Baby H: Week 37 (time two)

Full term! Full term! Full term! And it feels fantastic. Baby boy we made it!

Thankfully this week I'm feeling relatively good and it was a quick 7 days. For as miserable as I felt the past few months it seems like things might be easing up on me the tiniest bit or maybe I'm just getting more used to it. There are still moments where I feel like I can't move my legs without pain in my pelvis but they're equalled by days that I feel great. My heartburn is still around but manageable, I have numerous new stretch marks on the underside of my belly and I keep getting weird twinges in my boobs that I can only assume are "growing pains". I've actually been having less contractions recently which is fantastic. I'm not sure if my body got sick of "practicing" or if it has to do with sitting around all day on my current rotation but I'll take it no matter what!

My doctor's appointment this week got a little goofed up as I was supposed to have my appointment plus an ultrasound for growth and positioning but they had to split up the two. So I only had my ultrasound which, lets be honest, is the more fun of the two parts by far! Little man is low low low which didn't surprise me and spent most of the time with his little fists in front of his face. His heartbeat was 140 and he's estimated to be 6#11oz (57th%) already. Everything with him that we could see checked out perfectly and he even flashed us a few smirks & grins making this momma fall even more in love with him already. 

We ended the week by getting our maternity/family pictures done. I wanted to get something scheduled asap since who knows when this boy is going to make his arrival which unfortunately meant it's an awkward season outside for pretty pictures. Things aren't quite blooming here yet but the pretty winter snow is also gone making for lots of dead sticks in most places. Our photographer had the great idea of doing more of a city/modern shoot which is so different than all the shoots we've done before so I'm so excited to see them! On our way home we stopped at a new burger place I've been wanting to try and unfortunately, while it was probably the best burger I've ever had, it did not settle well with me the next day. Picture vomiting in a tupperware in my drivers seat. Yeah, it was glorious and meant I got an extra day to my weekend as I couldn't make myself go into the hospital after that. 

In random news the last minute laundry (rock n play cover, boppy, etc) is now complete and so is the hospital bag minus the last minute items we'll grab the day of. I picked up a second mirror for my car to peak on BOTH my boys and while I was shopping I got the boys matching 4th of July shorts for the summer. Little brother's "Hello, my name is ___" onesie came in the mail and quickly got hidden from the eyes of the grandmas to be revealed once he's earthside. 

It still sometimes doesn't seem possible that I'm going to be a momma to two sweet, wild, handsome boys in such a short amount of time! As my second pregnancy comes to a close I'm feeling all the feels... Trying to savor the strong rolls and hiccups at 3am knowing this might be the last time I experience this. Loving on my first born the best I can before he becomes a big brother. Being nervous as all heck about going through labor again but also so anxious to kiss this boys sweet lips and hold him in my arms. Baby boy, you have 11 more days of cooking and then you're free to join our family! 

Baby H: Week 36 (times two)

We've officially hit baby month! And I'm absolutely shocked that we're already here. The 1st came and went and now here we are less than 30 days from meeting our littlest boy. I have an exam on the 22nd so I am keeping my fingers (and knees, ha!) crossed that he'll stay put another 20ish days. Strangely enough though J and I both had the same thought on the same day that we have a sneaking suspicion he's going to make his arrival before my exam. Let's hope he doesn't!

This week it seems like baby boy is even lower than before. I didn't think that was possible but it sure is apparently. He's pretty much been hanging out with his body on my right side and his feet dancing all over on the left. Well his kicks are definitely far below my ribs and it seems like his legs are over a foot long with how far he can reach those heals! Every so often he gives me lots of jabs and punches on the inside surface of my left hip which is such a strange feeling. And I can't forget to mention that his head is basically ready and engaged in my pelvis at this point often making it feel like I can't bend forward without literally squishing him. Between his positioning and my contractions I've definitely been waddling for weeks and am still loving my support tank to help hold this belly up. There are many days (including how I view the above picture) that I feel as enormous as a house which is pretty demoralizing so to say I'm ready for my body back in many ways is an understatement.

As far as other symptoms go I'm pretty sure I have a new stretch mark on the underside of my belly but it's hard to get a good look since this belly is large and in charge. Also on the growing trend lately are the lovely breasturants and I'm hoping and praying this means better supply to feed our boy with. My heartburn is still the same, being totally manageable some days and out of control/making me nauseous others and this is by far the thing I'll miss the least once this boy arrives. Thankfully my exhaustion has been bearable this past week as my new rotation has me basically sitting on my butt all day every day. It's boring as all get-out but exactly what this body of mine needs for the last month of my pregnancy.

Thankfully this week we made a good amount of progress towards being ready for his arrival. After two short conversations between J and I, baby boy officially has a middle name so his name is complete! Over the weekend we also got tons done including finding and boiling all the bottles, nipples and pacis and pulling the rock n' play up from the basement to be washed and ready for some baby snoozes. I also picked up the last minute toiletries and snacks I'll want and started throwing together our hospital bag. I went to my prenatal massage and it was heavenly on my sore muscles. Unfortunately it's not just my muscles giving me trouble at this point so I'm by no means "fixed" but it was nice to get away for a few hours of complete relaxation. We also placed a big Amazon order with our double video baby monitor for the boys to share along with some nursing supplies this momma is going to need. It was definitely a good week and we are now that much closer to baby boys arrival which is the best of all.

