Week 24 Update

I barely got in a Week 24 update! I have been too busy with Memorial Day Weekend, and the recuperation. Plus, work has been pretty stressful lately, or at least it is causing me to have a lot on my mind. Either way, here it is...

No makeup. I'm big. My arm looks really big. Okay, that is all...

How far along?
I am 24 weeks and 6 days. Looks like this update won't be much different than next week's, since they are so close together. :{ I have 106 days left, although I have a very strong feeling that she will be at least  a few days early.


Baby is the size of...
or, rather, the length of an ear of corn. She is approximately a foot long and anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. Again, I think she is closer to the latter. She feels big, which probably means that she is teeny tiny considering my motherly intuition and how awful it is. haha.

Symptoms:
The lack of sleep is coming back. My sleep quality is awful. I don't know what it is. I can't get comfortable, I pee too often, and I seriously do have a lot on my mind lately. Then, the house is a mess, which only causes me to feel stressed out. I am hoping that it isn't just the third trimester starting and that it won't continue! :{

My back and butt hurt when I sit for a long time in an uncomfy chair. I have officially deemed "uncomfy" as anything besides a recliner. haha. But, I have been sitting more lately, since my feet have officially started swelling. Fun times!

And, well, I'm big and getting bigger. Her are some maternity photos that I thought looked somewhat similar. They are all different black shirts; but, apparently, I wear black a lot...hmm...

She used to be right up under my breasts, which was giving me the worst indigestion! But, she seems to have just dropped and (knock on wood), I haven't had indigestion since. Although, I did get some "doctor-approved" medicine for it too. :)

Anything New?
There is probably a lot that is new and I just don't remember what I have told you or not. My sister and I went to What to Expect When Expecting, the movie. It was pretty good. I got a few laughs and tears. It was somewhat slow moving though. But, overall, it made me super excited to have a newborn again. I know that they are exhausting and you feel fat, and gross, and overwhelmed, and you are bleeding and leaking, and you kind of want to severely hurt your husband for not having to go through the same thing...or, is that just me? But, the feeling of holding the baby and seeing their face for the first time, makes me want to burst with love and excitement. I can't wait!


New with Heath?
He said the other day that he didn't think he was actually mentally prepared for Olive. "I just don't think I realize that there will be two. There will be two to take care of." Yep. Me neither Heath. I have always said though that nothing can prepare you for having a baby - nothing. And, well, I feel that way about two too. Nothing can prepare you for the transition to two children either. We will just have to learn, like we did with Lucy. We will make it. I am confident in Heath and our relationship. :)

New with Lucy?
The potty training is slow moving. But, we have some stickers on the fridge and she is working toward her Ken doll that is sitting on top of the fridge.

This weekend she got off of her sleeping schedule and we are having a very difficult time getting her back. We are all still tired. I try not to think that I am especially tired; but, sometimes I feel like I am...haha.

Oh, and Lucy hit me in the stomach the other night (not hard - don't panic). When I told her it was bad and that she couldn't because of the baby, she said, "Sorry, Olive." I couldn't remain mad anymore. :)

Anything else?
Some of my family members are convinced that  I may be having a boy. They joked that I will have to add an 'R' to the end of Olive's name. However, we will see about the boy. I don't think so; but, the tech could have been wrong...I will get a 3D ultrasound in July to confirm the sex. I can't wait!

Also, my grandpa thought that perhaps I was having twins. Nope. I'm just really, really big.

I am again looking forward to the weekend and hopefully the short week will make it get here faster. I am also looking forward to the cool weather! Yay! Have a good week too!

Bringing "Sexy" Back?

I have to say it. The worst part of being pregnant is feeling completely gross. I say that is a non-dirty kind of way. I just feel like the farthest thing from sexy right now. Some women claim that they have never felt more comfortable in their skin or more beautiful. Not this gal! I feel gross, repulsive, un-sexy, and all of those other synonyms...

Let me continue by saying first off that this is not some type of fishing attempt from me. I am not looking for all of my readers to say, "Oh, no! You are beautiful!" or "You are a mom and that makes you super sexy." Blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda. Not that anyone would actually say that second quote - haha. I was just paraphrasing to get my point across.

I think it is safe to say that every woman wants to feel sexy. Not just sexy to their husband, but to everyone! You want guys to think you are nice looking and you want girls to envy your...clothes, looks, makeup, hair, something! Or, is that just me? Well, it is me. I admit it. I want to be considered nice looking, or at least the best looking that I can be. haha. I want to feel confident!

