May

Baby number 3 has sorta stollen the show around here, and while I'm super happy I've been able to keep up to date with documenting this pregnancy (because I am determined not to let it get put on the back burner just because it's three!) I've been slacking at documenting the rest of it all! Though if we're being honest, this baby is still all we talk about ;) 

We tried to take full advantage of Stephen having weekends off in May, especially knowing that at the end of a busy June, he'd be taking off for six weeks...! The weather was a little touch and go, but much preferred over this constant heat we're experiencing now! Mornings at the park, swimming and splash pads, beach days and hikes, lots of snuggles and lazy evenings... It was a good month! 

 ^^ We started the month out with a trip to the fountain with some friends! It is so great to have things like this across the street (and through campus) from our house! ^^

 ^^ Making my heart melt before 7am...! ^^

 ^^ My two love the Faber kids! And I love that my kids get to spend time under their Godly influence! ^^

 ^^ A snap from the pictures we took to announce our pregnancy. Baby girl is so excited to be a big sister! ^^

 ^^ Hot morning at the park/splash pad with our favorite friends! ^^

 ^^ Trying on daddy's glasses looking SO CUTE! ^^

^^ We got a mini van in May! Best decision, EVER! All I ever wanted were automatic doors that opened with the push of a button on my key fab and rear facing vents in the backseat for those rear facing babies ...My dreams have come true! ^^

 ^^ Salamander hunting with the Appel family on our Saturday morning hike! We also found a baby scorpion...! ^^

^^ Uriah's old (and favorite!) "star jimmies" have made their way into Ezra's drawer and I cried the first night we put them on her! ^^

 ^^ I got to spend a few hours on Mother's Day with these beautiful ladies, walking around the mall, snacking on frozen yogurt and playing "this is the wedding dress I'd wear if I got married today" at Anthropologie. - "One of the best parts of motherhood is the other mothers" ^^

 ^^ Crab hunting, beach walking, shell finding, napping in the sun and loving every minute of it! We spent an entire day at the beach and had some very tired babies on our drive home ^^

 ^^ Monthly Costco shopping cart picture ^^

 ^^ Bunk beds! We've been working on making more space in their room to play (and for the baby!) and getting bunk beds was the first step in that process. We were worried about how Ezra would do outside a crib (because Uriah's transition was awful!) but she has done amazing! Looking extra big these days! ^^

 ^^ This one made it's way into a separate post, but this is 16 weeks in May with baby #3! ^^

 ^^ Our evening venture to the sand pit had us catching moths over and over again! We called it our science lesson for the day ;) ^^

 ^^ Morning at the park! These two are such good friends these days and it makes my momma heart so happy to see them playing together! ^^

 ^^ Water park adventure for Paxton's birthday celebration! The kids were terrified of the large bucket that spilled water all over the kids play structure, but Uriah still talks about that lazy river! Stephen and I got a chance to ditch our kids with our friends and head down the tube slides together - getting flipped out of the tube might have been my favorite part of the morning :) ^^

19 weeks

^^ 19 weeks, as seen by my four year old! ^^

How far along are you?: 19 weeks exactly! I love that my weeks change on a Monday. This baby is orderly ;)

Baby is: The size of a gameboy! Ha! 6 inches long and over 8 ounces. I feel like my stomach hasn't gotten much bigger in the last few weeks and thank goodness! I started showing around 10 weeks this time around, noticeably to others around week 14, so it's been nice to hit a bit of a plateau before getting bigger in the 20 something weeks!

Movement: Baby is definitely moving, yes! I've been feeling baby for a few weeks now and his/her schedule is starting to regulate a bit. Baby is always moving in the evening right before bed while I sit and talk with Stephen and most often during the kiddo's nap time. Stephen has been able to feel it now too! Just twice, the first time being last week, the day I hit 18 weeks. This makes it so much more real to me!

Weight gain: To be determined!

Stretch marks?: No new ones! My stomach has been starting to itch more frequently, though, so I've been trying to be diligent about putting on lotion, exfoliating, stretching and drinking lots of water. (Not just for the sake of stretch marks, but if it helps...!)

Maternity clothes?: All maternity bottoms and some shirts. The shirts aren't necessary at this point but the maternity ones just hug my bump a little better/cuter than my non-maternity shirts and/or are longer so they've been in constant rotation. Dresses are still proving to be super comfortable, too - my stomach has just been so sensitive this pregnancy!

Currently craving: Since my second trimester hit, I haven't had much of an appetite. I am hungry, all the time!, but nothing ever sounds good or really satisfies. I've been eating a lot of basics because of that - pb&js, toast, bananas, cereal... Every once in awhile I'll really crave real food, something really filling and a little salty like Chipotle or Thai food.

Aversions?: The smell of salsa and pizza sauce (just while making the pizza, not while devouring it!) but nothing else!

Sleep: Sleep has been come and go these past few weeks. Mostly come, with the exception of my nightly "midnight" bathroom run, but several times I just haven't slept well. I'm not having weird dreams keeping me up, so I'm not entirely sure what it is, I just wake up feeling like I haven't slept. I thought maybe it was because I was still napping during the day, but the few days I skipped nap in hopes of a better nights sleep, I didn't notice much of a difference (except for the fact that I was asleep on the couch by 6!) I have been so tired this pregnancy and am eagerly awaiting that second trimester burst of energy! I've been dragging and it's been hard!

Feeling: Tired (so tired!), sore (my back has continued to hurt, one night leaving me crawling across the floor because I couldn't stand...!), so very unbelievably ready and excited, and super sad and anxious about Stephen's time away this summer. Basically, I'm a mess ;)

Working on: Names! I've had a running list of possibilities ever since we found out I was pregnant with Uriah and I've been going back to it a lot lately, adding to it and removing names every so often. It's hard having to pick one of each! Got any favorites you don't plan on using, send 'em my way!

Thinking about & anticipating: Ezra's reaction to no longer being the baby. We talked about it before we even decided to try for another, but of course there will be some adjusting for everyone to do and whether or not she takes to the changes easily, her reaction was never a deciding factor. I worry, though, that her contentedness that has gotten her through these first two years will start to disintegrate after the baby comes. Or! Maybe she'll be just as helpful and excited and understanding as I anticipate her big brother being...!

Recent baby purchase: A bed! And a carseat! A little prematurely, I'll admit, but we found them used by the same seller, both in incredible condition and at just the right price! I was anxious to get these big things decided on and purchased before Stephen leaves for Africa because I won't be able to talk to him about these things very easily and didn't want to wait until he was home, making them sort of last minute tasks. So we jumped the gun a bit! But I am so excited to have these baby things around the house reminding me of what's to come!

What are you most looking forward to?: Our anatomy ultrasound next week! Ahh! It will be SO hard to see our sweet babe and not find out the gender! Mostly, though, I'm just super eager to know that all is well. I always forget that things could go wrong and that maybe they'll see something that leads to further tests and questions, so I'm a little worried, but continually praying for a healthy baby. I just love that Stephen will get to be around for it before taking off! This might be the last time we get to see him/her until the fall!

Favorite moment this week?: It was definitely Stephen feeling the baby move for the first time! I'm sure he was about to give up waiting, because it's only strong enough to feel from the outside very so often, but I could immediately tell he felt it by his reaction! He had been trying for a few days, as I'd been feeling the baby move for weeks, and I love that he's been able to feel baby so early! Other than running out for ice cream (which he's done once so far!) it's almost the only part of pregnancy he gets to participate in!