M: The Second Trimester

April 17, 2014:

Well today is my last day of week 17 of my pregnancy and unfortunately it is also my first time for writing about this trimester so far.  So...I will do the best I can to recall what has been happening...

Week 14 (March 21-27): We had our second doctor's appointment.  Everything is going well and the baby's heart rate was 142.  I am still feeling the annoyances of the first trimester (nausea and exhaustion) and hope that things will get into the glory days of the 2nd trimester soon.

14 Weeks

Week 15 (March 28-April 3): A couple of days into this week, I felt the baby move for the first time.  It was barely noticeable (& had it been my 1st pregnancy I probably wouldn't have noticed it), but it was there and I couldn't help but smile.  The little kicks and flutters are an amazing reminder of the God's creation growing within me.  This week my energy really started to come back and I was able to start getting more things accomplished again after work.  Unfortunately, the nausea continues...

15 Weeks

Week 16 (April 4-10): The highlight of this week was that Eric got to feel the baby move for the first time as well, and it brought me joy to see his face light up.  It is a nice way to be able to share a little more of the experience with him.  The lowlight: the nausea continued and the hormonal/emotional wreckage resurfaced.  I was not in a great mood all weekend and not feeling very well.  By Monday afternoon my mood was better, but my stomach was still not happy.  I couldn't believe that my "morning sickness" had continued so far into the pregnancy.  By Tuesday, I was suffering from back ache, heartburn, little to no appetite and an upset stomach, but shrugged it all off as pregnancy symptoms until Thursday.  On the last day of this week, I could no longer ignore the symptoms and realized that it wasn't pregnancy, but a touch of a stomach virus.  No fun, but after a lot of water, applesauce and toast, I was eventually on the mend.  Due to the events of this week, we never got around to the weekly photo.

Week 17 (April 11-17): This week I finally feel like I am in the second trimester!  My nausea has been gone, I have my energy back (I've stayed up until 10pm or later every night this week!), and I have an appetite again.  At this point, I feel the baby moving daily, but unlike Asher I feel him (it's a "him" week) more during the day than at night.  It might be just that it is still early in the pregnancy, but I can't help but hope that this means "M" will understand that days are for playing and nights are for sleeping (one can hope, right?).

Lately, I have also been thinking a lot about whether "M" is a boy or girl.  Eric and I have always pictured our little family as a family of four: One boy, one girl...the boy being older to watch out for his little sis.  So far, that has held true, but only time can tell what "M" will be.  I have had it on my To Do list the past few weeks though to schedule our mid-pregnancy ultrasound.  Although we do not want to find out the sex of the baby, it is very hard to think that we could know very soon if we wanted to.  Lately, all of our expecting friends have been finding out what they are having....have I mentioned that there is a SERIOUS baby boom going on in Kenosha right now?  It our church there are 8 women that I know personally (besides myself) that are expecting and about three or four others that I only know of.  Of those women, I now know that 1 is having a boy, and 5 are having girls.  It is pretty much the exact opposite of the baby boom that occurred when I was pregnant with Asher and several of the women I referred to above were part of the baby boom then as well...anyway...we still want to keep "M's" gender a secret, but finding out what every else is having makes that very difficult to remain committed to.  In the end though, I really did enjoy the moment in the delivery room hearing, "it's a boy" for the first time and then holding my little man in my arms.  Although I will not deny that I would love to have a little girl, I would be thrilled with another little bundle of boy as well!  :)  Finally, since this is one really unstructured paragraph full of my random thoughts, I will end with this:

Eric recently expressed concern for the fact that I have written in this blog that we are hoping "M" is a girl.  He is concerned that if we have a boy, he might someday read this and feel that we are disappointed that we have two boys instead of a boy and a girl.  Note: That will NOT be the case, and we will be overjoyed with whoever it is that God has knit together in my womb.  The funny thing is that that just a day or so after Eric said this to me, we began watching Home Improvement Season 3.  The very first episode of the season was entitled, "Maybe Baby" (FF to 15m,15s for scene), and it was about how Jill had been hoping for a girl when she was pregnant with their third son, Mark.  The older boys found out about this and used it to torment their younger brother.  Mark became hurt and upset and confronted his Mom about it, and Jill reminded him about how he really wanted a dog for his 5th birthday and how he got a turtle instead.  Although, he really wanted a dog he loved his turtle and wouldn't have traded it for anything, I couldn't help but smile and think it was a perfect description of how I felt.  I may be hoping for a little girl to share our life with, but no matter what God has planned for us, I know it will be perfect...all I have to do now is wait 5 more months to meet "him".

