Monday, December 28, 2015

Baby H: Week 22 (times two)

It was officially Christmas week around here and I'm constantly thinking to myself about how lucky I am to have everything I do. My husband and our sweet Mark boy plus a healthy pregnancy with baby boy #2 is really all I can ask for. Sometimes I feel guilty that I'm not giving this boy the same attention I did for Mark but he sure is starting to make me not have a choice. His movements are so much more often and so much stronger than Mark's were and I feel them all over my belly. I swear the other day he even had hiccups already!

I think I've officially hit the pregnancy stride that is second trimester and I'm thrilled about it. Sure I've had a few nights of not so good sleep (which might also be from a toddler with a cold) and my low back sometimes hurts depending on how much I've tried to do during the day but on a regular basis I'm really feeling great. Still no stretch marks or swelling and I can occasionally fit into some of my non-maternity tops which is always a self-esteem boost. The one negative thing that seems to be lingering is not being able to stomach too much spice. My head tells me I want it but it disagrees with my body, that's for sure. Whether it's heartburn and a stomach ache the same night or all the way to throwing up the next morning I sure hope it doesn't stick around after this boy arrives. 

Interestingly enough I've started to crave everything citrus just like I did right around this time before and Mark has been happily sharing Cuties with me since they're basically all I can get right now in the middle of winter. I also seriously crave sugary cereal and while I've always been a big dessert gal, ice cream has been the front runner lately. I probably ate the baby's weight in party potatoes and homemade mac n cheese from Christmas dinner and the leftovers but I'm counting it equal to all the alcohol I couldn't consume. Logical right? With all that said however I'm avoiding the scale and it's actually quite freeing. I do plan on being better about what I'm eating after the holidays are all over but I figure I'd be doing the same thing pregnant or not so enjoy little boy.

The last few days we've made some great progress prepping the house for our newest addition and I even did some serious work on the quilt for this little boy that's the same pattern as big brothers just a different color scheme. I can't wait to share! The room that will be Mark's big boy room is officially empty and as soon as his dresser arrives we're going to switch him and make the nursery a blank slate. I have supplies for a crib sheet and changing pad cover in line at the sewing machine and hope to find curtains and other decor items soon. We'll need to get his crib ordered and buy a new mattress and we'll have some major items checked off the list. 

In less than 4 months this boy is going to change our lives forever, making me a momma for the second time and a permanent boy momma, giving daddy his newest little sidekick and turning Mark into a big brother instead of our baby. We sure can't wait to smooch you little man!

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Baby H: Week 21 (times two)

This week was a big one in that it held our long awaited anatomy scan. Ultrasound days are by far my very favorite, getting a peak at the babe in my belly is always such a treat and this one was no exception.

Babe was quite the bundle of energy during the whole scan which made it so much fun. The scan started with baby's head under my left ribs and within ten min had totally flipped head down. I felt all the movements as this little one was trying to escape the probe and stay hidden but we thankfully got a look at everything we needed. There was one point where the tech had the screen filled with fluid and rapid fire feet kept popping into the screen all over the place! Heart beat was 145 which is only one off from Mark's at this point which I thought was fun. We confirmed my suspicion that my placenta is posterior this time since I've been feeling this baby way more (and much earlier) than I did with Mark. And as odd as it sounds we were thrilled that this one is measuring smaller than big brother, right around 60th percentile.

As far as momma goes I'm up about 13-14lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight which is close to what it was last time but it feels like this bump is waayyyy bigger this time around. I have two pairs of maternity jeans (one skinny rolled pair from Old Navy and one pair of jeggings from Gap) that I basically live in and thankfully have a good mix of non-maternity tops and sweaters to mix in with my maternity pieces making getting dressed fairly easy. I have a couple outfits planned particularly for the festive holiday nights and our anniversary which is making me feel great self-confidence wise instead of enormous. I'm trying to avoid wearing my leggings and more comfy dresses for a while since I found myself so sick of the few things I could actually fit in at the end of pregnancy. In other news my SI joint on my right side has been literally killing me lately and I'm getting the odd stretching sensation where my belly button ring used to be that I had with Mark too. My appetite is starting to reach teenage boy status which is perfect for the upcoming holidays I'm just hoping I don't feel to miserable yet after stuffing myself.

And finally we have made some big decision with the nursery/Mark's new room and hope to make some good progress before I go back into rotations. We decided to get the new baby a brand new crib and mattress and have Mark keep his own but the rest of the nursery furniture will stay for the new baby. We went and ordered Mark's new chair and dresser for his big boy room and unfortunately they will take longer to come in than I thought they would. Because of this we might not end up moving him as soon as I thought we would but I'm excited to start working on the decor items for the new nursery after the madness of Christmas is over. I've picked out a color scheme and have a good idea of what items I want to get for our new little one's space.

And because I'm picture obsessed but ultrasounds are all I have of this new babe, here's our comparison shot including the most recent profile. New sweet lips to smooch on in 4ish months!

Monday, December 21, 2015

Baby H: Gender Reveal 2.0

I say it again and again but I cannot believe we are blessed to be going through these same pregnancy milestones for the second time already! And what a more exciting event than finding out the gender of the little baby growing away in my belly.

