Mae is 3 weeks old!

The weeks are flying by already (even though some days seem to drag by!). Mae is 3 weeks old today!

She weighed 10lb 3oz and was 22 inches long at her check up last week (17 days old). Both of those are in the 92nd percentile. She's right at the same size Arabelle and Bo were at the same age!

She is nursing well, every 2.5-3 hours during the day and 3-4 hours at night, and sleeping pretty well too!

Napping in the carrier while Arabelle and Bo play outside:

Mae went to church for the first time on Sunday morning, 6/2. She wore an outfit that was mine as a baby and Arabelle wore one of my dresses. :)

She has been awake for longer periods during the day this week, so she's gotten a little playtime on the floor. Arabelle and Bo had more fun though, I think.

40 week update

Well, the due date of May 12th has come and gone and the baby is still baking! I was prepared to go overdue this time though, so it's a little easier, mentally at least. ;)

• How far along: 40 weeks 2 days
• Size of the baby: Um, huge?? Arabelle was 9lb 7oz and Bo was 9lb 10oz. I'm fully expecting another 9 pound baby. I didn't have an u/s today.....considering how inaccurate they can be at the end anyway, that's fine with me. 
• Latest Dr. Appt: The baby looked great on the monitor again today! Lots of movement and variation in the heart rate. I was 2cm and 70% effaced (last week was 1.5 and 70%, so not much progress) and the baby was still nice and high. 
• Weight Gain: 28 pounds! 
• Gender: Still a surprise! Hopefully we'll find out this week!
• Sleep: Sleep has been more difficult lately. I can fall asleep fast, but wake up a lot to roll over, which should be an Olympic sport at this point. I'm usually awake for the day by 6. I guess it's training for life with a newborn.
• Signs of Labor: Still nothing. Absolutely NOTHING! No contractions, low back pain, etc. At this point, I'm read for the pain!
• What's next: Ideally, labor will start on it's own in a few days. If not, I'll go back to the Dr. next Wednesday morning, the 22nd (41 weeks 3 days) and we'll make some decisions from there. My body knows what to do, it's just not time yet! 
• I'm thinking of making a list of things NOT to say to any pregnant woman and include those things not to say to an overdue lady. ;)

38 week update (a little late!)

It's MAY! I can't believe it! It seems like it's been so long since we discovered our little surprise and at the same time, it's flown by.

• How far along: 38 weeks 4 days
• Size of the baby: Yesterday, the baby measured 7lb 13oz in the ultrasound, which is the 70th percentile. He/she gained 11 oz in 2 weeks with 2 weeks to go. We've still got a chance to stay under 9 lbs! 
• Latest Dr. appt: Obviously the baby is growing well! The NST strip looked good. The baby was moving a lot and the heart rate varied from the 130s to 160s, depending on movement. I'll start getting checked next week at 39 weeks. 
• Weight gain: Shockingly, I'd dropped back down a pound, so I'm at 26 lbs.
• Gender: Still a surprise!!! I'm SO excited for that moment when we get to SEE if it's a boy or girl! Arabelle is really excited to find out too. She says she wants to tell everyone, so if the baby comes during the day, be prepared for us to let Arabelle & Bo in the room FIRST and to let them tell the rest of the family. :)
• Movement: Still a lot and OUCH!
• Sleep: Depends on the night. I usually sleep like a rock, besides getting up to use the bathroom, until early morning (5am?), then I doze off and on a lot. Sometimes I give up and just get up before the sun. Training for sleep with a newborn, I guess!
• Signs of labor: Nothing.at.all. Before I had Arabelle and Bo, I had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions  (non painful "practice" contractions) and low back pain in the days-week before they were born, so I'm thinking nothing will be happening in the next several days. I actually still feel really good...just a few sharp pains at times from sciatica, but going to the chiropractor every 1-2 weeks has helped tremendously!
• What's next: NST and Dr. appt on Monday. I'm trying to enjoy every last moment of being a family of 4 before we make the big transition to a family of 5!

37 Week Update

It's nearly baby time! Baby Roberts is now considered full term!

• How far along: 37 weeks 4 days
• Size of baby: The baby measured 7lb 2oz yesterday on the ultrasound! Fortunately, the head size was in the 60th percentile this time, instead of the 80th. ;)
• Latest Dr. Appt: The baby looked great again today! His/her heart rate was nice and variable on the non-stress test and is obviously growing well. Babies tend to gain half a pound/week the last several weeks.
• Weight Gain: 27 lbs. Still gaining a pound/week. I've added 12 inches to my waist in these last 37 weeks!
• Gender: still a surprise!!
• Movement: Definitely a lot of painful movements. It's still so strange when I feel his/her foot sticking out the side.
• Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well. It's obviously difficult to roll over in the bed and I'm achy feeling by morning, but I'm enjoying all the sleep before this baby comes and interrupts it. ;)
• Signs of Labor: Nothing yet....
• What's next: seeing the Dr. and continuing the non-stress tests weekly. I'll let him start checking me at 39 weeks (they offer to start at 37!) for progress.

