3rd Trimester Update with Baby Number 4

I can’t believe it’s March! This is the month we will meet our new baby! I have to say that this pregnancy has hurried by faster than the others, but that is probably because I have 3 other children to keep up with now. It’s been a good and smooth pregnancy again but I know many of you are ready for an update so here we go!

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It’s time for an update on me and this pregnancy.

I’m officially 35 weeks now. People have been asking me for weeks how soon I am due. I find it amusing because more than one more person has told I don’t look pregnant from the back, but when I turn around, my belly shows them I am definitely pregnant! Just like with the others, I carry all out front!

This baby will be my fourth c-section. Nathan was an emergency c-section, after complications in labor, and spent a few days in the NICU after birth. We tried for a VBAC with Emma, but she was measuring so large (almost 10 pounds) that my doctor (whom I love and trust completely) recommended a c-section at the last minute. With Lily, we had a c-section scheduled but I went into labor 6 days prior and so the c-section was quickly moved up. This c-section is scheduled before my due date but we shall see if baby waits to be born until then. Once again, it’s right around the Lutheran Nationals Basketball tournament that my husband and his junior high team have played in since before Nathan was born. We’ll see if the boys make it to Nationals and if the baby waits until after Nationals to be born. Here’s hoping on both accounts!

I have been feeling good. Big, but good. I still have decent energy but often take a power nap when the girls are at their nap times. I am more tired at night since the girls have not been sleeping well due to various minor illnesses. When you are already awake a lot at this point in pregnancy, the extra times waking up have been exhausting. I’m hoping everyone is on the mend soon so I can get a couple weeks of decent sleep before going back to the short newborn nights.

I haven’t had many cravings this pregnancy – although lately, sauted onions have tasted amazing! I’ve made them a couple nights just because I wanted them and can easily eat a whole onion. That’s the most unusual craving I have ever had! Andy has always wanted me to send him out for some late night craving run with all of these pregnancies and I have never done so. I might send him out for queso some night just because he would willingly go – and I feel like I should take advantage of the pregnancy cravings card while I can! Right? 🙂

The kids are all getting more excited about the new baby. Nathan wants us to name the new baby, Nathan, which we explained isn’t a good idea – especially since his brother will probably be born very close to his birthday. Lily likes to see the doctor and pats my “big tummy” regularly. She has started saying “Hi, baby!” after “big tummy” so that is sweet. Emma has enjoyed sorting through all the baby things with me. They are all doing the countdown to their birthdays and the new baby. If all goes according to plan, the baby should be born after the girls birthdays but just before Nathan’s. Yes, that is soon to be four babies in March…followed by my birthday on April 5. It’s a busy couple of weeks for our family!

If you are interested, here’s a look back at my other pregnancy updates. 

Here’s my third trimester update with Nathan (2014).

Here’s my third trimester update with Emma (2016).

Here’s my third trimester update with Lily (2018).

We are slowly checking things off my pre-baby list.

I should start by saying that my pre-baby list was massive. This was definitely the longest list I have ever made before baby – taking 3 full pages in my bullet journal. I’ve been slowly and steadily chipping away at it all throughout this third trimester. Here are a couple highlights of what I have accomplished.

I filed our taxes two weeks ago and am excited that we will get a refund again. It is just nice to have that big task done.

I switched all 18 of our savings accounts to new savings accounts – and tripled our interest! It wasn’t that hard to do but it did take some time. Now, I just need to set up new automatic deposits again and we will be set. It is so nice to have an easy online savings setup that earns us 1.7% interest! Plus, we reach our savings goals so much quicker since we started doing this because we’re not borrowing money from one account and wondering where it went. Here’s more about how we use our savings accounts as electronic envelopes, if you are interested.

