Past Due "Announcement"

It is crazy to me that at 36 weeks 2 days pregnant I am fiiiinally blogging with the "announcement" that we are expecting a third "little Ritchey" (what I've dubbed Alexa, Jack, & baby) in early May!

Nonetheless, here are the quick details on the pregnancy:

• We found out on August 30, 2011 that we were expecting again. Due date May 9, 2012.
• We had our first ultrasound on September 28, 2011 to confirm the pregnancy.
• We heard the heartbeat for the first time on November 9, 2011.
  
• We had another ultrasound on November 12, 2011 and found out that our third baby is a... BOY!
• I began to feel flutters on November 15, 2011.
• I started feeling real kicks, punches, & such around Christmas 2011.
• Daddy felt the baby move for the first time on New Year's Day 2012.
  
• I am scheduled to have the baby on May 3, 2012. So unless he comes naturally before then, he'll be evicted in just under 3 weeks!!!

Here are more in-depth details on the pregnancy:

• "Morning" sickness: I had it the worst of all three pregnancies this time. I never actually vomited, thank goodness (!!!), but I battled nausea throughout the day (usually whenever I was hungry) from weeks 8 - 13.
• Name: Over the past several months, we struggled more than ever before to come up with a name for the baby... I tend to like simple, plain, old-fashioned names, such as Henry, Dean, Pete, and Neil. Whereas Dan likes names, such as Luke, Isaac, Finn, Owen, and Wyatt. None of which I even considered, LOL. As most of you know by now, I won the Great Name Debate. Our second son will be named Henry Daniel Ritchey.
• Cravings: I was all over the spectrum with cravings during the second trimester. Some of my favorite things to eat have been Doritos, clementines, smoothies, blackberries, anything chocolate, and Oreo's.
• Energy level: I was e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d the first trimester. But as soon as the second trimester started I felt normal again. Most days I even forgot I was prego because I was so busy with Alexa and Jack! Then, what seemed like overnight (at the end of my December), my belly P-O-P-P-E-D out! This bump definitely complicates my ability to do some things. Yet, I feel lucky that these days I have quite a bit of energy most of the day. I usually feel worn out around dinnertime then get my second-wind at like 9:30 pm.
• Weight gain: Dare I even admit it... I've gained 35 lbs already. The most of all three pregnancies, and I still have about 3 weeks to go. But I know that I can and WILL lose the baby weight, FAST. I gotta be in a bikini this summer ;)
• Movement: Still feeling Henry move quite a bit. Most of it is either him pushing his butt out on the top-left side of my bump or him hiccuping (just like Big Sis & Big Bro did tons of in utero!).
• Size: As of my most recent ultrasound, 2 days ago, Henry is 6 lbs 4 oz. The ultrasound tech estimates that at induction date he should be somewhere between what Alexa (7 lbs 4.5 oz) and Jack (8 lbs 2.2 oz) weighed.
• Signs of labor: I always think that I don't get Braxton Hicks, but then when I am induced and feel my first monitored contractions in the hospital I realize I'd been feeling those minor contractions for weeks. So I'm pretty sure I've been having some B.H. for the past two weeks. But nothing consistent or anything to make me think I'm gonna go into labor before "Eviction Day." I had my first internal exam this week. Not to give out TMI, but my cervix was a bit too high for Dr. Davy to tell me how far effaced & dilated I am - so we'll see if she can tell at my appt next Wednesday - but she did discover that Henry is REALLY low. I asked if that was a bad thing?!?! She assured me that it was fine and that it would probably mean I'll labor fast again :) :) :)
• Mental state: Have I ever wrote about how much I love being pregnant. Despite the climbing numbers on the scale (that a vain person like me struggles with seeing), I feel pretty. I love the energy boost and the nesting instinct that I get during the second trimester (although I drive Dan crazy, hehe). I love feeling my baby move. I love imagining what he/she is going to be like. I love preparing for his/her arrival. Pregnancy is such a special thing. A blessing. Something that I am thankful I have easily, safely, and enjoyingly been able to experience three times ♥ ♥ ♥ I'd say I'm in a pretty good state of mind writing/thinking like that this close to the end (when most mom's-to-be are so over being preggers).
  

Here are the ultrasound photos:

• First ultrasound on 9/28/2011 (8 weeks)

• Second ultrasound on 10/28/2011 (12 weeks, 2 days)

• Third ultrasound on 11/12/2011 (14 weeks, 3 days)

• Fourth ultrasound on 12/28/2011 (21 weeks)

• Fifth ultrasound on 4/11/2012 (36 weeks)

Here are the growing-Mama pictures:

8 weeks
12 weeks
14 weeks









16 weeks
19 weeks
23 weeks









24 weeks
26 weeks
28 weeks









30 weeks, 1 day
34 weeks
34 weeks, 4 days








For more pictures, check out our Professional Maternity photo album on Facebook. Photos were taken in Perry, OH by a friend of mine from high school Lorelei (who is just starting to dabble in professional photography). She did a superb job!

Here are some comments/thoughts on the Siblings:

• Alexa: She is going to be a great Big Sister [x2]. She is such a good helper with Jack & loves him so much, and I know she is going to be the exact same way with Henry! She has been very interested in my pregnancy and always wants to try to feel her new little brother move :)
• Jack: I think this Big Brother business is going to be quite an adjustment for him. I'm know Jack will be great with Henry (he likes the other newborns he's met lately). But I worry that emotionally he'll feel overlooked/ignored (because he has been demanding LOTS of Mommy time lately!). I may be surprised though because he smiles so big when you ask him if he's going to be a Big Brother and will point at my belly and say, "baby." :)

Here were our preparations:

• In January, Alexa moved into the largest of the three spare bedrooms. We painted it turquoise and decorated it with Disney Fairies. She loves her Big(ger) Girl room, most especially how her queen-size bed enables more stuffed animals to sleep with her!
  
• In February, March, & April we've slowly been working on turning Alexa's old room into Jack's new room. We painted it a brown color and decorated it with John Deere tractors. Tonight is his first night sleeping in his Big Boy room. His first night in a twin-size bed. Hopefully he sleeps well and enjoys the new room!
  
• This week I went into overhaul and did L-O-A-D-S (no pun intended) of baby laundry. The clothes, the burp clothes, the towels & washcloths, the Boppy covers & nursing cover, the bassinet bedding... All that still needs washed is the crib bedding (which I was waiting to do until Jack moved into his new room). Everything is washed. Everything is put away. Feels relieving!
• We aren't making too many changes in the nursery. Just needed to add Henry's name to the wall and have been locating a few "Hunting Lodge" type items to decorate it.
  

This pregnancy has gone by so fast. So very fast. I can hardly believe we are going to be Party of Five (LOVED that show in the 90's!) in less than a month! Well, it's getting late and my mind is getting hazy. But I'm pretty darn sure that I've managed to include everything in this post in regards to this pregnancy & baby Henry... if I think of something I've forgotten I'll add it later :) Ciao.