37 weeks and 3 (or more) to go!

35 week update

I can't believe it's down to the last 5 weeks!

• How far along: 35 weeks 3 days
• Size of baby: On the ultrasound today, the baby measured 6lb 3oz (64th percentile). His/her head was in the 80th percentile....how fun. That should mean an 8.5 lb baby around the due date. 
• Latest Dr. appt: I've been going weekly for non-stress tests--NST-- (sitting in a cozy recliner while the baby's heart rate is monitored) and it has been fine each time (looking for variation in heart rate to match movement). The baby looked GREAT on the ultrasound today....lots of movement, practicing breathing movements, hands in the mouth, wiggling feet, and I even saw hair on his/her head! BP was 115/75.
• Total weight gain: 25 lbs. Surprisingly, I only gained a pound in the last 3 weeks.
• Gender: still a surprise!
• Movement: The kicks are really uncomfortable at times, especially in the evenings and it looks like there's an alien in there from the outside. Every now and then, I'll feel a foot or hand stick out the side. If I push it back in, he/she pushes it right back out. :)
• Sleep: I'm starting to wake up more to go to the bathroom, but usually go right back to sleep easily. I am generally uncomfortable in the bed by 6:30, so I just get up. I'm so fortunate to still be able to get about 8 hours at night!
• Cravings: Nothing in particular. After my last Dr. appt at 32 weeks, they called to tell me that I was anemic, so I've been trying to eat more red meat. I still can't handle the thought of a steak, but I've eaten a few hamburgers. I started taking iron supplements and feel a lot better!
• Symptoms: Just feeling BIG! Still going to the chiropractor regularly, but having some sharp sciatica pains every now and then. Nothing too terrible though.
• What's next: Continued NSTs each week and I'll see the Dr. again in 2 weeks, at 37 weeks. 

He got a great shot of the baby's face today!

The big 35 week belly. I'm not so sure this will be a 'smaller' baby because of the 2 vessel cord. ;)

32 week update

Just 8 more weeks to go!

• How far along: 32 weeks 4 days
• Size of baby: The baby's weight was an estimated 4lb 8oz on u/s today! That's the 47th percentile, so he/she is hanging in there size wise, considering the single umbilical artery issue. 
• Latest Dr. Appt: I had a non-stress test (NST) today, which is basically sitting in a cozy recliner with the heart rate monitor on the baby. It should show a variation in the baby's heart rate, which occurs when the baby moves, etc. The baby was really active at that time and the heart rate looked great! 
• Total weight gain: 24 lbs so far....just a pound away from my max weight with Arabelle and Bo...ouch!
• Gender: still a surprise! I make sure to remind Dr. G before each u/s that it's a surprise. 
• Movement: TONS of movement! It's starting to get painful at times, especially in the evenings and at night. Sometimes it feels like a foot or knee is coming out the right side...so weird!
• Sleep: Still sleeping well. Waking once to go to the bathroom. I have to turn a lot to get comfortable after that, but I know it'll get worse!
• Cravings: Nothing really...I'm liking salads a lot lately, probably to make up for the aversions to vegetables early on. 
• Symptoms: I've been going to the chiropractor every few weeks, which has helped a lot. I'll have a bit of sciatica every now and then, but not much pain at all! 
• What's next: NST every week and the next u/s at 35 weeks

32 weeks at Disney World this week!

28 week update

28 weeks! It's officially the 3rd trimester!