I luckily didn't get the surprise spoiled during my anatomy scan from my OBGYN rotation and we filled out two cards that we gave to the tech to tell boy or girl. Since we were planning a get-together for the same day that complicated things with coming up with a reveal idea. J really wanted to find out at the same time as our families just like last time meaning I couldn't just do it myself. I'm lucky enough to have a fantastic friend who volunteered to fill cupcakes (from a box) with marshmallow creme filling (homemade and fantastic!) that she colored based on the card and then topped with white frosting. Thankfully this time around we only had to wait a couple of hours before finding out because I couldn't have gone much longer.

So after running around after my appointment we were home with a lasagna in the oven and our family (and us!) anxiously awaiting the results. We cleaned up from dinner and plopped Mark in his highchair thinking we could get him to smash a cupcake to find out if he'll have a brother or a sister. Well you'd have no idea that he loves squeeze tomatoes or pears or crackers like he can't control himself based on his reaction to the cupcake...


Baby H is a... BOY! Again!
A boy, another boy! Mark surely doesn't trust us that having a little brother will be loads of fun but I hope we can change his mind by the time the spring arrives. The thought of having two rowdy boys running amok makes my momma heart swell. I'll forever be the queen of our castle and I couldn't be happier even if it means my intuition was wrong this time. J is of course thrilled and is imagining all the trouble he can get into with his two sidekicks. Boys galore in this house for sure!
Baby H, just like for your big brother, knowing that you are our son makes us feel that much more connected to you. We are envisioning our life with you in it and it's so, so grand. You are making our family complete, making me a boy momma forever and we cannot wait to bring our second son into the world in 4 short months. xoxo Momma

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Thankful v20

Lately I've been thankful... 
[+] for walls filled with memories that can't be replaced

[+] for a warm house, good food and the ability to provide for our kiddos
[+] for wearing some dress clothes for the last time in a while

[+] for occasionally getting an answer right and feeling like a rockstar 
[+] for shenanigans, easy entertainment and lots of love 

[+] for a house decorated for the season and the start of new traditions
[+] for sharing a meal with those we hold close

[+] for running hugs and snotty, slobbery kisses
[+] for sharing mini scones even if it means I end up hungry

[+] for modern medicine to protect myself and the babe in my belly
[+] for lots of snuggles and eyelashes that tickle my skin

[+] for new "firsts" even if they turn my baby boy even more into a little kid
[+] for sunrises at the end of night shifts

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Baby H: Week 20 (times two)

It's been a really tough week and I've been a crabby, exhausted, sick mess. I mentioned last week that I was starting night shifts Monday night and happily (sarcasm noted) woke up with a sore throat, sinus headache and body aches Monday morning. Perfect! Add in the fact that it's hard to switch your sleep schedule no matter how good your intentions are and I was a hot, hot mess after a 12 hour shift Tuesday morning. My cold really only got worse from then on and after about 5 days I started feeling better but spending all those days snotty and tired and not sleeping well during the day were miserable. Thankfully I only have two more nights I have to work until this rotation is over and I can sleep like a normal person again because boy does this momma need it!

In better news this babe is turning into a mover and a shaker just like big brother was. I've just started to feel the movements from the outside and we've got plenty of rolls with stronger, quicker movements thrown in too. I haven't really noticed much of a pattern to when this little one is most active as it seems to just catch me by surprise but I'm noticing it more and more throughout the day (and night) and I love each one! I can't wait for J to be able to feel this baby and wonder if Mark will ever understand what's happening in my belly before the baby comes. Speaking of Mark, I have started asking him "who's in mommas belly" and always tell him it's the baby. We've also started telling him he's not a baby anymore and that he's a big boy which I realize he has no concept about yet but I figure it can't hurt!

We have the big 20-week ultrasound set for this coming Friday and I'll be 20w5d. I can't wait to get a good long peak at this babe and make sure s/he is growing right on track. We'll be finding out gender with our families just like last time and I hope all my OBGYN experience doesn't ruin the surprise during the scan. Thanks to a good friend we decided to go with filled cupcakes to reveal the pink or blue and are thinking about setting Mark in his highchair with one to smash to pieces.

Little one, we are just as close to meeting you on the outside as we are to the day you became ours and secretly momma hopes we meet sooner than 20 weeks from now. ;-) Every single day your tiny self crosses my mind more times than I can count and I can't wait till the day I get to hold you in my arms. I hope you're growing perfect and strong and healthy in there and know how much I love you even though we haven't officially met yet. Xoxo, your momma 

Monday, December 7, 2015

Baby H: Week 19 (times two)

One more week till we're halfway and I cannot believe it. It seems like time is just flying by and I have a feeling once the new year hits it'll seem like no time before there's a new baby in our arms. I'm up 9-10 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight which is about where I was the first time too. My appetite has decreased and I'm trying to make better food choices/eat less sweets in general lately. While everything ended up being okay in the long run, I hated how crappy I felt after my 20 week ultrasound last time so I'm hitting the ground running and hoping to avoid those feelings this time.

