35 weeks

Holy cow, I cannot believe I am 35 weeks along!!! 35 weeks along and 35 days to go, insane.

I'm being really good about going for walks, every morning after breakfast I get ready and put Bria in the jogging stroller along with snacks, books and a doll. I do a fast paced walk for about 40 minutes and it feels really good. I pretty much have one long braxton hick while I walk, I remember getting them a lot when I was pregnant with Bria and doing my walks with MJ at night. Poor MJ, I know she wishes she was my walking buddy but there is no way I could handle her and Bria, it would be way too much.

Physically I'm feeling pretty darn good...during the day anyway. The nights are difficult, it is nearly impossible to get comfortable, I pee a lot, and I have a hard time getting back to sleep. Mix that with Bria getting a molar in and I am seriously behind on sleep. And don't even tell me that it's natures way of preparing me for the newborn days, that is crap. I should be getting extra sleep right now to get ready, but it's just not in the cards right now.

My mom and sisters are throwing me a little intimate baby shower this Sunday and I can't wait. Since this is our second child and it's another girl I felt bad having another shower, plus we have almost everything we need. But I'm really happy that this little girl still gets a little celebration party and it'll be a lot of fun. Plus, my moms group totally surprised me by having a shower for me! It's in about 2 weeks and I was so floored that they offered, such sweet friends.

I had an appointment yesterday and the doctor was good. She wasn't overly friendly, but I honestly liked her. She asked about my previous pregnancy, about this one so far, and looked at my chart and history. That right there made me very happy since no other doctor has taken the time to do that. She said I'm measuring right on and felt that this little girl was head down. She said at my next appointment they will do the strep B test and then do an internal.

Here are some pictures of the nursery. We still don't have anything on the walls and the brown rocking chair will soon be replaced with the glider that Sara got us (the brown rocking chair is going downstairs in the playroom so I have a place to sit and nurse her while Bria plays). Also, the room is small so it's hard to take a picture but you get the idea.

The crib

I love the color of purple, it's perfect.

*I'll have belly pictures later tonight

So there's the nursery, like I said, we still have finishing touches to make but I'm really happy with it so far.

How far along? 35 weeks!

Total weight gain: 31 pounds

Sleep: Horrible, absolutely horrible.

Movement: Tons, I love it.

Food cravings: cereal, sweethearts, and fruit

Labor signs: Nope

Belly button: In

What I miss: Sleep

What I am looking forward to: Putting the ottoman together (thanks Sara and Jon!) :)

Milestones: 35/35!

34 weeks

I've had a pretty good week pregnancy wise, my only complaint is sleep. The past few nights I have a hard time getting back to sleep after I've gotten up to use the restroom, which is once or twice. So I try to take naps but they don't always happen, either I can't get to sleep or I'm nesting and trying to get things done.

We got the bedding! Not only that but we got the nursery all set up! I'm so happy to have that room all set up, it makes a huge difference and even Brian admitted that. He was giving me a hard time about wanting to do it since we still have another month and a half but after it was all set up he said he was really glad we did it. Something about having that visual helps make everything more real. Since everything was all set up I decided to do my next favorite thing: wash and hang baby clothes :) I LOVE going through baby clothes so I know it's a little early but it's just so fun. Plus this time it was extra fun since I had memories of baby Bria in the outfits.

With the room all set up it was easier to take inventory and see what last minute things we need. We just got our new monitor in the mail today and we're really excited. It's an Angelcare and I think it's gonna be so nice to have. It's pretty fancy and already it's gone up in price from when we purchased it, score us!

Anyway, there's only a few things I think we'll get before she arrives:

changing pad & cover for the changing table (ours is really old)

laundry hamper

mattress cover (again, ours is really old)

closet organizer (something like this maybe)

bottles

I think that is about it, then of course diapers and wipes.

I called today and got a tour of the hospital scheduled for September 8th, I'm excited for that. We are also looking into registering for an infant CPR class, I really want to take one and think it's so important.

