Labor... Delivery... and Baby Andrew!

It's been almost 3 weeks with our newest little love!

Our baby Andrew was born on September 5th, 2015 at 2:33am - and he shares his birthday with our wedding anniversary! It wasn't quite what I had in mind for our anniversary date, but it definitely made for a festive celebration.

42 weeks! Ready to go.

At 42 weeks pregnant, we finally went to the hospital for a scheduled induction. I felt torn - I really wanted a natural labor and delivery, but the risks associated with continuing pregnancy past 42 weeks made us uncomfortable. I tried all sorts of home remedies to get labor going - long walks, essential oils, massage, pressure points... Nothing seemed to do much. Maybe castor oil would've worked, but I'm glad James talked me out of trying it. It has unpredictable effects, including intense cramping and diarrhea - not how I wanted to start labor!

We arrived at the hospital around 5pm, arms loaded with bags and pillows... and lots of snacks, a music player, a yoga mat... And a big blue exercise ball! We were calm, collected, and prepared. What a weird way to have a baby!

After getting settled in our room and finishing some paperwork, the nurse put a saline lock into my arm. However, she stabbed the catheter under my skin and totally missed the vein... she had to switch to my other arm! Oops. The bruising was very attractive in days to come.

Finally around 7pm, the doctor inserted Cervidil (it looks kind of like a tampon) - a drug used to soften the cervix. Usually it works overnight, and by morning induction continues by breaking waters and starting an IV of Pitocin to get contractions strong enough to dilate the cervix. Luckily, Cervidil was all my 42-week-pregnant body needed to kick-start contractions!

A little after midnight, my contractions went from calm and annoying to wild and painful. The nurse removed the Cervidil as soon as things were getting crazy, because it can be dangerous if the contractions are stacked (almost no rest between them) like mine were.

After Cervidil is removed, it typically takes 30 minutes for its effects to wear off. The stacked contractions I was experiencing were so intensely painful and exhausting that I finally accepted some pain relief - Flexeril. I didn't even know what it was at the time (which goes against everything I believe in, I research everything that goes into my body!), but it helped me to feel brief comfort between contractions. Turns out, it's a muscle relaxant!

My contractions kept getting bigger and stronger. Things were happening so quickly! The nurse checked me, and I was already dilated to 7cm. My body took the reigns once Cervidil wore off, so at least my contractions were spaced out a normal amount.

Before we knew it, we were in transition! This is when your cervix finally dilates to 10cm. Some women throw up, and I actually felt really nauseous. I can't even describe how intense this stage of labor felt - your brain goes into a very primal place. I could literally feel my baby descending and getting ready to be born! There was plenty of screaming and yelling... it hurt like hell! I'm glad the rooms were soundproof. Well, I guess we left the windows open... but I'm sure no one was outside at 2am. Right...?

Anyways, the nurse scrambled to get the doctor ready and everything prepared. I remember thinking, "Why are they rushing around? It's not like the baby is going to be born right this second!"And then they told me I could push. I wasn't prepared! I didn't even have the urge to push. I was afraid to start pushing, because I've heard of so many women pushing for an exhausting number of hours.

But nonetheless, I pushed. To my surprise, Andrew's head popped halfway out! I couldn't exactly stop there (his poor little face!), though I really felt like taking a break. It was so uncomfortable. Everyone shouted "push!" - so a few more pushes and Andrew was completely born. Whew!

Birth was a beautiful emotional event, but physically, it felt like a warm watery alien slithered out of me. It was such a weird feeling. Our lovely blue-ish baby was placed on my chest right away, and James got to cut the cord. It was over! We made it.

Well, almost over. I had to focus on pushing the placenta out, and then endure the sharp pricks of stitches. And then we had our happy undisturbed family time with cuddling, nursing, and admiring our new son. He weighed 7lb 6oz and measured 21 inches long.

We're now a family of four. It's been an exciting few weeks adjusting to having a toddler and a newborn! Never a dull moment. Zoie is such a good big sister - her empathy and concern for Andrew is amazing! She has such motherly instincts. Poor Andrew might grow up having two mamas!

More updates to come on the adventures of Zoie and Andrew.

Cheers,

Martha

38 Weeks - The Waiting Game!

Such a heavy belly!

We're getting so close! Less than 2 weeks from my due date.

Most babies are born within a week before/after their due date, so starting next Friday it really could be any day! I've been feeling some Braxton-Hicks contractions randomly, but that can't tell us anything about when labor will start. We continue with the waiting game!

I've been declining cervical checks at my weekly appointments - I don't know why doctors want to "check" you so often! Even if I was dilated a few centimeters, that doesn't necessarily give us any information as to when I might have this baby. You can walk around dilated for weeks! I would much rather listen to my body and wait for labor to occur instead of building anticipation and stress over a measurement. Furthermore, I tested positive for Group B Strep (womp womp), so I want to reduce the risk of pushing the bacteria closer to the baby.

My doctor keeps reassuring me that Group B Strep (GBS) isn't something to worry about, since only a tiny fraction of babies are affected and an even tinier fraction if the mother receives antibiotics when labor starts. I'm allergic to penicillin, so I'll have to receive an alternative. It's pretty scary when you Google what happens when a newborn contracts a GBS infection!

It's a bummer that we're supposed to go to the hospital for an IV of antibiotics the second my water breaks, or whenever labor begins. I was hoping to spend early labor in the comfort of my own home! The hospital is only 5 minutes away. Who knows how long labor will last? Then again, it could be super quick. The IV won't take more than 30 minutes, but it needs to be administered at least 4 hours before the baby is born.

We have our hospital bag almost packed and ready! I learned my lesson from last time - no fitted yoga pants! The cold packs the hospital provides when you're recovering are huge (and wonderful), but the last thing you need is awkward bulging in your cute pants. Big loose gym shorts are essential!

Other essentials we're bringing: Bluetooth music player, exercise ball (this hospital doesn't provide them), my yoga mat, James' swim trunks (so he can help if I want to labor under the shower) and our own pillows and towels. For snacks, I like Rise protein bars and Odwalla smoothies, along with gum and mints.

I'm getting so excited! What kind of baby will he be? What will he look like? What will he sound like? What will Zoie think when she meets him? We'll find out in a few weeks! Or days? Who knows!

How far along are you? 38 weeks as of Friday! Less than 2 weeks until Andrew's due date.
 
How big is Baby? My belly is still measuring bigger each week, so Andrew must be packing on the weight! I bet he'll be about 7-8lb when he's born.

Weight Gain? I'm about 149, so total gain is around 23lb.

Gender? Our little Andrew is a BOY!

Maternity Clothes? Yep! Nothing else is long enough. Even some of my maternity shirts are getting a little short.

Sleep? I've been lucky with some good nights without insomnia! Zoie typically sleeps through the night, but this past week she's been sick and congested, which wakes her up a lot. James has been amazing and lets me sleep while he takes care of her.

Movement? Little Andrew is still head-down and ready to go, but he rolls his body around like crazy! Knees, feet, and who-knows-what jabs and shifts beneath my skin. It's wacky to watch and feel.

Food Cravings? I was just telling James today that I'm a little disappointed I haven't had more cravings this pregnancy. I should have taken advantage more often - The baby needs a Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzard! Right now! But boringly enough, our diets have been extremely healthy.

Labor Signs? Still nothing, except some random Braxton-Hicks contractions. A BH contraction feels like my belly is hardening for a minute, and then relaxes.

Symptoms? My tiredness has increased. My belly feels even heavier. But I'm highly motivated to complete house projects and get everything ready! The pregnancy "nesting" instinct is handy towards the end.