• How far along: 28 weeks 3 days
• Size of baby: I had an u/s today and the baby's estimated weight was 2 lb and 14 oz! That's the 53rd percentile. Since the umbilical cord has just one artery instead of two, the baby is expected to be 'smaller'. I asked Dr. G to look back and see what Bo was measuring at his ultrasounds. I didn't have one at this point with Bo, but at 20 weeks, he was in the 50th percentile and at 35 weeks he was in the 75th percentile. So, this baby may not be so 'small' after all!
• Total weight gain: 19 lbs so far. I did start 5 lbs under my 'normal' weight thanks to the half marathon training, so maybe that's why I'm going to gain a bit more? Still on track to gain about 30 pounds (been going 1lb/week for a while now).
• Gender: Still a surprise! 
• Movement: The baby moves a ton now! I had the glucose test today. About 5 minutes after drinking the sugary beverage, the baby started going nuts! I guess he/she likes sugar. :)
• Sleep: Still sleeping okay. I'm generally so tired by the end of the day that I crash quickly and sleep pretty hard. By morning, I'm ready to get up by 7 because I can't handle laying in bed a long time. 
• Cravings: It's kind of disappointing, but I'm not craving anything! I still don't like steak or hamburgers, thanks to the 1st trimester aversions. I tried some of Jared's steak last week...yuck!
• Symptoms: Having a little bit of sciatica now and then, so I started going to the chiropractor a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping that going on a regular basis will keep things feeling okay. 
• What's next: I get one more 4 week break between Dr. appointments, then I'll be there every week until the end. Next appt (32 weeks) starts the weekly non-stress tests and every 2 week ultrasounds to monitor the baby's growth.

There is no longer any doubt about there being a baby in there!

28 weeks

I did share this on Facebook a few weeks ago, comparing the 'bump' with Arabelle and Bo to this one. Most people replied guessing a girl this time!

25-26 week comparisons

So, what's your guess???

24 week update

Pregnancy Highlights:

• How far along: 24 weeks 5 days 
• Size of baby: Just over a pound and the length of an ear of corn!
• Total weight gain: 14 lbs! I gained 4 lbs in the last 4 weeks, so right on track with the 1lb/week. I gained 20 lbs with Arabelle and Bo, but it looks like I'll get close to 30 with this one. 
• Gender: It's a surprise!
• Movement: Definitely a lot of movement when I get still. No painful movements yet, but it's coming, I'm sure!
• Sleep: I'm still waiting on that energy burst that "they" say comes in the 2nd trimester. I usually get 8-9 hours at night and could handle a couple more.
• Cravings: I've been wanting Haitian food lately. The real authentic stuff we had this past summer. I've got the chicken thawing out to marinate it over night tonight and I'm making Haitian Chicken for supper tomorrow. ;)
• Symptoms: No more nausea!!! My back has started hurting some, if I'm not resting much during the day. I'll probably start going to the chiropractor in the next month, hoping to avoid the horrible sciatica I had with Bo!
• Best moment of the week: I really like it when I'm cuddling Bo before bed and the baby starts wiggling a lot. 

We just listened to the heartbeat today at the Dr. appt. Next month, at 28 weeks, I'll have the standard 1 hour glucose test and start the every 4 week ultrasounds. 

I'm not really concerned about the baby's growth at this point because I can tell I'm growing a lot!

22 Weeks and Single Umbilical Artery Update

I'm a few days behind on this update because I was waiting until after my Dr. appt today. :)

Pregnancy Highlights:

• How far along: 22 weeks 3 days
• Size of baby: about 11 inches and nearly a pound!
• Total weight gain: 10 lbs.
• Gender: Still a surprise! I'm definitely feeling girl for some reason.....
• Movement: Lots of action going on in there! I don't feel a whole lot while I'm up and about, but if I sit down, the baby does a lot of wiggling around. 
• Sleep: Still dragging myself out of bed in the mornings. I keep waiting for that burst of energy....
• Cravings: Nothing really.....
• Symptoms: Still nauseated off and on, but manageable. 
• Best moment of the week: Arabelle felt the baby move a few days ago and she thought it was "super neat!". :)

At 20 weeks, Dr. G found a single umbilical artery on the ultrasound and referred me to a Maternal Fetal Specialist in Macon, Dr. Woodham. I saw her today and had a level 2 ultrasound to check the rest of the baby a bit closer and to get her opinion.

Here's the full body shot (you can click it to make it larger):

And I didn't realize until we got home, but the picture also shows a cross section of the umbilical cord and you can see the 2 vessels (1 artery and 1 vein)...pretty neat!

Everything else looked fine with the baby. I sure wish she would have told me it was normal for her to spend 15 minutes checking the heart because I was starting to worry (an u/s tech did the u/s, then I saw the Dr. for results)! Dr. Woodham just recommends having growth scans every 4 weeks to make sure the baby is still growing well and I can have those done at Dr. G's office in Douglas. As long as the baby continues to grow well and doesn't drop below the 10th percentile, there's no reason to induce labor early. 

Today I was 22 weeks and 3 days and all the measurements read between 22 weeks and 2 days and 22 weeks and 5 days, so right on track! 

As you can see, the baby is growing just fine and so am I! :)

20 Weeks: Half Way!

I can't believe it, but we're half way to meeting this sweet baby!

