35 Weeks & a birth announcement!!

I am having to re-type this all over since the website was messing up yesterday and when I selected everything to copy it, it unfortunately only copied just one picture and no text grr...so anyway, here we go again!!


How far along?  35 Weeks TODAY!!  According to the countdown app on my phone, that is 34 days from my due date!!  Getting super close!!

Weight gain:  According to the scale the other day, I am up 31.2lbs. I think at this point with Adrian, I was only 2 lbs lighter.  Not too bad considering that I started 5-6lbs heavier this pregnancy than with him :)

Maternity clothes?  YES!  But I am even avoiding those these days because PJs are just so much more comfortable.  Getting dressed up is just such a chore these days since its much harder to reach my feet, so if I can get away with staying in PJs all day, I do!  LOL  I am looking forward to being able to wear my normal clothes again :)

Stretch marks?  Yeah, I think I've seen new ones above my belly button...hopefully the damage isn't too much worse than when I started this pregnancy since I thought Adrian gave me enough :P

Sleep: I am having bouts of insomnia each night which I guess is good preparation for the sleeplessness I will experience in the fast approaching months ahead of me.  It would be nice to be able to sleep through the night though without waking for 2 hours at ramdom times.

Best moment this week: Christmas was just wonderful and I am so thankful for the family that we have here to celebrate it with!  I am also thankful for technology (even though its the reason I'm typing this for a second time haha) because we were able to Skype with my dad and stepmom on Christmas morning and open our presents with them!  Its great that Adrian can interact with them and see their faces instead of just trying to get a busy toddler to talk on the phone :)

Also, my wonderful friend Stephanie and her husband Tallas welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Veronica Giovanna into the world on the 29th!  Stephanie was exactly a month ahead of me in her pregnancy (due Jan 4th) and it was so fun being able to experience things along with her.  I have no doubts that they are and are going to be wonderful parents and that God has big plans for their precious blessing!  I only wish that I could meet her in person (they currently live in Italy).  Happy BirthDay Veronica!  Lots of love to you and your family!!!

Movement?  Everyday!  He seems to be busiest early morning, and when we go to bed at night...he's currently moving a bit as I type :)

Cravings?  Just sweets, but in order to avoid swelling, I've been keeping my intake to a minimum.  With the holidays, it certainly been harder to resist in eating sweets, but I think I've been doing well and have had little to no problems with swelling :)  I am definitely looking forward to indulging in sweets once he's here though for sure! (I've always had a sweet tooth)  I found a cookie recipe on Pintrest that supposedly helps you maintain your milk supply, so I will definitely be making those for snacking :)

Labor Signs:  Just braxton hicks...they usually happen around the times that he starts getting more active (early morning and before bed)...I have a couple throughout the day as well.  Nothing consistent and very sporadic, but at least 4 times throughout the day.

Belly Button in or out?  I suppose that you could call it out, but it's not that impressive haha...I am thankful it doesn't stick out more than it does, and I'm pretty sure where it's at is the extent of "out" it's going to get.

Rings on or off?  On!  I have a feeling that I will continue the rest of the time with them on as well. :)

What I miss:  I am not missing too much these days because I seem to have gotten my energy back which was weighing me down heavily for at least the last 6 months!  I feel like I am able to do things without getting exhausted or dizzy within 20 mins of doing something.  Nesting is setting in I think, so I feel like I am getting more accomplished these days!   But with a toddler and all the new Christmas stuff, my house still seems to remain a mess LOL

What I am looking forward to:  Meeting our newest son of course!!  Only 5 weeks to go!   I finally hung up things on the walls of his room, so now it's not so bare in there...I still am working on completing his quilt, a wall hanging and a couple other things.  I am quickly running out of time!!  Plus our birth kit came in the other day, so we are all set in that department, minus a few minor things I need to pick up at the store.
Also, at Christmas I was informed that a baby shower will be thrown for our little one on Jan 12th, so I am looking forward to that!  Other than the date, everything else has been kept a secret from me, so am anxious to see the fun they have planned :)

