chase and I will be attending the unmedicated birthing class at Brookwood on March 16th. Hopefully, we both feel much more confident after that.
-My doctor thinks I'll probably deliver a week or so early with Ryleigh like I've done with the girls, so we're preparing for Miss Ryleigh to join our family one day during spring break. I hope!!

Belly Picture for 36 weeks:

Bump Pictures @ 32, 33 and 35 weeks

Baby Bump @ 29 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 29 Weeks: Thankfully, Ryleigh and I are still doing really well. My belly is getting rather large. ha! I forget just how round my belly gets when there's a growing baby inside.
I'm still experiencing some pretty bad SI joint pain. Also, just a few days ago, I started having sharp pains in my groin. I had both during my pregnancy with Savannah so I'm not worried about it, but it is uncomfortable. I think I may be having some Braxton Hicks contractions but then again it could just be gas. Sorry! Anyways, they come in little spurts and aren't anything I'm concerned about at this point.

Baby's Development at 29 weeks:

- This week Ryleigh is about the weight of a butternut or acorn squash.
- She's starting to get a bit cramped in there so her kicks are feeling more like jabs. She is a wiggle bottom like her sisters, for sure!
- Even though she is around 16 inches long, she is still super skinny. From here on out she'll mostly put on the pounds, by at least doubling her weight by birth. Her body will be grow white fat cells to pump her up and give her surges of energy.
- I haven't felt her hiccup yet but I'm sure they're coming.

Doctor's Appointments: Last Thursday I had my 28 weeks doctor visit, which went really well. My blood pressure is still good and my weight gain is on track, even though I feel HUGE! We attempted a 4D ultrasound of Miss Ryleigh but there wasn't enough fluid around her face to get a clear picture. We're going to try again next week when I go back for my 30 week visit. Hopefully, the placenta will have moved up away from her face so that we can get some good pictures of her sweet little face.
I'm now visiting my doctor every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then I will go each week until delivery. AHH!! I can't wait to hold this sweet baby girl in my arms!!

Belly picture for 29 weeks:

Baby Bump @ 28 weeks

How I'm feeling: I'm doing great. Ryleigh Jean is growing like a weed. She weighs as much as an eggplant this week.

My doctor appointment went well this week. Now I start going every two weeks until 36 weeks.

 Belly Picture for 28 weeks:

Baby Bump @ 25 and 26 weeks

How I'm feeling:
I'm doing okay except for my continued back pain from what I'm now calling scatica. I hadn't thought that's what it was but this past week the pain has been radiating down the back of my right leg so I guess it is.
I'm feeling some stress of only having 3 months left before Ryleigh is born to get lots of schooling finished with BR and get Ryleigh's nursery put together. I know it will be okay but I'm needing to refocus on my priorities and make a plan. I'll be taking a Facebook break for the beginning of the year so that will be one less distraction during for me.

Baby's Development at 26 weeks:
- Beginning at 25 weeks Ryleigh would have begun packing on fat to fill in her wrinkly skin. This will help her skin to be less transparent.
- The network of nerves in Ryleigh's ears is better developed and more sensitive now. She may now be able to hear both my voice, as well as, Chase's and the girls'.
- She is beginning to inhaleand exhale small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs.
- Ryleigh is continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about 1 2/3 pounds and measures around 14 inches (about the size of a scallion) from head to heel.
(Information taken from the What to Expect When Expecting website.)

Ryleigh's Movement:
She is definitely a wiggly girl at night when I get in bed or whenever I sit down to treat during the day. I can tell she is getting stronger as her kicks are becoming more powerful. I often wonder about her position because I feel kicks and punches all over my belly. At our 24 week ultrasound her head was on my left side and her feet over on my right. The ultrasound tech said that was a good thing at that point. I'm hoping she had moved head down by our next appointment at 28 weeks.

Let the Christmas Celebrations Begin for 2015

We kicked off our family Christmas get-together yesterday afternoon at Chase's granddads house for lunch. We had a great time visiting with Granddaddy and Janet, as well as, PawPaw and Bebe.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by the lovely GranJan and exchanged gifts. The girls LOVE their new Puppy Surprise pets. We are so thankful that Granddaddy is feeling good and cutting up with us and the girls.

After our visit with the Brantley's we headed back to my parents house for Christmas with my PopPop, Nana and my brother, SIL and niece, Alyssa. Again, we had a great meal and exchanged gifts. We all had a great time talking and playing with new toys.

We goofed and didn't get a family picture of our sweet little family, but I am determined that we will get one before the week is over.