Baby H: Baby Sprinkle

It's been almost three weeks since we celebrated Little Brother at my sweet Baby Sprinkle! Since this is baby #2 (not to mention the same gender) this get together was much smaller than Mark's shower but it was just as sweet and special. My small group of special ladies did fantastic at making little brother and I feel so loved as we ate a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, chatted about big brother Mark and pregnancy number two and enjoyed each others company. 

We picked Seasons 52 as the location because they have fantastic food, tons of wine (which the three pregos in the room were jealous of!) and a perfect space for a group our size. I stuffed myself silly with the most delicious crab meat wedge salad and eyed all the flatbreads and tacos and wine around the table. The room we were in was gorgeous with just a hint of baby shower with some balloons and touches of blue for baby brother. 

My mom picked up a book (that we didn't already have in our collection) from our favorite book author Nancy Tillman and all the ladies signed it with sweet messages for our newest addition. They also guessed baby's birthday just like last time because it was so fun seeing who got it right with Mark. We played one game where everyone guessed if I would prefer this baby to have certain traits, like hair color, sense of humor, athletic ability, etc etc, that took after myself or after daddy and the winner got a little gift card. 

Baby brother was gifted some awesome presents, including the tiniest pairs of shorts, a bunch of diapers and books and his own duck to snuggle with in his crib... all of which had me daydreaming of his tiny, little self! We ended the afternoon with bundt cakes from the same place we had for our wedding and party favors each with it's own blue nail polish in honor of our family growing by one blue boy. 

A huge thank you to my mom for coordinating/hosting, my MIL for decorating and providing the yummy desserts/festive favors and my favorite ladies for helping this momma feel loved and special as my life is about to change again forever. 

Baby H: Week 35 (times two)

Another week (and bump picture) with snow on the ground and goodness sakes is this momma sick of it. I was curious how it would be being pregnant in essentially the opposite time of year with this babe compared to Mark and realized a few months ago that I'd gladly take the seasons of spring into summer than fall into winter. I know it seems odd as most ladies avoid being pregnant in the dead of summer but I'd take that over winter any day. It's been harder to dress this bump for cold weather, my coats no longer zip, my belly often feels constricted with all the layers and waistbands, I have to wear socks and shoes more often, I feel larger without some color to my skin, etc etc etc. Can you tell I'm ready for spring weather to stick around?!

After my last doctors appointment that included a cervical length check I was on a high because I had a few days of feeling great. I don't know if it was in my head because I officially knew everything was okay or if something being "near" my cervix made it "lift" but it seriously seemed like I had a new pelvis. Then I got hit by a truck and had one of the worst days I've had yet. Since then things have been fine, nothing great nothing horrible which I'll take because dang am I sick of complaining. I think my better mood might also be coming from some better sleep recently. It's been weeks since I've found myself awake for hours and for that I am so thankful. Plus my heart burn seems to be stable which I've been nervous about. I figured since it came on so much earlier this time, it would be that much worse at this stage but it's not and I'm thrilled. I even had Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner and only needed two Tums in the middle of the night! 

In other updates, we are officially registered at the hospital to make check in come baby-time that much quicker. I've finally gotten in contact with our photographer and am hoping to get our session scheduled with her in two weeks and I'll be calling the spa later today to set up my massage. I did the load of laundry that has all of baby boys new clothes (seriously preppy baby shorts and polos in mini size are the cutest things ever, I totally don't need a girl!), his coming-home outfit as well as all the hand-me-downs from big brother I can't wait to see our second boy wearing. The car seat base has been re-installed in my car ready to hold a backseat of boys and J and I have started discussing middle names but haven't decided anything yet. 

We celebrated Easter, our last holiday as a family of three, over the weekend and it's crazy to think the next holiday will include our newest boy. We spent the day with multiple family get togethers, naps in the afternoon, way too much food and a smashed toddler finger (oops!) but it really was a great day. I love holidays and festivities so my mind kept wandering to next Easter, picturing both boys in collared shirts, toting around their personalized baskets, dominating the fruit salad at brunch. Then my mind wandered to the margarita, lets be honest multiple, that I'll be enjoying for Cinco de Mayo after this baby is born at our next holiday celebration. Oops! 

Between 4 and 5 weeks till we meet you sweet baby and this momma can't wait!

Baby H: Week 34 (times two)

Every week that goes by seems to be a shock to me. I think being busier this time around has made parts of this pregnancy really fly by and I can't believe we're already at 34 weeks. And the even crazier part is that realistically we only have 5ish more weeks left since I'm anticipating an early babe. 5 weeks seems insane!

At my doctor's appointment this week we chatted, again, about all the contractions I have been getting. Thankfully they do decrease when I make sure to be very hydrated but they never quite go away completely no matter how much I drink. We talked briefly about how labor "started" for me with Mark and were advised (like we didn't already know!) that should any "real" labor signs start, to call immediately. I did ask for them to check my cervical length, not because anything could be done about it at this point but just so I knew where I stood, which meant an unexpected ultrasound a peak in at our little boy. The tech did some quick growth measurements and little man is looking great weighing approximately 5lbs already, 42nd %tile with his head low, low, low! My cervical length is thankfully perfectly normal which eases my mind a ton. All these contractions and nothing's really happening down there yet. I'll be singing a different song in a few weeks I suppose but for now he's nice and tucked up tight in there which I'm thankful for.