Weekly Wisdom:  I am amazed how quickly the time passed and it truly seems like I should have like 3 more months of being pregnant, not a couple weeks!  I'm not sure if it is the fact that most of my day is preoccupied with Adrian that I don't have much time to think about things, but I feel much less anxiety about bringing our second baby boy into the world.  I know that with Adrian, everything was new and uncharted territory for us, so of course it can be a little scary.  And I suppose that we are going into uncharted territory again with balancing life with two children, but I have learned that there is no use in stressing about things before they happen. 
I feel like since we're only 2 years past Adrian's birth that things are still pretty fresh in my mind and that gives me encouragement that I know what I'm doing.  I know that each child has a personality of their own and I can't expect him to be like Adrian, but I just have a feeling that he'll be a little easier than Adrian was.  And even if he is just as fussy as Adrian was, I think that I have handled my fair share of screaming baby at this point, that it won't be as traumatic to me when he may cry for bouts at a time haha 
In addition, I feel like we have kind of gone with the flow and followed the cues of our child and really listened to what he needed from us as he's grown as opposed to setting expectations for him because of things that others have done or because he has reached a certain age, etc.  I think that going into having a second child without expectation has really helped keep stress out of my mind becuause honestly, you just never know how things are going to be and worrying about "what if" will only cause you grief.

Milestone: 35 weeks!!  Just 2 more weeks and I'll feel most comfortable about delivering at home (if he decides to come early) without him being too premature!  I have a feeling that he will be born much closer to his due date though, and have not worried about passing this next "milestone."

Here I am at 34 weeks...I need to take a picture today still:

Here are a couple fun pictures from our snow fun yesterday

 

 

 

I am very much looking forward to spending times like these in the future as a family of four!!

 

Love you all!  Thanks for reading!!

 

 

Reflections on our Big, Little man Adrian

I wrote this on facebook on Dec 7, 2012, and wanted to memorialize it here since it's a big step in our little man's life:  "*tear* *tear* my baby boy is growing up. He slept the ENTIRE night in his own bed last night. Went to sleep around 10:45pm & woke up at 8am this morning! When he woke, he grabbed his pillow and blanket and came to snuggle with me in bed. Now he keeps saying "I slept in my bed mommy" I tell him good job and he says "thank you." He's so pleased with himself and I'm so proud! I'd have to admit that at 4:30, I woke and couldn't sleep for over an hour...I missed my cuddle buddy, but I have to keep in mind that he'll sleep better there when we have a baby crying at night in +/-58 days :)"

Adrian is such an amazing kid and I can't help but always be amazed at him every day and how incredibly smart and loving our little boy is.  He is such a character and quite the conversationalist.  For instance, just today we were heading to my prenatal appt and I was singing along with the Christmas music.  All of a sudden Adrian starts shouting "enough, enough mommy!!" from the back seat haha  I couldn't help but laugh because a few days prior to this I was driving and singing and when the song was done, he said "good job mommy, woo hoo" and was clapping for me LOL  You never know what you're going to get with him, and I love it!  My most favorite times are when he climbs up on my lap and gives me a kiss and hug and says "I love you, mommy" just because.  I think I should start a book of Adrian-isms and write down all of the funny things he says and does, but it may be harder to do that once little brother comes along :) 

He is certainly exploring his independence and wants to do as much as he can by himself.  The biggest struggle we have these days is that he wants to buckle himself in his carseat, which is fine if I want to wait 10 mins before leaving, but if we're in a hurry or we've been in and out of the car several times already, I just don't have the patience any more.  He gets infuriated when I am the one to buckle him up, but what's a mom to do? (I'm just so mean lol) I am able to distract him sometimes and buckle him before he realizes that I've done it.  He also will not let me let Teddy outside or back in, and he always tells Manny to sit with him at his little table to eat dinner (or breakfast and lunch if it's the weekend).