17 Weeks

April 30, 2014:

Week 18 (April 18-24): This week we had our third appointment and everything is going well.  The baby's heart rate is steady at 143.  I have gained about 7.5 pounds since the beginning of my pregnancy, and with Asher I had gained just a bit over 8 pounds at around the same point.  Although I am well into my second trimester, the nausea still seems to be hanging on.  Although it was much more intense with Asher, it only lasted a few weeks and was gone by the beginning of the second trimester.  Now, it is not as severe, but lingers.  It seems to help if I eat a very light breakfast, but sometimes it doesn't matter.  It also seems like brushing my teeth makes it worse, so I've been considering trying a different flavor of toothpaste.  Because of this annoyance, my doctor told me to start taking a B6 vitamin, which is supposed to help.  I am willing to give it a go and will see if it helps.

18 Weeks

Comparison: 18 Weeks with Asher

Week 19 (April 25-May 1): Now I am finishing up week 19.  It has been a crazy week and I am exhausted.  We are currently both extremely busy with work and having to juggle our typical schedules to make everything work.  On top of that, I am trying to still be productive on the things I need to do at home like the mountain of receipts to be entered sitting next to me), keeping up with our dishes (I swear our one little boy requires us to run the dishwasher 3-4 times more than we did before), and taking care of our little man, in addition to finishing home projects.  Last weekend, Eric and I decided that we needed to get moving on the basement so that we can move the guest room downstairs and get started on Asher's Big Boy Room.  There just isn't enough time in a day!

As for the baby and my pregnancy, things seem to continue about the same.  The baby is getting more and more wiggly and today I could feel him (it's a "him" week) move off and on throughout the day.  I continue to feel great some days and lousy others.  I have a very hard time eating anything that is high in sodium as it continues to make me totally parched.  Last night we had Chili's for dinner and even though I tried to eat a lighter meal and tried not to stuff myself, I still was up for a good chuck of the evening with heartburn and abdomen/back pain.  Last week, my doctor said that I could be having gallbladder issues, so I guess we will see if anything comes of that.  Although I don't really enjoy salty foods right now (other than pizza...that is always good!), I have been loving Strawberry-Apple salads.  The vinaigrette combined with the fruit, nuts and cheese is awesome and every time I finish my meal, I long for more.  I have also been loving chocolate.  It doesn't seem to affect me in any bad ways and makes my taste buds very happy!  ;)

My final update is that I have scheduled our 20 Week Ultrasound for next Wednesday.  Since we (probably) won't be finding out the gender it really isn't that exciting, but I am looking forward to seeing our little one again.  At the same time though, I am a bit anxious for the appointment and praying that everything is going well and that "M" is developing as "he" should.  

19 Weeks

May 27, 2014:

Week 20 (May 2-May 8): This week we got to go to our mid-pregancy ultrasound.  We were very anxious about the possibility of finding something wrong, but thrilled afterwards to be told that our baby seems to be growing and developing exactly as "she" should (heart rate was 156).  I was nervous about drinking the required 32oz of water prior to the ultrasound, as my body doesn't do well drinking a lot of water in a short period of time (& with Asher I threw up almost all of the water I drank before we got to the hospital), but I made it through without getting sick.  We also were not sure if we would find out if we were going to have a boy or a girl, although we were leaning toward not finding out.  When the technician asked us though I said, "we don't want to find out" and then looked at Eric and said, "right?" for confirmation.  He agreed and we remained strong, so now we have to wait until September to find out if our new little bundle will be dressed in pink or blue.  When the technician was checking the baby's legs though, she told us that we might want to look away just in case something else showed up on the screen to not ruin the surprise.  We obliged, but on the way home, Eric said, "well, I didn't see anything on the screen when she told us to look away..."  I smacked him and said, I thought you looked away, what do you mean you didn't see anything?"  He replied with a smirk and said, "I did look away from that screen, but I could still see her monitor!"  So, that really doesn't mean anything.  It could be a girl after all...OR it could just mean that Eric never got the view that was needed to reveal anything.