My next appointment is on Tuesday and it's with a doctor I haven't met yet so I'm hoping it goes well, I'd really like to get a better feeling about this doctor's office soon.

The belly

How far along? 34 weeks

Total weight gain: 29 pounds

Sleep: Not great

Movement: Lots and lots, she is strong!

Food cravings: cereal

Labor signs: Nope, just braxton hicks

Belly button in or out? In, it's funny because it totally looks like an outtie through shirts, but I swear, it's not.

What I miss: Sleeping all snuggled up in any position that I want.

What I am looking forward to: Putting lots of pretty headbands in her hair :)

Milestones: Her lungs are almost fully developed.

33 weeks

Look at me just sprinting through this pregnancy, my word!

Bria and I both had colds this week so it's been pretty rough. It was Monday or Tuesday that I wanted to "call in sick" so bad, but couldn't because Brian had meetings. I was up with Bria at least twice a night and then up myself since I had no medications I could take in the house so I didn't get much sleep. For some reason I couldn't nap either, I think because I was so incredibly uncomfortable and too lazy to go to the store to get pregnancy safe drugs.

Last night we finally both slept a lot better and I'm grateful for that. Due to the lack of sleep, being sick, taking care of a sick toddler, and being very pregnant I had my worst pregnancy day this week, thus far. A day where I cried and cried for no apparent reason and just wanted to call my mom but didn't have anything to say, just wanted to cry.

I'm feeling better now thankfully. My mom and I talked for an hour last night and she gave me courage to call and reschedule my next appointment with a different doctor in the group, I'm done with Dr. B, aka Dr. Bitch.

Since I've been sick I haven't gone on walks in a few days and I really miss it so I'm anxious to feel better and get back out there. I've been eating fruit like it's going out of style, I made a big thing of fruit salad today so that when I'm hungry I can just grab some of that. It's seriously delicious: pears, nectarines, grapes, strawberries, watermelon, bananas, and clementines. The only things missing are raspberries and blueberries. I'm seriously loving fruit.

This week it's been very difficult to hold Bria, I use to be able to hold her above the belly with her kind of resting on it but it's getting really painful. I guess I assumed that I would be able to hold Bria right up until I delivered, but I don't think that's going to be the case. It really is so incredibly hard to pick her up. Makes me sad, but we still cuddle when I'm sitting so that'll do for now.

The bedding is suppose to be delivered tomorrow and I can't wait! I told Brian in order to prepare him to get the furniture and stuff arranged in the nursery, if I could do it myself I totally would, but it requires big muscles.

Pregnancy wise I've felt very lucky, I don't have near the cramps or aches and pains that I did with Bria (knock on wood). I really just feel large in the tummy region...and the thigh region...and the butt region. But otherwise I'm feeling good and am enjoying feeling her move all over in every direction :)

33 week belly

How far along? 33 weeks

Total weight gain: 28 pounds

Sleep: Horrible, it's not fun being sick :( Propping 53 pillows up behind me helped though.

Movement: Tons, she kicked so hard the other night it was really painful! But I still laughed. I love feeling her little feet stick out my side.

Food cravings: fruit and coffee

Labor signs: Nope

Belly button in or out? In

What I miss: Holding Bria comfortably while standing/walking

What I am looking forward to: Touring the hospital, gotta call them

Milestones: She's gaining 1/2 a pound a week at this point...that's what the books say anyway :)

32 weeks

I have to rave about my husband for a minute. He has always been a thoughtful person, but the last few weeks especially he has totally stepped it up. It is getting increasingly difficult for me to do every day things with Bria: taking her potty, cleaning her up after meals (rinsing off her face and hands at the sink which entails a balancing act on my part), putting her to bed, getting her in and out of the car, etc. Since pregnancy happens so gradually I was getting frustrated that things were so much harder for me and I think it took me awhile to realize this growing belly is making things tougher and tougher by the day. Brian has totally realized this and does everything he can to help, he takes over the little things when he gets home and offers to take Bria to the park so I can relax. It has made a huge difference and I really appreciate it. It's funny how a simple thing like putting Bria to bed can be daunting when you have a big belly, bathtub is literally painful for me. Fortunately Brian is usually the one to give a bath and get her dressed, and wrestle with her on the bed :) I'm sure grateful he's mine.