Symptom wise this week has been about the same. It totally depends on the day how miserable my pelvis feels as some days I can barely go from sitting to standing without TONS of pain and pressure through my pelvis and some days I'm up and down on the floor chasing Mark without question. On the tougher days it is really hard for me to accept being "slower" and taking it easy. For example, one afternoon we all ran to Target to pick up a few things and I was winded, with my belly as hard as a rock, feeling like I was literally chasing my boys and yet I was walking as slow as a grandma. It's definitely frustrating that something as easy as a Target trip can be so hard for me now. Otherwise this week, my appetite has still been hit or miss with most of my intake usually being in the first part of the day with tiny meals for dinner. The plus is I haven't changed weight recently which is always nice at this stage. I'm still swelling free, for sure have stretch marks above my belly button and get exhausted by the end of the day. Thankfully my sleep has been a little bit better, usually involving one bathroom trip and lots of waking to toss and turn and fight with my body pillow but I think that's all to be expected at this stage of the game. I haven't had any of my hours of insomnia in a little while which is a huge relief (or just a sign of being that much more tired than before).

I'm starting to get a little anxious with all there is left to do before this boys arrival. Its definitely tough trying to balance weekend activities we have going on, fitting in study time for my inevitable tests and handling baby related items all while being super pregnant and having a toddler to chase around. Granted there aren't that many "essentials" that HAVE to be taken care of before he arrives (ex he won't be using the bouncer for quite a while so it doesn't matter if it's washed) but the uncertainty of how life with two-under-two is going to look has me wanting to take care of EVERYTHING sooner rather than later. At the top of our list of things to do that has to be done however is deciding on this little man's middle name! I'm also waiting for a response from our photographer about setting up round #2 of maternity pictures and also hoping to get my prenatal massage scheduled sometime in early April as well.

Time sure is flying by baby boy and this momma can't wait to meet you! Looking back at pictures of your big brother in the hospital the night he was born and those first few days has me so excited to hold you in my arms and love on you the best way I know how. I can't wait to see who you look like, what your little personality is, how you fit into our family. So so soon my sweet boy!

Baby H: Week 33 (times two)

Hello baby brother bump and hello big brother photobomb! Ha!

Symptom wise this week has been pretty much the same as the last few. Unfortunately my rings are officially on my necklace instead of my fingers but this was the same week it happened last time too. I had a feeling they were starting to get snug but kept avoiding actually trying to take them off in fear of them being stuck. Well it turns out I should have tried last week because I definitely got the sweaty, claustrophobic, uh oh! panic when they wouldn't come off. Thanks to some cold water and butter (literally) they are off. Also this week I finally started taking my PPI for heartburn and goodness, it took all of three days to make a difference! Hallelujah! The first two days I wasn't sure if it was helping because my symptoms vary depending on what I eat but after three days and no Tums plus being able to drink a diet Coke without burping/feeling the carbonation in my throat instantly/getting heartburn afterwards I was convinced. And it feels so good!

At my appointment I mentioned all my BH contractions, their increasing frequency, the fact that sometimes they're painful, etc etc and while my doc wasn't extremely concerned at this point she did tell me to really listen to my body. She pushes to making it to 34 weeks (I don't know why it isn't longer than that, really) and told me to sit as much as possible, rest when I need to and up my water intake even more than I already have to see if that helps. She told me we can always check my cervical length which I declined at this point but will probably request at my next appointment just for sanity sakes. In all honesty it was a hard pill to swallow that I have to rest more, that there are things I should no longer do, that I'm not capable of the go-go-go I'm used to. I've always been such a go-getter always trying to do something at every moment but I'm trying to give myself grace, knowing that the end is in sight and allowing myself to nap when I need to or rest on the couch without feeling guilty.

In better news this past weekend was my absolutely lovely Baby Sprinkle for little brother. It will get a post of its own but it was such a nice afternoon spent with some fabulous ladies celebrating the littlest boy in our family. It also meant I was in full-nesting-mode after sorting through our gifts and got a handful of other things done for baby's arrival. We picked up all the butt paste/gripe water/mattress pad last minute necessities we needed. J pulled out the bin of Mark's old clothes and I picked through it figuring out what items will work for this little man in the opposite season. I finally finished the binding on his quilt and hemmed his curtains which means I have two sets of photos/blog posts to write for each of those. It feels really good to get a handful of items checked off because in reality time seems to only be speeding up.

49 days or less, little boy!

Baby H: Week 32 (times two)

We're 80% of the way done, baby boy! I can't believe it! I remember this time in my last pregnancy, being into third trimester, that much closer to the big day, found almost in awe of how quickly the last  7 months have flown and the feelings this time around are no different. It's truly amazing what our bodies are capable of and the changes that seem to quickly appear when forming a new life.

