37.5 Weeks

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone. It went really fast until 30 weeks, then dragged on until 37 weeks. Now that I am almost into my 38 week of pregnancy, I am a little sad to have it end so soon. The excitement we are all feeling is almost too much to bear over here! We are anxious to know the gender...even though most of us think it's a boy! I now see my midwife every week. It's interesting to see how midwifes and doctors are different. I personally love my midwife and wouldn't see a doctor again unless it was totally necessary. The midwives don't "check" dilation until I am in active labor or way over due. At first I was a little bummed about this, but in all reality it is helping me become more patient. I know the type of birth I want to have and I think that not intervening in anyway will actually help my body progress the way it should. We (alex and I) feel very at peace with knowing that the baby could very well be born close to it's due date or even after. I am definitely uncomfortable but it's only a couple more weeks of feeling the way I do. That's nothing. We try to keep busy during the day and I am on my feet a lot! I think my number one fear is having my house out of order when the baby does come. I don't know who is going to have to come stay at my house if I go in the middle of the night but man alive it cannot be messy or smell like diapers :) So each day I try to clean something but by the end of the day it looks like I haven't touched the place. 

I feel as prepared as I can for this baby to come. Newborns don't need a lot so I actually haven't done a lot! I felt way more prepared for Crew and Laney to come. It's funny how my mindset has completely changed this time around. We are all just praying for a healthy labor and delivery, and a very healthy baby. Our car situation is laughable. How we are going to have 3 children in carseats in one row beats me! I think the thing that scares me the most about 3 little kids close together is all of the crying in the car. It's heart wrenching to have a newborn screaming in the backseat and honestly it's beyond stressful for me. Wish us luck! I'm also not looking forward to all the postpartum goodness but I know that it does end and it goes smoother when I let myself recover and relax! Mom can you stay for like 3 weeks?:) 

We are feeling grateful for this exciting time in our life. I can't help but feel so sad every time I do give birth because then we are one more baby closer to being done having children. I don't know how many we will have but I can't have a million! I will always want a little baby around so I know that feeling will never leave me. Being a mother is the greatest. 

December

It's already December which blows my mind! I feel that way though every month. We have had a busy few weeks which make for long days and nights. (nights because the insomnia is back at it) Here are some pictures of what we have been up to:

 Park days in December are the best. The weather is just perfect in the winters here. I snagged these sand toys for free...so naturally we had to celebrate another good find by playing with them immediately! 

  We have a stage 5 clinger on our hands so whenever I take a shower she comes in too...or else she just screams at the shower door and opens it a million times. Which makes for a short and very cold shower. So lately she comes in with me and just claws onto me like a little koala bear while resting her head on my shoulder. I love it. 

 31 weeks and counting. Braxton hicks are in full swing over here and baby is hanging low. I'm still set on a boy--so if this one is a girl we will be very surprised! The typical aches and pains are to be expected at this point but man I somehow forget about them until they arrive. I guess that's a good thing. I am just getting so anxious to give birth! I really don't know how it's going to play out. I for one hate surprises so I don't know how I will react to finding out what the baby is. I can't believe we never found out. Won't do it again but at least I can say we did it once! I am very excited to meet this little one but I'm also getting real nervous about having 3 children. It's going to rock our world...mostly in a good way. I think I'm tired now?! Just wait. 

 Best purchase was this children's nativity set. They love it. 

 Laney literally chose her outfit the other day and I thought it was hilarious. She is the shoe girl and loves to wear her red ones. She also loves socks...so naturally those had to go on too. She's is full equipped with a baby in arms...she's a little obsessed. I can't blame her. I Snagged her headband on sale mostly because she loved it in the store. It's a little big but is always putting it on...her neck! 

 We went to a farm the other night with friends and it was so great. We love our ward and the people in it. My friend took these pictures and I love them. So grateful to be surrounded by so many women to look up to! 

 This 3 year old...is the best. It doesn't mean he is easy...but we can't get enough of his weird quirks and comments throughout the day. I don't think his brain ever shuts off. He is the most lovey and affectionate child in the world. (only concerns me a little) I love his hugs throughout the day and the random, "mom I love you so bad" statements. Can he just make it to age 5 and then never ever grow up?! (3 is proving to be a bit of a challenge...at first it wasn't but it is. Just requires a lot of energy!) We love our Crew!

