Baby #3 - 36 Weeks

Brighton,

We are at week 36! It has been a pretty crazy month or two. In the past month we have had to go to the hospital twice. Once I was admitted overnight because my breathing was so bad and my pulse wouldn't go down. They ran an EKG, CT Scan, and one other heart test at the hospital to make sure that area was good. I also got tested for the flu and had to have a few bags of IV fluids over the course of the stay. But luckily all came back normal. My breathing has still been a struggle and I get out of breath just from standing up. But when you are born, all should be well again. The second time I had to go to the hospital, I wasn't admitted, thankfully, but I did get some really strong anti-nausea meds and three bags of fluids in just a couple hours. I was fine the day before, but then by the afternoon of the next day I was vomiting, extremely nauseous, and dehydrated. Zofran wasn't working for me so I had to get something stronger at the hospital. Both our heart rates were pretty high and I was also having some contractions that were picked up by the monitor, all due to the sudden onset of dehydration. Luckily we got that all taken care of fairly quickly and our wonderful neighbors helped drop me off and pick me up from the hospital. Daddy has been a wonderful husband and daddy and reminding me to take it easy and not do too much, especially on my good days, so I don't get sick and worn out too quickly. This is very difficult for me since I do not like to sit and do nothing!

Another thing that has happened the past month is that you are breech. Again! At our 30 week appointment you were breech, then 32 weeks you were head down, but then by 34 weeks you were breech again and have stayed there. Currently it feels like you are sitting sideways. I've been to the chiropractor for the Webster technique to try and flip her. My entire pelvis has been in a lot of pain the past week as well so I know there isn't much room for you to flip because of that. We see the midwife again on Monday and then we will talk about next steps. Meaning going to the hospital to try to manually flip you to the correct position. I have read that it can be a bit painful though. Also that it could cause me to go into labor. Hopefully it all goes well and no matter what you are born a healthy, happy, little girl!

Almost every day your brothers ask when you will be born. They cannot wait for their baby sister to get here! Daddy and I have been struggling in choosing a middle name for you and have been simply just avoiding it. A couple weeks ago we asked Trenton if your name should be Brighton Blaer or Brighton Zoey. He chose Brighton Zoey because it's kind of like "zoo" and she is going to work in a zoo when she gets bigger :D Now I don't think we can change it because he has independently brought it up numerous times that that is your name! Trenton is already extremely protective over you. He is such a sweet big brother. Tucker might be the obnoxious middle child brother you will have to look out for :)

Next week is Easter weekend and it also means you can safely be born anytime starting next Saturday! Preferably after Easter though because your brothers are really looking forward to finding eggs left by the Easter bunny. But starting April 2nd, Daddy and I really wouldn't mind if you decided to come early! Daddy is ready for a little "vacation" too. It has been crazy town here at home with your Boys Town "brothers"!

 Since I forgot to make a post on 32 weeks...You were breech here too I believe

You can tell by the shape of my belly that you are sitting differently!

Just for fun, the differences between a normal pregnancy (Trenton, Left), a posterior pregnancy (Tucker, middle), and a breech pregnancy (Brighton, Right)! It's amazing how my belly is so different depending on how the baby positioned!

Trenton - Five Years Old

Trenton,

These past 6 months have been a whirlwind of growing for you. Four year old preschool started and you have been thriving in school. You are learning so much! You can write your first and last name and have been practicing writing your letters and numbers by yourself. I bought you a little activity book to practice writing letters and the sounds that go with them and you do a great job! Sometimes you get frustrated and we have to take a break, but for the most part, you are learning how to write. For Christmas, you got a Mr. Pencil activity tablet that teachers you to write letters, numbers, and shapes. It’s been a good learning tool too.

Since October, I have been showing you a calendar and we have been counting down to events like Tucker’s birthday, Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and your birthday. So almost every day you ask to look at the calendar and see how long until the next event :) I guess one of the next things to count down is your baby sister!

You cannot wait for Brighton to be born. Granted, you have named her Dino Dino-Brighton, but that’s okay. You correct everyone when they just say Brighton. But you love her so much already! Always giving my belly hugs and talking about her coming 😍 Your teacher asked me the other day what her name was because you kept insisting it was Dino but she thought surely we wouldn't REALLY name her that!

You’ve also been really intrigued by maps lately. Gigi got you a world map awhile ago and it came with a picture of a monkey from Madagascar. You put it in an empty frame and you refuse to let us take it down from the tv stand. Every so often you pick it up and tell us you want to go to Africa. You have my heart, my boy 😍 one day I hope to take you to Africa. We also bought you a US state map that is hung up above your bed. We’ve been practicing where a few states are, like Georgia, Nebraska, California, and a few other important states (to you). You’ve gotten really good and recognizing where those three are and who lives there! I hope your love for geography continues and you strive to learn more about the world and other cultures.