And today, we enjoyed a great message and time of worship this morning at church before heading to my Aunt and Uncle's house for our Harris Family Christmas celebration. My mom's side of the family always has a great time together! We had our fifth annual Christmas play after lunch. Chase and I were Mary and Joseph, Brantley was a shepherd and Savannah was an angel.

After a weekend filled with loving family, I can't help but be filled with joy, thankfulness and love as we move on into the week and continue to celebrate God's great gift of His Son Jesus. Thank you, Lord!! Your gift is too great for words! Merry Christmas!!

Baby Bump @ 24 Weeks

How I'm Feeling at 24 weeks:

• Oh gosh, this is getting real and my belly is getting big and uncomfortable. At just 24 weeks, I shouldn't be this uncomfortable, but alas, I am. 
• My back/hip pain is still there and intense at times. I'm still going to the chiropractor for relief but it honestly doesn't seem to help much at all. 
• I am loving that I can now feel Ryleigh moving more during the day, which means she is growing and getting stronger. Her sisters still haven't felt her kicking but that is mostly because they haven't been patient enough to feel her move. ha! 
• I'm still sleeping pretty well (knock on wood)....but I know that will at some point change as it did with both of the girls in the third trimester.

Movement: As I said above, I can now feel and sometimes see Ryleigh moving around in my belly. It is still the coolest and strangest feeling ever. I love it! During my ultrasound on Thursday we could see her moving her arms and legs around like crazy. 

Baby's Development this week:

This is the 24 week video from the What To Expect When Expecting website. Doctor Appointment: I had my 24 week check up this past Thursday morning. During that appointment I had my follow-up ultrasound, the glucose test and saw my doctor. The ultrasound showed that Ryleigh's ureters are now within normal range and that there is nothing to worry about. She is perfect!! Thank you, Lord for healing her and creating her perfectly!! Ryleigh also cooperated this time and let us get a good profile shot of her tiny face. 

At this point we're thinking she's going to look much like her big sisters. I can't wait!!

What I'm Looking Forward To: Right now I'm looking forward to continuing to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We're already had three wonderful family meals and celebrations. I'll have to post about those next. I'm also looking forward to hopefully having a 4D ultrasound done around my next doctor appointment around 28 weeks. 

Nursery update: We have purchased the crib, car seat, stroller, and were given a Rock 'N Play Sleeper by my parents last night. Slowly we are starting to accumulate all the necessary baby items that we will need for Ryleigh's arrival. Our house situation is up in the air right now so we won't be setting up the nursery for another few months in the hopes of actually moving to the new house before Ryleigh is born. We shall see what the Lord has in store for us. We are prayerful about it and trusting in God's plan and timing in regards to moving.

Bump picture at 24 weeks, 3 days:

Baby Bump @ 21 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 21 Weeks: 

• It's officially hard for me to get up off the couch or out of the bed. I feel like it's a bit early for this but unfortunately, it's the truth. Baby girl is low which makes it hard to bend over or sit comfortably for very long at all. I'm feeling very pregnant these days!
•  My back/hip pain is still bothering me a good bit at times but thankfully, it's not constant. I'm planning to get a chiropractor appointment for this week so I can get some relief. 
• I'm still sleeping pretty well at this point also, which I am so very thankful for!

Movement: I'm feeling Ryleigh move a good bit now, especially when I sit or lay down. Chase hasn't been able to feel her kicking yet but I think that because of the anterior placenta. It's blocking her kicks from being felt.

Gender & Name: It's a GIRL and her name is Ryleigh Jean.

Baby's Development at 21 weeks:

• As her digestive system preps for the outside world, she's manufacturing meconium -- the tarry black substance we'll find in her first dirty diaper.
• She's already got a lifetime supply of eggs in her womb -- about six million of them!
• She's beginning to swallow small amounts of amniotic fluid this week to practice digestion, which means she will be tasting the things I'm eating.

What I'm Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to my next ultrasound at 24 weeks to check on her ureters. We're still praying that they will be normal size by then and that all will be well. I'm also looking forward to beginning to put her nursery together. We've talked about the purchases that need to be made but no definite plans have been made yet.

Nursery Update: I bought Ryleigh's crib bedding today! I bought it off one of the FB trading sites and I LOVE it!!

The boppy and blanket weren't included but I got the other things. We're still planning to buy a white Jenny Lind crib like this one.

