Baby’s size: About 17.5 inches long and around 3.5 pounds. This is the size of a head of Romaine lettuce, a foam finger, or, if you like French cuisine, a crochembouche! Mmmmm.

Maternity clothes?: Yes! I did wear one non-maternity flowy top this week though. I’m often surprised by how much room I still have in my shirts for my belly to grow. It just seems like I felt a lot bigger when I was pregnant last time, or this baby is higher up or something.

Gender: Sweet sweet girl.

Symptoms: I’m still feeling really comfortable in general, but at the end of the day, my belly is just a little achey and I want to sit/lie down.

Sleep: Sleep has actually been pretty good lately! I’ve been listening to my Hypnobirthing tracks before bed, and those really put me into a deep sleep. I still enjoy having a 2-hour nap in the afternoons if the girls allow it, too.

Movement: She is pretty much always on the move. I have even been feeling her when I’m running, which is really the strangest thing. She loves to push her feet into me as hard as she possibly can, so if you see me pushing on the top of my belly, it’s because I’m trying to get her to move them! I’ve been watching my belly move from the outside, especially in the evenings.

Cravings: The weather has been hotter… you know, the perfect temperature for going out for ice cream and actually eating it outdoors. So, I was daydreaming about a brownie sundae during one of my runs this week, but we didn’t actually have any.

What I miss: It’s getting hard to get out of the hammock and turn over in my sleep!

Anything making you queasy or sick?: I think I’m just going to be nauseous until she comes out. I’ve already been joking around about how I can’t wait to eat when she arrives! I don’t really like food much lately, and my “safe” food (grilled cheese) has officially lost its appeal.

Belly Button in or out?: Flat and weird-looking!

Exercising?: Ran 26.4 miles (longest run was 7.16 miles); walked 1.5 miles. Best average pace this week was 10:34 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 83,651.

I’m kind of getting to the point where I’m just feeling tired. I’m (mostly) trying not to care about my pace, and just be proud of myself for getting out there at all. I feel like I’m getting slower every day, and I’m not sure how many more “long” (6+ milers) runs I have left in me. I’m actually surprised I’ve still been going that far for this long into my pregnancy, since I usually cut those out quite a bit before this point! Running the half marathon last year really changed how I run, and I think it’s made me a lot stronger this time around.

Mood: I’m torn between feeling like I have foreeeeeever left to wait before we meet this new princess… but then I don’t want to rush this special time away, either. I honestly don’t know if she’ll be our last baby, and I’m sad to think about that. I don’t really feel like we’re “done”, but this hasn’t been an easy experience for me physically, and you just never know.

Best moment this week: We celebrated Mother’s Day, and I loved seeing all the surprises the girls made for me: hand-drawn cards and a question-and-answer video (with help from Daddy). They are the best.

Looking forward to: More warm weather, being outside, and taking a break from homeschool!

Big sisters: We have been talking about the baby almost nonstop since we told the girls we were pregnant, but now it seems like they notice my belly more often. They love kissing, rubbing, and hugging it. It’s the sweetest thing. I can even get Nella to point to my belly when I ask, “Where’s the baby?”, and she’ll give her baby sister a kiss, too. I’m still not sure what she’s really thinking, since she’ll sometimes point to her own belly. I think she’s going to be so surprised when we finally bring the baby home!

Comparison: 31 weeks with Kaya; 31 weeks with Kaelyn; 31 weeks with Nella.

30 weeks! We’re on to biweekly doctor appointments now… it’s the homestretch!Baby’s size: 3 pounds and nearly 17 inches long! This is the size of a cantaloupe, a motorcycle helmet, or a platypus without its tail (what? haha)!

My fundal height measured 28 cm at my appointment this week, so two weeks behind. This seems to be the usual at this point in pregnancy for me, since I was also measuring small with both Kaelyn and Nella at 30 weeks. My OB said that he thinks I have a normal-sized uterus, it’s just “deceptive”. I’m not worried, but he said if we measure 3 weeks or more behind next time, we’ll probably have an ultrasound to check on her. Her heart rate was 150 bpm.

