announcing…

Photos by Truly Photography!

A few of you already guessed because I have been SO M.I.A., but it’s true! Baby #4 is looking healthy and active and on their way! I am 11 weeks and due mid-March. I had every intention of waiting as long as I could (I know how internet pregnancies can drag out, ha!) but I have been ill from sun up to sun down. So so nauseous.  Truly horrible at all my various jobs and responsibilities, mix that with Summer and having all the kids home probably destroyed whatever semblance of a professional life I had.

FAQs!

1. Are you going to find out gender? Yes of course! I just don’t think I am the type to wait it out. Knowing gender makes it feel so much more real and makes it easier for me to bond. I’ll probably find out next month at 16 weeks. I know there’s tests you can take at 9 weeks but we’re are cash-pay so… happy to wait and have things to look forward to.
2. What do you think it is? I truly don’t know, I feel like I am always wrong. Russ thinks it’s a boy, Raleigh refers to the baby always as “Baby Sidoh” (sister) With my boys I was more violently ill in the mornings throwing up for months and months (20 weeks with Hayes, 26 weeks with Cal and I threw up until the very end with Raleigh), but would feel okay by afternoon/night. This time it’s just middle grade nausea and headaches all day long.
3. What are you doing for morning sickness? Unisom and B6! It’s been my go-to for all pregnancies and it might not solve all my problems, but trying to stop it always proves it is for sure helping. My friend has Bonjesta for me to try which I might! I hear it’s expensive, but might be worth it at this point! Also, exercise helps SO much this time around. If I can workout for even 30 minutes I feel good for hours after!! Bless you High Fitness. I am super exhausted as well so it’s just been a lot of Love Island in my bed. Bless you Love Island and your 50+ episodes.
4. I thought you were done at 3? We never could seem to sync up on wanting a 4th at the same time and gosh wouldn’t life have been so much easier that way. But then we both came around at the same time. I saw a friend of a friend randomly  and she got teary with me saying she regretted not having one more. And I knew full body and soul that that would be me. I don’t know what this baby has in store for us, but it felt very apparent they needed to be here and and in this timing.
5. Where will the baby sleep? In our room for a bit and then I’ll turn the office into their room until they’re sleeping through the night. Then down in the basement they go with the lot. 😉
6. Do you want a girl? This question is the worst. Of course I do! It’s always hard to imagine I’ll never get to experience it or see Russ and the boys experience it. But then I look at each of my boys and how amazing they are as individuals, their unique spirits that have been with them from day one, I’d never change them. I will love and accept whatever comes our way! (But did we try and create an environment that was easier for a girl to stick? You bet. Ha!)
7. Thoughts on labor? You guys know I would LOVE to have an epidural. Fingers crossed I can get one this time! I am with my same midwife group since the beginning and they know the drill. Awhile back I had polled 100+ women who had experienced both medicated and unmedicated births and shared the results in this post it’s changed my outlook on it for sure. If you’re new: 3 times in a row I have had Strep B, dilated really aggressively (between a 6-8 at 36 weeks) without actually being in active labor. So they bring me in for antibiotics and then they keep me and end up breaking my water. So all 3 were born by 37 weeks and 2 days or earlier. My bag of water is made of steel I am pretty sure because once it breaks it gets crazy, fast. Cal’s birth video // Raleigh’s birth story
8. Names? None. Really struggling with this guys. Got any to share that sound good with the rest? Hayes, Cal, Raleigh ______. Good thing we’ve got time.
9. How do you make cash pay work? We deliver at a hospital that offers 80% off any services you pay for that same day. That’s labs, tests, ultrasounds, delivery, all of it. I go there for EVERYTHING. I think we paid $3k for it all. It’s Timpanogos Regional in Orem for you locals.
10. Are the kids excited? YES. Hayes loves babies so much and he was very nervous to hear the heartbeat, I had to call him at school to let him know everything was looking good. Cal had the best reaction when we told him, jumping up and down and wide-eyed. As long as the baby has clothes he’s happy, the umbilical cord FREAKED him out last time, ha! Raleigh might not know what’s going to hit him, but he loves babies like Hayes so I think we’ll be in good hands!!

It always makes this process so much more fun and real sharing with you all, so thank you for being here!! xoxo – Em + fam