Rowan- 18 Months

An update on Rowan is long overdue! She was 18 months old yesterday. She is so much fun and is so precious I just can't stand it! 

I feel like she has grown up so much since Trent was born 3 months ago. She is talking a lot more lately and is using words to tell us what she needs (instead of her usual grunting). Her latest words and phrases are "Get down" (when she's done eating), "Goodnight Mama" (or Daddy), and "Play." She has also started saying "Amen" whenever we sit down to eat. 

She currently weighs 32 pounds and wears 3T (and some 4T) clothing. She is still a little butterball but is thinning out some as she gets taller. Her size is problematic at times since she's the size of a 3 year old but still has the mental capacity of an 18 month old. She doesn't recognize her own strength sometimes and can get a little too rough. But she's learning how to be more gentle (especially around Trent). 

She absolutely loves her little brother and gives him kisses all the time. She has also gotten really into baby dolls lately and carries them all around the house. She also loves to play with Blakely's kitchen set. 

She has gotten into dancing recently and loves to sing and and along with Blakely. Anytime a show comes on with music, she'll start bouncing up and down and claps her hands along with the music. 

Rowan is such a joy and makes life so much sweeter. We are so in love with this little peanut!!

Trent- 2 Months

Little man is almost 9 weeks old! I know I say it all the time but time absolutely flies with little ones. I returned to work on October 9th when he was one day shy of 6 weeks. It was really hard leaving him, but going back to a job that I absolutely love made it a tad bit easier.
My mother-in-law is keeping him so that gives me great peace of mind while I am away from him all day. His two big sisters are just smitten with him and are in his face all day long. Blakely loves to hold him and help with him. We are still super careful with him around Rowan, but she loves to give him kisses and is always saying, "Hey Buber (brother)."

He still sleeps next to our bed in his Rock-n-Play. He began sleeping through the night at 5 weeks old (much to the enjoyment of Mommy) and averages around 10 hours of sleep at night. I didn't experience this with my girls until they were around 9 months old so I am loving this new trend. I still swaddle him every night as he loves to be tight and warm.

He is exclusively formula fed now, because nursing with 3 little ones to care for and returning to work full time was just too much for me to handle.
At his 6 week visit, he weighed 9 lbs. 6 oz. So I would guess he is probably around 10 lbs now, although he still feels very tiny to me. He is currently in 0-3 month clothing but can still get away with a couple of newborn outfits.

We got to see him smile for the first time at around 6 weeks old. However, every time I tried to get a picture, he would get a deer in the headlights look. It was hilarious! He is now getting more comfortable with having his picture taken so I was finally able to snap a good picture last week.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that I am the mother of 3 now! It is a ton of work but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Trent- 1 Month

One month down! This past month has been somewhat easier than I expected with Trent. So far, I would say he has been my easiest baby. He is very scheduled with his eating and cries very little. He has also started sleeping about 6 hours a night, which is a huge blessing. He usually eats between 8:00-9:00 at night and then sleeps until about 2:00 am. I'm just hoping that this continues when I return to work in a few days.

The girls have done really well with him. Blakely loves to help feed him and Rowan gives him kisses constantly. She also loves to check on him throughout the day as he lays in his pack n play.

Currently he is still in newborn clothes but is starting to transition into 0-3 month clothes. I weighed him last week on our scale at home and he is about 9 lbs 6 oz. However, I think our scale is slightly off so we will get a more accurate weight at his appointment next week.

Welcoming Trent

Sometimes the best gifts in life come in the tiniest packages! Trenton Barrett Stidham came into our lives on August 29th and weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz. He  was actually a rather large baby considering I was only 37 weeks and 1 day pregnant when he was born.

The day before his birth started just like any other. I miserably got myself ready for work and wondered how many more days I would have to endure my enormous belly and uncomfortable pains I had been feeling. It was a Friday and I was scheduled to be induced exactly two weeks later. So I had told myself that morning, "Just 14 more days. I can do anything for 14 days." 