Fair warning male, family readers - it gets a little weird from here on out and you may want to stop...

Most of all though, I want Heath to think I'm sexy. This isn't some weight issue, where I can put on loose fitting lingerie and boost my boobs up and out to take his eyes off of my cellulite ass. This is an entire belly to work with! There is no possible way to look sexy while pregnant. Again, at least not to me. I cannot find a way to feel "sexy." Pretty? Maybe, at times. Sexy? No. Not at all.

I miss it. You know? Heath still tells me I'm beautiful and all that jazz. He is a good husband and a pretty good "woo-er." But, I am beginning to feel like he is a pretty good fibber too. ;)

I usual feel one of two things: 1) When he looks at me, all he can see is Olive. Or, 2) When he looks at me, he thinks that it is weird, like alien-like or something. 

I came up with those two, because I think them myself! Pregnant bellies are weird! They look so weird and very alien-like to me. I would have to be the Dugger lady before I could get used to them. I am still somehow shocked by Olive, although I knew what to expect. I just kind of forgot...

I really will have no way of coming full circle with this one. I just can't wait until I can hug Heath again and fully embrace him, not jut my butt out like a chicken. It is weird how you easily miss things like that, in only a matter of months of absence.

All I can say is, I'm sorry Heath. I will totally bring sexy back later on this year. It will probably be a much larger, chubbier form of sexy than you knew before Lucy or Olive. But, it'll be sexy nonetheless! ;) Then, perhaps through my weight battles, you will see full-on sexy next year! Here's hopin'!

23 Week Update

I have decided that I did myself a major disservice by not including a picture last week. I think it makes this week a bit more shocking. :{ Prepare....here it comes.

I kept telling Heath that I would forget how big I was until I would see my reflection in the door or something. I am HUGE! The yellow probably doesn't help the case much either. As Heath's grandma told me this last weekend, I "have a long way to go!"


How far along?
I look and feel like I should be a LOT farther along. Even Olive's movement seems so advanced to me. It makes me wonder if she won't be here a little earlier. But, technically, I am 23 weeks and 5 days.

I sure do like watching that bar move across the screen! It just needs to move faster!

Baby is the size of...
a large mango. She is approximately a foot long and a little over a pound.

Symptoms:
Alright, I will just come out and say it - my digestive system is all sorts of jacked up. I'll leave it at that. Pregnancy, no gallbladder, and a cheese craving equals all around awfulness. :(

My hips hurt the other night, but then it rained. I think it is just something that comes with the weather. I certainly hope so! :) My hips hurt with Lucy during the winter; so, I'm staying optimistic that I will get out of the constant hip pain. Maybe... :)

Not really a symptom; but, this belly is getting more difficult to work around.

Yes - those are my feet down there.

Anything New?

I am big. I know that I've already covered this. But, it seems like this last week my face rounded out completely and well, the weight caught up with me. I know that it is my eating habits. I am just eating. I don't watch what I eat, eat any more or any less. I just let myself have whatever I want. Fault? Ehh...that is in the eye of the beholder. At my last appointment I had only gained 9 lbs so far. Not too shabby! :) I am supposed to be between 9 and 13 lbs. I just think that adding 9 lbs to the 12 that I was already carrying around after Lucy ended up badly...oh well. Here's hoping I don't see 200. That is my only weight goal. That, and to not have everyone make shocking comments about how big I am... :{. It's already happening!!

Oh, and I don't have a negative blood type after all! :)  I called to ask more questions and especially about why I never had to get a RhoGAM shot with Lucy and I do now. I stumped the nurse. She was so confused, as was I. She rechecked my file and I have a positive blood type! That is why. My doctor said that when she brought it up to me, that she must have just looked at my file wrong and looked at antibodies or something. I wondered too; so, I busted out my blood card and there it was - positive. I need to pay more attention to what I put in my wallet...the good news is that if I would have gotten it, it wouldn't have hurt me or anything.

New with Heath?
He is being very sensitive to the fact that I tend to be a little more tired with this pregnancy. He is also really understanding about me not lugging Lucy around or picking her up and down all the time. I was doing it at the zoo and he stopped me, "You are going to wear yourself out quickly, doing that."

