OOTD: Pink Jeans + 2nd Trimester Recap

Good morning and happy Tuesday everyone! I'm officially in the final trimester! Can you believe that? I feel like it's flown right by and that I've been pregnant forever. Only a short, but hot, three months left! He's gonna be here so soon and I'm so not prepared.

We haven't even started on his room, I have one thing for his wall. ONE! I finally found a theme Matt and I love and I want to get started on it, but we're so busy I just haven't done anything for it. I totally have it all pictured perfectly in my head though. I don't remember when I did Emma's, I do remember it being later in the pregnancy, but then I found nearly everything on one big shopping trip. Boys are hard ya'll. It's a whole different ball game from pastels, florals, and glitter.

20 Weeks Update + Pink Blush Giveaway!

Morning everyone! Sorry there's been so much radio silence on the blog and Instagram lately. This pregnancy has gotten the best of me! I don't know how mamas with lots of kids do it! There's a few women at my church who are expecting as well and some have 3+ kids already and I just look at them in awe. Sometimes, I want to just pick their brain about how they get it all done. Women are such rockstars!!

This last week I hit 20 weeks and I can't believe I'm already halfway through my last pregnancy! It's crazy how quickly each pregnancy goes by. We've been pretty busy and I have another announcement to make in a future post (which isn't really that big of a secret if we're friends on Facebook) that I look forward to sharing with you guys. Here's some pregnancy and life updates about what's been going on.

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 39 (My Last Bumpdate)

 

38 Weeks, 4 Days

It's almost baby day! I've been busy, busy, busy, busy, this week getting prepared. My last day of work was Monday and I've had errands and appointments filling up the last two days (gotta get my toes and hair done!). Today I have my last doctor appointment before her arrival and I can't wait to see her little face!

- The last two weeks have been tough for me. My body aches, I'm popping Tylenol some days as soon as my 6 hours are up, I've been grumpy, have had a hard time sleeping, etc. No fun. I didn't really have this same pain with Ellie and they say each pregnancy is worse than the last and I'm glad that I've let my dream of 7 children go. 

- This weekend I boiled/sanitized all of the bottles, nipples, pacis, and pump parts. I'm absolutely dreading pumping when I go back to work. I loved nursing, but pumping sucks. You can read about Our Breastfeeding Journey and I'm hoping that it will be just as successful  this second time around too and that it will be a bit easier for us.

-Her nursery is just about complete, it's done decorating wise, but the closet needs help. Oh, and we need a different lamp. On Saturday, I washed all of her blankets and her take home outfit. I can't believe how small newborn clothing is! I was looking at it while folding and couldn't really remember Ellie being so small, why do they grow so fast?

-This past weekend we took Ellie to her first movie with us and spent the afternoon playing and savoring our last full afternoon as a family of 3. It was so much fun and I can't wait to see her as a big sister, she's going to love having a lifetime best friend.

Happy Wednesday! Thank you again for following along the last few months, hoping you're having a good week!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 37

The end of the pregnancy is near folks and I’ve been feeling it! My stomach has grown so much in the last 2-3 weeks, perfect strangers at the store have started commenting about how I’m so close to pop. My sister’s bridal shower is this Saturday and after that it’s full on baby mode. We have no plans for next weekend and we’ve turned down all invitations so we can spend it as a family together and doing last minute errands. I’ll probably take advantage of the free time to pack our bags too.

36 Weeks 3 Days

- We’ve made some progress in the nursery! If you caught Our Weekend Shenanigans post you already know, but Matt was able to paint the room! For the wall color, I picked out a soft white with a gray undertone, but when he started painting the wall it looked white-white. I had a little bit of a worry that the room would look sterile with white walls and white furniture, but once we tore off the painter’s tape and plastic and saw the wall color against our baseboards, you could definitely see the soft white with grey undertone color that I had picked out- it looked exactly like the sample card and sample spot I painted. Thank goodness! Sometimes once you paint an entire wall/room, it looks totally different than just on one spot. It really made the white baseboards pop too. I am so relieved!! He also put the crib back together and it looks so great against the walls. I can’t wait to put up her dresser and décor, it’s really going to look great together.

- I took advantage of Target’s July Bogo sale for clothing and stocked up on some nursing tanks and bras. I’m hoping to nurse our little one for as long or longer as I did Ellie (read about our Breastfeeding Journey here) and I was in some need for some new gear. Two of the tanks I bought have a built in body shaper (like Spanx) underneath, so I was sold! Once I’ve used them, I’ll be sure to review how I liked them and if they worked for me. I love to use a nursing tank since I can nurse without showing my waist/back. Such a must-have if you nurse!

- I’ve really been feeling the aches and pains of pregnancy this week. Some days, I feel like all movement takes so much effort- getting off the couch, getting up from bed, bending down to pick something up, etc. My patience is also at an all time low, the littlest things drive me nuts. My hips have been killing me at night, no matter what tricks I use to help and on top of that I’ve been having to get up to use the restroom 4-5 times every night! Sleep has not come easy this past week.

