The Final "Stretch"

This last trimester has been jam packed with work, friends, celebrations, etc. Whether for the good or bad this hasn't left me much time to focus on the Little Miss or Mr growing inside of me, save for my weekly prenatal yoga class. I think I'm about as ready as you can be to meet our new child and can't wait to see his or her eyes, kiss their fingers, and drink in their wonderful baby smell. Here is a look back at what has been going on the last three or so months of my pregnancy:

Weeks 28-30: I'm feeling a lot more movement than I remember ever feeling with Reed. This kid likes to move all of the time and I start regularly waking in the night to being poked and prodded. I have another ultrasound and the baby looks great. I also receive daily comments ranging from "you're so tiny" to "are you sure you aren't having twins?" I stop running and unfortunately don't start swimming, but continue yoga and some prenatal workout DVDs.

28 Weeks

29 Weeks

30 Weeks

Weeks 31-33: Now I start to get down right uncomfortable. Sitting, standing, or laying anywhere for an extended period of time is almost impossible and I'm constantly tired. The doctor confirms that the baby's head is down and I start to experience a lot of pressure on my lower pelvis. I attend a Bachelorette party and provide the late night entertainment when the baby puts on a gymnastics show visible from across the room.

31 Weeks

32 Weeks

33 Weeks

Weeks 34 - 36 : Our marathon to get doctors appointments, things fixed around the house, cars serviced, etc. begins. It really isn't a normal week without a minimum of three appointments of some kind! We schedule my C-section, I begin twice a week Non-Stress tests and get my last ultrasound, and everything with the baby continues to look good. Jon gets a new car (which can actually house car seats). I'm disappointed to learn that our Pediatrician is out of town for the date of my C-section and there are no others in Fresno that attend Cesareans. This means it will be up to me and Jon to do our best to keep the baby skin to skin and with me while they finish my surgery, have Jon accompany him/her to the nursery, and allow me to breastfeed in recovery. Tears ensue!!! On a positive note I'm a bridesmaid in Auntie "M's" wedding and have so much fun rocking a baby bump filled bridesmaid dress at 8+ months preggers.

34 Weeks

35 Weeks

36 Weeks

Weeks 37 - 39.5: Jon has to go out of town on a work trip for four days, but Reed and I end up having a great time at my parent's cabin and #2 stays put. Twice weekly non-stress tests continue. I chop off my hair in hopes of having an easier Mommy "Do." I finish up my last days at work according to schedule so none of our back-up plans have to be used. I also go to my last doctor's appointment and prenatal yoga class. Our friends Shannon and Kevin return the baby stuff that they borrowed for Clara and it becomes very "real" that we are adding a Little One to our family soon. I'm able to cook up a few batches of muffins and a few meals and Jon barbecues some meat for freezing so we will have some go to options when we get home. We talk to Reed a bit about Mom not being able to pick him up for a while and a few of the changes that are going to be taking place.

37 Weeks

38 Weeks

39 Weeks

Questions that people ask me often:

Differences between pregnancies? I'm "nesting" way more with this one. My linea nigra is almost non-existent with this pregnancy. I feel like I got uncomfortable about a month earlier (around the 7 month mark vs. 8 months with Reed). This baby is constantly on the move and protests with violent kicks anytime I try to lay down. While my weight gain with the two pregnancies was virtually the same, my belly is definitely bigger this time, and I have to say that this baby is putting way more pressure on my bladder and lower pelvis.

Do I think it is a boy or a girl? Honestly I have a different answer each week. Anything that is different from my pregnancy with Reed makes me think it is a girl (i.e., the nausea, nesting, linea nigra, etc.), but on the flip side my weight gain and how I'm carrying the baby make me lean towards boy. I've only had about half a dozen people weigh in on what they think I'm having and they have been split between male and female (these have included our male farm manager and a mentally handicapped woman in a waiting room by the way). I have had one dream about the baby's gender and it was that it was a he.

What am I looking forward to about not being pregnant? Wine, being able to chase a toddler around a little bit more comfortably, sushi, and going for a nice run!!!