It's sweet. :) He even let me take a nap Friday night after work. I was worn out. I am glad that he is so understanding and considerate. He did make me laugh though. He told me that he and Lucy were outside playing in the driveway. A sports car, with blaring music drove by. It was a teenage girl and guy, laughing. He said he thought of "Friday nights" back then. Now, he was watching his two-year-old drive circles in the driveway, while his pregnant wife was inside napping. haha. He laughed and said it is just crazy how quickly life changes.

I promise, Heath; we will have Friday nights again - someday! :) And, as far as you letting me rest and taking care of Lucy, thank you. Seriously - thank you! I appreciate you and love you so much!

New with Lucy?
She is somehow becoming more and more dramatic. I think it is due to her daddy's spoiling. :) That is alright with me, as long as he also deals with the "I want my way" tantrums. She really isn't too bad, considering she is only two. She is still a baby, really!

But, she is getting better at the big girl potty! :) I made a new chart. It's cute. I will have to share it with you all sometime. She has two stickers on it! As I mentioned before, when we are home in the evening, we just strip her down naked. That way, she tells us when she has to go. If we do big girl undies, she pees them. She has to be naked. haha. So, it makes for some funny times.

Here she is playing in the living room, patting her daddy's shoulder, while they watch television. haha.

Anything else?
Not really. I think about everything that needs to be done before Olive gets here and it really isn't too much. But, we really need to get started! We need to buy new newborn pacifiers, new bottle nipples, a crib mattress, ideally a new video monitor, newborn diapers and wipes, and more that I can't think of right now. I just need to make a list again. Then, I need to go through Lucy's clothes and pull all of the newborn stuff and see what is the wrong season.

Right now Olive's nursery has become Heath's ironing station. That will have to change. We constantly battle the stupid ironing board! It needs to stay up; Heath uses it almost every day. I just don't know where to put it. :( Organization on the brain. :) Speaking of which, I need to make room in the cabinets for bottles again...ugh! I will be completely organized someday. It will make all of our lives easier. haha. :)

Have a great week! Zoo pictures to come! :)

"Say you're sorry!"

As we try to teach Lucy the difference between acceptable behavior and unacceptable, it gets kind of tough. We recently found ourselves saying, "Lucy - say you are sorry!" a lot. I mean a lot.

Lucy hits Chico. "Lucy - say you are sorry!"

Lucy throws food on the floor and I have to pick it up, "Lucy - say you are sorry!"

Lucy steals a toy from another child. We make her give it back. "Lucy - say you are sorry!"

It goes on and on. Then, I recently read in a BabyCenter.com article that we shouldn't be doing that. She isn't really learning or understanding the point behind saying you're sorry. They recommended that we apologize for her.

Lucy hits Chico. "Lucy is very sorry for hitting you, Chico."

Lucy throws food on the floor and I have to pick it up, Heath will say, "Mommy - Lucy is very sorry that she threw that."

Lucy steals a toy from another child. "Lucy is very sorry for stealing your toy."

At first, she gave us weird looks when we would do it. Then, she started to echo us. As soon as we would apologize for her, she would apologize too.

Now, after only 1 1/2 weeks of trying this, she is apologizing on her own! :)  I realize the smiley face is bittersweet. Yes - she is apologizing on her own. But, she is doing bad things to have to apologize for. Oh well, it's the little victories!

I just had to share our little victory with you all too. It certainly made a difference and I think she is starting to understand the meaning more.

Honest or Terror?

I entered DayCare to pick Lucy up the other day. Lucy was nowhere in sight, as I scanned the room. I heard a little commotion in the corner and heard a whine. I knew the whine didn't belong to Lucy; but, when I looked over there I could see Lucy's top-knot ponytail peeking over a playpen.

I walked over to the corner, to see one of Lucy's little friends sitting on the floor, whining. We will call her "Mary" for story's sake. Lucy was standing beside her.

Lucy looked at me, wide-eyed. I opened my mouth to ask what had happened and before I could, Lucy raised her arms up beside her head, palms up, and said, "I push Mary."

It was followed by a shoulder shrug, as she pulled the side of her mouth into her cheek. Then she dropped her arms, letting them slap her thighs, as she stared at Mary.

I was a little stunned at her immediate confession. I asked her if I understood correctly, "You pushed Mary?"

She nodded, just as wide-eyed as before - no remorse.

I, of course, started to tell her that pushing was very bad and to apologize to Mary. She and Mary hugged it out, as Lucy said she was sorry.

I asked, "Is Mary your friend?"

"Uh-huh."

"Do we push our friends?"

[blank stare]

I finally just said, "No. We don't."