20 Weeks

Week 21 (May 9-May 16): This week started out great with a wonderful family weekend together at the zoo and celebrating Mother's Day.  Unfortunately, it didn't stay wonderful and instead turned into something pretty awful.  After Sunday, it was a horrible week filled with the death of a cousin, the death of a family friend's husband, craziness at work and more emotion than this preggo could handle.  Honestly, I couldn't wait for the week to end.

21 Weeks

Week 22 (May 17-May 22): This week started out tough, with my cousin's funeral.  Aaron and I drove up together on Friday morning, spent the afternoon at the visitation and service and then drove all the way back home.  It was a sad day and my heart ached for my Aunt, Uncle, cousins and their children, including my cousin Bonnie's son Bobby.  It was also a day of realizing that a pregnant woman must bring comfort and hope to the darkness of a funeral.  Everyone that I talked to that day wanted to know how I was doing and when I was due.  Several people touched my stomach (probably about 15 people in one day-a few of which I didn't even know-, which was crazy considering only about 2 or 3 people ever touched it when I was pregnant with Asher), which I wasn't crazy about, but willing to let it go considering the circumstances.  I even had three people ask when I was due and then exclaim in surprise when I mentioned September 19, that I looked like I was ready to pop any day now (not-so-subtley hinting that I am already huge)!..again, I chose to let it go.  Although the day was tough, I was happy that Aaron and I could be there to support our family and also that we were able to see so many of our family members that we rarely get to see.  Additionally, it was kind of nice to have the 7-8 hours in the car with my brother.  It has been several years since we have been able to be alone together and talk, and this gave us that opportunity.  It was nice to catch up with him, and by the end of the day I had talked so much (to him and other family members) that my throat hurt!

Thankfully, the rest of the week was MUCH better.  Work was crazy as it tends to be these days, but we also got to hear our baby's little heart again at our 22 week appointment (baby's heart rate was 146).

22 Weeks

Week 23 (May 23-May 29): Now (May 27) it is week 23.  We enjoyed a great Memorial Day Weekend at the cottage and "M" is moving more and more by the day.  We can now even see "him" moving sometimes from the outside.  My body is growing quickly and the weight seems to be as well...which might have something to do with the fact that I cannot get enough ice cream, milkshakes and chocolate!  I have been clumsy and forgetful (a few weeks ago I shattered a bottle of nail polish on the bathroom floor and we now have pink grout) and I cannot seem to brush my teeth without getting toothpaste on my shirt in the region of my ever increasing belly bump.  My nausea is pretty much gone now (finally), so either it has finally decided to just go away or the B6 vitamin is working (but tastes disgusting).  I have also starting having pregnancy bloody noses again in the last few weeks after just thinking that I had lucked out and avoided them this time around.  Oh the joys of pregnancy!

23 Weeks

June 6, 2014:

Week 24 (May 30-June 5): This week was pretty routine.  I continue to pack on the pounds and the baby is moving more and more.  Yesterday morning, I woke up with a very pointy belly, as if the baby was bent in half sticking "her" butt out at me.  My nose bleeds have gotten worse and the other day I sneezed and then was surprised with gushing blood from my nostril.  Fun Fun.  Other than that, all is well.  My mood seems to fluctuate and I am trying to be in a good mood for the sake of those around me, but honestly much of the time I just want to scream in frustration or bust out in tears.  Because of this, my gut still tells me it is a girl, but we will find out in just over 3 months for sure.  I have even been inclined to pick up some little girl attire, but have so far have resisted the temptation.  With garage sale season ahead of me though I'm not sure I will make it through the season without any purchases, and since several of my friends are having little girls this summer, I figure I can share my spoils with them if 'M' does turn out to be a boy!  ;)

24 Weeks

Me with a few of the 13 baby-mommas due this year.

