Here's What High Risk Looks Like.

With Claire, I was dilated almost half way around 24 weeks. (For the non-pregnancy gurus, Pregnancy is usually 40 weeks.) I was put on magnesium (which is AWFULLLLL) and Claire was born at 38 weeks. Maybe it was just a fluke thing.

Then Aoife came. I dilated super early again, only that time my water broke at 32 weeks. No longer a fluke thing. Turns out I'm that weird 2% that will always have preterm labor for whatever reason. No issues getting pregnant, just once it happens my body is all "GET IT OUT!!" With all the crazy that pregnancy does, I can't really blame it. I'm a terrible pregnant person.

I used a midwife with Claire and Aoife and loved it. They were so personal, and fantastic. The gal that delivered Claire wasn't even the midwife on call, she just really wanted to do it. With Aoife, we did have the midwife on call, but she was gunning hard to be able to deliver and the other midwife in the practice stopped by a few times anyway just to say hi and see how we were doing. They even popped into the NICU a few times during the following weeks to visit my nugget which really warms a NICU mom's heart.

Then we moved to Wisconsin. Our insurance during the Tiegan era didn't cover midwives. I may or may not have cried when I found out I wouldn't be seeing a midwife. The doctor they put me with didn't take my preterm history very seriously and after a few weeks when my body started doing what it does and dilating, my case was too much for that doctor and I got sent to Maternal Fetal Medicine at the hospital. They take on the super high risk cases. I had to go in every week for shots and cervical length ultrasounds and was monitored super closely.  They were aggressive with the steroids. I was on a modified bed rest until 34 weeks, when the doctor decided walking was probably okay. The goal was to get me to 32 weeks again, and Miss T arrived at 35 weeks. (VICTORY!)

We've since changed insurances (MFM is in the same group as our new insurance, yahoo!). The first appointment was great. The doctor I saw has four kids so she didn't look at me like I was insane when when I rolled into the appointment with the whole entourage. After going over my history, she set up the injections again starting at 16 weeks, and at 20 weeks Maternal Fetal Medicine will be taking on part of my case as well. I'll go there for cervical length checks again and check in there frequently.

The doctor I saw is out of town, so I had the office put me with whoever for my appointment today. I went in and turns out the practice has a MIDWIFE. One midwife. And I got to see her today. And I loved her. She said unfortunately my case is too high risk, I *could* see her for my appointments, but the doctor I've been seeing would be overseeing my case and I'll still be going to MFM at the hospital.

As much as I loved her and love midwives, I decided to stick with the doctor I've been seeing. I'm already split two ways, I really don't want to add in a third. In a week and a half, I'll start my weekly shots, and a few weeks after that I'll have shots at the clinic and then cervical checks at the hospital. Every week. Add in the regular visits and that's a lot of appointments and people involved. While this practice doesn't use bed rest as a treatment, I'll still be on a modified version basically "Be as lazy and still as humanly possible while still being a mom and working".

Things are about to get crazy and busy at the Loveland house. Good thing it's winter and perfectly acceptable to hibernate? *If only Chipotle delivered...  Can we suggest that and make that happen? Little burrito cars? Bring on the Netflix and burritos.

Gingerbread Housing.

Yesterday I woke up and decided we were going to make gingerbread houses. We got dressed, with a little resistance from the littles, and went on a gingerbread kit hunt. Our first store we loaded up with different candies but no gingerbread. (I'm not that homey to make it.) So we took off to Target where I found adorable pre-constructed houses. Which is great, because I remember one year we attempted houses and had the hardest time getting the stupid houses together, let alone decorated. So finding them already built and good to go was perfect!

Tiegan was ready for a nap, but the other two were excited about the houses. I decided to sacrifice having all 3 nap at the same time, meaning I'd get to nap too, to have gingerbread time with the oldest two without Tiegan being destructive. I was pretty worried about the whole thing, not gonna lie.

I set up a table in front of the TV, and put on some Harry Potter. (Loveland tradition to binge watch all of them at Christmas time.) I set out the houses and icing and bowls of candy and let them do their thing. Me being 100% Type A bought my own house to decorate myself. (control issues, right?)