As we started for the door, the director told me that Lucy always fesses up to it, "She always tells us what she did."

I thought, well that is good. At least she is honest. But, then, I remembered the wide-eyed look I was given. Is she honest? Or, does she not realize it's bad, so she doesn't think to lie? Honest or just a real terror?

Time will tell...Lucy the self-proclaimed pusher.

22 Week Update

I forgot to take a picture! :{ I owe you one. I will take one tonight.

How far along?
I am 22 weeks and 5 days, 121 days to go!


Baby is the size of...
a spaghetti squash?  Or, in my book, a large squash.

My sister suggested that I take photos and give updates with the item compared to the baby. I really liked it; but, at this point in time, I have no idea where I would find a spaghetti squash. At the local farmer's market?

Symptoms:
I still feel about the same. The under-side of my tummy is feeling lots of pressure lately. I think that Olive is pushing down sometimes; but then, sometimes it just seems like my stomach muscles can't carry this big ole' uterus of mine! haha. I had to lie down for a while the other night, because it was so uncomfortable.

I asked my doctor about my veins popping out like crazy! She said that it was the increased blood flow and that the older I get, the more susceptible I am to it, since my vein walls get weaker. Good to know - I just hope to avoid spider veins or varicose veins. It is bad enough that I am one of the 50% of women who get stretch marks. :{

Anything New?
Well, I had a doctor's appointment last Friday. It was pretty basic. Olive's heartbeat was loud and clear! She kept kicking at the monitor again though. I tell you, this one is going to be feisty! I can't imagine her being more feisty than Lucy; but, I think it's going to happen!

I will be going in for my gestational diabetes check next month. I don't think I have much to be concerned about; however, one of the indicators is having diabetes in the family, which I do. So, I always have to be prepared. If so, we can handle it. They also mentioned having a RhoGAM shot and/or screening. I wasn't too sure what that was and it was mentioned with such little importance that I didn't bother asking.

Well, I got a call from the doctor's office to set up an appointment and they mentioned getting a shot. I asked what the shot was for and the scheduler told me that it was better that I talk to a nurse about it. The nurse was busy and is supposed to call me back. Naturally, I googled it. It is a precaution, apparently because I have a negative blood type.

Basically, what I understood, is that when the mother is negative and the father is positive, the fetus can inherit the positive from the father. Problems can arise when the fetus's blood has the positive factor and the mother's blood does not. If our bloods were to ever mix somehow, which I guess is somewhat common, my body could start attacking the baby's blood, and essentially the baby, as a "foreign object."

Now, my first question is, "Well, why don't we take Heath's blood and see if it is positive and if we even need to worry." But, I am sure that they can't simply just take my word for it that Heath is the father. They have to take precaution because of the baby...which makes sense I guess.

Overall, my doctor made it seem like not a big deal at all. And, my co-worker who has three children said that she got the shot with her children and no big deal. So, I'm not going to fret quite yet. It is something that I literally can't control. I know my doctor will do what is best for Olive and me.

If you want to read more about this whole RhoGAM and blood type thing, go here: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/rhfactor.html. I admit. I am still a little fuzzy on it all.

I will definitely ask the nurse why I didn't have to do anything with Lucy, and now I do...hmmm...

New With Heath?
Well, he gave me the best Mother's Day weekend ever! :) He was so sweet and spoiled me like crazy! :)  I appreciate him so much as a husband and a daddy. I woke up Sunday morning to breakfast croissants! Yay! :) Soooo delicious! As you know, they got me in trouble with Lucy, weight wise. I had to give them up. :( But, an occasional one or two, here and there won't hurt...too bad. :)

Lucy and him also gave me an awesome present and picked up Chinese food for me, for supper. It was delicious. I think I ate all but one Crab Rangoon on my own. Oops! Mmm...I'm making myself hungry.

Anyway, he has been really good about taking the helm with Lucy. He gets up with her in the middle of the night for me. Granted, she does go to his side of the bed and I don't even wake up sometimes. And, he often ends up just putting her in bed with us. :[ But, I appreciate it, even if I wake up to her wheezing in my ear. He has informed me that our bed allows room for one more...which worries me and my future rest. Heath, Lucy, Olive, and me, in a queen-sized bed? Oh boy!

With Lucy?
It seems like in the past week, she has just grown up so much! She is getting so big, not only physically. She is talking so much and is so smart! I literally cried the other day because she just amazes me. Yes - I think this time it was the hormones. haha.