The freezer is getting filled with food for after baby is born. The end of March / beginning of April is always my husband’s spring break, and it looks like he might be home for a couple days with the kids by himself while I am in the hospital. I’m trying to make sure we have plenty of food so he doesn’t have to think about that aspect of life at home. Andy’s a great dad and will do great. Thankfully, his mom is nearby to watch the kids on the day of my c-section so that is helpful too. It will be nice to have him home for the first couple days when I am home from the hospital too. Plus, he gets off Good Friday and Easter Monday so we have that to anticipate as well. (I made cookies and cookie dough balls this time around so Andy can easily bake cookies with the kids, too…because chocolate is always important!)

I washed all the boy clothes in the basement and moved them up to Nathan’s room. I have 4 boxes of boy clothes saved from baby to size 5, so pulled out the newborn to 3 months ones. The newborn clothes are currently sitting on top of my dresser until I figure out where to store them. I also went through the girls clothes and moved them up to the next size while I was sorting through clothes. That started because I was really looking for Easter dresses and then I decided to just keep going. I try to take advantage of the motivation whenever it comes!

I have a couple more blog posts planned through March, and then will take all of April (and maybe a little longer) off from the blog. I’ll be sure to update the blog (and Instagram) when baby boy makes his arrival so you all know! I love that blogging gives me the flexibility to work at my own pace, with readers who are so understanding and supportive. I’ve also been busy writing lots of custom books so I am ready for the busy graduation season before baby arrives.

I finished our 2018 Shutterfly album as well as an Alaska album from our 10th anniversary trip this summer. That was very exciting to cross both of those things off my list! I had intended to finish 2019 before baby arrives but it doesn’t look like that will happen. Instead, I’m just going to focus on updating the pregnancy digital album for the new baby so he has one like his older siblings.

Of course, I still have lots I hope to do!

Yes, there is still lots on the to do list, including packing for the hospital, day to day chores and cleaning, and writing more custom books. Here are a couple of my big goals yet.

I still need to move the bassinet up to our room. We are planning on the baby sleeping in our room for the first couple months, while Lily remains in the crib. Right now, the girls share a room but come this summer, we’ll move everyone around. The plan is to buy bunk beds (yes, we’re watching for sales on those) and put Nathan and Emma together in his room. Then, Lily will move to the big girl twin bed and the baby will move to the crib. We have a couple months but then, the oldest two will share a room and the youngest two will share a room. Eventually, we’ll switch to a boys room and girls room, but for now, the age grouping seems more appropriate.

I need to install the baby car seat and reconfigure car seats in the mini van. We have stow and go seats, so usually keep one of the middle seats down, which makes it easy for everyone to climb in and out. Soon, we’ll need that seat up so I need to figure out where it makes most sense for everyone to sit.

I am making a big shopping list of household things to buy this month so we are all set on the basics during the first few weeks. It’s handy to know that Walmart pick up is an easy, free option now, when I need it. Planner that I am, here are some of the things I try to have on hand before baby arrives. 

I also still need to buy a couple more newborn diapers as well as more size 1 diapers. I haven’t stockpiled nearly as far ahead as I did with Nathan but as long as I get a couple more packages of NB and size 1, I will be ready. I have enough wipes for now until the next good sale too. I have two big boxes of size 5 for Lily so I don’t need to worry about that either.

The biggest project left? I need to plan for the kids birthdays! We are celebrating Lily’s 2nd birthday and Emma’s 4th birthday together on the 15th (in between their actual birthdays) with a party date to be determined for Nathan. Since it looks like I will most likely be in the hospital (again, if everything goes according to plan – and it very well may not) on Nathan’s birthday, we will celebrate his birthday early. I need to finish birthday present shopping (thank goodness for Amazon) and plan the cakes and menus. Nathan wants to decorate cookies to take into Kindergarten so we will actually do those in the next week or so, since I know they freeze so well. This way, if I do go into labor early, the cookies will be ready!

There you have it! That’s a look into these final weeks of pregnancy for me. 

Any tips or advice or reminders as I get ready to enter the newborn stage once again?