1, slightly twisted kidney, is better than none.

hey 24WKS...this week I'm feeling like "we're ONLY at 24WKS?!?"...ask me tomorrow and I'll be in tears about how quickly we've gotten here;). 

i plan to have Courts take some photos next week - I'll be 25WKS and have a regular appointment and so I assume I'll be showered for ya;). But almost 2WKS ago we had an U/S and got some really fun photos of the baby and so I had my mom snap this one and I wanted to share a quick update, as well:)

our Ultrasound 2WKS ago was with a High Risk doctor - Maternal & Fetal Medicine. On our 18WK U/S, they found some concern with the kidneys. Since the whole Zika scare - you can read about that HERE - I was honestly not alarmed about the kidney stuff at.all. That seemed like small beans in comparison to a potentially, way bigger Zika issue. So we waited several weeks, until the baby was a bit bigger, to do a follow-up U/S at 22WKS.

long story short, the baby looks perfectly healthy - so SO incredibly thankful for that:). Seeing as they were already looking at things closely, they cleared us againnnnnn of any concerns of Zika and then after some time, they found that the right kidney seems to be lower than the left - but not too much lower - and has 2 arteries flowing to it, instead of one. So basically this baby is a Kidney Over Achiever;). 

the kidney is slightly twisted and so we'll have to continue to be followed by the High Risk doc, to make sure that it doesn't continue to twist. That is their main concern. If it continues twisting, that could cut off blood flow and that is where things would get tricky. We'll be going back in about 6WKS for another U/S in regards to this. And then after the baby is born, they may suggest that we follow-up to watch the baby's kidney progress and make sure there aren't any issues going forward...but that's all way too far into the future for me to think about now...I don't even know what I'm making the kids for lunch yet;).

other than all THATTTTT, this has been another snooze-fest of a pregnancy, in the BEST way possible!!!!:) I'm gaining the most.weight.ever. No surprise there. I think we're at 26LBS, so far. But I've also been staying pretty active...walking a lot, this week I started doing yoga and a few quick work-outs, push-mowing the lawn - which I really enjoy so much!!!:) Gives me a break from the kiddos and time to listen to a Podcast!!!. 

So I feel really great and yes, some days are hard...it's hard to gain a lot of weight and to watch your body changing so rapidly and I get it...most would be completely annoyed because I'm viewed as being on the thinner side of things anyways...but trust me, it's not about being 'fat'. It's just the change. Feeling out of breath just climbing the stairs. Having difficulty finding something to wear that makes me feel comfortable and like myself. You kinda lose yourself in pregnancy, just as you do in motherhood.

BUT good grief...hardly a complaint and growing a baby is pretty much my favorite thing to do and so yeah...all part of the hormonal/mental-fuck/MIND-BLOWING/incredible/HAPPIEST experience:):)

okay. So I had planned for 1 paragraph and yet here we are;). 

we're incredibly excited for this baby. For another baby. For a 4TH baby!!! Oh my gosh!!!:)

thanks for reading, friends:)

#the52project Week23

post by casey.

so the new 1 of 52 plan, for me, is to just keep posting when I find the time to post and we'll just see where things shake out at the end of the year;). 

i sent Jacob off this morning for his 6 day road-trip/camping trip! He left at 530AM and should be in Breckinridge, CO by midnight and then he'll be home sometime mid-morning on Saturday. I miss him already and the days, frankly, suck without being able to look forward to ending it with him:( Gosh, we're lucky that our lifestyle/careers don't involve being apart for any significant amount of time because I'm about as needy as they come;).

my good stuff: sleeping-in...till 915AM:) sending your excited husband off on a week-long vacation! a potty-trained 3YR old!!!

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

homer - sharing my watermelon addiction:)

theo daisy - can you imagine EVER wanting to spank her ass?!?!! She's so, deceivingly, cute;)

*I keep scrolling back to this photo because I can't help but smile and tear-up when I look at my freaking precious girl:):')

rockyp - the only one that doesn't complain about the 'heat'...mostly, because he can't speak words;)

lost count of 52

post by Courtney

lots of life happening around here since school let out. this summer we're trying to get a better routine down. so far, not too bad. we're working on it. but my camera use has been slacking. jumping back on the train. so here's weeks 22 through 24... I think ;)

a portrait of my children, once a week(ish), every week(ish), in 2017

their help is the only way I get a shower some days 

(every third or fourth day if you talk to my bestie...you know who you are) ;)

come fall, we'll have two in high school. not processing that until I neeeeeed to :(

she's been helping out a lot more with the littles. and I'm not complaining.

excited. gassy. nervous. really, all the same face with this child.

pure joy on that face. gosh, I love that smile.

those chiclet teeth (see:Dennis the Menace) just make that excited smile all kinds of wonderful.

photo speaks for itself

exploring

all of my babies have crawled before they sat. 

this dude is following right along like the rest of his siblings. 

(started sitting over 3wks ago at about 7-1/2 months) 

he's still the happiest little dude. he has been messing with our nap time lately :( 

I think he's cutting three teeth at once. poor dude. but he's handling it like a champ!

SaveSaveSaveSave

the man behind my obsession with babies.

post by casey.

i'm gonna have to dig a little deep here because we started the night with an argument about a wheelbarrow...yeahhhhh.;)

what can I say about Jacob!? 

well, I'll start by thanking MY dad!:) If not for his example, how would I have ever chosen such a good partner in life and love and babies, as Jacob:).

for example: Jacob had to work today, Father's Day. He made lunch for everyone before he left and took Homer with him! He's home now, cooking steaks for supper and agreed that I could go to bed - I was only 1/2ish kidding when I suggested that and it isssss only 622PM;). 

He's a good, generous, selfless, kind, loving, hilarious/goofy and thoughtful man.  

i've loved Jacob for a very long time. I loved him as a friend when we were in High School  and then one day while we were playing Grand Theft Auto;), I realized I loved him as more. I loved Jacob even when we were both messy people and we weren't together and I didn't think there was a chance in hell he'd ever love me back again. 

I loved him before marriage, before we even knew if we wanted kids. I even loved him during his water-shoes phase - that may not have been a phase!!;)  

I've never not loved Jacob and I've always been confident that I love Jacob more than anyone else ever could. 

But now seeing the way our babies look at him...finally someone whose love for him could rival mine:) 

we've created a very happy life together. It hasn't taken much money or a nice car or a fixed up house. The longer we live this together, the less I need or even want. Jacob will always be the best thing that's ever happened to me and he is at the center of everything we love.

happy father's day, my heart. You'll always be the best decision I made for me and them:)

we love you. we love you. we love you. 

dad and homer

dad and theo

dad and rocky