What I miss? I miss getting comfortable. With such a big belly, I don't stay comfortable in one position for very long - couch, bed, chair, driving... it'll be so nice once this belly is gone!

Best moment(s) of the week? James built a table for our new BBQ grill/smoker (The Big Green Egg), and it turned out beautiful! He also built me a raised garden bed so I can grow vegetables and herbs. It's so exciting having these projects complete!

What I am looking forward to? James' mom is flying in soon for a week, and it'll be so fun to have her visit! Zoie has been missing her Nana. It's a huge relief knowing Zoie will be taken care of in case we go into labor early. We're swapping moms the following week and my mom will stay with us for a while until Andrew is born! We're so appreciative of both our families' support - it's such a weight off our shoulders not having to worry about Zoie when we need to go to the hospital!

Cheers,

Martha

36 weeks - It's getting close!

We're having a baby in (hopefully) less than a month!

There's a basketball under my shirt!

So much has happened in the past few weeks. We moved from Kansas to California, had a fun road trip in between, and now we're getting settled in our new house. Getting settled also means we've taken on a dozen projects, like re-landscaping our lawn, planting a vegetable garden, building a table for our new Big Green Egg grill, craigslist-ing old items and purchasing new ones, and solving interior design challenges in our new space. So much to do before our new baby gets here!

Second time around, the baby preparations are much different (and easier). We already have almost everything ready - car seat, mini crib, lots of tiny boy clothes, and swaddle blankets. We'll do mainly disposable diapers until Andrew fits into the cloth diapers we already have, but we do have a couple newborn-sized Tots Bots Teenyfit that we'll use as often as we can launder them! They're amazing. So fuzzy! And expensive.

There are a lot of things we don't really need as well. Pacifiers? Never used them. Bottles? On occasion. Breast pump? Personally, it's pretty uncomfortable and I'd rather hand-express a few ounces when needed.

When Zoie was a newborn, she spent most of her time being held by someone or worn in a carrier. I plan on holding and wearing Andrew as much as I can, but there are times he'll need to nap in some type of rocker/sleeper (hmm which to buy?). One of my biggest concerns is balancing my time with Zoie and Andrew. And what about when I'm nursing Andrew, will Zoie use the opportunity to become mischievous? Ideally I'll be involving her with tasks to help me, so she'll feel included and won't get jealous. I don't see any perfect solution, but every family makes it work.

Zoie has been exploding with development! She turned TWO last week, which she definitely enjoyed. She woke up to balloons, presents, a yummy breakfast, and a new tricycle! We had a cake and candles for her later that night with friends. Now anytime she sees either a cake or candles, she announces "Happy Bur-bay"!

It's been a great couple of weeks so far - Monterey is such a wonderful place to live! The weather is literally perfect every day. There's so much to do within a short drive that we've hardly filled our gas tanks. I love being on the west coast again, I feel so at home here. However, the drivers are a little aggressive... Four-way (even two-way) stops? It appears to be a race of who can jump on the gas petal the fastest. Lane-changing can be exciting too. But overall, I really like the people and the community here. And finally, when I present my own reusable bags when shopping, the clerk doesn't look for a price tag!! It's the normal, expected thing to do here! It's a tiny thing, but it makes me feel even more relaxed here.

How far along are you? 36 weeks as of Friday. Less than 4 weeks until our due date!
 
How big is Baby? At my appointment on Thursday, my doctor said he bets our baby is about 6lb already. He has no concerns about Andrew's size or growth rate, which is such a relief compared to my last pregnancy! He's probably at least 18 inches long. About the size of... a newborn!

Weight Gain? My weight fluctuates between 147-149 right now. Haven't gained much in the past few weeks, but my belly is getting bigger! My overall weight gain is 22-24lb.

Gender? BOY!

Maternity Clothes? Yes indeed. The bump can't handle any regular shirts these days.

Sleep? I've been having some insomnia lately, where I'll wake up at 3:30am for no reason and just lay in bed for an hour, trying to fall back asleep. It sucks - what a waste of precious sleep! It's like my body is prepping me for taking care of a newborn. Thanks but no thanks, body!

Movement? Rolls, kicks, body shifts, hiccups... I feel it all! Andrew likes to play footsie with my right ribcage. Pretty weird feeling.

Food Cravings? Salad. I could have salad for almost every meal and be a happy girl! It's so delicious and refreshing.

Labor Signs? Nothing yet. Andrew is head-down and ready to go, so now it's just the waiting game as Andrew gains weight in my womb and decides he's ready to make his entrance into this world!

Symptoms? Nothing new, luckily. My skin on my belly is starting to feel tight, but no stretch marks. I've been applying special almond oil with vitamin E daily, so I think that's been helping.

What I miss? Alcohol! The grocery stores here have great selections of beer, and there are lots of wineries I can't wait to visit for wine tasting.

Best moment(s) of the week? I had a prenatal massage on Friday... and my massage therapist happened to be a birth doula as well! It definitely helped my tight muscles relax, and I loved talking with her about birth. It made me even more excited for our upcoming birth experience - I'm ready!

What I am looking forward to? Finishing projects and getting things done. It's such a high to accomplish a huge list of things that make your life easier and more enjoyable! And in between working on projects, we're busy exploring our new city and community. There's so much to see and discover, and we're blessed to have friends here to share experiences with!

Cheers,

Martha

30... 31... 32 Weeks - Packed up and ready to go!

Our adventure begins!

Little Andrew in my big belly!

We're camping out in an empty house. It's actually pretty fun! We kept all the essentials we need to be comfortable, so it's not so bad. We'll spend a few nights in a hotel as we vacate our house, and we'll be off to California!

While James and his dad are road tripping with our two cars, and Zoie and I are flying to meet them in Phoenix. I'm relieved we decided to fly most of the way - this belly is growing large rather quickly. It's hard to get comfortable sometimes, and long-distance driving sounds difficult for both of us. We'll take a couple relaxed days driving from Phoenix to Monterey, that will be easy.

James is from Flagstaff and has family in Phoenix, so we're really looking forward to visiting friends and family next week. We'll celebrate the 4th of July in Flagstaff, and we're even spending a day at the Grand Canyon.

Two weeks ago we went to James' cousin's wedding in Las Vegas! Our trip was packed with wedding events, great restaurants, cruising around The Strip, and watching the Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur. Zoie did amazingly well for such a busy weekend - she slept through the night all 3 nights! She had a whole queen bed all to herself in the hotel. Such a relief to know she'll sleep okay during our travels to California - we're going to be staying in hotels for almost 2 weeks before arriving at our new house.

It's hard to know exactly how much Zoie understands about moving. We've spent some time explaining what's happening, and at least she's okay with our stuff being "all gone". She'll point around at the emptiness, make the sign for "where", and then she'll say "new house!".

Yesterday while Zoie was going potty, a moth suddenly flew right by her face! She was pretty scared and startled. Luckily, it quickly disappeared outside the door. I reassured Zoie that the scary moth was "all gone", and she said "new house?" - I couldn't stop laughing.... bless her heart!

How far along are you? 32 weeks today. Two months left! It feels like forever.
 
How big is Baby? Baby Andrew weighs about 3.75 pounds, and measures around 16.7 inches from head to heel. At this point, he'll be gaining weight quickly and packing his skinny body with baby fat!

Weight Gain? Our scale is packed up, but I think I'm about 146. That's about 20 pounds - and I feel every pound weighing me down. I can't wait to shed this weight!

Gender? Baby boy!

Maternity Clothes? Yep! I have a pretty good wardrobe of maternity items now.