Bump picture at 21 weeks:

Baby Bump @ 20 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 20 weeks: I'm still feeling pretty well, thankfully. I do have a new complaint that started this afternoon. There is a spot on the right side of my belly button that hurts pretty bad to the touch. It feels like a bad bruise but there is no discoloration and I haven't bumped into anything. I can't be certain that I haven't been hugged with a little too much force by the big sisters though. Maybe it's just my skin stretching, I don't know.

Baby Movement: I'm definitely feeling Ryleigh move around more and more. I found out today at our 20 week ultrasound that I have an anterior placenta, so Dr. S said that's probably why I'm not feeling her kick all that much. We saw her wiggling around a good bit during the ultrasound this morning, so I know she's on the move.

Gender: Baby is most definitely a GIRL!! The U/S tech confirmed her gender this morning.

Baby's Development: 

This week Ryleigh is the size of a big banana.

This morning at the ultrasound we got to see lots and lots of Ryleigh. She was facing out so we weren't able to get a good profile shot of her this time, but we saw arms, legs, hands, feet and all her sweet little organs. She measured exactly 20 weeks and weighs 11 ounces. Dr. S said she looked nearly perfect. Her heart, brain, mouth and limbs looked great.We are going to keep a watch on her ureters (the tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder). They were a bit swollen today so I'm going to have another ultrasound at 24 weeks to see if there has been any change by then. If they have not improved or have gotten larger, I will then have another ultrasound with a high-risk doctor to take a closer look. We were told that this will not be serious, but that Ryleigh could be more prone to kidney/bladder infections. 

Please join us in praying for improvement at our next ultrasound and 

that God would heal her sweet ureters. Thank you so much!

What I'm Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to feeling her move more and for Chase and the girls to feel her kicking and moving around. I'm also looking forward to beginning to work on putting her nursery together. We probably won't do much until after Christmas, but I'm still excited about seeing my ideas come together.

Doctors Appointment: My next doctors appointment will be at 24 weeks. I will do the sugar test (oh joy!) and have the ultrasound to check Ryleigh's ureters.

**Note: So far I have gained about 12 pounds during this pregnancy and I'm super happy with that. I feel like I've gained more than that but it's all in the baby belly.**

Belly Picture: 

Baby Bump @ 19 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 19 weeks: I'm thankful to report that I'm still feeling pretty good at the halfway mark. I know I'm a week shy of 20 but since I've delivered both big sisters a week or so early I'm considering this my halfway point. ha! I'm still experiencing some pretty intense back/hip pain at times but despite the pain I know that it's worth it because my body is preparing again for delivery. I'm praying that this delivery goes as smoothly as with Brantley and Savannah. 

Baby Movement: I have been feeling her move at times this past week, mostly when I'm laying in bed at night. I know that the kicks and stretches will only get stronger as she continues to grow. Before long she will be jumping around like crazy and keeping me awake at night, I am sure of that. haha

Gender: We're having another beautiful baby GIRL! 

The name Ryleigh is Irish and means "courageous".

The name Jean is after my Mom, Lara Jean. The name also means "God is gracious".

Baby's size and development at 19 weeks pregnant:

At six inches long this week and about a half a pound in weight, Baby Ryleigh has gone through a little growth spurt and is the size of a large mango. Little Miss Ryleigh is able to choreograph matrix-like moves at 19 weeks pregnant. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles and cartilage throughout the body is turning into bone. All these upgrades combine to give her more control over her limb movements. Which explains all that kicking, stretching and bodysurfing (or rather bellysurfing) that I've begun feeling more this past week.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Next Thursday, the 19th, we go the the doctor for our 20 week anatomy ultrasound where they will measure all her organs and check her growth. I'm looking forward to seeing her on ultrasound again and getting confirmation that she is developing just the way she should. We are praying for her development and growth every day. She is already so very loved by all of us. The girls love to give my belly huges and kisses. It's really sweet!!

Doctor's Appointment: Next Thursday, November 19th.

Belly Pic at 19 weeks: 

Baby Bump @ 18 weeks

Here we are at 18 weeks pregnant!! I'm still feeling really great, with the exception of some back/hip pain. Other than that, I'm great!

My goal for today is to take a 19 week picture and do a full update. Staying on top of the blog posts (not to mention many other things) is so much harder the third time around. I'm not beating myself up about it but I do wish there were more hours in the day. Ta ta for now!

Baby #3 Gender Reveal

Last night we had a little gender reveal with the girls and our parents. Since I didn't find out the gender at the ultrasound, our neighbor took the envelope and put the correct color confetti inside before having them blown up. Once our parents arrived we went outside and let the girls each pop a balloon.

