weeks 26-33 with baby #2

ughhh. i am super frustrated with my computer right now. and flickr. every time i log on to post flickr has changed and trying to embed photos has changed and i am just getting really annoyed and it makes me not want to blog ever again!! so anyway, i hate the format of all of this but i am just gonna post it anyway.

so i have slacked on posting, yet again. but this post will just kind of cover the last 9 weeks and where i am at now.

i am 34.5 weeks! yikes. my doctor said i could get induced at 39 weeks if my body is ready. which i doubt it will be since it wasn't that way with ben, but just knowing in my head that could be in 4 weeks and like 4 days just sounds so much more bearable than like 7 weeks haha. in fact, i'll be 39 weeks in exactly one month from tomorrow! i like that i was able to go into labor on my own with ben. i hope that happens with this baby. i don't want to have to get induced and most likely i won't, but we will see what happens. ahhh! i am so terrified and so excited. mostly because i now know what the newborn world is like. its so hard, so wonderful, but so hard. and ben was not the easiest baby, so i think for me, i am even more scared of that stage. but i also feel like i know now that it is temporary. i will survive and eventually sleep again! this time around i will get on post partum depression meds immediately! i am going to try to be easier on myself as far as nursing goes and just go with the flow as far as a schedule. i was so wound up with ben... comparing him and myself to others and i just can't do that this time!

baby is the size of a cantaloupe or a pineapple! 4.9 lbs and 19-22 inches! crazy. there is a full on baby in me.

i have gained about 25+ lbs. depends on the day. yikes. i weigh more than i have ever weighed since i started out this pregnancy heavier than i was with ben. i am trying not to be too hard on myself. i know you lose a lot of fluid after the baby is born and this has been a summer pregnancy so i am sure i am retaining more water.

i have had contractions and lots of braxton hicks. feeling uncomfortable but my sciatic nerve pain and tailbone have been feeling so much better lately. i am sleeping better than i was a month or two ago so that is good!

i am really annoyed with my computer right now and i actually am having some contractions at the moment so i am gonna cut this short, but i may come back and add more later!! here are some pics from the last 9 weeks. my computer is being stupid or blogger and i don't feel like adding how far along i was in each pic but its from weeks 26-33!

a little life update and weeks 22-25 with baby #2

well i am behind on blogging about this pregnancy. shocker i know! we moved a few weeks ago though, and my laptop was in storage, and then when we finally got into the new house, it took us a week or so to get internet. so anyway, i am almost 25 weeks now. yikes. i remember being 15 weeks and thinking if i could get to 25 weeks it would feel so much closer to being done, but now that i am here... i feel like 15 weeks is forever away. but i also feel like that is not enough time. i am so excited to meet this little guy, but also extremely terrified to be a mother of two. ben is extremely active, curious, adventurous, and demands a lot of attention or else he will get hurt or who knows what. i am nervous about how i am going to handle a newborn with a crazy toddler, but i am pretty sure people have been doing it for years, so somehow i will survive. i have just accepted the fact that kids are resilient, my life is no longer about me, and things get better with time. so we will figure it out somehow! being in a bigger house will help. ben absolutely loves our backyard and we have a sliding door to go out there so he is out there ALL the time. i need to figure out a way to childproof it but he already figured it out when i stuck a curtain rod in the door. he knows to pull it out when he wants to go out and he actually locked me out of the house by walking back in and putting the pull in. ugh. talk about backfire. see why i am nervous to have a newborn that demands 24/7 care with a benny? he has gotten his head stuck in the stair rail already and we don't have a lock on this pantry so that's a whole other issue. we will figure it out though.

 i need to do a post on the new house. i will get to it. but we love it here so far. i miss my old bedroom.. it was a lot bigger than this one, but all of the other things about this house make it so much better than the last. we love the neighborhood, the location, the size, the backyard, the layout... we need to do some painting though. ben and the new baby's room are pink right now haha. we got a new kitchen table and when it got delivered on tuesday, i marched right back to RC willey to exchange it. we loved the table but we were deciding between 2. sean of course liked the cheaper one more, so we decided to go with that one, but when it sat in our kitchen it just didn't work. the color was too dark, almost a cherry red, and it clashed with all the other colors in the kitchen. we exchanged it for a different one, that has more of a rustic farmhouse style which is what i wanted in the first place. the other one was a little too traditional for me. it had leather seats and a bench. size wise it was great but this other one will be much better. we got a wood bench to go with it and i picked up some vintage metal bistro chairs today to go with it that will match our counter stools. the new table will be delivered on friday and they will take the one we didn't want haha. anyway, we love the house so far and i didn't mean to go off on that but i will post more about the house later with pictures.

i meant for this post to be about how the pregnancy is going but maybe we will just consider this a life update post. back to the pregnancy though.

how big is baby: in between an ear of corn and a rutabaga. so anywhere from like 8.5 inches to 13.5. about 1-2lbs. every app is different though so its hard to know. he feels huge. i feel him ALL over.

