The Mendenhalls: Exciting News

We have some exciting news! We are expecting baby BOY number 3! I'm already 33 weeks along now and it's been an eventful pregnancy. When I got pregnant I knew there was almost no chance I wouldn't be sick, because of how my first two pregnancies had gone, but I wasn't prepared for how sick I got. At 6 weeks I started feeling the usual nauseousness but after a week I was in bed all day every day for the next 8 weeks and it didn't let up until I was 16 weeks along. I had no appetite and I couldn't keep much down. There were about three 3 day periods where I hadn't kept any fluids (I would even puke up my own spit or even a teaspoon of water) or food down and started to feel extremely weak and went into the hospital for IV fluids. I tried Diclectin, Maxeran, Zofran, sea bands (for pressure points on my wrists), ginger, and I also had a gravol shot, and still nothing relieved what I was feeling. I also got to a point where I was puking so much I started puking up blood because my esophagus tore and was bleeding. I lost 17 lbs and my weight got down to 117, a weight which I haven't seen since early junior high. My back started to look way too thin, my butt was seriously flat and I lost a lot of muscle as well. I felt so weak because I was laying in bed all day. I once went to emergency and had to sit for 3 hours and it was very uncomfortable as I was only use to laying down for the past 6 weeks. I was absolutely miserable. I felt bad because I was home with the kids everyday and they actually spent most of their time watching TV and playing at GandG Mendenhalls (THANK GOODNESS for them being so close and willing to help out). I went through HOURS and HOURS of Netflix shows to try and pass the time and get my mind off how I felt. And through this all, Michael went to work everyday and came home to cook, clean, and take care of the boys. I was 0 help at all, and he never complained once. I feel like I will always remember the selfless service he gave to me and the boys. I realize working full time is difficult work, yet he did 100% of my usual home responsibilities. He was absolutely amazing. We also had soooo many people bring us meals. The Relief Society in our ward arranged for so many to be brought to us, and I even had people come take the kids for a few hours here and there. My in-laws also helped out with driving and picking up Ty from preschool a few times when I knew I couldn't make it there. I was scared that the sickness would last throughout my entire pregnancy like a lot of people experience and I was sooo blessed that it did end. And now I'm getting closer to the end and we are so excited. It's crazy to be expecting another boy! We are so excited to welcome this little baby into our home with two loving older brothers!!

Naptime with mom.

The best meal I ate in a 4 week period. Drinking that water was like HEAVEN. (This is at the hospital)

My friend Nicole was so awesome to come pick up the boys and have them play outside. They had SO much fun, and I was grateful someone took the time to give them some outdoor activity. Jody also came and got them for a morning and took them to the bouncy castle at the YMCA, which they loved doing so much too!

A really unattractive photo of myself, but because I was puking so much my body started to produce RIDICULOUS amounts of saliva. But because I was so nauseous I couldn't swallow any of the spit without puking and so the only way to get it out of my mouth without spitting into a cup ALL day (and sometimes night) was to hold paper towel in my mouth like this. This didn't stop until closer to 20 weeks. Seriously, it was SO annoying. I would fall asleep drooling insane amounts. I had to miss a lot of Sundays at church and finally when I started feeling ok, I didn't go because I was a drooling mess. Man, I will not miss that part of pregnancy. Thank goodness it's all regulated now. I probably went through 5-6 rolls of paper towel.