Kimono (here and here) // Jeans

- I have a doctor appointment this Friday and I can’t wait. Only one last appointment after it before she arrives! I’m getting kind of nervous about having a second c-section and bringing a new baby home. Ellie has been crazy attached to me, I know she knows things are changing and it’s going to be such a huge adjustment for her. I’m so thankful that children are resilient and I’ll be sure pay her extra attention while also letting her know that the rules are still the same as before in our house. It seems like common sense, but I was reading a few Pinterest posts about helping your child adjust and how easy it is to coddle them and let tantrums pass because there’s so much going on, but that it’s important to still be just as strict as you were before because young children will test their boundaries and see what else has changed since the new arrival and still parenting them the same way will help provide structure and reassurance.

Do any of you have any tips for helping your child adjust once a new baby is home? I have all of her big sister gifts ready- I’ll be sure to post about them, we’ve talked at length a hundred times about her baby sister with her (she refers to her now as “her” baby), and we’ve made sure to focus on quality time with her. Any other tips that have helped your families adjust?

Thanks for reading! Have a great week!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 36

35 Weeks 3 Days

Yesterday I had my 36 week check up and everything is looking great! Only 2 more appointments left before she arrives! This pregnancy has seriously flown by so quickly. When I was pregnant with Eleanor, I didn't have anything to distract me, it was pregnancy/baby 24/7 with all of the excitement, setting up, classes, etc. and it went by sometimes at what felt like a snail's pace. Now that Eleanor is 2 and running around everywhere and we have had a ton of family events I feel like I just found out I was pregnant a few months ago, not months and months ago.

Here are some updates from my appointment and the past week:

- She's still a she! I had a dream a few weeks ago that the baby turned out to be a boy so I wanted to double check that at the appointment. Mix ups do happen! I would hope if it did, he would look just as handsome in pink hand me downs.

- I've gained 16lbs so far, so one more pound from my last appointment. I'm in shock that's all I've gained, I expected to gain the same or more the 2nd time around.

- I've been resting a lot lately due to Braxton Hicks (more below), but it finally gave me time to wash and fold all of Ellie's newborn and 0-3 months clothing. It made me super nostalgic going through her clothing and it made me sad that Ellie has grown so fast and the time has gone so quickly. It also made me excited to see some of my favorite outfits and know they'll get used again. Some of them, I remember dressing her in and taking her pictures like it was yesterday!

 

- My sister threw me a little "sprinkle" at a restaurant with my aunts and cousins on Sunday. It was so nice and relaxing and great to catch up with everyone. There's so many birthdays, pregnancies, wedding events, and parties coming up it was also the perfect time to get everything on the calendar too with everyone! I loved celebrating with them!

Black Dress (Target last year, similar here) // Hat (Target last year, similar here and here)

-  Cravings this week have mostly been sweets and fruit, nothing different from last week.

- This past weekend I experience Braxton Hicks for the first time. I never felt anything with Ellie, and just thought it was the way this baby was moving that made my stomach go all tight so I didn't pay any attention to it. Then Friday morning it was happening a few times in a short period of time and I realized it was a contraction. I immediately hit up my girlfriends on what contractions/BH felt like and it was exactly how they described it. I called the nurse and she said to lie on my side and drink water and they went away. Then it happened again Saturday  morning so I laid in bed for most of the afternoon and felt better. That's pretty much what happened all weekend long. I really hope this baby doesn't decide to come before our scheduled c-section!

Hope you're having a great week! Thank you for following along on my pregnancy journey!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 35

For reals, I have 4 weeks until baby arrives. That's one month, where I have parties and family events every.single.weekend. We have everything to decorate the nursery, but we still have lots to do. Like paint it, then use the items we have to actually decorate it. LOL. I'm not worried so much about getting that stuff done, once it's painted putting things on the walls will just take an afternoon. I need to find our newborn insert for the carseat, wash our newborn clothes, sanitize my pump parts and bottles, and get out our swing/bouncer, etc. Looks like I have some things to do during the work week and can't keep tossing everything to the weekends. Oh, did I mention I'm hosting my sister's bridal shower this month too? NBD.

This past week I had a Dr appointment and things are looking great! We are both healthy and on track for where we should be in the pregnancy. Here are the latest updates for the past two weeks (since I missed Bumpdate Week 34 last week).

-I'll definitely be having another c-section and we scheduled baby 2's birth day! I'm so excited and it's definitely one plus of having a c-section to be able to plan around a specific date and time. Matt and I can arrange everything for work, care for Ellie, let our families know, etc.

- I've gained 15 pounds so far. When I looked at my Bumpdate this week for Ellie, I had gained 21lbs already so I'm surprised I'm "behind" this time. I'm not doing anything different than before, so I'm not sure why my weight isn't closer to last time. I also noticed that my arms and face were puffier with Ellie and not so this time, thank goodness- I already have a full face as it is!

- The Dr also thinks that this baby is smaller than Ellie was (which could be why I haven't gained as much?), Ellie was born over 8 pounds and he is estimated this baby to be 7 lbs and change. He said a lot can happen in a month, but doesn't predict she'll hit 8lbs. We shall see soon enough.

- She has been moving so much lately, it's more pressure against my belly and stretching that feels like she's doing the splits or putting each arm straight out. Sometimes it can be pretty uncomfortable with the pressure she's putting against me when she's stretching. I've noticed she does this more than just kicking now, probably because she doesn't have enough room.

- It's been pretty hot and humid here lately and I had to take my rings off a few days ago. I think now that our humidity has died off, my rings will probably fit again, but I'm afraid that if I wear them, my fingers will swell and they will have to be cut off which I would absolutely hate.

-Speaking of the heat, it's been terrible! I've been so lucky this summer that it hasn't been that hot. I barely made it through May with Eleanor and thought I'd be dead by now with an August due date. On Friday, I felt so sick when I got home from the heat and the movement from the baby. We had the ac blasting and the fan going, but I was miserable. It's been better the past few nights and I hope I'll survive July!

- Lately I've been craving an Icee and the hot and spicy chicken sandwich from McDonalds. Like having them for lunch almost daily. I've never even had the chicken sandwich until I was pregnant, I'm not sure what made me order it, but now it's a must have. I've also been craving Swedish Fish, watermelon, and lemonade. 

-I've grown so much in the last 2-3 days and I"m at the point where I'm short of breath, my body aches at the end of the day, and doing simple things can be a struggle. At least it's only this last month and not for longer! Maybe it will just be these few days? Here's to wishful thinking.

Hope you're having a great day! Thanks for reading and following along!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 33

32 Weeks 4 Days

Pink Blush Maternity Dress

Each week seems to go by faster and faster and I already feel like this pregnancy has flown right by. I've been asked a lot this past week if I'm ready to be done (and also if I'm excited) and I'm not ready yet. I am one of those annoying women that enjoy being pregnant. Lately, I haven't been as comfortable as normal and a few of my shirts are getting too short to wear (like the one from two weeks ago already! Granted, it was almost too short then too if I'm honest with myself.), and I've been super hot the last few days, but I still overall enjoy being pregnant. I've loved the changes to my body this time around- no stretch marks, my butt/hips haven't grown (but I actually liked that), and my face isn't bloated yet. I know every pregnancy is different, but I thought that since I was having a second girl it would be identical to the first time.

-This last week I've been craving fruits, specifically watermelon and strawberries.

-My hips are still hurting while I sleep, but they don't bother me until the early morning hours. A pillow between my legs (groin to knee) and keeping one leg straight while the other is bent has been the most comfortable for me.

-My sciatic nerve is still hurting me some days, but more of an annoyance than tear induced pain.

-I have been really short of breath recently, I feel as though I have to stand up or stretch to get enough air.

-We cleared out the nursery of the extra bedroom furniture and it's ready to be taped and painted. I really, really wish I could do it myself because I enjoy painting and Matt hates it. I bought the low chemical fume kind, but the man at Home Depot said not to even think about painting, not even the smaller projects I could do outside or if I wore a mask. Granted, he's not a doctor and I haven't asked mine about it, but better safe than sorry. Plus, Matt doesn't want me to do it either so it's a battle I lost.

-The last of my doctor appointments are all scheduled. I have one at the end of the month and I can't wait to see our little girl. I'm hoping to get a good shot of her face to see if I can see any hints of how she'll look. I know she has my nose already, but I wonder if she has my lips or chubby cheeks too like Ellie does. I still think she'll have dark hair, but we'll see!

Pink Blush Maternity Dress (c/o)

I absolutely love this dress from the cutest maternity boutique online - Pink Blush Maternity. I found them through a girlfriend and love their site. They have such cute maternity clothes for all occasions and body types. I like that they have a lot of trendy maternity clothes and most of them would still wear well post-partum. There's lots of dresses, both maxi and short, jeans, shorts, tops, tunics, cardigans, etc. It's the perfect place to shop for upcoming events!

Hope you're having a fantastic week! Thank you for following along!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 32

31 Weeks 4 Days

Only 8 weeks left!! Well, really just 7 since I'll have another c-section. I can't believe it!! I can't wait to see her and feel her and smother her in kisses. I also need to soak up some extra time with little Elle Bell who has been crazy affectionate and I love it. I'm really excited for our family and we still have to do everything in the nursery, but I'm not worried about getting it all done. 

-This week Matt started painted some furniture for Ellie's big girl room. Once that's all finished we're going to put new shelves, pictures, and a twin bed in there for her so we can move the crib to the nursery.

-The dreaded leg cramps have returned! Mostly minor ones that go away quickly, but I had one a few nights ago that I thought was going to be the end of me. It was so bad and went up almost my entire leg and didn't go away forever. I scared my husband I was in so much pain writhing on the side of the bed and falling onto it.

-Using the restroom hasn't been a big issue this pregnancy, I usually wake around 5 and can go to bed or rest easily afterwards. During the day though I feel like I spend a good portion of my work hours in the restroom! This baby is just sitting on my bladder all day long!

-I painted my toes on Saturday and I think it took me about an hour to give myself a good pedicure and get them all painted with a base coat, three coats, and then a top coat. I was able to do it easier this time than with Ellie, with her I could only do 3 toes at a time and would have to take a break, but I could do all 5 before taking a breather. It was so much work and my husband just laughed saying I should have just gotten them done, but I felt that I had come so far to throw in the clippers by that point. I'll know for next time though!

