Third

 Oh yes, it's true. Baby Lambes number THREE is on its way!!! Baby is due May 26, 2014, and is healthy and growing right on track! I'm 10 weeks, 4 days pregnant today. I've been keeping a journal since we waited so long to let the cat out of the bag, so I'll post it here. We're thrilled to be blessed with another little one and can't wait to see him or her in May!

9/18/13

I decided it would be fun to start a journal to record my early pregnancy since it will be a little while before we share the news! I want to remember these days, and I thought my friends and family might have fun reading about them eventually too :)

I took a pregnancy test yesterday evening after debating it all day; the timing was right, but I didn’t want to test too early and end up disappointed. As soon as I put the boys to bed, I couldn’t resist any longer. I tested… and there was the clear + sign! Positive! We actually had company over at the time, so I had to wait a couple hours to tell Nathan.  After our friends left, we got ready for bed, and I left a wrapped gift on Nathan’s pillow. He had no idea what was inside: a pacifier that said “I ♥

Daddy.”  He said, “really?” with a smile on his face, followed by something like, “that’s awesome!” We’re so excited- no shock or anything like we had with our first two (even though they weren’t a surprise!). It’s going to be so much fun sharing the news with everyone!!

I’m definitely having some symptoms already, at 4 weeks, 3 days ish. First to show up a couple days ago was a little bit of mild cramping which I continue to feel now and then. Yesterday and today I’ve felt alternately nauseous (mild) and hungry all day. This evening, I’m dizzy! I looked it up, and apparently it’s due to my/baby’s body’s increased need for blood and not enough to go around yet. I’m just going to keep drinking lots of water and take it easy so I don’t fall over or something! It’s amazing that something so small can cause so much!

I’m trying to decide whether to renew my YMCA membership, because though I’m sure some light exercise would be good to keep up, most of the classes I do aren’t mild… probably too strenuous to be safe. Goodbye for now, kickboxing :(

Per tradition: Baby is the size of a poppyseed this week :)

9/19/13

No nausea yet today! Fingers crossed! I have been hungry all the time (I remember that being my earliest symptom with my first two pregnancies). Gotta get some snacks to keep around.  Dizziness a lot today… just kind of annoying, no big deal. Hope it doesn’t last.

I did a lot of reading today about prenatal exercise, and I’ve decided to stick with the Y, and even continue going to my classes. I’m just going to be careful to pay attention to my body and not push myself too hard. I know I won’t be able to keep it up all the way through, which is fine, but the benefits of sticking with it for now seem to be very great! I’ll either go tomorrow or Monday to make my payment and get back in the game :)

9/22/13

I have been feeling great the last few days! Pretty much no symptoms, which is wonderful. I’m 5 weeks today! Baby’s heart starts beating this week… so amazing. I can’t wait to hear it :)

Allie came to visit yesterday and today, and I reeeally wanted to tell her and Nathan’s parents about the baby, but we are going to wait a little longer so we can tell everyone closer together. I kind of wish I could just let the secret out, but it’ll be so much fun to reveal it in creative ways in the next few weeks!

Baby is the size of an appleseed this week.

9/23/13

My first day back at the Y felt good! I did my normal Monday class. I talked to my class’s teacher afterward. She has four kids and is a professional trainer, so I thought she’d be a good person to ask about exercise and pregnancy! She encouraged me to keep exercising and told me what kinds of things to be careful about, but it looks like I’ll be good to keep working out for a good long while! :) I’ll talk to my doctor at my first appointment in a couple weeks too.

10/1/13

I went to the Y three times last week to all my usual classes, got a “yes, keep going!” from my trainers, and did well. It didn’t feel much different than normal. I have been getting really tired toward the middle/end of the day… kind of that exhausted, almost drugged feeling. It’s not a big deal, just weird feeling. My stomach hasn’t been happy for the last three days, which is a bummer. I was hoping to magically avoid morning sickness. I never felt sick with Orion, but did a bit with Desmond. As long as it’s just a feeling, it’s not a huge deal… just uncomfortable.

Yesterday was my Dad’s birthday, so I sent him a card with pictures inside of the boys on the swings. One of Orion that said “one,” Desy said “two,” and then a teddy bear in a baby swing that said “three.” When I called he hadn’t figured out the “secret encoded message,” so that was funny. I’m sure he and my mom will be happy to play with another grandbaby :)

I already told my friend Sadie and our friends Andrew and Kayla, and we’re planning on telling Nathan’s family this weekend. Our college friends get the news at the end of October, and then we’ll let the rest of the world know! Hope it stays under wraps until then ;)

10/8/13

We got to tell Nathan’s family about the baby this weekend! We drove down to Nashville with Robin to see Allie and Rachel. When we were at Loveless cafe waiting for our table, most of them were sitting on some steps together and I thought it looked like a good photo op, so I told them to get together for a picture, and took one, and then for the second one I said “3...2...1...I’m pregnant!” I took a whole bunch of pictures as the news dawned on them- it was so fun! Can’t wait to share them.

When we got home and put the kids to bed, we went upstairs in Larry and Robin’s room and told Larry we had some bad news, that we couldn’t go on vacation next year. It was too close to the due date. It took him a little while to catch on what due date we were talking about, then of course he was thrilled.

We facetimed Jonathan last night and Nathan told him we couldn’t come to his graduation/vacation in May because May is “uncle time” (a throwback to when we shared our first pregnancies).

I had my first visit to the doctor’s office yesterday where I gave medical history, got lots of general info, and watched an 80’s-tastic video. Due date is May 26 :) Then I went over to the lab to get 7ish vials of blood taken. My arm is all sore! The person who took my blood did a really good job and it barely hurt, so I’m surprised I’m sore now.

Feeling ok lately. Stomach is unhappy now and then. If I’m not feeling sick, I’m always hungry and always eating! Besides that, just extra sleepy towards the middle or end of the day.

Say cheese!

"...I'm pregnant!"

 

10/12/13

I’ve developed my first food aversion this week… even thinking about it reeeally grosses me out so I’ll type this up quickly. It’s this tortellini soup that I thought was so amazing that I was planning on making for Hallogivingmas. Ugh. GROSS.

10/28/13

I got to hear my baby’s heartbeat a few days ago!! I went to the doctor for an examination, and afterwards the nurse decided that she wanted to try to find the heartbeat just for fun since I’m “little,” even though I was only about 9.5 weeks… they don’t usually start trying to find the heartbeat til 12 weeks because it’s unlikely that they will be able to. She sent her assistant for a doppler, and she tried but it wasn’t the one she wanted, so she ran out herself for her favorite doppler (haha!) and sure enough, she found the baby’s heartbeat within a minute! I was so surprised and thrilled that it brought tears to my eyes… it has to be the most magical sound in the world.

We got to share our news with our college friends this weekend at our Hallogivingmas party! When everyone dressed up in costumes, I put on my skeleton baby shirt and just walked in the room, where everyone noticed immediately, of course! Amy had a giggle fit and Jennifer bounced up and down and clapped :)  becca got the early Roommate-only sneak preview of my “costume” when she got here Thursday night. I love how excited and supportive all of my friends are :)  I can’t wait to wear my shirt again to our church’s Fall Festival on Thursday to reveal the news to everyone!! My belly is totally going to give the secret away if anybody looks too closely, so I’m glad we’re telling the world this week!

We actually have an ultrasound on Friday already! It’s a screening they didn’t offer when I was pregnant with Orion, but I had one at 12 weeks with Desmond. I’m 10 weeks today, so I’m curious to see the difference a week and a couple days makes! I’m very encouraged by a healthy heartbeat, so here’s praying that the ultrasound reveals that everything else is healthy too :)

 

Sharing the news at our church's fall festival. Same shirt I used to tell our college friends.

10 week, 4 day ultrasound:

 

 Waving to Mama and Daddy!  ♥

Little hands held over its face

I'm still feeling good... nauseous now and then, but nothing horrible. I can't complain! I'm so thrilled that everything looked healthy and right on track at the ultrasound today! Baby's heart rate was 163 bpm and it even waved and wiggled a bit. I actually have another scan in two weeks for the nuchal translucency screening (which I'm pretty sure this appointment was supposed to be for, but I think they scheduled it too early. Oh well!). Everything is on track so far for a healthy pregnancy and baby- hurray!

It feels good for the secret to finally be out- what a joy to share! :)