We have had a great month so far! So anxious for Christmas to come. I have been so busy with photoshoots mixed with some school in there and a minor church calling, but busy is how we like it! For now!

Insomnia

With this pregnancy I have not been able to sleep all through the night quite yet...and I bet once it passes, then my restless legs will start acting up in the 3rd trimester, so that's why I'm up early most days. I guess it is sort of nice to be up before anyone else is! This little baby is extremely active during the night too so it's hard to fall asleep when you have a little body inside rolling around. :) So that's why I'm up so early writing this before I forget to do it! 

Yesterday Crew and I had dentist appointments (my husband is so good at setting those up. Seriously.) There were so many things that he said during the appointment that almost had me in tears laughing! When we first got there he wanted me to hold him up on the counter while I checked in. He said, "hey pick me up please...Hi, my name is Crew." Then when I laid down for my cleaning he scooted his rolling chair right up to my face and kept saying, "it be alright mom. It be ok." All while staring at me and raising his eyebrows up. A few different times he would place his hand on my tummy and say, "oh! The baby kicked!" (which it totally didn't) A song would come on and he would stop whatever he was doing and start dancing. WHO IS THIS KID?! He would not stop asking the hygienist what every single tool was either. 3 year old's are the best. Honestly...this has been a little better than 2 was for us. (but hey it's only been a month) 

 When it was his turn he was totally skeptical of the entire thing. He laid so still. Man it was so funny. 

 I feel like I have had a lot of "laney time" the past few days. One day Crew was with Grandma so we jumped on the chance to do some furniture shopping with only one child. So much easier than with 2! Not sure what I'm going to do when I have 3 running in different directions :) Laney knows when she has all of our attention and she sure eats it up. She loved trying out every single chair in the store...goodness! And she is quite the fast little runner these days. A few face-plants, but she was good. 

The other day I heard her knock something down and came to the stairs to find that she pulled the gate down and climbed over! Little stinker! Maybe it wasn't on so tight but she sure was proud of herself. 

 The weather was incredible yesterday. Laney is usually pretty happy but around 3 or 4 she becomes very irritable inside. Whenever I get the chance to let her roam around outdoors...that's what we do! Crew fell asleep inside so we went on a little walk so it was quiet while he slept. (her favorite thing to do when he sleeps is touch his face and scream at him. So we had to leave) 

 Her happy faces kill me! The outdoors seriously make her giddy. Also-I think that they should start making baby/toddler clothes in my size. So cute. 

We brought her baby and stroller along so she had something to play with. It was a hit. She loves that little doll of hers! She would stop to give it kisses and then it looked like she was trying to put the baby on her shoulders. Her brother does that a lot. We had a great day yesterday and we sure need way more of this nice October weather! I hope it's here to stay. 

Life Lately

I've been meaning to write a new post on here for some time, but just couldn't find enough time to write one! I'm finally just making myself do it tonight before I work on homework...or else it will never get done. 

We have been up to our normal stuff around here lately. Crew turned 3 last week, so that was super exciting for all of us. I'm hoping to write a different post on that. It's so crazy that only 3 years ago I was snuggling my first tiny little newborn babe and now I have another little one running around and one inside of me! Time sure whizzes by. We have been loving every minute of our big 3 year old. 

He sure says the funniest things. I wish I had a post-it on me every time or that I would remember to record what he says on my phone. Tonight I asked him to help me clean up the toys and he just would not do it...so he comes to me and says with a little bit of attitude, "you do it all by yourself. I'm going to sleep!" and then he walked off. I think the term "threenager" rings true in our house. We think it's hilarious *half* of the time. 

We went to the bookstore today and I let the kids run around for a bit. Having two kids running in opposite directions is pretty funny, and then I just have to laugh at my growing belly and what others probably think of me. I got this guys...

(at the checkout there were some seriously naughty magazines and I was just praying so hard that Crew would not glance over at them. Luckily he didn't, but why do those have to be there AND low where little kids have a perfect view? I could go on and on about my fears with raising kids, let alone a boy, but I won't. It just makes me sad & frustrated.) 

Here are some pictures from my phone of the last few weeks! Man I love these guys! 

-I love doing Laney's hair for church! It's so fun for me and I've gotten pretty good with keeping her still...but my bathroom looks like a bomb went off after. 

-One day we picked up the kids from the gym and saw that Crew's pants were on backwards and inside out! HA! I guess he went potty by himself, but they aren't allowed to help them and so he put his pants on the wrong way. So cute. 