And it was awesome. It took the entire Harry Potter movie to have lunch and decorate the houses, but no tears were shed. No fighting, or yelling or whining, or anything else a 5 and almost 4 year old would do. Since the houses were already built, it was so simple. Sometimes Aoife needed help squishing out the icing, but she never once got frustrated. The girls didn't even eat the candy until towards the end I told them they were allowed to. It was SO much fun and so great and not at all like the disaster I was imagining it to be. It was super awesome to just enjoy and have fun together.  Great mom days are serious tender mercies and with all of the crazy that's been happing in our house, it was much needed.

A Pregnancy Update.

If you haven't heard, we're adding to our circus with #4. On purpose. (Fair warning: I'm really great at complaining.)

 Before we had even told the littles, Claire was going on and on for weeks about her baby brother. It was around Halloween and Claire was getting upset that we hadn't gotten her baby brother a costume yet because he obviously needed one right that second. She talked about teaching her baby brother to ride a bike, and being excited to read to him, and all kinds of things. It freaked me out. 

Since then, she's switched and she's expecting a baby sister. Aoife is on team blue. We'll find out early Feb, and until then we'll just let them duke it out. (For the record, Ross and I don't have a preference.) Let's be honest, we wouldn't even know what to do with a boy at this point. 

It's been a rough few months. Every pregnancy is different for me and this one is no different. It was the earliest I've been sick. I took a test and the next day took the girls to play at the park. Girls and I were swinging and then I tossed my cookies. It came fast and furious and hasn't left yet. For a while anything apple or apple flavored was out, but now as long as they're granny smith apples, I'm in. I can't get enough orange juice. I love spicy and sour and there was one week I went to Chipotle 4 times and ate 5 burritos. Yes, that means one of those times I ate TWO. Often I'll walk into the kitchen and turn around and walk right back out. Poor Ross has been left to scavenge and the girls are eating anything they can get themselves: cheese sticks, fruit, bread, yogurt... Queen of nutrition and mother of the year right here.

The first few phone conversations with Dr, I had requested meds to help. It's really hard working with people when you're gagging all over yourself. Apparently there is a big lawsuit out over it so no doctor in the network will prescribe it. I did ask if I could sign a waiver and get it anyway, I figured all 3 of mine turned out okay with it, right? She said no, but at least she thought I was funny?

It has also been the most uncomfortable pregnancy thus far. (Yes, I'm well aware the babe only weighs an ounce or so right now, but still. I feel like my body kind of went, "Oh, we're pregnant? I got this! *POOF* Insta-belly." Sleeping is awful and I just feel massive.

We switched insurances earlier this spring, but the high risk specialists are with our current insurance. (Woo hoo!) I wasn't sure if I'd be sent to them right away, so I called and just had the gal put me with whatever OB. She's pretty great. Right now I'm just supposed to take it as easy as possible. I start shots to keep the babe in (my favorite) in 2 1/2 weeks. They're the same as last time, I'll go in every week for those. At 20 weeks I'll start going to the high risk specialists, too. I guess they're the best with ultrasounds, so they'll be monitoring me to make sure the shots are working and my body isn't trying to get the babe out now. I'm a really fun one.  

We're super excited. And terrified. Claire and Aoife make the best worst destructive team. From sneaking out of their rooms and destroying my make up, to decorating their room with wrapping paper and ribbon galore, and Aoife's poop strike, I'm a little nervous to give Tiegan a partner in crime and create another partnership. It'll be awesome. We just ordered another bunk bed set and I'm pretty pumped about it. 

Girls are excited and Claire often pokes my stomach and yells, "Mom! I can see the baby in your belly!" I don't have the heart to tell her it's mostly just squish, but if y'all could just hand me some orange juice and tell me I'm pretty, I'll love you forever. Technically I'm due at the end of June, but I'm expected to pop in May. It'll be different having a baby when there isn't snow out (hopefully) and it'll probably be warm enough to go out and do things with the newest nugget! Bring on the crazy.