Pregnancy Update: 24 weeks pregnant!

Poor baby #2. Emma got regular updates during my pregnancy with her, and this is only my second update since announcing that we are pregnant with baby #2! I feel so terrible, but life has been nuts and most of the time, I have to stop and remind myself that I am pregnant and need to take things easy! Being pregnant + having a toddler is no joke! On top of working full time, running a private practice, serving at church, and overall LIFE in general.

Needless to say, it’s been a busy season. Busy, but also exciting and full of God’s blessings! Every time I get exhausted or overwhelmed, I remind myself of how grateful I am for my life, my babies, my husband, and my community. God is so so good, y’all.

Anyways, onto the updates!

How far along are you?

24 weeks! This pregnancy is FLYING BY.

Gender:

GIRL!! We’ll be announcing the name soon :)

How big is the baby?

She is the size of an eggplant…so big!

Total weight gain:

I am 4-5 lbs up from my pre-pregnancy weight! I’m really grateful for steady weight gain since gaining weight was so difficult with Emma and our abnormal umbilical cord. Thank God for a normal cord this time around and a healthy appetite for mommy!

How am I feeling?

I have moments of extreme energy and happiness, followed by being an emotional and exhausted mess. I had a breakdown yesterday just because I couldn’t switch a load of laundry (our machines are on the 3rd floor, Emma was on the 2nd floor, she’s getting heavy to carry up and down with me, but I digress). I’m learning that it’s ok to ask for help, and even though I want to do it all and feel like I should be able to do it all, those are just unrealistic expectations I have been placing on myself. Moms, ASK FOR HELP. I’m preaching to the choir on this one.

Maternity clothes?

I have been re-wearing all of my clothes from my pregnancy with Emma but I finally ordered a few new sweaters and a pair of pants this past weekend! I wanted some fresh clothes to enjoy!

Favorite workouts:

I workout at home and do mostly Beachbody workouts! I’ve been alternating between lifting, maternity workouts, kickboxing, and modifying some of my other favorites. I am so grateful to be able to move my body!

Stretch marks:

None and I hope it stays that way!

Cravings:

Hmm lately I’ve been wanting big leafy salads and warm fresh baked chocolate chip cookies!

Sleep:

Sleep has been off and on. Better than it was but definitely not great. I’d say it’s mostly just restless nights!

What I miss:

Intense workouts, more than 1-2 cups of coffee/day, having more energy to play with Emma, and having more energy to stay on top of house chores! Also, wearing cute(r) clothes!

What I am looking forward to:

This hasn’t changed: having two little girls to play with and enjoy! I am an only child and prayed for a sister almost every day of my life, so I feel so blessed and happy that Emma will be able to enjoy that special bond.

That’s all for now! Hopefully I’ll be a little more regular with these updates, I enjoy writing them and I’ve enjoyed reading through Emma’s old posts too! Thanks for reading and have a great afternoon, friends!

Baby #2 is on her way!

Yep, we are expecting our second baby girl and couldn't be more thrilled! Lord willing, we will be welcoming the 4th member of our family at the end of February 2019. We are so excited and blessed and happy Emma will have a little sister!

I blogged through my last pregnancy with Emma, and I want to TRY to do the same with this one. But let me tell you, being pregnant with a toddler is no joke. For all you first time pregnant ladies out there, ENJOY ALL THE REST. Because right now, I feel like I am forgetting that I'm pregnant because I am so busy running around a 16 month old, working full time, and taking care of all the things. It's okay though, God provides His strength and that's the only way I could get through!

I'm 15 weeks now, and finally starting to feel better and shedding that first trimester getting-hit-by-a-car feeling. I thought I'd do a little recap about how this pregnancy has been so far...hope y'all enjoy!

How far along are you?

15 weeks and 2 days.

Gender:

GIRL!!

How big is the baby?

She is an avocado this week....so cute!

Total weight gain:

I am still below my pre-pregnancy weight since I lost some in the first trimester. I will say that I am definitely hungrier with this baby compared to my pregnancy with Emma, so I am sure I will be gaining weight in no time!

How am I feeling?

Pretty exhausted...the nausea really knocked me off my feet in the first trimester, but I have finally been feeling better the past couple weeks! A bit more energy and being able to enjoy the nourishing foods I love!

Maternity clothes?

Oh yes! I feel like I started showing the minute I found out I was pregnant this time around! It's like my body knew to just pop out!

Favorite workouts:

I do at-home Beachbody workouts because they have gotten me the best results and I've never been as consistent as I am when do their programs! Right now I am doing Liift 4, a 4 day/week program, plus adding their maternity workouts and MMA style kickboxing workouts!

Stretch marks:

None and I hope it stays that way!

Cravings:

Gimme ALL the Greek salad! And can I just say, I am so grateful I've been craving salads because for a solid 2 months my diet consisted of ritz crackers, cheez its, and bread. Those are the only foods that seemed to settle my stomach. It's such a relief to be able to eat some nourishing veggies again!

Sleep:

Sleep has been AWFUL, but it was the same with Emma so I was expecting it!

What I miss:

Intense workouts, more than 1 cup of coffee/day, and having more energy to play with Emma. She is such a good independent player and loves her toys. She sings and talks to me all day long while I rest and sit on the floor with her. I just wish I could be more active with her, but for now I know this will do, and she still loves me! (Mom guilt is real, guys).

What I am looking forward to:

Having two little girls to play with and enjoy! I am an only child and prayed for a sister almost every day of my life, so I feel so blessed and happy that Emma will be able to enjoy that special bond.