My body definitely isn't as happy this pregnancy as it was the first time which is complicated. I mentioned all the morning sickness/GI issues I was having in the beginning and now we've moved on to lots of aches and pains. My SI joint on the right side bothered me with Mark but two things are different this time. One I'm feeling it a whole lot earlier this time and two it's a lot more painful. One of my med school ladies worked on it a few weeks ago which helped but it's really been flaring up this week especially if I go from sitting for a while to standing/walking too quickly. I've also been having some low right belly pain on and off for a while now. At first it was feeling almost like cyclic ovarian pain (which is interesting because they noted on an ultrasound that there was a cyst on that side) and now I'm not sure if it's that or just low belly pain. It's always on the right side, I can point to exactly where it hurts and it's sharp and stabby. I took extra notice of it on Friday and was honestly a little nervous about it because it was pretty significant. Thankfully I was able to sit for a while, drink a lot of water and it ended up going away but it's definitely strange to say the least.

This coming week I start working two weeks of nights for my internal medicine rotation, aka 7pm to 7am and honestly I'm really nervous about it. I'm nervous that I won't be able to see my Marky boy as much as I want to. I'm nervous that I'm going to have a hard time adjusting to different sleep patterns. I'm nervous I'm going to end up starving without something to eat at an odd hour in the night. And all this complicated by the fact that there's a little one growing in my belly. I know there are plenty of working mommas who end up on night shifts and that I'll be able to figure it out one way or another but one things for sure I'm definitely not looking forward to the demands of it.

And speaking of being nervous, I have recently found myself thinking towards the end of April/beginning of May and having more anxiety/nervousness/fear than excitement/eagerness/joy and I hate feeling that way. My labor with Mark was so fast and I almost feel like I have a bit of PTSD about how the whole thing went down. Laboring to complete without any medication in less than 6 hours was dramatic for me and they say second babies come even quicker than the first. I'm anxious about being on a rotation when contractions start. I'm nervous about making sure Mark is taken care of should we need to run to the hospital. I'm scared I'll need something from J and won't be able to express it because I can't wrap my brain around what's happening to my body. When I find myself feeling and thinking these things I do my best to remember what a beautiful gift a brand new baby is, I try to remember that my body is meant to do this and I hope that going through it once before gives me wisdom to do it again but it's definitely unnerving to already be thinking these things and not quite know what to do about it. I know deep in my heart that everything will be okay in the end as long as this sweet babe and I are healthy on the other side I just need to be better about telling myself that in my moments of weakness. Being a momma has been the best thing that's ever happened to me and I am beyond grateful to get to do it again, no matter how I get there.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Baby H: 13 & 14 Months of Mark

One things for sure, this little boy of ours is basically our favorite human ever! He's so wild and independent and confident. He is full of spunk, can be so much fun and truly is a boys boy. It's been so awesome to watch him pick up on new things the last few months and I can't wait to see who this little boy will be.

He... 

[+] still sleeps 7:30-7:30 in general but with the holidays and him getting older we aren't always so strict about his bedtime. We try to make sure it's close but it's also nice to have the flexibility to stay out a bit later if something fun is going on. We're starting to transition him to just one nap which is a slow process but it's getting there. We try to keep him up longer in the morning (previously he was napping around 10 and we've gotten consistently till 10:45/11) and are letting him sleep as long as he wants for the morning, usually between 1hr45min-2hr30min. He's taking what's turning into a cat nap in the afternoon between 3:30/4 to help bridge the gap between his morning and bedtime. Ideally I'd like to get to noonish, sleep till 2 or 3 and then be up for the day but any progress is good right now.

[+] will go and find a handful of object by name now and it's awesome. He knows "ball" and will get whichever is in closest proximity. He knows J's childhood stuffed dog Tuffy and lovingly grabs him by the ear to drag him around. He knows "your lady" which is the blonde girl from his Little People garage and most of the time he grabs her car to go with. He also knows balloon, paci, the banana piece to his puzzle, Blue Bear and Reindeer (his other stuffed animals).

[+] consistently signs "all done" and not just for eating... getting out of the bath, wanting to be put down, and the cutest is when you ask him if he wants to nap, like he's all done with the day, "eat" especially when he's whining in the kitchen and banging on the fridge doors, "milk" when he's done with foods and wants a drink, and "more please" when we're giving him snacks (please just got added recently and it's the cutest!).
[+] will touch his head, hair, tummy, diap (aka diaper) and occasionally ears when you ask.  He also just recently started lifting J and my shirts if you ask him "where's daddy's/momma's tummy?". He'll also point to his nose and makes the cutest sniffing sound. He sniffs his feet if you ask him "do you have stinky feet" and kicks them furiously when he's in the bath tub or sitting in his high chair.

[+] searches for Ollie when you say his name and will give him big hugs and "pat, pat, pats" if you ask him to. He also gives his stuffed animals giant hugs too.

[+] grabs his shoes and stands by the door if he wants to go outside. He also reaches for the doorknobs if you ask him if he wants to go outside. We've been working on saying "open" when he stands near the door and he tries so hard but mostly just says a "p" sound.

[+] learned to stomp his feet and spins in circles with his arms stretched out. He also kicks balls if you tell him too and he's actually really good at it. He picks up dog hair fluffs and takes them to the trash can in the kitchen.

