Audrey's Birth Story Part 3

Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here if you missed either of them!

------------------------

Once the Epidural was in, I fell into a restless sleep. I would wake up every five to ten minutes because of all of the activity in the room and time seemed to go so slow. It was 8:15 AM. By 10:00 or so, my nurse checked me and said that I was at 8 cm and almost fully effaced. That was awesome news. It didn't seem to have been that long and progress was obviously being made. She said to let me know when I felt like pushing, but I figured it would be a while before that. I slept a little more and woke up a couple of times when I could feel the contractions high up on my stomach. I figured the drugs were not as strong at this point and planned to have the nurse give a little more. When she came back to check in again, she just noted what I told her and said to let her know when I wanted to push again. I was surprised that she wasn't going to change anything, but too drowsy to really care since they weren't hurting.

After a couple more contractions, I noticed that I felt them more in the middle of my stomach and told hubby that it felt like things were moving down, although I didn't really feel like pushing. My nurse was adamant that I would feel like it soon, so I just kept waiting (much more awake now!) to feel it. Not even five minutes later, I could feel that familiar urge to push and she got me ready to go. The midwife and her trainee came in, watched me push through a contraction, and all jumped into place frantically. They said that I was doing great and that she'd be here in a few minutes. WHAT? I thought this would take at least 20 minutes and was willing to do it for hours like I had to do for Josie. I didn't believe them. It didn't seem possible.

After a couple more pushes, they told me she had a ton of hair and that it was super dark. I could feel the contractions but there was no ring of fire like before. I didn't feel the urge to scream out and was laughing through part of it because it seemed so surreal. They had me push one last time and out she slipped. Seriously, she slipped out. It was like nothing. She made a bit of noise and they put her on my chest right away. I wasn't sick or nauseous and was fully able to enjoy the moment. They were cleaning out her nose and mouth since she had some Meconium in the amniotic fluid. I held her for quite a while before letting them take her to get cleaned up.

We all took turns guessing her weight (because yes, the midwives and nurses were awesome and acted like family at this point) and were all guessing around 9 lbs. We were all wrong when she weighed in at just 8 lb 6 oz. That may not seem small to you, but in our families, she is the smallest baby by more than half a pound! Hubby was a big baby, my sister and I were, Josie and her cousin was, etc. She is also longer measuring at 21 1/4 inches long. (Josie was 9 lb 7 oz and 20 1/2 inches long). 

I look out of it but I think I was just blinking. I was actually smiling and crying and laughing more than anything at how wonderful she is.

A lot of hair and sweet pink skin. She looks like Josie a little but they have their differences. You can definitely tell they are sisters though!

The midwife and her trainee did their thing while we took pictures of her, texted our friends and family, and laughed with each other at how truly blessed we were. We were just giddy! It was so different than with Josie, where I was completely out of it for the first couple hours of her life.

Our immediate family came in the afternoon and met her. Josie got to meet her first, actually, and I'll post those details as a separate post. It was also a sweet moment.

My recovery has been awesome. My nurse said I had hardly any swelling. I did tear along the same spot as before but it was minimal and my pain was more discomfort than anything. I was up and moving around easily and already feel almost back to normal just four days later.

Audrey is such a joy (it's her middle name too - so perfect). She's sweet, hardly fusses, eats pretty well, and loves to cuddle. My mama heart is full.

I had a really hard time finding a picture of her face, so this zoomed in shot is the best we have from her first day. Oh well!

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Audrey's Birth Story Part 2

Read Part 1 here if you missed it!

--------------------------------

Once we got to the hospital and checked in, we were told to just hang out and do whatever we wanted. I was completely overwhelmed by this because I had assumed they'd want me in the bed and I'd have to push for alternative laboring positions. We ended up walking the halls after being officially admitted. The first half hour, I was plugged up to the IV for the GBS (Group B Strep) so I had to drag that along, but once that was done I was able to just walk around free of all monitors and cords. 