This week sleep really has been hit or miss and unfortunately it seems like every night it's something different keeping me up. Whether its raging heart burn, an aching pelvis, having to get up to use the restroom multiple times or the lovely pregnancy insomnia, I've been counting my blessings if I'm up for less than an hour at random times throughout the night. Weekend days I try to be good about getting a nap when Mark does but week days definitely don't allow for that. Oh and it seems like every time I'm awake in the night, so is this boy in my belly as if to say "I'll keep you company momma!" He's still a huge mover and shaker all. day. long! to the point of wondering if other people/patients in the clinic can see my belly bouncing and changing shape with this boy's stretches and jabs. We've thankfully stayed away from all the rib pain Mark put me through but in exchange I get the lightning bolt cervix punches instead.

I am patting myself on the back this week about my increased water intake although I'm not actually feeling any different from it. I don't know how it keeps slipping through these updates but for the last month or so I've been craving all things "grainy"... yogurt with TONS of granola mixed in, Nature Vally Oats & Honey bars, etc etc. Something about the crunch (without the overwhelming salt like chips) is just hitting the spot. I've also been enjoying green smoothies in the mornings even if it means I have to share my "moooo" with my toddler! My appetite is still down in general with most of my hunger occurring earlier in the day and come dinnertime being almost nonexistent.

Unfortunately I've still been having my fair share of Braxton Hicks contractions and they're actually something I'm going to emphasize at my appointment next week. My doctor told me to call/come in if I have more than six in an hour which hasn't happened at this point but I'm still quite concerned some days. For example, in the evenings sometimes going from sitting on the couch to standing will make me have one but resting makes them stop. My question is, does it count if I were to go from sitting to standing six times in an hour and essentially cause the contractions to happen, does that count? Not to mention that they seem to be getting stronger and more painful when they do happen. I'm almost wondering if hooking me up for an NST after my appointment would be warranted at this point just to check things out.

On a related note, the concept of possibly having something to worry about with early labor did get J and I thinking about what all we need to get done before this boy arrives, specifically getting a bag together to take to the hospital. I decided to make two lists, one of things to-do and one of things we need to buy, and hang them on the baby's closet doors so I can add to them when I think of things. So far we have things like buying diapers and breastmilk storage bags and washing clothes/jumper seats and contacting insurance for a new pump. It's crazy to think we have less than 60 days till this little boy arrives and we become a family of four! 

Baby H: Week 31 (times two)

At the beginning of this week I got some good news about how things will work out with school when this little one makes his debut. Today I start my second month in Family Medicine and then have a month of Psych after that. I'm set to have my core rotations end a mere 9 days before my due date which is perfect timing (assuming he doesn't come any earlier than that!). Since Mark was 4 days early I'm thinking this little boy will arrive somewhere between my 39th and 40th week. I will then get 4 weeks completely off which is actually a plus since I had this much time with Mark but was also doing a few other things at the same time. Then I'll get 4 weeks of board studying for Step 2/Level 2 so while I'll be involved with that I'll at least be home and can snuggle/feed my new boy and set my own schedule. So this takes us basically to July and I'm not sure what the end of summer/beginning of fall will entail but this is at least a step in the right direction.

Symptom wise this week has been a bit better than the average and I'm very thankful for that. I got some OMT done for my poor aching pelvis and while I'm still pregnant so by no means 100%, any help is greatly appreciated. I've been drinking at least +70oz of water every day which I can tell is helping even if it means I have to pee all the time. I've been sleeping okay (minus Saturday night which was a nightmare!) and have noticed that I don't really have much of an appetite during the day. The decreased appetite is actually comforting though given that I am up close to 25lbs already with two more months to go but this is right where I was with Mark and everything turned out fine. I've been wanting a lot of Mexican food, ice cream and tart beverages like lemonade and orange juice. I'm still swelling free, my wedding rings are still on and I think I have a new stretch mark above my belly button.

My doctors appointment this week was short and sweet with everything checking out as it should. Little man's heart beat is as strong as ever, my belly is measuring right on track and he is for sure head down (which I could have told you with all his hiccups in my lady bits!). I mentioned again that I've been having quite a good amount of Braxton Hicks contractions still and after a few suggestions/warnings from my doc, she said "we really just have to get you 4 more weeks and then I don't care what happens" which is absolutely mind blowing! I hope he stays in there longer than that but I guess anything is possible.

I don't know if I'm just emotional stressed, thankful, overworked, tired in general or if it's magnified by being pregnant but I have been all over the place in terms of emotions lately. I'll find myself laughing so hard I'm in tears after we've finished dinner, Mark is running wild in just his diaper giggling his head off feeling so thankful for what my life has become and then within an instant a switch flips to feelings of anxiety about how things are going to change and how nervous I am about being a momma of two. Sometimes J and I will be chatting, he'll look at me and ask if I'm doing okay and it's all I can do to hold back the tears because I feel like I'm at the limit of what I can handle. I'll sing Mark to sleep in his room at night, his body somehow perfectly sized to lay right around my growing belly as if my lap would be too small otherwise and I'll end up soaking the top of his head with tears because of how I know in my heart my most important job in this life is being these two boys' momma. Basically I feel like I'm crying all the time. So if you see me make sure to have some tissues and be forewarned that I'm basically a hot mess!

Baby H: Week 30 (times two)

30 weeks down means 75% of the way towards meeting this little boy of ours! Plus it likely means we are in single digit weeks until his arrival making the coming of spring that much more exciting. 

This little man has always been quite the mover and shaker, much more than big brother, and it's becoming evident that's not letting up anytime soon. I swear he moves all day, every day. Since my placenta is posterior this time around I am definitely more aware of what body part is where and I'm often laying my hand on my belly feeling him push his back/butt out on one side and moving his legs across the other side. He does grace me with cervix jabs frequently and I'm starting to get occasional rib kicks too as my belly just runs out of room. I forgot how miserable my ribs felt last time! Just like big brother he gets the hiccups often already and it's so different feeling them in my pelvis instead of in my belly (if that even makes sense). 

Sleep has been really hit or miss this week which is definitely a drag. Usually I can fall asleep fairly easily but staying asleep amidst the rolling from side to side, hip/pelvis pain, heartburn and frequent bathroom trips is tough. Not to mention me waking up often signals this boy to start a dance party and falling back asleep doesn't always happen easily. Speaking of pelvic pain it is seriously getting bad and I'm not sure what to do about it at this point. My SI joint on the right and my PS and entire left hip get shooting pains throughout the day mostly when I change levels from sitting to standing or standing to sitting. There was one time getting out of bed that I literally couldn't take any steps for a minute or two because of how bad it hurt. I'm hoping to get in for some OMT soon and might end up scheduling my prenatal massage for sooner rather than later at this rate. The one thing that's been my saving grace when it comes to aches and pains is my Blanqi support tank and I notice such a difference on the days I wear it. This boy is so, so low and this tank really gives me the support I need to carry him around with me every day. 

Over the weekend Mark's new big boy chair finally arrived which means we can finish both rooms upstairs. We started with Mark's room, hanging all the decor/wall pieces and buying new shelves for his books and will hopefully be able to finalize baby brother's room this coming weekend too. We had a bit of a mishap hanging his massive wall map, I need to change around his collage wall just a bit and his curtains need hemming and then I'll be able to do a new nursery post. Not to mention I'm slacking at his quilt post as well but it's not like I don't have anything else going on ;-)

Keep growing in there little one but really, I'd love to be able to kiss your sweet lips in two-ish months, okay?! 

Baby H: Week 29 (times two)

We have officially moved to every two-week appointments and this past one went swimmingly. My belly is measuring right on track, no one said a word about my weight gain and baby boy's heart beat was ticking right along at 145. I believe he's head down because she found his heart beat low on my belly and hopefully he stays that way. And the best part is that I passed my glucose test with flying colors. I knew deep down I didn't have anything to worry about (much like how it was with Mark too) but it's always stressful thinking back on all the dessert you've eaten and having guilt for it. At my appointment I mentioned all the frequent Braxton Hicks contractions I've been having (basically all day every day) and she just told me to keep an eye on them getting more painful or having more than six in an hour. She also is great and lets me schedule a ton of appointments ahead of time and at this point I'm scheduled out till April, which will most likely be baby month (!!!), and that absolutely blows my mind. 

At this point with Mark we were gearing up to start our baby classes at the hospital and even though we've chosen to forego any new classes this time around, I hope to sit down with J sometime in the next month or so to chat about it all again. My labor with Mark was quite the doozy because of how fast it was and I want to make sure we've briefly chatted again about what we need from each other as my due date approaches. We've also briefly talked about the game plan for who will come be with Mark & Ollie as we welcome baby brother which helps settle this momma's heart. 

Symptom wise this week hasn't been anything out of the ordinary. I'm still my usual exhausted self by the end of the day but thankfully I've been sleeping decently minus the shenanigans our toddler has decided to pull the last week. My ribs have still be jab-free which helps make up for my entire pelvis always being so sore. I'm still stretch mark and swelling free and fitting into a handful of non-maternity tops to stretch (literally) my wardrobe. Sometimes I notice that I really have no appetite, in fact as I'm writing this I realized I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast and it's after 2pm, but I'm really just trying to listen to my body about what it needs. I'm still turned off by pieces of meat, still drinking lots of milk and still getting heartburn if somethings too spicy/I stuff myself too full. One thing that's definitely different this time around is how much more I notice my belly being in the way and it all has to do with Mark. Giving him a bath, rocking him to sleep, carrying him around when he's needy etc etc etc really take it's toll on my growing size. 

I've been working this week on helping make decisions about the little "baby sprinkle" the grandmas are throwing baby boy and I in about a month and hopefully after that I'll be motivated to finish getting ready for his arrival. Buying diapers, washing newborn clothes, filling drawers with essentials, picking up summer clothes since he's off season from big brother. And hopefully sooner rather than later J and I can decide on his middle name making that process complete. I also have a prenatal massage gifted from Christmas that I need to schedule, maybe the beginning of April? Its crazy to think we have less than 77 days left until we become a family of four! Gosh I can't wait to meet this new little boy!

Baby H: Week 28 (times two)

Hello third trimester! Holy cow! I can't believe we're already to this stage and am reminded over and over again how quickly time seems to be flying. I have my doctors appointment at the end of this week and then we move to two-week appointments which is insane. Officially being in third trimester makes it that much more real (as if I needed other reminders besides this growing bump!) that we'll have two little boys of our own so soon. 

