Week 16 Update

There is another huge photo, in all of it's "I just woke up and I don't have makeup on" glory.

How far along?
I am 16 weeks and 1 day...only 168 days left
(I accidentally put how many days I was into the pregnancy on the last update - whoops!)

Baby is the size of a...
(an) avocado (according to BabyCenter.com)

Symptoms:
I hate to say anything, in the fear that I will jinx it. But, I feel pretty good. I haven't had a headache in almost a week! I was having them every day there for a while. Overall I feel pretty good. I still have the occasional stretching and pulling feeling; but, I am pretty used to those.

I am in that awkward stage now, where my symptoms are coming to the second trimester plateau; but, I still can't feel the baby kick. So, I just sit and worry that something is wrong. Even my appetite has gotten better. Now the pounds will surely pack on. :{ We will see.

I feel like my face is getting chubbier; but, I also feel like I am super pasty. This will certainly be the worst part of a summer pregnancy. I will be asking about spray tanning at my next appointment; I can't forget this time!

Anything new?
Speaking of which, I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for April 13th. Friday the 13th, to be exact. Does that freak me out? Yeah, it kind of does. I am a bit superstitious. It seriously makes me a tad nervous. But, I will be 18 weeks and we can schedule our ultrasound! I am super pumped about that! I just remember, besides finding out Lucy's sex, how wonderful it was to watch her kick and move. Plus, I loved watching her little heart flicker on the monitor. It is so unreal, as is pregnancy in general.

I just got asked if I had any feelings about the sex, and nope. I wish I did; but, I don't. My motherly intuition isn't speaking to me at all.

It makes me kind of sad to think about finding out the sex sometimes. I am really excited; but, I feel like everyone wants a boy. I feel like if it is a girl, that everyone will be disappointed. I hate that. I seriously don't mind one way or another. I would love another girl, seriously! It was just me and my sister growing up; I don't really even know much about little boys, besides getting picked on when I was little or observing my nephew. I seriously don't have a preference; sometimes I feel like the only one. :(

New with Heath?
Heath totally wants a boy. Parents "aren't supposed to pick a gender preference," or whatever; but, I don't think it is uncalled for. A dad naturally wants a boy to watch play football and to "walk in his footsteps." Mostly I think he just wants to balance out the testosterone and estrogen levels in the house. haha.

The other night we had our friends over. They just had a baby in late December (he is SO cute, by the way). Heath held him for a while and the baby fell right asleep. It was adorable. But, Heath looks at me and says, "This just makes me want a boy even more." I quickly argued, "You didn't do any 'boyish' things with him!"  His response was, "No - boys are more mellow. There isn't any of the drama estrogen."

My husband, the labeler. Imagine the drama estrogen in our house with three girls and a Heath. haha.

New with Lucy?
She hasn't been feeling well lately. We think she has allergies. As a result, she got an ear infection. Fun times. We've been giving her medicine; but, she is a mess. She whines all the time and is super emotional. She gets upset at the oddest things.

We haven't decided if we will take her to the ultrasound yet. I am thinking probably not. They don't have the toys in there, like a doctor's office does. So, we will see.

By the way, Heath is staying home this week to paint Lucy's big girl room! A post will definitely follow!

Anything else?
I know that I was mean mentioning baby names to you all and not telling you our favorite names. It drives me nuts too! When someone has a baby, I immediately search for the name. I always think, "Why don't you just post it for everyone to see?" :) Usually it will just be, "Baby [Last Name]." So frustrating for the nosey people like me! haha. But, I seriously live for baby names. I always have. I don't know why; but, I love talking about them!

I have decided that I won't share our names yet, until we find out the sex. We haven't completely ruled out baby #3 yet (or I haven't at least - haha - I don't know about Heath). So, I don't want the names to be used by name stealers...not that any of you are. You just never know...

Have a great weekend everyone!

Maternity Models

I was recently sent a maternity catalog in the mail. It featured clothing lines from Motherhood (I get my maternity clothes from there) and A Pea in the Pod. I was excited because I knew that a Pea in the Pod was Nichole Richie's line and I love celebrities. :)

So, I quickly opened and started perusing. I found the cutest top.

Cute! Hmm...I wonder if i would look like that though.

Then, to my annoyance I saw this picture.

Look at her legs! Here is a closer look:

It then dawned on me that these were models with fake bumps. Granted, I understand why the companies would do that; but, this was just unrealistic! Hardly any one's legs look like that normally, nonetheless pregnant! Those thighs? I don't think so.

I admit; I was borderline insulted. And, I felt completely alienated.

Then, I got to this picture.

That bump doesn't even look real. It's awful. It ruined the whole catalog gazing experience for me. :(

I know some celebrities look like that pregnant, but not this gal! I look a lot more like this celebrity when I'm pregnant:

 

If you think that the picture is skewed or making her look bigger than it appears - no. That is actually how big she appears.