*I never know what to call the baby, since we're not finding out the gender, so to avoid calling the baby "it", I'm going to refer to him/her as Baby C (since Arabelle and Bo are A & B....not saying the name will start with a "C"...you know we haven't even discussed it!)

I had my 20 week ultrasound today and got lots of cute shots of the baby's profile. Baby C had their hands up near the face the whole time.

Pregnancy Highlights:

• How far along: 20 weeks 4 days
• Size of baby: About the size of a banana, 10 inches from it's head to heel. On the ultrasound, Baby C weighed an estimated 13 ounces (40th percentile)!
• Total Weight Gain: 7 lbs since my last appt....YES, 7 lbs in a month! I guess I really DID enjoy the Christmas season to the full extent. ;) 9 lbs total. Not too bad for half way, but more than ever for me. 
• Maternity Clothes: Definitely for pants. I've got several shirts that still work and have been wearing Lindsey's size Small maternity shirts. I'm sure I'll grow into my Mediums soon! 
• Gender: We didn't look when he did the measurements on the lower half (bladder, femur, umbilical cord, etc.), so we really don't know!
• Movement: Definitely feeling lots of kicks and jabs now throughout the day. I can see and feel the baby move from the outside now too. This is my favorite part!
• Sleep: I am still exhausted by the end of the day and want/need my 8 hours at night. 
• What I miss: Having a lot of energy, running
• Cravings: No cravings really...still can't stand the thought of a hamburger or steak right now. 
• Symptoms: I still feel nauseated most of the day, but it eases a bit right after a meal. Obviously the growing belly and baby kicks!
• Best moment of the week: seeing the baby on ultrasound today!

The ultrasound did show one issue, a single umbilical artery (SUA). Normally there are two arteries (delivering nutrients to the baby) and one vein. In 1% of pregnancies, the umbilical cord just has 2 vessels, 1 artery and 1 vein. SUA can be a marker for other problems (chromosomal and congenital malformations), but everything else on the ultrasound looked fine and my blood work for chromosomal disorders was normal, so there's no reason to think there's any other issues. The only thing is the risk of the baby not getting enough nutrients and growth slowing later on in the pregnancy, so there will be some extra monitoring as I go along. I'll go in a couple of weeks for a level 2 ultrasound in Macon just to get a more in-depth look at everything. This may mean I'll have a 7 lb baby instead of a 9.5 lb chunkster! ;)

In the mean time, we're just praying that everything is fine and trusting in God's plan. 

20 weeks

*Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

16 weeks

Moving right along!

Pregnancy Highlights:

• How far along--16 weeks 4 days
• Size of baby--4 1/2 inches long and about the size of an avocado
• Total weight gain--up 2 pounds total
• Maternity clothes--yes to most pants now! I've got 2 more pairs of jeans that fit, but have been wearing a pair of maternity jeans that are a whole lot more comfortable! Still in regular shirts for a few more months. 
• Gender--We *could* have found out at my Dr. appt. yesterday, but we're waiting until delivery. It was so strange to not find out!
• Movement--just a few tiny kicks here and there for now.
• Sleep--I've been sleeping like a rock lately and having to drag myself out of bed each morning. 8 hours never feels like enough!
• What I miss--not being nauseated and running
• Cravings--Still mostly food aversions. I have been enjoying macaroni and cheese this week! Not really liking chocolate milk anymore, which is surprising since I LOVED it 2 weeks ago. 
• Symptoms--I can definitely tell my belly is growing, especially when I bend over to pick something up! Still nauseated most of the time, but not getting sick very often.
• Best moment of the week--Hearing the baby's heartbeat yesterday

16 week belly....it's a growin'!

14 Weeks

Hello 2nd Trimester! I have been looking forward to saying that for WEEKS! The 2nd trimester usually holds improved nausea and more energy for me, so I've been counting down the weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

• How far along--14 weeks 1 day
• Size of baby-- about the size of a lemon or 3.5 inches long
• Total weight gain/loss-- just 1/2 a pound until I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, then it's all up from there. :)
• Maternity clothes--not yet, but very soon! I've stopped wearing some of my jeans because I don't want to stretch out the waist (hoping to get back in them again next year!). Hopefully Lindsey will have her baby boy soon so I can get my maternity clothes back!
• Gender--Finding out on his or her birthday! I'm starting to think GIRL though (maybe Arabelle is convincing me?).
• Movement--Every now and then I'll feel a tiny flutter. Definitely not everyday. Looking forward to those big kicks!
• Sleep--Sleeping good now and not feeling as exhausted. I still prefer to go to bed early!
• What I miss--running, enjoying water (it still tastes yucky to me!), not being nauseated all the time
• Cravings--Last weekend, I was really wanting dressing, so I made that enjoyed the whole pan. I also really like chocolate milk now....baby must need the calcium!
• Symptoms--Still nauseated nearly all the time, but not getting sick much at all. It's still the worst in the evenings. 
• Best moment of the week--Arabelle has really been talking about the baby more and Bo will now say there's a baby in there instead of a puppy. :)

