I normally share these updates monthly, but sadly that is not going to happen this time around! BUT, I have been keeping track of the little details and trying my best to take weekly photos at some point during the week. Time is limited now days with our busy life as a family of four, and I know that won't be changing once we are a family of five, so keeping the little details on this space is what's most important now. 

9 weeks:

• Nausea is all day now, even when I wake up in the middle of the night for a trip to the bathroom. Thankfully I haven't gotten sick, I really don't want to throw up. 
• Trying to keep my stomach full with snacks and big meals during the day, even if I don't want toe at. 
• Still using all the peppermint oil!
• Realized looking at my phone makes me feel sea sick, so I've been putting it down a lot. 
• My chin is COVERED in zits & my hair is also become super curly?!?

10 weeks:

• Sea bands are helping SO MUCH!!! Wearing them all day and trying to eat small snacks during the day. 
• Not enjoying meat that much unless it's beef, but still loving salads. Especially taco salads with ground beef!!! 
• Asher has self weaned all on his own, except for first thing in the morning. We'll see if he weans that soon, not going to push it. 
• The belly is very evident now, especially by the end of the day! 
• Had my first midwife appointment this week and got to hear the heartbeat, 161 and so beautiful! 
• It's been a hard week and I've had several times when I've been scared to death about having a third baby, but I know that God will provide like he always does! Leaning into Him for patience and strength. 

11 weeks:

• We announced Eliya Baby 3!!! 
• Eating meat much easier now, even some chicken. Still craving burgers and/or salads.... I'm going to be shocked if this little bit is a girl since I craved the same exact things with the boys before. The only difference is the aversion to chicken. 
• Most days this week I've felt awesome all morning and afternoon till 4, then I hit the brick wall and feel awful! 
• Felt the baby move the day before I was 12 weeks!! Couldn't believe it. 

12 weeks:

• Feeling so much better and loving the little flutters I'm feeling in my belly off and on during the day! 
• Been praying most of this pregnancy to feel better by Solomon's Birthday (the day I turn 13 weeks) but I'm so thankful that God has shown His faithfulness and given me the full week ahead! As long as I keep something in my stomach I feel great!
• Feeling all the hormonal emotions with having a four year old and knowing just how fast it all goes by.

13 weeks:

• Shocked at how round my belly is by the end of the day after eating throughout the day! 
• Enjoying all the foods now, but sweets still don't make me feel super great. I usually just want to skip them. 
• After a busy day for Solomon's birthday party, I felt my first braxton hicks contractions and was shocked they were showing up so early. Trying my best to remember to drink water on the busy days. 

14 weeks:

• Still feeling good with a lot of energy as long as I pace myself. Trying to stay hydrated with a lot of water, also. Craving it most days so it's easy to keep my yeti around with ice water. 
• Enjoyed a short trip to Charleston with the boys while daddy was working. We loved eating some yummy food and of course some Jeni's Ice Cream! 

15 weeks:

• Nausea hit pretty hard on the ride home from Charleston which was a random surprise. 
• Happy to be home and sleeping in our bed again! 
• Celebrated six years of marriage with a date downtown and walking around and enjoying some apps from some of our favorite spots. 
• Flew to Maine and realized how my lap space is quickly disappearing with Asher on my lap! 

16 weeks:

• Felt so old and tired by 7:30 on the night of the wedding! HAHA, we were in bed before midnight which is a first for a family wedding. 
• Enjoyed so much delicious seafood during the trip but we craving a burger by day 4!
• Also had some swollen feet for the first time this pregnancy after a lot of walking and sight seeing. Trying to take it easy and rest when I can. 

17 weeks:

• Feeling the baby much stronger now, a few kicks have surprised me! 
• Needing more food and a lot of snacks throughout the day to keep up my energy. 
• Round ligament pain and the aches are starting. The chiropractor is a must!!!
• Very happy to be home with no trips anytime 

18 weeks:

• Random waves of nausea that got really bad and no food would help. Thankfully the preggy pops helped a little till it passed. This is one of the few things that makes me wonder if we have a baby girl on the way?? 
• Exhausted by bedtime and falling asleep with the boys most nights. 
• Got to hear babies heartbeat at the midwife appointment and Solomon helped hold the Doppler, it was a sweet moment! 

19 weeks:

• Starting to run out of breath, especially when we are out and about and Asher wants to be carried. 
• Enjoying naptime with Asher each day and taking a quick snooze while I lay down with him and Solomon has his quiet time each day. It's the best little break in the middle of our busy days.
• Found out about baby girl and we are all so excited and shocked!

20 weeks:

• Received some gifts for Olive and it seems UNREAL that we are getting a baby girl. It's truly crazy. 
• Our family got hit by a cold this week which helped us all slow down and rest, which was very nice. Hoping we can all fight the funk quickly. 
• The drainage and snot from the cold is making the pregnancy nausea return and it is not fun at all. 

baby is a......