Maternity clothes?: Shirts and pants, yes! I’ve started stealing Michael’s sweatpants for pajamas and they’re sooo loose and comfortable that I don’t know why I waited so long. I’m happy to be running in (non-maternity) shorts and t-shirts now, although I am a little nervous my workout shirts aren’t going to be long enough for 8-10 ish more weeks of growth. Why is it so hard to find affordable maternity activewear?

Gender: It’s a girl, and I’m 95% sure she has a name! Yay!

Symptoms: I definitely had a few Braxton Hicks this week. Bleh. Everything else is feeling really great though!

Sleep: I’m still a nap-aholic, but my desire to get things done is now sometimes taking precedence over sleeping.

Movement: She’s officially head down (per my OB!), so I feel tons of kicking up super high on the right side of my belly button. She pushes against me really hard sometimes, and I can feel what I think are her heels.

Cravings: I’ve actually really liked having Double Fudge Brownie ice cream this week!

What I miss: Nothing right now! I’m still generally feeling super comfortable, and honestly, I don’t feel like my belly is that big (for 30 weeks I mean… it’s all relative)! Usually when I look from the side, I think the bump looks smallish, but then when I turn around and see it from the front, I realize how big it actually is!

Anything making you queasy or sick?: This week has been SO much better!!! I have no idea why, but I’ve actually been able to eat. It feels strange to not dislike food, but I am definitely not complaining.

Belly Button in or out?: Flat.

Exercising?: Only ran 17.6 miles due to Michael’s travel schedule (longest run was 7.6 miles); walked 1.8 miles. Best average pace this week was 10:25 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 63,137.

I’m so grateful to still be moving. Don’t be fooled, I am running, but it’s not always easy- even within the same run, some miles feel so hard, and others are a breeze. This long run had me wanting to stop between miles 1.5 and 3 because it just felt impossible… but I listened to my body, slowed it down, and started to feel better as time went on, so ended up surprising myself with 7.6 miles.

Mood: Whew! The emotions are really running high these days. I seriously just had a cry about the trees in our backyard starting to die…

I also keep switching between wanting her here already, and then wishing time would slow down so I can really savor these last few weeks of pregnancy. I’m at the point where I feel like we’re so close to the finish line, but still so far, and the number one thing on my mind is just making sure she gets here safely.

Best moment this week: I’m not going to go into too many details on here, but my mom had to have some surgery this week, and getting news that everything went well was the absolute best.

Looking forward to: Can I say working on the house for this answer every week? I feel like we did a ton when we moved in, then kind of hit a lull, and now I’m back to wanting to do all.the.things. I know the baby seriously doesn’t care if all the walls are painted or the garage is organized… but right now it all feels super important to me to do as much as possible. I’ve been calling it “ultra-nesting”, and I kind of feel bad for Michael, but I think he’s happy to be getting things done, too.

Big sisters: Anytime we hear the word “coconut” in a song (more often than you’d think on the country radio!), Kaelyn asks me, “Wait, did you call me that when I was in your tummy?” I always remind her that we called her “Peanut”, so then she suggests that we should call the new baby “Coconut”. She also keeps counting down until her own birthday, and then practically yells every time, “And then we get to see the BABY!”

And Kaya jumped in for a picture with me this week. My oldest baby with my youngest!

Comparison: 30 weeks with Kaya; 30 weeks with Kaelyn; 30 weeks with Nella.

Baby’s size: About 16 inches long and somewhere close to 2.75 pounds!

Maternity clothes?: Yes! I can still squeeze into some regular t-shirts, so I had to wear my Docker one this week in honor of Michael’s big talk in Chicago. This week is supposed to have a couple of days in the 80s, so maybe I’ll get to use my maternity shorts!

Gender: Our 4th little princess! I think we are finally getting close to having a name… but no final decisions have been made. I’m also a little anxious to see if anyone will use the names we’ve considered between now and then!

Symptoms: I feel like it’s too early for this, but I had a couple of days where I experienced mild sciatica down my left leg. Noooo! It was mostly just when going up stairs or walking hills, but still. Otherwise, everything is still feeling good.

Sleep: I honestly don’t sleep much (or well) when Michael is out of town, so this week was rough. I’m still napping as much as the girls allow.

Movement: She is a wild one! She suddenly seems really tall, because I keep feeling her feet up in my ribs! When did she get big enough for that? I really enjoy all her movements though, and I try to soak them in as much as I can because the time is just going by too fast. I sit and just watch my belly moving sometimes. I love it.

Cravings: Nothing!

What I miss: Not being nauseous and feeling like myself.

Anything making you queasy or sick?: Can I just be completely honest here this week? I have been so sick this past week that, at times, it’s almost felt like too much to endure. I am having a very rare “good” day today where I could actually eat without much nausea, but usually, anything and everything turns my stomach. It’s hard just lying in bed trying not to throw up… and not being able to do a lot of the things that I want to or usually enjoy. I know that this little girl is going to be so, so worth it in the end. I’m just trying to take it day by day at this point.

Belly Button in or out?: Flat.

Exercising?: Ran 24.2 miles (longest run was 5.1 miles); walked 3.1 miles. Best average pace this week was 10:19 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 80,119. I do my prenatal yoga after every run, and I really think it’s saving my hips and back.

I know people sometimes can’t believe I still run so much when I am sick, but running is so much a part of who I am and my daily routine that it would honestly be harder on me to stop. I enjoy having that one thing that I am able to do for myself, even if I can’t always control the distance or pace. The endorphins make everything better for a little while!

Mood: I’ve honestly been so emotional over feeling constantly sick. I’m so excited to meet this little girl, though, and everything is starting to feel real now that we’re almost to 30 weeks. I had an amazing dream about her last night, where I saw her- so perfectly tiny, with features from all her sisters: a nose like Nella’s, eyes shaped like Kaelyn’s, and cheeks like Kaya’s. I didn’t want to wake up because at least in my dream, I could hold her. Now, I’m just aching for her to be in my arms for real.

Best moment this week: Having Michael come home from Chicago! We missed him. And today he officially told me that that was his last trip before this baby comes. Yay!

Looking forward to: Karl and Kaitlyn are coming to visit this weekend! I can’t wait to see them!

Big sisters: Kaya gave my belly a goodnight kiss one night this week, which was so sweet. I remember them doing that a lot more when I was pregnant with Nella, so it brings back a lot of memories. Also, Nella and Kaelyn still try to sit in my lap, but it’s running out of room with the belly growing so fast!

Comparison: 29 weeks with Kaya; 29 weeks with Kaelyn; 29 weeks with Nella.

Baby’s size: About 2.5 pounds and 15.75 inches tall! Some pretty fun comparisons this week- this is about the size of a tropical coconut, an eggplant, a rollerblade, or an echidna! (Thinking about coconuts has me wishing we were taking a trip to the beach!)

My fundal height measured 27 cm at my 28-week appointment. My midwife didn’t say anything, but this is when I started measuring small with my last two pregnancies, so we’ll see if the trend continues. I just tend to have little babies, and I’m totally okay with that!

Maternity clothes?: Yes yes yes. Though I was actually surprised to see that the t-shirt I got at the 10k fits because I thought I’d have to just save it until after she’s born. I think they just made the small a little bigger this year!

Gender: Sweet sweet baby girl.

Symptoms: I’ve actually been feeling pretty good this week! My legs have been hurting a little, almost like what it feels like after you experience a charley horse… but I haven’t had any of those yet (fingers crossed for the rest of pregnancy), so I’m not sure what it’s from. Hopefully it passes!

Sleep: Michael has had a lot going on with work recently, so he’s been staying up late, which always makes me stay up later than I should, too. I know… I should be able to just go to bed on my own, but I like having him there, and I’m also usually a light sleeper and will wake up when he comes to bed, anyway. I’m still just taking lots of naps.

Movement: She moves a TON! If it’s not constant fluttering feelings low in my belly, it’s huge kicks up on the right side of my belly button. I am so grateful that she’s so strong, and I definitely cherish all her movements, but sometimes (especially at night), I wish she’d take a little break!

Cravings: Keeping it real- I had a Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich this week. I’ve still pretty much been eating just grilled cheeses for dinner, so when I mentioned to Michael that it maybe sounded good, he was more than eager to pick one up for me. I think he is just happy when I don’t feel nauseous and can actually eat.

What I miss: Nothing!

Anything making you queasy or sick?: I’ve been having a hard time eating my salad lately, and the girls usually end up finishing it. I also had my glucose screening this week, and my practitioners have a “no carbs” rule for the 24 hours before you take it, so that was a little difficult. The drink always makes me sick, but I got through it!

Belly Button in or out?: Mostly flat.

Exercising?: Ran 22.7 miles (longest run was 6.35 miles); walked 3.1 miles. Best average pace this week was 10:13 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 85,035.

Mood: I literally just painted some sample colors in the stairwell and the hallway… can you say NESTING?! I’ve had a little more energy this week, and I really want to get things done around here.

Best moment this week: Passing the glucose screening.

Looking forward to: Getting some house projects done and hopefully starting on this baby’s blanket this week.

Big sisters: Sometimes the belly is starting to get in the way, and I accidentally bump into Kaya or Kaelyn and nearly knock them over. Sorry girls!

Kaelyn drew this picture below of “her and the baby”. I love all the hearts she made! She’s also really concerned about me nursing the baby and keeps asking if I have any milk. Nella completely weaned a few weeks ago, so I told her there isn’t any milk right now. She told me I’ll have to use my “pumper” to get more. Haha!

Comparison: 28 weeks with Kaya; 28 weeks with Kaelyn; 28 weeks with Nella. I weighed in, and I am spot-on with where I was with Nella at this point. Yay for consistency! I am still feeling small (it’s a relative term) and very comfortable this time.

I’m a few days later than usual on this!Baby’s size: About 15 inches long and just over two pounds! Apparently, this is the size of a bunch of bananas!

Maternity clothes?: Yes, all the way! I’m still squeezing into my regular winter running clothes and coats though because it’s cold and snowed here yesterday. Seriously?!

Gender: Sweet baby girl! At this point, I’m thinking we might need to see her little face before we actually choose her name.

Symptoms: Physically, I’m feeling good this week!

Sleep: Once I’m actually asleep, I’m out cold. I’m still having some weird dreams and getting up several times a night for bathroom breaks.

Movement: She’s always moving, and I love waking up to her wiggles in the early morning hours.

Cravings: Nothing really. It’s crazy to me that I still don’t really want much to eat.

What I miss: Just eating normally.

Anything making you queasy or sick?: It really depends on the moment. I’ve had a few days where I’ve really felt okay, and then other moments when I thought for sure I was going to completely lose it. The somewhat-long car ride to my parents’ house this past weekend was really difficult. I felt so nauseous for about half of it, but I made it, and the ride back wasn’t bad. I was also really happy to have my mom’s home-cooked meals!

Belly Button in or out?: Kind of flat.

Exercising?: This week was the Monument Avenue 10k! Race time was 59:52, average pace was 9:38 min/mile. My weekly total was 26 miles (longest run was 6.6 miles). Best average (non-racing) pace this week was 10:06 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 72,275.

Mood: I’ve just been emotional this week in general… there are some things going on in our extended family right now. I’ve also just been realizing how fast this pregnancy is going, and I know I’m going to miss this time with her in my belly once it’s gone.

Best moment this week: Running the Monument Avenue 10k with Lelia in under an hour!!! I never thought I would be able to do it so fast! It was also great to spend some time with family and see Kaya finish her first Kids’ Run!

Looking forward to: Checking off some of my “before baby” to-do list!

Big sisters: They still love to try to feel her kick, although they usually think that they feel her when she isn’t even moving. When we were talking about some more names, I suggested that maybe we should have another flower-themed middle name (Kaya’s is “Rose”), and without missing a beat, Kaya shouted, “Dandelion!!!”

Comparison: 27 weeks with Kaya; 27 weeks with Kaelyn; 27 weeks with Nella.

Baby’s size: Over 14 inches tall and about 2 pounds! That’s a decently-sized baby!

Maternity clothes?: I’ve been trying to wear some of my maternity shirts, but winter just keeps sticking around, and they’re all short-sleeved. I’ve still had to use my cold-weather running gear, but I’m afraid it won’t fit much longer. I thought by now I’d be running in shorts and t-shirts nearly every day! The support belt is a lifesaver though, and I’ve been wearing it almost all the time.

Gender: Sweet sweet baby girl (who still has no name)! At this point, I’ve made a list, and we’ve “seriously” considered four different names at different points in time… and I’m still not 100% sold on anything.

Symptoms: Round ligaments are feeling SO much better! I’ve shortened my stride while running, and I think that is helping a ton.

Sleep: I’m still napping all the time, but it feels hard to actually relax my mind to fall asleep sometimes. Turning over from one side to the other is also starting to feel a little difficult, but I know it’s just going to get harder!

Movement: She is getting sooo strong, and in the midst of me still feeling so sick, her kicks are what keep me going. I watched my belly moving TONS from the outside last night! She is constantly wiggling, and loves to kick my hand. I’ve been feeling big movements up high now, and little fluttery ones super low (amazingly, sometimes close to my tailbone?), so I am thinking she has rotated head down now.

Cravings: Still nothing.

What I miss: Eating anything without feeling nauseous afterward.

Anything making you queasy or sick?: Basically everything I eat makes me nauseous. There’s no “safe food” for my stomach right now… I just expect to eat what I can (which usually is a small portion), and then brush my teeth and lie down immediately afterward.

Belly Button in or out?: Partly flat-ish if I’m standing. If I’m lying down, it is actually flat already. SO weird. It’s amazing it ever goes back to semi-normal after the baby comes!

Exercising?: Ran 26.2 miles (longest run was 7.1miles); walked 4.4 miles. Best average pace this week was 9:33 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 82,590.

Mood: I’m honestly having a little bit of a hard time with feeling sick and not being able to do all the things I want to… and we just have a lot going on this month that I’m trying not to stress out about.

Best moment this week: Seeing my in-laws, having a date night, and celebrating Easter with my sweet little girls.

Looking forward to: My mom gave me a Pinkblush giftcard ages ago, and I finally picked out a couple of dresses that I like, so hopefully I’ll be getting those in the mail soon!

Big sisters: They are still coming up with the funniest baby names. I think “Rainbow” will always be on the list… and today Kaelyn suggested “Christmas Eve”. Haha. I love their creativity. I’ve been trying to tell Nella that there’s a baby in my tummy, but when I do, she just pulls up her own shirt and looks at her belly button!

Comparison: 26 weeks with Kaya; 26 weeks with Kaelyn; 26 weeks with Nella. I remember that I was already feeling huge at this point last time, but honestly, considering I’m almost in the third trimester, I don’t feel like my belly is that big (or maybe I am just used to looking at it)!

It’s starting to feel so real that we’ll have another little baby girl here soon! It’s just hard to believe that soon we’ll be in the third trimester, and winding down toward the end of pregnancy.
Baby’s size: About 13.5 inches long and 1.5 pounds. Her heartbeat this week was 160 bpm, and my fundal height measured exactly 25 cm! I’m excited to be on track for now (since Kaelyn and Nella both ended up measuring small).

Maternity clothes?: I finally wore a couple of maternity tops this week! I unpacked all my maternity t-shirts and shorts on the warmest day of the week, feeling hopeful that the weather would stay spring-like. It looks like my optimism didn’t quite work, but at least I’m ready for when spring does finally decide to stick around!

I’m also wearing the support belt full-time now to help with those round ligament pains.

Gender: Our fourth sweet baby girl!!!

Symptoms: My round ligament pains are better, but still not completely resolved (and I don’t know if they will be, but I’m still hopeful). My belly is starting to be big enough that it gets in the way sometimes! Bending over, going up stairs, and carrying Nella (or all of the above combined!) are all feeling a little more difficult.