Dress (Kiki La'Rue last year, nearly identical here) // Kimono (from Jane, sold by Simply Reese)

Happy hump day! Hope you're all doing well and having a great week! Thank you for reading and following my pregnancy journey!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 31

30 Weeks 6 Days

This past week has been a whirlwind. Saturday after Ellie's swim class we did some shopping and afterwards I felt really off and a bit nauseated, but I thought it might be carsickness because it went away quickly. I still felt off the rest of the day, but not terrible. We had friends and family over that night and after we had dinner I felt awful. I felt like I needed to throw up, I had heart burn (a first for this pregnancy), and was just really uncomfortable. I finally threw up and felt better and thought that would be it. However, I woke up Sunday just down for the count. My friend was having a BabyQ and we had family pictures planned and I had to cancel on both. I rested all day and was just never really feeling all that great, my body ached and felt like the flu, but I didn't have any other symptoms. That night I was drenched in sweat and had to sleep with a towel, it was as if I had a fever that finally broke. Thankfully, in the morning I felt great! Like nothing had even happened and it must have been just a 24 hour bug. I had a doctor appointment yesterday and everything was great, so it wasn't pregnancy related and the baby is measuring on schedule and is healthy.

Top // Bottoms

(both non-maternity in my regular size) 

-So far I've gained 12 pounds, so right on track with where I was with Ellie. Which means I'll be gaining about 13 more pounds in the next 8 weeks. Bring on the goods!

-At my next appointment, the doctor will be scheduling my c-section so we'll have an official birth day instead of a 3 day range.

-For clothes, I'm wearing the few maternity items I have and any long tops I own. For my regular shirts, I have maybe another two weeks before they'll be too short to wear. I've also been living in palazzo pants (I own two pairs), they are so comfortable and easy to wear. Perfect for pregnancy and afterwards.

-I've been sleeping really well and I totally contribute it to having a new mattress with great support. I'm still sleeping with a pillow between my knees to ankles and that helps if I'm having any hip pains.

-One thing I've dreaded with this pregnancy is the heat. I barely made it to the end of May with Eleanor and I'm not looking forward to two more months of summer heat. Our weather has been pretty mild, but we're having a heat wave this week and I want to die. I have the AC cranked and the fan going and I'm barely comfortable. I can't imagine if I had to do this with the heat and humidity together.

Grow With Me Set c/o Willow Crowns

The sweet girls behind Willow Crowns, Megan and Stephanie sent over this set of the cutest headbands that our little girl will be wearing all.the.time. I'm a mom that slaps a bow on a baby girl the minute we're in our room and our luggage is at my fingertips. I'm already planning outfits around these headbands and our newborn shots with the beautiful leaf one at the top. I love that this set has all their top bands at different sizes- it's the perfect set and makes a great gift! Thank you so much ladies!!

Hope you're having a great week, thank you for reading and following along!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 30

29 Weeks 4 Days

Goodness gracious there's only 10 weeks left! I have so many emotions knowing that she will be here so soon- excitement, fear, anxiety, love, and so on. Then, with having a c-section it's really only 9 weeks!! That's just over two full months, I gotta get on my to-do list asap. We need to paint and set up the nursery this month and get Ellie into her big girl bed (which is going to be a nightmare, details below).

So here are some updates from the last two weeks (I didn't get a chance to post last week):

- My hips have started to expand and it hurts. I remember my hips aching so badly with Ellie, but a slim pillow and some Tylenol when needed are life savers and take care of the pain. It's not every day or night like I had with Ellie so I'm thankful for that. 

- Little miss is moving so much! My stomach does all kinds of weird moves and makes different shapes, I love feeling her and miss this feeling when it's gone. 

Top // Shorts (hand me downs, similar here) // Sunnies

- Ellie is so cute, she takes her gummy vitamins everyday and reminds me to take my prenatals (she even came upstairs with her vitamins to tell me to take mine when Daddy gave her her vitamins). Then we cheers our vitamins together and she smiles so big. It's one of my favorites daily routines.

- We read big sister books every night before bed (sometimes repeatedly), in the book it says how big sister's sleep in big sister beds and babies sleep in cribs. When we asked her if she was going to give her crib to the baby she gave me the death stare and said "No! Mine!". We've brought it up a few times since and she always has the same response, if looks could kill we'd all be dead. I'm hoping that once we have her big bed and room updates altogether at once and surprise her she'll feel differently, but we'll see. Maybe this is like the paci and she'll do better than I expect?

- I did a bikini bump shot with Ellie and figured I'd share one again this time around. To be honest, I cringe a little bit to share this and full disclosure... I used the blemish feature from Photobucket on my thigh's cellulite. You're eyes can thank me later.

Car Seat Cover that doubles as a Nursing Cover c/o Milk Snob 

-  I am so ridiculously excited about this car seat cover. RIDICULOUSLY excited! I love that it keeps crazies from peeking at your little one, the fabric is super soft, AND it also doubles as a nursing cover! Hello! I love products that serve double duty. I've heard nothing but great things about these covers from mamas and I'm thrilled to have one. Will definitely be doing a review once little one arrives.

Hope you're having a great week, thank you for reading!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 28

27 Weeks 4 Days

Hello third trimester! I can't believe it's already here, I feel like this pregnancy is just flying by. The other night before bed it dawned on me how soon our little girl will be here. I kept telling Matt (repeatedly) how we're going to have 2 girls in 2.5 months! Then I hurried and made a list of everything we still need to do to prepare the nursery- paint, curtains, and whatever else I find for decoration. 

I have a vague idea of what I want for our nursery and we've bought three things so far, but this weekend I finally found a great paint sample we're gonna test out and then paint the room if it works. I'm really excited about it and I'm crossing my fingers it looks just as good once it's on the walls. If it does, we'll probably paint our own bedroom the same color. This time around, I don't feel the same sense of urgency to decorate and finish the nursery as I did with Ellie, especially since I've realized how little you use the room the first few months.

Top from Pink Cherry Trees (bought last year through Jane) 

Jeans 

Sandals (Old Navy years ago, similar)

- This week I've been craving watermelon like crazy. It's been on my mind the last week or two and I finally found a great one at Costco and I think I ate half of it while cutting it up. 

- In terms of my energy, I'm feeling really great, but have noticed that I can tire easily and need to sit and relax for a few minutes and then feel back to normal. I've been sleeping a lot better and I think that has been the biggest help to keep my energy going. 

- Our little girl has been moving and stretching so much, I was able to get a great video of her moving around. There have been some days where my stomach/skin actually feel sore from all of the stretching. I love feeling her move inside and wonder what moves she's making and if she's comfortable or what she's doing.

- I had my first dream about her, I dreamt that I had woken up in a home that's not our own and had been put to sleep for the delivery. She was so beautiful, she looked just like Eleanor, but had really dark hair and a ton of it! Ellie was born with just some fuzz, but this little one in my dreams had a full head of hair and it was long on top. For some reason, I've always felt that she would have dark hair, but we'll see soon enough!

- This past weekend, on top of getting a paint sample, I bought our going home outfit and matching blankets for her. I also ordered a stuffed lamb for her to have and for comparison in monthly pictures of her growth. I bought a bunny for Eleanor and went with a lamb for our little number two, I considered buying the same one for number two, but decided they should each have their own (also, if they turn out to look like twins it will be easier to know who is who when I'm old and senile).

 

Now vs with Ellie at 27 Weeks 2 Days

When I look back on pictures, I feel as though I still look mostly the same as being pregnant with Eleanor. Sometimes I think I have more belly than before, but not much different elsewhere. My sister said my face is slimmer than before so that's always a win! My chubby Anderson cheeks are always a giveaway of weight gain for me. 

Hope you're having a fantastic week, thank you for following along on my pregnancy journey! I love all of the comments and emails from everyone, it really means so much to have created a bond with other women.

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 27

26 Weeks 4 Days

-On Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day and it was an amazing day! We woke up early, got ready, made homemade donuts, and headed out for brunch at Matt’s sister’s home. The weather was perfect, brunch was delicious, and we spent the whole day outside together. Matt and Ellie gave me the cutest pj set that will be perfect for the hospital and breastfeeding after our little one arrives. Matt also framed a picture of Ellie, my Grandpa and myself from our last visit and the last time I saw him in a sweet frame. I choked up a bit because it was so thoughtful and I really miss my grandparents, there’s been so many times where I went to call him and realized I couldn’t. I still have several voicemails from him that I’ve saved so I can hear his voice whenever I want. Altogether, it was a very special day and I’m so thankful for our family.

-I’m still a bit emotional, I haven’t cried in a while, but I choke up so easily! For example, typing the above paragraph brought tears to my eyes.

-I haven’t really had any cravings this week, my appetite is healthy and I feel normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

-This past week, I haven’t really enjoyed getting dressed. I’ve been really picky about what I wear or how it makes me feel/look. I typically wear the same items to work (skinny slacks, blouse, or tank with cardigan) and I feel fine about my work wardrobe, but it’s the weekends that stump me. I’m going to have to start getting creative and change my perspective a bit so I can enjoy dressing this cute little bump.

Top // Jeans // Scarf (Target last year, similar) // Necklace

-I’ve started to think more about what items we need to be ready for our little girl. Thankfully, we have a lot of items in great condition from Ellie, but I’m wracking my brain to make sure that we’re prepared. I’ve picked out a few new outfits for our little girl, but I haven’t bought any of them yet. I’m not sure what I’m waiting for (besides maybe a sale), I guess I’m just more selective now that I’ve been through the first time parent rodeo before?

What are some of your must haves for your additional children? What did you find that you needed that you didn’t have with the first our needed a double of? Please share below!

Hope you’re all having a great week, thank you for reading and following along with my pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or recently pregnant and would like to share your story please leave your email below and I will contact you about being featured! I’d love to share different perspectives and experiences about pregnancies, births, the adjustment to motherhood, etc whether it was your first or fourth pregnancy.

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 26

25 Weeks 1 Day

Top: Tulip Sleeve from Coco and Main bought via Jane // Jeans

Both items are non-maternity, I ordered the shirt in my normal size and it will probably last another 2 months. If I ordered up a size, it would probably fit til our little one arrives. The jeans are one of my favorites! I bought them before I was pregnant with Ellie in 1-2 sizes up and because the low cut fit cut below the belly, and only $8. I'm wearing them here without the top button done, which I just had to start doing. 

This past week has been so great, I've felt great, had lots of energy, and am really enjoying this stage of pregnancy.  I'm very thankful that I have easy pregnancies, I know not every is so lucky.

- Little girl has been moving so much! Just about everyone in the family has been able to feel her now. I love being able to feel her all the time. I love knowing that she's growing and getting stronger each day.

- We moved the guest bed and a dresser out of her room and now it's just empty except one lone dresser we're moving to the garage and some old night stands that we'll also be moving. We wanted to get some paint samples over our vacation break, but it just didn't happen. I'm hoping to get some picked out in the next week and have the hubs paint the room soon. I want a soft white with just a hint of gray- any suggestions?

- Cravings this week have been the fresh blueberries we picked last week and Sour Patch Ropes. Nothing too crazy.

