Week 11

Little Bun is growing strong!

Baby 2 is the size of a Brussels sprout!

How far along? 11 Weeks

Maternity clothes: Ah, you are so comfortable. Bye pencil skirts, see you in approximately 9 months once baby is here and I have lost some pregnancy pounds. 
Sleep: I've been having really vivid dreams, but I am snoozing through the night- at least until Max wakes up around 5. No complaints :-)

Best moments this week: 

Finding out everything is okay with Little Bun after I woke up with some complications Friday morning. I called out of work, got to the doctor asap, and waited for my exam. The nurse found the baby's heartrate after a little prodding- it was 159, nice and strong! Everything was normal with my exam, and my doctor determined I was having a subchorionic hemorrhage. They put me on rest for the weekend, and told me it should resolve itself in a few days, which thankfully, it did. Little Bun is happy and healthy, and we spent the weekend cuddled in pjs with Max. 

Miss Anything? Running

Movement: Not yet.
Food aversions: Sweets- haha, it's no wonder I've only gained a pound!
Food cravings: Anything and everything spicy, olives, hummus, salads
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really.
Gender: Boy or Girl, we are completely in love with you either way!
Labor Signs: Nope
Symptoms: Same as last week- Fatigue, breast tenderness, a growing bump!
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On :-)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Relieved.
Looking forward to: My next ultrasound, just a week and a half away!

Week 10

The bun is getting bigger!

Little Bun is the size of a Kumquat!

How far along? 10 Weeks

Maternity clothes: I'll admit it, I have fully embraced all things maternity. 
Sleep: I've been falling asleep on the couch every night by 8:30, so I am getting plenty of rest lol.

Best moments this week: 

Relaxing at home with Gabe and Max after long days at work. I am so grateful for our little family and the peace we share. 

Miss Anything? Coffee

Movement: Maybe in a few weeks?
Food aversions: Sweets still, and now coffee. 
Food cravings: Mexican, hashbrowns, spicy food.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really.
Gender: We decided to find out early this time- 5 weeks to go!
Labor Signs: none
Symptoms: Fatigue, breast tenderness, a growing bump!
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On :-)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, and maybe a little moody.
Looking forward to: My next ultrasound!

Week 9

9 weeks along!

Little Bun is the size of a cherry- Mommy's favorite fruit! 

How far along? 9 Weeks

Maternity clothes: Okay, I'm guilty. The bump is starting to show a little and I am tired of zippers already. Those maternity pants I bought for later in the fall? Yeah, I'm wearing them now and I am unashamed. God invented stretch waistbands for a reason, and that reason is early pregnancy bloating. 
Sleep: I am trying to enjoy sleeping on my back, my favorite sleeping position, while I can. Since I am falling asleep so early every night, I am getting plenty of rest, even when I get up with Max in the middle of the night. Zzzzzz....

Best moments this week: 

Going back to work and getting my classroom all set up. I know this isn't really baby related, but I am really excited to be teaching Pre-K at my old school again this year. It is so nice to be back in a familiar place with teachers and students that I know. Go Bears!  

Miss Anything? Max as my only alarm clock.

Movement: Not yet.
Food aversions: Sweets; this baby loves all things savory! I wonder if the difference in cravings means this baby will be a girl?
Food cravings: Indian. I want naan, curry, samosas, chana masala, you name it. I found a new Indian restaurant and we are going to try it Tuesday night! Ice cream has been sneaking back in to my diet too...
Anything making you queasy or sick: Sorry coffee, you are finally out- Little Bun and I are all about decaf English Breakfast now. 
Gender: Bows or bow ties?
Labor Signs: no
Symptoms: Fatigue, breast tenderness, thirst, frequent trips to the bathroom,bloating/ the bump is starting to show!
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On :-)
Happy or Moody most of the time: So Happy! Also somewhat emotional- NPR has me tearing up all the time now.
Looking forward to: Announcing our news to everyone in a few weeks!

Week 8

8 weeks along!

Look how cute our little one is already! 8 weeks

The baby is the size of a cranberry bean.

How far along? 8 Weeks

Maternity clothes: Still fitting my clothes. I did get some nice maternity pants for work though, and they are super comfy.
Sleep: I am so tired at night that I fall asleep on the couch by 8:30 pm. Next week I go back to work, and I know I am going to be zonked out by the end of each day.

Best moments this week: 

The ultrasound! Our little baby is so sweet and cute already! The baby's heart rate was around 160, which is nice and strong. Gabe and Max came to my appointment, so we all got to see the baby for the first time. I am so excited for this adventure, and so filled with love for our little one already :-) 

Miss Anything? Caffeine

Movement: Nope
Food aversions: Sweets, coconut (still!); I am going to lose some weight with this one lol.
Food cravings: Indian
Anything making you queasy or sick: Going too long between meals has been making me feel sick, so I am the snack queen now. I always have something healthy stashed in my bag to eat on the run. 
Gender: Unknown for now.
Labor Signs: No
Symptoms: Same - fatigue, breast tenderness, thirst, frequent trips to the bathroom
Belly Button in or out? Innie
Wedding rings on or off? On :-)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Excited!
Looking forward to: Getting back to work and meeting all 22 of my kiddos!