Sleep: I’ve been crashing so hard every afternoon and evening. “Sleeping for two” is totally a thing. Some of my nightmares have come back (anything ranging from our kids getting hurt to dreams involving dog poo…), but for the most part, I’m sleeping okay. I started using the body pillow this week, and sometimes I kick it out of the bed in the middle of the night, but for the most part, it’s been really nice. I just sometimes feel bad to use it because I know it takes up so much space, and I don’t want to crowd Michael even more than I already do!

Movement: She’s still totally wild and will almost instantly kick my hand when I touch my belly. She also loves to kick the counter when I’m leaning up against the sink to do dishes, etc. She wasn’t head-down yet at our ultrasound last week, but I’ve been feeling some kicks up high above my belly button, so maybe she is now? (I realize she can still change position though!) I’ve also had a few moments this week when she’s moved and it’s kind of hurt– she’s getting strong!

Cravings: Nothing really. I’m still not much into food for the most part.

What I miss: Being more productive with my time (I feel like I need so much rest these days), and not feeling so sore from a run.

Anything making you queasy or sick?: The nausea has really started to come back this week. I felt like I had a little break for a few weeks there, but now my stomach turns after everything I eat again and I am in bed as soon as the kids are down for the night. Grilled cheese (with roasted red peppers) is the only thing I’ve had for dinner for a while. Michael was joking that his only worry is that this baby is going to come out addicted to it!

Belly Button in or out?: In.

Exercising?: Ran 24.6 miles (longest run was 5.3 miles); walked 4.1 miles. Best average pace this week was 9:38 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 80,722.

I’m really having to slow down the pace now. I keep reminding myself that my ultimate goal is to keep moving, and it doesn’t matter how fast or slow I do it. Most of my runs are starting to go over 10-minute-mile averages, and at first, I didn’t like seeing myself slow down, but my body feels better for it. Honestly, I’m just grateful to be running at all. I’m still doing some prenatal yoga after my runs, and the girls really like participating in that, too!

Mood: Happy that my round ligaments are feeling less sore, the sun is shining, and I’ve been able to get out and exercise!

Best moment this week: Spending time with my girls outdoors and watching them enjoy nature. They are some of the most “unplugged” (as far as technology goes) kids I know, and I’m so grateful that they love using their imaginations.

Looking forward to: Easter and our church General Conference!

Big sisters: I think I might have the sweetest girls in the world. They love to play doctor and check on each other’s pretend babies. Here’s Kaya using the “doppler”:They came to my appointment this week, and the midwife asked if they wanted to be helpers (I think she was going to let them use the real doppler to hear the baby’s heart), but everyone was a little too shy.

Comparison: 25 weeks with Kaya; 25 weeks with Kaelyn; 25 weeks with Nella.

Baby’s size: At our ultrasound this week, she weighed an estimated 1 pound 6 ounces, which is right on track! Supposedly, according to my apps, she is about a foot long right now. Her heartbeat was 149 bpm, which was lower than her usual, but it was early in the morning right after my run, so I think she might have been sleepy!

Maternity clothes?: Just those jeans. I’m getting a little concerned that if the weather doesn’t turn more spring-like soon, some of my cold-weather running clothes might not fit for much longer. Come on, Mother Nature… bring on the shorts!

Gender: As the ultrasound technician so classily put it, “Well, nothing grew down there!” She’s still a baby girl!

Symptoms: This seemed really random until I looked at my 24-week post with Nella, where I mentioned the same thing- I think I have some kind of dairy sensitivity during pregnancy. I haven’t had much ice cream during this pregnancy overall, but it’s hard to say I’m going to completely cut it out.

Sleep: I’m napping every day and still super tired. C’est la vie, I guess! I still haven’t used the body pillow yet, but I’m thinking it’s overdue!

Movement: She moves so much! I’ve been surprised to feel her little feet kicking just above my belly button on the right side now! She also likes to kick Nella when she’s nursing, which is pretty funny.

Cravings: Nothing!

What I miss: Not having sore round ligaments.

Anything making you queasy or sick?: Most food still doesn’t really sound good, but I’m okay!

