Oh Boy, Oh Boy....

Say what you will, but this pregnancy has been DIFFERENT for me.

When I was pregnant with Sloane, I was convinced that her pregnancy was so different because I felt so good in the beginning. I think the Lord looked down and thought, "If she wants a different pregnancy.... I can give her a BIG FAT DIFFERENT pregnancy." (I like to think that the Lord has a sense of humor. Why else would he send me three babies so close together?? The Guy has got to love a good joke now and then.)

Anywho.

This pregnancy could be different because it's a boy this time. It could be different because I have two babies that still require to be carried up and down the stairs, several times a day, at the SAME TIME! (I'm talking a whopping 55lbs of kids up and down those stairs people!) It could be different because it's actually my most normal pregnancy so far.

Confused? Let me explain.

Holynd: Holynd's pregnancy was interesting because of the cyst they found in-utero. The one that caused two different doctors to shake their heads and point me in the direction of U of U hospital and Primary Childrens.

Sloane: Sloane's pregnancy was a whole bowl full of fun because I got to meet with a cardiologist because my hands kept going numb and I kept passing out. I had to have an EKG and wear a heart monitor day-and-night for 4 weeks. (Can you say FUN!?) After all that, they determined I was sinataca-something or another and sent me on my way. By the time I wore the heart monitor, got in for the EKG and saw the cardiologist twice, I was about ready to have a baby. They basically told me to sit down if I felt like passing out and go to the hospital if it got worse. (Thanks. 'Cause I was under the impression I should eat a bowl full of Oreos and dance around naked to cure this.)

Baby Brother: Baby brother's pregnancy has been what I'd like to call, The Pregnancy of Just Plain Normal. The regular pregnancy symptoms I seemed to avoid in the last two pregnancies seem to be abundant during this pregnancy. However, I'm lacking the weird probably-would-only-happen-to-me symptoms.

Some of my favorite symptoms right now are:

Swelling: I've gained more weight with this pregnancy then the others. However, I'm convinced a good portion of that has got to be WATER! I haven't had ankles in months!

Backpain: Ok, my back has hurt before..... But never on this scale. Cleaning Day might as well be Clean Until You Can't Get Out of Bed Day. It's brutal.

Get Out of The Way!: My belly is sticking out WAY WAY WAAAAYYYYYYYYY farther then it did with the girls. Water? Maybe. It may have to do with the fact that my placenta is at the back this time. Something I've never had before. This is making baby press right up against my tummy. In a week or so I may be able to actually see footprints pressing on my tummy. (Probably not, but every time this baby even blinks, I can feel it). However, it's probably because my stomach muscles are shredded from having three babies so close. I'm pretty sure any hope of muscle-tone in the near future is out the window.

Foot Cramps: I DO NOT like this symptom. In fact, I'm not even going to give this symptom the pleasure of having an explanation after it. I hate you foot cramps. You suck.

Insomnia: Need someone to talk to at 3am???? I'm your girl!

Nausea: It's quietly returning. Not nearly as bad as it was in the beginning, but about once-a-day I have to lay down because my stomach starts to churn. This is also the first pregnancy where I got sick enough to want to die in the beginning. I'm really glad that I didn't have to endure this one until now. I have no idea how I would've went to school being so sick.

Heartburn: I've had this one each and every pregnancy. However, this is the first time my OTC meds haven't worked. I actually had to have a prescription this time around. I can almost cry every time I take one of these miracle pills. My heartburn was so bad I couldn't look down without getting indigestion. Not to mention the face that my diet had came down to cold cereal and bread.

We are definitely ready for this little guy to show up. I can't wait to lay on my stomach. I REALLY can't wait to be able to do regular yoga again. But, until then, I (Matt) will be working on the nursery and hopefully getting the last few things we need for the baby. I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to come home and sleep with shelves and curtain rods in his bed.

I will admit, I've been pregnant enough recently that I'm starting to sense the changes that go on in the last trimester. I'm getting more and more contractions everyday. My baby no longer flips as much as he used to. My appetite is getting smaller and I'm feeling the pressure to get things ready. I'm actually getting a little sad that it's almost over. This will be the last pregnancy where I get to just stay at home, play and get ready. Next year, Holynd will start school and we'll have plenty of other stuff to keep us going all the time. There won't be another pregnancy where I get to just lay around with my girlies and play until bedtime.