I had a little panic attack this week with all of Bria's fits and anger, it seems she wasn't dealing with our visitors (Sara and Gabriel) all that well and I got so scared that it was a sign of things to come. Maybe it is but the more I thought about it the more I feel that Bria doesn't like when other adults take away attention from her. So I don't think her acting out was all about Gabriel being getting more attention, which makes me hopeful that she won't completely melt down when the baby gets here. Also, I know I need to cut her some slack. I just get embarrassed when she acts out so much because she is such a sweetheart when it's just me and Brian (for the most part).

I've felt good this week, nothing crazy uncomfortable. This little girl is definitely strong, man she can kick! There are times at night when I cringe for 10 minutes while she does some karate moves, they are painful but hilarious at the same time. I think she's flipped to the other side, so her back is on my right and her feet are on my left. Although there are times I feel like she is somersaulting and her legs are kicking every part of my belly.

I have full on hit the nesting mode of pregnancy. I'm nesting so bad that it kept me up one night because I couldn't stop my mind from racing with all the things we need to do. It doesn't help that we have done very little in preparation for this baby girl, partly because we have most of the things we need. Also, we're just a little bit more relaxed this time around since we know what to expect and what are essentials versus wants. I got the bedding ordered and I'm in LOVE, I cannot wait for it to get here :)

It's a 13 piece set that I found on Amazon for a smokin' deal. The only things it didn't come with are the lamp and mobile. I ordered the mobile too but thought I should try and save money by not ordering the lamp, hopefully I can find a purple one that matches.

This weekend Brian is obliging me by putting the nursery together which means packing up the guest bed and storing it in the garage (don't worry future guests, we'll get a nice mattress cover for it so it's not attacked by bed bugs). Then pretty soon I want to get all the newborn clothes washed and hung, that is my favorite part and I just can't wait any longer.

My sleep has not been the greatest this week, I have a hard time getting back to sleep once I wake for one of my pee breaks. Again, I think it's the nesting thing and my mind races with everything I want to do.

A large and tired Lindsey, be kind, I have no make-up on and it is close to bedtime.

32 week belly

How far along? 32 weeks

Total weight gain: 27 pounds

Sleep: Not great, not completely horrible

Best moment this week: Hearing her heartbeat

Movement: Yes ma'am

Food cravings: Cereal and toast

Labor signs: No, just braxton hicks everytime I go for a walk

Belly button in or out? In

What I miss: Sleeping comfortably and whatever position I wanted

What I am looking forward to: Arranging the nursery!!!

Milestones: Um, I guess the 8th month of pregnancy?

So I had my doctor's appointment today (Friday, I'm editing my post from last night) and I just need to vent. I don't like any of the doctor's I've seen at the practice (just 2). I wanted to keep with the same doctor so that I would build a relationship with her, but she didn't have a lot of personality, she was gone for two months getting married, and I recently found out she's leaving the practice in October. I decided to start meeting with another doctor that had seen me while mine was gone because she seemed to have another bedside manner, her name is Dr. B. My appointment was with Dr. B today. It didn't go well. She noted that I had gained a total of 27 pounds and said that was on the high end. If she had left it at that I would've been fine, I realize it's on the high end and I'm trying to fix that. But she didn't leave it at that, she went into a speech about how I should be eating more fruits and vegetables, snack less, blah blah. This following conversation occurred:

Dr. B: "I know it's hard when you're pregnant and people come up to you and say, Oh you're so cute here's a cookie, but we need to avoid sweets."

Me: Whuck? No one has EVER said that to me. I'm not 2 years old, I'm a grown adult. Instead of saying that I just looked at her like she was crazy, because clearly she's a little looney.

Dr. B: "What are you doing for exercise?"

Me: "Walking almost every day." I'm also in shock that we are still talking about this. Is 27 pounds really that bad? Do I look unhealthy and obese? Would I get in trouble if I punched her in the mouth?