Sleep? Sleep is still going pretty well! I keep a pillow between my knees, otherwise my hips get sore. Zoie is still sleeping well, which is great for us! My sweet husband has been taking over nighttime duties if she does wake up though, which has been wonderful. Everything is more difficult for me with this huge belly!

Movement? Yep! Lots of movement throughout the day, but our little boy has lengthy stretches of rest. He might be a slightly calmer baby than Zoie was, and maybe sleep won't be such a struggle. Oh, and hiccups! I finally started feeling them about 2 weeks ago. Little Andrew gets hiccups all the time now.

Food Cravings? Not much right now. Our diets have been very random since we've been in moving mode.

Labor Signs? Still nothing, luckily.

Symptoms? Is feeling huge a symptom? I feel huge. Being pregnant is frustrating sometimes. Of course you get a baby in the end, and it's completely worth it, but it feels like a long time to sacrifice your body to make a person.

What I miss? I used to really look forward to evenings/nighttime, but that's the time of day when I'm most uncomfortable. My body gets fatigued, feels swollen, and my motivation to get things done just disappears... I miss life before third trimester.

Best moment(s) of the week? Realizing how many words Zoie knows! Her language is exploding. The other day, I put her into the bathtub without the rubber bath mat (it was packed up), and she exclaims "slippery!" as she happily slid her bottom around on the porcelain. I had no idea she even knew that word!

What I am looking forward to? Vacating our house and beginning our adventure! Our trip is planned, hotels booked, and we have a house waiting for us in Monterey. Woohooo!!

Cheers,

Martha

28... 29 Weeks - Getting ready for our next adventure!

We only have about 3 weeks left in Kansas!

Imagine a butternut squash inside!

It seemed so far away for so long, and now we only have a few weeks left! We finally have our move and travel plans scheduled and confirmed, so there's really not much to worry about. The only uncertainty is where we'll live - but I'm sure we'll find a house in the next two weeks.

I don't think Zoie really understands that we're moving, but she has traveled so much that it might just seem like another trip. She might be confused when our house is packed into boxes, but hopefully she'll enjoy the empty space to play for a few days!

Zoie is getting excited about being a big sister, that's for sure. I keep explaining that soon the baby in my belly is going to be a real baby we can hold and snuggle! And this girl seriously loves her babies. Her favorite activity is wrapping her Bitty Baby in a blanket, and rocking her to sleep while singing a lullaby. However, she doesn't discriminate. She'll take any object and rock it to sleep with anything resembling a blanket. She even wrapped my phone with a wet paper towel and sang it to sleep! Yesterday at Dick's Sporting Goods, she opened a box of soccer cleats and was delighted to find the shoes swaddled in tissue and tucked into their box bed. She pulled them out, rocked them back to sleep with a lullaby, and returned the cleats snuggly to their box. Dawww...

Less than 11 weeks until our due date! It's coming up quick, and we can't wait to meet baby Andrew! It's going to be fun moving to a new house and re-designing a nursery/toddler room. I'll post photos when we're finished. We don't need much baby gear, but we've been slowly stocking up on baby boy clothes - and they are much different purchases this second time around! Comfort, ease of diaper changes, and ease of laundering are the priorities. That pretty much means bodysuits with cozy pants, or pajamas! What outfit would I want to snuggle with...? That is the question :)

I have one more prenatal checkup before we move - and then it's time to meet my new doctor in California! Might sound weird, but I've never had a male doctor before. The local female OBs in Monterey didn't have very good reviews, so I'm going with a highly recommended male doctor.

My last appointment was interesting. I passed my glucose tolerance test (to check for gestational diabetes), but my doctor was a little alarmed at how low my blood sugar was an hour after ingesting such a concentrated amount of sugar. I'm the opposite of diabetic! Which is cool - it means my body can handle carbohydrates more easily than some people. Also means I'm less likely to become obese - yay!

How far along are you? 29 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Our little boy is about the size of a butternut squash! He's about 2.5lb, and somewhere over 15 inches from head to heel.

Weight Gain? Currently about 144, so that puts me up around 18 pounds.

Gender? It's a BOY!

Maternity Clothes? Oh yes. The bump is growing quite large. I just got some new maternity shorts and t-shirts from Target, it's HOT in Kansas right now!

Sleep? The last two weeks have been... AWESOME! Zoie is a completely different sleeper since her last molars finally came in. We are done with teething! She's been sleeping through the night regularly (like 8:30pm - 7:30am), with almost zero wake-ups! Even when she does wake up, we'll give her a drink of water and snuggle with her for a few minutes and she'll fall back asleep. It's so nice to finally have truly relaxing nights!

Movement? Lots of strong movement! Sometimes it gets uncomfortable as little Andrew sticks his limbs in my ribs and kicks hard against my belly. He's a pretty wild sometimes, but also has decent periods of sleep.

Food Cravings? Still just coffee (mostly decaf). I just bought a new coffee press called an AeroPress, I like it better than my french press! It makes a delicious brew.

Labor Signs? Nope! Nothing I'm noticing.

Symptoms? My ab muscles are getting weaker and weaker as my belly gets bigger. I'm getting less and less coordinated as I move and bend throughout the day. Looking forward to having my body back!

What I miss? Not much I miss lately, other than my old body. I miss being agile.

Best moment(s) of the week? It's been so fun watching Zoie lately. She's becoming more and more of a little person with so many distinct personality traits. There have been a dozen instances over the last week where we just marvel at the funny things she does or says.

What I am looking forward to? We're spending next weekend in VEGAS for a wedding! Looking forward to a fun time with family!

Cheers,

Martha

27 Weeks - Only a month before we move!

We have so many changes going on right now! Whew.

James changes jobs on Tuesday, we're moving to California in about a month, and we're having a baby in 3 months! So much to think about and plan for. Scheduling our movers, cleaning and vacating our rental house, planning our road trip, finding a new house... lots of uncertainty for our family in the next two months! By the time we're finally settled, we'll be welcoming our newest little member of our family!

It's exciting just the same - we're both ready for change. Kansas has been wonderful, but we're ready for the next big adventure! This is such a great opportunity with the Army for James to be able to get his Master's degree over the next two years, and for us to live on the California coast! And just when we're acclimated to the mild Cali weather, we'll move to beautiful snowy upstate NY for a few years while James teaches at West Point.

We still have plenty left to do in our last month here - hiking on the prairie, enjoying the zoo and discovery center, visiting our favorite restaurants, and taking Zoie to her favorite playgrounds and splash parks. It's odd to think we might never be in Kansas again!

So, we'll have a Kansas baby and a California baby. And who knows... maybe a New York baby after that? Or we could just stop at two. Two would be so much easier. But three would be fun... ;-)

How far along are you? 27 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Baby Andrew is somewhere over 2 pounds, and measures 14-15 inches long. He's about the size of a head of cauliflower. Zoie has been pointing to my belly and exclaiming "Baby Andrew!" more often, so I must be looking big to her! She even offered to feed him a bite of chicken from her fork the other day.

Weight Gain? About 141-142. Up almost 16 pounds.

Gender? Boy!

Maternity Clothes? Indeed. I can still get away with a couple regular shirts, but they're getting too short.

Sleep? It's been a rough week - Zoie's been waking up a lot at night. It's so sad when she pulls at her mouth and tells us "teeth hurt!" at nighttime. Ibuprofen works for her sometimes, but not completely. Luckily, her 2nd year molars are almost done breaking through her gums!

Movement? I've been noticing more distinct "awake time" and "sleep time" with baby Andrew. He sleeps a lot more than Zoie did in the womb! Zoie moved and kicked so constantly, her "sleep time" seemed very limited. Andrew will have longer periods of being totally calm. I've also noticed that I haven't felt any hiccups yet, I wonder when I'll feel it?

Food Cravings? Nothing much really, besides coffee.

Labor Signs? Nope! I never really had Braxton-Hicks contractions with Zoie, so we'll see if I ever feel them with Andrew.

Symptoms? Allergy symptoms have pretty much cleared up. They flared up for about a week, but I'm pretty much back to normal! Besides my annoying hernia, the only pregnancy symptoms I'm dealing with now are feeling huge and less agile.

What I miss? I miss lots of little things about not being pregnant. Mountain biking, ordering alcoholic beverages, curling my legs up in a chair without my belly obstructing my comfort... and not feeling clumsy. It's easy to underestimate the clearance my belly needs when I'm maneuvering around objects! Tight parking spot and trying to get out of the car? Fail...

Best moment(s) of the week? We had fun going to a hibachi dinner with James' parents on Friday night, but Zoie was pretty frightened of the fire on the grill! She loved the food - chicken, beef, shrimp, fried rice... it was delicious. This evening, James and I left Zoie with her Nana & Papa and enjoyed a date night! We only have a month before we move - we'll miss Nana and Papa so much!

What I am looking forward to? Tuesday is a very special day! James is changing jobs, there's a big ceremony, and we're having a BBQ to celebrate with family and some special friends!

Cheers,

Martha

25... 26 Weeks - Almost third trimester already?

One more week until third trimester!

It's been a good two weeks. On Tuesday, we had another sonogram to take a closer look at our baby's heartbeat. During our first anatomy scan, the technician found an irregularity with baby Andrew's heartbeat. My doctor said it can happen randomly as the baby's immature heart is growing and developing, but she wanted to be sure that we couldn't replicate the irregular heartbeat on a second sonogram. If it was still there, she would then refer us to a perinatologist. I tried not to think about worst-case scenarios, but I was pretty worried until we had the second sonogram!

Luckily, Andrew's heartbeat looked perfect the second time around. Everything was just as it should be. It was fun to see him squirming around again - he's such a cutie! I can't wait to see what he looks like. His weight and measurements are still right on track, which is a huge relief! With Zoie, her seemingly small size and decreasing growth rate had my doctor so concerned that we induced labor right at 39 weeks. She actually turned out to be much bigger than predicted from the sonograms. I regret not having the chance to experience natural labor, so I'm incredibly relieved we're not faced with the same issue. I'm hoping for a natural childbirth with baby Andrew!

The hospital we are planning to deliver at in California sounds wonderful - they recently upgraded to wireless waterproof fetal belly monitors and offer birthing stools to women who wish to use them! How awesome is that? I've also picked out my new doctor and spoken with his office about our arrival. I'm getting excited thinking about the final trimester and meeting our little boy!

How far along are you? 26 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Our little guy now weighs over 2 pounds, and measures around 14 inches long from head to heel.

Weight Gain? This morning I was 140.8 pounds... So I'm up almost 15 pounds! Last pregnancy I was up only 11 pounds at this point. Humph. Gaining weight isn't fun.

Gender? A BOY!

Maternity Clothes? Yep! These days, fewer and fewer of my regular shirts can appropriately dress this bump.

Sleep? Just when it seems sleep is getting better, spring allergies flare up again and attack! Zoie and I have both been suffering from sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes. Definitely harder to sleep right now. Something outside is pollinating and it needs to stop!

Movement? Just as much movement as ever! It's getting stronger and making my belly jump more. Baby Andrew is still kicking my bladder, and sometimes it feels like I still need to pee right after I go!

Food Cravings? Chocolate, sugar, and all good things that are bad for you.

Labor Signs? Nah, still nothing.

Symptoms? Allergies have returned! Hello again, runny nose and itchy eyes. Last year I didn't experience spring allergies at all... so I think it's definitely a pregnancy thing!

What I miss? I miss having intact stomach muscles! As my belly gets bigger, my ab muscles pull apart (diastasis recti) and become weak. It's getting slightly harder to get up from the couch or the floor.

Best moment(s) of the week? I had a wonderful, relaxing Mother's Day where James took care of everything. He got me flowers and treats, and took the reigns with Zoie so I could relax. Ahhh :)

What I am looking forward to? James has a 4-day weekend for Memorial Day! Not sure exactly what we'll do, but we'll have fun!

Cheers,

Martha

24 weeks - And his name will be...

Andrew James Bowen

Baby Andrew is the size
of an ear of corn!

I love keeping James' first name in the family, and using it as a middle name will keep things simple (although James Jr. has a nice ring to it!). We love the name Andrew! It was actually what Zoie was going to be named if she was a boy. Personally, I like the nickname Andy, and James likes AJ, but we'll just call him Andrew until we get to know him.

Zoie can already say Andrew! Well, she pronounces it "ah-drew", but close enough. Her language amazes me so much every day! Her little sentences are so cute. She's really good at saying "thank you" whenever someone gives her something, and sometimes she'll say it for you if she hands you something. She loves saying "bless you!" when we sneeze, though it sounds more like "bleh blue". She can't get the sss sound down yet, but I think we're getting close!

Babies are still Zoie's favorite thing. She can spend 30 minutes swaddling, singing, and rocking her Bitty Baby. She loves her baby doll to do everything with her, and gets very concerned if forgets her doll in the next room. It's fun to encourage her imaginative play, she gets such a kick out of new ways to interact with her baby doll. She loved it when I made her baby doll use the sign language she knows! I think she'll transition pretty well having a real baby to help take care of!

How far along are you? 24 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Baby Andrew measures over a foot long from head to heel, and weighs around 1.25 pounds. He's about the size of an ear of corn. His skin is still thin and translucent, but it's starting to change! His lungs are developing and he's practicing breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid.

Weight Gain? I'm 137.2, so haven't really changed since last week. Still up 11 pounds.

Gender? Baby boy!

Maternity Clothes? Indeed, this bump is getting bigger. Might need to go shopping again for cute maternity items!

Sleep? Sleep has actually been good lately! Zoie's two-year molars are still in-progress, but they haven't bothered her much for the past few nights. I think once her teeth break through completely, we could be on track for a toddler that sleeps through the night!

Movement? Lots of movement all day! I can see my belly jump sometimes, but usually I'm so distracted with Zoie that I don't pay attention as much. Andrew's little legs are still right against my bladder (I think he's still in a breech position), so sometimes he'll kick and I'll feel a quick jolt of omigosh-I-need-to-pee that disappears in an instant. It's a crazy feeling.

Food Cravings? Coffee. Every morning I grind up my decaf beans with just a small amount of regular beans to brew in my french press. Just enough caffeine for a tiny kick, but (hopefully) it's not too much.

Labor Signs? Nope, nothing.

Symptoms? Nothing new, luckily! Continuing as usual. I haven't gained weight this week, but I just feel heavy in general. Pregnancy is alway such a good reminder to never let myself get fat - I really dislike feeling heavy!

What I miss? I'm definitely being more relaxed in this pregnancy with "the rules", but still it's a pain to watch caffeine intake, avoid lunchmeat (listeria....), sushi... and alcohol.

Best moment(s) of the week? The weather has been beautiful, James has been getting home from work a little earlier in the evenings, and we had a great weekend hanging out. Can't pinpoint one moment, it's just been good. Oh, and the new Avengers movie was completely awesome.

What I am looking forward to? We just booked our trip to Las Vegas next month for James' cousin's wedding! It'll be great to see his dad's side of the family, and enjoy a long weekend in an exciting place. We might even get to sneak away for a date while Nana & Papa watch Zoie!

Cheers,

Martha

22... 23 Weeks - Oh boy, oh boy!

A boy... we're having a boy!

Belly is starting to
feel heavy!

I still can't get over how excited we are. I would be crazy excited if we were having a girl too, it's just fun KNOWING! For me, it makes pregnancy so much more meaningful. Instead of just a baby inside me, it's our little boy! I think about him all the time and imagine what kind of baby he'll be. Will he be a champ at nursing like Zoie was? What kind of sleeper will he be? What kinds of little baby noises will he make? I'm so excited to meet him!

It's crazy to think about, but right now (23/24 weeks) is about the time where babies have a chance at survival if they deliver this early. Our baby only weighs about 1 pound! I don't think our little guy is going anywhere for several months, but it's interesting that he's developed enough at this stage that he could possibly survive (with ridiculous amounts of help) outside my womb!

Since finding out we're having a boy, I've been having fun sorting through the gender-neutral baby clothes we own and shopping for little boy clothes. Dinosaurs and puppy dogs and fire trucks, oh my! This is a fun new world. Zoie is such a good shopping assistant, she'll carry around the items I pick out and proclaim "Bay-bee! Bay-bee!".

Zoie knows there's a baby in my belly, but I can't convince her that there isn't one in hers too. It'll be so fun when the kicks are strong enough for her to feel and see! I think she's going to love being a big sister.

How far along are you? 23 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Our baby boy weighs over a pound now, and measures about 11 inches long from head to rump. He's about the size of a large mango or grapefruit! His face is fully formed, and he's listening to my voice and body sounds. He can even hear loud noises from the outside.

Weight Gain? I'm up to 137 now, so I've gained 11 pounds so far.

Gender? We found out last week that we're having a BOY!!!

Maternity Clothes? Yep, loving my comfy maternity pants. Starting to wear more maternity tops, but I have plenty of looser regular tops that fit.

Sleep? Lately, the only thing keeping me up is Zoie. These 2nd year molars are terrible! We are waiting for these last two to cut through her gums, and they're painful for her. It keeps her awake some nights, and this girl just wants to be held!

Movement? Our little guy is such a squirm! During the sonogram, we saw that he was in a breech position with his feet right next to my bladder. This explains my random urgency to pee when really my bladder isn't even that full... haha. I love feeling his kicks!

Food Cravings? Unfortunately I've been craving things like crackers and starchy foods. Nooooooo!

Labor Signs? Nope, nothing.

Symptoms? The whole varicose and spider vein thing is pretty lame. Apparently it gets worse with each subsequent pregnancy, but eases up after delivery. Thanks to pregnancy, the rising progesterone levels in my body cause the walls of my blood vessels to relax. This combined with the extra blood flowing through my body makes these veins (mostly on my right side) distend! Not only are they unsightly, but they ache by the end of the day.

What I miss? I miss feeling more energetic, agile, and flexible. My motivation to exercise is pretty low since my body feels more achy and stiff, but I know exercising more would help! I always feel good after doing PiYo, which I try to sneak in during Zoie's nap time.

Best moment(s) of the week? Watching our baby on the sonogram and finding out he is definitely a BOY! It's so exciting to have two kiddos, one of each gender!

What I am looking forward to? The new Avengers movie comes out this week - James and I are going to see it on Friday while Nana & Papa watch Zoie!

Cheers,

Martha

It's a... BOY!!!

WE'RE HAVING A BABY BOY!!!

How exciting to have the experience of a girl, and now a BOY!

We would have been thrilled with either gender, but now that we know it's a boy, it's SO exciting that we'll for sure have the experience of both a boy and a girl! If we ever have a third child, it'll be fun not having a preference either way.

This pregnancy has been a little different than my experience with Zoie, so I'm not shocked that we're having a boy! It was my guess all along, though I really had no idea. So satisfying to finally be able to call our tiny baby a HE!

The sonogram was awesome. Our little boy was kicking up a storm and flipping over, so we got to see all his limbs and body in action. He is most definitely a boy - the ultrasound technician said she would "guarantee this one!" His weight is exactly on track for how far along I am, so that's a relief! His anatomy looks perfect, and he has the cutest little profile! So excited to meet our little guy in August!

Cheers,

Martha

21 Weeks - Listeria scare, and our little family reunited.

What a long week it has been!

21 weeks! Yep. Bump.

Last week I started feeling pretty ill, with several flu-like symptoms. I thought it was a stomach bug, and tried to get some extra rest and drink more fluids. Luckily my parents and brother were staying with me, so having extra help with Zoie was great. They left on Easter Sunday though, and I still wasn't feeling well. That night around 9pm, I got a call from my Dillon's grocery store informing me that the Blue Bell ice cream I purchased had been recalled due to a Listeria bacteria outbreak at the manufacturing plant in Oklahoma! I checked the serial number on my carton, and it indeed came from Oklahoma. I had been eating this ice cream for the last week! And now I was feeling flu-like symptoms! AHHH!!!

If I wasn't pregnant, it wouldn't be as big of a deal. People can suffer flu-like symptoms from Listeria (listeriosis), but healthy adults usually recover in a few days. But a listeriosis infection while pregnant is a huge deal, because the bacteria crosses through the placenta and can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, infection to the baby... many awful things!

I immediately called the emergency line through my women's health clinic, and spoke with the on-call doctor about what to do. My gut was telling me that we needed to take precautions, because we had a real chance of a listeriosis infection. Whatever stomach bug I was experiencing had the same symptoms as listeriosis!

The doctor recommended that we do a blood culture for the Listeria bacteria, and start antibiotics while we wait for test results. He arranged for my visit to the hospital the next morning.

So I went in around 9am for a blood draw and to begin an IV drip of antibiotics. Little did I know... I would be returning to the hospital 3 times a day (6am, 2pm, and 10pm) for an IV of antibiotics! Each IV took 60 minutes to drip. Talk about a huge time commitment. I am so thankful that James' parents live nearby and could take care of Zoie while I made 7 trips to the hospital (and spent over 13 hours there!) before we got results from my blood culture 48 hours later. It was the best negative news I'd ever seen! Can you imagine completing treatment for several weeks if the results were positive??

Luckily, my stomach bug cleared up a few days later and I'm back to normal now. I'm still a teeny bit concerned about the high dose of meropenem (I'm allergic to penicillin, so this was the alternative antibiotic the doctor ordered) I received, because there aren't any human studies during pregnancy. It's assumed safe with no risk to the fetus, but besides animal studies, we just don't know. However, the risk of listeriosis outweighed the risk of the drug, so I'm confident we made the right decision.

What an emotional roller coaster. And of course, James was still away on his training mission while this happened... but at least I was able to talk to him on the phone. He finally arrived home late Friday night! What a relief to have our little family back together. Zoie is so happy her "dada" is home! She loves flying around the room in his arms and wrestling him with tickle sessions. It's been a long month, but hopefully the last month we'll ever have to spend apart! I can't wait for the next phase in our Army career.

How far along are you? 21 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Our little baby now weighs around 12.7 ounces, and measures 10.5 inches from head to heel. Getting closer to a whole pound! He/she is about the length of a carrot.

Weight Gain? I keep forgetting to weigh myself in the morning, but my afternoon weight was about 135. That seems high, but it fluctuates so much. So that's... 9lb total.

Gender? We find out on TUESDAY at 12:45pm CST!

Maternity Clothes? Yep, rocking the maternity pants and a couple maternity tops. I still have a lot of regular clothes that fit though.

Sleep? It's all over the place. Since my allergies have eased up, sleep is WAY better. I still have to sleep with my head propped up to avoid sinus congestion though.

Movement? Yep, lots of little kicks! Once in a while I can feel it from the outside with my hand, and soon it'll get even stronger!

Food Cravings? Now that I have my appetite back, I'm enjoying lots of things! Lately, coffee has been a big craving. Not the caffeine, just the taste. I've been weary of decaffeinated coffee since the chemical process it goes through is pretty questionable, but I just ordered some high quality decaf beans that use a chemical-free process.

Labor Signs? Nah.

Symptoms? I've mentioned varicose veins and spider veins on my right side, but now I'm also embarrassed to discover another swollen vein in an unfortunate spot...  a hemorrhoid! Ugh. I also have a hernia on my groin leftover from my first pregnancy that is aching more as this new baby grows and adds pressure. Pregnancy isn't the most fun thing in the world...

What I miss? I miss not worrying about food containing Listeria bacteria! It seems like suddenly there are news stories popping up about Listeria outbreaks in packaged foods. Yikes.

Best moment(s) of the week? Watching Zoie discover that "dada" is home! She climbed into our bed in the morning when she woke up on Saturday, and did a double-take when she saw James next to me. She climbed onto him laughing with big hugs and cuddles - she was so happy he was back!

What I am looking forward to? Tuesday can't come soon enough! I can't wait to find out the gender of our baby and see more details during our anatomy sonogram!

Cheers,

Martha

20 Weeks - Fun with Family!

Over the halfway point - this is getting real!

Forgot to ask my family
for a photo before they left!

Whew, my belly is getting big. I feel like I'm past 20 weeks already. Less than two weeks before we get to find out the gender! Then perhaps we'll share a name we've decided on.

Well, this has been a good full week. My mom and dad have been visiting, and my brother Tom was able to drive over for several days as well! I turned 27 on Friday, which suddenly feels a lot older than 26. We all had a great time celebrating with good food, and met up with James' parents as well! My sweet brother even baked me a cookie cake.

Yesterday I took my dad and my brother to hike the Konza Prairie Nature Trail. I'm enjoying all that Kansas has to offer before we move to California - I have really grown to enjoy this place. It's been a wonderful two years.

Konza Prairie Nature Trail

James should get back in a week! Zoie and I can't wait - she gets so excited when we talk about "dada". I don't think she quite understands time yet, but I feel like she knows he's coming home soon. He's going to be amazed with how much her language skills have developed in the last month! She has started saying more 2-syllable words, and even a 3-syllable word here and there. She's picking up new real words every day! In addition to real words, her babbling has increased tenfold. She'll constantly jabber and mimic the inflections of our conversations, and laugh a little too. She even makes funny hand gestures to really get her point across.

After dinner at So Long Saloon, yum!

In the midst of our family fun, I caught an unfortunate stomach bug that has brought me down for the last few days. Zoie had the same virus about a week ago. Hopefully we can move on and stay healthy for a while! Being pregnant AND sick is definitely not fun...

Today, we are back to a quiet house since family left this afternoon. Zoie had the best time playing with "Pa" (Grandpa), "Ga" (Grandma") and "Ta (Thomas) in the last week. Her favorite game was follow-the-leader with pull toys! She had quite an elaborate obstacle course to follow, which involved sitting, standing, running, and looping around furniture. She's going to be a little lonely now with just me to play with. Time for some more Nana & Papa visits with James' parents!

How far along are you? Turned 20 weeks on Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Baby #2 weighs about 10.5 ounces, and measures 6.5 inches from head to bottom, or 10 inches head to heel. Our little baby is working his/her digestive system by gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid these days, and starting to develop meconium in his/her bowels. Those are sure fun diapers to change when the baby is born!

Weight Gain? I weighed in at 132.5 this week, so looks like I'm up about 6.5 pounds so far.

Gender? Maybe I'll try and move our sonogram up a few days since James is getting back earlier. But otherwise, it's on the 16th. I'm sensing that it's a boy, but I would be thrilled with either!

Maternity Clothes? I'm starting to wear more maternity tops, mostly because they are more flattering and make me look pregnant instead of just overweight.

Sleep? Between my stomach bug, congestion from allergies, and Zoie waking up often because her 2nd year molars are busting through her gums, sleep isn't great! Luckily, my mom was able to help with Zoie during the night so I could sleep more.

Movement? Feeling movement many times throughout the day! Getting stronger all the time.

Food Cravings? Well, I've had no appetite lately because of this stomach bug. I just want to drink juice and avoid meat. Not terribly healthy...

Labor Signs? Nope!

Symptoms? Allergy symptoms have eased up! Hallelujah. Huge improvement to my life when I can breath normally and taste the food I eat!

What I miss? I miss cuddling with Zoie without being concerned about squishing baby #2. This baby is starting to feel rather large in my belly! And it's only the beginning...

Best moment(s) of the week? Best part of my week was seeing my family loving on our kiddo. It's fun when you have so many people in your life who adore your kid as much as you do! I love being able to talk about Zoie when no one gets sick of hearing how awesome she is :)

What I am looking forward to? Having James home soon! And I'm excited to start planning for our move to California, it's coming up quickly in June!

Cheers,

Martha

18... 19 Weeks - The Bad and the Good

Wow, we're almost halfway there!

Getting bigger!

As you might have noticed, I missed my 18 week update! Last Saturday, our basement flooded with an inch of sewer water when the city sewer line backed up, and it took most of my weekend trying to coordinate help and manage the situation! It was quite the disaster.

Of course things go wrong when your spouse is away... but I wasn't quite expecting this. Luckily, I had professional help come within a few hours after noticing the sewage backup! The local plumber, the city sewer workers, and someone from a cleanup/restoration company ALL came Saturday night. The next morning, the cleanup/restoration team returned to strip all the flooring, carpet, and remove contaminated drywall from the downstairs. I was impressed with how promptly we were taken care of! I'm glad our landlord was quick to hire help.

As tempting as it was to be involved and salvage more of our stuff before it got wet, I had to keep myself away from the situation as much as possible. Being pregnant, I needed to be extra careful to avoid the contaminated water full of bacteria and viruses!

Luckily, we don't keep many household goods in the downstairs basement area, so we had limited damage to our personal belongings. Our camping packs got a little wet on the bottom, but nothing we can't bleach and sanitize. We lost maybe $100 worth of supplies - it could've been way worse.

Now that our downstairs is completely torn up, we're getting estimates from a few contractors to replace the flooring and drywall. I'm glad everything is clean, but I'm anxious for our laundry room and den to have a floor!

My parents are visiting right now, so it's nice to have some good to offset the bad! We've had fun going to restaurants and taking Zoie to the playground. Zoie calls them "Ga" for grandma, and "Pa" for grandpa. She wakes up in the morning exclaiming "Ga-Pa-Ga-Pa-Ga-PA!" and runs to knock on their door. It's so fun to see them bonding again after several months apart!

How far along are you? 19 weeks  as of yesterday.
 
How big is Baby? About the size of a large mango! Six inches from head to rump, and weighs 8.5 ounces. He/she is growing hair, kidneys are producing urine, and the baby is now developing a waxy coating called vernix caseosa all over his/her skin as a protectant from the amniotic fluid.

Weight Gain? My current weight is 131, so I'm up 5 pounds total. I just checked my 19 week blogpost from my first pregnancy, I gained exactly 5 pounds by 19 weeks as well! Right on track.

Gender? Our sonogram is scheduled for April 16th!

Maternity Clothes? My middle is definitely getting bigger, so my maternity pants are quite comfortable now. Haven't really started wearing maternity tops yet - my looser regular tops work fine.

Sleep? Sleep isn't so great. Even when Zoie sleeps through the night, I'll still wake up several times because I'm thirsty or my throat is dry. My allergies and congestion make it tough to breath through my nose at night.

Movement? Movement is getting stronger! I can feel kicks from the outside sometimes when I press my hand on my abdomen, but they're pretty gentle since the baby is still tiny.

Food Cravings? Not really, things have been pretty normal. Oddly, I'm not craving citrus this pregnancy the same way I craved it with Zoie. I have noticed that tomato-y things have been especially delicious though.

Labor Signs? Nothing.

Symptoms? Pregnancy allergies are the worst! It's been over 3 weeks now of constant sneezing, runny nose, congestion, sinus pressure, itchy eyes... Some days are better than others, but since the warm weather arrived here in Kansas my allergy symptoms have been rough! Last spring, I didn't have ANY allergies, but two years ago when I was pregnant with Zoie I did experience mild springtime allergies in Kansas. I hope they disappear when we move to California this summer!

What I miss? Starting to miss my old body. The in-between bump stage is always awkward. And since this is my second pregnancy, my veins (especially on the right side of my body) are really getting stressed with the added pressure of a growing baby. My right leg has a couple awesome-looking varicose veins, and a few sunburst-patterned spider veins. YAY.

Best moment(s) of the week? It's been nice to have the house full of family while James is away, I'm grateful to not be alone! I'm pretty blessed to have my in-laws living close by AND my parents visiting right now.

What I am looking forward to? I can't wait to be able to talk to James again - he's been in a 2-week training mission with no cell phone, so I really miss him! Hopefully by Friday he'll be able to contact me!

Cheers,

Martha

17 Weeks - Being a Solo-Mama & Playground Woes

Here we go, back to being a solo-mama for a month. Nothing compared to deployment, but it's still a challenge!

Had to take my own pic...
17 week selfie with Zoie!

James headed out late Thursday night to spend a month in a training session. Hopefully this will be the last time I'm without him for a long time! Our future Army plans don't involve jobs that deploy or have long training rotations. This is wonderful for our growing family - we need daddy around!

Of course the day after James leaves, Zoie gets her first serious injury on the playground. She tripped over her feet while running on the soft green turf, and just happened to fall forward and hit her eyebrow on the play structure she was about to climb onto! Blood was everywhere, tears were falling,  and I was scared she might need stitches!

We were a mile away from home, with just the stroller, a bottle of water, and an extra sweatshirt. I used the sweatshirt and water to mop up her blood and try to stop the bleeding. Luckily, a nice lady at the playground who happened to live close by ran up to her house and grabbed a baggie of ice for us. Once Zoie had calmed down and we got the bleeding to stop, I realized her cut wasn't quite so serious. I carried her the 1 mile back to our house, while pushing our little dog Brownie in the stroller. We must've looked pretty peculiar strolling by in the neighborhood!

I stopped by our neighbor's house who was a nurse, just to get her opinion about Zoie needing stitches or not. She assured me Zoie would be just fine after I cleaned it with a bit of soap and water. That was a relief! Can you imagine a toddler trying to leave stitches on her face alone!?

A few days later and Zoie's cut is healing just fine. It makes me re-think my preparedness when we go out - I'm going to carry a few antiseptic wipes, little gauze pads, and bandaids. I haven't had a first-aid kit in my diaper bag or stroller, but I think it's time to carry at least a few essentials!

Back to the baby #2 show - overshadowed by Zoie's antics! Our 17-week tiny baby is busy growing its skeleton from soft cartilage into hard bones! He/she is also starting to develop sweat glands and his/her sense of hearing.

How far along are you? 17 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Our little baby already weighs 5-6 ounces! He/she is over 5 inches long from head to bottom, so imagine an onion or a turnip.

Weight Gain? My weight continues to fluctuate! I weight the same as last week, 129.5lb. Total gain = 3.5lb

Gender? One month and we'll know! I'm still predicting boy. Which means I'll probably be wrong :)

Maternity Clothes? Still not bumping out much, so my regular shirts are fine. I can't fit into most of my jeans without using my BeBand though. Gotta keep that top button unfastened :)

Sleep? Up and down. Depends on how Zoie sleeps. It's a little lonely without James at the moment, so I've been letting Brownie snuggle in bed... shhhh!

Movement? I feel movement every day! A little kick here and there, or sometimes I feel a little pressure as our baby shifts around.

Food Cravings? I wish I could drink more coffee. I'm limiting myself to a latte one or twice a week! Really, I could drink coffee all day long. Decaf just isn't worth it though. Bring on the tea!

Labor Signs? Nope.

Symptoms? Well, I got re-tested and still have Gardnerella bacteria. My home remedy of apple cider vinegar didn't work. I drank two tablespoons every day for over 2 weeks! *Sigh* oh well. Only 5 days of antibiotics and I'll be done.

What I miss? James!

Best moment(s) of the week? We got Zoie a slide for our front deck. It's life-changing! Morning till dusk we slide down the slide! Her Bitty Baby and Spiderman action figure also enjoy the slide.

What I am looking forward to? Lot of fun things this week - dressing Zoie up for St. Patty's Day, day trip to IKEA with my mother-in-law (who else loves their shopping carts!?), and my parents flying in for a visit next week!

Cheers,

Martha

16 Weeks - Enjoying 2nd Trimester

Randomly wearing the same
shirt as last time at 16 weeks!

16 weeks, yahoo!

This has been a great week! I'm feeling good, I've had several nights of good sleep, and I'm enjoying more baby kicks.

Our Kansas weather has finally turned warm, and it's been life-changing! We've been outside every day going on walks, BBQing and hanging out on our deck, visiting with neighbors, and of course, going to the playground! Zoie loves being outside, and it's such a relief not to be cooped up inside anymore.

Zoie is growing into quite a decisive little toddler. Lately she's been very opinionated with little things like putting on shoes or a sweater, taking a bath (or being done with the bath), and brushing her teeth (or wanting to continue brushing forever). Little things can quickly become huge issues with big drama! It's kind of funny, but can be frustrating for us of course. We try to use humor and redirecting to keep the peace. She definitely doesn't want to listen to logic at this stage!

Zoie also started taunting our little dog. She'll take Brownie's toy and tease her with it, but she'll get mad if Brownie actually takes it. Sometimes Zoie gets a little rough with Brownie because she isn't playing the way Zoie wants her to play! I'm envisioning some big sister drama with her little sibling in the future... Oh well, one day at a time!

How far along are you? 16 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Baby #2 is about 4 1/2 inches long from head to rump, and weighs 3 1/2 ounces! About the size of an avocado.

Weight Gain? My weight fluctuates so much! I weigh half a pound less than last week. Total gain is 3.5 lb.

Gender? I seriously can't wait to find out! Our sonogram is scheduled for April 16th. We might possibly reschedule for a few days earlier, but it depends on James' schedule.

Maternity Clothes? Still wearing my looser jeans and regular shirts. The weather just turned warm, so I started wearing my favorite maternity cropped jeans. They slide down a bit a the moment, but they're so comfortable!

Sleep? Lately, Zoie has been sleeping really well most nights! Which means I've been sleeping much better too. Zoie has started waking up in the morning and playing by herself for 20 minutes before knocking on her door for me to come get her. I definitely enjoy the extra time for myself.

Movement? This week, I've noticed much more movement! This baby is getting strong. It won't be long before we'll be able to feel movement from outside my belly, which will be SO fun to share with James and Zoie!

Food Cravings? Not much has changed, and I'm enjoying most food right now. Even if I had cravings, I'm too busy with Zoie to think much about them. We don't eat a lot of grains in our family, but I have noticed that when I do eat them, I crave them even more! Gluten can be addicting. Most days I try to stay away.

Labor Signs? Nothing.

Symptoms? Is my skin glowing yet? I'm waiting.