We are in the middle of week 2 of no binkie and I think I can officially say, without jinxing myself, it is gone (knock on wood, just in case). I don't think we will turn back now. :) Also, in Lucy news, she went potty on the big girl potty again!! :)

After changing her diaper, I just decided to leave it off. I thought if I let her run around the house naked (since it is hot out), that she will either pee on the floor or tell us when she has to go. Her telling us has been our biggest issue. To be honest, Heath and I didn't think that she would just pee on the floor. We were kind of right. She went pee a little in her booster seat and immediately panicked and told me that she needed a diaper. I took her to the potty and she didn't want to go. It was about 20 minutes later and she told Heath that she had to go and went! :) We were really proud. It looks like being naked in the evenings will become "a thing" until she starts telling us on her own.

The checklist is getting done! We have 18 more weeks!

Anything else?

How could there possible be? This is the longest post ever, right? Well, there is more!  My sister got Olive her first "official" gift.

 How cute is that?! The blacked-out area is our last name. I absolutely LOVE this onesie. I can't wait until she is here and can wear it. :)

By the way, how unbelievable tired do I look in this photo?

Well, that is all for today. Have a good week. We will be going to the zoo next week; so, the days can't go fast enough for me. I'm so excited! :)

Dear...

Dear Lucy...know that when I recorded videos of your tantrums, I did it out of love. :) I just wanted to let you see what you will have to deal with someday. Also, I want you to know that I earned every one of those gray hairs that my future self will have.

Dear Mom...I think it is absolutely awesome that you have rescued two dogs from being put down. I wish I could do more too. Buddy (her new chihuahua-wiener dog mix) is absolutely adorable! I think I love him more, knowing that he is a rescue pup. How could anyone not want him?!

Dear Grandny...I cried last night again, over something touching and completely ridiculous to cry over. It made me think of you and smile. :)

Dear Facebook...Although you are kicking out baby photos, belly photos, and baby updates left and right, I am simply not fulfilled. I need lazier friends to update their statuses more often. See what you can do about that.

Dear Lucy...You are a princess. You will always be a princess. And, princesses can achieve any dream they choose!


Dear Olive...I am sorry if you don't like chicken wing sauce. You seem to kick a lot when I eat it. I am hoping those are kicks of joy.

Dear Heath...I think that you secretly put Lucy in bed with us sometimes, just so when it's just you and me it feels roomier. 

Dear Sonic...Thank you for giving us half-priced drinks at 4:02 pm the other day. I really appreciated that. And, the strawberry slush was delicious! :)

Dear Lucy...when I take pictures of you in "time-out," I do it out of love. :) I am hoping that this spot, on top of the toy box, does not become a routine thing. Hopefully I am documenting some long, lost childhood memory of yours that won't be so clear. Also, I think that mommy and daddy are pretty awesome for letting you sit with Aurora and Miss Alex, the puppy purse, in time-out - enough said. :)

Dear Pinterest...I sure do love you sometimes. You give me the most helpful, daily tips and you make me motivated to craft and organize my home. However, you make me feel completely inadequate as a homemaker. I have also discovered that I am not that crafty...whomp, whomp.

Dear Weekend...Can you please pick up Friday-day as a regular staple? That would be lovely. Think about it.

Response to DayCare Blues

Yesterday I received a lot of encouraging messages from fellow-working mommies out there, as well as a few stay-at-home mommies. It seems that everyone feels that they don't have enough time for something, whether that be their children, their chores, or just "free-time."  Life simply goes too fast and there aren't enough hours in the day.

Although I read through multiple comments, my feelings on the matter hadn't changed much as I sat in Lucy's room with her. She and I were eating mini smores that I had made in the microwave. She chewed and danced around the room in only a diaper, watching Toy Story 3. I folded her clothes and picked up toys. For some reason I picked up my phone to check my email.  In my "ILoveLucyJean" account I had a message from my Uncle. He doesn't email me often, so I opened it right away.

I read it. I agreed. Then, being the emotional freak I am, I cried. I would like to blame it on my pregnancy; but, I am pretty much a blubbering idiot all the time - just ask my family.  I love my family so much; so, whenever one of them shares their love, memories, or advice with me, I simply lose it. (Girly-girl...I'm not too ashamed.)

