haircuts

Owen's First Haircut

August 6, 2013 - 15 months

 

He wasn't happy about this at all.  Cried the entire time.  Poor baby.  Fortunately, he stopped immediately when the cut was over. 

 

Before

 

So distraught

 

After...OMG isn't he so handsome?

 

 

Ethan's First Hair Cut

September 3, 2013 - 16 months

 

I was very hesitant to cut Ethan's wild curls but eventually I caved.  He panicked initially but then quickly calmed.  Of the three boys he did the best with his first cut.

 



Before

 

 

His initial response

then he calmed 

After 

 

Ryan's Hundredth Haircut

 

Seriously, it seems he needs a hair cut all the time.  And I cut his hair super short.  I've decided this is where boys expenses beat out the girls.  Though he often cringes, he does well.  We go to a kids place where they have train tables to play with before and after, sit in cars, watch a movie, and have animal crackers and lollipops.  

Love this face!

Gender Reveal Party

Pregnant with our fourth and final baby I planned a gender reveal party.  A surprise for Chris. 

This message went out via Evite to 50ish of Chris's friends and colleagues...

"For some of you it's a surprise that we're expecting...again! Don't worry, Chris is already aware of that fact (can you imagine a party to tell him that!). This party is a SURPRISE for Chris to learn the gender of our fourth and final baby. Join us for light refreshments and the big reveal. Please help me keep Chris in the dark by keeping it hush, hush.

Details of the surprise:  If Chris has yet to tell you we're expecting, don't let him know you know.  Also, our out of town family doesn't know about the baby or the gender so be sure not message anything publicly.  I will  have Chris out of the house in plenty of time and plan for him to be home at about 11:20am for the surprise. 

By the way, IF I can keep the envelope sealed for 21 hours, the gender will also be a surprise to me!"

Chris and I had discussed whether or not he would be present for the ultrasound and decided, for work reasons, he wouldn't.  And he thought my ultrasound was the Monday following the Friday that it actually was.  The (fake) plan was for me to come by the office after my appointment, let him know what the sex was and announce to his co-workers I was expecting.  Of course, everyone at work was in on the party and thus already aware I was pregnant!

I was able to enjoy the ultrasound as if I didn't want to know the gender.  The tech wrote the sex down and put it and a picture that 'showed' the secret in a sealed envelope.  Can you believe I didn't look?  Well, I didn't!  I passed the envelope to my Mom so she could do the one and only gender specific detail for the party.

40-ish people showed up to surprise Chris.  Surprise being the key word!  As soon as he hit the driveway he'd figured it out...well almost.  He knew what was happening but said he saw one pink and one blue balloon on the mailbox and thought I was going to tell him there were 2!  Not so!  But then he noticed there were 3 balloons elsewhere and realized that wasn't happening.

 

 

 

 

The reveal was done via piñata.  Team pink stood on one side and team blue on the other.  There were at least twice as many people rooting for a princess.  Ryan voted for a sister.  Chris went to town with the bat!  And I saw a sneak peak with the first crack on the pink and blue question mark. 

 It's a GIRL!

 

When people asked what I thought the baby was I'd say "well, this pregnancy has been different so maybe its a girl, or maybe I'm meant to be a mom of 4 boys.  Who knows!"  Either one, boy or girl, had its pros.  But when I saw girl I did get teary eyed.  Plus, I know Chris really wanted a girl.

 

 

 



thoughts along the way...take 3

10 weeks
I'm now 10 weeks pregnant.  Normally I'd be looking forward to the big announcement in 2 weeks.  However, with this being the pregnancy following a miscarriage (at 13 weeks), we've decided to wait a bit longer.  Plus, this is our 4th baby and we're still coming to terms with, well, a 4th baby!  This will be 4 under 4.  Wowzer.

So, for how it is being pregnant this time around.  I had a few weeks of ridiculous fatigue.  Barely being able to keep my eyes open with 3 little ones running around is toxic.  Fortunately, this has been reduced to only occasional fatigue.  Add that to my favorite pregnancy symptom, nausea.  The good news is it isn't as bad as it was with either of my other pregnancies.  I constantly remind myself that it could be worse.

