January 2020 Garnets

[OnErth&InHvn]

We do a few pumpkin patches (one with MOPS and one with a special needs group) and go trick or treating. We bought a few decorations at the goodwill today.
Dd1 is going as lights? A black outfit and lights. Shes 13 so I guess....
Dd2 is going as Pinkie Pie.

 

[Fit_Mama2Be]

Today's BP measurement was 110/63. I've been taking photos of my results because I swear the midwives don't believe me when I say my blood pressure is never that high outside of the doctor's office.

For Halloween we do the pumpkin patch, we take DS trick or treating in our neighborhood, and he has a party at daycare. We also do a Halloween party every year with the same group of moms and kids that we met at a baby group when DS was a newborn. We've had this party since they were babies and every year we get a photo of them sitting side by side on the couch in their costumes - such a fun tradition!

 

[Fit_Mama2Be]

Just curious as to whether you ladies plan on more kids or if this baby is your last? (Of course having dealt with recurrent losses I know we don't always get a choice).

This baby will be our last. We don't have room in our house for a third and it is just too expensive where we live, plus I'm 39 and DH is 48 so there's that...

It's funny because when I was pregnant with DS I was adamant that he'd be our one and only, but with this pregnancy even though I know this will be my last baby I still feel a bit wistful about it...crazy because after 4 losses you'd think I'd be 100% done!

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

I feel like #5 would not be as soon as the first 3 came together. Dh has already been asking about TTC and how soon after.

Im 34, dh is 33. Babies born 05, 06, 07, loss in 09, then Bee in 20. We'll see next summer/fall!!

 

[ashley2pink]

I love Halloween! Maybe more than Christmas. But this year I won’t be able to really enjoy it. I normally go trick or treating with my kids but I get too many Braxton Hicks walking around so I will more than likely only do a few houses then my husband will take the youngest to the rest. We normally do it for 2-3 hrs.
This baby more than likely is our last. I feel I don’t want another and DH most definitely won’t want another. He had a hard time coming around to #4. But sometimes I think it would be nice to have a 5th so that #4 has a sinking closer in age to her since my youngest is 8.

Hope you guys don’t mind me posting my belly pics. I kind of want to post one every 4 weeks. This was today at 24+1. And I know my mirror needs a cleaning. My whole house needs a good deep cleaning at this point

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Cute bump!!!

 

[Literati_Love]

Ashley - what a beautiful bump! Thanks for sharing. I feel like yours is quite small compared to mine. I haven’t taken a bump photo in ages which is making me feel stressed and guilty. In my other pregnancies, I got DH to take really nice ones with me beside a chalkboard every few weeks. This time he hasn’t taken a single one, and I’ve only taken the couple mirror ones that I’ve posted here. Ugh!


OnErth - wow, thinking of #5 already! Good for you. Big families are beautiful.

fit mama - I think you’re the one with white coat syndrome and I’m the same. My blood pressure always spikes at the doctor. Then again, my BP is never overly low on my own either. Some of those low BPs you ladies have sound shocking to me! Mine always hovers around 120/80 or 120/70 but the top number creeps up at the doctor.

As for more kids, I think this is probably our last. However, I don’t feel quite settled about it. I wish I know that it for sure was, because I don’t feel like I’ve been cherishing this pregnancy enough.
I truly don’t feel that I could ever handle (or afford!) more than 3 kids, but DH and I originally wanted 4 (before we had kids and realized how much work they are), so it’s sort of hard to completely shut the door to that dream. Plus, that would mean never having a boy (but that could end up the case anyway if we had 4). Lately, DH has been working so much and my 2 kids are SO much work and SOOOOO horribly behaved (you’ve no idea ) that I don’t even know how I’ll handle 3! So, basically I’m 95% sure we are done but there’s that other 5% that still wonders.

I loved reading about everyone’s Halloween plans and everything else, but there were too many posts for me to remember them all!

Thanks for the sympathy on the insomnia.

My dd1 is going to dress up as Bo Peep from
Toy Story 4 and we haven’t bought dd2’s
costume yet but I think it would be cute to dress her up as a sheep. We will be trick-or-treating with friends of ours have 2 kids very close in age to ours. DH also got us some pumpkins that I’m hoping we’ll get to carve together close to the time.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

So far when the MW takes my BP, its normal.