Now that you are FIVE, we have been looking at and touring kindergartens for the past few months so you can start in the fall! I cannot believe it. However, it is very stressful! We feel like choosing the right elementary school is imperative to foster a love of learning. We wanted to send you to a Montessori school that is also a public school (so FREE), however, Boys Town is split down the middle when it comes to school districts and we are on the wrong side :( I was very hesitant about sending you to the district we live in, just from things I’ve heard, but we toured our school anyway. Much to my surprise, I liked the feel of the kindergarten classrooms and the way one of the teachers was doing her lessons! Next week you will do kindergarten roundup at that school and try it out for a couple hours. We also toured a private Montessori school that we liked, but it was $900 a month per kid so that would never be feasible. There is one more school I would like to check out, so we shall see! I just keep feeling like this one decision will affect your entire schooling career and I want you to flourish and enjoy school!

Since your birthday was on a Saturday, we made cupcakes to bring to school on Friday. However, you were very disturbed that your class would sing Happy Birthday to you on Friday. You told me “but then they will think today is my birthday!” As we walked into school and all the teachers asked, “is it your birthday??” You would adamantly reply with “NO!!” And I had to explain to them that you were very concerned and wanted everyone to know that your birthday was tomorrow, NOT today. Sometimes you are such a literal kid and it’s hilarious. You just can’t see anyone else’s way of thinking, even if yours makes absolutely no sense. I’m sure this way of thinking will cause you trouble when you get older, so hopefully you can learn to see other people’s point of views. For now though, you are just so silly

The week after your birthday you got to try out kindergarten for a couple hours! We had Kindergarten Round Up at the school we think you will go. You were so excited leading up to it until we walked in the door. Then you shut down with no expression and didn’t talk at all. But afterward you said you really enjoyed it. Being in a new place is always scary. But you did see a couple of kids from preschool so I think that will help the transition next year.

Now that you are five, you are Mr. Know-It-All and the answer is always "because I'm five". So watch out, world! Trenton knows everything. I imagine that it will only get worse :) 

I love you my sweet boy and this next year is full of so many more Firsts for you!

Love Always,

Mommy

 Visiting Boys Town farm and not too sure what to think of the stinky pigs

 First Day of Four Year Old Preschool!!

 You have been begging for a mohawk so we finally gave in, but your hair is so curly that you were not satisfied because it didn't stick straight up. At one point the guys lathered some gel in your hair to try and get it to stand up, but it didn't work

Your first self-portrait! And your expression of what you are doing in your self portrait :)

Big brothers!!

Volunteering at De Soto Bend is always fun when you can check out cool caterpillars

First time riding a bike! There were some frustrating moments, but you started getting the hang of it

Super Heroes!

You missed your friend, Emery, since they moved to Missouri

Halloween and you guys decided to go as Catboy and Gekko from PJ Masks

This is what happens I brush your hair and you need a haircut really bad. Major afro :)

Christmas tree hunting

I love it when you two are so sweet and show Brother Love!

Tucker got a giant teddy bear for Christmas and now you want one too. I don't think we can handle two of these massive beasts in the house though

Cousin Kennedy came to visit and you all had so much fun together! I wish we lived closer to each other

The store had an archery booth set up and you did really well for your first time shooting! And of course now you want your own bow and arrow 

Cousin Love

First major snow fall of the season and you decided to take a break from sledding and chow down, on the ground

Unfortunately with being pregnant and being extremely busy, your cupcakes this year definitely didn't meet my normal standards as they were quickly decorated the night before. Maybe next year I'll be back up to decorating better!

Annual birthday twin picture!! I think it gets more fun every year as you grow more aware of what birthdays are and who is around

Lately Tucker has been extra loving toward you (sometimes) and just won't leave you alone! He's always trying to hug you and be right up underneath you for some reason

Baby #3 - 28 Weeks

28 weeks

These last couple months havent been too much of a change. Except I have been able to eat a lot more variety so that’s great! I still don’t eat a lot of food, but that’s okay. I have been able to eat sweets again though, so that’s a blessing and a curse :) it definitely doesn’t help that we’ve had Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all filled with sweets to help me indulge! However, for the most part you still prefer foods on the healthier side. I find myself snacking on fruits and carrots often. 

Even though eating has become easier, I thought for sure in the second trimester I would get that burst of energy. Nope...I am so tired all the time still! 