Week 7

Little Bun is the size of a blueberry this week!

 How far along? 7 Weeks

Maternity clothes: I ran out of regular shorts to pack for our vacation, so I threw my maternity shorts in there too. Thankfully, they are loose at this point! 
Sleep: We are currently sleeping with Max in between us in the morning, in an effort to get even an extra hour's sleep. Can these teeth please hurry up? Afternoon naps are a necessary part of my life- growing a little bun takes lots of energy!

Best moments this week: This week we went to Atlanta for a family vacation. We stayed with Gabe's Aunt Sarah and Uncle David in a cozy little cottage room, then headed to the city for five days. We set up base at a snazzy downtown hotel and checked out all the local tourist attractions like the Georgia Aquarium, the Atlanta Zoo, and the Fernbank Natural History Museum. We also went to the Dekalb Farmer's Market, and a plethora of tasty restaurants. Some foodie highlights from our tour of Atlanta included the Flying Biscuit Cafe, Agave Restaurant, Julianna's Crepes, and Fellini's Pizza. The aquarium was our absolute favorite part of the trip; Max loved seeing all the fish and exploring each environment. We even got to crawl through the penguin exhibit! After only a few days we were pricing apartments around town, so I think it's fair to say we enjoyed the city! 

We also got to see my brother and his family this weekend, which was so nice. They live in Texas, so it was the first time they got to meet Max. We also got to tell them about little bun in person, which was a big surprise! 

Miss Anything? Real cheese- I sped walked through the cheese market section of the farmer's market (this section was easily the size of the produce section at Publix) to avoid temptation, and listeria :-( It's worth it to have a healthy little bun though! 

Movement: None yet
Food aversions: Sweets, coconut
Food cravings: Still hot and savory- Mexican, Thai, the spicier the better!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Sweets, coffee is still perfectly fine though- I may have gotten addicted to daily iced decaf caramel macchiatos due to the Starbucks in our hotel!
Gender: Shabby chic or moon and stars??
Labor Signs: No
Symptoms: Same from last week- fatigue, ocassional nausea, hunger, breast tenderness, thirst
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On :-)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Ecstatic
Looking forward to:  Our first ultrasound!

Week 6

6 Weeks Along!

Little Bun is the size of a pomegranate seed.

How far along? 6 Weeks
Maternity clothes: Nope- I'm still fitting my regular clothes...we'll see how long that lasts!
Sleep: Sleep is difficult to get when you have a teething baby already, but Gabe and I are switching off so we both get some rest.

Best moments this week: The baby's heartbeat is detectable now! Otherwise, the best part of this week was relaxing at home and enjoying the last few weeks of summer vacation.

Miss Anything? Running. I was just getting back into it in April when I had to finish up everything for my Master's Degree, so it's safe to say I fell out of the habit. I'm afraid to start up again now that I'm preggo. One day I will run again! 

Movement: Too early still
Food aversions: Sweets
Food cravings: Mexican, Thai, anything spicy!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Anything sweet- please keep it away!
Gender: Are you a little man or a little lady?
Labor Signs: Nope
Symptoms: fatigue, occassional nausea, hunger, breast tenderness
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On - hopefully they will stay on this time!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy 
Looking forward to:  Atlanta next week!

Week 5

Let's see how fast it takes for me to "show" this time!

Little Bun is the size of an Appleseed.

How far along? 5 Weeks
Maternity clothes: Not yet, but does staying in my pjs until 2 pm count? Max, Little Bun, and I are loving our lazy summer days at home.
Sleep: Sleepless. It is no joke getting up in the night with our almost-toddler and getting enough sleep myself. He often goes right back to sleep, but it is really hard for me to do the same because my mind always seems to be racing. I am currently subsisting on naps I sneak when Max falls asleep during the day.

Best moments this week: Having time just to relax at home- and satisfying my first sweet craving, lemon cake. I had a dream about the most scrumptious lemon cake, so I packed us up and we went to the Barnes and Noble Cafe for breakfast (who can argue- Starbucks + employee discount!). I got a Lemon Raspberry Bar and it was every bit as delicious as I dreamed about, and so very satisfying. 

Miss Anything? Caffeine... I ordered a regular iced coffee and forgot about my caffeine limit (and the fact I haven't had any recently), and the headache I got in return was not pleasant.