total weight gain: if you go off of my first dr. appt at 11 weeks, i think its like 5 lbs. but if you go off what i think i was before i got pregnant? probably like 12-13. who knows. all i know is that i weighed 10 lbs less when i got pregnant with ben, and i am like 7 lbs away from being what i weighed when i had ben.. haha. so i feel huge knowing that i still have 15 weeks left and i am almost that weight. oh well. i am pregnant. its the one time in my life its good to gain weight and i need to embrace it, even though its hard! i swear like 10lbs of it is in my chest. they almost make my stomach seem smaller because they are so big. i hate them.

sleep: great. except for if ben wakes up i have a hard time going back to sleep. but for some reason when i wake up to pee i can go right back to sleep. unisom helps me wonders.

best moment of the week: hmmm.. this baby has been moving for a while but he has been super super active this week. especially today. sending sean videos of my morphing stomach was a pretty cool moment this week.

food cravings: still tacos 180. and donuts, and ice cream cones or concrete mixers from culvers. and tootsie rolls.

food aversions: nothing really.

symptoms: i am sure if i wasn't on prilosec everyday i would have awful heartburn.. but i got on top of that this pregnancy and its been awesome not having to deal with it. except on the days i forget or run out.. the heartburn is AWFUL. also, at my last appointment i told my doctor about some stomach pains i have been having and she is pretty sure its my gallbladder. not much i can do but take lortab that she prescribed if i need it, and try to eat less fatty and fibrous foods. my back and hips hurt a lot and i have had a lot of braxton hicks and today i have had a lot of cramping.. which feels different than braxton hicks and round ligament pain. its closer to period cramps, which is how it was when i finally went into labor, so that scares me. i am sure its nothing though. maybe just a growth spurt or something. also, i feel like i can't breathe. ever. lung wise and nostril wise. super fun! :)

movement: yes. tons and tons.

gender: boy!

what i miss: i will always say smaller boobs and that will always be my answer.

here i am at almost 22 weeks.



here i am at almost 25 weeks. this picture is deceiving though. the phone and my hand hide my chest so it makes me look a lot smaller than i actually look haha. oh well. ill take it.

weeks 17-21 with baby #2

so the top picture is benny at 20 weeks and the bottom picture is baby #2 at 18 weeks 5 days. technically you could say 19 weeks, since i am measuring 3 days ahead, but it's not enough to change my due date, so whatever. i think their profiles look a lot alike!

so anyway, we had our big anatomy scan a couple of weeks ago. baby boy was no cooperating. he didn't cooperate very well at the gender ultrasound either. he likes to put his hands everywhere that the tech tries to measure. there were a couple of things that the tech noted. baby is breech right now, but so was ben and he flipped before delivery so i am not too worried about that. when we went in, i was having a contraction that made the measuring difficult. my placenta appeared way too close to my cervix during the contraction, but once it stopped she checked again and it was still close, but it's right on the border of it being a concern. the placenta should only move up from here, so she wasn't super worried. he did have a hole in his heart, but she said that usually they close up before they are born. i am thinking they aren't too concerned because i haven't gotten a call from them telling me to come back in. and this boy definitely does not like to show off his parts. ben was so open and not shy at all. this little guy likes to curl up in a ball and not show us anything. she could barely even tell if he was a boy and kept trying to go back but he wasn't cooperating. since she said it was a boy at 16 weeks, i am sticking to that, but it would be nice to have 100% confirmation haha.

i am just going to update on how i am now at almost 21 weeks.

how big is baby: the size of a mango or banana. my apps say about 6.5 inches and 11 oz. he was 11 oz 18 weeks 5 days, so i am sure he is bigger now.

total weight gain: i feel and probably look like i just keep steadily gaining weight, but the doctor said i have only gained about 2 lbs since my 11 week checkup and would like to see me gain more. i think i just gained like 5-7 lbs right at the beginning and have sort of slowed down a little. i am okay with that except i know i still have 20 more weeks to go haha. i will probably gain at least another 20 lbs. so i don't think that doctor needs to be concerned at all. its funny how different things are the second time around. the first time, everything happens sooo slowly. you slowly watch your body change and i feel like that gives you time to sort of accept the changes. the second time, its like your body knows exactly what to do, and things that didn't get a certain size until like 20-30 weeks, just get bigger immediately. your hips, boobs, tummy, face, and everything else just know what to do now. its definitely harder to deal with this time, since it literally happens overnight and i still have a lot longer to go. i do not feel like myself at all, but i know this is only temporary and my body is doing a pretty cool thing. my bump is definitely there but not really round. its actually quite odd shaped. i feel like instead of growing out he's growing up and in. which just makes it so i can't breathe and makes me feel pretty thick and solid from my boobs down to my hips. i would rather grow out so the bump looks a little more obvious and not just like i am filling out majorly and getting chubby haha.

sleep: sleeping great. have to pee a lot but it's not that bad. my body pillow helps a lot and i think im at the point that i can't sleep on my tummy anymore. which is hard because i am a stomach sleeper all the way. 

best moment of the week: feeling lots of kicks! 

food cravings: i have been under a lot of stress lately and have had a lot of stomach pain lately. so eating isnt my favorite right now, but cravings have been buffalo chicken tacos from 180 tacos. i am obsessed. and i still always want candy. i can't get enough tootsie rolls these days. lately though i have been sticking to bland food and just have toast or cereal. and my stomach still hurts!

food aversions: nothing really. not super into meat or veggies but thats sort of how i am when i am not pregnant either.

symptoms: prilosec is a lifesaver. except i ran out yesterday and had AWFUL heartburn today. we made sure to go to costco today and stock up. bad bloating and stomach aches, headaches, and my back is starting to hurt. i think the weight from my chest is really affecting my back. oh and i guess the belly haha.

movement: yes! started feeling him around 18 weeks. much earlier than last time. i feel him often now.

gender: boy! at least i still hope so haha! would love more confirmation.

what i miss: i will always say smaller boobs and taking alka seltzer for stomach aches.

here are some pictures from the last few weeks:

17 weeks

19 weeks


i have had quite a few contractions lately. like i mentioned i have been under a lot of stress, and i know it's not good for me or the baby. we are in the middle of selling our house and buying a new one and moving and it has been incredibly hard on me. i feel like i have maybe developed an ulcer from stress and that could be why my stomach hurts all the time. i will save that all for another post another day.. but if i start talking about it now i will start crying and i have been crying all week, so i won't write about it tonight.

16 weeks with baby #2

well, with my pregnancy with ben, i documented a lot of it. this time around, i have a lot less time to do that. i feel bad that i haven't really written anything down. i am trying to be better. i think occasionally i will do these little survey things if i can find the time! i am 16 weeks now.

how big is baby: the size of an avocado. about 4-5 inches and 3-5 oz.

total weight gain: ugh. i am definitely gaining weight quicker this pregnancy. and instead of really being in my belly, it's all over the place. my boobs have honestly tripled in size. i HATE them. i told sean i want a mastectomy. that's how bad i hate boobs. sorry i just do. i keep feeling like i have gained like 15 lbs already since i weigh that much more now than i did before i got pregnant with ben.. but the truth is i weighed about 10 more lbs before i got pregnant with this baby than i did before i got pregnant with ben. if that makes sense. when i got pregnant with ben, i had lost a little weight from my tonsillectomy so i was already a little smaller than i normally was. with this one we had just gotten back from a cruise (ALL YOU DO IS EAT) and then there was thanksgiving.. so yeah. also, i hate the doctor's scale. i will weigh myself at home and it will be like 3 lbs less than the doctors scale. it makes me mad and confused. also, yesterday i weighed myself and was down like 5 lbs from the day before on the same scale. my weight fluctuates so bad. if i were to make a guess, i would say up 5 -7 lbs, even though it probably looks and feels like more. and after yesterday it being lower i don't even know anymore. let's just say nothing looks good and the only thing comfortable is sweats. and i definitely am bigger. with ben, i was not sick at all the first trimester except towards the end and most of the second trimester. this time i was very sick in the first trimester and would often eat crap to help with the nausea. it's funny to be throwing up but gaining more weight haha. that was a novel. sorry. i really don't care. as long as the baby is healthy i'll weigh whatever.

sleep: sleeping pretty good. but that's because i can still comfortably sleep on my stomach. i don't mean to, but i always end up on my stomach. i know soon i won't be able to though. i don't know how well sleep will be after that. i also take unisom every night to help with nausea so that could be why i am sleeping better. and ben still wakes up occasionally and of course i have to pee 5 times a night. but i am still sleeping okay.

best moment of the week: seeing this cute little guy and finding out he's a guy!

food cravings: i don't know if it's being in the second trimester and not feeling as sick all the time and feeling like i need to eat constantly, but my appetite has definitely subsided. maybe that's why my weight went down a little. really, all that sounds good lately is candy and diet dr. pepper. which is funny because i was on a dirty diet coke kick for soooooo long. 

food aversions: nothing really. but nothing really sounds good either. just haven't been too hungry.

symptoms: with ben i noticed this week i had way bad heartburn.. but this time around i have already started taking prilosec every day and haven't had heartburn in weeks! wahoo! it's been so nice. i wish i would have done this sooner with ben. up until 2 weeks ago tums were my best friend. and i hate tums haha. i have had lots of headaches this week. i do have a bad cold though, so that could be why. i have only thrown up once this week and it was more of a dry heave episode. i am starting to get a little energy back, but that might be because i kind of had no choice with sean being hurt. maybe it was adrenaline? maybe the anti-depressant that my doctor put me on is starting to kick in? who knows? but i have been feeling better.

movement: not yet. well there have been some times i have questioned if i felt something, but nothing yet where i absolutely knew it was the baby. i hear you feel the baby sooner in your second pregnancy, so we will see! 

gender: boy!

what i miss: smaller boobs. i said that last time (well at 17 weeks. i didn't do a 16 week one) and i am saying it again. and fitting into clothes. 

i haven't been taking many pictures this time around. i just have not felt cute at all. not that i felt super cute last time haha. i don't know if it's because i am heavier at this point that i was with ben, and cutting my hair like 2 weeks before i got pregnant? i don't know, but i haven't felt cute at all. please don't think i feel sorry for my self or anything. i just never feel like myself when i am pregnant. nothing fits, and i never get ready anymore. when i was pregnant with ben i had to get dressed and go to work everyday so i had a reason to get ready. this time ben and i stay home most the day in our pajamas. i don't have a picture for 16 weeks but here are some from 10 and 11 weeks. 

10 weeks.

11 weeks.

39.5 weeks

how far along? 39 and a half weeks. the bottom picture was taken at 39. and i was hoping these would be the last belly shots, so i pulled out my nice camera. still crossing my fingers that they are the last shots..

total weight gain: ha, well i made up for the no weight gain for a while. i gained 3 at my last appointment. so i am up about 28-29 lbs. i don't know what happened last week, but my appetite has been out of control. it hasn't been like this the whole pregnancy, but last week... man. i think sean was terrified. i could seriously out eat anyone. i am secretly crossing my fingers that it means labor is soon. my body is trying to store up as much fat/energy as possible.

maternity clothes? basically i just wear sweats and baggy t-shirts all the time. you can say i have given up. i have been avoiding leaving the house at all costs. last week was pretty much my last week at work, unless they need me to come in at all this week. but even when i went in last week, i wore sweats. 

stretch marks? still just under my chest. nothing new from the last update.

sleep: i have very few great nights and a lot of awful nights where i can't stop sweating and my hands and feet are on fire. mostly i don't sleep much.

best moment this week: it's been kind of a rough week. but my dad did surprise me and brought over a diet coke from mcdonalds (in a styrafoam cup) with all my favorite treats because i was having a rough day. he is the best! :)

miss anything? my old body. wearing regular clothes. getting ready for the day and not feeling like i just ran a marathon.

movement: i think he is running out of room. but there has still been some big moves.

food cravings: still donuts and tootsie rolls.. and cheeseburgers and chips. basically any carbs.

anything making you queasy or sick: no not really.

labor signs: still just 1cm dilated 80% effaced. i have had a few contractions here and there and some really bad lower back pain.

symptoms: swelling, pain, feeling LIKE A WHALE.

belly button in or out? still partially in/out. 

wedding rings on or off? it fits but i don't even bother since i hide out at home as much as possible.

happy or moody most of the time: it's been a rough week. i have been pretty moody.

looking forward to: hopefully getting to meet our baby soon. 

i hate mondays. they can bring good or bad news. it's the day of my weekly appointment and i have to get checked and find out how much weight i have gained. i always hurt the rest of the day after that. but it hurts even more when she checks me and i have made no progress in 4 weeks. i am still at 1cm and 80% effaced. she stripped my membranes for me (which sucked) and said, "hopefully i won't see you at your next appointment in a week." but i am not getting my hopes up. she said if i don't have the baby by then, then we can talk about getting induced next friday, when i am 41 weeks. so i guess we just wait and see. there is a 50% chance that stripping your membranes will put you into labor within in 24-48 hours. after getting my membranes stripped i felt awful. i was having lots of pain and cramping. i was planning to go walk the mall after but i felt terrible. on sunday we even skipped out on church and walked the provo mall. judge all you want, i don't mind. i am done going to church until i have this baby (and let's be honest, for a while after that as well). nothing fits anymore and i am so uncomfortable sitting for that long. that is basically why i can't handle work much longer. at least at work though i can get up and walk around a lot. i don't really feel up to getting out and doing much these days. oh well. i need to cheer up! maybe that is why this baby doesn't want to come out! we have both been so anxious and ready for him to come. i really hope i don't make it to my next appointment. today i shoveled the driveway (well attempted. it kept snowing over everything i shoveled so i gave up) cleaned the entire house (AGAIN), went to walmart to stock up on some more food and recovery stuff.. my back ached all day and i had lots of braxton hicks, but here i sit, with no baby yet. he is moving around like crazy as a type this. he has been stretching out so much that is really physically hurts my insides. i keep telling him that there is soooo much more room out here but i guess he isn't buying it... 

38.5 weeks

how far along? 38 and a half weeks. this was taken at exactly 38.

total weight gain: no weight gain since last week. so still at about 25 pounds gained. i think this excessive water drinking really helps... haha. 

maternity clothes? yes. and lots and lots of sweats.

stretch marks? still just under my chest. nothing new from the last update.

sleep: i am getting really anxious so it's been hard to sleep at night. and obviously i am a little uncomfortable. i have taken a few really nice naps though since i haven't been working as much.

best moment this week: getting to say that my baby is due... next week!!

miss anything? just the usual haha. i get repetitive on here.

movement: i think he is running out of room. but there has still been some big moves.

food cravings: donuts and tootsie rolls. 

anything making you queasy or sick: no not really.

labor signs: i am still just dilated 1 cm and 80% effaced. boo. come on body.. start progressing! i did have a few strong contractions on sunday night but they didn't last. my lower back has been hurting like crazy since yesterday though... hoping it's a sign but probably won't turn into anything.

symptoms: just the usual. a little swelling, exhaustion... etc. i take a pill for my heartburn but lately i have still been getting it.

belly button in or out? still partially in/out. more out this week.

wedding rings on or off? still fits but i haven't been wearing much. my hands randomly swell if i am not drinking water 24/7 and i am afraid if i take off my ring during one of those moments i will lose it.

happy or moody most of the time: a little bit of everything. i kinda feel like a zombie at this point. i am just ready to be done.

looking forward to: meeting this baby in a week and a half!!! i hope he comes sooner. but i am guessing he will be late. super bowl weekend.

at my appointment yesterday there was not much news. i haven't progressed and am getting discouraged. i know it doesn't really mean anything to be dilated and effaced and whatnot.. because when the baby is ready, he will come. but still. i hate getting checked every week. i am so sore from it all day and the only thing that makes it worth it is hearing that there is some progression. so to have none for the past 2 weeks is hard to hear. i had some protein in my urine again this time, but my blood pressure is still normal so it's nothing to be concerned about. i know that some people can be 1cm in the morning and have a baby that night.. so that's what gives me hope. but at the same time i know it's normal to be late with your first baby, so i am kind of planning on that. i feel so lazy though not working as much and wish that he would just come so i wouldn't feel like i am just laying around being a bum. there is so much i still need to do, but have no energy to do it. i had a few nesting episodes this weekend and got a few things done so that was good. i still feel like i have so much to do though. i am so not ready for him but SOOOOOO ready. i can't wait to meet him. i tear up just thinking about that moment when sean and i both get to see his face. in the meantime, i will just continue to feel like a ticking time bomb... that will probably never go off, but keeps me anxious and afraid to do anything... haha. i hope this is the last pregnancy week by week update i give... baby blue? your mommy and daddy can't wait to meet you!!

37.5 weeks

how far along? 37 and a half weeks. this once again terrible phone picture was taken at exactly 37. 

total weight gain: well, today at my appointment i found out that i lost 3 lbs. so i am back to what i was a few weeks ago. so that puts my total weight gain at 24lbs. i have been drinking water like crazy and still retaining some so i was surprised i didn't gain more water weight. i am happy though that drinking a billion ounces of water a day is sort of paying off. also though, i hear it's normal to sort of level off and even lose weight at this point as your body is preparing for labor.

maternity clothes? yes. and sean's sweatshirts. basically i wear the same thing everyday at this point.

stretch marks? still just under my chest. nothing new from the last update.

sleep: i am not too uncomfortable at night anymore. i think i have gotten used to it. i am always tired but have been getting so anxious to meet this little man that i am not sleeping as much as i should.

best moment this week: getting to spend time with friends and family! we had an awesome shower this week and got so incredibly spoiled.

miss anything? just the usual. i had a relative at my shower say to me "wow, you really got  the pregnant face going on now." that really upset me. i may or may not have went and cried in the bathroom for a minute. oh and don't worry, i let her know how kind that was of her. anyway, so i guess i miss my old, not pregnant unswollen face. i know it's swelled a little, so no need to have others mention it to me right? oh well. i got over it. sorta. i am about 9 months pregnant. what do you expect? most people say they don't notice a difference, but i can see it and feel it.  especially when i smile. these side profile belly pics obviously hide most of the swelling. oh well. life goes on! 

movement: still a lot of big moves. lots of hiccups. in fact he has them right now.

food cravings: today i really wanted cheddar biscuits from red lobster. so we went to red lobster. yum!

anything making you queasy or sick: no not really.

labor signs: i am still just dilated 1 cm and 80% effaced. 

symptoms: swelling, exhaustion, achy back. on my right side by my shoulder blade, i have had some intense pain. it sucks. but the heating pad helps a ton. also, lee gave me an awesome massage today and it helped so much!

belly button in or out? still partially in/out. more out this week.

wedding rings on or off? on, but i find i am not wearing it as much just in case i start to swell. 

happy or moody most of the time: i am still always all over the place. i have been pretty happy though. feeling so incredibly blessed.

looking forward to: meeting this baby in 2 and a half weeks! and i can't wait to sleep on my stomach again!

today i had my 37 week appointment. lost some weight but everything else was the same as last week. my GBS test came back negative, so i won't need antibiotics during labor. thank goodness, because i am allergic to penicillin and other antibiotics tend to make me sick. the doctor said i was still only 1 cm dilated but my cervix was very soft (still 80% effaced). she probably won't induce or do anything before 40 weeks unless i make more progress. come on baby blue! we are ready to meet you! i hope he gets moving soon. i don't want to still be pregnant in february. everyone in our family thinks i will have him this weekend.. but i am not getting my hopes up at all. i will just plan for february even though the thought devastates me. i have had so much pressure and tons of braxton hicks all week that i thought for sure i must have progressed a little bit. it was kind of sad to see nothing. oh well. he will be here soon enough and i still have so much to do to get ready! i don't think he has even dropped yet, so i should have known there wouldn't be much change. 

i was planning to work less this week but today i worked the whole day. we will see what the rest of the week brings. i still need to finish up some things at work. especially since i might only be going back one day a week after my maternity leave is up. i have to get HMDA submitted before i have the baby. but i also have a lot i need to do at home to get ready. i need to wash all the baby's clothes, get organized, finish reading baby wise, and write thank you cards to all our amazing friends and family. i wrote half for our wedding and never got them out, and i really want to be better this time. i feel so blessed and so grateful for all the many things we received. i will blog about that in another post. also, i need to go exchange some stuff at ikea and get our pantry stocked. i am hoping i will be able to work less this week so i can get some stuff done. if not, i will most likely have all next week to get ready, since i am not getting my hopes up about him coming early. a girl at my work just had her baby and i am so jealous! also, lots of people that i follow on instagram and in my baby apps who are just as far along as me have had their babies recently and it is making me super anxious! i can't wait! anyway... all is well! let's hope baby comes sooner, rather than later! 18 days to go! 

36.5 weeks

how far along? 36 and a half weeks. in this picture i was 36. and also it's really crappy. i got really shaky and lightheaded while trying to take a decent one and this is the best i could do. also, these side shots don't show all the swelling in my face. so if you think i don't have any swelling, just look at me head on and ask me to smile.. ha. i can't wait to have my face feel normal again.

total weight gain: well, i am up 3 lbs from my last appointment. ha. so much for being proud about only gaining 2 lbs in 3 weeks from my last update because i just made up for it by gaining 3 in like 9 days. i have had quite a bit of swelling though and drank 32 ounces of water right before getting weighed. probably not my smartest idea. oh well. i am up about 27-28 lbs now. 

maternity clothes? yes. 

stretch marks? still just under my chest. nothing new from the last update.

sleep: we got some new bedding and i actually feel like it has helped me sleep a lot better. it's a lot more comfortable. however some nights i don't sleep at all and am up peeing every hour. i'm all over the place.

best moment this week: got to hear the heartbeat today. that's always amazing. also i had my first shower on saturday and it was awesome! i'll post about that in a separate post.

miss anything? everything about not being pregnant. ha. i'm tired of the swelling and just being uncomfortable. 

movement: a lot of big moves.. up until today. we talked about this at my appointment today and i was like "oh he moves all the time! no need to worry." but since my appointment i haven't felt him move very much and i am kind of starting to worry. 

food cravings: i have had quite an appetite lately but not everything sounds good. but when it does i inhale it.

anything making you queasy or sick: no not really.

labor signs: i am dilated 1 cm and 80% effaced.

symptoms: swelling in my hands, feet, and face. and probably every where else. let's be honest. nothing fits. it's super attractive. feeling out of breath and extreme exhaustion.

belly button in or out? still partially in/out. 

wedding rings on or off? on still but sometimes when my hands swell i take them off. they fit, but it's just not as comfortable with sweaty, hot hands.

happy or moody most of the time: ha. this past week i have been a mess. just ask my mom, sean, and my co-workers. not my proudest moments. 

looking forward to: having this baby. i can't wait to meet him. i also can't wait to somewhat feel like myself again. i know i'll never be the same, but hopefully i'll be a little bit more comfortable.

i had my 36 week appointment today. i was supposed to go in last friday but they couldn't get me in that morning so i moved it to today. today started my weekly appointments and with those i have the wonderful experience of getting my cervix checked. super awesome, let me tell ya. i am 1 cm dilated and 80% effaced. my abdomen measured 35cm. she could feel his head, so thank goodness for that! i hope he stays down because he has been breech most this pregnancy. i had to get the strep b swab test. hopefully that comes back negative. i also got the pertussis shot because whooping cough is incredibly bad right now and they highly recommend anyone who will be close to the baby to get it. i feel like i have been punched in the arm. also, i am wondering if that could be why the baby hasn't been moving much today? who knows. anyway, that with being checked, i kinda feel like i got the crap kicked out of me today. i also talked to my co-workers about this possibly being my last full time week at work and of course that made me start to cry. it's just been one of those days haha. i am so emotionally and physically worn out. the doctor said that baby could be here tomorrow or he could be here february 7th.. ha. so i am not counting on anything, but sean and i decided it would probably be best for me to slow it down and start to work less. my job is incredibly stressful. especially at the end of the month, and we just want to make sure that i find some time to relax and get ready for this baby. it made feel feel better after we decided that. we both feel that it is the right decision. can't wait to meet you baby blue!!

35 weeks

how far along? 35 weeks. baby could be about 5-6 lbs right now!

total weight gain: 24-25lbs. 25-35 is recommended during pregnancy, so i think i am right on track. with hopefully less than 5 weeks left, i think i will be okay? i hope? i only gained 2 lbs since my last appointment 2 and a half weeks ago, which I thought was going to be a lot more with the holidays and all.. so i was happy about that. i guess a pound a week is recommended at this stage.

maternity clothes? yes. mixed in with regular clothes.

stretch marks? still just under my chest. nothing new from the last update. i keep waiting for them to pop up any minute though. i hear they literally happen overnight.

sleep: it’s actually been a little better. i may have to use 12 pillows and a body pillow but it works. i still get up to pee a million times but i feel like i am not in as much pain as far as my hips and back go. maybe i am just used to it though..

best moment this week: christmas was absolutely amazing. it’s been a great year. we feel really blessed. baby blue got really spoiled by everyone and i am so grateful!

miss anything? lately it has been really uncomfortable to bend over. it’s almost been impossible lately. i miss being able to do things with ease and not getting out of breath just by walking to the bathroom. i miss just feeling like myself. i don't feel like i look or act like myself and it's been rough. i also miss having more options of clothing. i feel like i wear the same thing everyday. i can't wait to be able to wear some of my old clothes again.

movement: a lot of big moves. i think he is running out of room though, so it has seemed to slow down a little.

food cravings: sugar cookies. i made some for a family party and wanted to eat them all myself. also little cuties and mint milk chocolate m&m’s.

anything making you queasy or sick: no not really.

labor signs: nothing really. no more labor and delivery episodes, so that is good.

symptoms: just feeling heavy and out of balance. i have had a really bad cold the past week or so and i think it has actually helped distract me from most pregnancy symptoms. i will say though, having a cold and being pregnant should be illegal. sneezing and coughing every few minutes with a very weak bladder? yeah not cool. let’s just say i had a few unfortunate moments that sean got to witness. plus there is not a whole lot you can do or take on top of already feeling completely exhausted.. i miss Nyquil!

belly button in or out? it’s weird. it is kind of in and kind of out. it’s flush with the rest of my stomach, if that makes sense. sometimes part of it sticks out. hard to explain.. one day the baby pushed it almost all the way out for a few seconds. it was creepy. but kind of neat.

wedding rings on or off? on still. sometimes i take it off though because my hands and feet swell a little bit sometimes if i get too hot. other times it is loose.

happy or moody most of the time: i think for the most part i have been happy the last few weeks.

looking forward to: i have some baby showers coming up! finally! and i can’t wait to meet this little boy in a month!




i went to the doctor today and everything looks great. i no longer have protein in my urine and my blood pressure is still normal. my abdomen is measuring 34.5 cm. now i get to start going to the doctor every week and get my cervix checked when i do. wahoo! can’t wait for that! in case you couldn’t tell i am joking. i am really not looking forward to that, but it will be nice to see if i am progressing at all and get a better idea of when we get to meet our little guy! also, did i mention that my brother and his wife found out they are having a boy too?! i can’t wait! little blue and him will be best buds! sarah is just 17 weeks behind me! the other day my brother asked how big the baby was, since his wife’s baby is about the size of a sweet potato right now, and sean said, “well, he is the size of a baby!” it was pretty funny, but maybe you had to be there… haha. anyway, i can't believe how close we are! i am so excited to meet this little boy!!

31 weeks

how far along? 31 weeks

total weight gain: 18-19 lbs. yikes.

maternity clothes? yes. mixed in with regular clothes.

stretch marks? still just under my chest. nothing new from the last update.

sleep: not sleeping as well anymore. i have to get up to pee almost every hour and my hips and back ache so bad. the body pillow only helps so much..

best moment this week: it was kind of a rough week. i'll explain more on that later in another post.

miss anything? this week i decided that instead of saying i miss not having huge boobs, i'll say that i miss not having to pee every 10 minutes.

movement: sooo much this past week. pretty sure he is still breech though. hoping he moves right into the right position soon..

food cravings: i didn't have much of an appetite this week. but right now i want a hot pretzel from the mall.

anything making you queasy or sick: no not really.

labor signs: yes. i have been having contractions unfortunately. real ones, not braxton hicks.

symptoms: finally decided to try generic prilosec and my life has forever changed. i haven't had heartburn in 2 weeks. it has been amazing. thanks for the suggestion mindy!! zantac just wasn't cutting it for me anymore. i have only had heartburn once since taking prilosec and it was because i ate a banana really late at night. banana's always give me heartburn.

belly button in or out? still in. it's not as in as it used to be. not sure if i have the type of belly button that will totally pop out..

wedding rings on or off? off still. i can tell my hands have been swelling up a little but it usually goes away and my ring still fits.

happy or moody most of the time: to be honest it's been a rough 2 weeks. i haven't been very happy. i think it's getting better though. i have had some anxiety and depression and then with everything else going on this week.. poor sean and baby.

looking forward to: meeting this baby in 2 months from today! less than 9 weeks! holy crap. i can't wait to kiss this little boy's face! 

28 weeks.. almost.

how far along? 28 weeks. okay almost. i am leaving town soon so i am doing this early. technically i'll be 28 weeks on friday. and you could say i am in my 28th week. do you like how this post is about being 28 weeks and i don't even have a 28 week picture yet? i'll add a 28 week picture later. there is probably not much difference from week to week, but i promised myself i would document this pregnancy the best that i could even though i hate taking pictures of myself. i never got to see what my mom looked like pregnant and it always made me a little sad! that bare belly picture is 27 weeks. i never thought i would show off my bare belly but i think that it looks a lot different with no clothes on it. it's also probably the last time it won't have stretch marks all over it so i might as well document it. also, THIRD TRIMESTER?? wow.
total weight gain: 15-16 lbs so far. i swear half of that is in my chest.
maternity clothes? yes. still wearing them. i need to get me some maternity shirts. even though my regular shirts still fit me.. they don't look right. it's hard to explain but the seam that goes down the sides just looks better if it's towards the back or actually on the side of you.. not towards the front.
stretch marks? i finally discovered some underneath my lady lumps. :( to be honest i shouldn't be surprised though with how much they have grown. i think that has been the worst part of all of this.
sleep: waking up 3 or 4 times a night to go to the bathroom but overall i am sleeping well. the pillows help.
best moment this week: passing my glucose test! wahoo! i don't know why i was nervous. i eat so much sugar that i think my body is so used to it anyway. you are supposed to be under 140 and i got a 107. they also did an iron test and you need to be above 11 or something and i got a 12. i was glad to see i was on track!
miss anything? still my old chest haha. honestly, the big belly hasn't bothered me at all. it's the ladies. i hate them. i seriously do. sorry dad, you probably don't want to hear about this. they are what is making me feel huge though. they make it hard to fit in shirts.. i feel like they weigh my down. am i the only one who feels this way? i know they are going to get bigger and worse before they go down.. but i honestly can't wait until they go down (if they ever do). i wouldn't say that i was smaller chested before i got pregnant.. but i was happy with my size. this is just out of control. and they hurt. so what is the fun in all this? sean, you can't comment on this. haha.
movement: tons. there was a day last week i didn't feel him that much and i started to panic. he made up for it the next day though. his moves are getting more frequent and more intense. i also think he might not be breach anymore because i am now finally feeling kicks up high. they could be punches though so i could be wrong. i have no clue how he is positioned though and he probably moves all the time.
food cravings: still donuts, and hot chocolate. but i like those even when i am not pregnant. cheeseburgers have become a new thing these past few weeks. i love them now more than ever.
anything making you queasy or sick: i am feeling much better in this category. i haven't thrown up in a while and i don't gag anymore when brushing my teeth so that is good!
gender: boy
labor signs: nope. i am getting braxton hicks now though!
symptoms: i have heartburn 24/7. i have been taking zantac but at my last appointment my dr. said i could take that along with prevacid or prilosec so i am going to try that.it's just expensive haha. oh and my hips ache and i am starting to waddle a little because my balance is off.. it's getting harder to bend over and pick up things and get out of bed. i wouldn't say it's terrible though. just something i have noticed this past week. also, my eyelashes have grown back for the most part so i am happy! i know it's normal for eyelashes to fall out every 6 weeks and re-grow and i think maybe when mine go through that cycle it has just been a little slower this pregnancy so they look short for a while but it's good to see they have somewhat caught up!
belly button in or out? in.. but i don't know for how much longer haha.
wedding rings on or off? off.... but only because i had another diamond fall out and it is getting repaired right now. seriously?!? this is the 2nd time in 3 months. so glad we got a warranty. they said if it keeps happening they might have to replace it.. but they really think it's just a coincidence. i guess i can be hard on my hands though.. and on the bright side i will get a freshly clean, re-dipped ring back. anyway. the ring still fits great...
happy or moody most of the time: i think i've been pretty happy this past month. of course i have my moments still.
looking forward to: meeting this baby in 12 more weeks! ahh!

my 28 week appointment went great this week! my blood pressure was still normal. i did have a trace of protein in my urine, but i guess it wasn't enough to be alarmed about. if my blood pressure was high along with that then it could be a concern but it wasn't. put on 4-5 more pounds. i honestly thought it was going to closer to 10 because of how i have been feeling so i was a little shocked. also, i always have to drink a whole water bottle before i go in so they can collect my urine and i also had the glucose drink in me so that could have affected the numbers a little. this whole weight gain thing is still weird to me but i only have 12 weeks left of it. my next appointment will be in 3 weeks and then i will start going every 2 weeks after that. we are also going to get signed up to take the labor classes at the hospital. this is all happening so fast!

baby is over 2 lbs now! crazy! he could be born now and have a really good chance of surviving! not that i want him to come early, but it's nice to know he would probably be okay if he did. i was telling sean the other day how grateful i am to be pregnant. it really is a neat thing. that being said, i wouldn't say i was one of those people who absolutely enjoyed and felt their best and most beautiful while being pregnant. not even close. he always reminds me though how beautiful of a journey this is and that i need to embrace it. so i am really trying. getting to feel him kick and move really helps remind me of how neat this all is.

oh guess what? baby blue is going to have a little cousin come along 4 months after him! my brother sam and his wife sarah are expecting their first as well! my parents will get their first 2 grand babies in 2013! we are so excited and happy for them! i was worried that baby boy wouldn't have too many cousins close to his age, so this is awesome!