One good thing with this pregnancy than with the others is that I’m still able to sleep on my back this far along! I don’t have to stay on my side which hurts my hip. However speaking of my hip, I have been in pretty bad pain the last couple months. My hip kills me every time I get up or bend over or walk a certain way. So now that it is a new year, I have been to the chiropractor numerous times to try and help get some relief.

One thing that has returned to my dismay is pregnancy rhinitis, and boy does it suck. I cannot breathe at night for this dreaded stuffy nose! It makes sleeping difficult and nighttime in general miserable.

You are really starting to move around a lot more lately and Daddy has been able to feel you more easily! Trenton still can’t wait to feel you move 😊

Trenton also told Daddy the other day that you are HIS baby because he is the big brother. Apparently that trumps over being the parents 😏 I’m not sure how much holding I will be getting when you are born, except when nursing. Daddy has already claimed all rights in holding you! Since your brothers are both mama’s boys, he cannot wait to have a baby that prefers him ☺️ we shall see how that plays out....

My glucose test came back great at my 24 week appointment, however my iron levels were too low and put me in jeopardy of losing my ability to birth at the birthing center, so I was prescribed a couple different iron supplements to try and get my levels back up. 

The day of making it to 28 weeks was the day the swelling started and my wedding ring didn’t fit. At least I got to wear it longer this time around. Hopefully not too much more swelling will happen over the next three months!

The first 5 months went by really fast and then I realized that it was going by fast. So naturally, January has been extremely slow. But anywhere between 9 weeks and 14 weeks from now we will have a brand new baby girl added to our family!! 

Just for kicks I made a 28 week belly comparison of all three. Trenton was low, Tucker was high, and Brighton seems to be in the middle. Gotta have one of each I guess!

Tucker - 3 Years Old

Tucker,

You are a magnificent little boy. You are so goofy and are such a weird kid! I love it. You are always talking to yourself and making the funniest faces for no reason at all; then laughing hysterically when you are "caught". At home you are hardly ever quiet. You are always talking or singing. You are absolutely content to play by yourself most of the time and you are always in your own little world. 

Your favorites right now are Batman, PJ Masks, Paw Patrol, and Legos (mostly Ninjago and Batman). You also love stuffed animals. You got 4 small stuffed Paw Patrol Pups for your birthday and you love them so much! Plus you have this small baby cougar that you call "your kitty", as well as a Build A Bear dinosaur. All of them sleep in your bed with you, no exceptions. 

Demanding has been your new thing and it drives us nuts. We have to correct you so often that Trenton now says "Mommy...Tucker is demanding again...!" Also I've just noticed that you are a huge backseat driver. It goes with your need to demand, definitely, but we have been driving way longer than you've been alive, kid! However, watching you and your brother interact and talk just melts my heart (when you aren't fighting). The conversations you two have are hilarious. I really hope you boys include your little sibling in things and are all this close to each other.

At school you don't talk at all. Your teachers say you are finally starting to open up some and you said a whole 4-word sentence one day! I just laugh because that is exactly how I was at school and opposite at home. When you come home you always talk about what you did and are always singing songs you've learned at school. You told me today that you like to chase the girls at school with Trenton.....too young for that, kid!! 

Sometimes you are excited about having a baby sibling but I think you have no idea. Every time you hear a baby cry or babble loudly, you always cover your ears and say it's too loud. You have no idea what's coming, sweet boy. You ask multiple times a day where "our baby" is and I have to tell you over and over that it is in my belly still.

Your ultimate favorite "person" is still Roosevelt. You missed him so much on our last vacation! The few days since we have been back, if we aren't home, you ask to go back to him constantly. He is your BFF and it is such a sweet relationship. 

All of our guys just love you so much and love to play with you. You have your favorites of course, which is usually the ones who are willing to play with you the most. You really do love having "our guys" and you always get so sad when we are off. Every day you ask, "are we off today or on today?" And when I tell you we are off, you get sad. 

Your motor skills have gotten so much better this year. You are able to keep up with Trenton and bigger kids his age a lot easier now, though you still jump like a baby and I absolutely love it. You are so good at putting tiny Legos together and puzzles are one of your favorite pastimes. Your teachers were so surprised to see you sit and do a puzzle for 30 minutes straight at school one day. 

Eating habits are still horrendous. We really do have no idea how you are still alive. All you ever eat is peanut butter sandwiches, fresh fruit, and all the crackers and sweets you can sneakily get your hands on. You have gone an entire day without eating before because you refused to eat what we gave you. When will this end??? The past couple weeks though you have even been refusing peanut butter so I seriously have no idea what to feed you that is even remotely nutritious. 