I hope my Uncle doesn't mind that I'm going to share his email with everyone. I guess if he does, then I'll never get a response from him again :{. I just felt that everyone needed to be reminded of such things. No matter how many times I hear this type of message, I somehow lose sight of it over and over again. This was a wonderful reminder and I hope to keep the message to read whenever I'm feeling "the blues."

Dear Cori,
    I don't want to depress you even more but, I have had these same thoughts for years and if anything, time simply moves faster. My life has become more hectic with the children getting older and I have also become older, with less energy. Now I'm starting to ramble, so here is the point. You can take it or leave it but, here are my thoughts after many years of dreaming of what my life should be and what it is.
    My only goal is to raise my kids and let that be my legacy. When I'm dead and gone, will I be remembered for being organized, having a clean house, an awesome yard and etc? Probably not. I will be remembered as [your cousins' ] dad. Whatever they are as people on this earth is how I will also be remembered. Unfortunately, I have not had this outlook for all that long and have not always followed it. I still get caught up placing stupid stuff like mowing and things in front of more important events in this life. So long story short, someday when you are watching Lucy run a half marathon, or watching Olive play volleyball don't regret a single thing undone in your life. The important stuff is right there in front of you.

Love, Uncle Matt

My Uncle Matt and dad don't necessarily give me a lot of face-to-face advice, unless it's "Stop that!" or "You're going to hurt yourself...", or something of the sort. But, if you hand them a pen and paper, or give them a keyboard, they can be quite thoughtful. :)  I love that about them. :) I look up to both of them very much.

Granny - are you crying now?  You are the reason I'm a crier! :)

Well, I hope that my Uncle Matt has somehow reminded you of what is important in this life, today. It isn't the dishes or the yard, or whatever, it is family and always will be. :)

Happy Wednesday everyone!

DayCare Blues

Lucy has started whining every once in a while, when we take her to DayCare. It makes me sad. At least once a week, sometimes twice, when we pull up to the building she starts whining or crying, "No. No K and J."  (Those are the two ladies that run the daycare.)

It breaks me heart. I wish I could stay home with her. I wish she had the option at least. It makes me sad all over again. To be honest, I have been getting a lot better with the idea of Lucy going to daycare. She is developing wonderfully and learning so, so many things! This kind of takes me back to when she was little and I constantly thought about all that I was missing out on...

After a lot of thought, I'll admit it. If I were a stay-at-home mom, Lucy would probably not be as educationally advanced as she is. I don't know if I would seriously take as much time teaching her songs, the alphabet, dances or skits, shapes, etc. Of course I would put forth the effort to teach her things, as we continue to do even though she goes to daycare. But, her life at daycare is so structured. Everyday she has class time, and singing, and arts and crafts, and so on.

I cannot say that if I stayed home with her that I would do that. I see all these things around the house that I would also like to take the time to do. I want to stay home with Lucy; but, I also want to clean, and organize, and craft, and cook...in addition to the fun projects and activities I could do with Lucy. I'd love to grocery shop during the day (unheard of!), and visit museums, get involved with the community, and go on picnics. While working, it just doesn't seem that there is ever enough time... (insert pathetically depressed expression here).

I am once again on that fence of daycare being a very good thing; but, I sometimes wish I could stay home with her too. I have a feeling that when Olive arrives, it will be even worse.

I see how organized my life is at work and I imagine it like that at home - having a schedule, structured to-do list, meal planning, budgeting, weekly outings with Lucy, actually sending out birthday and anniversary cards on time...etc, etc, etc. Perhaps someday I can figure out the balance that I desire. As of now, I really put all of my organizational thoughts into work. By time I get home, I can't remember what my to-do list consisted of or I lost that note I shoved in my purse, or better yet, I simply don't have the energy anymore.

I am young and perhaps I will get there. I just have to keep trying. I know another child will only add to the mix. Then, we can throw in dieting and exercising too.

Someday...

21 Week Update

Here we are again, outdoors, with a head! :) The bump is getting kind of crazy and out of control!

How far along?
I am 21 weeks and 4 days (129 days left)

Baby is the size of...
or rather, the length of...a carrot. She is 10.5 inches from head to toe and 3/4 of a pound. Although, I have a feeling that Olive is probably closer to a full pound, considering her weight three weeks ago! :)

Symptoms:
The last few days have been getting rough. I was feeling pretty good; but, I carried Lucy quite a bit this weekend, sat on some gym bleachers a couple of hours, and squatted to give our chihuahua a hair cut. It really did a number on my muscles! I was and still am sore from it all. My back and shoulders are so tight. I think my husband should massage them! :)  I have to give him credit, he has a little bit...