As I drove to work, I began to have small contractions but thought nothing of them. I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for several weeks and just thought it was more of the same. It was a work day at school so I spent the morning working in my classroom and trying to get everything ready for the upcoming school year. At about 9:30, I had a sharp pain while standing up and told another teacher that it no longer felt like Braxton Hicks. However, the contractions were super irregular and would just come and go periodically. I shook them off and just continued working. 

At noon, they were coming more frequently but were still irregular. I called the doctor who told me to sit down for 30 minutes and just focus on what the contractions were doing. After a while, they stopped altogether but Trent had also stopped moving which had me a little worried. I called the doctor again and she told me to come on in to be checked that afternoon. Meanwhile, Kevin was up in D.C. working for the day so he was frantically trying to get home just in case I was in labor. 

I got off work at 1:00 and called my mother-in-law to see if she would ride with me to the hospital. As soon as I picked her up, my contractions began coming 6 minutes apart the entire way to the hospital. Then as soon as we got there, they stopped once again. The doctor monitored me for a while and then told me that she couldn't confirm or deny that I was in labor. It was about 4:00 at this point and she advised me to hang out in Richmond for a little while (since we had such a long drive home) and get rechecked at the hospital at about 6:00. Kevin had made it back at this point but had to take his work truck back to the shop. So my mother-in-law and I decided to go eat some Mexican food and then visit Target to pass the time. My contractions began intensifying but had gone back to being irregular once again.

At 6:00 pm, we went to the hospital where I was admitted into Triage. Sure enough, my contractions were coming about 3-4 minutes apart but I was't dilating very quickly. They monitored me for a few hours and the doctor told me that although she hated to send me home, she wasn't sure that I was in labor and that she wasn't comfortable inducing me since I was only 37 weeks. 

I stayed hooked up to the monitor and at 8:00 pm I suddenly had 3 major contractions that were about 45 seconds apart. I told Kevin to go get the doctor. They had recently had a shift change so the new doctor came in to check me. I told him that if he intended to send me home, he would have to give me an epidural first. He checked me and although I was only slightly more dilated, he said that was good enough for him. He wasn't going to risk having me drive an hour back home. 

I immediately got my epidural and things began progressing. Kevin and I were both able to get some rest and at 3:30 am I began pushing. Twelve minutes later at 3:42, Trent was born! It was such a surreal feeling having a little boy placed into my arms. I immediately felt that mother/son connection and was overwhelmed by the love I felt for this precious third child. 

This was the best family photo we could get! Rowan was a little uncooperative. 

Blakely and Rowan got to meet him later that day. Blakely took to him immediately but it took Rowan a little longer. We have to be really careful when she's around since she is still so little and doesn't recognize her own strength. But overall, she has done great with him and is learning how to be gentle. She loves giving him kisses and peeking in on him while he's sleeping in his pack n' play.

So far, he is a really easy baby. He sleeps great and cries very little. Since he was early, he struggled with a little jaundice and his weight continued to drop during the first two weeks. We made several trips to the pediatrician early on, but his weight has started coming back up so the doctor is no longer worried. 

Being a mom to 3 kids is not easy but man o man is it fun!

Baby #3- 37 Weeks

This post was originally written last Thursday but I didn't post it because I didn't have time to upload my latest pregnancy pics. Then I went into labor on Friday but still wanted to document the last few weeks of this pregnancy. So although baby Trent has arrived, I wanted to make sure I did this last pregnancy post so I could remember the remaining weeks of my pregnancy with him.

Not much longer now!! Although I always feel like this is the longest part of the pregnancy. I'm scheduled to be induced on Friday, September 11th. So at most, I only have two more weeks to go. I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore but at the same time realize that life is about to get even busier. Sometimes I have to ask myself "Am I more ready to not be pregnant or not get any sleep." Truthfully, I think the not being pregnant would win out at this point.