It has been 12 days since Adrian started sleeping in his own bed (he spent the last 2 nights in bed with us only because he's been running a fever and I felt better about him being with us so I could monitor him more closely), and he has been doing great.  He doesn't wake up crying at all!  Most days he wakes up around 4:30 or so and will grab his blanket and pillow and come climb in bed with us.  A couple times he's slept until 7:30-8:00am.  Each time he comes back into the room with us, he exclaims, "slept in Thomas bed mommy, slept in Thomas bed dadda!"  and we tell him good job and he says "thank you!"  He's actually feeling a sense of accomplishment by sleeping by himself, and that makes me feel 100% justified in our co-sleeping choice from the beginning because I truly feel that it's what he needed.  I am also a little relieved at the same time with little brother coming that he's staying for long periods of time in his bed now without complaint, and I think that'll give me a good amount of time with a newborn getting up every couple of hours. :)  Next is potty training, but I don't think he's quite ready yet, but he's getting closer!

With all this growing up that Adrian has been doing, it's made me so thankful that I get to stay home with him everyday.  It's true that they grow up too fast but it's wonderful to observe all the new things he learns and picks up every day...I am always shocked when he says or does something that I have never seen him do before.  It's quite miraculous how quickly they pick up on things!  It also makes me a bit sad at times because I feel like these 2 years have flown by, so the 3 years he has until he starts school will surly go just as fast.  I often think about the day when I have to let him go off into the world on his own (especially those days when we've been at the park, and a kid is less than kind to him) and I can't be there to protect him anymore.  It will be such a hard day on me I'm sure. 

I already was having these feelings, but now even more-so after the tragic events that occurred this past Friday (Dec 14th) when 20 little kids lost their lives.  That, along with the shooting in the movie theatre in Colorado, and the shooting in the mall in Oregon, it just feels like there is no safe place to be or to send your kids today.  I wish that I could just keep my kids little and not have to let them go into the big world that is full of danger.  That is not realistic though, so it just makes me even more determined to continue telling my babies everyday that I love them and make sure that they know how much they are loved.  Even if Manny just takes Adrian on a quick little ride to the store, I always give him a hug and kiss...you just never know when you may never see them again (and I pray that we are all very old when that day comes).  I hope they (Adrian and his brother) grow up knowing that there is not a problem too big or too small that they cannot come to me with and that they are my everything.  I pray they come to us when they need encouragement and know that they are special and beautiful and worthy of everything that is great in this world.   I cannot imagine the extreme pain it must cause to have to send your baby off to heaven much too soon, and my heart and prayers go out to those families that lost their children in Connecticut.

The big THREE ZERO!!!!

How far along? 30 weeks!!!  I can't believe how close we are already to meeting our newest son...just 10 weeks to go! :)

Maternity clothes?  Yep, even bought some leggings...I swear these are a pregnant woman's best friend.  They are WAY more comfortable than maternity pants and still look great :)  The ones I got are even lined with fleece (perfect for the colder weather) :)

Stretch marks?  I'm not sure if there's new ones, but the older ones (from Adrian) are more pronounced around my belly button now (which is funny because those are the ones I couldn't see with Adrian until he was born)

Sleep: Pretty good actually...I have to switch sides several times a night or else I get really bad hip pain, but I haven't had to get up as frequently to use the restroom, so that's a pleasant plus :)

Best moment this week:  We had our prenantal appointment last Tuesday with Margie and everything sounds/ looks great.  My blood pressure was great.  I gained 7 lbs since my last visit (6 weeks previous) so a little over a pound per week which is awesome. I am still measuring ahead at 32cm but I measured ahead with Adrian too, so I think that he'll still come around his due date and not early.  And his heartrate was 126 bpm :)  I looked at my pregnancy journal for Adrian, and I just happened to have a prenatal visit the same week with him and his heartrate was 127 bpm...so they're pretty similar in that aspect :)

Another plus this week was Thanksgiving and being able to spend 4 days with Manny...I think Adrian really enjoyed having his dadda with us all day long for the long weekend :)  The food was awesome and the company was equally great with family and friends.  I indulged a lot in sweets and juice, but I think I need to get back to my exclusive water drinking (at least until Christmas dinner).