Who knew me and Jessica Simpson had so much in common?

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Today I'm Loving...

...that Easter is coming soon!

...that dying Easter eggs is still so fun for me! :) This year I got some great ideas from Pinterest.com about it too (like, using a whisk to dip your eggs).

...that we finally tried "Five Guys." My sister and a few Facebook friends have been raving about it. I gave it an A...not quite a plus, but it was good! :) My dad would love it. They have homemade burgers and fries. The burgers are huge too! I couldn't finish mine...or the fries for the matter. Presentation? They got a D. It is totally a "guy's" restaurant...to be expected with the name.

...that the weather is so wonderful, we are opening the windows in the evening!

...that the weather is so wonderful that Lucy and I played outside last week. Then, we got yelled at for making roads in the yard with her cars...sorry Dad, I mean Heath. I joke about this because I got yelled at as a kid for "tearing up" the yard by my dad. Heath "yelled" at me for the same thing. It was the back yard, inside the privacy fence! Gee whiz...by the way, the roads were kind of already there, we just pushed the grass aside.

(The ghostly orb that you are seeing to the bottom, right is a Squirty tail. The chihuahuas served as modern-day Godzillas for our little town.)

...that I am having more energy these days! I cleaned the house on Sunday! Spring cleaning is beginning! Or, nesting...one of the two.


...that my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew are coming over this weekend! I love spending time with family.

...that I can find humor in my impending labor pain (from a BabyCenter.com newsletter):

Labor pain is funny until you actually feel it, again.

...of course my baby Lucy and wonderful husband.

..and my friends, family, readers, and followers.

Happy Wednesday! And, Happy Birthday to one of my bestest friends! :)

15 Week Update

Before I show you this picture, you have to promise to ignore a few things: 1) our dirty mirrors, 2) all the clothes I piled on the bed in my search for something to wear, and 3) the decorative pillows that are laying on the floor by my feet, because the bed wasn't made.

I think this is becoming a trend. I am always apologizing for my messy look or the house's messy look...my motivation is gone people! Perhaps it will come back soon.

How far along?
I am 15 weeks and 1 day...only 108 days left.

Baby is the size of a...
(an) apple, according to BabyCenter.com. He/She is 4 inches long from head to rump! :)


Symptoms:
I am still feeling pretty dreary for the second trimester. With Lucy, I had felt "normal-ish" by now. But, I am still feeling weak, light-headed, and I am having more and more headaches. I have tested some theories that I am possibly dehydrated, or need caffeine, or have low blood-sugar. I just still haven't found something that keeps the headaches away...I will definitely be asking my doctor next visit.

My appetite is awful. I am not necessarily grossed out by food; but, I just don't yearn for it like usual. I feel hungry, but will look all over our kitchen and can't find something that "sounds good." Milk is usually what I end up having. It always tastes good and hits the spot. I'm sure it will pack on those pounds....:{ At my last visit, I was down three pounds. I wasn't too surprised; it is to be expected with my appetite lately.

Occasionally I have "cravings," if you will. I have been wanting pop like crazy! I don't know why. I just want a diet vanilla coke from Sonic so bad! I admit too, that I have been giving into my temptation every once in a while (I can technically have 12 oz. of caffeine in a day, every once in a while).  I have also been wanting cheese, and pickles. The old wives tales would say that my "cravings" indicate a boy. Salty = Boys, Sweet = Girls, or so the wives tales go...It was accurate with Lucy! I couldn't get enough Laffy Taffy and Sour Patch Kids.

Anything new?
Not really...I am still in my regular clothes, using the belly band every once in a while. I mainly use it to smooth out my unbuttoned pants. I don't want everyone to tell that my pants are popped open.

My hair has been pretty good and shiny and healthy, and perhaps a bit less greasy than usual with this pregnancy. However, my last shower left my hair kind of gross feeling,....like when I was pregnant with Lucy. I hope it doesn't last! I was enjoying my healthy hair! (Another wives tale indicator that it may be a boy: Healthy Hair = Boy, Gross/Greasy Hair = Girl)

I haven't had any more dreams, but have caught myself calling the baby a 'she' when talking about it. I think it's habit. I am just used to having a girl.

We revealed our favorite name picks to our family. No one really likes our girl name, except for my mom and sister. That, or they are just being nice. :) The boy name is still in the air. We have a favorite, but are not quite sure about it yet. My dad doesn't like it either...We've come to the conclusion that my dad won't like any names we choose. haha. He didn't like "Lucy" either, but see how that turned out! :)

New with Heath?
He is starting to feel like I'm actually pregnant, or so it seems. He is starting to rub my tummy every so often, and he kissed it the other day. :) I think he rubs my tummy to remind himself that it is real, or that it isn't just blubber. haha. He doesn't have the stretching, pulling, headaches, or weakness to remind him every second of the day. Although, he claims that he would take it, if he could...as long as he gets to give birth and breast feed too. He is super jealous that I get to have those moments with the baby. I understand.

