Let the Countdown to Insanity Begin!

So at 30+ weeks prego with my fourth kiddo, I'm starting to count down the weeks before I become totally insane. I expect it. I can feel it coming. And I got a hint of it this week at the OB.

I'm already having contractions (nothing new for me; that's what I tend to do in pregnancy—contract early with no progress). And baby girl is already super low, so even she can sense the insanity is about to begin.

I was having some pressure/pain/contractions, so the OB had me come in for an NST (non-stress test) to check baby girl's activity level, my contractions, etc. Baby girl did well, but she kept moving off the heartbeat monitor. So our 15-20 minute NST turned into a 45 minute NST.

Now this wouldn't have been a big deal had I not had all three other children with me. An OB's office is not the ideal place to try to relax for an NST and monitor baby's movement. Seriously, what an oxymoron—having a non-stress test with three children running crazily around your chair. I kept my cool, but barely.

And the "if you're super awesomely behaved we'll get ice cream" promise had to go unfulfilled as none of the kids fit the bill of super awesome. Poor kiddos did stick it out for 2.5 hours of OB time, so I'll give them credit, but it still didn't justify an ice cream reward. (Oh, God, am I one of those mean parents?!)

In other baby news . . . we don't have a name yet. I *think* I know her name, but this is the first kiddo that I didn't have a bigger clue as to her name at this point in the pregnancy. We also don't have her nursery set up yet. Not a huge deal since *she* won't even notice if it's done or not, but I'll notice . . . so I need to work on it.

I also realized that I don't have a ton of baby clothes for this new princess. Hopefully she won't mind being seen in the same outfit more than once a week or so. ;)

I feel a bit of the insanity closing in around me already, but I also know there will be lots of good (but still insane) moments that will make it all worth it. Let the countdown begin!

Pacing Myself

Yes, my last post was in January. I just like to pace myself. Moving too fast can cause injury and might be construed as exercise.

Ah, so much to catch up on in here since the end of January. Some I'll share. Other things I could share, but then I'd have to kill you. And no one wants that.

Biggest news? I'm expecting baby #4. A fourth baby. A fourth kid. A fourth child. I'm still wrapping my head around it. My ability (or lack thereof) to handle four children is on my mind a lot . . . and never more so than when I'm stuck in a small room at the doctor's office with my three walking/talking/crazy kiddos (like today when I had to go to my GP to discover my husband shared his strep throat with me).

This baby girl (yep, it's a GIRL!) is an incredible miracle and blessing. And God sent her to us right when we needed her, but this pregnancy was unexpected so I'm struggling with a lot of anxiety and worry about HOW I'll be able to be a good mommy to four kiddos.

It's going to be ridiculously difficult. I know that. I'm bracing myself for that. I also know that there are going to be so many amazingly awesome things about having four kids -- including two boys and two girls at that!

I guess I need to take my own advice and just pace myself. One day at a time. And for now, one baby kick at a time.

P.S. To update my January post . . . um, no, we will NOT be getting a dog in the near future.

365 Days Until We Get a Dog

In my unending efforts to get my kids to sleep through the night, I've resorted to bribery.

If Alex, our four-year-old, sleeps in his own bed—all.night.long—for an entire year we will (probably) get a dog. Yes, 365 days (or nights) of sleeping in his very own big boy bed, on his own, without disturbing my or Dear Daddy's sleep.

So far . . . he's managed to sleep four nights in his room all night long. But we've had several nights in between those nights. He's only managed two nights in a row. But hey, that's progress! I'll take it! And man, he's so excited by this! He is proud of himself and thinks it's pretty cool that he's working toward the bigger goal of getting a family dog.

In addition to Alex's 365 day goal . . . I also told the kids that we can't get a dog until Nate, our two-year-old, is potty trained. I'm hoping this will encourage the older two kiddos to help with this training. ;)

Let the countdown begin!