June 18, 2014:

Week 25 (June 6-June 12): This week was pretty crazy.  Honestly if the emotions that I experienced the week before had continued into this week, I'm not sure I would have survived.  The weekend started off with my crazy, hormonal episodes and left me being frustrated and unhappy for much of it unfortunately.  When the week started though, it was time to put my emotions aside and kick it into survival mode.  On Tuesday this week, Eric ended up having his appendix removed which meant that I spent basically the entire week being a single mother.  It was exhausting to say the least, but I survived to tell the tale.  Unfortunately at 25 weeks, my pregnancy back pain has also started to act up, which was untimely considering Eric is not allowed to lift more than 10 pounds, meaning he cannot lift Asher.  Carrying 20 pounds of my own & 'M's' additional weight in addition to Asher's 30 pounds didn't exactly help that issue and by the end of the week I was feeling like a cripple.

25 Weeks

Week 26 (June 13-June 19): Thankfully, this week has been going much better.  I still struggle with my emotions though and am dealing with the constant battle of trying to remain as patient and anxiety-free as possible.  It doesn't help though that work and home life are insanely busy and that I now rarely sleep past 4:30 thanks to 'M'.  Instead, I wake up, empty my bladder for the first of several times for that day, and then go back to bed to toss and turn and wish I was sleeping until the alarm goes off or I decide to get up and try to accomplish something (which is what I did this morning).  Now that Eric has been able to start helping a little more with Asher though, I can happily say that my back has been feeling better lately.  I still feel achy most of the time, and I think I've begun to waddle, but at least I am no longer wincing every time I have to get up...progress?

As far as preparing for 'M's' arrival, I don't have a lot to report.  Since there will be no baby showers this time around, I haven't had to worry about registering (although I do plan to only for the additional 10% discount of items that we will need!), and I also do not need to set up the nursery like last time.  I do, however, need to get Asher's Big Boy room ready so that he can move out of the nursery and that is still a work (barely started) in progress!  I've considered many of the things we might need for baby number two, but for the most part those items are few or I cannot purchase because we do not know if 'M' is a boy or a girl.  I did purchase some cute baby girl outfits for friends of ours though that I had to force myself to walk away from so that I didn't end up with baby girl clothes for us to.  I found one outfit specifically at Kohls that was so cute I almost couldn't resist, but I did...which I guess is good because lately I have been thinking more and more that 'M' may be another boy.  I mean, obviously there is a 50% chance of that and I am fairly wishy-washy on the mater, but now that we have a boy name a bit more solidified (although not 100%), I can picture him a little better in my mind.

Finally for week 26, I can say that I believe I have started to have Braxton Hicks contractions for the first time.  With Asher I may have had them, but didn't realize what they were since it was my first pregnancy go-around.  This time, I am still not entirely sure if what I've been experiencing the last day or so is them, but I do believe that is likely what it is.  Thankfully though at this point they have been very dull and haven't been affecting any of my daily routine.

26 Weeks

June 26, 2014:

Week 27 (June 20-June 26): Today is my last day of my 2nd trimester!  Although January seems like an eternity ago, I cannot believe how quickly time is going.  'M' is going to be here before we know it and I can't honestly say I am feeling prepared.  I am very excited to hold our new little bundle in my arms, but I am also a little terrified by the thought of everything that we need to get done before then.  Thankfully though, my "nesting" has kicked in full gear the last few weeks and Eric and I have gotten a ton accomplished.  I have cleaned and reorganized all of our closets, our office, and a few kitchen cabinets.  That, combined with the amazing work that my parents did for us last weekend, makes me feel a bit more prepared.  Other than that, I guess I don't have a whole lot else to report about this trimester.  We had our last 2nd Trimester appointment at the beginning of this week and all is going well.  I am pretty much on the same weight-gain track that I was with Asher, and praying that I do not experience the swelling that I did with him.  The baby's heart rate was loud and strong at 150 bpm, and the nurse told me that she thinks I'm having a girl, but I'm not really sure why she thinks that.  As I said before though, I have been much more wishy-washy about the thought lately and decided to close this blog entry with an idea that one of my friends had on her blog, a baby gender poll.  Take the poll (at the right) and let me know what you think, then in just 12 more weeks we will have the big reveal!  :)