Are we ready to have two kids? As ready as we'll ever be!!! We can't wait to have our family of four and although we are under no illusion that it is going to be all smooth sailing, I think we have done the best that we can to prepare ourselves and Reed for this next step in our life.

Two Down, One to Go

It's official, I'm in my third trimester!!! We've continued to take weekly belly pics and I've tried to keep a few notes on the events of the last three months to share.

Week 15-16 While my "morning sickness" has been around for a while, I'm starting to feel a bit better. I reluctantly start wearing some of my maternity clothing and think I feel a flutter or two of baby movement. I also compete in a 10k race while pushing Reed in the jogging stroller.

 

Week 17-19 We get some test results back that indicate there may be something wrong with the baby, after a very hard and emotional night we see the doctor and are reassured everything is in fact fine. The baby is continuing to develop well and the only thing that will change is I will have ultrasounds every six weeks through my entire pregnancy to make sure that continues to be the case. We officially decide not to find out the gender and, drum roll please, I FINALLY start to feel like myself again.

Week 20 Jon feels the baby move for the first time

Week 21-24 Reed and I both get a horrible stomach bug and Jon gets a bad cold. Just when I start feeling better I catch the cold. I'm rarely sick and this marks the third time while pregnant that I've been ill, yuck!!! We return to the doctor for another ultrasound and get to see our beautiful/healthy Little One. This is a few weeks farther in development than we ever saw Reed in utero and the baby really looks much more like a baby than he did, pouty lips, chubby cheeks, and all.

Week 25-27 The baby's movement changes to be more of the rolling and pushing variety with a few sharp jabs thrown in here and there for good measure. I continue to run a few times a week but think I'm going to call it quits soon as I'm starting to get a bit uncomfortable. Between Jon's schedule and Reed's inability to sleep in I haven't made it to the pool yet, but think that is going to change very soon as I really enjoyed swimming when I was pregnant the first time around and the thought of feeling weightless is sounding more and more appealing.

 

 

Questions that people ask me often:

Do I want a boy or a girl? I honestly don't care as long as he or she is healthy I will be happy. A girl would be fun because Jon and I both grew up with a sibling of the opposite sex, but I also feel like I know how to do "boy" at this point plus we have a lot of clothes, etc. that could be used again. Like I said I really don't have a preference.

Cravings? Same as with Reed, dairy in general, particularly cheese. Since we try to keep an allergen free household I have a "cheese drawer" out in the refrigerator in the garage I visit at least once a day. I don't really crave them but if sweets and greasy food are an option I gravitate toward them a lot more than normal.

Differences between pregnancies? I felt this baby move a lot earlier than I did with Reed. I have gained a little less weight but as Jon pointed out the other day I'm "way bigger" than I was with Reed at this point - thanks Dear!!! I definitely felt more nauseous this time around and for a longer period of time. It is nice not sitting (uncomfortably) at a desk all day long since I only work two days a week, but keeping up with Reed can be exhausting and there are some nights/weekends that I do miss the ability to go to sleep/nap when I feel like it.

What is the theme for your nursery? I don't do "themes" very well, more like general color schemes. We are leaving the walls the French blue they were already painted. The other colors are a light grey, lots of white, and pops of red. Just like with the first nursery, we are reusing some old/vintage items, but are also adding some modern furniture touches. I will do a nursery tour when I have it a little more put together, but have definitely been working on it much more this month.

And So It Begins

I made the decision to blog when I was pregnant with Reed. I wanted a way for our Grandparents and other long distance friends and family to be able to watch our family grow and change and it seemed like a good way to document milestones, etc. for the Kiddo that was on the way. I went back and forth on the name of the blog, I wasn't sure about "And So It Begins" because I knew our baby would quickly be growing up and we wouldn't be "beginning" for that long.  However, I quickly realized that when you have a kid you are constantly starting new chapters, learning new things, and every day brings a "beginning." With that being said we start the next chapter in our family's life . . .