I can't believe I'm actually typing this!!! We are having a baby girl! It's so surreal and I don't even feel like it's true yet. I honestly, probably won't believe it, until we have her in our arms. I even keep thinking that the ultrasound tech was wrong somehow and we might end up with a surprise boy, hahaha!! But, I am so excited and happy to celebrate our new little baby and be able to call her by her name. Baby Olive. The little Olive that we have been waiting for.

When we were pregnant with little Solomon, we knew we would either have a Solomon or an Olive, so we have patiently been waiting to be able to call a baby girl by that name. Never truly knowing we would be given that chance, and honestly perfectly happy with the idea of a house full of boys, but now our lives have been changed forever. Solomon said it perfectly on the ride home after lunch today.... he said, "awww, sweet baby Olive, I'm so excited!" We are all thrilled, and we can't wait to meet our baby girl!

These photos are at the ultrasound place today, after the tech put the answer in an envelope for us to open as a family together. This is our third time with that little tradition and I love it. I had a gut feeling and I was finally brave enough to admit I felt deep down we were having a baby girl. I also had crazy real dreams last night that we found out it was a girl. I know part of me didn't want to admit my gut feeling because I didn't want to be let down if we didn't have a girl, but now that seems silly. Boy or girl, I know that God has a plan and He knew exactly what we needed!!! The boys painted a fake white pumpkin this afternoon so baby Olive will have a little reminder of the day we found out! 

We are so excited and on cloud nine!!! 

Pregnancy Post // months one & two.

It's so surreal to be tracking these details again and writing one of these posts. I just want to pinch myself sometimes, but then I realize how nauseous I feel most of the time, and I know it's really happening. I've never been so thankful to feel so awful. I'm praying constantly for this little babe, and literally can not wait till late October to find out if another boy will join our family, or if we are all going to be shocked to get a girl. My bets are on boy, just based on how I've been feeling and the things I'm craving, but we'll see! I can't wait!! 

Because I have been feeling so rough, I've been slack on photos. And let's be honest... I'm also chasing after two crazy boys, so I forget!! But, I am making more of an effort now, so the coming months will hopefully step up a bit! 

4 weeks:

• found out I was pregnant the day before I was four weeks after a crazy night of dreams, one being me taking a test and seeing a positive line. I had been testing for the last couple of weeks hoping for a positive but gave up on Friday the 5th of July since it seemed like my window was finally gone for a positive test. I was still feeling off during the week ahead but I kept thinking it was in my head. Then, one week later, on Friday the 12th of July I got that light pink line! I was so confused and excited. 
• coffee tastes like an ashtray, which is so sad. 
• near the end of four weeks, some light nausea started. 

^ 5 week belly....

shocked at how round this belly is so early, 

granted this was at the end of the day after dinner. 

plus, these two with me in this photo is perfect!!!

5 weeks: 

• so. tired. surviving on naps during the day and really weird dreams all night long. 
• trying my best to get out of the house so I won't sit around all day. 
• no food aversions yet and only enjoying ice coffee with a lot of vanilla creamer.

6 weeks:

• sweets are a no go, especially ice cream but snacking on grapes and fruit are still good. 
• starting to crave nachos of any kind.... yum!
• trying to find energy to prepare for our homeschooling year starting in September and hoping I feel better by then. 

^ middle of my 7th week....

woke up with this belly on 8/13, so happy!

7 weeks:

• nausea is much worse and changes daily so it's very unpredictable. I never know if it is going to be mornings, afternoons or evenings... or even all day long. Every day is different. 
• had our first ultrasound on 8/6 and found out we were 7w3d. Since my positive test was so late, we weren't sure when we conceived and definitely needed an early dating ultrasound. 
• diffusing a lot of peppermint to make it through the day. 

^ a couple days before 9 weeks....

Mom took this at the game on 8/15 and had to crop it 

for FB since we hadn't announced the news yet.

8 weeks: 

• craving mexican food but still nauseous no matter what I eat. Feel great as I'm eating but then 20-30 minutes later I feel so sick. 
• dealing with a small summer cold and trying to rest/sleep as much as I can. 
• salads are so good right now, but chicken is a definite no, unless it's fried chicken. 
• went to Atlanta for the Jets game and survived a lot of walking and heat, despite the bad nausea and lack of sleep. 
• we missed restaurant week, which NEVER happens, so I'm clearly pregnant and feeling like poop. ha!

Guess What?

We are so excited for the blessing of another baby joining us in March! We are officially going to be out numbered. Peter and I are only slightly terrified about it, but we are also incredibly thankful!!! Solomon is also very excited, Asher is just along for the ride.