New with Lucy?
She is having a hard time understanding. She points at my belly and says, "baby." I nod and say "yes, baby." She then points at my boob and says, "baby." Then, I have to tell her "no, boobie." I think "boobie" and "baby" are confusing her. We are working on it and I try to enunciate for her. She is still lifting her own shirt and telling me that she has a baby in her belly.

I think she will make a great big sister. She is so sweet to her baby dolls. Last night she wouldn't leave them downstairs. She had to take them to her room and cover them up for bed. She even slept with her favorite one (Aurora). She kissed them all on the head and told them "night-night." I could have melted...

Anything else?
I've been thinking a lot about the next doctor's appointment (early April) and the ultrasounds (late April). I can't wait to hear the heartbeat again and to see the baby. But, I really can't wait to hear if it is a boy or a girl. We were talking this weekend about what we might need for the baby. If it is a boy, we will need to get clothes! So, we will need the preparation time. :)

Have a great weekend everyone! I will be spending mine with family, again, how I prefer it!

Backwash...

Definition from the Urban Dictionary -

Backwash (n.)  - to take a mouthful of a drink from a container (cup/glass/bottle) and inadvertently spit back into the container, in which saliva and bits of food go back in with the liquid. Ga-row-ss. Does the mere thought of backwash make me gag? You bet your bum it does! I don't think it is even the pregnancy hormones that make me gag at it. Backwash is simply one of the grossest things ever. Why are we even talking about it, you ask?  - well, because of Heath. You see, he allows Lucy to drink after him. Two year-old Lucy. Lucy who still struggles drinking out of a cup. Lucy who still manages to get food back down the straw. Lucy who....well, you get the point. I should have know that his gag reflexes were off a bit when he cleaned up the half-chewed chicken nuggets off of the stairs. (dry heave) He fears no bodily function/fluid when it comes to that little girl! I only wish I was so...brave? gross? strong-stomached? Okay, I lied. I don't wish I could handle that. I simply don't like cleaning up poop, pee, puke...and definitely NOT drinking Lucy's half-chewed up food remnants. Are you still with me? I wouldn't blame you if you already gagged and exited. I feel like I'm a bad mother sometimes though, that I don't let Lucy drink from my cup or straw. Lucy and Heath will be sucking down a lemonade and I sit in the corner alone with my water. One time I let Lucy drink from my water bottle. She hadn't eaten anything too recently; so, I went for it! I drank almost the whole thing, when I noticed this: Oh, you don't see it? Here... Yep. It's a "floaty." I can only describe it as what looked like a cracker flake or possibly a small piece of bread. (dry heave) I decided at that point that I am just going to be a bad mom. I just can't do it. Your thoughts on the matter? (So much for What I'm Loving Wednesday. Oh well, I loved a lot of things. Here's to the rest of the week!)

Look How Big I Am

That wasn't referring to Lucy. I want you to look at how big I am!

I really don't have time for a long post right now. Sorry. But, I did mention on Facebook that I forgot to put a picture of my baby belly for weeks 13/14. I promise to get better at that.

Without further adieu, here it is:

14 weeks! Can you believe it? I'm so big...it's only going to get worse. Oh, and yes, my hair is atrocious. I was lounging around the house...

With Lucy? I was like this:

It is true. You get bigger a lot faster with the second. I knew that; but, I wasn't ready at all.

Hopefully you will hear from me tomorrow for What I'm Loving Wednesday! :)

13/14 Week Update

Wonder where I was? I was in Texas for work. I'm back now though and hopefully back on the ball! Here is the weekly update! :)


How far along?
I am just now 14 weeks; however, I was too busy to do week 13. So I'm mixing them.


Baby is the size of...
A lemon (according to BabyCenter.com); according to my bump, it's much larger... ;)

Symptoms:
The sleepiness is finally subsiding! Thank goodness. I no longer feel like passing out at 5 pm. I am still a little weaker than usual and tend to get light-headed when I move quickly. I have been trying to drink plenty of water and snack throughout the day to make it better. I have also been getting headaches a lot; but, I have been stressing out at work and I think the two may be related...

I am starting to feel the pulling, stretching, and the aching of a growing uterus/belly/baby. :) It is comforting sometimes, but mostly uncomfortable. I'll take it.

I was super rough on my body this past week, traveling. I was not getting enough sleep, eating fast food, lifting heavy bags, running through the airport, stressing about work...I just pray that it is still too early for all of that to make a big difference. I am now ready to rest for the next 26 weeks! :)

Anything new?
We got to hear the heartbeat last week! :) It was, like always, amazing. I simply cannot get enough of it. It brings the realization of a blessing and a miracle to reality. Heath and I are constantly asking each other, "Can you believe that we made a person? A human being?!" I look at Lucy and try to tell myself, "There is one of those in my stomach..." Weird! Crazy! Bizarre! Miraculous!