That's all so far on this pregnancy! Thank you for all of your sweet words. We are praying for a smooth pregnancy and healthy baby, and are so excited for our new blessing!

Pregnancy Update! Weeks 31-33

I can't believe we are in the 30s as far as my weeks of pregnancy! This whole shabang FLEW by and we are getting so close to meeting our baby girl! Here's the latest update and how Mama and Emma are doing!  

Our baby shower was last week and we got the cutest clothes and blankets! It was so fun washing everything and getting ready for our baby girl!

 How far along are you?

33 weeks and 4 days!

Gender:

GIRL!!

How big is the baby?

She is a cauliflower blossom this week! 

Total weight gain:

I am 12 lbs up from my pre-pregnancy weight! I'm finally gaining and as weird as it is to see the scale go up, I know it's for the best reason ever! 

How am I feeling?

I am feeling a little more tired lately, but still have pretty good energy considering! Sleep has been so-so, heartburn has kept me up most nights but that is getting better too as baby is slowly dropping!

Maternity clothes?

All day every day! I am loving all the stretchy pants and leggings, it's going to be so hard to go back to real clothes!

Favorite workouts:

I have been doing Core de Force, which is Beachbody's MMA fighting/kickboxing program. I am loving it! I am going to start incorporating more walks and get back to my Country Heat workouts too. My type A personality loves following programs from beginning to end, and you best believe I will be doing that post baby (I already have the programs I want to do lined up once I am cleared!) But for now, I am so thankful I have access to all the Beachbody on Demand workouts and can jump back and forth with what my body feels best doing!

Stretch marks:

None and I hope it stays that way! I’ve been using bio oil and some Cocoa butter too! My belly is itchy so I just keep moisturizing!

Cravings:

PIZZA. Lately, all I want is pizza. I could eat it for each meal. Actually I just realized I had some last night, and have leftovers today for lunch, and will be having some tonight at church. Oops. Oh well! I am balancing out all the pizza with lots of vegetables and fruits and healthy fats! Oh and protein, which the doctors want me to focus on to support Emma's growth!

Sleep:

Not too great with all the heartburn and now frequent trips to the bathroom. But oh well, I am used to having sleep problems (I didn't sleep through the night till 4th grade apparently) so it's not a big deal to me.

What I miss:

Working out as intensely as I used to. With all the anxiety that comes along with pregnancy, I miss my intense workouts and my runs. But I know I will get back to those things eventually! For now, I am just grateful that I am still able to be active in some capacity! I also miss having more than 1 cup of coffee a day, even though I only used to drink one, it would be nice to have the option of two...or three...

What I am looking forward to:

I am looking forward to packing our hospital bag (gotta get on that soon) and being on MATERNITY LEAVE! I am ready to just be home and prepare for our baby! The doctor wants me off work between 35 and 36 weeks, and that is so soon!

Thank you all for your prayers as we move along in this pregnancy. We appreciate it more than you know! We feel very loved and I know Baby Emma feels loved too!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Pregnancy: Weeks 24-26

I feel like SO much has changed since I last updated everyone on my pregnancy! I am getting bigger and bigger, but feeling so much better! Very thankful to God that my energy is back and I am feeling more like myself!

How far along are you?

26 weeks and 2 days

Gender:

GIRL!! 

How big is the baby?

This week, our sweet baby is the size of a butternut squash, which seems HUGE to me! 

Total weight gain:

I am finally 141! So I have gained 4 lbs since my pre-pregnancy weight of 137. 

How am I feeling?

I'm feeling pretty good! I have a lot more energy now, just getting bigger and getting used to having a big belly!

Maternity clothes?

Yup!!! I'm loving maternity leggings, they are so comfortable! My husband jokes that I am not going to want to wear normal clothes once the baby comes. But I DO miss shopping for clothes and kind of can't wait to get back into normal clothing. But for now, comfort trumps all. 

Favorite workouts:

Country Heat has been a lifesaver! I am streaming the workout on Beachbody on Demand (basically netflix for workouts!) and also get access to a million other programs as well! So I am doing Country Heat along with Beachbody's Active Maternity workout, and going on walks. I am so happy to be active again!

Stretch marks:

None and I hope it stays that way! I’ve been using bio oil and a “bump cream” I found on Amazon. I also just ordered some Cocoa butter too! My belly is itchy so I just keep moisturizing! 

Cravings:

I am having fleeting cravings that don't last long, so I rarely give in. The other day I craved Frosted Flakes cereal (a childhood favorite that I haven't had for 10 years!) but an hour later, they sounded disgusting to me so I never go them. I am trying to choose healthy foods when possible, but also giving into cravings from time to time. Everything I eat will effect baby girl, so I want to give her the best options I can!

Food aversions:

Still not a fan of red meat, but everything else has been sitting well! 

Sleep:

It is getting better some nights, then terrible other nights. I'm just rolling with the punches at this point!

What I miss: 

Working out more intensely, clothes shopping, and more than 1 cup of coffee/day! Especially with the lack of sleep!

What I am looking forward to:

Our next ultrasound is tomorrow where the will measure her and make sure she is growing on track since we have a velementous cord insertion. We will be checking on her growth every 2 weeks which is kind of nice because we get to see baby girl every 2 weeks! We are praying she still keeps growing big and strong!

Thanks for reading and for your sweet comments and prayers for our baby! It's been so exciting to see all the changes happening to my body with pregnancy. It is truly is a miracle! We can't wait to finally meet you, baby girl!