Pregnancy update {Baby #5}

Ahhhh, pregnancy is winding down and Baby #5 will be here before we know it! I'm so excited for the sweet newborn snuggles!

Recently Lily and I went shopping to pick out a new outfit for each gender. It was so hard to just pick one of each! A few days later I was at Walmart and couldn't resist the "little sister" and "lil bro" outfits, so the new baby will have a couple new outfits all their own - the rest will be hand-me-downs from big sisters or big brothers. Jacob still needs to get the tubs of newborn clothes and the infant carseat down from the attic. Haha, you can tell this is our 5th child. :)

36 weeks - with Ava on the left and Baby #5 on the right.

We made a paper chain to count down the last month of pregnancy. I'm hoping the kids aren't too disappointed if we reach the last ring and the baby isn't here yet. :)

37 weeks

I'm feeling well and energetic as long as I remember to take my iron and b vitamins and don't stay out in the heat too long. Even if I stay hydrated while outside, if I'm out for long periods, I'm zapped. A couple of weeks ago we had a nice week of cooler temperatures. It was amazing! We are all looking forward to fall!

I haven't had much of an appetite the last week or so. I'll fix something that sounds super yummy, but then it's all I can do to get down a few bites. Blah.

I'm sleeping great at night except for the occasional interruptions from pregnancy nightmares or children needing something...thankfully that's rare! I definitely feel best when I'm able to get in bed around 9:30 and be asleep by 10, but that's not always doable if I want to see Jacob when he gets home from rehearsals. 

I have done lots of freezer cooking! I love knowing that we have easy breakfasts and suppers on hand so I don't have to worry about meal planning and cooking much in the first few months. I'm also buying up extra groceries so we hopefully won't need to worry about getting out to shop for awhile. Ever since Levi got RSV and Pneumonia as a 7 week old and was in the hospital for a week, I have kept my newborns in for an extra long time. 

Jacob's schedule this school year means he needs to eat breakfast right when I'm having my quiet time each morning. So, in order to get him breakfast and still have my quiet time before the kids all get up, he eats cold cereal a couple mornings each week (he loves cereal, btw :)) and then has breakfast burritos the other mornings. I made up a bunch of burritos and stuck them in the freezer for him. They were so easy - hash browns, scrambled eggs, crumbled sausage, sautéed peppers and onions, cheese and a few shakes of hot sauce. I wrapped them individually in foil and can easily stick one in the toaster oven for him when I get home from the gym and it's ready when he needs to eat. You can also microwave them - take off foil and wrap burrito in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2-3 minutes.

38 weeks

It's been fun being pregnant with my sister and sister in law! Myra is 35 weeks, I'm 38 weeks, and Hannah is 41 weeks!

My sweet Ava. I am cherishing these last few weeks with her as my littlest one. I love the age/stage she's in right now (she'll be 2 in November). I kind of feel like I missed this stage with all my other babes because there was always a new baby in the picture when they were this age. I love that she is talking more and more each day, she loves to read books and do puzzles, she's Miss Get-Into-Everything, she loves to snuggle and she always asks for another "tiss" when I put her to sleep. 

My heart is beyond grateful each day I get to spend with my dear children. They may drive me crazy sometimes, but they are such sweet gifts from the Lord!