Dr. B did take quite a while to find the heartbeat, which scared me something awful. I just laid there and prayed that she would find it. It felt like forever! But, she found it and said it sounded great! :) I figure I have a lot more between the monitor and the baby this time...so, that was probably the issue. :)


The heartbeat is one of those pregnancy milestones that I yearn for. I can't wait for the ultrasound in April! Exciting things are on our horizon.

New with Heath?
I'll have to ask him. I don't think much. He is still overwhelmed from having to take care of Lucy alone for three days. Although, I think he got a lot of help from Aunt Honey...

He has been asking to see my stomach more. I think he is trying to convince himself that it is real. With the second one, you have less time to obsess over it. We are too busy trying to harness Lucy.

Lucy?
We took her to the doctor's appointment with us. It was a bit of a hassle; however, it was kind of neat to share it with her. Dr. B included Lucy a lot and told her that the thumping was the baby's heartbeat  - her baby brother or sister. Lucy just grimaced, in confusion.

I continue to tell her that she can't jump on me or sit on my stomach, because there is a baby in there. She is still confused and has started to pull up her own shirt and tell DayCare that she has a baby in her belly too.

We did the Lucy gender test this weekend though. Let me explain. :) When my friend was pregnant, we held up two baby dolls. One was a boy baby doll and the other was a girl. I asked Lucy to pick the baby that my friend was going to have. Lucy picked the boy. And, well, my friend had a beautiful baby boy about 4 months later! :)  So, this last weekend I did the same. She picked the girl doll...time will tell the accuracy of the Lucy gender test. :)

Anything else?
I recently had a dream about having the baby. It was a girl. I don't read much into those dreams though. With Lucy I kept having dreams about having a boy. And once, I had a dream that I had twin boys. So, my motherly intuition is pretty inaccurate. I was telling Heath about the dream though. We named the baby Audrey. Weird, huh? It's so weird, not because of the name itself; but, we have never once considered 'Audrey' as a baby name. Also, I don't even know where I got that! I don't know anyone named Audrey, at all. Perhaps I saw it on television?


Well, have a wonderful weekend all. Enjoy this beautiful weather. I sure wish I could sit down and relax with a Sonic, vanilla, diet coke, and a hot dog smothered in sauerkraut. :( Darn pregnancy diet...

Week 12 Update

How far along?
I am twelve weeks and 1 day today. Only 195 more days...

Baby is the size of a...
lime (according to BabyCenter.com) 

Symptoms:
For the most part, I am tired. That seems to be the one that is most prevalent. I am tired all the time. I told Heath that I feel like I use all of my energy at work and then when I get home, I'm bushed!  I was tired with Lucy, but it only lasted a few weeks. This time, I could nap at the drop of a hat. If I laid my head on my desk at work, especially in the afternoon, I'd be out. I seriously go to sleep every night at 9 pm, which is unheard of for me.

Heath asked me if I wanted to go to the movies and he followed that up with, "if you don't fall asleep during the movie!"

Additionally, although the nausea has long passed, I have food aversions. It isn't anything specific (except chicken broth! Gross!); I just randomly get grossed out by stuff, like Lucy's pizza the other night. It smelled awful.

And, finally, the last one, which is odd for me. I get light-headed and shaky sometimes. I feel like my blood sugar is low or something. It happens a lot in the afternoon and when I eat a snack, it gets better. So, I am having to snack a lot. It probably will mean more weight gain in the end. :(  I am drinking lots of water though!

Anything new?
My dress pants are becoming too tight in the waist. Thank goodness that seems to be the only place, as of now anyway. I really need to get my belly bands out of storage!

I have a doctor's appointment next Friday! I am excited; we should get to hear the baby's heart beat! I can't wait. I can wait, however, for the blood that they will have to take. :( Boo.

New With Heath?
He is still being very good about pampering me. He is such a good daddy and hubby. :) We are fortunate. I told him that he will be sick of me before the next 28 weeks are up. :)  He has been on a mission to find baby names that we like and has asked family members for their input. Perhaps I will take a poll or something in the future...

Lucy?
She is completely oblivious. We try to tell her that their is a baby in my tummy and she looks at us like we are crazy. It's to be expected. All she cares is that she is getting a new room. Or, in her mind, she probably thinks that she is getting two rooms now. :) I know though, from the way she plays with my nephew, she will love a playmate!


Anything else?
 I hope to include photos with my future posts; but, I forgot to get it this week. Sorry! You would have been shocked anyway. My tummy is shockingly big for 12 weeks. :{ Prepare you minds for next week!


Happy Friday! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!