[+] knows how to blow air and we've been working on associating blowing with things that are hot. He helps cool down his food on his plate before he eats it and if you hold him while there's something on the stove he's usually blowing in that direction too.
[+] still isn't very vocal in terms of specific words but with everything else above we know his communication skills are on-par so while I'd love for him to start "talking" more I'm also proud of everything he can do. He is however constantly babbling it just has no association most of the time. He still makes the "da" sound the most and I think he's starting to connect dada to J. He also tries to say water, juice, hat, and hot and has actually gotten pretty good at saying Ollie. He's still never once said mama which drives me crazy but we're working on it.

[+] has been in serious teething land lately and I don't see an end in sight anytime soon either. He had two bottom teeth and four top teeth going into his birthday and officially he now has a bottom L molar to add to the mix. His top L and bottom R molars are both poking through the tiniest bits and I'm starting to see his two bottom lateral teeth beneath his gums. I seriously don't know what's with this kid and his out-of-order teeth but it's pretty funny that he only has two bottom teeth but has one molar already!

[+] can seriously put down some food sometimes. He still loves all fruits, yogurt, cottage cheese and apple sauce. He loves eggs, sausage and pancakes for breakfast and dominates anything pasta with his favorite being tortellini. He'll basically eat any meat we give him which is awesome because I've heard a lot of little kids don't like it. He drinks milk, water and diluted juice from both a sippy cup and a straw cup. Strange enough he really isn't a sweets baby, turns away after one taste of whipped cream, spits out marshmallows, etc etc which is great but very odd too.

We love you Marky Mark!

Monday, November 30, 2015

Baby H: Week 18 (times two)

I think this belly is definitely out there now and people aren't questioning whether I'm pregnant or not anymore. It seems like overnight all my non-maternity pants no longer fit and everything is just feeling tight. I'm hoping this means the baby incubating in there is growing just perfectly. Speaking of growing, my skin has been so itchy and dry lately. I'm sure some of it has to do with the snowy weather and running the heat all the time but goodness sakes is everything dry around here. My lips are chapped, my skin is itchy, my hair is staticky, I've been getting bloody noses. Thankfully I'm in a much easier rotation now in terms of minute to minute so I'm able to carry my water bottle around with me all the time making sure I'm drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day. The down side is all the trips to the restroom. You win some you lose some right.

This past week was Thanksgiving and lucky for me my aversion to "meats" subsided for the day and I was able to enjoy some turkey with all the fixings. I do wish I was able to have a mimosa while everyone chatted in the morning or a glass of wine when we sat down for dinner but that's alright, I made up for it in extra pie! I'm still wanting salty things on a regular basis and did some serious damage on Lays and onion dip over the last few days. New this week is a serious craving for vanilla hot fudge sundaes. J went out to both Sonic and Culvers at different points throughout the week to make a momma happy and I ended up buying ingredients when we went grocery shopping so he doesn't have to run out anymore. I've also been drinking more milk than usual (I've always been a milk drinker, just more so now) and was craving some of the green smoothies I used to whip up so at least all my eating isn't bad?

Looking back on my Mark belly at this time and noticed two very odd coincidences. One is that I wore the same exact outfit for my 18 week post with him in my belly, minus the fact that my non-maternity jeans still fit at that point (see above, especially the ice-cream!). The second is that it was also this week that I got my first unsolicited belly rub from someone and the consensus is in, I still hate it. It sure is strange that it happened both times in the same week isn't it.

We are a little less than 3 weeks out to knowing if this baby is a boy or a girl and I seriously cannot wait! Like I want to re-schedule my appointment for earlier cannot wait. My prediction is still holding strong (still not telling) to the point that I might have even bought something for this new babe with gender in mind. Oops. Regardless, I can't believe that I love this baby so much already and can't wait to know another piece of the puzzle to who this little one is going to be. My favorite parts of the day/week are those moments when Mark is sprawled belly to belly with me as I'm rocking him to sleep and under the pressure of his little body I feel his brother or sister squirm away as if to say "hi guys, I'm here too". I love you little one, don't you ever think anything different!

Monday, November 23, 2015

Baby H: Week 17 (times two)

Another week along and thankfully things with this baby are going very smooth recently. It's so different being pregnant in the winter this time around. Bundling up in sweaters, hiding under sweatshirts, wearing heavy jackets... all with this baby bump hiding underneath! Not to mention stretchy pants and no excuse to indulge over the holidays!

I had my doctor's appointment just the other day and this little babe's heartbeat was running right along at 144. I mentioned the dizziness/almost fainting episodes I was dealing with and while the NP I saw at my visit is "sure its food and water related" (which it very well might be), I wanted to make sure it wasn't related to anemia instead. I have a history of anemia not pregnant as well as pregnancy-induced anemia with Mark and since I had to get blood drawn for the second part of our genetic screening anyways she threw on a CBC just to check. She also said it couldn't hurt to start taking some extra iron regardless which will hopefully make a difference in my energy levels too.