This past week included my birthday which was a nice celebration. Although I wish it would have included a glass of wine or a dark beer I felt very special marking another year off the calendar and made sure to indulge in plenty of dessert. J and I enjoyed a nice dinner out followed by a movie and we continued the celebrating through the weekend. I got a pampering mani/pedi, we took Mark to his weekly swim lessons, I got a decent nap which is always a bonus and we enjoyed dinner (and homemade cherry pie) with my mom. My birthday always falls around the Super Bowl which meant we had some of our good friends over for the game and I was able to make a big pan of homemade mac n cheese which baby boy has been asking for for weeks! Not to mention celebrating a Broncos win! 

I think nursery prep is officially complete for baby boy as I finished his feature art piece last week and finally found the perfect decor items I was searching for. I still need to finish the binding on his quilt but after a fabric mishap it is officially back on the to-do list for sometime soon. We are STILL waiting on Mark's new chair and hopefully it comes soon so we can get both rooms complete. My mom and I have been chatting briefly about a little Baby Sprinkle the grandmas are throwing baby boy and I and I'm looking forward to celebrating the newest addition to our family. I have no idea when I'll get around to pulling the bins of teeny-tiny clothes from the basement along with all the "baby gear" but I have a feeling it'll still be a while since we're usually so busy.

Overall though it really was a good week. I think I finally had a week where I was complaining less and actually enjoying being pregnant more! I think I've found my groove as to what triggers my uncomfortable-ness (too tight pants, no support of my belly, being too full, etc etc) and have thankfully been sleeping better which just makes for a happier momma. Looking back at my Mark posts I realized how happy my ribs still are with this boy as he is low, low, low! I'm still swelling free but my feet tend to hurt quite a bit depending on how active I am through the day. My wedding rings are starting to get the slightest bit tight so we'll see how long they stay on. And by far the best parts of the week are all this little man's movements, seriously it seems like he's constantly up to something in there. This week his rear-end/back has been hanging out to the left of my belly button and he's been dancing his feet and swinging his arms like crazy all along the right of my belly. I feel him stretch and roll and sometimes my whole belly shakes/quivers and I wonder what he's up to in there. Maybe I'm just more in-tune with it but it seems like he moves so much more than Mark ever did which is fabulous because it puts him in the front of my mind all day long. I love this little boy with my whole heart and I'm thrilled to be one week closer to meeting him on the outside!

Baby H: Week 27 (times two)

I said it a handful of times to J this past weekend but I seriously can't believe we only have one more week till third trimester with our second baby boy. Where has the time gone?! I'm in shock almost that we're already so far along, it seems like I should just be barely pregnant (or just have an infant Mark!) let alone being this close to d-day. I've been having ALL the prego-hormone emotions recently about this possibly being my last pregnancy and lets just say, sometimes I'm a hot mess. We're most likely stopping at two littles but I don't want to close that door forever just incase but thinking about this being the last time I feel my child roll inside, the last time I'll experience labor, the last time I'll snuggle my own newborn the moment they're born.... yeah I better stop thinking about it or I'll bring on the tears. 

Switching gears entirely, I've been having crazy dreams the last week or so but thankfully sleeping a little bit better overall. I'm not sure if the dreams have anything at all to do with being pregnant but it's strange none the less. They're not "scary" necessarily but just very vivid, seem to last a long time and I remember them for quite a while after I've woken up. I'm actually feeling less uncomfortable this week which is definitely a plus for this momma. My ribs are still feeling great, baby boys kicks and jabs are strong but not painful and it seems like the braxton hicks contractions have eased a little bit. I am however having the worst pubic symphysis pain, like literally painful to even the slightest touch and shooting pains when I stand up from sitting on the floor. My SI joints are feeling totally normal again and I only get jabbed in the cervix a few times each day but man this PS pain is the worst.

In other random news, I'm still eating Cuties like they're going out of style and have heart burn on the daily! I'm still turned off from large portions of meat and still eating my fair share of sweet treats. I've been much better about drinking water this week which is hopefully why I've been feeling better too. I'm up 19lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight (and for comparison purposes, was up 18lbs at 26 weeks with Mark) so I'm happy with that even though I find myself large and in charge some days. I can't tell if I have a new stretch mark or if it's just the old one but the top of my belly button is looking mighty strange lately. Baby boy, who we so often already call by his first name (!!!), seems to move all day long and especially when I'm trying to put big brother to sleep as if to say, "you're squishing me!"

I got some (unofficial) good news with regards to time off when this boy makes his arrival and I'm thrilled, to say the least. One of my good school friends is also expecting (and due just about two weeks after me) and she had a meeting with school about "maternity leave" and shared the info with me. Assuming things go as planned and both baby and I are healthy, I'll basically get 12 weeks to spend with my boy and I couldn't be happier. Granted 8 of those weeks are likely to involve some work (because who am I kidding, I'm still in med school) but it's turning out to be a lot less involved than I expected making it so I'm home the majority of the time for those first few months. I will have to take a short (i.e. 48hr) trip to Pennsylvania for an exam when he's about 6ish weeks old which I'm nervous about but overall our timing with this boy couldn't have been more perfect. Any mommas with advice about pumping while traveling, flying with breast milk, etc etc tips, please share!

Here's to our last week of second trimester, little man! I'm so lucky to be on this journey with you and to be your momma.