The contractions picked up and were 1-2 minutes apart lasting anywhere from 30-60 seconds each. It seemed great, so after an hour or so, we went back to the room to try sitting down (not laying down in bed). At this point, the contractions did slow down, although they didn't stop. I was distracted by my water leaking  because it seriously seemed out of control. Anytime I switched positions or bent a little or even moved backwards or forwards, it would pour out of me and make a huge mess. I spent a ton of time in the bathroom trying to stay relatively clean and dry. It was frustrating. I even asked if it was normal to be leaking so much for so long, and they said that I was probably holding a lot more fluid than other pregnant women. This makes sense because we all assumed baby would be huge but she wasn't - I just had a lot of fluid.

Around 1:30 AM, my nurse came in and wanted to talk about sleeping sedatives. I was hesitant at first because I still was hoping for an all natural birth, but she said that a lot of times after the water breaks, it can take quite a long time for contractions to really pick up. Since we were missing all of a night's sleep, she wanted us to have the option of getting a few hours before I was really put to work. The risks were extremely minimal and I was getting pretty tired. She also said that if my contractions got strong enough to be serious or close to pushing, my body would not even acknowledge the meds and I would be awake in no time. Sign me up! 

They kicked in about 45 minutes later, but I never really fell asleep. I did completely relax and get some serious rest, but never lost consciousness. Around 4:30 AM, I really wanted to get at least something going. I woke up the hubby who was sleeping on the super uncomfortable chair/bed they have in the room, and we resumed walking. The contractions really picked up and were taking my breath away, but once we stopped they lost their intensity. 

My midwife came in around 5:30 AM and said that she wanted to start a little Pitocin (the drug that they use for inducing me). I was shocked by this because I thought they wouldn't want to do that unless absolutely necessary. They planned on doing a minimal amount and only upping it when needed. Although I was bummed, I also realized how fast time was going and how little progress had been made. At this point, I was at 4 cm, which was great because I had progressed from the 2 cm I had been at when I came in, but was not a lot of progression for the amount of time I had been laboring.

They started the Pitocin at 6:30 AM, and the contractions started getting really sharp. They were also coupling and tripling, which is similar to what happened with Josie. This meant that I'd have two or three contractions each about a minute apart and then have a long break, usually around five minutes. As long as this was the pattern, they planned on bumping up the Pitocin level a little at a time until it evened out. These contractions were so different from normal contractions, and I could feel myself freaking out. I was in a haze of exhaustion (possibly the sleeping sedative that hadn't worn off completely) and could hardly focus on getting through each contraction. 

That's kind of ironic actually. The nurse repeatedly said that she couldn't tell based on my demeanor when I was having a contraction because I was so "zen". I would focus completely on my breathing and praying through each one and spent some time reading the bible verse cards I had prepared ahead of time. Up until this point, I knew I was doing pretty good and was not nervous, just excited.

Now that I had the Pitocin in my system, I changed my birth plan. I had always known deep down that if I had to be induced, I'd probably get an Epidural again. The Epidural pushed me from a 2.5 to a 7 in just a couple of hours with Josie and it was clear to everyone that my body needed to relax and just do it's thing. So this time, I was willing to let it do it again. Plus the contractions were so so so sharp. That's the best word I can come up with to describe it. I turned to the hubby at one point and said "don't you love how I just completely changed course?" and he just had to laugh. He agreed with my decision and we got the ball rolling for the Epidural.

It took about 45 minutes from that point until the anesthesiologist was in the room getting the needle in place in my back. With Josie, he (a different doctor of course) hit my nerve twice and it was incredibly painful. I was terrified of this happening again, but this doctor was so nice and calming. I trusted him. He got me laying on my side and talked me through most of it. I started praying immediately because the contractions were crazy intense and he wasn't waiting for a break between them before continuing.  Get this. He hit a nerve like four times. FOUR times! It was just ... a terrible ten minutes (let's just put it that way). The tears came, I did what I could to not cry out, but thankfully he was very aware of my body language and always stopped the second he went too far. Finally, he got it in place and I was able go back to a normal resting position. 

Part three here.


Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Welcome

Welcome to the family Audrey Joy Deyle!

She was 8 lb 6 oz and 21 1/4 inches long.

Birth story to follow... Mom and baby are doing great!

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Weekend + Baby #2 Update

We had a pretty relaxed weekend. With our to-do list mostly done for before baby, we all just kind of wanted to sit around. It didn't help that it was snowy and cold outside. Hubby and I worked in his office for a while on Saturday and he finished up a bunch of little things on Sunday.