- Ellie has been obsessed with dolls and having them swaddled. She wraps and unwraps them, takes them with her everywhere, she gives kisses to them, shows them around, and pushes them everywhere in her stroller. She's going to be such a great big sister!

- My sciatic nerve pain and leg cramps have subsided for the time being, thank the good Lord above! Those things were the worst.

25 Weeks 3 Days

Top // Jeans // Shoes

My top is Cynthia Rowley and I found it at TJ Maxx! I tried to find it online, but couldn't find it anywhere. I just got it last week so check your local stores. It's non-maternity, but I had to have it. I love the color and it's unlike anything else in my closet. The shoes are 3 years old from Reflection and they are my fave wedges. I wore these 5 hours and they had just started to hurt my feet in the 5th hour. Not bad for 6 months preggo!

- I am so emotional lately and choke up so easily. Matt and I saw Age of Adeline last week (really good, I would definitely suggest seeing it!), and I cried 3 different times during the movie. If I wasn't pregnant I don't think I ever would have even of choked up. Don't even bring up the Grey's Anatomy episode... Thankfully, I'm not emotional all day every day, but I am definitely feeling all the sappiness hormones bring on.

- I'm so excited for Mother's Day this weekend, a holiday I've always looked forward to being able to celebrate. I hope all of you mommies have a wonderful day celebrating the joy of motherhood and the journey it takes us on!

I'm still wanting to feature new mommies and other pregnant women in future posts to share their experience. Please leave your email below so I can send you an email and arrange your post! There's been a few of you who commented that you're interested (Ally and Mandy!), but I was unable to email you back from your comment/profile. Also, you do not have to have a blog to be featured, I have a few people lined up that are not bloggers, everyone is welcome!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 25

 

 24 Weeks 6 Days

- Guess what was found out at my last appointment….Little Baby 2 is Frank Breech just like our Elle Bell!! The doctor and I couldn’t believe it! We found out Ellie was Frank Breech at Week 33 and now I’m 24 weeks with #2 so I doubt she is going to flip head down at this point. When our doctor delivered Eleanor, he checked the shape of my uterus to see if that was the cause of her position, and he said it was perfectly symmetrical and that she must have just preferred that position and then was too big to flip later on. Now that this baby is Frank Breech, he said that this position must give the baby the most room to grow and move, based on the shape of my uterus (even though it is symmetrical). As long as she stays in this position, having a VBAC is no longer an option and I’ll have to have another C-section, which is what I had planned on doing anyways (unless my feelings changed later on or if I went into labor before the scheduled date). So, we will see if Baby 2 is going to flip or follow in her big sister’s footsteps and stay right where she is.

-Weight gain: So far I’ve gained 7 lbs, which is about where I was with Eleanor. My doctor appointments have been made at different weeks than before, at week 22 I had gained 4.5lbs with Ellie and by week 27 I was at 10.5lbs. I've been doing the same as before in terms of my diet, I just eat what I want and until I’m full. Mind blowing, right?

-Little baby girl has been moving so much, I was almost worried that she was moving less than with Ellie, but she's a little wiggle worm now. Everyone has been able to feel her kicks, even Ellie, which I don't know if she understands what she's feeling or not yet. 

Shirt: Lauren Conrad for Kohls (last year) // Shorts

-Leg cramps are the devil! I woke up several times this past weekend in agonizing pain. One of them was so bad down my shin and I couldn’t get it to go away. I thought I was going to cry! My husband woke up wondering what all the fuss was about and why I was breathing so hard, I guess I frightened him with all of my crazy moves in my attempt to get rid of it. I eat so many pickles (and drink the juice!) and have been eating more potassium, but they're still there. Hopefully, they go and stay away. If you have any tips, help a sister out!

-Cravings: This week it’s still been my fave homemade tart lemonade, but I’ve started adding strawberries to it now. It is so good, I down it in seconds. Matt and I have been making fresh squeezed OJ on the weekends, at my dr appointment they had a farmers market going on in the front and I bought the most delicious oranges. They were so good, super sweet and juicy. We also bought OJ from Costco (never as good as fresh squeezed) and I have some every night before bed (with a couple of Tums) for a night cap.

-My sciatic nerve has been a royal pain in my rear end. It's bothered me the majority of my pregnancy, but this past weekend was terrible. My sweet mother-in-law gave me the best massage that helped tremendously. I am so thankful for her! It made a huge difference and it felt 99% better afterwards.

-We also bought a few frames, the dresser, and some wall decor for little girl. We're going to get some paint samples this week and will paint the room once it's decided what we like. I'm excited to put the room together, but I don't feel any pressure to get it done right away yet.

Thanks for reading! I posted about this in last week's bumpdate, but if you are pregnant or were recently and would like to be featured sharing your experience and advice, you don't have to have a blog to participate. Just leave your email below!

Have a great week!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 24

23 Weeks 4 Days

This morning I have a doctor appointment and my glucose testing so any news from these appointments will be in next week’s bumpdate. I’m so excited to see our little girl, I look forward to all of my appointments and seeing her on our ultrasounds and hearing her heartbeat. I’ll also have the results of my anatomy scans and blood work and I’m praying for good results. There’s no reason to be worried, but I always worry a little bit, like every mom I want a happy and healthy baby. I also really hope they haven’t changed brands on the glucose test from last time, I didn’t mind the flavor at all, it tasted just like a melted Otter Pop to me. Later today, I’m finally getting my hair done and adding some more blonde to it. I haven’t had my hair done in months and I’m so excited to be able to get some girl time with my hairdresser who is also expecting!

Here are some updates from last week:

-When we were reading Ellie’s big sister book we gave her, after reading it twice I asked her to start pointing out the characters/objects and when I asked her where the baby was she pointed to my belly! I thought it was the cutest response and she followed it with waving hi and giving my belly kisses for the baby.

-This week was a bit better in sleep, I’ve been sleeping mostly through the night but have been waking up really tired. So, I just can’t catch a break! In the previous 3 weeks or so, I was sleeping great, but would wake up around 2 and be up for 30-45 minutes, but wouldn’t wake up tired. Now, I’m sleeping through the night, but tired in the morning. Go figure.

-I’ve had a few leg cramps this past week and thankfully they weren’t nearly as bad as I’ve had them in the past and went away quickly.

-My sciatic nerve has been a bit of a bother, just a slight annoyance instead of lasting pain.
-I’m still craving salt and vinegar chips (Ellie enjoys them too), sour candy like Sour Patch Kids, and tart drinks like lemonade (which I'm currently drinking right now with some cut up strawberries). Before we knew we were having a girl, I thought we might be having a boy because with Ellie all I wanted was fruit and frozen yogurt. My cravings are so opposite this time!

-Matt and I have some time off coming up soon and we plan on getting the nursery together and I’m so excited about setting it up. We plan on buying her dresser and painting her room, nothing huge, but I’m excited to see it all come together. I just want her room to be simple and calming, but with some more color than what I did Eleanor’s room (see hers here, it’s just about the same in our new home now).

-Little girl has been moving more often now and I just love feeling her kicks. It’s such a magical feeling and I look forward to her kicks each day.

-We also tentatively booked our newborn/family pics with Lovers of Love this week for when little miss arrives. It's just penciled in for now, depending on the baby's schedule and my recovery. I'm so excited and we plan on doing them at home, I'd love to maybe venture outside as well for a few pics, but I'm not counting any eggs before they hatch.

Kimono // Tank // Jeans // Sandals

I’m thinking about doing posts featuring other pregnant mamas and their experiences, please let me know if you’d like to be featured and leave your email below! Any one is welcome, you don't have to have a blog to involved. Hope you’re all having a great day, the weekend is almost here!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 23

22 Weeks 3 Days

Did you miss our announcement or our first bumpdate? Check them out if you need to catch up!

This week has been great! I said in the first post that I'll probably just do simple posts with updates on any major changes or feelings. I'm gonna try it this week, please let me know what you think and which you prefer! Thank you so much for all of your feedback and comments, this has been a great journey and I'm so happy to be doing it again.

Dress (non-maternity)

Here's some updates from last week:

- Pregnancy insomnia is still around! I've woken up almost every night around 2am and will be up for 45-60 minutes. Luckily, I'm not tired in the morning and I'm able to fall back asleep after some time.

-I love the items I've bought for clothes this pregnancy and will do a review of everything I've bought that's maternity so far. Would you want a review of the non-maternity items too?

-The salty/tart cravings are still going strong. This weekend I made homemade lemonade with lemons from my uncle's tree. I've already finished the pitcher and can't wait to make another one. I've also been drinking the juice from our green olives (which I always regret after).

-The baby has been so active! Last week I posted that she doesn't move all the time, but I've felt her so much more since that posted. It's like she knew I wrote that about her and she had to prove me wrong. I love it!

-We've bought a few things for the new baby's room, I'm really excited to get it set up. Right now, we use it as a guest room so we have to clear out the Cal King Bed (our old one) and some dressers and we plan on re-painting it at the end of this month. We're thinking a soft white with a gray tone to it. Any suggestions?

Hope you're all having a great week! If you're expecting, please post your site below if you blog so I can check it out!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 22

Good morning!! Today is the first of my Baby 2 Bumpdates, thank you all so much for your comments and feedback from our announcement! I'm not sure if I'm going to keep with the same format as my previous bumpdates, I might just do weekly posts that highlight major changes and feelings and not a questionnaire of the basics. I'm very lucky that my pregnancies are easy and I feel great every day, I'm so thankful for that! If you have any questions or suggestion on what you would like to see, please let me know!

 21 Weeks 5 Days
Dress (non-maternity)

How far along? 22 weeks today, reviewing week 21 in today's post.

Total weight gain: 4 pounds, same as with Ellie at this time!

Stretch marks?: Nope, I do have those silvery marks from my pregnancy with Ellie that a lot of women get, but nothing serious. They do seem to be more prominent now that my belly is large and stretching.

Maternity clothes: One thing I've said since Ellie's pregnancy is that I want to get more maternity clothes from the start because I felt like I had nothing to wear at the end of my previous pregnancy. So far I've bought three maternity shirts, jean shorts, and a pair of black slacks.

Belly Button in or out?: In, just flattening out.

Sleep: I've been sleeping so much better this pregnancy! I attribute it to our new bed and better support. I've had a few nights of insomnia, but I'm not tired all day or groggy in the morning. This past week I did have some leg cramps one night that woke me up, but they thankfully went away quickly.

