baby #2 | 31 weeks

How Far Along: 31 weeks! 

Size of the Baby: Baby W is the size of a pineapple! YUM! 

Pregnancy/Sleep/Labor Signs: Y'all 31 weeks and I am still sleeping well and feeling insanely good. This is nothing like my pregnancy with Natalie. It's so crazy how different these kiddos are already! I am still wearing my rings and they feel good - not tight at all! I am hoping that not only does it stay this way through the rest of my pregnancy, but especially that I'll be able to wear them for our maternity pictures in like 3 weeks! I am also hoping I can keep the swelling away since I haven't had any of that either! I have been diligent about keeping my feet up and staying hydrated. 

I saw Dr. Masiky this week and she said we are moving into the every 2 week appointments and it just doesn't seem possible that we're already to that point! This has gone by in the blink of an eye.  She also left me with the warning that if I have any signs of labor to not dilly dally to the hospital since Natalie was a mere 28 minutes of pushing. I was like umm labor signs? I'm trying not to think of those for another 6 weeks or so!

B and I had a long talk this week about planning for the baby and Natalie and it is making things feel more and more real, like holy shit real. We also made the command decision that, if we're being induced on July 20th (provided my cervix is favorable), then July 14th will be my last day at work. That will allow us (read: me - hello mom guilt) to spend some quality time with Natalie and make sure we soak up every moment possible with her before we rock her little world with the addition of Everett. It feels surreal to have an end date for work. It also really helps me (and my team!) prepare mentally and I feel like it allows me to give my patients better information too.

Bump/Weight Gain: This bump has been so different. I love it so much more and am enjoying it so much more than I did Natalie's bump. I had a moment this week where, for the first time in my life, the number on the scale did not impact the way I felt about my body. I don't enjoy that number (I mean, I am up 32lbs since my FET cycle baseline appointment), but I was able to accept the number because of how good I feel in my skin. It was so incredibly liberating. 

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing new this week :)

Big Sister: Oy, she is the sweetest, funniest, drive me craziest little girl ever. She is honestly a sour patch kid. She drives me crazy and then she says or does something so sweet that I forget that I was ready to sell her a minute earlier. 

Earlier this week, I was getting her out of the bath and trying to get her into pajamas and her hair brushed and she was just not listening. B came down the hall to try to help and Nat said "no boys allowed in the bathroom, only girls" and I told her that Daddy could come into the bathroom while we brushed her hair if he wanted to. She turned to him with this shitty little girl and said "oh ok, get in here big guy." Where does she get this stuff?!

Miss Anything: Still my sanity. I am feeling the need to nest more and more.

Best Moment: I got a text from Kelly of Cumulus 9 Boutique that she had finished the brother/sister set for Everett's newborn session. I'll be sharing more about her shop in the coming weeks but I am obsessed with her stuff. I had been so bummed about not having little girls to match, but this brother/sister set gives me a glimpse of my future and I am beyond excited for all the matching sets we'll be snagging from Cumulus 9 in the future!

Can't Wait For: I am so excited for this fun filled weekend... you know, provided the weather clears up!  We will be celebrating Nat's daycare bestie on Saturday and then Unkie is coming down and we are taking Nat to her first baseball game on Sunday :)  

baby #2 | 30 weeks

How Far Along: 30 weeks! And y'all we are in the single digit countdown until delivery (provided everything looks favorable). Holy crap. NINE(ish) weeks to go.

Size of the Baby: Baby W is the size of a cucumber... or a tub of ice cream :)

Symptoms/Sleep/Labor Signs: Now that we have finally transitioned Natalie out of our bed (and into the daybed in the family room... baby steps, people, baby steps), I have actually been sleeping even better. I am sleeping mostly on my side/stomach. Obviously more on the side than my stomach and it is beyond comfortable.  If I sleep just on my side than my hips start to hurt after a little bit so I try to avoid that. I also try to avoid sleeping on my back too much because I heard that's bad for you.  Oh the joys of being almost 8 months pregnant. 

Bump/Belly Button/Weight Gain: For this far along and as much weight as I have gained (32lbs - insert monkey covering eyes emoji here), I feel small and I feel really good. My belly button is almost officially completely flat and it totally weirds Natalie out which I love. I am really loving this bump and feel really good. I have decided that quite a bit of the weight is in my thighs and have been looking for some things I can do to help that now and post pregnancy to just feel better mentally about the weight gain. 

Cravings/Aversions: Cold. I have been craving cold drinks, smoothies, ice cream. I am sure this will only be amplified by the hot weather coming this summer.

Big Sister: This week has been so much better. Ever since we have gotten her out of our bed, drop off at daycare has been getting better. She was being a super picky eater and not eating much for Cheryl or for us, but dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday we felt like we were starting to turn a corner and she ate quite a bit. Cheryl said this is totally normal. She said that Natalie is probably trying to maintain some control with all of the big changes coming and the things a three year old can control are food and the bathroom. Thank goodness we have not [knock on wood] regressed with potty training!

In other news, I would be a big ole liar if I said I didn't love that she is a total mama's girl, but I do worry about how much harder that is going to make the baby brother transition. 

I have some fun things planned for Nat and me, both before delivery and after, to help assure her that she is my #1 girl. I have a couple mani/pedi dates planned. If everything goes according to plan and baby brother stays put until his possible induction date of July 20th, then I plan to take off work the day before to spend the day with Nat, just us girls. I think it is just as much for me as it is for her.

Miss Anything: Oh you know, my sanity. I am starting to feel anxious about how quickly delivery is approaching. I was texting B about it on Monday and it was almost immediately after I sent it to him, that my girlfriend Danielle text me the same thought about her pregnancy. I am starting to make mental checklists of the things that need to get done in the next 9 weeks like installing the car seat (if you know me, you know this is happening at like 34 weeks because I have had too many friends with super early deliveries), packing hospital bags (which will probably be done at like 36 weeks and by the door haha), maternity pictures in June, finishing up baby brother's room and buying the miscellaneous odds and ends from our registry. 

Best Moment: The artwork for baby brother's room came in this week! I cannot wait to find the perfect frames and get those bad boys hung up on the wall :) ...which means I can cross that off of that list up there because that should be the last little detail of baby brother's room!

Can't Wait For: I am so excited for a quiet weekend at home this weekend. I am in full blown nesting mode so quiet weekends at home are nice.  I am even more excited for Memorial Day weekend! Nat will be celebrating the birthday of her daycare bestie which will be so fun, I love seeing those two together.  We may hit up the pool where I will absolutely rock this bump in a bikini (something I never would have done with Natalie). Also, we are taking Nat to her first baseball game thanks to Dr. O. We have great seats and Nat is so excited because B's brother is coming down for the game and she is excited to see Unkie. I love their bond :) May went by in the blink of an eye but I am so excited for how the month is rounding out!

Natalie | 3.5

It has been quite some time since I have done an update on Natalie. She is at SUCH a fun age that I don't want to forget these moments. While three has definitely been the hardest, it has also been so rewarding. Her personality is so huge and so is her vocabulary. I love talking to her. She comes up with the silliest ideas.

Favorite Foods: donuts, carrots, bananas 

Favorite Movie: Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast

Favorite tv show: the Lion Guard

Favorite Song: "the stomping song" (Set It All Free from Sing)

Favorite Book: "when Minnie runs" (Minnie-rella)

Favorite Color: pink

Best Friend: "It is you!"

Favorite thing to do: "play with Barbies!"

What do you want to be when you grow up: "Ariel, with red hair"

Three has been full of sass and character.  She is a bit of a parrot. We had been doing some work in our basement master bathroom and so everything that had been in there was in our bedroom. Natalie came into the room, saw the mess and goes "Damn it! Damn it! You guys, you're just moving this freaking stuff all over the damn house." Which sounded a lot like Daddy when he had recently stepped on a troll doll... We both bit our lip and calmly told her that "little ladies do not talk that way" to which she responded "only boys do?" Touche, Nat, touche.

Natalie is so sure of herself and her style. She doesn't care what people think of her outfits. She wears everything so confidently. She has more self love in her pinky than most adults I know. I hope it always stays that way. She is so sweet and funny. She shows compassion and empathy to everyone she meets. She is so funny and very quick witted! She loves music and dancing. She has an incredible memory. If she listens to a soundtrack, she can tell you exactly where the music comes from in the movie - even instrumentals. It always floors B and me.

She has been getting more and more excited about baby brother and being the big sister. Awhile back after her bath, I pulled her into my lap and I referred to her as my baby. She quickly corrected me that she was not a baby, she was a big girl. I asked her "If you're not my baby, then who is?" and she so sweetly said "Everest is your baby, I'm your kid".  It amazes me how quickly she has wrapped her head around this idea. (I also secretly love that she called him Everest and not Everett.) I cannot wait to see her with him. I am excited to watch her grow into the role of big sister. I am sure we'll have some bumps while we are all learning our new norm but I have no doubt that she'll be the best.

It's hard to believe that our time with just her is slowly winding down. While I am excited for baby brother to get here, I am having a hard time with the idea of splitting my time and being fair. It has been all Natalie for a very long time and I know it's going to be a big adjustment for both of us. I just hope that I can make these last 10ish weeks of just us so special that she never doubts how much we love her. 

baby #2 | 29 weeks

How Far Along: 29 weeks! 10ish weeks to go! HOLY COW

Size of the Baby: Baby W is the size of an acorn squash! 

Symptoms/Sleep/Labor Signs: I am still swelling free. This is amazing. I am going to be ramping up my water intake to make sure it stays that way! I am starting to get some cramps in my legs at night but I know that ramping up water will help that. I also read that drinking milk will help too so I will be trying to increase my milk consumption which isn't a bad idea anyways. 

Bump/Belly Button/Weight Gain: I am loving this little bump. Every morning I look at it in the mirror after my shower and I am just amazed at how good I feel. I did not have this body love with Natalie. By this point, I was retaining fluid like it was my job. I was swollen and uncomfortable. I feel so lucky that, while this pregnancy has had its own complications, I feel so good and comfortable in my skin. 

I weighed myself today and I have gained a whopping 30 pounds at this point. I'm not really sure where this weight is but apparently it's there.  I have been asked why I keep track of this and why I think about it at all. Given my history with body image issues, it's important to me to feel in control and to mentally prepare for the post-pregnancy body image issues. I learned the hard way after Natalie. I am going to give myself grace and have more reasonable expectations. It takes 10 months to put the weight on and I need to give myself (at least) 10 months to get it off. If I gain 50 pounds (Lord, help me if I do), then that means I should strive to lose 5 pounds/month for 10 months. It's a lot crazy but it's how my brain works.

Cravings/Aversions: I don't know that I have really had any this week. 

Big Sister: She is the best. We asked her what she thinks baby brother should be named and she agreed Everett is a good name.  When I asked her what she thought she would call baby brother, she thought for a moment and then confidently replied, "Bolt". Fair enough, kid.

Drop off has still been hard. Like real hard. She cries every morning and clings to whoever is dropping off. Cheryl, the amazing woman she is, scoops Nat up and comforts her while simultaneously reassuring us that this is normal and everything will be ok. Thank God for Cheryl. 

I shared this picture on Instagram this week but I cannot get over how big she looks so I have to share it here too. 

I feel like since I got pregnant, she has gotten so big, so grown up. I don't even know how to explain it. Maybe the anticipation of someone so little has made me realize just how not little my first baby is... excuse me while I go weep in the corner.

Miss Anything: Nope. I feel really good this week. I mean, if I had to say something, I would say warm weather. It has been chilly this past week and I am ready for the temps to hit the 80s and 90s next week! ...not a normal request for a pregnant woman, I know, but higher temps means playing outside which means a tired toddler...

Best Moment: Today when I picked Natalie up from daycare she was super chatty and hysterical. She rambled on nonsensically while draining what was left of my morning coffee. We picked up B and head down to the little market in town and she was so funny. She asked B to buy Tasty Cake chocolate donuts because "these are my favorite donuts of my lifetime". She suckered him into getting a cherry popsicle because she "just needed a little treat after a long week".  She tried to grab half the store, telling B that it was all on her grocery stop list. She had the girl working totally cracking up. 

Can't Wait For: I am excited for a quiet weekend celebrating Mother's Day with my people. It's supposed to be 72* and sunny on Sunday so maybe we can have coffee on the deck and just take it all in. 

baby #2 | 28 weeks

How Far Along: 28 weeks! SEVEN months! I missed the 100 days until our due date mark but we're looking at less than 85 until we deliver. That sounds like a lot and then it doesn't. 

Size of the Baby: Baby W is the size of an eggplant milkshake smoothie. YUM.

Symptoms/Sleep/Labor Signs: I feel really great. He is really active which is very reassuring. I am still sleeping really well and counting my blessings about that. I am sleeping on my stomach/side still moving more towards my side only as the weeks go on. He surprisingly does not have an issue with me sleeping on my stomach which is very different than his sister. 

No signs of labor just yet. Not even any Braxton Hicks. Our current plan for Natalie when we deliver is that she will stay with Ms. Cheryl, our daycare provider. This will give her the most normal, consistent routine which is nice and totally necessary given the big change coming her way.  At my last appointment Wednesday, we talked about an early induction at 39 weeks since Cheryl's family has vacation planned and I don't want to deliver too close to that. If everything looks good and my cervix is favorable, we'll have a 39 week induction. It is crazy to think about! Only 11(ish) weeks left to go. Holy crap.

Bump/Belly Button/Weight Gain: The bump is finally starting to look like a bump and stick around. Some of my maternity pants are still a bit big but that is a-ok for me! I am up another 2lbs this week for a total of 28lbs. [Insert monkey covering eyes emoji here.] I do not have any real swelling yet! Sometimes at the end of the day, I think my feet could possibly look a little swollen but B assures me it's in my head. My rings are still on and loose which is really nice and much different than with Natalie.

Cravings/Aversions: I am still all about the smoothies.  After my glucose screening on Wednesday, I picked up a big one for breakfast. They are so satisfying. 

Big Sister: We have had a rough go again this week. She has woken up in the middle of the night calling me because she misses me. Drop off has been really hard this week too.  Then by the end of the week she had a fever. I am chalking it up to the quick weather changes: 89 degrees to 50 degrees in the course of 2 days is bound to screw someone up.

Miss Anything: Clothes. I have been putting off getting any summer maternity clothes as long as possible but I am pretty sure that ship has sailed. I am going to have to cave and get some short sleeved shirts.

Best Moment: B and I had a really great time at our little one night away last weekend. It was easily the best Turnpike Troubadours show we have been to. 

Can't Wait For: We don't really have anything going on for the next couple weekends which is nice but then things pick up a bit. We have some relaxing Memorial Day weekend plans, to include Nat's first baseball game :) and, unfortunately, me working. Then we have my girlfriend Danielle's baby shower and I am so excited that we'll probably get to meet baby Layla that weekend too! Plus maternity pictures are right around the corner. The next couple months are going to fly by.