Josie had a fever and didn't feel so great starting on Saturday afternoon. She wasn't eating much and just screamed when she woke up from her nap. I don't blame her - she was burning up! We got a ton of cuddles and spent a ton of time watching Christmas movies and Winnie the Pooh. Girlfriend was cuddly like she's never been before. It was great, I won't lie. I always jump at the chance to hold her a little closer or get some hugs and kisses when she usually would be running all around. 

Thankfully, her fever went away on Sunday afternoon although it did come back when she was tired and sleeping last night. No fever today though! So hopefully those teeth causing this come in and we can move on.

----

I also had my appointment today. They did a nonstress test and she was super active, more so than most babies that are overdue (said the nurse). Afterwards, the midwife checked me and I am slightly more dilated, definitely more effaced, and also had a bit of bloody show! I was so excited by this news because I never got this far with Josie before they induced me.

My midwife asked me if I wanted to give my body more time than the "one week mark" that they usually would induce at. I was so grateful that she was open to this because I really want to give my body the chance to go into labor on it's own (yeah yeah yeah I've said this a million times) and having a couple of more days really made me feel better. She said she feels pretty confident that things are progressing enough that it should happen soon.

The plan is that I will be induced on Sunday the 18th if I haven't gone into labor yet. My midwife won't be back from a conference until Monday, so I probably won't get to have her deliver the baby, but I will get a chance to meet the midwife on call this weekend on Thursday when I go in for another nonstress test. 

I'm so thankful that I'm feeling okay and that baby girl is so active and healthy. We'll take prayers for a safe delivery some time this week!

In the meantime, maybe I should clean up a bit since we know it's going to happen soon. :)


Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Due

Today is my due date for baby #2. I had a little dream that she'd come early but I knew knew in the back of my mind that she was going to stay in there and go late just like her big sister.

This time around, though, it is so so different. With Josie, I was so impatient, swollen, and uncomfortable. I was miserable to be around and I knew it. I went into seclusion because I was convinced that I looked disgusting and nobody should have to deal with it. Granted, my face was a lot more swollen, so I really did look miserable, but really it was pretty childish.

As of now, I'm not swollen at all (thank you Jesus!!), I'm large and in charge in the belly area but it's not too miserable, and I'm feeling pretty good about going late. Sure, I can't wait to meet this little girl, but she'll be here soon no matter what. My prayers are for a strong and healthy baby and I don't care if it's today or next week. I want to so badly have her without being induced and I'm willing to wait for it. 

The midwife said that she is a good size and she shouldn't get too much bigger in just a week or so which is such a relief to me. She's confident that we will be able to wait and not be induced since she's not a huge baby.

Here's the best part. Last week I was so excited to have some time with Josie just one on one since things would change so much so soon. She was miserable, though, and we had a rough weak. Between teething, runny noses, adjusting from two naps to one, and general defiance, I felt like the whole week was a trial and we were not having fun. Thankfully, this week has seen a huge turn around and God has given me (and my poor little heart) the chance to truly enjoy our time together before those big changes come. My heart truly needed it, and I'm glad and so thankful to have it.

Here I am at 38.5 weeks. I kind of forgot about taking pictures, but remembered on a Sunday. Better than nothing, right?

38.5 weeks

And here I am now at 40 weeks. Feeling good, looking huge but not feeling too uncomfortable, and still smiling and leaving my house to be with real people. No seclusion here!

40 weeks

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 Update - 37 weeks

How far along: 37 weeks

How big is baby: Average size: 18.9-20.9 inches, 6.2-9.2 lb.

Weight gain/loss: As of my last appointment, I didn't gain this week (but I'm sure I have by now).

Maternity clothes: Real clothes are maternity but I still sneak into my regular sweats and t shirts (oversized of course)

Stretch marks: No new ones!

Sleep: I've been sick all week so sleep has been a joke for the most part. I'm up so often either getting water, going to the bathroom, or taking meds that I doubt I'm really getting quality sleep.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I wasn't hungry earlier this week, so just water and cough drops... but now that my appetite is back, I'm still loving chocolate (chocolate milk especially - something I never have) and oranges.