Best moment this week: I love that everyone knows! It's great to talk about it openly and get asked about it from clients at work and out in public. It was great seeing my family on Easter and talking about the baby and Ellie with them since it's the first I've seen them since the announcement. 

Worst moment this week: The leg cramps! I've also had a little bit of sciatic nerve botherings, mostly my right side and it's not as bad as it was earlier in my pregnancy, but still annoying.

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Being able to wear whatever I want and rare meat.

22 Weeks 6 Days

Kimono // Maternity Jeans 

Movement: Yes, but she's not moving as much as Ellie did at this time. She's active in the morning, after lunch, and at night. It's smaller movements, they feel like she's shifting into a different position. 

Food cravings: This week, carbonation and sweets. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I gag almost every time I brush my teeth. That happened with Ellie too, but I remember it being mostly at the beginning.

Have you started to show yet: Yep, it's totally obvious.

Gender: Team pink!!

Symptoms: Leg cramps, sciatic nerve pain, bleeding bums. .

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! No big mood changes.

Looking forward to: Seeing her and how she's different from Ellie. Matt and his sisters are all nearly identical (even with different eye/hair colors) and I love to think about how she will look. In the sonogram you can see she has my nose (so does Ellie), but I wonder what color eyes and hair, if she'll have big cheeks, if she'll be as long as Ellie, etc.

Until next week ladies! Again, please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for future bumpdates!

Are any of you pregnant and have a blog that you're sharing bumpdates? Leave your site below so I can check it out!

My Last Bumpdate: Week 38

This is my last bumpdate as we are scheduled for our c-section next week. Crazy huh? I can't believe how quickly it's gone by and I'm so excited to finally meet her, love on her, and see what she looks like. Our lives will never, ever be the same, they'll be better! I know I'm going to miss feeling her from the inside and miss being pregnant though.

Tomorrow is my last day of work and this weekend is packed with a wedding and birthdays, but the hubs and I are going to savor every moment we have of our last weekend as a family of two.   I have so many emotions, the last week has been kind of a roller coaster; excitement, worry, anxiousness, exhilaration, and joyfulness. There's so much I want to write here, but I can't get the words right and hope to share more with you in a future post.

 I love seeing her heartbeat at our appointments

How far along?  37 Weeks! (Each bumpdate reviews the week previous)

Total weight gain: I had an appointment on Monday and have gained a total of 26lbs. I'm thinking I'll be around 27-28 at the time of delivery.The doctor also guesstimates that our bunny weighs between 7.5-8.5lbs and our families have started placing bets.

Stretch marks?: Besides Stretch Mark Gate (read about it here  in Week 28) I haven't had any more pop up and the few I have on the underside of my chest have not grown or gotten worse.  I've started using Body Spa Cell.U.Lift Firming Body Lotion every morning after my shower and starting using the  Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter each night before bed (when I remember). I'm hoping to steer clear of any stretch marks at all in this last week, wish me luck!

Maternity clothes: Randomly, I've made some cute outfits of the few items that still fit me! Of course, I'm still wearing my Old Navy Maternity Smooth-Panel Rockstar Jeggings  (I bought two pairs) and have made some really cute looks this past week. Although all I want to wear is some pj shorts and my husbands shirts.

Belly Button in or out?: Depends on my position, but it's out. Sometimes it's just flat and other times it bubbles out.

Sleep: Sleep? What sleep? I wake up a few times during the night and my hip pain is at it's worst!

I spent one of the morning this past weekend folding all her clothes. They are so small, it's crazy how much you can fit in a load of laundry and in a single drawer! 

Best moment this week: Finishing the nursery! My MIL and SIL came over last weekend and we organized, washed, and bought everything we needed. We are all set and I'll be taking some pictures this weekend to share next week.

Also this week, the sweet women in our Relief Society threw me a shower and it was lovely. It was so great getting know them better (we just moved into the ward) and I really enjoyed myself. It was such a wonderful shower, I'm so thankful to them.

Worst moment this week: This week I have been so uncomfortable, my last day of work is tomorrow and I wish I could have taken off this whole week. I'm out of breath, my hands/feet are swollen, my hips hurt, and I'm tired. No fun.

I got my hair done this week as well, want to look good to meet baby! Plus, who knows when I'll have a chance to get my hair done again!

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Sleeping throughout the night which will not happen again for years. 

Movement: Still lots of movement! I'm definitely going to miss the feeling when she's here.

Food cravings: Milk, cereal, fruit, and smoothies. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing.

Have you started to show yet: Absolutely!

Gender: Team pink!

My MIL and I on our way to the church shower, we matched!

Symptoms:Like what I said above, my hip pain is horrible and hurts so bad in the mornings, my hands/feet are swollen, my hands ache, I'm tired and uncomfortable, and I'm definitely waddling early in the morning and at the end of the day.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, happy, happy!

What I'm reading: This week has been so busy, but I did manage to sneak in another chapter of Breastfeeding Made Simple- a suggestion from Meg of Meg. O on the Go.

Looking forward to: Finally meeting our little bunny!

I'm trying to work on some posts for next week, but I'm sure my posts will be scattered over the next couple of weeks as we get into the swing of parenthood and get to know our little bunny. Again, I just want to thank each of you for all your love and support throughout the whole pregnancy. It's been so wonderful getting know you guys and sharing pregnancies stories and words of advice. It's been a truly amazing experience and I'm so grateful for each of you!