These BIG SISTERS are excited to be getting a baby sister in late March/early April.

Let the name game begin!!

Baby Bump @ 16 weeks

How I'm Feeling: I'm still feeling great. The baby and my belly are growing pretty fast. I find that it's getting harder to reach things in front of me when I'm sitting down. Not something I was expecting this soon. ha! I'm also experiencing lots of sharp pain in my hips and lower back due to the widening of my hips. I'll be heading back to the chiropractor next week for another adjustment.

Movement: I still can't be sure that I've felt the baby move but it shouldn't be too much longer. I was feeling Savannah move a lot by 18 weeks.

Gender: I went for our gender ultrasound yesterday morning to find out BOY or GIRL. I had the tech mark a card I had taken with me for boy or girl after she had looked. I wanted us all to find out together yesterday evening so I didn't let her tell me what it was. That was really hard!!

It's a GIRL!!!

I pretty much knew that all along because of the heart rate, how I've felt and pretty much every old wives tale pointed to a girl. Chase and I still had a tiny bit of suspicion that it could have been a boy, but nope, God is blessing us with another beautiful baby girl. We do make pretty girls!

She had her legs crossed during the beginning of the appointment, but with lots of encouragement, jiggling and a trip to the bathroom for me, she finally opened up enough to catch a picture of those parts. Her heart rate was 144bpm yesterday! It was beautiful!!

What I'm Looking Forward To: Feeling baby girl kicking and moving around in my belly. We'll be going back in 4 weeks for our 20 week anatomy ultrasound and visit. We'll get more detail pictures and a second look at her girl parts to ensure that nothing has changed. I'm also looking forward to shopping and planning for this sweet baby girl.

Name: This is going to be harder this time than the other because we really have no idea. The girls and I came up with a name that we like but I haven't shared it with Chase yet and I'm having a hard time coming up with a middle name to go with it. Hopefully, we can decide on something in the next couple of weeks.

Doctor's Appointment: My next appointment will be November 19th when I'm 20 weeks. 

Baby's Size and Development: 

Baby GIRL is the size of an Avocado this week.

- This week she is beginning to hear our voices because the tiny bones in her ears are forming and beginning to work. I think that is super special. "Hey, baby girl!!"

- She is growing hair (yeah right, we have bald babies), eyebrows and eyelashes.

- And she's forming taste buds.

- As I said eariler, her heart rate was 144 bpm yesterday.

Belly Picture at 16 weeks:

Baby Bump #3 @ 14 weeks

How I'm Feeling: I'm feeling great! Nothing to complain about really, and I am so thankful. The baby and my belly are really growing. It's so fun!

Movement: A few times I've felt something that felt like a baby flutter but it only happens once at a time and is VERY faint, so I'm not real sure. I expect to start feeling really kicks in the next few weeks.

Gender: I've pretty much convinced myself that this baby will be another sweet baby girl based on the Ramzi method, the fast heart rate and the fact that I feel almost exactly the same as I did with our big girls. We have an appointment to find out gender on October 22nd (I'll be 16 weeks).  That's only 12 more days! So we're going with GIRL expectations but if they say BOY, we will be totally shocked and oober excited!!

What I'm Looking Forward To: I'm ready to know gender so that we can actually start planning the nursery and purchasing a few things here and there. We're having to purchase all of our baby gear again, because we've sold everything we used with the girls. (oops!) We have a crib mattress and some girl clothes...that's it. I'm also looking forward to revealing the gender to the girls (and our parents) after our appointment on the 22nd. They aren't going to the ultrasound with us so I think we'll just do something cute to reveal it to them and our parents. I've got to figure that part out between now and then.

Doctor's Appointment: I go back for my 15 week visit this Thursday afternoon. I'm praying that my weight gain isn't too much. I don't feel like I've gained much at all since my 10 week visit but I'm sure I have.

Baby's Development at 14 weeks:

Our baby is the size of a LEMON this week!

• *What to Expect When Expecting says that the baby is possibly right at 4 inches long already. So I guess it's somewhere in between 3.4-4.0 inches.*
• He's probably sucking his thumb and wiggling his toes in there!
• His kidneys are making urine, and his liver and spleen are doing their jobs too!
• And he's growing lanugo, a thin, peach-fuzz-like hair all over his body -- it will keep him warm until closer to delivery when the lanugo will begin to sluff off.
• Note: The HE wording is just the way I copied it from TheBump, we do not know gender at this point.
• I've been listening to the baby's heart rate every couple of days and it's still in the 150's.

Belly Picture at 14 weeks: