23 Weeks (and 2 days!)

23 Weeks

Size of baby: According to BabyCenter, you’re about the size of a mango!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I haven't weighed myself recently... I'm happily oblivious.  =)

Maternity Clothes: 80% maternity.  A few of my pre-prego shirts still fit, but my pants (with the exception of yoga/sweats) are all maternity now.  I tried to wear a pair of pre-prego jammy pants the other night and, when I shifted in my chair, the drawstring popped.  =(

Gender: It's a BOY!

Movement: We've got a mover!  Not quite as active as I remember Emily being, but it's getting there.  Jacob was able to feel him move for the first time last night as well.  =)

What I miss: Being able to walk/stand/carry things without discomfort.  The pelvic pain isn't as bad recently, but it still very uncomfortable.

Sleep:Several nights this past week I have slept straight through without having to get up at 2 AM to use the bathroom.  Knock on wood, I hope it continues for a bit longer!  I am, however, waking up at oddly early times (this morning was 5:30) for no apparent reason.

Symptoms: Nothing really  new to report.  Same ol', same ol'.

Cravings: Hamburgers always sound delicious and I smell BBQ sauce everywhere. lol

Best Moment this week: Jacob finally feeling a kick.  I've been waiting, but it seemed like every time he tried the movement would stop.  He got three kicks last night!

What I am looking forward to:  Getting Emily's new "big girl room" sorted out.  We moved the office out of the third bedroom this weekend, so now I can start thinking about paint and furniture.  We're going to have a garage sale in a couple of weeks to get rid of some stuff, and then the fun with decorating will begin.  =)

21 weeks!

21 Weeks

Size of baby: According to BabyCenter, you’re about the length of a carrot

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Roughly 20 pounds.  Apparently 10 is "normal".  What can I say, my body just loves being pregnant I guess.

Maternity Clothes: Primarily maternity clothes these days.  Went shopping yesterday for some more summery stuff.

Gender: It's a BOY!

Movement: Still a little movement here and there, but nothing constant.  Every now and then I'll get a sharp jab, though.  =)  At my 20 week ultrasound the tech told me that my placenta was in front of the little guy, so that it may take a bit longer to feel regular movements.

What I miss: My regular pants.  My maternity pants are still sliding down... driving me nuts.  =P

Sleep: I think that sleep has gotten better for me over the last week.  Jacob bought me a big ol' maternity pillow, and that has helped.  I don't even think I've woken up to pee in the middle of the night for a couple of days now.  =)

Symptoms: Have to use the bathroom every hour or so, even though only a thimble-full comes out. lol.  Tonight I've also been experience some pretty bad pain in my pubic region.  All that damn relaxin.  I just really, really, hope that it clears up and doesn't get worse as I still have several weeks to go!

Cravings: Not really craving anything.  I've tried to be better about my diet with this pregnancy than I was with the last one, but I don't know if it's going anywhere. lol.  So far I have avoided chocolate milkshakes though.  They were my downfall last time!

Best Moment this week: It was a couple weeks ago, but the ultrasound was great, being able to see the little guy and finally have some questions answered.

What I am looking forward to:  Getting Emily's new room and the nursery all sorted out.  Not sure when that will happen though... but I want to at least go to Home Depot and grab some paint color strips so I can start plotting.  =)

Snakes and Snails!

I am pretty behind... but, in my defense, I have recently discovered "Orange in the New Black".  ;)  Anyway, about two weeks ago we had the BIG ultrasound.  You know... the one where you're required to drink a BUNCH of water right beforehand and then they press down on you with an ultrasound wand?  I really think it's just a sick joke to see how long they can go before a pregnant woman wets herself.

Anyway, baby looks amazing and everything is measuring right on schedule.  I knew, just KNEW that it was going to be a girl.  So much of this pregnancy has been similar to the last one, I figured that meant it was going to have the "same" result.  But, guess what?  I was way wrong.

Baby #2 is a BOY!  =)

My little rocker baby... fist pumping already!

I was shocked.  I still kind of am.  And a little nervous.  I KNOW how to be a girl mama... this is going to be a new experience (even if just from a biological/anatomical standpoint). 

I was glad to finally know the sex though, Jacob has refused to talk about names until we know.  Now we do, and now we have a name (90% set I think... but we're keeping it on the DL until after the little guy arrives!), and now I can start actually getting rid of some stuff, planning how to redesign our office and Emily's room into New Emily's Room and baby boy nursery.  =)

My Girl

I remember when I went back to work when Emily was about 8 weeks old.  I had conversations with other moms about how much it sucked to leave them right when they are getting to a "fun" age where they can interact with you.  Emily also hit a "fun" age at about 6 months when she was crawling all over the place, and at 9 months when she started walking (and subsequently running)... and at 12 months... and 18 months....

The point I'm trying to make is that I have discovered that one "fun" age is followed, almost immediately by another.

Emily turned 2 just over a month ago.  Everyone has heard of the "terrible twos", and, for about a week, I thought someone had flipped some baby banshee switch on us, but the last month has been awesome.  I SO much enjoy having a little person who has some personality and independence.  Who can dress herself, and play alone for awhile, and TELL ME WHAT SHE WANTS. 

I love that I can let her outside in the backyard to play while I make dinner and she "checks in" with me every few minutes by piggy-pressing her nose up against the screen door.  I love that she no longer cries to be let out of her room when she wakes up, but rather yells "Mama!" or, simply, knocks on her bedroom door.

I love that I can set her clothes out for her, and she will put them on herself!  I love that, after a meal, I can tell her to go wash her hands and she can go into the bathroom, climb up on her stool and "wash" her hands (even if she needs a second pass at it with an adult to get all the sticky off).

I love that I can tell her to get me a spoon and she'll open the drawer and grab a spoon for me.  I love that I can ask her to get me the green box of crackers and she does! 

I love that she UNDERSTANDS me when I'm not being very clear.  For example, trying to get a garden tool outside the other day... I asked her to bring me that "thing" with the "green handle" that she likes to "pound in the rocks"... and she found and brought me exactly what I was asking for me!

I love that I can ask her about her day and she tells me that it was "good" and lists off the people that she played with.

I love that she wants to spend time with me, and "help" whenever she can (I know that stage won't last for long!)

I love that she says "Bless You" when I sneeze, and pats me on the back when I cough (and sometimes asks me if I need some water).  I love that she asks me "All done?" before she tries to drag me away from the dinner table to play with her.

I love that she has so much love inside of her.  She is going to be an amazing big sister, and an awesome kid.  I can't wait to experience the next "fun" ages with her.  It really feels like life gets more and more wonderful and fulfilling with each new day.

18 Weeks!

18 Weeks

Size of baby: According to BabyCenter, you’re about the size of a bell pepper..

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I don't really care to know today.  ;).

Maternity Clothes: Made the transition to maternity pants last weekend... but I'm in that weird awkward stage where I'm too big around for my normal pants, but not big enough to hold up the maternity ones yet... so my pants keep slipping down.  =P

Gender: June 4th is the big day!  =)

Movement: A little movement here and there, but not a lot and not consistently.

What I miss: Alcohol.  I would have killed for a glass or two of wine this week.

Sleep: Sleep has sucked recently, not because of pregnancy stuff, but because I have this awful cough that wakes me up in the middle of the night. I was quarantined for the last half of the week as my doctor suspected that I may have whooping cough.  The test came back negative, but I still have this awful cough AND I missed three days of work for nothing.  

Symptoms: Not much to report on this front.  I have a "maybe baby, maybe beer belly" gut going on.  =)

Cravings:Not really craving anything... except brownies and Target's S'more ice cream... but that's not really usual.

Best Moment this week: Finding out that my whooping cough test was negative and feeling comfortable hugging on Emily and your dad again.  I was feeling very deprived of physical attention, and I think Emily was, too.  =(

What I am looking forward to:  THE ultrasound in a couple of weeks.  Can't wait to find out if we're going to have a little boy or another little girl.  I don't really care either way.  I know most parents say that, but it's really the truth.  I wanted a girl the first time around, just to make sure that I got one, but this time I'd be happy either way.  =)  At first I wanted to have one of each, but I've seen the relationships that female friends and family have with their sisters, and I would love for Emily to have that close female companionship, too.  So, like I said, boy, girl, doesn't really matter... I'm just anxious to know!