The one thing that I am not really supposed to talk about (bowel movements) are completely irregular and annoying. But, to save you all, that is all I will say. Annoying!

I am starting to have a tough time sleeping again. I wake up a lot and dream constantly. I sleep, but don't really feel rested. So, I am feeling really tired lately. The smallest activity, like walking around Target for an hour, just about lays me out. Aww, I'm making myself tired. Let's move on...

Anything New?
The name is the same. I haven't gone to the doctor again. The belly is just getting a lot bigger! She is moving quite a bit more, or I am just feeling it more. Unlike Lucy, who used to kick and punch mostly up by my ribs, Olive's kicks are all downward. She hits my bladder like crazy and I am not as confident about my bladder control as I was with Lucy! :{ Constipation, then diarrhea, possible incontinence...get back boys! I know I'm a catch, but I'm taken!

New with Heath?
This last weekend, since I didn't feel well, he spoiled me pretty bad. I appreciate it a lot. I was just out of it and still am a little bit. I am so thankful that he takes care of Lucy and me. He is a great daddy and husband. Thank goodness for me!

He has really started to talk about Olive. He talks to Lucy about her and talks to me about our future, all while referring to her as "Olive." It helps us to better realize that a fourth family member is on the way! It gets kind of hard to believe at times. Although I am absolutely positive nothing can prepare you for having a newborn baby! And, in our case, adding another one to the family, while also having a 2 1/2 year old!

We continue to think about what we need to buy and what we need to do. It isn't as overwhelming this time, however, we probably need to get on it! I've been nesting a lot, but mostly in other rooms of the house. The nursery needs some TLC, since Lucy moved out.

New with Lucy?
Although she still occasionally gets out of bed at night, I would say that we have successfully made the transition to her big girl room. She doesn't really talk about the crib or her old room at all. And.....we have been binkie-free for over 72 hours!! Small victory in our house! :)

I'd love to say that we did some type of ceremonial goodbye to the binkie, or "mailed them" to her baby friends. But, we didn't. She got in trouble Friday night and we took it away. And, well, we decided since we were on a roll, we should continue with it. When she asks for it, we just say, "No binkie. Sorry honey." Surprisingly, her response so far has been, "Okay..." - of course it is in a whiny tone.

Now we need to move on to our third feat - potty training. More about that some other time...

Anything else?
I was recently approached with this question, "You aren't seriously naming your baby Olive are you?"

I expected it from the person it came from. I tried to be cordial, "Yeah. I know it isn't very popular." She continued to make disgusted faces, while ridiculing the name. I just smiled, in the bitchiest way I could possibly come up with, and nodded. She ended her rant by saying, "I just worry about other kids making fun of her."

Ohh...I see. She was telling me the name Olive was horrible, as a favor! Silly me! "I told her that I didn't think there was anything to make fun of and to be honest, "if she is a good person, then I don't care."  Her response was, "Yeah, I guess. Was Olive Oil one of your favorite cartoons growing up?"

It wasn't, but oh my gosh! God forbid that children call her "Olive Oil." That would just be the absolute worst! Riiiiight...they won't even know what Popeye is in that generation.

Finally, I just said, "Yeah, many of my family members don't like it too much, but they are too polite to say anything." I was hoping that would shut her up.

Fun times!  I still love the name and no one is going to convince me otherwise. I just have no use for rude people. Get a clue....what a way to start the week! I hope the rest of it goes better!

New Nap Mat

Sometimes I pick Lucy up early from DayCare. We try to work around nap time; however, at 2:30 or 3 pm, sometimes, Lucy is still sleeping. I would usually walk in and take an immediate left into the baby room, where Lucy had her own pack-n-play to sleep in. Well, a few weeks ago I turned left and was halted by one of the daycare providers. "Lucy is over here."

I turned and Lucy was to my right. She was on a nap mat, sleeping with the older children. First, I was thinking, "Wow! How did you get her to lay there and fall asleep?" Then, I thought about how big she was getting, as I approached her. She was on a daycare nap mat.

They look like this. They are red and blue, and they easily fold up for storage. They are pretty cushion-y, actually. However, they are that vinyl type of material.

When I approached Lucy she was so sweaty and her poor little face was sticking to the mat with sweat and slobber. I type that and kind of smile with amusement...but, I knew then that we needed to get her a nap mat of her own. Even if she got a sleeping bag and placed it on top of the mat, it would be a little better for laying on.

