Pregnancy

This is super long, and mostly for my benefit, so feel free to skip this post or just breeze through it :)

We are getting more and more excited to have a new little one in our home! I haven't posted much about it all because we've been so busy! Now that I have to sit down and rest a lot more, I feel like I can do some fun things like read a book(!!) and blog, and feel a little more justified in doing so.

Here are some facts:

- We are having a BOY! Everyone asks me if Mike is especially excited, and I have to say that I can't tell a difference from my other pregnancies. He is just happy to have another baby, and will rub my belly and talk to him occasionally. Someone told us that if you rub you belly a lot and say "you're a good boy!" that he really will be a good baby. We will try ANYTHING! I really need this baby to be extra good :) When I asked Mike if he was extra glad to have a son, he said, "yes!" and got a little teary eyed. He said he's putting in for deer tags this year so he can take our boy hunting! He hasn't put in the last several years because he's been so busy - so that really is big news!

- I am 27 1/2 weeks along right now, and he's due April 19th. It can't come fast enough!

- As for names, we know that we want the middle name to be Michael, after his cute father. For the first name, there are many that I like! I mention them to Mike and he is pretty quick to veto them off the list. I commented to him that he hasn't contributed any names, and he replied that he is contributing 2 out of the 3 names. So I'm pretty sure that I should be able to just pick the first name on my own, right? The names on my list are: Emmett, Logan, Brigham, Mason, Brock, Davis, Bennett. Mike doesn't care for the name Emmett, Logan is still on the list. Not sure what he thinks about Brigham. We both like the name Mason. I really like the name Brock - but Brock Kanet doesn't sound good together (with the k at the end of Brock and the k sound at the beginning of Kanet - it blends in together too much, AND it sounds too much like Barrack. Not a fan). Davis is so cute! but Mike thinks it's only a last name. And I really think Bennett is adorable, but I'm trying to think of nick names - not sure if I'd like to call him Benny, and not liking Ben either. We still have 12 weeks to decide!

- I am feeling pretty good! With my girls I was nauseous the whole first trimester, but only got sick once with each. This one has been even better! I haven't been nauseous at all! Ever! The whole first trimester and half of the second, I was so tired and took a nap every day while my girls napped. If I didn't get a nap in, come 5:00 I would sit (sit, not even lay down, because I didn't want to fall asleep because I know my kids are mischievous) on the couch with my girls and rest... and fall asleep. Once, I woke up to Ellie making macaroni and cheese. She had a pot on the stove, filled with water and the noodles (she had chewed through the box to get it open). Luckily, she hadn't turned on the stove or even tried to (our stove is gas, so that could have been bad).

- I hate to complain, because I realize things could be MUCH worse! I am so, so, SO grateful that

1. I can get pregnant 

2. That I am healthy

3. That my baby is alive and healthy

4. There have been no complications that put me on bed rest or in the hospital.

With that being said, can I share 2 dislikes that I have about being pregnant? :)

1. My back is killing me (actually it's more in my hips. I can feel it in each step that I take)

2. I gain too much weight

So, I've heard time and time again that pregnant women should keep doing their physical exercise that they did before they got pregnant and they'll just be able to stay fit and have a healthier pregnancy and delivery. Super! I'll do it!

For about a year before I got pregnant, I very consistently participated in a zumba class - 2 times a week for 1 1/2 hours each time, yoga class - 3 times a week for 1 hour each time, walking - 3 times a week for 1 hour (equals about 3 miles) and for the last few months before I got pregnant I would run that instead of walk - in June and July... in Vegas (ok, it was morning time, but it was still dang hot)!! And occasionally we'd go on bike rides as a family, or I'd do other physical activities with the youth group in our church. So I continued to do those things. Right after I found out I was pregnant,  my back started to hurt every time I ran. So I went back to my morning walks instead. As time went by zumba started to hurt my back as well. I took it down a notch and made sure to stretch a lot. Then it got to where just day to day activities - like cleaning my home, making meals, and taking care of my kids hurt my back. By the end of the day, everyday, I was hobbling around like a 90 year old. I quit my morning walks, and I started replacing my zumba time with chiropractor time. He was sure that he'd get me straightened out in no time. I didn't see any improvement and would hobble in and out of his office twice a week. I have also used icy hot, essential oils, heating pads, warm baths, massages, stretching, Tylenol... if it was suggested to me, I tried it. Finally, this past Thursday he told me that he's tried everything he knows to do and it hasn't helped, so he put me back on a "come as needed" basis. I respect him for saying that, but it felt like I was just doomed to be in the condition for the rest of my pregnancy - which is 3 more months! Yikes!

The only exercise I have continued is my yoga class (minus a 2 week break they had for Christmas, and an extra week I gave myself off because Mike had kidney stones and I was in the ER with him, and we had company). Otherwise, yoga feels good while I'm stretching - most of the time. But it also seemed to make my back hurt worse earlier on in the day.

So, I can't exercise, and during the time that I was exercising, I've already gained my allotted weight that is healthy, and I still have 3 months left. It stinks. I don't feel like my diet has changed, and I had continued on my same exercise routine for 6 months, and all the weight still came. Frustrating! I have been impatiently waiting for our community pool to open so I can try swimming laps there, hoping that it will be easier on my back.

Just for fun:

 25 weeks pregnant with Ellie

And here I am 25 weeks pregnant with baby #3

I obviously know that you get bigger with each one. It's just funny to see!

 P.S. We were trying for a boy this time and used the Shettles Method and it worked for us!