Exercise: Nothing extraordinary. Being sick really got in the way of this.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: She's getting to the point where she feels too big to be in there much longer. Some of her movements hurt and I have to nudge her back to her "spot". It's so fun to feel constant movement and to have that reassurance that she's doing great.

The belly: So big, especially because she hasn't dropped down yet. Once she does I know I'll be a teeny bit more comfortable and I won't look so gigantic.

What I'm loving: No back pain and not too bad ligament pain, mostly because I've spent so much time resting this week.

What I miss: Coffee, diet coke, bending over, sleeping (deep real sleep!) 

Symptoms: braxton hicks contractions are getting more intense. I"ll take em! That means my body is starting to prepare for labor and that makes me oh so happy.

The nursery: Pretty much ready. We'll be setting up the bassinet in our room this weekend (!!) and doing a few other things in preparation.

What's different/the same this time: I'm still not swollen and I'm busy enough to not be thinking about it obsessively. Don't get me wrong, I'm doing the preparations and thinking about it a lot, just not as much. 

Best moment of the week: Finally, finally Hubby got to really feel her moving and kicking. She gets so shy around him but this time he just waited her out and got to feel her for a good 10 minutes. It was awesome.

Last appointment details: My midwife wasn't impressed that I didn't gain weight and she was measuring a week behind. She said I could take some cold medication (that she approved) to help heal up and my assignment was to get healthy and eat a little more. I'm working on it but this cold is hard to kick! She also checked me and said that I am thinning but that the baby still needs to drop. Since I need to recover from this cold first, that's fine with both of us that she's not in position quite yet! Hopefully there will be some improvement by this coming Monday, when my next appointment is.

Next appointment: Monday morning

37 Weeks

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 Update - 33 weeks

How far along: 33 Weeks

How big is baby: Durian Fruit

Average size: 17.2-18.7 inches, 4.2-5.8 lb.

Durian Fruit

Weight gain/loss: 33 lbs... +6 in the last two weeks! (more about this later)

Maternity clothes: Mixed with regular clothes, but always at least a little bit everyday

Stretch marks: No new ones!

Sleep: Surprisingly well as long as I'm comfortably positioned

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Sugary goodies are out of control, ice water

Exercise: Not so much since I'm in a lot of pain from mole removal surgery that happened on Tuesday. I'm supposed to take it easy for a while.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: Like crazy, I felt a foot for sure and she's not afraid to let me know she's in there.

The belly: I feel like it's gotten more pointy... judge for yourself in the picture below

What I'm loving: We've got a tentative name that we're trying out... won't share until we're 100% sure though! It's a relief to not be thinking about it all the time.

What I miss: Bending over without losing my breath, picking up my baby girl whenever I want, having shirts long enough to cover my belly

Symptoms: Some slight swelling in the feet, the "too full" feeling every time I eat

The nursery: No big changes this week, just keep adding clothes purchased or found for baby girl

What's different/the same this time: See "Last appointment details"

Best moment of the week: Trying to get Josie to say her sister's name... she gets close once in a while!

Last appointment details: So... I had my appointment today and was completely shocked to see that I had gained six pounds in just two weeks. That just seemed impossible to me! Yes I've been eating more sugary foods, but six pounds is a lot. To really add to the craziness, though, is that the last time I weighed in was just Tuesday (two days ago) and I have gained four pounds since then. Obviously, something is up and it's not just overeating, but I'm still worried about it. Plus now I'm at a higher weight than I was ever with Josie (I started about 5-8 lbs higher anyways) and that is just depressing... I was hoping to just stay under that number.

Anyways, weight gain aside, my blood pressure was also out of whack. It was super high (higher than ever in my life) at 151/82 and didn't go down all three times they tried. Finally they had me lay on my left side to help with circulation, and it dropped back down to normal. This is a problem because even though my resting b.p. is low, that isn't as important as my average b.p. because if that gets too high, I could go into preterm labor and obviously that is bad bad bad.

Preeclampsia is what they are worried about. I have two big symptoms but there are a bunch more that I don't have. Hopefully it is a fluke and everything is fine, but she asked me to check my blood pressure every other day or so and be weary of the other symptoms like headaches and dizziness or extreme swelling.

If it doesn't get under control I'll be put on bed rest. She said its really hard for women with these symptoms to be on bed rest because they feel fine but can't tell when their blood pressure is getting higher... hence the reason to be so cautious. I DO NOT want to be on bed rest for seven weeks.

Next appointment: 2 weeks with my midwife whom I have yet to meet. I am going to miss my OBGYN so much...she's been so great. I'm thankful that I had her as long as I did and am excited to meet the midwife and get some more questions answered. AND then after that appointment they'll be every week. Time is going so fast!

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 Update

How far along: 31 weeks

How big is baby: Pineapple, Average size: 15.2-16.7 inches, 2.5-3.8 lb

Weight gain/loss: I gained about 2 more lbs since my last appointment putting me right at 25 lbs for total weight gain.

Maternity clothes: Most definitely!

Stretch marks: No new ones.

Sleep: When I'm in my bed at home, I sleep pretty great, just waking up to go to the bathroom once. When I'm not at home? MISERABLE. I love my king size bed! My hubby would agree.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I've been loving cereal this week and I can't get enough for whatever reason. I'm also loving ice water.

Exercise: Doing my Pilates stretches and chasing after Josie all.the.time.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: There has been an explosion of movement this week. There are parts of the day where she's so active I have to stop what I am doing and reposition, just to avoid the discomfort from her legs in my ribs or stomach or liver. I'm thinking that soon I will be able see her foot and grab it once in a while too. I love that part.

The belly: Getting BIG.

What I'm loving: I can start to picture how different life will be as the weeks go by and am starting to get my mind ready to unpack all the baby stuff. It seems overwhelming, but I'm also excited to do it.

What I miss: Caffeine, not being super full after eating a normal amount, moving around without pain

Symptoms: This week I really started feeling the underbelly muscle pain. Those stretches I've been doing are so very important now more than ever.

The nursery: Nothing's changed, but I will need to make it more baby friendly and not just Josie friendly soon.

What's different/the same this time: She's in a different position for sure. Thankfully she hasn't stretched out from bladder to ribs like Josie did but there is still plenty of time for that.

Best moment of the week: 

Last appointment details: I decided to go with a midwife for delivery and I will meet her on Oct 5th. I'm nervous about it, but excited too. My chiropractor said that once she drops down, the pressure on my back will be relieved and I shouldn't have so much back pain. Can't wait for that!

Next appointment: Two weeks from yesterday, last one with my OBGYN before starting with the midwife!

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 Update

How far along: 28 weeks

How big is baby: Eggplant Average size: 13.6 -14.8 inches, 1.5-2.2 lb

Weight gain/loss: I think I am at 17-18 lbs. Doc said that was perfectly fine, I thought it seemed really high. I wouldn't be surprised if I lose weight or maintain at my next appointment because it seemed higher than what I was expecting, possibly due to some slight swelling or just eating beforehand. Who knows?

Maternity clothes: I bought another pair of maternity jeans and plan to wear them almost every day to get the wear out of them in these last few months. But really? We know I'll be living in them afterwards too. 

Stretch marks: No new ones!

Sleep: A teeny tiny bit better. I napped a little more but once I started doing some more exercise I found I wasn't quite as tired (imagine that) so the naps have slowed down and I've slept a little better at night. I'm only getting up once to use the bathroom at this point.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Watermelon, corn on the cob, ice water. So good! Sugar in general, just trying to keep that limited. As far as aversions, frozen veggies, peppers of any kind, tortilla chips

Exercise: I have done yoga a few times this week and just got a pilates video in the mail. I'm hoping I will be able to avoid braxton hicks (since I haven't had ANY yet...crazy) and keep my muscles stretched out.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: All day long now, sometimes I hardly notice, other times it's so distracting that I stop what I am doing and just feel this little miracle in my tummy.

The belly: I feel like I'm so much bigger than I was last time! But  I know that I am still too comfortable to be done growing outward, so there is still a long road of getting bigger ahead of me.

What I'm loving: Looking obviously pregnant but still being relatively comfortable.

What I miss: Being able to run, having more than one serving of caffeine.