It's kind of exciting as part of our countdown to baby, we can measure by holidays. Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years, then babies!! I keep telling myself that anyway. Hehe

 

[Sophie1234]

This baby will be my last. I'm only 26 but know for sure I don't want anymore. I'm being sterilised during my csection. More so due to the fact that I now have chronic kidney disease so think it's now time to put mama first and look after myself for once!

Love listening to all your Halloween plans. My ds wants to go as a hacker off one of his favourite American YouTube chanels. I don't know what to dress my dd up as of yet.

I love to do pumpkin carving with them too, although we don't tend to decorate the house (other than with pumpkins).

This year we are going to my mums caravan at the seaside overnight for a little party on the 30th, then home in the morning. Have got a 28 week growth Scan and consultant app and after that we will take the kids trick or treating. Not be going too far this year though.
X

 

[Bumblebeee]

It's viability day! Wooo! Happy V day to you too Red

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

I hope none of our babies come this early but it's good they have a fighting chance if they did. ♡

 

[Literati_Love]

OnErth - I like to countdown the different holidays until baby arrives too! This time of year goes by so quickly because there are so many fun occasions. I agree that I hope none of our babies come this early!

bumble bee - congrats! I reached my viability day yesterday! Woohoo! I would be pretty worried if baby case before 32 weeks but it still feels like a milestone. And hopefully our babies will all stay in there until 37+ weeks!

Sophie - we also don’t do any decorating other than pumpkins (if we even do that). Makes sense that you are done considering your health problems and such! Plus, 3 kids is plenty!
That sounds like a fun little way to celebrate your Halloween & day before!

AFM - I was craving brownies so made some this morning as my dd2 is sick and not up for leaving the house. They are delicious and I can’t stop eating them! Hehe. What is everyone else craving?

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

I haven't had cravings since early on. Pizza and comfort foods.

I've been eating a lot of fruit but not due to craving, it just tastes amazing.

 

[Bumblebeee]

Happy belated V day to you too Literati, and everyone else I missed
I miss a lot, I don't remember to check in very often
I have zero cravings at all, with my daughter I liked toffee crisp and anything orange but I've had nothing with this one. I liked chips/bread/rice early on, just stodgy carbs but I think that was just because it's all I could stomach with the nausea.
Anyone else having trouble with names? I'm really struggling to find any I really love, there are a few I sort of like but none I'd name my child. I know I've got plenty of time but I would at least like to have a few to choose from by now but I've got nothing! X

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

We have its name and it's already in the baby book and birth certificate paperwork.

 

[Literati_Love]

Bumble bee - I’ve had much fewer cravings this time as well. The cravings I do get are less intense and more just, “I feel like having this.” I seem to be getting them more for the last week or so though.
Yes, we are seriously struggling with names! We used all our favourite girl names (first and middle) with dd1 & 2 so now we have zero girl names left. DH is working long hours and we haven’t had the best communication lately, so we haven’t even had a chance to talk about names. The few names either of us has mentioned the other has not liked at all. So we seriously have nothing. I’m a little stressed about it. So, you’re definitely not alone!

 

[Bumblebeee]

Wow Onerth you are so organised! I am just really chilled out with it all at the moment, maybe because after over 4 years of trying I thought it would never happen so I'm in a 'I'll believe it when I see it" sort of rut, although a few swift kicks to the gut remind me that there's definitely something in there I've got a few bits and pieces sitting in the corner of my bedroom that I've bought or been given but I've not bought anything much at all except for a cute little bobble hat and a onesie, need to knuckle down I think with my girl's birthday next month and Christmas the next
Glad to hear it's not just me Literati, I like the really soft, pretty girls names and the really short, strong boys names so opposite ends of the scale but I've only really LOVED one name which is Sofia and that's my daughter's name. I'll have to get a few baby name books from the library I think and read them cover to cover until I find something. With being team yellow too it's tough because I have to decide on a name for both boy and girl! Help

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Yeah someone asked me today if I had a register, I said we have everything but thanks. I have literally everything from birth to toddler. Lol.

The hospital tour...i wasnt impressed. Some things have changed for the good. Some bad. It wouldnt (and isnt) my 1st choice. It's the only hospital I can go to if transferred so I'll deal with it if it comes. Now I can write my birth plan and the tour helped that I wont need certain stuff.
Example: not to bathe the baby.
The hospital now doesnt bathe them for 12hrs minimum so I dont have to list that.

 

[red_head]

Sorry all for the long post - lots to catch up on! Been struggling with a cold and exhausted but have been reading!

