Let's Wrap This Up...

I realized last night that I really haven't blogged much about this third pregnancy at all.  I almost never post very many belly pictures because I am not a fan of documenting my growing fatness.  If I were one of those cute pregnant ladies who gains weight only in her belly, then maybe, but no...I gain mostly in my legs, butt, and face and it's just not pretty.  It depresses me to look back on, so I don't.  I think it has to do with the loss of control.  I hate losing control.  Pregnancy is a HUGE loss of control over your body.  You have to limit what you do.  You are tired all the time.  You feel sick.  blah blah blah...you know what I am talking about.  Anyway, that being said, I think the Lord knew I just couldn't take the full fledged loss of control in pregnancy this go round, because Ally has been the easiest one so far (until recently).  Here are a few facts about this pregnancy that I will share for record-keeping sake:

*I haven't gained nearly as much weight as I did with both my boys.  I started this pregnancy at 143, and I am now, at exactly 37 weeks, only 176.  Not too shabby considering I started both my other pregnancies at around 140, but almost hit 200 with Jackson and 190 with Sam.  I am super excited to see how fast I can get it all off this time.  I typically lose 20-25 lbs the first 6 weeks, so woot woot for that!  (Another bonus is that it'll be winter while I am trying to get it all off, so I can hide a little extra chub for longer even!)

*I barely got sick at all the first few months with Ally.  I almost never throw up, just get a little blah-feeling and a lot tired, but with Ally, I think I maybe felt blah for a few days (but a lot tired).

*With Sam and Jackson, I started feeling strong kicks and Braxton-Hicks at about 20-25 weeks, and with Ally toward the later end of that time frame, but not as intense...until now.  Now she could take both of them.  She is pretty strong and seems to be interested in pursuing gymnastics...all day and all night.  Sometimes it can be even painful.  Like she thinks she can dig her way out of my belly with her knee...in the same spot...over. and over. and over.

*With Jack and Sam, I started feeling totally miserable at about 32 weeks, maybe sooner (but I was a lot bigger).  I am only just now totally miserable with Ally.  I have always had this issue with once I get a certain size, my back freezes up, and when I get out of bed, my body threatens to not support me.  I take a few stumbling steps every time I wake up to go to the bathroom in the night and especially in the morning, but after I warm up, I'm okay.  With Ally, all that applies, but it has only just started happening in the last 2 weeks or so, and it lasts a good part of the day.

*I got anemic with this pregnancy, and never did with the boys.  Go figure...

*I have been super tired these last few weeks.  I lay down to rest for several hours almost every day when the boys do.  My exhaustion level grew proportionally before, not all of a sudden and not so much.

*In the last few weeks, I have been fine and super energetic.  Ben and I have been doing a lot of home improvements, and I worked right alongside with him...until I couldn't anymore, and it happened so suddenly.

*At my last doctor appt (36w, 2d), Dr. McRay measured me and said I was measuring 3 (cm?  in?  what do they measure the belly with?  I dunno...)  smaller than I should be, so he wanted to do a sono to check out Ally.  After he checked her out, he said my fluids were fine and she looked fine, too.  She is just small.  He doesn't estimate her to be even 7 lbs yet.  Both the boys were born at 38w, 2d and both were right at 8 lbs, so if she comes in a week and a half, she stands to be almost a full lb smaller.  Sweet deal since I am planning on a vbac if all goes well. 

*If I don't go into labor on my own in the next two weeks, we will see where I am at as far as dilation, thinning and descent and all that, and if I look ready enough, we will try to induce.  If not, we will do the c-section, but no later than October 10.  My doctor is going to be gone, and I don't want to have yet another dr deliver Ally after I have spent all this time finding a dr that I like. (Dr. McRay is my third dr this pregnancy since our insurance changed when Ben started residency.)  Plus, Ben's vacation time starts on October 10 and we have out of town family coming in to help with the birth, so I'd like to control WHEN she comes as much as possible, while still trying for the vbac because I think recovery from a vaginal delivery is an easier recovery.  (There's that whole control thing rearing its ugly head again...lol)

You know what else was easier this time around?  Coming up with a name!  With Jackson, Ben and I could not agree until almost the very end.  Jackson is a name we both liked (but mostly me), and Garit is a throw to my mom's maiden name McGarity.  Samson Jay is named after Ben's childhood best friend, and a super great guy that we hung out with a lot when we were dating, Keny Sams.  Jay is Ben's middle name.  Allison is Ben's mom's name, and I like it with a y to give her some individuality.  At first, ben said he didn't mind it either way, btu now all of a sudden, he says he wants it with an i, so I dunno where we'll go with that.  Anne, her middle name, is after both my grandmothers: my paternal grandmother Ann(ie) Marguerite McDonald Conroy, passed away in March of this year, and my maternal Grandmother Patricia Ann Whitis McGarity, is still very much alive and healthy.  The ending e on Anne is because, well, I am a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables (which one of my grandmothers introduced to me, actually) and I agree, the e makes the name look so much prettier.  :)

So that is that.  I hope I go into labor soon.  I am really bored and miserable.  Bored because what I can do is limited by the exhaustion/discomfort, and the fact that Ben is gone all the time for his current rotation during this residency (trauma), and miserable...for the same reasons.  *Sigh*  Dare I hope that I get even luckier and that Ally will beat her brothers who were already both 2 weeks early?  Oh well, if not, anyone can get through 2 weeks, right?