Symptoms: Lower back pain, general fatigue, big belly... all worth it though.

The nursery: No changes yet!

What's different/the same this time: I still don't feel those braxton hicks. I'm definitely not swelling as much either. There has been a little water retention but nothing serious and I'm not uncomfortable from it.

Best moment of the week: Hubby really got to feel the baby move this week and it wasn't just a little bit! So often, she's going nuts in there and he isn't here or can't get over to my belly fast enough. He lights up every time he feels her which makes me so happy too.

Last appointment details: My doctor recommended Tylenol and riding bike for my back pain. Unfortunately I can't afford a bike trainer to set my bike up for indoor use and I can't really go with Josie during the day so that is out. She was glad that I was planning on doing yoga too. She also told me that I was measuring exactly at 27 weeks so we are right on. That's great news!

Next appointment: I'm at the point of going every two or three weeks and am officially in my 3rd trimester. I feel pretty good for being this far along and am so thankful! Next appointment is next Thursday.

Excuse the weird face, I never know if I should smile, look up, stare at the camera... it's just awkward. but notice the straightened hair because it rarely happens! 

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 Update

How far along: 26 weeks

How big is baby: Size of a head of lettuce - about 13.6-14.8 inches, 1.5-2.2 lb.

Weight gain/loss: Not sure at this point since I haven't been to the doctor in 3 weeks. I was up 7 lbs back then.

Maternity clothes: Pretty much all the time. I have a couple of dresses I am wearing that aren't but shirts and pants are a must to cover up this growing bump.

Stretch marks: No new ones!

Sleep: This week its gotten a lot worse. I can't get comfortable since I'm usually a back sleeper, and I wake up on and off all night long so the quality has gone down a lot. Today I even took a nap the same length of time as my 13 month old - that's not like me at all!

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: The sugar craving is out of control! So I am working on that. Carbonation and anything cold is wonderful. I am not interested in cooked broccoli or tortilla chips. The thought of them make me cringe.

Exercise: I haven't been as active as I had wanted to be at this point. I'm still chasing around Josie all the time so I'm not completely sedentary. I think I'm going to be buying a yoga/pilates prenatal video this weekend. My muscles are getting more and more sore as my belly grows.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: A lot of movement under my ribs and some lighter flutters by my bladder. Some of the kicks are definitely visible on the outside and daddy's gotten to feel her too a little. Just like her big sister, Baby girl gets shy when he's around.

The belly: Growing out but not pushing up yet as much as Josie ultimately did.

What I'm loving: Josie's starting to say baby more and more so hopefully we can connect the dots a little with the baby inside of my tummy.

What I miss: Shopping for regular clothes (although I am sure my hubby is glad I'm not doing this) and not feeling achy in my lower back.

Symptoms: Just lower back pain and more fatigue. My feet have hurt more but they aren't swollen yet. I've only felt a little swollen off and on and it hasn't lasted at all.

The nursery: We bought a bassinet off of Craigslist this weekend which was my last big purchase to make for this little girl. We won't have to make too many changes to the nursery since it's already set up for Josie. We'll just add a toddler bed and take out the baby clothes that are stored away.

What's different/the same this time: The back pain is the same - I distinctly remember this part! But thankfully I can sit down more and take more breaks when needed.

Best moment of the week: Jo's been repeating "baby" after me when we are practicing different words and it's so fun to see her face light up. Can't wait for her to make that connection!

Last appointment details: Last week I had my glucose test and all is well. No gestational diabetes here.

Next appointment: Next Thursday

26 weeks

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 Update

You all seem to have forgotten my last bump picture here... 20 weeks posted not so very long ago? Check it out and compare because I feel like I haven't hardly grown in the last 3 weeks!

I was wearing black then so I should have looked smaller, but maybe it's just the flattering stripes on this dress (love it - Old Navy Maternity came through).

23 weeks 1 day

I am feeling so great! This pregnancy is completely different than Josie's was. I am less swollen than I was when I wasn't pregnant after Josie and I have had no contractions at all. I am pretty sure that I was having some at this point before. My small power naps really make a world of difference and I'm working hard on drinking a lot of water.


Baby girl is moving a lot now. Of course there is a lot in the evenings when I sit down for longer period of times, but I notice it when I am driving around or even just standing still. I love that reassurance!