Dr. B: Good.

Me: Staring off into space so we can be done with the weight lecture.

I'm not going to lie, I'm sensitive about how much weight I gained with Bria (43 pounds) and was hoping to avoid that this time so I am frustrated at my 27 pounds, but I don't feel it's anything I need to get lectured on. My last doctors weren't concerned at all with my weight gain and said I was totally fine. Blerg.

I'm pretty happy with where I'm at overall so I'm trying not to let this get to me, I'm sensitive though...and pregnant.

Anyway, she measured my belly and said it measured right at 32 cm which was right on. However, I could've sworn I measured 32 cm at my last appointment which would be cause for concern. But do you think she took the time to look? Nope. In fact, everytime I go in for an appointment my doctor whips out that stupid circle calendar to calculate how far along I am. Good to know they are keeping such good track of things, grrr.

Alright, vent done. Thanks for listening :) I'm going to attempt to move on with my day and be happy that I'm pregnant and feeling good.

31 weeks

The dreams have started. Now that I've entered the 30's (in weeks, not age...yet) I have started dreaming about this girl's big arrival. I remember doing this with Bria too and it got me so incredibly anxious to meet her and hold her in my arms. When we got pregnant this time around I thought to myself, I know what the newborn phase is like (wonderful but very hard due to lack of sleep) so I'm going to enjoy being pregnant the whole time and not rush it. Well, that's hard to do now because I truly cannot wait to meet this little girl. She makes her presence known a lot, she is such a mover and it makes me smile every time...even at 3 am after I've just gone to the bathroom and am trying to get back to sleep. But when I get so anxious I can barely stand it, I remind myself how much I love feeling her move inside me and how much I enjoy being pregnant so I should just enjoy this time and not will it to go faster. That usually works, but I'm still so excited to meet her and hold her and give her lots of kisses and cuddle with her.

I've been sleeping pretty well this week, even if I have to get up twice to pee, and then a 3rd because Bria has to pee. I usually go to sleep fairly quickly afterwards, probably because I'm exhausted. I'm also trying to take a nap each day, I'd say maybe 4 days a week I do. It's taken Brian 8 years to convince me that naps are good, but I think he has finally succeeded. I use to HATE when he would take a nap, I just felt like it was a huge waste of time. But now, oh now I think they are pretty wonderful. It may be the pregnancy, or having a toddler, or a mix of both, but I sure love to lay down for a quick cat nap during the day.

I'm feeling incredibly large which scares me a little since I have 9 weeks to go and this girl is gaining 1/2 a pound a week, yikes. It's hard to get comfortable, whether I'm sitting or laying down, or even standing I have a hard time finding just the right position.

This little girl gets the hiccups a lot, like at least 2 or 3 times a day. I seriously wonder how in the heck babies in the womb get hiccups, so crazy.

Don't be alarmed, the white pants are pj's, not my actual pants.

And they usually don't fit that tight, yikes. Good thing I just wear them at home, eh?

31 week belly with baby girl #2

31 weeks with Bria

How far along? 31 weeks

Total weight gain: 26 pounds

Maternity clothes: Definitely, some are starting to get tight. Eeek.

Sleep: Not bad in between peeing and taking Bria to the bathroom

Best moment this week: Getting her coming home outfit!

Movement: Oh yes! Anytime I get up and go to the bathroom I must wake her up because she moves around for a few minutes, probably trying to get comfortable.

Food cravings: Pretty much food all day long. The past few days I've started to crack down more and resist the urge to snack on everything in site. I've even started eating a big bowl of fruit before some of my meals to be healthy.

Labor signs: Nope

Belly button in or out? In

What I miss: Going more than an hour without peeing

What I am looking forward to: Ordering her bedding

Milestones: She's apparently practicing breathing on her own this week :)

30 weeks

Wow, I made it. Entering the 30's is a big milestone for me, it's the home stretch. I am definitely large, my belly is getting bigger by the day it feels like. I have no lap and that makes it hard when trying to put Bria's shoes on or read her books at nap and night time. She tries really hard to sit on my lap which usually hurts but I feel so bad she can't curl up on me the same way she use to. My body pillow just isn't providing the same comfort it use to, sometimes I don't use it at all.