And just like last time I'm in full time daydreaming land related to this new baby. I keep pinning new nursery ideas and am pretty sure I have a color scheme depending on this little ones gender. We've decided to keep Mark's current room as the official baby room meaning there will be lots of moving around upstairs before this baby comes. We have to rearrange the office to accommodate the guest bed which is currently in the room that will be Mark's big boy room. We'll likely be moving Mark out of the nursery sometime around Christmas just for the pure fact that I have two weeks off to deal with all the changes. Once he's settled in his new room I'll get to start on the new baby's nursery decorating. We've decided to buy another crib because the thought of moving Mark into a toddler bed, and having him transition before my due date, seems way too daunting. Plus I have no problem if he's in a crib till he's two, ha! I'm pretty sure we'll be getting another Jenny Lind crib because I love the classic design but I'm contemplating getting a colored one this time!

This week a friend of mine lost her baby and it breaks my heart. She was only one day ahead of me in her pregnancy and the thought of losing the sweet babe in my belly just makes my heart hurt. I couldn't imagine what a loss like that would feel like. I find myself laying my hand on my growing belly even more thankful than before for the healthy babe growing inside. Baby's sure are blessings and gifts and I'm so grateful to have another. We love you little one, more than you know.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Numbers v4

ZERO: the number of people who have commented on my baby bump. which is actually a plus for me because I frequently feel like it's large and in charge.

ONE: day left going into an OR for who knows how long. since I've already completed one month of surgery as well as my OBGYN rotation I can't anticipate needing to go into an OR after this month of surgery is finished. so strange!

TWO: the number of molars Mark has slightly broken through the gum right now. and I'm pretty sure there's one more that's really REALLY close too. hence the whining and the chewing and the less napping he's been up to lately.

THREE: shelf exams for rotations I've taken so far this year. also the number of shelf exams I have left!

SIX: the number of med school ladies who I'm missing like crazy lately. it's so different this year being in all different places on all different schedules instead of being on campus in class throughout the week. they all make me happy and I foresee a get-together happening soon.

EIGHT: inches of snow fell this week and we're predicted to get a few more in the next week too. we've had a fairly mild fall/winter so far this year so it's nice to have it actually feeling like winter every now and then.

THIRTY-FIVE: days till Christmas and I can barely contain my excitement. I'm pretty sure I'll be working on Thanksgiving and won't get to celebrate with family (although I'm insisting J and I eat stuffing and mashed potatoes another day if I miss it) making my holiday break that much more special.

ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN: number of days pregnant I am today. which means only 164 (ish) left until there's a new baby in my arms!

Numbers v1 v2 v3

Monday, November 16, 2015

Baby H: Week 16 (times two)

Same as last time, I'm shocked that at 16 weeks this pregnancy is 40% of the way done! It seems like the almost first half of this pregnancy has really flown by and we're that much closer to meeting this new sweet babe of ours. 

I might be on the last few days/weeks of the hair-tie trick for my jeans and am actually looking forward to maternity jeans. Hello stretchy waist band! (Especially for the holidays!) I don't think my belly was ever back to it's 100% state because looking back posts from when Mark was in my belly I haven't had any of the stretching sensations I did previously as this belly continues to grow. Speaking of growing, my boobs have already started getting bigger and I'm already keeping my fingers crossed this means a better milk supply once the babe makes his/her arrival. Really though my body has truly felt good this pregnancy. I was worried what being on my feet more, standing for hours in the OR, running to the ED, etc etc would do to my body and so far so good. Now none of this speaks to the exhaustion I still feel some evenings but that's 3rd year of med school standard I think. I'm lucky to have much easier rotations as the year goes on so hopefully the toll of carrying a baby doesn't get too much to handle. 

I'm still craving salty things but not nearly as much as last week. I'm also still turned off by large portions of meat and really any seafood except shrimp. Otherwise I have no pregnancy symptoms to report, no stretch marks, no itchy skin, no break-outs, etc etc. I'm happy that its been quite a relief to have no nausea this week too! I do occasionally still miss booze (hard ciders during football games, the thought of wine around the holidays) and really want eggs benny so I might be asking my doc at my next appointment what her real thoughts on eggs are. Ha! 

The best part of this week by far has been a few flutters that I'm finally convinced are the babe and not just gas. I was unsure for a while if I was actually feeling little baby flips in there because this is much sooner than I felt Mark but now I'm convinced. I also scheduled my anatomy scan for this babe (way ahead of time because of my stupid schedule) and we should know middle of December if I'll forever be a boy momma or if we'll have one of each. I'm really leaning one direction in terms of gender so we'll see if momma's right again. Thinking about whether this little one is a girl or boy has me so anxious to meet in the spring! 

And how about some comparisons shall we! 8, 12, 16 weeks with Baby #2 and with my Mark belly!

Monday, November 9, 2015

Baby H: Week 15 (times two)


Another week down growing this new babe and it seems like this last week really flew by which is always a plus. I found a silly size-comparison chart recently and seeing as I hate that babies are always compared to the size of fruits, was amused to learn this baby of mine is the size of a canary and/or an eclair. 

I'm still thankfully maternity clothes free (except for hiding my BeBand under my unbuttoned jeans) which is nice since the weather is starting to cool off and I'm not wanting to completely re-buy my wardrobe for the winter. At work I'm lucky enough to get to wear the lovely blue surgical scrubs every day and while I've had to go up a size in the pants it definitely makes getting dressed in the morning easy. I recently picked up a few long-sleeved maternity tops and a pair of maternity skinny jeans and I'm hoping leggings, long cardigans, dresses, etc from my normal wardrobe can allow me to not need too many more items. It's so different being pregnant in the opposite season this time around. I'll be sure to let you know if I prefer summer or winter pregnancies. 

This week I've been craving all things salty. I seriously can't get enough. In all honestly I think this craving is because I've been horrible about making sure I drink enough water every day so my body is going to the back-up plan, getting me to crave salt, to help retain water. It's my mission from here on out to make sure I'm drinking more. I've also really not been into my morning cup of coffee this week which is strange if you know anything about me and my love for it. It's great because I can tell my body is detoxing off the caffeine and I don't need it like I used to. 

One thing that's been a huge pain this pregnancy is that it seem like my whole GI system is out of whack. I was much more nauseous and had way more "morning" sickness this time around which thankfully is gone at this point. But in it's place it seems like my whole system is super sensitive and reacts much more extreme than it used to. Some spicy foods (which I've always loved and even craved with Mark) set my stomach off the next day and instead of just being a little uneasy, I end up vomiting and having spasm like cramps the rest of the day. I sure hope this doesn't hang around for good! I'm also battling hit-or-miss sleep which also happened at this point with Mark but on top of being super busy I'm exhausted by the end of the day. Not to mention frustrated that I can't just lay down and sleep at night. 

Even with it all, little one, I'm so happy to be on this journey with you!

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Baby H: Week 14 (times two)

I almost can't believe I'm already into my second trimester with our second baby because time seems like it's flying with this pregnancy already. And yet sometimes I feel like this baby has been around and part of our family for so long. Maybe it's because I know more of what to expect from here on out or because I'm less nervous the second time but either way, my momma heart feels like I know this baby so well and that he or she is a piece of our family puzzle we didn't even know was missing. 

I am happy to report that it seems like the nausea is starting to really be gone. It's been quite a while since I've even been close to throwing up and the mornings are getting easier to handle without immediately stuffing my face. I am finding that I'm hungrier during the day which is just par for the course when acting as a human incubator so I always make sure to have easy snacks to quickly grab and try to get something substantial (good carbs + protein) when I do get a chance to eat. It's much harder this time around because I'm in my second month of surgery rotation which means we often work through lunch, have surgeries that are hours long and as of right now no one knows I'm pregnant making it hard to sneak away to eat/drink. I know it's what I need to do to be healthy for this baby and for myself so I would never put myself in a bad position but it just makes things more complicated. Being busy has it's perks though as I'm still only up about 4 lbs which is comforting when I occasionally feel like a whale.

Speaking of surgery while pregnant I did have a moment in a morning surgery where I felt like I was going to pass out. I got very flushed and lightheaded, my vision got narrow, I started feeling sweaty and tingly. It was pretty horrible. I still haven't figured out what caused it (low blood sugar, anemia, standing with locked knees, dehydration, etc) but I found somewhere to sit immediately and slowly got better after a few minutes. I dealt with some similar dizziness during my pregnancy with Mark and it's definitely something I'll be mentioning at my next doctors appointment because goodness it sucks!

In happier news I've been thinking about what to do for another gender reveal which is so exciting. We should be finding out around the second week of December so I'm tossing around ideas that could maybe take into account the festive holiday spirit. J and I still need to decide if we'll find out ourselves first and then surprise everyone else or if it'll be a reveal for us too. I still have a good hunch about if this little one is a girl or boy but one thing that's different this time around is that I've wavered much more than I did with Mark. Regardless of it all though I'm so looking forward to knowing a bit more about this sweet babe in my belly! 

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Baby H: Week 13 (times two)


Just like last time it's so nice having the news out of the bag with everyone so I don't have to worry about who knows and who doesn't. Quite frankly, besides our immediate families, I don't see that many people on a regular basis that it would be hard to keep this belly under-wraps but the freedom of not having to worry about my belly, mentioning this new baby, not ordering a drink at dinner, etc is so nice. 

As far as this pregnancy goes I'm in a much better place than I was a few weeks ago in terms of nausea but am not quite over the hump yet. I do find myself dry heaving if I don't get something (preferably carb loaded) to eat shortly after I get up and certain smells throw my stomach upside-down occasionally. It's not a certain scent in particular but more of something really unexpected. As far as energy goes it's hard to say if it's coming back at this point. I have been sleeping horribly at night, not getting a full nights sleep in I don't even know how long, which definitely makes me extra tired by the end of the day/week. I'm also in the midst of third year rotations that has it's own level of exhaustion associated with it. 

Specific cravings are still staying away for the most part but I still find myself thinking about a certain item for days until I get my hands on it. I've been somewhat turned off from the idea of lots of meat, specifically just a piece of meat like a steak or grilled chicken with something on the side so I'm looking for protein in other ways. I'm happy to report that I am up only one pound since my last doctors appointment a month ago and only up around three pounds total. With how quickly this belly took off I was nervous it'd be much more than that. 

Speaking of the doctors, we had my 12 week appointment the other day and it was a combination of good, frustrating and stressful. I had told my doc we wanted to do the first trimester genetic screening with this babe but somehow it was lost in translation when I set the appointment. I was supposed to have an ultrasound and blood work done but neither was scheduled. Not to be high-maintenance but it's hard for me to make appointments with my crazy schedule, let alone ones that will take a longer amount of time so when I asked the receptionist to confirm I was peeved it wasn't right. And to make matters worse, there wasn't an ultrasound tech in the office that day, we had an overly tired, skipped-his-nap Mark who was about to lose it and I had an exam to get to shortly after. Thankfully they called another office who was willing to see me over the lunch hour but things didn't get better yet. I went in for my scan and don't know if the tech was annoyed to work over lunch or was rushing because of my test but he was super quick and literally didn't say anything about baby, no input about measurements, no mention if he was seeing what he wanted to, didn't even tell me the heart rate. And was gone by the time I got myself cleaned up and dressed so I couldn't even ask. So here I am freaking out about our baby and whether something was wrong as I'm headed to take a two hour exam. Needless to say my brain was elsewhere for the 100 questions. I was able to call the nurse line and get all the info by the end of the day and thankfully everything is looking great with baby! But it was a stressful many hours and I was beat. Baby was measuring 13w4d with a heart rate of 155 and the genetic markers so far are checking out normally. 
Here's to the start of second trimester little one. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Baby H: Adding to Our Family

J and I have always known we wanted more than one baby (the jury's still out on a third but two was always the plan) and the older Mark got the more and more we started to think about what we wanted the dynamics of our family to look like. 

Just like last time around our decision about kiddos is based largely around my med school journey. Sure it would be nice to have the freedom and flexibility other families have but frankly, we just don't. I am currently in my third year (of four) which will be followed by a residency program with a length of anywhere between 3 to 7+ years depending on the specialty I choose. From what I've heard through the grapevine having babies is harder in residency than in medical school, not to mention we are currently close to both our parents and might have to move out of the state/across the country for a residency program. With all that said it was easy for us to come to the conclusion that we wanted our second baby to arrive while I was still in the school part of things. 

So with that decision made we knew we had approximately two years to welcome this new baby into our family and started talking even more specific in terms of timing. We decided, again fairly easily, that we ideally wanted our two babies to be the farthest apart that they could be while also having baby #2 be the oldest that s/he could be when I'm starting residency. Aka we didn't want babies one year apart but also didn't want a two week old as I begin my program. With all that said we did the math and jumped on board about growing our family. 

We were thrilled to find out we were expecting our second bundle on August 21st, 2015!
And yes, that meant we were incredibly lucky a second time in that it took no time at all for me to get pregnant. Just like with Mark we had a bun in the oven after one month of trying. And just like the first time too, we both knew when it'd be possible to see those two pink lines so J was with me the morning I tested. The interesting thing is that I was just as nervous, if not more, the second time around to see if we would be parents again. I don't know if it was because of the ease of things the first time that I was convinced it wouldn't be so easy again but those three loooong minutes of waiting were just as hard with this babe. And seeing those positive tests was just as rewarding and life changing. 

My estimates and my 8 week ultrasound measurements agree with Baby H #2's due date as May 1, 2016. J is hoping this babe will be a week late and arrive on his birthday while I'm hoping baby comes a week early because it fits better with school, ha. It'll be very different for me being pregnant through the winter vs through the summer with Mark but regardless of anything else, we cannot wait to meet our spring time bundle!
Photo taken at 8w5d with a heart rate of 169

We love you more than you know little peanut! 
We are so excited to watch you grow in momma's belly the next 6 months and welcome you into our family.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Baby H: Weeks 4-12 (times two)

I cannot believe I am lucky enough to be in this place again, posting pregnancy updates and growing the newest member of our family in my belly. I absolutely love looking back at each week of my pregnancy with Mark and so while it might be more challenging this time around to stay on top of these posts, I'm doing to do my darnedest to give baby #2 the same amount of attention 

So let's catch up shall we!
4 weeks: I still can't believe that I am so blessed to be starting another pregnancy already. Life is really just trucking along this week and being so busy makes me often forget that I'm actually pregnant. I did have to step out of an OR during my rotation this week because they brought in the X-ray machine and I just wasn't going to put myself and our little teeny babe at any risk, even under a lead jacket. You are far too precious little baby and momma's here to protect you forever. 

5 weeks: I'm not sure if its from being a human incubator or from finishing my surgery rotation but I'm definitely getting more and more tired at the end of the day this week. I've also started watching my caffeine intake, limiting myself to what's considered safe, which could also be contributing. Otherwise I'm not having any obvious "I'm pregnant" feelings yet which also explains my neurotic testing again to make sure the two lines still showed up. My first doctors appointment for this new babe is officially scheduled and it's on Mark's first birthday. Life sure is crazy sometimes isn't it?!

6 weeks: For some reason it's been harder for me to keep this little babe a secret than it was the first time around. Only one of my girlfriends knows (partly because she's in the same boat as I am) but I keep finding myself thinking "no Jayme, don't say anything" when I want to spill the beans. My starting weight this pregnancy is about 5lbs higher than it was with Mark and so far it's holding steady. I've had occasional bouts of lightheadedness, nausea and a flushed feeling when I get too hungry so I've been carrying Justin's Almond Butter packets in my scrub pockets to whip out at a moments notice. Otherwise no other pregnancy symptoms so far. I did have my first "hunch" of what this babe's gender might be but again, I'm not telling! 

