Well this should be interesting, if I ever figure out how to put pictures up here! No one should expect any "TUMMY" shots though if I do figure it all out, those pics scare me!

My husband and I already have 3 children, Jacob -almost 9, Raegan - 7, & Emily - 5, and so I guess it stay's very busy at our house! Moods vary all of the time, then you add some pregnant hormones, and then the chaos ensues!

We decided to have a 4th and final, ofcourse we said, "a few months down the line"! Low and behold it wasn't that long down that proverbial line, it was more like a few day's!! haha!! I guess we couldn't wait to get started! So when we were celebrating our 10th anniversary, it seems I was already about 5 or 6 weeks and growing strong! Then about 110 pounds, by our anniversary though, I already was having trouble keeping my dress zipped (because of my BOOBS!!) and weighing a steady 117 pounds! ALL IN MY CHEST AREA!! DARN THINGS!!

Anyway, I keep seeing this website, and thought what the heck, I might as well jump in, and see what interesting subjects it brings! So, can anyone compete with 145 poounds @ just under 23 weeks? Let me know!

APRIL 24th, 2007

So, I am still awake and very excited about our upcoming ultrasound tomorrow! Just finished up some work on my son's flower project.... which I still don't understand why a 3rd grader is doing a flower project, but HEY! Arlington schools just never surprise me anymore! haha!!! We are supposed to find out the gender of our newest, if he/she cooperates with our sono~tech!! We are crossing our fingers.... Emily, my youngest has been my "wing man" to most all of my doc appts. this time around. Normally my husband goes along, but though he is very excited, he has been busy with his own doc appts. and work (he hurt his back...). Funny though, I am okay with my Emmie going, instead of my husband all of the time, because she gets to be a special part of the steps that are leading her to not being the only baby anymore. I think it is helping her with the transition tremendously!! She is actually very excited now!!! THANK GOODNESS!!! On top of my ultrasound tomorrow, we also have another doc appt., which I am totally bummed about because my husband will be going with me, so I won't be able to get out of revealing my daily contractions. BLAH!! I have a weak pelvic floor, so contractions of any kind are not a welcome thing! I am worried he is going to put me on bed rest sooner rather than later, as we had previously discussed. WHICH TOTALLY BITES!! I am NOT a bed rest type of girl! I run constantly and like it! Anyway, must get shower and sleep now, WISH ME LUCK!!! I am crossing my fingers for a boy this time!! I have 2 girls, but only 1 boy... we are hoping to even it out!! YEA!!!

April 25, 2007

IT'S A BOY!!!! YEA!!! 100%~ which is even better!! haha!!

May 16, 2007

So, it has been a fun few weeks!!! As of Friday, I am 26 weeks! I am really trying to ENJOY every minute of this 4th and FINAL pregnancy! Sometimes the discomforts of any normal pregnancy don't make it easy though!! haha!! I laugh a lot, and I whimper at some of the more lethal kicks, and the shin splints SUCK BIG TIME!, but for the most part everything is great!!

You would think that after 3 great kiddos, the excitement over the 4th might not be as great? But I am REALLY excited!! I CANNOT wait to hold Ethan!! Even when I am cranky from the lack of sleep, I still count down the day's unil I can snuggle him for the 1st time!

Not worried about the labor AT ALL this time around! Actually, I am pretty psyched about it!! I have to admit that I am pretty hyped about the hospital stay as well! haha!! Remember, I have 3 kiddos already, so I think an overnight stay at the hospital, will be interesting!! I am not away from my kiddos, EVER, for more than 8 hours or so, so I might panic about it a bit! I keep thinking that maybe my husband can smuggle them in to my room, so they can climb into bed with me for the duration of our sleep time, but I know that probably isn't possible, so I will just have to be a bit panicky until I get home with Baby Ethan! Then I can make up for some sleep, while they (my husband and kiddos) fight over the baby! haha!!

Anyway, my friends are getting ready for my babyshower!! WOO HOO!! I wasn't very excited at first, but now, I am kinda getting into the whole deal!! I am really excited to see everyone, and eat a bunch of cake!! YEA!!! Well, I better go for now! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!

My Due Date Guess: August 16th

7 pounds, 12 ounces

19 and a half inches long!!

My New Due Date Guess: September 30

20 pounds, 14 ounces

almost 3 feet long!

Birth Story:

Ethan Gabriel

8 lbs. 5 oz.

20 inches

11:45am, Aug. 22, 2007

Okay, so most of you know that we were finally set to be induced on the 22nd, even though my due date was only 2 day's after that! haha! but I suppose my doc finally felt a bit sorry for me, and since I tested positive for GBS, they needed the time to get the antibiotics going!

So my husband and I dropped off the kiddos, at my parents, late in the day, on the 21st, then we went home to finish up last minute details. Then neither of us was able to sleep, because we were so worried about the GBS, which we did not know about until the 21st, when they informed me during pre op bloodwork! Freaked me out a bit! Never tested positive before, so we worried about it all day and night!

We were heading out the door at 5am, on the 22nd, and contractions were already getting pretty strong, so I am thinking Ethan was coming whether they induced or not! haha! We arrived at the hospital, they set up the IV, started antibiotics, piggy backed in the Pitocin, and we were on our way! about 8am, the doc that delivered my sister 18 years ago, happened to be on call, and knows me, so he thought it would be fun to visit for a sec and break my water! my doc and him practice together!! and since I had gotten my Epidural only minutes before that, I let him, so that we would move farther along the process! haha!! He checked me, and I was dilated to 5cm, and 75% effaced! By 10:15am, I was already feeling amazing pressure, but they didn't want to check me again until 11am, I guess they thought I was crazy! my nurse took a peek, and realized she might have made me suffer too long... OUCH! TRUST ME!! so they turned the Epidural down a bit, by this time it was 11:20am. They had me push a few times, while they were getting everything set up! Is it just me, or are things scarier LOOKING than they were 5 and a half years ago!? I just felt more exposed than what I was used to! WEIRD!!

Anyway, I pushed a few times, made more progress than they expected, they called my doc, he sprinted from one side of the building where he offices, to the other, where I was... I pushed a couple more times, Ethan was born, and though he didn't cry a good deal right away, because he came out so quickly... they pumped a ton of fluid from him, and he cried pretty well after that!! haha! He had a very high Apgar... 9, which is the highest one of the kids has had so far! the others ranged in the low to high 8's!

Did I mention that I have NEVER had a catheter before!! No one has ever made me get one, because it wasn't required, for whatever reason! THIS TIME I HAD TO, OR THEY WOULDN'T GIVE ME MY EPIDURAL!!! WTH!! NEVER AGAIN!!! THOSE THINGS SUCK BIG TIME!! and I don't care what anyone say's, just because you have the epidural, doesn't mean that you have complete loss of feeling! I FELT THAT DAMNED CATHETER THE ENTIRE TIME, AND I HATED IT! IT HURT!!! Whatever jerk invented this handy little medical device, can kiss my white hiney!!

Anyway, Ethan and I and my husband and 3 other children are great!! We LOVE having him home finally, and are completely in love with him!! We finally have a sort of schedule, and he is almost sleeping more at night than during the day... So YEA!!! AND I have lost 6 more pounds in the last 3 day's!! I am looking forward to wearing my clothes again!! Good luck everyone!! Love, k