I tried to explain to Josie that there is a baby in my belly, put her hand there, said baby like 30 times. She laughed at me so I'm not sure she got it ;). I don't think she'll ever "get" it. Oh well, it's worth trying!


I do have a super strong craving for dark chocolate, or really anything super ridiculously chocolatey. Think brownie mix dark chocolate with chocolate chunks ice cream. If it's only a little chocolately I don't want it. I did not have this before so it's kind of strange. I also am grossed out at the thought of frozen veggies, especially broccoli. It sounds gross just like last time. Funny how some things are so definitely the same while other things aren't.



Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 Update

This post was lost along the way. I took a picture at 20 weeks exactly, but that was almost two weeks ago!  I'll be 22 weeks on Thursday, but I'll post it now before I forget everything.

It was right around 20 weeks that I really felt this girl move. It isn't often, but it's definitely the real deal. I had felt familiar flutters before but just like with Josie it wasn't always clear if it was me being hungry with a growling stomach or if the baby was moving.

I've definitely felt better this time around! No swelling at all (yet, let's be real here) and I generally don't feel like I'm moving much slower than normal. Part of that is because I am able to lay down for 20 minutes when Josie is napping which rejuvenates me enough to keep going strong the rest of the day. I'm more active but eating healthy has kind of been up and down. Definitely better than last time but still not the greatest. Will it ever be though? Again, being real.

20 Weeks

I kind of feel like I'm cheating in the picture above because we all know how flattering black can be.

More realistic 20 weeks

That's a big belly! And let's just get a flashback side by side of the two bellies at 20 weeks:

I kind of look like I've learned to push out my belly more at this point...I look bigger now than I did with Josie! In real life, I'd say maybe not quite as much as it looks in the picture. I know I haven't gained as much weight at this point either. 


Baby girl - keep on movin' and groovin'. Your dad is waiting to feel you too.

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

Baby #2 is...

A girl!

Another sweet lovable sassy crazy baby girl. We honestly can't wait.

Just like with Josie's ultrasound, she wasn't cooperating and we couldn't get a good face shot so I apologize for the quality since it's even worse than Josie's. Just for fun, here's a side by side.

They aren't facing the same direction, and I'm not sure if you can even tell anything, but so far they kind of look alike! Ha. Who knows? That's the fun part. I can't wait to see how similar/totally different they will be. 

Ahh we're excited! 

Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!

From 3/13/12

I've had a day to let it sink in. This is really happening.

The first time around, when I was pregnant with Josie, I prayed and hoped with all of my heart that I would love being pregnant. I so wished that I would look cute and not swell up when I was really showing. I wanted to be bubbly and fun and full of life so that people wouldn't just tip toe around me in order to not disturb the pregnant lady. Unfortunately, all of these not so great things describes my pregnancy 100%. I couldn't have been more uncomfortable (okay, I probably could have been, but it didn't feel that way then).

I was so swollen I could hardly walk after a day of working. Mind you, I was standing all day and wasn't able to walk around enough to get my blood moving so it just pooled in my feet and hands. I was uncomfortable so I ate sugary foods and enjoyed my comfort beverage of choice, diet coke. The combination of these two things just made me more swollen and uncomfortable. Hindsight is 20/20.

It was hard for me to imagine getting pregnant again. The delivery didn't scare me; it was the nine months (ten months, who are we kidding) that made me break out in a sweat.

Eight months have passed and a lot of those awful memories have faded away. I still remember the bad things, but I am going to work my hardest to prevent what is in my power. Things have changed since then. Some for the good, and some for the bad.

Let's start with the bad, just to get it over with. For starters, I didn't quite get back to my prepregnancy weight which wasn't an ideal weight to start with anyways. I'm already at a disadvantage. I also won't have the luxury of sitting down with my feet up for hours at night because of a certain baby living in my house that is just learning how to really get around.

But the good. The good does truly outweigh the bad. That baby living in my house? Every single moment with her is better than the moments without her. I forget how tired I am or how much there is to do. I love every minute I get with her giggles and games. The first time around, time went so slow. It felt like I was pregnant forever, but now I can already see how fast November is going to arrive. I feel frazzled and I'm only six weeks or so along!