I scoured the internet for a comfortable and affordable option. You could literally spend, like, $50 on a mat! I found a winner and we ordered it.

I knew Lucy would love the princess mat, with the crowned frog in the bottom, right-hand corner.

We removed the name tag and the pillow to give it a quick wash. The next morning it was rolled up and ready to go! :) Lucy loved that she could grab the handle and easily carry it with her.

She carried it into DayCare and I was bursting with happiness. She was so proud of her new mat. She started yelling from the door, "Look! New mat!"  Or, for those of you who know Lucy, it was more like, "Gook, New maat!"

She even yelled at one point, "Awesome, new mat!" The phrase she picked up from Heath.

We all walked into the kitchen, Lucy leading the way with her mat. She stopped and lifted it above her head. Her eyes were wide and mouth was dropped open in awe. I was so happy that it made her so happy. I scanned the room of children. Most were holding some type of breakfast item in their hands and they stared blankly at Lucy. Poor girl.

No one was giving her the awe-stricken reactions that mom and dad did. Then, the daycare provider turned from the counter and started to ohh and ahh. :) Lucy lowered her mat in satisfaction. She then got to carry her new mat over to where the others were stored and place hers on top. :)  She was so, so proud of herself and at that point, I wanted to buy her the world. She was so happy...

She turned around and brushed her hands along her legs, as if she had just accomplished a great task. Then, we told her goodbye for the day.

My heart bursts with happiness when I think about her showing it off. She was so proud and excited over a nap mat. A nap mat. It was the best $23 we ever spent! :) She is getting too big!

Second Child

Being a second child myself, I understand. You always have hand-me-downs - clothes, shoes, bows, toys. You don't have many pictures of yourself alone as a child. Or, you don't have many pictures of your childhood at all.

I'm on the left, obviously. Nikki was always much more put together than I was. I was a wreck of a dirty child. And, yes, I have both of my hands down my pants. This was a common thing. Lucy does it too! haha.

As the second child, even rules get handed down to you, although you haven't even had the chance to break them yet.

Your milestones are often compared to the older child. I apparently took longer to walk, talk, and potty train than my sister. She got all of the good stuff first - a new bike, her own telephone line, a television in her room.

You are probably thinking this is similar to the "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha" episode of The Brady Bunch. Don't fret; it won't be. You see Jan Brady was the middle child. Something that I've only studied in school and watched on television. Although the second, I was also the youngest. That means along with the bad, you get some good.

You get to learn from your sister's mistakes and see your parent's reactions for punishment. Nikki's teenage rebellion years were coupled with my uneventful years in 6th and 7th grade, which automatically made her seem like "the trouble child."

And, I got all of the fun stuff a few years after hers had aged. I remember her pastel colored bike being two years old when I got my brand new, neon colored bike. She was pretty upset...although I paid for it when her and our friends made fun of me. I was the only kid in town with a Murray bike, everyone else had Huffy bikes.

On Nikki's birthday, I also got a present from my grandparents, probably the most unfair youngest child tradition of all.

I was also pretty spoiled rotten by our grandpa. :) I miss him so much.

The second child is something that I've been thinking about a lot lately. For the most part, Olive will get Lucy's hand-me-down clothes. I know that we will get her new items; however, we have totes and totes of baby clothes that Lucy wore just a few times. Olive will wear them. (Sorry future Olive reading this; it is financially the best decision. Perhaps all of the money we saved on baby clothes went to fabulous, family vacations or your college fund. Think of it that way. ;) ) 

Olive, no doubt, will have twice as many toys as Lucy. Since she will get to play with Lucy's (sometimes) and her own. She will of course get her own at Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, etc.

I vow to try my hardest at taking just as many pictures of Olive, writing just as many blogs about Olive, and filling out Olive's baby book as much. However, I understand with two children, it's going to be tough! I am going to try though...really.

I hope to give the girls equal presents, as to squash jealousy. However, Olive will not get presents on Lucy's birthday, or vice versa.

I really hope to make my girls' childhoods similar in parenting and spoiling. It is hard. Some things you just can't help. But, there are perks to each stage - oldest, youngest, or middle - at least in my opinion. I just want to focus on her as much, yet not neglect Lucy. It's a hard balance that I will undoubtedly discuss in the future. Stay tuned...

I wanted to leave you with this photo from Pinterest.com. It made me laugh...children of the 90s.