Movement? He's still really relaxed and only moves certain times of the day (like afternoon around Adrian's nap time and especially when I lay down to sleep).  There were several weeks that I considered him to be a baby ninja because he'd kick and punch out of nowhere a couple times and then that was it haha  That has seemed to calm down, but now he likes to stretch his feet into my ribs and it feels like he lays transverse at times which always causes me to have to run to the bathroom lol
One this that I always enjoy are baby hiccups though...I don't know why, but I think they're just so precious and, unlike Adrian, he doesn't really seem to mind them...When Adrian would get hiccups, he'd get all upset and start kicking like crazy LOL

Cravings? Just sweets since I am limiting myself on them...the more I eat/drink sweets, I would notice swelling in my feet and ankles, so it's best I think to limit my intake, but it makes my craving for them more prononunced :)  I always look forward to my prenatals at night since they are sweet gummys :)

Labor Signs:  None...I'm getting some braxton hicks contractions here and there now, but that's normal...practice makes perfect afterall :)

Belly Button in or out? It semi sticks out now and I can see it through thinner shirts...sometimes it's still flat :)

Rings on or off? Still wearing them...I don't think my hands have swelled at all (even when I had the swelling in my feet)

What I miss:  Motivation to clean haha  Household chores just seem to be even more of a chore now because my center of gravity is off with the growing belly and I seem to get a backache fairly easily.  Funny thing is, is that I am actually beginning to miss being pregnant already because I know this is the last one, and it has been going by super fast this time and I know it'll all be over soon.

What I am looking forward to: Personally, I am looking forward to the birth of my friend Stephanie's daughter in a little over a month from now!  She lives in Italy, so of course I will only be able to see her through pictures, but Stephanie is going to be such a great mom and I am just so thrilled for her and her husband.  I am also looking forward to knowing the gender of my cousin's baby who is due in April!  Not sure if it's just wishful thinking (on my part), but I think she's having a boy (that would make 2 boys for her as well) hehehe
For this pregnancy, I am just looking forward to delivery day, not because I want it to be over, but because we finally get to meet our littlest little man.  We still are making progress on his room, so I am anxious to get that done...which is getting more complicated with the holidays being upon us now.  But he'll be staying in our room in the bassinet at night for several months, so I guess it's not essential to get his room done right now, but it would be a weight off my mind to have it done before his arrival :)

Weekly Wisdom:  I think with the holidays around now, all I can think to write for this weekly wisdom is just for all the things I am thankful for.  I am so thankful for my family near and far that are always such a huge support for me.  I am truly blessed to have everyone I do in my life.  I wish that I could see everyone more often (for those that are far), but am glad to be able to have the technology we do these days to be able to keep in touch so well, even at a distance.
I am also blessed and so thankful that I have been given the ultimate gift of motherhood from the Lord above.  I have two wonderful sons who are my whole world and give me new perspective and purpose in life.  Without them I know that life would not be complete and they definately make me feel whole.
I am grateful to have such great in-laws who raised a wonderful son whom I love with all my heart.  I always feared the "in-laws" that you hear so often about that you just can't please or get along with, but I am lucky enough to have a wonderful extended family who have taken me in since day one as another daughter :)
To me, the holidays are more about family and spending time with one another than about the gifts.  I'm glad to have Adrian with us (and soon his brother) to celebrate the holidays because sometimes I get a little sad missing those that I can't spend the holidays with and those that I will only see again in heaven.  Adrian brings back the excitement and wonder to this time of year and I hope that he will grow to appreciate the holiday as I do and not just for the commercial side of it.

Milestone:  Baby can now regulate his own temperature and he produces his own blood now too!  He will also be gaining about a half a pound per week now until birth (and I will gain around a lb per week).  10 weeks to go!!  According to a little countdown clock on my phone, 66 days! :)

 

 

 

 

27 weeks today! 13 weeks to go!!

How far along? 27 weeks today! Chugging right along! :)

Weight Gain?  I am up 20-21 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight (I weighed 145.8 lbs this morning)...not too bad (sounds like a lot sometimes, but I know my body is quick to go back to normal).  At the end with Adrian, I weighed 164 lbs and when I weighed myself the day after he was born, I had lost 12 lbs immediately.  So I expect I'll probably gain another 19 lbs or so in the coming weeks (equals less than 1.5 lbs per week)...hopefully the holiday eating is good to me though haha

Maternity clothes? Yep!  I was able to fit in quite a few non-maternity shirts before, but now only the longer more flowy shirt are what fit over my big belly haha

Stretch marks?  I'm not sure if I've gotten any more (Since Adrian), but my belly has been itching more lately, so I try and slather on much more lotion! :)

Sleep:  Still waking at least 3 times a night to use the restroom and to flip myself from one side to the other.

Best moment this week: Well last week was so fun with Halloween!  Adrian's first time trick-or-treating and it was definitely a treat having my great friend Stephanie join us.  Adrian was so cute going up to the doors and saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" to everyone...He was not quite sure of the person dressed as Santa though (foreshadowing of whats to come trying to get pictures with Santa this year?) lol  once he saw the candy in his hand, then he cautiously approached him, took the candy and said thank you.  The same happened with a lady dressed as a minion from Despicable me...he was afraid to turn his back on her though when we went to leave haha

Another great moment was getting Adrian's 2nd birthday pictures...although his enthusiasm when taking pictures was short-lived, we still got some great shots and I can't wait to pick them up on Saturday.

I may be biased, but isn't he the most handsome little man you've ever seen?!?



Movement?  He likes to move a lot early morning (I'm getting kicked right now as I type) and he moves a lot when we lay down for bed.  I have gotten a couple rib kicks at 3am when he decides to move and stretch and those were not so pleasant (and they weren't even that hard. yikes!)  At times, he really likes to snuggle really low which means I make a dash to the bathroom (as fast as a pregnant woman can waddle dash HAHA)

Cravings?  Probably sweets since I'm really limiting my intake of them...the day after Halloween, I had indulged in the leftover candy we had and at the end of the day, my feet and ankles had swelled up, which hadn't happened since I had cut out juices and started drinking water exclusively.  So just a sign that what I'm doing is beneficial, but makes sweets even more desireable now!

Labor Signs:  None, 13 weeks ---> 91 days to go!!  Not sure if I've had braxton hicks at this point either, but that's fine with me...funny thing is is that I forget what contractions feel like (except the point that I hit transition and had back labor)...I know I'll remember once they start though haha

Belly Button in or out? It's kind of flat at this point.  Sometimes the bottom sticks out a little, but I don't think that it ever completely popped out with Adrian either.

Rings on or off? They are still on and easily slid on and off :)

What I miss:  My energy.  I know that I'll be exhausted once baby is here, but at least I'll be able to do things like walking up and down the stairs without feeling winded and needing to take a break haha  I also miss not having restless legs when I'm tired and not having pain from SPD, but I know they're not forever and come with the territory of being pregnant, so I will gladly deal with them for 13 more weeks for a healthy baby :)

What I am looking forward to:  I am truly looking forward to meeting our new little man and beginning life as a family of 4!  It seems like this pregnancy has flown by so far, and I'm sure it's bound to start picking up even more now with the holidays!   I think I will miss pregnancy since we're done after this, so I am enjoying it while it lasts, but I think this experience has made it apparent to me that pregnancies after the first are much more exhausting becuase you already have another baby to run after and take care of...I'm not sure how people do it with 3+, but I'm pretty sure that it is definitely not for me haha

I look forward to taking pregnancy pictures in the next couple weeks too probably 3-5 weeks from now :)

Milestone:  One week until we reach the THIRD TRIMESTER!  Yes, that's right, the 3rd trimester already!!  Where did the other 2 go? haha  Baby is approximately 2 lbs now (according to babycenter.com)


