Early on when Nick and I started talking about starting a family and having kids, we always spoke about 2 or 4 kids. Then it took us years to get pregnant with Ben, followed by a miscarriage and then more years and then surprise twins. 3 was good, a beautiful number of kids, who all happen to share the same birthday!!
I had rough pregnancies. Throwing up daily, nausea, the slightest smell of something (banana’s with Ben, everything for the twins) sent me to the bathroom to throw up. Just not fun. You know those pregnant women who glow and just love being pregnant (looking at my sisters who didn’t throw up once while pregnant lol)…that was not me.

Ben’s birth was rough and we spent the first week of his life in the NICU…the cord was wrapped around his neck and he had a scary blood sugar dropping issue which they couldn’t quite figure out. It was scary, and thankfully everything was ok after that…minus the reflux and colic and being a new parent worried about everything. I still remember Nick doing little bicycles with Ben’s legs trying to work out the gas, and then the projectile vomit lol.

The twins actually had a wonderful birth and what we remember most is how many staff came to visit our room because they were shocked to see TERM twins, who were born at such a big healthy birth weight. Freddie was 7lbs 10 oz and Frankie was 6lbs 12 oz!!! Crazy.

I was done, there was no question about another. I gave away every last piece of baby clothing or bottle or baby-related item.
Then…
- we got a towel rack for the bathroom…it had 4 hooks.
- the wagon we got has 4 seats…
- our dining room table has 6 seats and there’s 5 of us…
It felt like there was one missing.

I get chills thinking about it. Nick was talking about a fourth. I said no, lol. Please see above awful pregnancies. I didn’t think I could go through it again. Then for 2 days, that’s it, I felt like yeah, we can do this, a fourth would be nice if it happens. Day 3 Nick and I both had a conversation that ok, if it happens great, if not fine, let’s not try anymore. I don’t know how to describe it, but we were both so on the same page, it was crazy. I don’t know if it’s coming across like that, but it was like being totally in sync about something major, in a nonchalant way.
At the back of my mind I didn’t think it would happen. What were the chances? Literally, it took YEARS and medical interventions in the past. I’d spent years peeing on ovulation sticks only to get a stupid frownie face and feel disappointed month after month when I got my period.

Then, 3 weeks later, the week before my period, I just felt it. I got a pregnancy test and there was a faint line. You’re not supposed to take a test early, even the ‘early response’ ones say you’re supposed to wait until the day your period is supposed to start. I thought maybe it’s a false positive? But I just knew. I was in shock.
Then a few days later I took another, and another test, both faint lines. It could still be false? Then I got one of the tests that SAYS the words PREGNANT or NOT PREGNANT. This time when I took it, the word PREGNANT appeared right away.