-I fed Laney peaches off of my plate and after she was finished she started licking the plate all over. Gotta get all those juices...ya know. 

-I finally put some pictures up on our wall with a hammer and nail! So these are here to stay until we move out. It makes me happy to have a husband who supports me decorating :) 

-Crew at Trader Joe's is hilarious to watch. "Excuse me!" he says over and over. 

This was the morning of Crew's birthday. He would shake the present and if it made a noise he would say, "IT'S MY LEGO'S!!!!" I don't think I have ever seen him happier.

-He has a pretty great dad who was willing to put together all of his lego sets. His little sister however tried to climb on the table and snatch them all up! So darn funny to watch. 

-We had a little birthday celebration at the Martinsen's house where he got sung to again and received more presents! He sure is spoiled and so lucky to have some great family. 

-A nightstand update. I cannot keep that thing clean for the life of me. My nightstand sort of represents my mind right now. So cluttered and taking on too many things maybe? I'm currently reading a fantastic childbirth book--which I love. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Broadcasting Happiness, and then the YW books again. Each of these is benefiting me in some way so that's why I am reading them at the same time. Oops! I am in YW's now as the music coordinator...didn't know that was a thing! but hey! I'm lovin' it so far. I just play the hymns in there, prelude music and then coordinate music for Evening in Excellence and put together pieces for Sacrament for the youth to sing. It's going to be fun and the girls are just the sweetest. Some of them already babysit for us, but I know we will score a few more awesome ones! 

-I put up some Halloween decorations...just the bats on the lamps! haha that's all I have in me. Crew thinks they are the coolest thing in the world. So I think I scored a few points with him. 

Down below we have some cute Laney girl pictures. It's killing me with how fast she has grown. Wasn't I just 20 weeks along with her? 

She is a full blown walker now and is loving every minute of it. She pants, screams and giggles while holding her fists up for balance while she walks. It's so cute. She loves food, her binky, blankets, babies and Crew. She follows him everywhere. 

Baby #3 is still doing well! I'm halfway now and we are getting more excited everyday to meet this little one. Thank goodness we have the holiday's to keep us busy until the baby is born. We are not going to find out the gender and are honestly so happy about that decision. It's fun to feel the baby kicking but not know if it's a little boy or girl kicking us! So neat. We have decided on 2 names for each gender. Peter or Reid for a boy. Alex wants Peter but I want Reid...who will win! For a girl it's either Ruby or Claire...again Alex wants Ruby and I want Claire. So we won't choose a name until it's born. I haven't taken a single belly picture yet---but maybe I will right before my due date! Who knows. It's really different the 3rd time around. We just feel blessed and excited to have another set of little feet running around.

Until next time!  

Baby #3

We announced some exciting news on social media today so I need to document it on here! We are expecting another little one around Valentine's Day next year! We couldn't feel more blessed or nervous all at the same time. 

After I had Laney I had the immediate urge to have another baby soon after her. I remember a member of the ward in Missouri visiting us (she was so nice) and she asked jokingly if I wanted another baby. I replied immediately "Yes! I honestly think I do!" and that was that.

We kept it under the radar that I sort of never took birth control after having Laney...so we expected things to happen a lot sooner than they did! Maybe breastfeeding really does work for me as a birth control? (totally not going to live by that in the future. No worries)

I stopped nursing Laney in April and became pregnant in May. 

Now...we gave ourselves until May/June of 2015 to get pregnant because I didn't want to have a baby over summer and a few other reasons, but we just set up that little deadline. So when May came, the both of us sorta talked ourselves out of wanting a baby because it just wasn't happening yet. I signed up for the half marathon in February and committed to working out with some friends back in Arizona. I was so so excited! Obviously bummed I wasn't pregnant, but we weren't worried about it.  

So I flew to Utah the beginning of June for 6 full weeks of good times with the family! I found out I was pregnant shortly after I arrived. I kept waiting for June's visitor and it just didn't come. I was in denial and wouldn't take a test for a while. I remember getting the test at the store and sneaking it away from the family upstairs! I took it downstairs and it was positive. I immediately ran upstairs to my mom and just bawled in her arms. I totally was not unhappy with it being positive but I was in shock! So many emotions running through me. So I sat there crying and then she was crying and reassuring me that I could do this. She's the greatest and I am so so thankful I found out while I was there. I kept it a secret from Alex the entire trip and told him when I got back to Alabama. Those 6 weeks while in Utah I wasn't feeling too sick. I would get nauseas but then eat and be fine. I only threw up once there! Woohoo! 