I *feel* like my belly is sticking out farther than it looks in the picture. I actually have always LOVED the 2nd half of pregnancy and having a big ol' baby belly (maybe because the 1st half is always so tough on me). :)

10 Weeks

Today I am 10 weeks pregnant with baby #3! That's 1/4th of the way through! It's kind of flying by, despite feeling so poorly.

Pregnancy Highlights:

• How far along: 10 weeks
• Size of baby: The size of a prune or approximately 1.2 inches long He/She has doubled in length in 2 weeks!
• Total Weight Gain/Loss: -5 lbs.
• Maternity Clothes: Not for several more weeks. With the weight loss, I've got some extra room still. I'll get my maternity clothes back from Lindsey in just over a month. I imagine I'll be ready for the pants by then!
• Gender: I *think* we've agreed to not find out until the delivery!
• Movement: Hopefully in just another month or so. Looking forward to those little kicks!
• Sleep: I am still pretty wiped out by the end of the day. I am usually out by 9 or 9:30 and drag out of bed when I have to in the morning. I am having plenty of crazy dreams and wake up a lot during the night. 
• What I miss: Energy and not being nauseated 24/7.
• Cravings: I am still liking a Dr. Pepper or Mt. Dew everyday. I've been eating several Arby's Roast Beef sandwiches each week....that's about all I can manage to eat besides PB sandwiches and scrambled eggs for protein. I did discover that I really like Ranch dip right now. I ate half a jar and half a bag of chips yesterday afternoon!
• Symptoms: Just the exhaustion, weird dreams, and nausea & vomiting. That's plenty for me. 
• Best Moment this Week: Um, just getting sick once yesterday?? Looking forward to my next Dr. appt. and ultrasound in 2 weeks!

Not too much of a baby bump yet, but it will come. Arabelle likes to say "Your belly is going to get super big!" and hold her arms out in front of her as far as she can. ;-p

I'm sure when I'm 40 weeks and my belly is HUGE, this will seem like nothing, but there is a bit of a difference (probably to only me). 

I'm excited to start feeling better and feeling this little baby wiggling around in the coming months! 

Next update, at 12 weeks, I'll have a picture of the baby to share. I remember the 12 week ultrasound with Bo showed so much detail!

We're Alive & 8 Week Update

We are still surviving over here. I have been napping a little when Bo and Arabelle nap/rest and then going to bed early, so blogging hasn't been on the top of the list!

I hit the 8 week mark yesterday (Wednesday), so here's a little update on the pregnancy:


Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 8 weeks
Size of baby: The size of a raspberry or approximately 0.63 inches. The baby is moving it's little arms and legs now!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: -3lbs at my check up last week. I lost 8 with Arabelle and Bo and made it back to the + side about half way through.
Maternity Clothes: Not for a couple more months. My sister, Lindsey, has them all! Her baby is due around Nov. 22, so I'll get them back after he's born.
Gender: I am *hoping* to talk Jared into letting this one be a surprise on delivery day. I always wanted to know ASAP with Arabelle and Bo, but since we have one of each and have everything blue and pink, I want a surprise!
Movement: Not yet.....a couple more months on that one too.
Sleep: I am SO sleepy. I don't remember being this sleepy with Arabelle and Bo, but I also wasn't taking care of 2 kids then either! I am napping about 30 minutes in the afternoon and going to bed around 9-9:30 at night and dragging out of bed around 7 each morning. It never seems like enough!
What I miss: Not being nauseated & vomiting, enjoying food and water, cooking, running
Cravings: None, but I have a TON of food aversions. The only thing I enjoy is soft drinks (and I never drink them otherwise!), but I limit the caffeinated drinks to one/day.
Symptoms: exhaustion, nausea & vomiting, some sharp pains on the right side from the ovarian cyst (found it on u/s last week...not too big and should go away on it's own), and serious food aversions.
Best Moment this week: Seeing and hearing the heartbeat last week!

I can't leave you without any photos!

We went to eat supper at DJs last Friday and I caught Arabelle and Bo holding hands on the way. :)

Arabelle's serious case of bed head: