23 Weeks!

How Far Along: 23 weeks

Baby Size: a softball (19 weeks), a boob, can you tell this list was created by a guy? (20 weeks), a beer bottle (21 weeks), and at 23 weeks they jump to a month span - so for the next month, baby is the size of a football!

Current Symptoms/Cravings:  Energy wise I have been feeling great. Pelvic pain wise, I am about to march into my 24 week appointment and request a scheduled induction.....yes its that bad! My doc did give me a handicap parking pass at my last appointment, and I did buy a pelvic support band (I had one with Crosby but I gave it away, because I would never need it again....). I need to call and set up PT. But realistically, I know that all of these things are just like treating a migraine with Tylenol. Speaking of migraines...it occurs to me that I have not had one in a long long time! In fact I refilled my meds in November and haven't actually taken any of them! Whoo hooo! Cravings continue to be garlic bread and chicken wings...so bad...especially since I can have them both delivered right to my office....

Manly Mentions: Ryan seems to be a bit overwhelmed at this house hunting situation that we find ourselves in! That being said, he has repeatedly justified our house listing craziness by saying that he would much rather move now than after the baby comes. I tend to agree. The thought of keeping our house in show-able condition with baby gear everywhere, burp cloths, dirty diapers, empty bottles, pump parts scattered about...no thanks! We plan to keep it on the market through January, and then perhaps try again in the spring if we have no offers. 

Crosby loves to point to my belly and say "Mama's Baby!" I think he has absolutely no idea what that means, but its cute none the less! Sometimes I still think of him so much as a baby, but lately he has been all big boy. 3-4 word sentences, size 3T clothes, and constantly wanting to use the potty. Maybe it wont feel like we have two babies in the house by the Spring after all! 

I was very grateful to be able to spend some one on one time with Carson on our trip to Colorado. Unlike Crosby, he has a very concrete understanding of what is going on with this baby, but he still makes comments from time to time about me not being able to carry him or pick him up. 

Baby Prep: Aside from perhaps finding a bedroom for this baby in a brand new house, we have had a whole bunch of baby prep going on! We used to own four different strollers - a double, an umbrella, a jogger, and a snap n go for the car seat. I did keep the snap n go for quick trips with just baby and me...but I managed to trade in all of the other strollers for one fancy City Select that actually serves as a single, double, and even a triple stroller! And this stroller could even be used for jogging - which to be clear has not happened with my first two babies, so why start now ;) 

Thanks to all of the wonderful friends and family that came out for my surprise baby shower, we now have lots of girly goodies! Bath towels, swaddle blankets, princess books, hair bows, cute socks, you name it! The nesting side of me wants to wash and put it all away, but instead have it packed nicely in a baby designated tupper tote in our basement, hopefully to be unloaded into a new nursery into a new home!

Third Time Around: Although I feel like my baby bump has gotten big fast (see pregnancy comparison's below!), I feel as though this pregnancy is dragging on a bit...not that I want to rush it, or want our baby to be born any sooner than she needs to be, but I am just ready to hold her in my arms (and not in my pelvis!). After bed rest with Carson followed by a scheduled induction, I was eager to perhaps experience spontaneous labor with Crosby, you know...water breaking in the middle of an aisle at Target kind of excitement...but alas my pelvic pain in combination with 6 days straight of contractions lead my doc to decide to induce at 39 weeks due to stress of pain and exhaustion on the baby. This time around I am so over the whole "spontaneous birth" concept, which I know sounds horrible, but this is not my first rodeo...obviously I want to do whatever is healthiest for myself and the baby, but I am just over the halfway mark and begging for it to be March already! I am also 110% sure that I would like to never be pregnant again, so Ryan and I will have to do some brainstorming about that since apparently being infertile is not an effective form of birth control! Lol! 

Next Up: To quickly update you on my last Next Up post, we had our 20 week anatomy scan and we had quite the uncooperative little lady! Our ultrasound took a total of 40 minutes, and the tech didn't even get this profile shot until 27 minutes in!

20 Week Anatomy Scan

After what seemed like forever of poking and prodding, the tech said that what she could see all looked great, but that she was unable to get a few measurements that she needed, and that I would most likely need to come back for a separate ultrasound. So at 22 weeks I came back, and it again took over a half an hour! But at least this time around she was able to get everything she needed - and the good news is that based on both scans, we have a healthy, feisty baby girl!

I have a my 24 week check up this Friday, which I imagine will be anticlimactic minus perhaps me begging my doc to schedule an induction, to which she will probably laugh and say its way to early to make decisions such as that!

Here are my bump pics from 23 weeks with Carson, Crosby, and BC3...#thirdbbabiesarebig

Carson

Crosby

BC3

November in Review!

I have been sooooo bad at keeping up to date with this blog, and for the sake of my third kiddo who may be reading this later...I am SORRY!

In the last month I have done the following things:

• Traveled to Colorado to with Carson to visit my nephew for his first birthday!
• Decided to put our house on the market to make room for our baby girl!
• Traveled to Delaware for Thanksgiving, where we got to spend time with my parents, my sister and her family, my Norwegian viking and his family, my entire extended Moffitt family, and Ryan's mom, sister, and grandparents. Family overload in a fabulous way!
• While down there, my mother in law surprised me with a baby shower for our little girl! So fun, and I now we have plenty of pink!
• We also said goodbye to my Gram, Phyllis Moffitt, at a beautiful memorial service the Saturday after Thanksgiving. 
• Visited our friends in Princeton on the drive home who also have two boys!
• So far with our house, we have had 7 showings in less than a week of it being on the market! Keeping the house in show-able condition is a feat within itself for this preggo mama!

I think we still managed to squeeze in a bump pic for every week but one...

19 Weeks

20 Weeks in Colorado!
Half way done!

Totally skipped 21 weeks :(

22 Weeks at my baby shower in Maryland!

Hoping to better at keeping up to date during the second half of my pregnancy pictures! Especially since the bump pics get more and more exciting! Ha!

18 Weeks!

How Far Along: 18 weeks

Baby Size: a hockey puck (17 weeks), an electric razor (18 weeks)

Current Symptoms/Cravings:  I have been starving!! At least it makes sense because between 16 and 18 weeks, apparently the baby essentially doubles in size. I have been craving a lot of carbs which would definitely help in the doubling in size department...specifically garlic bread. Lots and lots of garlic bread! I ate a lot of garlic bread with Carson - interesting that this craving has returned. Sleeping has started to become a little uncomfortable, especially since the start of my pelvic pain a few weeks ago...which means the castle of pillows in bed are back! Ryan is thrilled... 

Manly Mentions: I think Ryan is pretty excited that my energy is back for the most part, as I fear he was starting to feel like single parent during the first trimester! I think he is starting to feel a little overwhelmed at the amount of baby girl items that have popped up around the house...Crosby has been finding some new baby items around the house, too, and keeps proclaiming that they are "MINE!" this kiddo is in for a rude awakening! On the flip side, he is also head over heels in love with his baby doll. He loves to rock it, swaddle it, push it around in a grocery shopping cart. He is actually obsessed with toy baby strollers. I think he might ask Santa for one for Christmas...

Baby Prep: In an effort to plan for the possibility of Crosby still sleeping in the crib by the time BC3 arrives, I grabbed a used mini crib that will fit either in our bedroom or the landing up on the second floor. We have run out of spare bedrooms for this girl! I have also gotten some shelving for the closet downstairs for some extra storage space for baby girl items. She is going to have stuff dispersed all over the house! I am super excited to be traveling to Colorado next week with Carson to celebrate my nephew, William's first  birthday! While I am there, I plan on raiding all of the baby gear that I passed down to my sister, Kristen, that I swore I would never need again...oops! But I would love to get my hands on a few of my favorite baby items, nursing bras, etc. 

Third Time Around: I feel much more prepared for maternity leave planning this time around. I have gone through it once with my private practice when I was pregnant with Crosby, so I know what things to anticipate. I have found some wonderful resources for my clients when I am out, so that is great. I also think that some clients that I have seen for some time remember what I looked like when I was pregnant. I have had two people this week ask me if I was pregnant, noting that they know its a sensitive question to ask...but that they thought I definitely looked pregnant like the last time!

Next Up: This Friday I have my anatomy scan followed by a regular check up with my OBGYN. Ryan will be tagging along for that appointment, so that is fun! Crossing our fingers for normal results regarding all of the important organs! Then I will spend my 20th week in the Rocky Mountains - half way through this pregnancy! 

Right around 18 weeks, we had some professional photos taken - most likely our last ones as a family of 4! Although BC3 does make an appearance throughout them! Here are a few samples of what we have seen so far...can't wait for all of the proofs!

17 Weeks!

17 Weeks

These last two weeks have been a total blur! In fact, as I type I am actually closer to 19 weeks than I am 17 weeks! My 17th week started out with my dear Gram, Phyllis Moffitt, passing away on Saturday October 24th. She was surrounded by dear friends shorty before her death, and my dad was by her side when she passed. Although my family planned to spend Thanksgiving with her, we will now be celebrating her life after the holiday - bittersweet, but I am excited to see aunts, uncles and cousins that I have not seen for some time! Thank you for all of your prayers and support for myself and my family regarding Gram's passing. Her obituary can be found here:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delawareonline/obituary.aspx?n=Phyllis-June-Moffitt&pid=176274221

Carson was very sad about her passing. He was very fond of his Great Gram as she always had pretzels (all be it stale pretzels!) when he came to visit with her. That afternoon after hearing the news, Carson and I cuddled and cried and said prayers for her. He was glad that she was now up in Heaven with my Grampa...and Buddy the dog...and John Lennon...and George Harrison.

We all rallied later that evening and attended a costume party with friends, as noted in the picture above! Ryan and I dressed up as Juno and Bleeker from the movie "Juno". The pair was a hit...way to pull off a preggo costume!

The very next day we had a birthday party for Carson at the local bowling alley - it was a blast! All of the kids showed up in costume and made their best effort at candle pin bowling. 

Carson and his Bro's at his bday party

Monday October 26th was Carson's actual 5th birthday! I can hardly believe that it has been 5 years since I first held him in my arms! I can also hardly believe that I am old enough to have a 5 year old...and a 21 month old...and am 5 months pregnant with my third! 

At the start of my 18th week it was time for some Halloween action! Carson and I carved a pumpkin, whom Carson affectionately named Seaweed. Three years ago, Grampa Moose and Carson carved a pumpkin named Seaweed, so I suppose this is Seaweed the Third...

Carson and Crosby went trick or treating a total of three times - once with school, once around our neighborhood, and once at a friend's neighborhood. We have too much candy lying around these days for this always hungry preggo! 

Costume parade at school!

My adorable lion (and creature animal to his big brother, Martin of the Wild Kratts!

Trick or Treating - the real deal! 

Needless to say - between Gram, Carson's birthday and party, and Halloween, I totally neglected this blog! I plan to do a normal 18 week update (a few days before I am 19 weeks, ha!)  Check back soon!

16 Weeks!

How Far Along: 16 weeks

Baby Size: a stud finder

Current Symptoms/Cravings:  Less flutters, more kicks! Baby Girl is getting bigger for sure! I also know this as pelvic separation symptoms have begun :( When I was pregnant with Crosby, I suffered from a separated pelvis which was extremely painful and ultimately lead me to be induced at 39 weeks (after a week of prodromal labor!) My OBGYN warned me that with each future pregnancy, pelvic separation can start sooner and be more disabling, whooo hooo! It started around 20 weeks with Crosby, and here we are at 16 with BC3. I hope to start physical therapy soon, and may have to re-invest in one of those sexy pelvic braces, because I gave my old one away...you know...because I was done having babies...Craving wise, chicken wings continue to be on the top of my list! Fortunately or unfortunately, there is a place that delivers wings to my office in less than 20 minutes of placing my order! 

Manly Mentions: Just tonight Ryan and Carson and I were discussing that Carson will be so much older when BC3 is born, compared to Crosby (Carson turn's 5 this weekend!). We suggested that perhaps he might even be old enough to change some diapers this time around...He shot that down real fast! Carson has come up with some interesting middle name options for BC3. He recently was introduced to the musical movie "Newsies" and is obsessed with various characters of course. He has suggested that the names "Mudd" or "Crutchy" (or both combined!) might be good middle name choices. 

Baby Prep: Not too much baby prep has occurred as of late as this last week I have been focused on many happy and sad events that are occurring within our family. My Gram, Phyllis Moffitt, is is entering the final phase of her life here on earth as she is struggling to fight an infection that doctors feel they no longer can treat. Extra support and prayers are appreciated not only for Gram, but also for her three children (Rob, Patty Cook, and Doug) who have worked together to ensure that her last moments here on earth are filled with comfort, song, and most importantly love. And my poor mother who is working overtime being a wonderful support to my dad, is also healing from various complications of her own recent surgery to remove some cancerous cells under her hairline. In true Patty form, she is plugging along! In happy and exciting news, I am trying to stay focused on my biggest boy whom we will be celebrating this weekend! I can hardly believe he will be half a decade old! Needless to say, baby prep has not been on my radar lately, but I am still having minimal will power when it comes to cute baby girl outfits...

Third Time Around: The general consensus among second and third time moms is that you definitely pop out sooner with subsequent pregnancies! (As evidenced by my bump pics!) There was one point this past week when it seemed like I could feel my stomach expanding in real time, and it was not comfortable! It also kick started all of that pelvic pain. If it was my first pregnancy, I probably would have been calling my doctor at 10 PM to discuss the intense pain and cramping I was feeling. Instead I re-read my baby blog from my last pregnancy and determined that what I was feeling was exactly the same thing as I did with Crosby. I drank a bunch of water, lay down on my left side and went to sleep. Woke up feeling fine in the morning. Mother's intuition at its best!

Next Up: Bloodwork from my 16 week appointment came back all clear, so no concern for spina bifida or neurotube defects, whooo hooo! My next OBGYN appointment is scheduled for 11/6, when I will have my anatomy scan to check organ functioning, etc. This is when we would traditionally find out the gender...but thanks to modern medicine, we already know its a GIRL! Part of me is secretly excited to take a peek at some lady parts, hehe! 

15 Weeks!

How Far Along: 15 weeks

Baby Size: a baseball

Current Symptoms/Cravings:  One day this week, I totally had a craving for chicken wings! With ranch dressing! Friday is a paperwork day for me for work, so I was able to squeeze in a pedicure for a little mommy pampering at Polished Spa in my office building. I stopped and grabbed some wings on the way to my appointment and ate them during my pedicure. What could be better than wings and a pedi for a pregnant lady? It was amazing! No new symptoms but definitely noticing the lack of tired and nausous old symptoms! Doesn't mean I still don't enjoy a good nap every now and then...

Manly Mentions: Ryan wants to point at that so far the baby loves caffeine (not too much, I promise!), fancy restaurants, and apple cider donuts, lol. We are definitely still adjusting to the idea of having a girl/daughter/sister in the family. When we first told Carson that we were pregnant his response was "YES! That's all I've ever wanted! And it better be a girl..." Thank goodness that was the case or we had a lot of explaining to do!

Baby Prep: Big events in the baby prep department! We traded in my 2012 Mazda5 for a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The Mazda5 did have a third row of seats but left little to no room for groceries or luggage. As a family who does frequent road trips to see loved ones, we knew that this was not going to fly! I am pretty psyched about our new car...owning a minivan seems so lame yet so awesome at the same time! Tomorrow Ryan and I both have Columbus Day off but the boys still have school. We plan to spend the day cleaning out closets and taking trips to Goodwill to make some more room for this baby! I am sure the back of our new minivan will be full of things to give away!

Third Time Around: One thing that I notice about being pregnant at the moment is that I do not have many other friends or acquaintances that are also pregnant at the same time. My closest friends are super psyched for a baby girl to be joining our kiddo crew, but it feels funny not to be pregnant around the same time that they were as I was with our first two rounds! I do have another close local friend who is a few weeks a head of me, and I am excited to spend time with her as preggos and on maternity leave - she definitely is a friend that has been to Hell and back to have her kiddos as well so its awesome to have a pregnancy comrade. I have another close friend also expecting down in the mid-Atlantic, but can't out her yet! Its been fun to check in with her about what stages we are in, etc. As a third child, hopefully BC3 will roll along with our already established posse - which feels different from when I had Carson who created the posse! 

Next Up: Next week I have some more blood work done to screen for not genetic issues, but rather developmental issues such as spina bifida and other neurotube defects. Such a relief to hear that we had no genetic abnormalities discovered via the Harmony test. Crossing our fingers for normal results with this next blood work as well! 

This week we took BC3 and her brothers apple picking! Here are some fun pictures:

14 Weeks!

How Far Along: 14 weeks

Baby Size: a stress ball 

Current Symptoms/Cravings:  Baby kicks and flutters! With Carson I felt them at 16 weeks, Crosby at 13 weeks, and with this one I swore I felt a first flutter at 12! But by 14, I am no doubt feeling movement, crazy I know! I guess by #3 you just know what to pay attention to! I have always craved eggs while pregnant. This time around its in the form of egg salad or deviled eggs...lets make that an eggs and mayo craving! Morning sickness has slowed down significantly, as have late night potty trips and epic fatigue! Whoooo, second trimester! Round ligament pain is also in full force, which makes sense if you take a look at the size of my bump for 14 weeks! The question is...will BC3 be a petite flower like Carson? Or a moose baby like Crosby?

Manly Mentions: The name game has officially begun! Ryan and I of course do not agree on anything...even "to C or not to C" (that is the question). We do have one C name that we both are fond of if we decide to go with a third C. Otherwise, we are at a total loss! Its crazy to know the gender so early! At least we still have time...Carson insists that we call our baby girl "Bunny Rose". Oh man....Crosby on the other hand is completely clueless about whats going on. He is very fond of his baby doll, and when we tell him that there is a baby in Mommy's belly, he completely freaks out and wants it removed immediately! 

Baby Prep: Clothes, clothes, clothes! I have a serious baby clothes shopping problem...I thought it was bad with the boys, but girl baby clothes brings it to a whole other level....in a very short period of time I have either purchased or consigned a significant amount of clothes! Now that I have gotten it out of my system, I hope to scale back in the near future! I have also started making a list/registry of baby items that we need. Since we were pretty sure we were done having kids, I gave away 75% of our baby gear, including all of my maternity clothes! I have been able to put together a fairly decent selection of clothes for myself from borrowing through friends and consigning, but baby gear is a whole different story! Its also fun to pick out girly baby gear...not gonna lie!

Third Time Around: Something I am feeling a little frustrated about is preparing a nursery for BC3. The problem is that we have run out of rooms in our house! Carson has a very large bedroom so we originally had Crosby in a crib in Carson's nursery, however that proved to be unproductive in the sleeping department. So we moved Crosby and his crib to our guest bedroom where he sleeps just fine. His clothes and everything else still remain in Carson's room in the massive walk in closet! So far I have started claiming the guest room closet for BC3, but I am unsure if Crosby will still be sleeping in the crib by the time she comes! She will most likely sleep in our room in the beginning and perhaps Crosby will transition into a big boy bed by the time that BC3 is ready for the crib....or not! I am definitely not rushing Crosby out of the crib as the last thing we need is a 2 year old roaming freely around the house at night. But I really really want to be able to decorate a girly nursery! Where our guests will sleep? Who knows! Moving to a larger house may also be in our future over the next year or so...

Next Up: I am excited to continue to feel movement more and more on a consistent basis. Its so reassuring that everything is moving along nicely. I don't have another prenatal appointment for a few more weeks, so movement is great feedback! 

Because baby sizes are fun....here is what you missed the first few weeks! Decided to go with another "Daddy Version" instead of the typical fruits and vegetables! 

5 Weeks - a BB

6 Weeks - a nut...as in nuts and blots

7 Weeks -a power button on your remote or TV

8 Weeks - a quarter

9 Weeks - a large marble

10 Weeks - the head of a hammer

11 Weeks - a golf ball

12 Weeks - a small measuring tape

13 Weeks - a car's gas cap

It's a Girl!

Science sure has changed since we started in this baby making business! I am one of those people who must find out the gender of the baby, as I am too much of a planner. I give total props to those people who choose to wait until birth to find out!

With Carson we found out he was a boy around 20 weeks. We went in for his anatomy scan and the cord was between his legs which meant the ultrasound tech couldn't tell us if he was a boy or a girl! We ended up going to a private clinic a week later where he was loud and proud about his male gender. With Crosby we also found out around 20 weeks, although the ultrasound tech had guessed that he was a boy a this 13 week ultrasound, so we had a hunch all along. 

In between Carson and Crosby, I had 3 miscarriages - at least one of them was proven to be due to chromosomal abnormalities. In the last few years, a new screening was invented that involves a simple blood draw sometime after 10 weeks of pregnancy. From this blood sample, a lab is able to separate fetal DNA (actually placenta DNA which is identical to the DNA of the fetus) from the mother's DNA. The results of this screening would let you know with 99% certainty about chromosomal abnormalities. 

To my knowledge, there are two tests currently on the market that accomplish this feat. One is called Maternit21 and the other is the Harmony test. In a matter of 10 business days, both tests are able to tell you not only whether or not your baby has any chromosomal issues, but also its gender based on the presence (or lack there of) of a Y chromosome! AMAZING!

This test is normally a very expensive test not covered by insurance unless you are over 35 years old. But because of my history of loss involving chromosomal abnormalities, my doctor was able to bill the lab claim as a "high risk pregnancy" screening, and it was covered 100%! 

I had my blood drawn at 12 weeks pregnant on Friday September 18th, and was told to expect results in 10 business days...which would bring us to tomorrow! But being the crazy person that I am, I chatting with other women on online pregnancy forums and asked them about their experience with test result turn around time. Three women who had their blood drawn earlier in the week than me all received their results back in 6 DAYS! Not even 6 business days!

This past Thursday, day 6, I stared at my phone all day long! But no phone call....however at 8 am the following morning I had an email from my doctor's office saying that the Harmony results were in and everything came back normal, whoo hoo! (Most important result, right?) The email also said "would you like to know the gender? If so, give us a call!" 

I promptly tried to convince Ryan to do a conference call with me but he insisted that he wanted to be together when we found out the news. I had a regular check up later that day, so I called the office and asked that they write the gender on a note and seal it in an envelope for me to take home to open all together as a family. 

When I got home that day, we decided to let Carson open note as he is working on his reading skills. We coached him that a 4 letter word that started with a G was a girl, and a 3 letter word that started with a B was a boy. He flipped open the envelope and Ryan and I immediately saw pink foot prints! We were SHOCKED! Poor Carson made his best attempt to read a somewhat old fashioned font involving a curly G, and instead shouted "8-i-r-1!"

We already had two boys, and any miscarriage that we were aware of the gender had been a boy...so I think we were all convinced that we only make boys! If I was being completely honest with myself, I wondered what the purpose of a third boy would be from a fate/spiritual perspective. Why another boy? I have two boys! I am happy with my two boys! I wasn't sure that having a third boy would make me feel more complete as a mother. Regardless, we would obviously love whatever God gave us, as this baby was a miracle to begin with!

When I found out that BC3 was a girl, a rush of excitement and wonder came over me and I finally understood what this pregnancy was all about! A GIRL! I was thrilled! Totally shifted my perspective on this pregnancy from a place of confusion and shock to complete joy and exhilaration! Yay Team Pink! And the shopping...don't get me started on the baby girl clothes shopping...

Here are some fun pictures from our gender reveal! Love the note our nurse typed up for us, so thoughtful!

First Trimester Recap!

This Friday I will be 14 weeks pregnant. Some people count 12 weeks as the start of your second trimester. I figure either way, by Friday I am 1/3 of the way through this pregnancy!

So far things seem to have gone by very fast! Perhaps it because I was not anticipating the start of my first trimester, or that we were on vacation for a chunk of it. So much seems to have happened in the first trimester as well...3 ultra sounds, a handful of prenatal visits, and Harmony blood work!

Energy wise, this pregnancy has been at an all time low...EPICALLY TIRED is how I have been choosing to describe it! I am not sure if its because I am older, that I am chasing 2 kids around, the different hormones racing around my body, or all of the above! All I can say is thank goodness I have a couch in my office...I have been squeezing in naps whenever I can!

My history of morning sickness is quite varied. With Carson I had nothing, nada, zippo. The only thing that might have made me queasy was a gruesome scene on a TV show. With Crosby I had what I referred to as "mild" nausea. It wasn't fun, but if I kept myself busy and distracted, then I wouldn't notice it too much.

With BC3, my morning sickness seems to vary by the day. Some days I am totally fine, and other days I have moderate to severe nausea. For better or for worse I have never vomited, but sometimes I wonder if it might make me feel better! The nausea is still around a bit, but the number of good days between the bad days seems to be increasing, whooo hooo! Hoping it soon disappears for good!

Because of my history of miscarriage, I have always been put on progesterone supplements whenever trying to conceive. I started these supplements as soon as I could after my positive test. There are multiple ways to take progesterone supplements. One method is more favorable, but guess what?! My insurance doesn't cover it unless it is used along side with assisted reproductive technology! Ha! Since BC3 was unassisted, instead I am stuck with a much less desirable option....but I am happy to report that I only have to take it for a few more days!

With the boys, I started taking "bump pics" at 10 weeks, so we followed suit with BC3. I haven't gone back and compared bump pics as of yet, but I think I could have started taking bump pics at 6 weeks with the size of my belly! I suppose its fairly normal for a third pregnancy! But it was hard to keep hidden at work, daycare, etc! I have recently started telling clients, and of course we have gone public on social media and the blog. And now without further delay!

10 Weeks

11 Weeks

12 Weeks

13 Weeks

SURPRISE!

Guess what...we're pregnant again! Surprised? We sure were!

If you have followed this blog for the last 6 years, you know that starting a family was not an easy feat for Ryan and me. After 22 months of perfectly timed attempts at home, 2 surgeries, 3 different types of medications (including shots and weigh gain!), 7 fertility procedures, 3 miscarriages (5 pregnancies total!), an undisclosed ridiculous amount of $$$ (fertility treatments are not covered by insurance in NH!), and buckets of blood, sweat, and tears, we finally had Carson Michael Curtis in October of 2010 and Crosby Quincy Curtis in February of 2014.

Needless to say although we were thrilled to have the two kiddos we had...in 2014, we were physical, emotionally, and financially exhausted...

Ryan and I often discussed whether or not we would ever consider a third baby. I am one of two kids and Ryan is one of three. We both agreed that the 2 child parent to kid ratio was fantastic, and we weren't sure we wanted to mess with that balance. Ryan was perfectly content with his two sons. I would be lying if I didn't say that part of me was grieving the loss of the possibility of some day having a daughter to dress up, braid her hair (I am really good at braiding hair!), be the mother of the bride, etc. But I also knew that a baby girl was not a guarantee! And that three boys sounded slightly insane...

What we both agreed on was that in no way shape or form were we interested in going through the necessary medical steps again that we had gone through to have our first two children. We had essentially been told for various yet unexplained reasons that the likelihood of us conceiving a child and sustaining a pregnancy naturally was pretty much slim to none. So Ryan and I settled in with the two children that we had, expecting to be a happy family of 4 for years to come.

That didn't last very long! Fast forward barely a year and a half later after Crosby was born, and I am staring at two obvious lines on a pregnancy test after waking up not feeling very well one morning! How could this have happened? I mean we weren't doing anything to prevent it...but why use birth control when you can't get pregnant? Crosby was IUI #6 for goodness sake!

I immediately called my fertility specialist not even knowing where to start, especially since I have quite the history of early miscarriage. They asked me all the necessary questions...."Date of last period?" I have no idea..."When do you think you ovulated?" I have no idea....Numbers and data that I used to track on the regular were now an after thought! I was a total fish out of water! We figured out I must have been about 5 weeks pregnant.

I must say...early pregnancy for me is a total nerve wracking experience...almost daily blood draws for beta levels...are the beta's doubling? are you spotting? is there a heartbeat?....Many times the answer has been no...yes...no. This pregnancy has been almost a fantasy! No stress during the "two week wait" as I had no idea I was waiting...beta's more than doubled showing great values, no spotting at all...and a heartbeat right away! This baby definitely wanted to be in this world and in our family!

Overall this pregnancy has been such a different experience for Ryan and I. No anticipation before hand...some nervousness but not to the previous extent...but also not the huge level of thrill that we had experienced once we were in the clear as we felt with our first two...instead while in total shock, we are asking ourselves...what the heck are we doing to do with 3 kids? Did we even want a third child? What if its 3 boys? Do we need a new car? Do we need a new house? Where is this baby going to sleep? Our thoughts of excitement are replaced with thoughts of logistics! That is until we found out the gender...but more on that later! Regardless, we are most definitely thrilled to welcome another little Curtis into this world, as we like to think we make pretty awesome ones!

As most of you know...we like to nickname our baby so we aren't calling it "It". Carson was "Swarley", Crosby was "Wader"...and this baby is "BC3" as in Baby Curtis #3! (We know...we get less creative as the years roll on...) Aunt Kris likes to call it C3PO, ha ha ha.

One of my favorite things about this pregnancy is that my due date is April Fool's Day 2016...as in "You didn't think you could get pregnant? APRIL FOOLS!"

Here are some first glimpses of BC3!

6 weeks at specialist's office

8 weeks at specialist's office

9 weeks at regular OBGYN (can you tell the ultrasound machine quality is less?)

12 weeks at our "First Look" ultrasound

Stay tuned for a first trimester recap post, as well as the big gender reveal already!!!