What I miss? I would say alcohol, but I've been having a great time being the DD. This Saturday we went to our city's annual "Fake Patty's Day" celebration, a street party infused with drunken college kids and bars packed with DJs spinning Pitbull and Ludacris all afternoon long. It was really fun! My lemonade and orange juice drinks were fabulous. (FYI, Zoie was at home with her Papa!)

Best moment(s) of the week? James' parents watched Zoie for us a couple times so we could get out with our friends, and it was awesome to have some adult time! Ahhhhh it's refreshing to revisit our young pre-baby days.

What I am looking forward to? I'm looking forward to more warm weather this week! James is leaving soon for training, so we'll miss him for a while. Looking forward to spending as much time with him as I can this week!

Cheers,

Martha

15 Weeks - Starting to Prep for Baby #2!

A very comfy outfit!

15 weeks! Our little baby is developing taste buds right now!

Weeks seem to be flying by. I'm going to blink and all of a sudden I'll be 30-something weeks and nesting like crazy!

We're moving from Kansas to California in a few months, so most of our baby preparation will wait until we get to our new home. However, we did buy a double stroller a few weeks ago! After browsing Craigslist for a few weeks, I found a Phil and Ted's Vibe stroller! I bargained for a great deal, and we're pretty happy with our new stroller. It has big inflatable wheels that roll smoothly, and there are several seating configurations for two kids. The city we're moving to has a Stroller Strides fitness class, so I'm ready to be a fit mama! All we need is the newborn Cocoon attachment and we'll be set.

I've also been thinking a lot about sleeping arrangements and room-sharing. Our new baby will sleep in a mini crib by our bed for the first several months, but I think by 6 months we'll be ready to transition our baby to his/her own room. We had Zoie sleeping on her floor bed in her room at 6 months old, which worked out really well.

So I'm wondering, would it work to have two floor beds in a shared room? Would either kiddo interfere with the other's sleep? We could try a real crib for the second baby, but I'm not a huge fan. It's hard to carefully lower a sleeping baby deep into a crib when I'm only 5'2! And what about easy nighttime nursing laying down on the baby's bed?

Perhaps it would work if we elevated Zoie's mattress with a small bed or frame. At least then the new baby wouldn't be able to crawl up and climb on Zoie when they're both (supposed to be) sleeping.

Oh well, lots to think about! Here's this week's pregnancy update:

How far along are you? 15 weeks as of Friday.
 
How big is Baby? Our little baby is about 4 inches long, and weighs about 2.5 ounces. He/she is the size of an apple.

Weight Gain? 4 pounds so far.

Gender? We have to wait a few more weeks! Still predicting a boy. With Zoie we got to find out the gender at 18 weeks, but with this baby we'll have to wait until after 20 weeks.

Maternity Clothes? I've been wearing my slightly looser jeans and leggings and staying pretty comfortable. Tried on my Gap maternity jeans, definitely not big enough for those yet.

Sleep? Some nights I sleep deeply, other nights not as much. Still going to the bathroom at least twice per night! I definitely won't miss that about pregnancy.

Movement? I still don't notice the movement very often, but here and there I feel a little bit of pressure and pokes.

Food Cravings? I've re-discovered fried eggs. YUM! Other than that, there's not much I've craving or averse to. The taste of salt is pretty intense for me, so I've been avoiding really salty food. I often need James to taste whatever I'm cooking to make sure I've seasoned it enough. It's funny, my intense taste of salt is one of the first pregnancy signs I experienced! I knew I was pregnant even before my test read positive.

Labor Signs? Nope, nothing yet.

Symptoms? My emotions run all over the place. I can get upset about the dumbest things.

What I miss? I miss shopping for regular clothes. Since I'm not bumping out yet, it's easy to forget I'm pregnant and be tempted to buy cute clothes. But that seems a little pointless right now...

Best moment(s) of the week? My sister-in-law and her family visited for a few days this last week, and we had a lot of fun hanging out with them. Zoie loved having playdates with her cousins at the library, discovery center, and open gym! We all got to enjoy a few dinners together too. It was sad to say goodbye!

What I am looking forward to? After several inches of snow this weekend, we're getting warm weather next weekend. It's supposed to be in the mid-50's. Dog park, playground, and long walks here we come! Maybe even the zoo?

Cheers,

Martha

14 Weeks, Round Two!

Already one third of the way there!

Looks like I just ate 5 hamburgers.

I'm trying to enjoy being pregnant as much as I can, before the discomfort sets in. Right now life hasn't changed much, aside from not drinking alcohol and a few other activities.

My last pregnancy really was pretty easy, but the thought of becoming huge again is a little daunting. I appreciate being small so much! Life is so much better and easier. How am I supposed to carry Zoie when my belly is huge? How will I ever get comfortable sleeping? I won't be able to climb up on the counter anymore to reach high cupboards!

I'm really not looking forward to the mega-belly. But then again, the tummy-shifting baby kicks are pretty fun!

Things are going well and I'm feeling good, but I'm clearing up a bacterial infection right now. Apparently it's common in pregnancy for the bacteria in your vagina to get out of balance, especially since your body becomes more alkaline. I'm drinking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per day as a natural remedy to make my body more acidic and restore the balance of bacteria. Hopefully it works! Otherwise I'll take some antibiotics. I'm going to get re-tested in a few weeks. If this condition is left untreated, it can cause preterm labor later in pregnancy. We definitely don't want that!

Here we are, back to the pregnancy updates!

How far along are you? 14 weeks as of friday, welcome to 2nd trimester!
 
How big is Baby? Our baby #2 is about 3.4 inches long, and weighs around 1.5 oz. He/she is about the size of a lemon!

Weight Gain? When I first found out I was pregnant, I weighed 126. This morning I weighed in at 128.6, so I've gained 2 and a half pounds.

Gender? Not sure yet, but I'm predicting a boy. It seems everyone around us is having girls, somebody needs to have a boy!

Maternity Clothes? Last night I grabbed my favorite jeans from the dryer, and realized they were really getting snug in the waist. I dug out my BeBand and wore it so I could sneakily keep my top button unfastened. Ahhhh so much better! Not to mention we were about to head out to a delicious Mexican restaurant, so I needed the extra room!

Sleep? I've come to terms with never having a full night of sleep. Zoie still wakes up sometimes, and we have to hold her or rock her back to sleep. Sometimes she'll just cry for a minute and fall back asleep, but it still wakes me up! Even on my own, I wake up because I'm thirsty or have to pee.

Movement? This pregnancy is different, because I'm already feeling movement! It's pretty awesome. I don't notice it very often, but when I'm still or relaxed sometimes I'll feel little pokes.

Food Cravings? I had a chicken aversion last month, but now I seem fine with most foods. Smells bother me more than actual food. I'm craving sweets, which is a problem. Girl Scout cookies didn't last long in our house. Sour things have been delicious too.

Labor Signs? Nada.

Belly Button in or out? In. I don't anticipate it going anywhere soon!

What I miss? Wine and margaritas. With this pregnancy, I'm feeling much more relaxed with the "rules." After living in Kansas for almost 2 years, we've been enjoying local raw honey and farm fresh eggs. I'm not going to stop using the raw honey, and I don't mind eating a little raw cookie dough. The risks are almost zero when you know and trust the source of your food.

Best moment(s) of the week? James had a 4-day weekend this last week, so the best part was spending extra time with him. On Valentine's Day, we left Zoie with her Papa and went out to dinner! It was so nice to focus on us for a bit and enjoy one of our favorite restaurants, So Long Saloon.

What I am looking forward to? My sister-in-law and her family are visiting next week! Zoie gets to play with her cousins, so we'll have lots of fun!

Cheers,

Martha