For your birthday you got a singing card and $10 from Gigi and Pimpa so we took you to Toys R Us to do some birthday shopping! We let you pick out your gifts from us too. Daddy and I love letting you guys pick out your gifts at the store and seeing how you choose items. Also how asking "is this expensive?" Is a lot of times the first thing you ask. That's my boy; I'm raising you well 😊

I also made you some Batman cookies! That was way more work than I imagined and sadly I ran out of time and patience to make some for your entire class like I wanted. But we ate lunch at Chick Fil A where the only thing you eat are "shries", and every time someone sang you Happy Birthday, you got this huge goofy smile on your face. It was adorable. You got to choose a lot of things we did in the afternoon and you definitely loved all the attention on you!

I took you to the doctor for your 3 year old check up the day after your birthday and you have a clean bill of health! I am fully surprised that you are in the 50th percentile for all your measurements. You don't eat!! I guess last year your iron levels were low so the doctor wanted to draw blood again this year to see if you have an iron deficiency still. He said you just need to eat more meat but then I just laughed and told him you were a self-proclaimed vegetarian 😏I did ask if he thought you needed to drink Pediasure but he said it isn't necessary. It definitely won't hurt but it's also not necessary. You also got a flu shot for the first time ever so hopefully that goes well! Flu shots always make me nervous. You were such a big boy though and didn't cry at all!!! They did a preliminary vision test though and you failed so now we have an appointment to see a pediatric ophthalmologist at the end of November. I hope you don't need glasses this young! However, you would be one darn cute kid with glasses! 

I am so excited to see how you grow over the next year and how you change. Hopefully eating better 😏 you are an amazing little boy and I am in awe every day by your cute little voice (when you aren't whining or demanding) and your adorable little face. You amaze me, kid!

 Always falling asleep anywhere! You used to especially love playing with your "boo-boos"

 

 Christmas 2016!

 

 Asleep with your "boo-boos" again!

 

 

 Had to do the class sit-on-dad picture!

 

 Asleep again...Roosevelt was so sweet to let you sleep on him!

 

 BFFs!

 

 You both grew so much from the first day of school 2016 to the last day of school 2017

 

 Our first trip to Kansas City....licking the ice cream statue....

 

 Cotton Candy for the first time at your first baseball game

 

 We went to Chicago in July and it was so much fun! You got to ride a train and bus numerous times

 

 Easter 2017. So cute and handsome

 

 Easter family photo

 

 Always making silly faces

 

 There were a few weeks where you just couldn't stop hurting yourself. You got this same nasty welt in the same some on your poor head 3 times within just a few weeks

 

 Not only are you the slowest eater alive, but also the messiest

 

 You look like a bobblehead

 

 Cousin Kaiden! You weren't too thrilled with another baby around :)

 

 You love your costumes! This day you were Owlette John Cena

 

 Super heroes to the rescue!

 

 That cute little smile...already it is used to try and get you out of trouble. I know it'll only get worse

 

 Angry Eyes

 

 Daddy time

 

 We went to the Broncos stadium while in Denver on vacation

 

 One of our favorite places to go while in Kansas City! Sadly it shut down :(

 

 

 

 Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs with GiGi and Pimpa

 

 Your favorite person to talk to on facetime, Kennedy! Or Chicken. You all call each other Chicken and think it is the funniest thing in the world. You and Kennedy are kindred spirits and are just alike

 

 It was the beginning of June, but still snowing on top of Pike's Peak

 

 Okoboji time!

 

 Had to wear your floaties even though you refused to go in the water

 

 Our neighbors went with us this year and you became Avery's little pet. For some strange reason you let her "bathe" you by continuously dumping buckets of water on your head. You won't even let me do that in the bath without screaming your head off. But you were soaking up all the attention she was giving you. You even let her spoon feed you at the table!

 

 Happy Father's Day!

 

 Chicago at the famous bean

 

 Chicago

 

 Cool dude modeling in front of the Bean

 

 First day of three year old preschool

 

 have to get my annual backpack picture on the first day of school

 

 It just so happened that you were angry with me when I wanted to take this picture, so it made it extra funny :)

 

 We went to Branson, MO right before your birthday and these sting rays kept jumping up on the glass

 

 Your favorite part of Branson was the zoos and being able to feed and touch all the animals. I think I may have my animal lover child in you :)

 

 We met up with some Boys Town friends while in Branson and you missed your friends! Whitney and I have already decided that you and Badynn are going to marry one day. Look how cute this photo is!!

 

 The four BFFs back together again!

 

 Gotta give your puppy loves on your birthday

 

 My attempt at making your Batman cookies didn't turn out too bad

 

 Happy birthday sweet boy!!

 

 Your are three years old now!

 

For Halloween you were Gekko and Trenton was Catboy