Baby H: Week 26 (times two)

It's crazy to think that the boy in my belly is over a foot in length and weighs somewhere around 2 lbs already! Granted I realize he has three good months of growing left to do but having him be this size already puts it into perspective that there's a sweet little human in there. A little human I can't wait to meet.

Thankfully the week seemed to go fairly quickly which I'm thankful for as it seems like for one reason or another I'm sick of being pregnant by the end of the day almost every night. I don't know if I'm just being a big whiner this pregnancy, if I'm legitimately more uncomfortable this time around or if being a second baby and knowing how amazing it is to have a newborn on the outside is just making me anxious for him to be here but I'm definitely not enjoying being pregnant as much as I was last time. I'm also sure that some of my negativity lately has been from sheer exhaustion as I've been sleeping horribly recently. The combo of stress about school, a sore and painful pelvis from a really low baby and typical pregnancy insomnia have left me with quite a few restless nights leading to an over tired momma, that's for sure. 

It's been quite a while since I stepped on our home scale which is the one I use to track my weight gain since my outfits and time of day always vary when I'm at the doctors office. I'm still stretch mark free except for the odd skin above my old belly button piercing that was also there with Mark and I've had no swelling yet. My belly button is officially "neutral" and just the other night after a big dinner out I noticed it poking through my fitted shirt which is just oh so lovely. The heart burn keeps raging on a daily basis and I'm so jealous I didn't get my first taste of it until this time last pregnancy. I even got myself a daily heartburn OTC medicine to have on hand should it seem like Tums aren't cutting it anymore. So far I'll use anywhere between 2-4 Tums in a day to get relief but, TMI warning, I'm starting to think the extra calcium is making me constipated which definitely doesn't help my uncomfortableness. Plus the heartburn has been keeping me from stuffing myself because it gets worse right after a meal if I'm too full. 

In better news (because this post seems to be all sorts of crabby!) baby boy officially has a first name and I LOVE it! And nope, not sharing till he's here! We're still working on a middle name but knowing and thinking about his first name makes me smile every time. Now I just need to get to Hobby Lobby for his wooden letter for the nursery! This week we also got our double stroller and I can't wait to push our boys (!!!) around in it this summer. We went with the Britax B Ready (we had the Britax B Agile before) and in hindsight we should have just gotten this one the first time around so we'd just need the second seat instead of a whole new stroller. Thankfully we were able to get a used one from Craigslist and it's in great condition and much cheaper than a new one. We'll be able to use our infant car seat still and then have two seats once baby brother gets bigger. I find myself daydreaming of these types of things... walks with my heard of boys in the summer, having two carseats in my back seat, baby wearing little brother while holding Mark's hand as we wander through Target... Gosh I'm a lucky momma!

And to conclude, how about some real-life photo shoot action shall we? Mark usually stays inside while we snap these pictures because he'll dive right into the snow if he's out with us. And this week he was cracking himself up banging and slobbering on the glass.

Baby H: Week 25 (times two)

25 weeks down, only 15 to go! And realistically we're probably closer to 14 left given my circumstances. Mark was 4 days early and they say second babies generally come a bit sooner than the first. Plus it would be a huge benefit to me if this boy came about a week early and my doc said a while ago she was okay with "helping that along" if I really wanted. Gosh I can't believe how time is flying!

I had my 24 week appointment at the end of last week and baby brother is cooking just perfectly in there. My doc had no comments about my weight which is always a plus, my belly is measuring right on track and baby's heart beat sounded sweet as ever. I mentioned my horrible heartburn to which my doc was able to give me the go-ahead of which meds to take should I need more than Tums. With my crazy schedule it's easier for me to have a few appointments set in advance which means a couple things. Somehow I already walked out of the office with my lovely glucose-test orange syrup in prep for my next appointment. (And have I mentioned how nice it is to drink it at home ahead of time instead of waiting in the office for the hour to pass!) And the craziest part is that the following appointment puts us into the every-two-week category already! Granted that's still 6ish weeks away but it's crazy to me that we're even thinking about that yet.

J and I have made lists of our top names for this boy and I think we're getting relatively close to deciding. With Mark it was an easy decision (at least for his first name) so it's been interesting this time coming up with something that fits our newest family member. I think we'll decided 100% before his arrival but I guess there's always the option of having our top names ready until we see his sweet face. For now he's Baby Brother and basically any time I say the word "baby" and Mark is around he tries to lift my shirt which is just too cute. As far as his nursery is concerned, we're making slow progress but thankfully there isn't much to do. We're waiting on Mark's new chair for his room so we can move the couch back into the nursery to actually start the decorating aspect of both rooms and J's finished the handy-work on the map so now I need to find the time and motivation to get to painting.

Symptom wise this week has been about the same as the last few. I find myself more tired lately which I can only attribute to being so much busier with rotations and then coming home to a tornado of a toddler so what can I do. Not to mention that sleep has been very hit or miss lately but hey, no one ever said it'd be easy right? I've been getting my fair share of Braxton Hicks contractions already, more so when I'm bad about drinking water or have been on my feet a long time. Overall my belly and back are just more uncomfortable than I'd like so hopefully the pregnancy support tank J bought me as an early birthday present can help with both of those once it comes in. If not I'll get my relief in the pool during Mark's swim lessons for the next month at least. My appetite is still normal and I'm trying to be better about the sweets I eat but can't make any promises that I'm very successful. I still have no swelling or stretch marks and interestingly enough haven't really noticed the "fullness" to my hair that I had last time.