Another difference is I couldn't wait for the others to be born.  It wasn't that I didn't like being pregnant, because I did, it was just that I couldn't wait to see how the little one(s) would fit into our lives.  This time I'm enjoying the time we have as a family of 5!

12 weeks
Bring on the 2nd trimester.  Fatigue is now only a problem towards the end of the day.  The nausea remains the same.  Strangely I haven't gained any weight.  I say 'strangely' because my stomach is the size it was when I was approaching 18 weeks with Ryan!  Oh how I miss my pre-children abs. Despite the ever growing belly, I'm still concealing the pregnancy.  If anyone notices my belly I figure they'll assume it's left over weight gain from the twins, however I'm happy to report my stomach went back to normal after the twins (my abs are a different story).

I got to hear the hearbeat for the first time.  Always reassuring.

13 weeks

14 weeks
It's becoming harder to conceal my belly.  I want to avoid my belly hanging over my waistband but that would require me to wear my maternity pants.  Problem is, as soon as anyone gets a glimpse of the elastic waistbands the gig is up. 

I've gained 2 pounds to date.

I have to eat small frequent meals/snacks to keep my stomach remotely normal.  I live off bagels with cream cheese, ice cream (but that's pretty standard for me), and baked potatoes. 

I can't wait to learn the sex!  I'm hoping to schedule the ultrasound before 20 weeks just to keep my wait down!  It's not because I'm dying to have a girl.  I'm not.  Don't get me wrong, I'll be thrilled to have a girl, but I'll be just as excited for our 4th and final boy.  I just NEED to know!

15 weeks

16 weeks




















17 weeks
We've slowly told some friends but have yet to tell family.  We're hoping to wait to tell them in person but not sure that's going to pan out.  Three weeks til the big ultrasound!  Chris will not be present this time around so I'm hoping to surprise him in some fun way.  I have a couple ideas.  We'll see.

As for how I feel...very different from the previous pregnancies.  I think this babe is sitting lower or sideways or just someway that is making me crazy!  I have to pee way to often.  Let's just say its not the typical 'oh I have to go all the time' pregnancy problem.  I've had that.  This is is to the extreme. Also, I have a hernia on the right side.  In all fairness, I had a mild hernia with the last 2 pregnancies too, but this time around its worse.  On the same side I've had some sciatica, ouch!  This is a brand new problem for me.  With all that said, I'm just glad I'm not nauseous.  I actually feel quite good.  I tire easy, but then again I have 3 active boys to keep up with!

18 weeks

We've told a few more people but our families are still in the dark.  Our original plan to tell them in person isn't going to pan out, at least with Chris's fam.  As for my family, it depends if we want to wait until I'm nearly 24 weeks (that's when we'll see them next). 

I've gained 7 pounds to date.  On target for how much I gained with Ry.  Heartburn is setting in. And the crazy vivid dreams are exhausting.  All and all I feel pretty darn good.

19 weeks

20 weeks
~ I've gained 9 pounds. 
~ I've been told I officially 'popped' and I agree.
~ I got to see our active, sweet, healthy baby on ultrasound this week. 
~ I threw a surprise gender reveal party for Chris. 
~ We learned the gender at said party (post to follow).
~ I started feeling the baby flutter around week 19, followed by more movement in week 20.
~ I started having some pregnancy pains that appear to be mechanical in nature.
~ Otherwise, I feel pretty darn good.

23 weeks
~ As of today we have exactly 120 days until D-day.
~ Well, it turns out I don't have a hernia.  Terrific.  Instead I have some sort of strange fluid thing to  
   which the only solution is delivery.  I'll leave it at that.
~ I've gained 12 pounds. Why is it my rear has to get bigger to carry a child? 
~ The baby moves more and more all the time. 

Coming February 2014...

Baby Hayes #4!

This picture pretty much sums it up...