I started back to work this week after a wonderful summer off and am busy getting everything ready for my substitute. My plan is to work all the way until September 10th (unless I go into labor on my own). Being back at work has been exhausting but has also helped keep me busy so that the days are flying by.
So here are some highlights of my last few weeks of pregnancy.

Gender: Boy
Name: Trenton Barrett (Trent)
How far along: 37 weeks
Weight Gain: 38 pounds 
Maternity Clothes: All the way! I'm so ready to wear regular clothes again. 
Sleep: Still sleeping very well. I do have to pee about 7 times a night and have a little insomnia when it comes to falling asleep. But once I'm asleep, I sleep like a rock. 
Workouts: Nothing at all. Does walking up the steps at home count?
Best Moment This Month: Beginning to feel contractions (Ok, so they're not pleasant but it means this baby is getting ready!)
Worst Moment This Month: Not being able to do much without having to sit down and rest
Cravings: Still no big cravings but just wanting to eat everything
Food Aversions: Coffee
My Favorite Things: T-shirts, yoga pants, and leggings

Baby #3- 32 Weeks

So I have been super slack about updating my pregnancy lately. We moved last month, and so I have been consumed with setting up our new house while still trying to take it somewhat easy during this pregnancy. 

I can't believe I only have a few more weeks until our baby boy is here. I spoke with my doctor and she is willing to induce me again (I've had two successful inductions already). So unless he comes early on his own, he will be here either September 10th or 11th. 

So far, this has been my easiest pregnancy of the three. I have had very few annoyances like I had with the other two. But truthfully, with chasing around a 13 month old and 4 year old I haven't really had time to even think about being pregnant. I did have a little scare today because my blood pressure dropped lower than normal. We were getting ready for church this morning and I had several dizzy spells and couldn't catch my breath, which has never happened before. Kevin went ahead and took Blakely to church, and Rowan and I stayed home and rested. I felt somewhat better as the morning went on but was still concerned at how low my blood pressure was. I called the doctor a few times and she told me that my blood pressure is actually at its lowest during this part of my pregnancy. Kevin and I were ready to head to the hospital if needed. But thankfully the doctor wasn't concerned and just told me to take it easy for the rest of the day. As the day progressed, I felt much better and am realizing that I may need to slow down for the next 6 weeks. 

Gender: Boy
Name: Trent (middle still undecided)
How far along: 32 weeks
Weight Gain: 33 pounds 
Maternity Clothes: Absolutely! But I can still wear some of my pre-maternity workout shorts so I've been wearing them regularly since it's summer and they keep me really cool. 
Sleep: Really well. I have to switch sides several times a night but I think this is the best I've ever slept this far along in a pregnancy. 
Workouts: I'm still walking but not much. However that is mainly due to how hot it is outside. 
Best Moment This Month: Feeling lots and lots of kicks
Worst Moment This Month: Having low blood pressure today and feeling like I might need to go to the hospital
Cravings: No real cravings...but I do eat everything in sight :)
Food Aversions: None
My Favorite Things: Yoga pants

Baby #3- 21 Weeks

This pregnancy is flying by faster than I could have imagined! I'm more than halfway and yet still a little in shock that we're having another baby. I'm still feeling really well and luckily haven't experienced some of the minor irritations that I experienced with my other two pregnancies (nighttime stuffy nose, heartburn, etc). I am feeling a little bigger this go round than I did at this point with my other two. But I wonder if part of that has to do with the fact that this is my third pregnancy and my ab muscles are already really stretched.

I have started feeling a little discomfort when I stand for too long. But I think some of that is because it is getting hotter outside and I get tired more easily. This will be the first pregnancy I've experienced in the summer so I'm preparing myself for just how uncomfortable I'm going to get.

We found out last month that we are having a little boy and are so excited! I would have loved another girl but I am thrilled to be getting a little rough and tumble boy. Kevin was absolutely over the moon! I think he called everyone he knew within 30 minutes of finding out. Blakely was way less excited. She really wanted a baby sister but I think is finally warming up to the idea of a baby brother.