Belly Button in or out?: In, but starting to look a little weird, especially at the top.

Exercising?: Ran 21.7 miles (longest run was 7.3 miles); walked 1 mile. Best average pace this week was 9:28 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 70,562.

Whew… in these past couple of days, I’ve had round ligament pain like I’ve never had it in any other pregnancy. It’s affecting my running, so I’ve slowed my pace and started doing some prenatal yoga, which seems to be helping a bit. I think I might need to start wearing my support belt full-time instead of just during exercise. I’m hoping it’ll pass!

Mood: I am aching for springtime and feeling ready to finish up some house projects. There are a million things to get done before she comes, and it seems like time is moving way too fast.

Best moment this week: Seeing her at our ultrasound! She had her little hands up by her face the entire time, which made it kind of hard to get a picture, but we still came home with this one! I know it’s blurry and mostly just shows bone, but I think she already reminds me a little of her big sisters as newborns!

We also saw her little fingers and toes! The ultrasound tech told us that it’s actually pretty rare to get a single shot that includes all five fingers. So cool!

Looking forward to: Spring! I’m still hoping over here!

Big sisters: Nella is just the sweetest thing in the whole world lately. She is obsessed with babies and plays with dolls all day long. She says, “baba” (baby) over and over, hugs and rocks her dolls, and is getting practice for holding her real baby sister in a few months! I seriously cannot wait for them to meet.

Comparison: 24 weeks with Kaya; 24 weeks with Kaelyn; 24 weeks with Nella. My belly looks identical to last time! My weight is also pretty much right where it was with Nella at this point, too.

Baby’s size: Just over a foot long, and she weighs about 1.25 pounds. This is the same size as a Barbie doll, a chinchilla, or a large mango. It’s so weird to me to think that she’s already over a pound, because I just keep imagining her as this little teeny thing. Sometimes I even forget that anyone on the street can probably tell I’m pregnant, and she’s not my own little secret.

Maternity clothes?: Just those pants! It’s still been winter weather here (for the most part), so I usually just wear a t-shirt and a hoodie when I’m in the house, and those still fit fine.

Gender: Little princess!

Symptoms: I’ve been noticing a little soreness/crampiness in my round ligaments, just on the sides, way at the bottom of my belly. It’s nothing extreme, but I can definitely tell a difference when I’m running.

Sleep: I feel like I don’t get anything done because I nap every afternoon! If something is important, I put it on the schedule to be finished before lunchtime, because there’s just no telling how much productivity there will be after that.

Movement: I take back everything I ever said about her being calm… she is a little kickboxer! She punches so low and kicks up high, and does it for most of the day. When I sit down, it’s crazy to feel how strong she is. If I lay on my side, she forcefully kicks the bed. Michael has even felt her going crazy, which is really fun. I think she gets more and more wild at bedtime, and if I wake up in the middle of the night, I usually can still feel her kicking. Sometimes she’s still moving when I wake up in the morning!

Cravings: A chocolate-chip cookie with a scoop of chocolate ice cream.

What I miss: Eating things other than grilled cheese or spaghetti for dinner! But hey, at least I’m eating something.

Anything making you queasy or sick?: Every once in a while, I feel nauseous, but really I’m just lacking an appetite still. All the pregnancy apps/emails keep telling me how hungry I should be, but I’m just not there, even if I run a lot.

Belly Button in or out?: In.

Exercising?: Ran 22 miles (longest run was 7.5 miles); walked 1.5 miles. Best average pace this week was 9:16 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 70,961.

I’m still not getting as many miles as I’d like, but the weather has just been crazy lately! I am so so grateful that I can still do those 7+ milers though! The support belt makes a huge difference, too. Also, I’m still really excited about my paces this time (for comparison, here’s a run at 21 weeks with Nella)!

I’m feeling pretty hardcore and I can’t stop thinking about running another half marathon after this baby is born, but then I remember that 7 miles is really only half of a half, and I’m going to have recovery time. So… maybe I’m not as hardcore as I’d like to think, but I’m happy that I’m feeling good.