Movement: Not yet...maybe in 6-8 weeks.
Food aversions: Most sweets still, milk of all kinds
Food cravings: Burgers and Fries (and I am not a meat person), Tacos, Lemon Cake, Hummus and Very Verde Good Tortilla Chips (I may have bought 4 bags because they were on sale).
Anything making you queasy or sick: Sweets, plain Greek yogurt, milk. I don't want to see them, smell them, or eat them.
Gender: Its a mystery for now...but Max keeps saying something that sounds a whole lot like "brother." Wouldn't that be strange/funny if our little man can tell the baby's gender somehow?
Labor Signs: none
Symptoms: fatigue, breast tenderness, occasional dizziness, light nausea, insomnia, moodiness
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy and excited
Looking forward to: Our family vacation to Atlanta!

Week 4

4 weeks- no bump yet!

Baby 2 is the size of a poppyseed.

Max poses for an announcement photo. He is going to be a big brother!

How far along? 4 Weeks
Maternity clothes: Leggings, but only because they are more cozy than the ones I have from Forever 21. No need for maternity clothes just yet!
Sleep: I am exhausted during the day and wired at night, so getting adequate sleep is a challenge.

Best moments this week: Hanging out at home with Max and Gabe is so enjoyable. Having the summer off with Max has been an amazing experience; it is so incredible to watch him grow and change. He loves reading and playing, and I try my best to keep up! I also went shopping for some things for Max, so of course I had to get a few things for Little Bun- a picture frame for his/her first sonogram, a banner for the nursery (thank you Target clearance section!), and some star print sheets for the bassinet and crib. We also discovered an adorable little baby boutique which is only a few miles from work, so I'm sure I will be going there frequently as Little Bun and Max grow. 

    

Miss Anything? Rose (hey it is summer time)! Little Bun is definitely more important though!

Movement: Too early, although I've read that I'll be able to feel it earlier this time!
Food aversions: Coconut and Sweets
Food cravings: Mexican and BBQ
Anything making you queasy or sick: Coconut - I had a coconut Greek yogurt pop and instantly regretted it.
Gender: Unknown - will you be a little sister or a little brother for Max?
Labor Signs: none
Symptoms: fatigue, breast tenderness, occasional dizziness
Belly Button in or out? in
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: So Happy!!!!
Looking forward to: Our first ultrasound on 7/26

Hide the Donuts- Baby 2 is on the way!

It's Positive!!!!

It's confirmed! Baby 2  is on the way! The line on the bottom one is faint because this + came 3 days before we expected! The digital test confirmed that our little bambino is settling in!

We found out about Baby 2 on our 2nd wedding anniversary- it's clear that we are elated!

The Backstory: Gabe and I decided to start trying for Baby 2 in March. We thought it would take a few months (we were right), and aimed for a timeline that would bring baby around spring of 2017. This timing would allow me to have maternity leave plus summer vacation with our little ones, making the transition to being parents of two a bit easier. I stopped my pills at the end of March, opened up my Glow app, stocked up on pregnancy tests (Gabe may have asked "Exactly how many babies are we having?"), and let nature take its course. With Max, we conceived right away, so I began to worry when a couple months (and periods) came and went, even though I know it is normal for it to take up to a year for most couples our age to conceive (I have some anxiety issues). I got an ovulation kit to make sure everything was working properly after recovering from childbirth and going off bc pills. On the 10th I got a peak fertility reading, so I was relieved to find everything was in order there. I allowed a reasonable number of day to pass- which was a challenge since I am not a patient person- then started testing after a series of afternoons that found me napping on the couch daily, which is not a habit of mine. Hopeful, I stared at a stick with a line so faint I could barely see it. The next day was our anniversary, so I told Gabe I was planning on testing, even though I thought it would be a few days too early to get a clear result. Lo and behold, I was wrong! The faint line from the night before became more visible on my super cheap test strips, so I did a regular Clearblue, which came up with a faint but clear line almost immediately. Afraid I was seeing things, and anxious to confirm the presence of Baby 2, I got out the digital test to check for sure. After a few minutes of anguished and excited waiting, the test read "Pregnant 1-2"! Baby 2 is officially on the way!!!!!!

Our Reactions: After three tests, I started to believe the news! It was 5:30 in the morning and were we both up taking care of Max. Gabe had known I was going to test. When I came out of the bathroom, he asked me "How are you this morning?" as I started to make Max a bottle. I walked toward him and said, "Well I won't be drinking with you at dinner tonight, because Baby Two is on the way!" "That's amazing," he replied, tearing up. We kissed and I showed him the digital test I had tucked in my pocket. We even told Max, "You're going to be a big brother!" The three of us cuddled on the couch and basked in the glow of good news as the sun rose. It was a wonderful moment I will never forget! 

The Baby's nickname: Little Bun

The Due Date: 3/6/2017