We did have a little scare at our ultrasound this past week but luckily everything seems to be fine. The technician was taking a super long time on our 20 week ultrasound and both Kevin and I started to get a little worried. She couldn't get any good shots of his head because of the way he was positioned and she was being really cryptic about what she saw. Then, she said those dreaded words that every expecting parent hates to hear. "Please wait right here while I get the doctor." Immediately, shear panic and dread set in and I began imagining everything possible that could be wrong. Because we couldn't really see his head, I started thinking brain problems or something majorly wrong with his head development. She also wouldn't show us the baby in 3-D when we asked. I started thinking it was because something was horribly wrong and she knew we couldn't handle whatever image we saw.

After about 10 minutes, the doctor came in and informed us that it had nothing to do with his head at all. There was a spot that showed up on his heart that can sometimes be an early indicator of Down Syndrome. I immediately felt relief that it wasn't anything fatal. After reviewing his ultrasound pictures, the doctor determined that she didn't think it was anything at all and told us that further testing wouldn't need to be done. So I asked again if we could see him in 3-D and she said that it actually wasn't possible because of the way he is positioned. He is snuggling right up against my uterus (and is turned completely backwards) and the machine can't pick up his facial features when he's in that position. He was in the exact same position at our 16 week 3-D ultrasound as well. She tried to get us a shot but we really couldn't see anything. So even though we've now had two 3-D ultrasounds, we still haven't seen any good shots of his face. I'm just imagining that he's super comfy where he is positioned and may be my little snuggle bug.

Gender: Boy
Name: Trent (middle still undecided)
How far along: 21 weeks
Weight Gain: 17 pounds 
Maternity Clothes: Definitely! I was still getting away with this one pair of non-maternity pants that I have but I had to retire them this past week. So it's now all maternity all the time.
Sleep: Really well. The insomnia seems to have passed so I'm enjoying getting back to my regular sleeping habits. 
Workouts: I try to walk with the girls a few times a week around the neighborhood. However, my pace is starting to slow just a bit
Best Moment This Month: Finding out it's a boy!
Worst Moment This Month: Having the ultrasound technician at 20 weeks say, "Wait right here while I get the doctor." 
Cravings: Sweets (mainly cookies)
Food Aversions: None right now
My Favorite Things: My maternity pajama pants and over sized t-shirts

Rowan-10 Months Old

Rowan was 10 months old on March 27th! She has definitely been all over the place this month and I imagine will soon be taking her first steps. She likes walking along the coach while holding on and has let go a few times to stand on her own. She will also walk as long as someone is holding both of her hands. I'm hoping she'll be walking by her first birthday!

She crawls all over the place. We have to keep all of our interior doors closed because her favorite thing to do is venture into the bedrooms and get into stuff she shouldn't. We also bought her a cage play pen this month which has been a lifesaver. I was putting her in her pack-n-play when I needed to get stuff done. But she felt so confined and fussed the entire time. But I had to give that to my mother-in-law recently for Rowan to nap in while I was at work. So we bought a play pen which gives her so much more room to play and crawl around.

She has also started to slim down some as a result of all the crawling. She currently weighs 26 pounds but has stayed in her 18 month clothes for a lot longer than I expected. I'm not sure how tall she is but she fills out her 18-24 month clothing in length as well as weight. In fact, the other day she wore a dress to church that Blakely wore when she was 23 months old. It was very short on her and almost indecent. :) She is definitely going to be my tall child. 

She loves eating table food, which has helped a lot with our grocery shopping. For breakfast, she usually has pancakes or a waffle. She's also had mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, and strawberries just to name a few.

She's still not saying "Mama" but loves to say "Uh-oh," "Dunc" (which is my MIL's dog), and "Papa." I'm hoping that "Mama" will be right around the corner. She's such a little sweetie and is still super happy (most of the time).