Other good things: I now understand how important it is to work out right away from the beginning. The first time around, I had been working out steadily before getting pregnant, but the morning sickness knocked me off my feet and I didn't now how to jump back in it once it passed. I was also afraid of doing something that would cause me to miscarriage. Well now that I've been through it, I realize that there is so much more my body is able to do. Who am I to say that exercise could hurt the baby? Looking back, that could have made things so much easier and better.

And those sweets. The salty pop. The chips. All of you are gone. I have already started a solid pregnancy "diet". Don't worry, I'm not aiming to lose a ton of weight while pregnant. I know how stupid that is. But I do know something that is crucial this time around. With me being the weight I already am, I really don't need to gain anything. Not a single pound. I have plenty of fat/nutrients to share with this little baby and as long as I keep refilling myself with healthy fruits, veggies, healthy fat, and minimal (but necessary) carbs, I will have more energy, less swelling (please Lord please) and an easier time after. It's possible, but remind me of that again when I am dragging my feet while staring at a bag of Doritos, k?

So you see? Things will be so different. But the excitement, it's still there. I can't believe that next year at this time, I will be a mom to two. Josie will be a big sister.

I googled today what is essential to have for a family with two under two. The horror stories and nightmare scenarios popped up, but I calmly skipped them and looked for the good stuff. Double stroller (anyone have one they'd like to sell me?), another bed for either Josie or the baby since she will probably still be in a crib for a while after the baby is born (yes we can hope the new babe loves the bassinet!), a new dresser to make storage more efficient in that little room that is so close to us and not downstairs miles away.

So much to plan, so much to think about. And there is more, so much more. Some things I can't share yet but am practically dying inside to tell you. Soon, I hope.

More details

So I make this big announcement and then I just leave you hanging! For days no less.


Things to know:
1. I'm 15 weeks along today which means I am in the 2nd trimester.
2. I was quite sick but hid it pretty well, hence the reason you all assumed I had an easy peasy 1st trimester. I was sick more in the evenings, so I could get through most of the day with a little nausea here and there, but by the time 7:00 rolled around you could count me out of all activities. Usually you'd find me on the couch downstairs clutching my stomach with a pillow to my chest while hubby was upstairs doing the whole bedtime/middle of the night routine by himself. I'm glad our marriage is strong because yikes that could have made things tough on that poor hard working man!
3. I found a different doctor and am much happier already. She's sweet, cares about how I'm doing and who I am, and promised me that she wouldn't let me go two weeks overdue again. I don't want to be induced, but I also don't want to push out another 9 1/2 lb baby. Sorry if that was a bit too much to picture.
4. We decided that I was going to stay at home before finding out we were expecting again. There were some hurdles to overcome, like insurance and a much tighter budget, but we really believe this is what the Lord wants and are willing to make sacrifices to make it work. I will get a part time job (barista maybe?) if need be when or if things get too tight.
5. Josie and Baby #2 will be 16 months apart. We know that is close together and no it wasn't planned, but once we get past the craziness stage of them both being babies, we think it's going to be great for them. Both of us have 4 years in between us and our siblings, so it'll be different than how we grew up, but hey we always joke that Josie didn't have any playmates in her life so we just decided to give her one ourselves!
6. As you probably got from point #5, this pregnancy was not necessarily planned but we weren't doing everything we could to avoid it. We're so excited to keep our family growing and know that this is God's plan for us.
7. I've been eating a lot healthier and have been more active this time around and I can feel the difference already. I am praying for a great pregnancy with the hopes of enjoying it even (crazy, right?). Circumstances are so different this time around, so there is a possibility this could happen.
8. For now the babes will be sharing the room upstairs until we're more comfortable with Josie being alone downstairs or until we "have to" put her downstairs because of another sibling (couple of years from now of course).
9. We also plan on rummage sale shopping a bunch for what we need and clothes if it is a boy since we don't have any of that... its part of the reason we want to find out what we are having. Now is the time for deals!


What did I miss? I am sure there are more questions! You know I am an open book so ask away if you think of something!


Want to leave a comment? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the comment section there. Can't wait to read what you have to say!