Weekly Wisdom: Being a part of a birth board group on a website I think has it's benefits because people share their stories, concerns, questions and most of the time you can relate to them or gain insight from people's posts.  I am a member of a group for February 2013 babies, so all the women on there are generally around 24.5 to 27.5 weeks pregnant at the moment.  My problem with some posts lately is that some women are already discussing how uncomfortable they are right now and/or will be towards the end of their pregnancies and are already talking about how they plan on trying to naturally induce themselves after 37-38 weeks.  I just don't understand the thought process because I understand that while you may not be comfortable the last couple of weeks...it's only a couple weeks!!  The baby is still developing and growing and preparing to make it's entrance into the world...the baby will not stay there forever, and should be allowed to come when it's good and ready (medical issues aside).

I am so grateful to have never experienced a loss and have had two successful and healthy pregnancies thus far, but I don't take that for granted for one second.  How selfish I think it is to complain about the discomforts of pregnancy and decide for yourself the child should be born on your schedule, not theirs.  It makes me angry and sad that there are women who struggle to get pregnant, or to keep a pregnancy and would give anything to reach that 40 weeks, enduring all the pains happily because it's worth the prize at the end of a healthy baby to hold in their arms. And then there's those that complain about every little thing like it's not a big deal to be pregnant.  Every pregnancy is a blessing and a miracle and should be treated as such, not as an inconvenience as some of these women portray it to be.  I think it's sad that some women haven't educated themselves about the benefits of the baby remaining in the womb until it's ready.  Even the March of Dimes has a campaign going urging women to at least go to 39 weeks because it's that important to allow labor to happen naturally rather than to induce because "you're done." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/health/09brody.html

My hope is that more women become educated about the well being of their babies, and stop thinking of themselves selfishly.  I pray that those women I know who are struggling with getting pregnant or loss are able to experience all the "discomforts" that pregnancy brings because it's all worth it. All the morning sickness, all the back ache, all the swelling, all the stretch marks...all of it is worth it!  There should be no complaining about something so precious that many women yearn to have the pleasure of experiencing.

Okay, I've said my piece...onto pictures haha

27 weeks

Adrian and baby brother in belly (stretch marks are my tiger stripes earned from having Adrian) :)

You are so loved little man...can't wait to meet you in February :)

Pumpkin Patch...Having some fun with Ellie & Ethan

Today we went to the pumpkin patch and since I took pictures of Adrian in his costume last year there, I just had to do it again :)  I am so pleased with how his costume turned out...with pregnancy brain it was tough at times and the seam ripper became my best friend, but for having absolutely no pattern (except for the shoes), I think I did a pretty darn good job...I will make the kids' costumes for as long as they let me...it's fun to me and makes it a little more personal :)

After taking pictures in his costume, we changed him to normal clothes and our neighbors joined us at the patch (the only way I could get Adrian to smile for the pictures in his costume was to tell him that Ellie was coming LOL).  They had such a good time and there was a lot of fun things to do...they first rode on the swings which he giggled and smiled the whole time on.  Then they rode the ponies which he thought were pretty cool.  After that, they went to the petting zoo and he yelled that he was scared of the goats and chickens, all the while laughing and running around with Ellie.  Eventually they both petted the animals (minus the duck), but I think he was still suspicious of those "scary" goats LOL  They went over to the bounce house and the big blow up slide which he thought were both great, and then we finished up the fun with another pony ride.  All-in-all it was a great day and Adrian had a blast with his best friend Ellie :)

(SEE VIDEO AT THE END)

This pumpkin is half my size! wow!

 

 Our little Mickey Mouse

The swings were pretty fun!!

Waiting for their turns to ride the ponies

Cowboy Adrian!

Yee Haw!  This is fun too!!

Petting the goats

 

 This picture cracks me up every time LOL  He was yelling at the duck that he was "scary" hahaha

Ellie the sheep and Adrian the horse :)

Fun in the bounce house

Making the climb up the bounce slide

wheeeeeeeeee!

Riding the pony again :)

 

That's all folks!!