One night though I was craving Costa Vida so badly. I had been craving it for a few days but felt bad asking someone to take me. It was 11pm and I was making a sandwich and just broke down in the kitchen. My brothers were all there and my parents! They didn't know what was going on haha At this point my dad knew I was pregnant and just gave me the biggest hug ever! He said he would go and get it for me right then. I cried harder because I told him they were closed! haha I was doing the cry where you have to catch your breath and breathe through your mouth because your nose is all stuffed up. It was so pathetic. But yes...the cravings this time around have been unreal. 

I told Alex in Alabama and he was...shocked! It took a few days for it to sink in. At this point I still didn't know how far along I was because I had stopped tracking my period back in April. I started feeling extremely tired and sick when I got to Alabama. That was hard because I was alone taking care of the two kids. So the ipad and snacks have been our friend lately. 

I didn't want to make an appointment out here because I really didn't think I was too far along. One day I just decided to call up the dr and make one because I was sick of living in limbo! We got an ultrasound (one that was uncomfortable and so awkward. Hated it. Never done that before!) a little teeny baby was bouncing around and had all 4 limbs going crazy! We were so surprised at how far along I was. I was a few days away from being 12 weeks. Seeing a heartbeat in a little human on the screen never gets old, and I absolutely love every bit of this experience. We told our family shortly after that! Just texted or called them! Nothing creative, but I sort of like it that way. We just announced it today because I'm in the second trimester and people would find out eventually! I don't know why I have been hesitant announcing it (when we told our family I had knots in my stomach and simply did not want to do it) but I am so happy with this baby and feel like I need to talk about he/she out in the open! 

I have been feeling so much better! Taking the kids out in public is so hard for me and requires me to just be physically there and not mentally...if that makes sense. I just have to check out for a second when I start to feel nauseas or so tired, and talk myself out of feeling like that. You just don't have the option to really be "pregnant" while taking care of two kids. 

We are so very excited for this baby and feel beyond grateful to be the parents of these 3 kids.

(Crew hates pictures...but he is so so excited for the baby. He keeps calling it Peter or Sally. We love one of the names, but not the other. I'll let you guess!) 

Laney Kate Martinsen

I think I have told my mom a million times how much I miss this and wish I could do it all over again. I'll just say this once, but I love pregnancy and giving birth. 

Once I hit 37 weeks pregnant I was determined to get this little girl out of me. I did not try every "natural" inducing tactic, but almost all off them. She was just very cozy. When I hit 38.5 weeks I finally gave up the thought of her coming early. Maybe she just knew that grandma really needed to get here first because mom couldn't do it without her! 

Sunday came and we finally were off to pick up my mom at the airport! Crew was so excited and we were too...for obvious reasons. Sunday night hit and all of us were tired of seeing myself pregnant. Alex was so funny, and was reading about different things we could do to get her out. He then suggested demanded that I try taking castor oil...the one thing that I swore I would NOT do. 

He went and got it and strongly encouraged me to drink it. So I only drank 1.5 tablespoons and waited all night for something to happen. Well...nothing did...until 1:40am! In the middle of the night I woke up with contractions lasting 40 seconds and coming every 2 minutes. (Oh and I DIDN'T get the normal castor oil side effects) So I was just pacing the floors till 3am with contractions. I decided to get some rest just in case this was the real deal, and if they kept coming, then we would go to the hospital. Well I woke up the next morning still pregnant...but just in constant pain. 

We decided to go to the hospital around 10am just to see if I was in labor (haha) and check my dilation. I felt so stupid walking to triage because I honestly wasn't in a lot of pain. 

The nurse checked me and I was at a 5! I was contracting every 5 or so minutes, but I was scheduled to be induced anyways the next day...so my doctor decided to let us stay. By the time I was admitted it was around 11:30am. My doctor came in and broke my water at 12:30pm which was so weird. So so so so weird. I did not like feeling my water break...at all. It sounded like someone poured a gallon of water all over the floor. We were all just laughing because it kept coming. At that point I was 8cm dilated. 

