36 Weeks Pregnant

Okay. It's like REALLY sinking in just how close this all is getting. Just 3 days ago we began the official "month to go"countdown and now we're in the "less than a month" category. 4 weeks as of today! You know? I've been getting a lot of "oh I bet you're ready to be done, aren't you?" comments lately. Probably now more than ever. And you know what? I'm not really itching for this pregnancy to be done. I'm very happy with the pace of the pregnancy, which is good...because I can't make it slow down or go faster anyway! I'm not ridiculously uncomfortable and aching to get this baby out, I'm just really trying to savor all the pregnant moments because this might be my last. Which makes me sad, but I'm being realistic because we both just don't know. There's no way for us to know until we're "there", we've decided.

Here's some more pregnancy updates and happenings lately:

• Still not feeling big, but baby is growing so it's all good
• Weekly appointments start this Wednesday and I have the rest booked!
• The girls are growing again...getting ready I suppose
• No swelling, but I didn't swell last time at all
• Hips/pelvis very achy by the end of the day. Actually, when I settle into bed at night it REALLY hurts at first but then things adjust and it's okay.
• Sometimes I sleep through the night, which is a miracle in itself, but I'm usually up once at about 3 to pee - benefit of a long torso and smaller baby I guess!
• No linea nigra, which really surprises me! Did you get one in your pregnancy(ies)? I'd had a light one for weeks by this time with Braden (link below!)
• My belly is CRAZY itchy. I can hardly stand to have any material touching it, at night I let it "air out"...lucky Jay! Baby must be growing and skin stretching
• I'm getting really excited for Braden to be a big brother. All the guilt and worries of the past...are a thing of the past!
• Haven't felt anymore pressure down there....yet. Baby hasn't dropped yet, or I sure haven't felt it
• I get a day out to myself today with my friend Lisa and then it's a date night with friends for me and Jay - yay!
• It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and I totally forgot until last week when my mother-in-law asked us what our plans were. But I'm very glad I get to see my family one more time before baby.

And because I know I'll regret it if I don't do it...some bare belly pics again this week! Also if you would like to see what I looked like with Braden at 36 weeks, go on and take a look! I think I was more "out there" with my belly and that I look heavier this time...because I am...with a smaller belly!

Until then, I'm enjoying all the kicks, rolls, and body parts jabbing out of my belly. But there is one thing that I just don't enjoy anymore, allow me to present you with another edition of Pregnant Problems, especially now that Melissa isn't pregnant anymore!

32 Weeks

Ok, it's starting to feel real. Like it's all really happening. We're 1 week+ into the single digit week countdown. As I've said to my SIL's Laura & Jess many times this pregnancy, it's almost like people don't take you "seriously" until you're 30+ weeks. "How pregnant are you?" "I'm 24 weeks!" "Oooooh. So a long ways to go then, hey?" I used to get that a lot, maybe it's just me. But when I've found when you say 30+ weeks...they get more excited as there's ~10 weeks until baby comes, and you're "really" pregnant. I also have a feeling that if I was still working, I miiiiight start getting some sympathy from my colleagues and patients, but just maybe! ;)

When I go get my maternity pictures done, I will also be picking up my car seat from Ben and Jess. How is Abigail almost 5 months old? She was just born yesterday, I swear! This will be my last trip up to see my family before the baby is born, unless Jay wants to/is able to come with me sometime in October, depending on harvest. I would be too scared to travel by myself in case anything should happen!

Generally, I'm actually starting to feel better. I'm so tired at night...I fall asleep right away. 10:30-11PM until 5AM I'm out, get up for a pee break and then I go back to sleep until Braden gets up around 7:30ish. It's working really good and I feel rested in the mornings.

I want everything ready to go for 35 weeks. If for some reason this baby comes early (which I'm praying does not happen) then a 35 weeker or more has a very good chance of being discharged from the hospital home. I emailed my carpenter again, and he says he'll be here dropping things off this afternoon...so hopefully he gets started soon. He assures me once he does get started, he will be fast...please pray for us! Type A Mommy wants to ORGANIZE! I did politely remind him that the countdown is now 8 weeks. Yup, you heard it here first...8 weeks!

Decided to whip out the belly. I'm very surprised on one hand that I didn't get stretch marks (?yet?), though I didn't last time. When I was 18 weeks I swear I could see the beginnings of them, but so far so good. Man, I actually got quite tanned for me this summer, my belly is WHITE! I think I'm about the same size, maybe even smaller than last time. No linea nigra yet...I think mine came around 34 weeks last time. Also, it took everything in me I forgot to PhotoShop out my back fat/rolls from the side picture. There. I said it and I pointed it out! ;) I hate those back fat/flank rolls! But, it's real, it's life....it's making life!

32 Weeks, Braden

Also? All these pics were taken with my new Canon T3i that I bought at the beginning of this week! Plus I used my tripod and my remote - I'm so excited to learn more. Lighting in this room really sucks...but it is what it is! I'm very excited next week, I have lots of appointments: prenatal, chiropractic, massage (mobile massage - she's coming to my HOUSE!!!), and a hair cut/color before a friend's wedding on the weekend!

28 Weeks

So just last week I reported I had a growth spurt. So why do I look so small in that picture then?  (FYI, that is my pregnancy journal "The Belly Book" but you can hardly see it and I couldn't edit it...and I'm too lazy to take another picture...and I just don't care!) Eh, whatever! Baby is definitely growing but I'm not in the I'm-so-big-I-feel-like-a-whale stage of pregnancy. But, as they say...the golden trimester is over...and soon sleep will dwindle, pain and discomfort will increase (as will trips to the bathroom), and then the whole "ticking time bomb" feeling of when is this baby actually gong to come.

So I tripped and fell a couple of weeks ago. Don't run in Crocs on cement in a rush to turn off the hose outside...when you're pregnant. You might trip and get a nasty case of road rash on your knee. Heartburn has made a couple appearances again and I have started my 3rd #SheReadsTruth bible study, we're reading a chapter of Proverbs a day until it's finished - so, 31 days! Sigh...I know I'll look back at this picture when Squishy is here and hate that I was getting such good sleep!

I had a really great appointment on Tuesday. My BP was up (for me) a little bit 120/69 but I know it was because I had Braden with me and was urging him to be on his best behavior while in Dr. Maseka's office! Baby's heart rate was 144 and I am measuring a week behind at 26 cm but that is par for the course as I've always measured a week behind. It's just a guestimate for growth anyway. Trust me, baby is growing! Squishy is SO active. WAY more active than Big Brother ever was still. I've seen a few limbs roll across my belly now, and in all honesty it's cool - but the creepiest feeling ever!

I had been feeling really sore and achy lately, but today I've felt really good. Like really good. No aches, no pains...had a wonderful massage. And no, I don't feel good just because of the massage, but that sure helps a LOT. I just feel so much pressure down there at times, it's like my body knows what it's getting ready to do and everything's loosening up and stretching already. It is 100% worse when I'm at work and on my feet all day/evening...so I am looking forward to and NOT feeling guilty at all about taking an early maternity leave at 30 weeks.

Here's a belly comparison from last time to this time.

 I dunno...what do you think? Smaller this time? Not as round? Same? Seeing things? And one from the front cuz I was in a good kind of mood today!

24 Weeks!

Well, technically I'm 24 weeks + 3 days now, but still 24 weeks! See, in this picture, I'm showing you "24" with my fingers? That, or peace I guess! I actually had my appointment today and all is well there. Measuring at 23 weeks (although my ultrasound on July 5th had me measuring right on time, so that just goes to show how the office measurements are more of a guestimate), FHR 156, BP 105/58 so I can't complain! So here are some pregnancy latelys:

• very strong Braxton-Hicks contractions the last few weeks. For those non-pregnancy minded, they are safe, harmless contractions some women get and they are not painful. Mine have been very strong compared to last time, I see this as a good thing...it's just my uterus working out for the big day!
• I get the most Braxton-Hicks when I'm vacuuming...should make for an interesting 3rd trimester!
• My sciatic and SI joint pain have actually been pretty non-existent this last month, so that's been really good
• I'm getting sick of work. I feel good and I love my job and the people there...but I'm just so not "into" it right now...I have so much stuff to do at home, I'd rather be there doing it!
• Speaking of work, with timing of our farming life, I'm taking an early mat leave at 30 weeks, which is nearing the end of August, it just doesn't make sense for me to go back to work after harvest, it would screw up my maternity leave hours anyway
• I think my mood has improved greatly even just by doing my bible studies, it's really helped me focus things a lot better
• I am getting a taste of what life will be like with 2 kids...Abby and Jess are staying with us right now, Abby is 3 months old and it's so neat to watch Braden interact with her. I think the biggest thing I have to "work" on with him is the VOLUME OF HIS VOICE! But, also with a newborn...there's a lot of leeway, so hopefully Squishy will be able to learn to sleep through Big Brother's booming, enthusiastic voice!
• I am so excited to realize that by the time of my next big update at 28 weeks, Laura will have had her baby! She'll be 38 weeks this Friday, I am so excited to have a newborn in the family again!
• So...I'm up 21 lbs as of today. BUT when I look back at Braden's pregnancy book, I'm actually only up 2 lbs exactly from where I was last time! I just gained faster in the beginning this time. I only gained 9 lbs in 20 weeks last time, BUT then gained a whopping 10 lbs the next 4 weeks, making me 19 lbs at 24 weeks last time! That made me really happy to realize that just now!

I think that's about all my pregnancy-related news lately. No swelling happening here, even with this heat wave (which seemingly has ended as of yesterday - phew!). I hope I can update more on this pregnancy, but it seems I can barely keep up with the monthly updates - yikes! Life has just been so crazy busy right now, but I know it will slow down when we go on vacation!

20 Weeks!

What what? Half done? That was yesterday. And on the eve of my 20 week milestone...I couldn't sleep. That's the "mini panic attack" part setting in. My mind was racing that we are HALF DONE people! Well, if Squishy is anything like Big Brother it'll almost be half done! (He was 4 days overdue). Regardless, it's here already. I haven't even feel like it's flown by, it's actually gone at a very nice pace. But with summer fast approaching and then harvest, I know the next 20 weeks are going to go much faster. Here's some more pregnancy latelys:

• Grumpy Grumpus over here. Seriously. It's awful. I feel bad for my boys. I wish I could start an IV line in myself so Jay could inject coffee into it before I wake up. He's been a saint letting me sleep in pretty much every day, but those days that I don't sleep in (and even some I do) I'm so cranky before my coffee that I can hardly stand being around myself. Was NOT like this last time.
• The pregnancy acne has let up a lot, which I'm thankful for
• I got my pregnancy massage in, which was my Mother's Day gift and I plan on going every 4 weeks or more for the rest of my pregnancy
• The sciatic nerve, on my left side, has made it's ugly appearance again. If I sit too long on the couch or bed with my legs up, I can barely walk on my left leg after I get up. I'm only 1/2 done? Sigh. 
• I've had a couple of SI joint episodes as well. But I've been seeing my chiropractor after every prenatal appointment, so that is the only thing that helps with that pain. It's not bad yet, but I've had a few achy moments. I had this big time with Braden too, I really need an adjustment, it'll have been 5 weeks since my last when I go on Monday!
• I've decided not to do the full 1/2 triathlon that's only 8 days away now. It's too much for my pregnant body to take. I could swim 10 laps, bike 10 km, or run/walk 2.5 km....but not one after the other all in the same day, I've learned. If I had been training months and months before hand, like I intended to, it would be a different story...but such is not the case. It's okay though, my goal is to do the 1/2 tri NEXT year when Squishy (who will have a real name by then!) will almost be 8 months old. It will be a great way to get my post-partum butt back into shape, and that's about the time that I started weaning Braden too!
• I've been feeling like I'm looking great lately. I'm truly, honestly not going to focus on the numbers that the scales say at my appointment on Monday, all that matters is how I feel. I would estimate that I'm up about 15 lbs at this point, when I was only up 9 lbs last time. That's OKAY though. I've been making a very concious decision to eat healthier the last few weeks, more fruits and veggies and cutting out the junk. Having said that, I had a mozza burger combo with an A&W Rootbeer for the first time this pregnancy today and it was gooooooooooood! Especially the pop, I try not to drink it at all when I'm pregnant - always going for water instead!
• Turning 20 weeks made me want to get my butt in gear and get some things ready for Squishy! I'm glad I've got my nursery ideas and I also started sanding the cradle that my dear Grandpa B made for me when I was a baby. Squishy will be in the cradle for the first couple of months or so until s/he outgrows it:

Here's a bit of a flashback for you...21 weeks with Braden and 20 weeks 1 day with Squishy. What do you think? I think I'm the same size but defintiely carrying different. I know in this picture it looks lower, but it feels and looks higher most days to me!

16 Weeks

Plus 4 days if we're getting really specific! I am so not as anal about keeping track of things as I was with my first pregnancy. It's amazing what chasing and potting training a toddler will do for your organizational skills, or lack thereof! Last time I had to take my picture every other week exactly on the day that I turned it. Never a day later or earlier. This was taken yesterday at 16w3d. Still 16 weeks, right?

I think that I ate the bag of chips, over 3 nights mind you, because I thought "if I'm going to gain weight, I might as well enjoy it dammit!" I've been good about not going crazy and caving into all of my cravings, but I'm nowhere near as strict with myself as I was when I was pregnant with Braden. Good? Bad? Who cares! I'm feeling great, think I look pretty darn good too. Round ligament pain has started, mostly on the left side. I do have to remind myself to eat or I still get a bit nauseous and feel gross. There is 100% no hiding the belly anymore....aaaaand I almost have an outie already, especially in the evenings!

I can't even say this pregnancy is "flying by". It's going at a nice pace. Not too fast, not too slow - just right. I'll regret saying this later, but I need the belly to be just a liiiiiiiiittle bit bigger, because my regular t-shirts are too short, but the maternity ones I swim in.

Here's comparison from last time, this was actually about 17 weeks, I'm so much bigger this time, same dress!

And my 16 week bare belly last time:

And this time:

I love being pregnant. I really do. Don't hate me for it! It's such a true blessing.

I also wanted to mention to head on over to my friend Melissa's blog The Mommyhood Chronicles for your chance to win a Britax car seat! These are the ONLY car seats we use for Braden and we LOVE them. We'll be buying more in about a year or so, I'd love to win another!

12 Weeks!

Oh, it feels so good to be at 12 weeks! I was discussing with Laura a few weeks back how the even numbered weeks seem like such big milestones! 19 weeks? Whoopee!...20 weeks? Halfway done! Maybe it's just us? But yes, if you read in the picture, I am feeling so much better. The last 2 days, no nausea at all, which has been such a wonderful change. I never got sick, but just that feeling of impending barfage...was bad enough. Strangely, I had my worst moment of nausea ever at my last prenatal appointment, which was just this past Monday. I probably left it too long to eat lunch, and stopped at Subway for a bite to eat. I craved Buffalo chicken so much my last pregnancy, have had it a few times with this one, and since I couldn't fulfill my craving of delicious, cold deli meat, I decided to have the Buffalo chicken sub. About 3/4 of the way through, I had to stop, hide the sub, close my eyes, and start deep breathing and praying to *please don't puke in Subway! please don't puke in Subway! please don't puke in Subway!* Luckily, I did not! It passed rather quickly but that is the worst I have felt and I texted Laura right away! It's so nice to have a pregnant SIL to tell all these things to as they happen!

My appointment went well. No fetal heartbeat yet, but this doesn't surprise me or worry me at all. With a home doppler, I didn't find Braden until 13w4d pregnant. This is because I had an anterior (in front) placenta and a retroverted (tilted) uterus making it harder to find him. I have my ulstrasound on Tuesday, I'm so excited to see this little one. Really praying it's little ONE and not little ONES. I really don't think there's two, I seem to have stopped growing so fast, I think the first trimester bloat is slowing down!

I got my hair cut and am loving it shorter! I only asked for 1" off, but she really gave it a good cut. That's okay, it will last longer!

Things are getting really busy on the farm in preparation for seeding. I have no shifts booked until the end of May and I'm feeling really good about that! I love the flexibility of my job and that I work my arse off in the winter to be able to be a SAHM in the spring and fall for the months of seeding and harvest for my kid(s)! I've started my spring cleaning and I'm just going to go at it slow and steady! Hopefully the weather smartens up around here so Braden and I can enjoy some time outside!

P.S. I've gained 6 lbs already. I had only gained 9 lbs in the first 20 weeks last time. I'm really trying hard not to care...

8 Weeks

So technically as I write this today, I am 9 weeks 4 days pregnant, but I didn't tell you all until 4 days ago, so this is a bit of a catch up.


(P.S. Two bibs doesn't mean twins, we're Team Green, so we won't know if it's a little sister or brother until s/he's born!) So, as many of you have commented, we were in Vegas when I was 8 weeks pregnant. It wasn't that different for me being pregnant in Vegas. I'm not a huge drinker, and just had virgin daquiris when I did the little gambling that I did in the casinos. My nose is super sensitive to smells right now, so the smoke bugged me a lot and gave me a whopping headache. I truly felt hungover the morning after, just from the smoke induced headaches. I hope that one day the world will catch on to non-smoking in all public places. I highly doubt people will stop going to Vegas if they become a smoke free zone. It disgusts me that people can smoke everywhere there. This is why I just don't get that people take their kids to Vegas, SO many kids in Vegas. Strollers waltzing through casinos? Classy.

Anywho, I'm not going to do the typical pregnancy surveys that so many of us do. I'm just going to bullet point things going on.

• Gaining weight faster this time. I was SUPER health conscious with Braden's pregnancy. I cut out almost all sugar, didn't have any pop or junk food. I gained 38 lbs with Braden, and the last 8 lbs was in the last week! I feel like this baby deserves the same, so now that we're home from Vegas, I'm going to smarten up and get healthy again. I'm up 5lbs so far.
• I'm STILL going to do the 1/2 triathlon this June! My friend Carley and I are going to do it, just to do it. We aren't going to "compete" we just want to be able to finish it. It's 10 laps of the pool, 10 km bike ride, and a 2.5 km run/walk. We're going to do it together, and this makes me happy! I will be 21 weeks pregnant
• I am generally feeling crappy. So nauseous, but not getting sick. Working 22 hours...in 1 shift...probably didn't help my case. But I feel this time like I don't have time to be tired, so I'm coping!
• I am showing so early. The bump never goes away. I definitely get some bloat to add to the bump in the early evenings, but even when I wake up in the morning a good sized bump is still there. Do I think it could be twins? Sure. Do I really think it could be twins? No. 
• I have my first ultrasound on April 24th, this will be in my 12th week, it is very common practice to just have 1 big anatomy scan for a healthy pregnancy in Canada, this is technically the nuchal translucency U/S, but I don't care about the results...I just want to see the bebe earlier!

This is how I'm looking this week:

And since it's April Fool's day, the timing is right, and I'm showing so early, I had to humor people with this on IG:

That's my twin nephew's first ultrasound. Sorry that I fooled a lot of you...but that's it's intent. Even if I've "jinxed" myself into having twins...it happened 7 weeks ago if it did, so whatever! Have a great week!

Waiting For November

Why are we waiting for November?

So Braden can become a big brother! 

Yay! I've been just itching to tell everyone, but the old fashioned gal in me wanted to wait for the comfort of getting to the 2nd trimester like we did last time...except...I'm showing already. Like, last week, definitely looking pregnant, showing! So today I am 9 weeks. Last time I told family and friends at 12 weeks and let everyone else just kind of find out. I announced it on Facebook at 17 weeks.

This time around I was so happy to be able to tell my mom right away. I tested really early and found out February 17th, only about 3 weeks along! Jay had a hockey game that night so I took pictures of my test and texted them to my eBFF Marie. She was thrilled for me and I was so excited to have someone to share the news with! I put this cute shirt on Braden in the morning and that's how I told Jay and Braden at the same time and there were hugs and kisses all around!

We told Jay's parents a couple of weeks later and then I've told all the people I told early last time. I've definitely felt a lot different with this pregnancy.

• more easily nauseous, but not getting sick (praise God)
• showing early
• breaking out
• having to shave more often (too much? Sorry, my blog!)

All these symptoms have lead me to have very strong vibes that Squishy is a girl. Yup, I've named "it" Squishy. Why? Because right now we call Braden "Squirt" sometimes, the little sea turtle from Finding Nemo, as in "let's see what Squirt does!" And Squishy? Cuz I love Ellen and this:

I know Dory calls Squishy a "him" but I could be wrong...! Even though I wasn't with Braden. I knew Braden was a boy from this early on last time too and I was right. So I guess we'll see. We'll be Team Green again and won't find out the sex at the anatomy scan at 19ish weeks! It's just more fun that way!

Instead of doing my biweekly belly pictures like I did last time, I've decided to do a Pinterest inspired monthly picture and then just do weekly cell phone pictures. Sorry, Squishy...you already have second pregnancy/second child syndrome. I care about you just as much but just already admit I don't have the energy to keep up with as much as I did with Braden!

And see, I'm already 9 weeks, did my 8 week picture...and haven't had time to edit it yet! I will get that one up here soon enough! And this is what I mean about showing early, this is me last week in Vegas, right at 8 weeks!

Well, that's about all for now! I'm so happy I am able to share this with you all!