7 weeks: Just like my first pregnancy, week seven brought with it the nausea! Thankfully I haven't actually gotten sick yet, again like last time, but it definitely isn't any fun to be stuck in an OR or a patient room as my head starts to spin, my stomach gets queasy and my saliva starts going like crazy. Keeping on top of hunger and hydration and carrying peppermint gum seems to do the trick for now. Looking back on my posts from last time made me realize my boobs haven't been sore AT ALL this time. Which on one hand is fantastic but on the other hand is tough when I'm already worried/anxious/convinced there's not actually a baby in there. Two more weeks till we get to take a peak and I can't wait.

8 weeks: Holy cow was this week loooong. I am at the stage where my exhaustion is at its peak. My work schedule makes it so I'm never home before 6ish so afternoon naps are out of the question making me fall asleep on the couch most nights shortly after Mark goes to bed (sorry hubs!). As far as other symptoms go my nausea has seemed to dwindle some the last few days (knock on ALL the wood), my boobs occasionally get a twinge in them and I'm thirsty all the time! I've started brainstorming potential ways of sharing our news with family and friends and think I have a few options depending on when we decide to announce. In all honesty, it might be the bump that dictates when we tell. I'm not sure it's staying hidden for much longer!

9 weeks: Dang you nausea! This week has definitely been the hardest and even involved vomiting in a tupperware in my car on my way to work. Yep, really. My nose also has kicked it up a notch in sensitivity which left me gagging in my mouth in the cafeteria with all my co-workers around and quickly darting out of a patient room because some smell set off my stomach. Here's hoping it goes away soon because it's hard to explain random vomiting without coming out about this babe. The end of this week held our first doctors appointment and everything is checking out perfectly! There's just one babe in there (thank goodness!), heart rate around 169 and everything else looking great.

10 weeks: This week has been so much better than the last few. My boys ended up with quite the tummy bug that I seemed to escape and am beyond thankful for that! At the beginning of the week I was still nauseous all day every day and even threw up a few times but then I remembered my doc suggested B6 & ginger. It's either a huge coincidence or man does that stuff help! I took both right when I got them and haven't felt nauseous since. Hallelujah! The belly is definitely growing and I honestly haven't stepped on the scale at all yet so I have no idea if I should be worried this thing will be massive by the end. We're in "figure out a way to tell our families" mode because I don't think I can hide it much longer.

11 weeks: We officially told our moms this week and it was so great spreading the news with them. With this belly of mine growing so quickly it's nice to have it out of the bag with the people we see the most. As an update from last week, it's definitely the B6 & ginger helping my queasiness as I skipped it a few days in a row and fell right back into the nausea. My energy "seems" to be getting better as I'm not exhausted every single day anymore. There are days where I feel great and then others where I'm beat but I'll take it for now. Surprisingly I'm having very few cravings this pregnancy, don't know if that's from being more busy and not having time to think about foods or what. I do sometimes get an idea in my head that I HAVE TO HAVE but the foods are never consistent day-to-day.

12 weeks: It seemed like this belly popped a few weeks ago but is staying pretty consistent now which is definitely a plus because I was nervous I'd be huge by spring. In the middle of this week I had what I believe was a stomach bug of some sort and it was horrible! I was at work, had to run out of a patient room to throw up in a trash can and ended up leaving early because I just couldn't shake it. With a prescription of Zofran (which I'm fine taking in moderate amounts), some Sprite and graham crackers I was thankfully able to rest and was feeling mostly better, yet drained, by the evening. It was pretty rough not feeling well on top of being pregnant and I'm nervous to go through the whole winter now.

Week 13 update coming soon!

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Welcome to Our Patch



We are thrilled (and maybe a little crazy) to be adding a new little member to our family! 

Just like last time I'm one day shy of 13 weeks and so excited for this journey. 

More details to come!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Mark's Firsts: One Year Birthday


Mark's first birthday party was weeks ago and here I am blogging about it now. I wish I had a better excuse for the delay but frankly, I don't. And yet I wanted to be sure to document this special day. Our first born's first birthday! Because it sure was a magical day. Filled to the brim with love, pork sliders, sunshine, blue frosting and those we cherish most. 

It was a celebration of our first year as parents. A celebration of all Mark has learned and how much he's grown. A celebration of those people in our lives who helped us when we needed it, when we didn't think we needed it and just for the sake of being there for us. Mark has grown into such a wild, spunky, independent, free-spirited boy and we can't wait to see what the next year brings. And what better way to sum the last year than with a party!

Happy belated Birthday Mark!


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Thankful v19

Lately I've been thankful...
[+] for daddies who love their kiddos fiercely 

[+] for late starts and early releases 
[+] for baby buns

[+] for yummy coffee creamers to spice up my morning cup
[+] for spunk, lots and lots of spunk

[+] low-maintenance hair and make-up to pair with my scrubs
[+] for easy bedtimes and sweet milk-breath

[+] for cheap yet yummy candles to burn in the evenings
[+] for getting to be a wild boy mom 

[+] for free breakfasts, and lunches, and snacks
[+] for weather that doesn't quite feel like fall yet

[+] for other momma friends and their advice and encouragement
[+] for a toddler boy who's learning so many new things

Happy hump day!

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