Mood: I think nesting has officially started- I have about 3 bags full of stuff to donate sitting in my closet, and I’ve thrown away a lot, too. I really want to get things we don’t use or don’t love out of here before this little girl arrives.

Best moment this week: We had a random snowstorm this week, and I loved just taking a snow day off of school and pulling my girls around in the sled. Also, my friend Amanda had her baby boy this week! Now, if only all my friends with new babies didn’t live quite so far away!

Looking forward to: We get another ultrasound next week, so I’m really looking forward to seeing her sweet little face and watching her move!

Big sisters: Kaya likes to try and take a picture every week when we take my belly shot. Here’s what she got this week! I just love that we’re being so goofy because that’s just us (and apparently we like to accidentally match clothes)…

Comparison: 23 weeks with Kaya; 23 weeks with Kaelyn; 23 weeks with Nella.

Four months from today is our due date! It’s crazy to think that if she’s early like our last two babies, we’ll be holding her in less time than that! (And the sun came out for this picture, which makes me so happy!)Baby’s size: About one foot long and almost one whole pound! The Ovia app says that’s the size of my Nalgene water bottle. I kind of can’t believe she’s that big already!

Maternity clothes?: Just the pants! I’m still loving those super comfy jeans.

Gender: Sweet sweet baby girl (who still has no name)! When I write to her in my journal, I call her “Pipsqueak” (and have from the very beginning), so maybe we should just stick with that! 😉 Haha.

Symptoms: Sometimes my belly feels super sore by the end of the day, but other times, it’s totally fine. It really just varies.

Sleep: I don’t know how the third trimester is going to go, because this second trimester is supposed to be when I have all the energy, but I just don’t. I nap every afternoon and still get a decent amount of sleep most nights, so I don’t know what else I can do. I’m still having random nightmares, just not as many as before.

Movement: She moves almost ALL the time now, and I LOVE it! She hits me low in the center of my belly and kicks on my right side. I even feel her when I’m walking around now or standing, as opposed to only when I’m lying still. I have felt her strong kicks with my hand a few times, and Michael and Kaya have both felt her, too. The later at night it gets, the more active she is!

Cravings: Chocolate-chip cookies and Cheetos.

What I miss: Still just cooking and eating more normally.

Anything making you queasy or sick?: I still get randomly nauseous, and in general, I am just not excited about eating. Chicken seems disgusting, and even when I’ve cooked real food for my family, I’ve pretty much been eating grilled cheese for dinner nearly every night for about two weeks. So, the girls have been eating a lot of sandwiches and cereal lately. I feel kind of guilty about it, but they’re happy and still getting food in their bellies.

Belly Button in or out?: In.

Exercising?: Ran 21.8 miles (longest run was 7.3 miles); walked 2.2 miles. Best average pace this week was 9:17 min/mile. Fitbit total steps: 70,961.

I’m wearing the support belt for my runs now, and it’s making a huge difference in how my lower abdominal muscles feel, especially after those 7+ milers. I am still amazed at how my average pace has picked up, and I’m just trying to enjoy it while I can, because I know I’ll likely be slowing down here soon.

Mood: It’s starting to feel like time is going too fast, and a part of me feels like I want it to slow down so I can just savor this time being pregnant, while another part of me can’t wait to hold her. Honestly, I feel like once spring really gets here, time is going to go even faster, and she’ll be here before we know it.

Best moment this week: Feeling her move so much! And hearing that my friend Katherine had her twin baby girls. Sooo exciting (and adorable)!

Looking forward to: Spring weather? Come on, a girl can hope! We’re actually slated for 3 days’ worth of snow this week, and to be honest, I’m praying it all melts quickly!

Big sisters: They still want to name her “Flower”, or really any other word they can add a “y” to to make it sound more like a name. Kaya and Kaelyn are both obsessed with “playing doctor” with my belly, which includes trying to find her heartbeat with a stethoscope (Kaelyn) and performing ultrasounds to “see if it’s a girl or a boy!” (Kaya).

Comparison: 22 weeks with Kaya; 22 weeks with Kaelyn; 22 weeks with Nella.