Baby H, keep growing in there (and moving and shaking too!) little one until the time is right for you to join our family. We can't wait to meet you but understand that your health is the number one priority. Momma can't wait to hold you on the outside, kiss your sweet lips and love you like crazy. I was envisioning your sweet face the other day trying to decide if you'll look similar or different from your big brother but regardless, you will be perfect in my eyes no matter what. I love you little boy!

Baby H: Week 24 (times two)

I had a shocking realization the day I turned 24-weeks that this pregnancy is 60% of the way finished and I have only 16 more weeks (or less) until this baby is out of my belly and into my arms! It seems like so long ago that I was 16 weeks pregnant so to think that's all that's left seems crazy to me. I have a feeling the next few months are going to fly by and all of a sudden we're going to be a family of four. 

Pregnancy wise I'm still not feeling as good this time around as I did with Mark but that seems to just be the trend. I have continuous aches and pains somewhere or another, usually in my hips and low back, but come to think of it my ribs have been feeling perfectly normal this time around. I have been thinking my belly seems so much lower with this boy as my stretchy pants are even tight sometimes and a lower belly definitely explains the back pain without rib pain. The aches have been keeping my up at night some which is never a good thing for someone who loves sleep like I do so it's lots of pillows for this momma. My belly button is seriously on the move already and given it's outrageous state last time I just have to accept it's hilarity and await the day it no longer goes back in. I don't have any new stretch marks or any swelling which I'm thankful for. We have a doctors appointment at the end of next week and hopefully everything checks out just perfectly.

Slowly but surely the nursery is starting to take shape and it's been so fun to think of another room for another baby. J's mom kindly gifted her new grandson a crib which arrived at the end of last week. We went with the same one Mark has and after a quick trip to purchase a mattress along with sewing up a crib sheet there's a crib in the nursery yet again. It doesn't seem so strange to see a crib set up like it was the first time around but when I think about there being TWO cribs upstairs I feel immensely blessed. The materials are purchased for baby boy's feature art piece, a big time world map, and I can't wait to start the painting for it once J does the handy work. One thing that's extra special in the new nursery now is that I bought the outfit this baby boy will wear home from the hospital and have it laid on the changing pad. It makes me smile every time I see it laying there picturing it filled with a squishy newborn!

In other random news we've been working with Mark about knowing that a baby is coming and it's so cute to seem him start to pick up on things. I don't think he has any idea what an actual baby is but we've been telling him "baby brother's in momma's belly" and any time he hears the word baby he comes over to lift my shirt. He'll occasionally sit on my lap with my belly out and rub it, put his hands on it and even give hugs and kisses to baby brother. I can tell he's picking up that my belly doesn't look the same and it's so sweet to think of him as a big brother. As far as names go we are far from deciding on who this little boy will be, not because we're disagreeing but because nothing's really jumped out as perfect quite yet. Just like last time we aren't going to share but we don't have a secret yet. My mom has started to mention possibilities for a second baby shower to celebrate this new little life and I'm envisioning a yummy brunch with pastries, a mimosa and coffee bar, lots of fresh fruit, etc etc. It's so fun getting to go through this all again and we feel so blessed by this little boy already. 

Can't wait to add in the picture for 34 weeks, although I'm nervous about the size this belly will be by then! (And a comparison to my Mark-belly for fun below!)

Baby H: Week 23 (times two)

Another week of baby brother growing in my belly and another week where I'm already so excited to meet him. I can't believe we're under 4 months already, it seems so soon! 

I finally jumped on the scale this week and I'm up about 15lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight which actually tracks right along with where I was this time with Mark even with the holiday binge-eating I've been doing! Thankfully our Christmas cookies are almost gone and J's trying to be better about eating too so we should be back on track now. With rotations about to start again we can get into our normal routine of making dinners at home instead of eating out and there will be fewer reasons to "celebrate" in the coming month or so. Plus I got an awesome new Ninja blender from my father-in-law for Christmas and I've been making myself green smoothies for breakfast (which Mark enjoys too) and I'm still craving all things citrus making snacking much easier.  

Mark has officially vacated baby brother's nursery and I was able to make a good amount of progress in there while on break. There are new curtains on the rods even though they need hemming. There's a new changing pad cover and crib sheet awaiting the arrival of the new crib. I've found some awesome decor items and J and I have been brainstorming the big feature art piece for the newest little boy. My sewing machine was also busy making his little lovie blanket and finishing everything except the binding on his triangle quilt. I can't wait for the room to really be ready for this sweet boy. 

In other pregnancy news I've been feeling all the aches and pains the last few days which could be from the seeming explosion of this bump or also from the bit of exercise I've been trying to do. My SI joint has been flaring up again and anything with spice is giving me heartburn almost immediately. But then I feel a roll or a series of kicks or notice my belly is already lopsided from holding this new baby and the negative thoughts of being uncomfortable are instantly gone. 

Baby H, I never doubted that my heart could love you, that I'd feel the same way about you as I did your big brother but it still shocks me with how much you already mean to me. I hope you hear me when I whisper quietly so only you can hear how much I love you. 

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!

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!

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

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