Sophie hope your theory test went well! Let us know how you got on! Your blood pressure is exactly the same as mine - hopefully they will pick up soon! I’m a massive Halloween fan - my favourite holiday of the year (I’d love to go to America for it one year), but we haven’t got any plans for it this year! I’ve been growing pumpkins in our garden so hopefully they’ve ripened, and I do love seeing the trick or treaters come round I love doing the special effects makeup so might make my husband dress up just to amuse me! Your seaside getaway sounds lovely I hope you have a good time and your growth scan goes well!

OnErth they sound like sweet costumes for your daughters hope they have a good time. I feel like the holidays are making things go faster as there’s so much to do and prepare for! It is nice I can’t get over how organised you are with all your baby items and the names and everything! I used you as an example to guilt trip my husband into planning a baby shopping trip! So thank you! Lol! sorry your tour didn’t go well - hopefully it won’t be necessary for you to go there. I never knew about not bathing the baby but just looked it up after you said that! That really helpful advice - thank you!

Fitmama glad your blood pressure is good now! I love that you take those Halloween pictures each year that’s so sweet!
I would really love more kids (At least 3!) we don’t plan on using birth control after this baby, but I am a little worried - you hear of couples taking years then falling again immediately, but ideally I’d like at least a year between them! We’ll see. Hubby is 12 years older than me so he feels more pressure I think. Do you know what birth control you’ll choose if this is definitely your last?

Ashley sorry you won’t be able to enjoy Halloween this year - I’m sure next year will make up for it dressing up our babies in all those cute costumes!! Sorry you’re having so many Braxton Hicks that must be horrible. I get multiple ones some days and then don’t have any for a few days, so I’ve been really lucky. Your bump is gorgeous and so neat! You look great.

Literati has your insomnia improved at all? Your kids costumes sound so sweet Im sorry they’ve been misbehaving - do you think it’s because of the imminent arrival? Hopefully they’ll settle when baby arrives! I’m sure you’ll cope well with three! And four if you choose to in future. I craved brownies earlier in the pregnancy - as well as chicken nuggets (which was difficult as I’m vegetarian and gluten free! But I did manage to find some in the end!!). I haven’t really had any proper cravings recently, occasionally white choc late which is weird as I don’t normally like it that much - it’s more that I will see something on tv or hear someone mention what they’re having dinner and want that too lol! I’m having trouble with names too - we actually had a girls name picked out but can’t find a boys name! What are your other daughters names?

Bumblebee thank you - belated congrats for your viability day too! Such a lovely milestone it feels amazing! I had nightmares early on about the baby coming and everyone refusing to help him, so I feel so much better now! i am struggling with names too - it’s getting me down a bit! I am searching every day and feel like I’ve looked everywhere and if I haven’t found it by now, I never will! I had liked the name Harrison, but a friends just used it, and also I hadn’t realised that’s why one of the royals named their baby, so it’ll get really popular which puts me off. I hope we both find something soon! I wish I was as chilled as you when it comes to getting ready for baby’s arrival! I feel desperate to get started, but still haven’t started the house so feel like I can’t do anything yet! Hopefully soon

 

[Serenyx]

Yes, we are seriously struggling with names! We used all our favourite girl names (first and middle) with dd1 & 2 so now we have zero girl names left. DH is working long hours and we haven’t had the best communication lately, so we haven’t even had a chance to talk about names. The few names either of us has mentioned the other has not liked at all. So we seriously have nothing. I’m a little stressed about it. So, you’re definitely not alone!

We are in exactly the same boat too! I have used all of our favourite names already so are really struggling to come up with names for this one. I have a couple I don't mind, but nothing we really love yet. If it had been a boy we already had the name chosen

I have my 25 week scan next week, if all goes ok we are planning on telling the family after that

With 2 dd's already, we don't need to buy much at all. Maybe a few new clothes but we have practically everything else!

This will be our last - we were humming and harring about stopping at 2 or trying for a third, we went for 3 but that is definitely our limit. We only have a 3 bed house so the youngest 2 will have to share a room anyway. I'm tempted to give them our room, we take the middle room and move the eldest into the smallest room. We have time to work all of that out though! I don't want to move as we love our house and location Our room is 17'6 x 10'3 so I could split it in half if necessary but i'm hoping they will get on ok and share nicely (is that a bit of a forlorn hope?? ).