So, here we are. I’m in shock. I’m pregnant with baby #4 !!
How am I doing? Well, I’m super sick…to no ones’ surprise. However this time it’s WORSE!
- One would think I might have learned this at this point, but small meals are key… if I don’t eat I get sick and nauseous. But I feel like nothing and am not enjoying food.
- The smell of cooking food makes me sick, and the thought of cooking food makes me sick. <- this is a problem, because food is literally by job lol!!
- Randomly I’ll have the biggest breakfast ever and feel better. This happened with all of my kids and pregnancies. Breakfast sandwich from Starbucks are about the best and only thing that consistently taste good and I want to eat. One day I think I had 4 eggs, scrambled, with toast and then ate off the kids’ plates what they didn’t eat…the next day I had 2 full breakfast sandwiches and could have had more.
- Drinks have to be suuuper cold. If they’re warm or just room temp, they seem gross to me.
- I’m narcoleptic levels of tired. I fall asleep at 7pm and won’t want to wake up at 6am. One night I slept 5pm to 6am and then took a nap at 1pm. I’m exhausted.
- I’m visibly pregnant, and so early. I know this is common to show earlier with each pregnancy, but man, this feels crazy.
- I lost a little weight last year – over 50 lbs – and got rid of all my clothes. I have nothing that fits. Since Nick has lost soooo much weight (over 80 lbs now) his tshirts definitely don’t fit…ugh.
- I keep telling myself or trying to tell myself that my physical body is ever changing and this is a phase, it’s just tough.
- I’m still throwing up and getting super nauseous daily, hoping this eases up sometime soon because it’s really rough, but I also know it’s a good sign the baby is growing, so I’m grateful.
My husband has been the biggest help. On days I’m literally in bed and cannot move, he does EVERYTHING with the kids. I’m just so grateful and in love and thankful to have him as my partner.
Here we are – baby #4 pregnancy announcement! I’m very much in awe and surprise that I’m pregnant. I’m feeling all the emotions from awe to scared to excited and cannot wait to see what this next chapter brings. 4 kids! Baby #4 is due on Thanksgiving.
Mary W says
Thank you for sharing all your adventures with us. Your writing helps me imagine what it is. like for you to be pregnant with your fourth child and all the agony, joy and illness that goes with that. It is fun to watch your family grow and to enjoy your beautiful photos. And than k you for the giveaways!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Mary, really appreciate your support and thoughts over the years 🙂
Nathalie says
Such an amazing story and I’m so happy for you both! I have 4 kids 2 girls and 2 boys, I was extremely nauseous with the girls but not bad with the boys so I can imagine how you feel! You are such a cute family ❤
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much!! I’ve heard that nausea comment with girls vs. boys so many times too, and for me it was the total opposite with Ben (my older son). I was sick all the time, with the twins I was sick too, but not as much! I can’t wait to find out if we’ll have 2 boys/2 girls or 3 boys and 1 girl!
Trina says
Congratulations on baby #4. You have such a beautiful family adding to it will be even more beautiful. Hoping that all this sickness and being tired will end soon.
So happy for you, Nick and family.
Mike & Trina
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Trina, I really appreciate it!!! I can’t believe it, it feels like it was meant to be. I’m hoping after the first trimester (next week)that the sickness subsides a little because it’s been so tough to run around after the 3 kids right now. Nick has been helping so much!!!
Hope you have a wonderful summer!
Stephanie says
Aww… how beautiful!! How exciting to have another blessing!! Congratulations!! I hope you start feeling better.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your kind words!! I’m hoping after the first trimester (this week) as I go into the second trimester it gets a little better with the sickness (it’s been tough with the 3 running around, but I feel so blessed)
Jann says
Congrats!!! Hope you start feeling a bit better soon!! Pregnancy tired is like no other tired so get your rest while you can. So glad you have support. Funny thing – cold drinks were the one thing that made me throw up when pregnant! Couldn’t brush my teeth in the morning either. Everyone’s gotta do what they gotta do, I guess. Blessings!!!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Jann. Isn’t it special how unique everyone is when they’re pregnant? I had a friend who couldn’t stand the smell of toothpaste with her pregnancy and ended up using kids flavors lol. I’m hoping that the sickness slowly subsides because it’s been rough these last few months, but I feel so blessed that I’ll just take it!
Jackie says
CONGRATULATIONS! Hope you’ll be feeling better soon! I’ve always enjoyed reading your family stories! Looking forward to hearing how ya are doing/feeling through this pregnancy.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Jackie, I appreciate your kind words and following along!! I’m hoping after this week (as I start the second trimester) it starts getting a little better.
Corrie says
Oh, my gosh! Hugs! And go you for your bravery!
My pregnancy was rough (I lost 15% of my body weight due to nausea, and only got a tiny bit over my normal weight by the end… plus my pelvis separated)… and I said NOPE, no more.
So go you for going for it anyway!
Hope you feel better soon.
Sweetphi says
Oh my goodness Corrie! Thank you for sharing that, pregnancy is no joke for some, right? I pep talk myself daily, it’s been really rough, but I’m hoping the sickness slowly starts to go away (fingers crossed!!!) Thank you so much for your kind words!
Kelly Heslip says
Congrats!! Praying your pregnancy goes smoothly and all the kiddos are good throughout the process!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Kelly!!!! I still can’t quite believe I’m pregnant again (then the sickness reminds me in a big way lol). Ben understands a little and keeps being super sweet and I showed him an app on my phone that shows what size fruit the baby is by week, so every day now he asks me what size fruit the baby is, which is just oh so sweet. The twins have no idea so they’re running around like normal and I’m just trying to keep up lol.
Thanks again!!!