I had an appointment on Monday (can't believe I'm already at the 2 week appointment mark) and all is sounding well with this little girl. The doctor said she feels head down (yay!) and she feels pretty small. She asked if Bria was small and I told her she was 7 lbs 4 oz. At my 20 week u/s they also said she was measuring a little behind. No one seems concerned, the doctor said she's probably just a small baby. At my next appointment I think I'll probe a little more, maybe I can get another u/s :) Her small size does explain why I feel her so much, she has plenty of room to move and kick in there, which I love. Especially when I can feel her little foot glide across my belly.

Bria has been really sweet about including her sister in her prayers. One morning she woke up and when Brian asked her how her dreams were she started talking about her baby sister, it was cute.

We purchased a Sit 'n Stand stroller! I found it on craigslist and we went and took a look and really liked it. We got for a steal of a deal, just $30 and it's in good condition. I tested it out with Bristol and Bria the other day when we walked to the park, it's definitely harder to maneuver since it's so long, but Bria loved that she could sit and face me or stand up. I think it'll be perfect.

The big belly at 30 weeks

How far along? 30 weeks

Total weight gain: 23 pounds

Maternity clothes: Yes

Sleep: Pretty good, especially considering I'm having a hard time getting comfortable. I guess I'm so tired I just fall asleep anyway.

Best moment this week: Hearing her h/b at the appointment :)

Movement: Yes ma'am, and I love it.

Food cravings: Cereal, sweets, & fruit

Labor signs: No, just braxton hicks when I go for my walks

Belly button in or out? In

What I miss: Sleeping on my belly, having Bria sit on my lap without it hurting, giving Brian a big hug (the kind where I don't have to turn to the side or stick my butt out to avoid squishing the belly)

What I am looking forward to: Setting up the nursery

Milestones: 30 weeks!!!!

29 weeks

I feel like I've eaten a lot this week. Not necessarily snacking, but large meals. We had hamburgers a lot (love BBQ's!) and every time I finished it off without a problem, that's new for me. Especially considering the burgers have all been pretty large. I'm trying to snack a little healthier, for a snack I go for sliced cucumbers first or a nectarine or some strawberries, but when those don't feel me up I usually get cereal or toast.

The heat is making me swell up a little bit, and I'm sure that will only get worse. I'm not too uncomfortable yet, just extra warm.

I think she has changed positions, still transverse but her head on my right side and her feet on my left. She is such a mover, there is no telling how she will be positioned when it's time for her to be born, I'm praying it's head down of course.

We have her middle name officially! We were having a hard time with it and then Brian came up with the perfect middle name that has a special meaning. He likes it so much he suggested it as the first. I still think we'll keep it as the middle but I told I'd think about it. Either way we are in love with her name! I think our families officially hate us for not telling, but we really want it to be a fun surprise when she's born. Only 11 more weeks :)

I'm trying to find the perfect coming home outfit for her and it's a lot harder than I thought. A few months ago a friend suggested one she found at Gap online and I wish I would've boughten it right then and there because I can't find it now! It was an adorable footed pj set that was purple and white stripes, they even have a matching hat. I'm not totally stuck on purple, I still love pink and if I find an adorable pink one I'll snatch it up.

The 29 week belly

I know it looks like my belly button is out, but it really isn't.

How far along? 29 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 20 pounds ish
Maternity clothes? Yes
Sleep: Not too bad, I've had a few nights where I tossed and turned a lot...which is a big ordeal of course
Best moment this week: Coming up with her full name!
Movement: Yes, very much so, I love feeling her little feet glide across my belly
Food cravings: Ice cream, cereal, toast, fruit, cucumbers
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly
What I am looking forward to: Setting up the nursery and her closet
Milestones: Last week in the 20's, I can't believe I'll be 30 weeks next week!