My contractions were uncomfortable..but not painful at this point. It helped that my sweet husband was rubbing my feet and legs a lot. The doctor came back in at 2:30pm to check me..and sadly, I was still at an 8. I was now only contracting every 12 or so minutes. She decided that giving me a little pitocin would help get things moving quicker. She left so that Alex and I could decide what to do...

We chose to try it, but I also wanted an epidural if I had pitocin. 

So by the time they hooked me up and gave me the epidural, it was around 3pm. 

I asked for the lowest dosage possible for the epidural and Im so glad I did. Totally different experience than with Crew. I could move my legs, and body just the same. It was just a little tingly. I could still feel contractions and pressure...but the pain wasn't horrible. 

Around 4:30pm I told the nurse I felt weird and felt some pressure. 

She checked me and said "wow! baby has a lot of dark hair!" 

At that point Alex and I were shocked! 

It all happened too fast for my liking...but the doctor  came in, suited up, and told me to push. Her head came out...and then her body just flopped out of me at 4:44pm!

They put her on my chest and I fell deeply in love with her cheesy, squishy, and pink body. 

The nurses all loved her hair and said how cute her long toes were! (they are so long and skinny!)

The nurse had to remind Alex to grab the camera because we were not getting pictures! It just happened too fast. So grateful she said something. 

They left us alone for a good 2 hours to do skin to skin. 

Those 2 hours are so special to Alex and I because we did not get that with Crew. We were able to just meet our baby with no interruptions. She immediately wanted to nurse and did so well. 

I get all emotional when I think about my doctor, and my experience with this birth. 

I wanted nothing more than to go home to Utah to have her, but this doctor made me feel good about staying. She promised me she would be the one to deliver, and that she would follow up as much as she could. (in the hospital) She kept asking about my family, about Alex's work, and about my mom coming to town. She made this experience so much better than I expected. 

The 36 hours in the hospital with my little family was so great. My recovery is already so much better than the first time. 

Crew came to the hospital to meet Laney and did so well. He was obviously more interested in all the buttons, and machines in the room...but he still was interested in her. It's been so fun to see him as a big brother. 

We are so thankful for my mom and her service to us! Oh my goodness has she been a huge help. Heavenly Father knew without a doubt that I could not do this without her...so the minute she was here, he allowed our sweet daughter to be born. 

I could seriously go on and on about this pregnancy and birth. I loved every minute of it. Laney is such a good baby. I am just so incredibly sad this whole experience is over! I remember clearly when we decided to have another, and now she is here. The next time I do this..it will be baby #3 and both my kids will be so grown up. 

I love being a mother.

I feel so grateful and blessed that my body is able to create these little miracles. 

 This is my absolute favorite picture of Laney bug. So new and so fresh...right from Heaven. 

 Meeting dad for the first time

 Her first bath..she loves these by the way...just not the first one. 

 Meeting Crew

 Our first picture as a family of 4

 I love her cry face. So much. 

 This girl is always rooting! I love it. 

 She loves her dad so much already. Whenever she cries or is fussy...he will sing to her, and she calms right down. 

Thanks so much to my friend Eden for taking some pictures of us and Laney at the hospital! 

We are so happy our sweet girl is here safely. 

Thoughts on Pregnancy

Well we are dwindling down to the end of this pregnancy! I can't believe how fast it's gone really. It feels like the other day we decided to expand our family and now I have 1.5 weeks left. It honestly makes my mama heart ache. So so bad. I love being pregnant so much! This pregnancy has been so much easier than with Crew. I remember when I delivered Crew, the nurses and doctor said that my next pregnancies were going to be much easier because of his size. They said he paved the way for the rest of the kiddos! They were right! (well we will really see when I deliver her) I have been blessed with great pregnancies and we cannot wait to meet her. The second time around is so great, and such a different experience...I think.

When we had Crew we were SO young, and we still are...but I feel like we were way more prepared this time around for our second. We knew the love that we would have for her and we knew how exciting is was to watch Crew grow up, so that only made us more excited to have more kids! Right now I feel like I could have 8 kids...but I'm sure if you ask me tomorrow, I'll give ya a different number...Im so sad to be almost done. I am going to miss her kicks, rolls and hiccups so so much. She is also so much easier to take care of inside rather than outside..ha ha

So the plan for the next week or so is to take care of Crew and get him better because he has a fever, cough, runny nose, and he is wheezing. Then if baby isn't here by the 12th..I'm getting induced. So if she could come like the 10th...then that would be great! Positive thoughts!