I love this picture for so many reasons, but mainly because Jon looks scared, Reed looks mad, and I look hesitantly happy. I think that pretty much sums up our feelings on the situation quite well!!! Baby #2 is expected to arrive during the first week of November and in all honesty we are over the moon excited. When you ask Reed where the baby is, he lifts up his shirt, points to his stomach, and says "baby tum" - it's pretty precious.

I didn't really write at all about my pregnancy with Reed, but now that I blog regularly I'm sure pregnancy information will sneak in from time to time and I also plan on doing a couple posts dedicated to the new Little One as well as, drum roll please . . . Belly pics. Good God I know, but I plan on this being the last time I'm pregnant and I think it might be something I look back on years down the road and am happy that I did.

Here is a quick recap of what my first trimester looked like:

Week 4 - Long story short I take a pregnancy test, don't even wait to see the results, and am floored when I get out of the shower to see a positive result. I take two more tests during the week. I know it is pretty much impossible to get a false positive, but I'm in disbelief so I keep peeing on sticks.

Week 5 - I get a horrible cold/flu that knocks me on my butt. Reed is such a sweetheart he keeps bringing me his stuffed animals to cuddle with and if he sees my wet washcloth on the ground he picks it up and puts it on my forehead. This was a miserable week and on top of a high fever, congestion, bad cough, and body aches I had no appetite at all. It wasn't until the end of the week when some of my other symptoms had gone away, but my nauseousness and lack of appetite remained that I realized I was experiencing "morning sickness."

Week 6 - 11 - I never throw up, but am nauseous quite often, most food sounds horrible save, saltine crackers, oranges, really greasy/unhealthy foods (fries, burritos, pizza, hamburgers, etc.), and my old pregnancy stand-by from the first time around, cheese. Oddly enough my sweet-tooth completely disappears. For the first few weeks of sickness I have a hard time working out and also don't play outside with Reed nearly as much as I normally do, favoring laying down next to him to stack blocks, read books, etc. During week 9 we take a family trip to my Doctor's office and get to see Baby #2 dancing around. Towards the end of this five week period I start to have a few days here and there when I feel normal, and am hoping that my appetite and energy levels will get back to normal soon.

9 Weeks

10 Weeks

11 Weeks

Week 12 - 14 - Although our parents have known for a few weeks, we've remained tight lipped with most everyone else. It is fun to start telling our friends and family our news. I also feel like my belly "pops" during this time period (this is weeks earlier than the first time around). During week 13 we get to see the baby on a 3D ultrasound and he or she looks healthy and even puts on a show for us sliding around my uterus and sucking his/her thumb. I still don't feel like myself but manage to sneak a few naps in here and there and otherwise just make the best of it. I also enroll in the same prenatal yoga class I did with my first pregnancy and am proud of myself for setting aside at least a small amount of time each week to focus on #2.



12 Weeks

13 Weeks

14 Weeks

I apologize for the Belly Pic outfits but I have a stack of these tank tops and running shorts, I feel like they are fitted enough that you can see the bump, and they fit me until the end the last time around.

The Bump

Normally I'm not one to show off my goods, but there seems to be a lot of demand for baby bump pictures. We haven't regularly taken preggo pics, but I thought I would include some pictures from the last few months so you can see the belly progression. Unfortunately, it seems the only time we are good about bringing a camera along with us is when we are going to party of some sort and ironically half the time we are in costume, my apologies to my poor child, I promise your Mom and Dad are pretty normal most of the time!

6 months Pregnant (80s themed Birthday Party at Roller Towne)

Just shy of 7 months along (Fun Day #6)

7 months pregnant (Baby Shower #1)

Just over 7 months pregnant (Baby Shower #2)

8 1/2 months along (Jon's early 30th Birthday party).
Please ignore the ping pong table battle wound on my shoulder.

1 week prior to my

"Due Date"

I think it is hilarious that my belly button is casting a shadow in the picture on the left below.

It's hard to believe that any day now, the little one that is taking up residence in that stretched out belly will be in our arms - absolutely mind boggling!!! Hopefully the next time you all hear from me it will be an easy labor and delivery story along with a much anticipated Birth Announcement.