23 Weeks Pregnant!

I am thoroughly enjoying this time off with my little boy. The first week was rough. I think all of the decorations around the house threw him. He was absolutely refusing to take naps (and believe me... I tried) but he was so tired that he would have breakdowns for the rest of the day. It made for a stressful, exhausting week. As soon as the decorations came down everything went back to normal. So strange. Now, come 1pm we are headed up the stairs without a fight. He lays in bed and I read to him until he falls asleep. This week has been MUCH easier and more enjoyable. It's important for me to get my naps too :).

On Christmas eve we put together Baby B's crib. It's beautiful. It's actually the crib (finish) we wanted to get Breckin but when I was pregnant with him it was on back order for 6 months. The crib is expresso colored wood, so it matches our bedroom set. The plan is for Baby B to stay in our room for 18 months like Breckin did, then she will move to her own room upstairs. At that time Breckin and Baby will switch furniture. The "cribs" are the same style but with different finishes and they convert all the way up to a twin beds (Breckin has it converted to a toddler bed right now). Breckin's furniture is white, which I think will look cuter in a girls room.. or at least the girls room I have in mind. When Baby B moves upstairs both rooms (I don't want Breckin to feel left out) will be redecorated. The expresso wood will look better in the room I have planed for Breckin. He has already been insisting that Baby B's bed is his bed. We keep telling him "That is your sister's bed" and he responds "No. That's Breckin's bed." This should be interesting. I guess it is a little peek into what we should expect. I know he will be a wonderful, loving big brother but I know we can expect some jealousy issues. He is a hardcore momma's boy. I will have to make sure I make lots and lots of one on one time with him.

What's going on with Baby B: Baby B has a sense of movement now and can feel as I move around. She can hear loud noises from outside the womb, like the vacuum. She should be about a foot long now.

Symptoms: Like always extreme exhaustion. I still have some headaches creep up on me but at least I know how to control them better now.

Cravings: Nothing

Birthday Predictions: April 23rd

22 Weeks Pregnant

What's going on with Baby B - On my counter it says that she is developing her sleep pattern and is sleeping 14-16 hours a day. If the times of day she is moving now is any indication of that times she will be awake when she is out this child is going to sleep very little and will be most active around 10pm. She should weigh over a pound at this point (considering she was 14 oz two weeks ago) and is about the size of a papaya or small doll. She also has a new found sense of touch.

Symptoms - I have been having some pressure and pain. I have been trying to take it easy but it is hard with a two year old who doesn't stop. I am tired but starting to nest at the same time. Unlike last time, when I nested by getting everything done around the house, I am getting stuff together for Breckin's (and one day Baby B's) homeschool preschool curriculum. I have been working on getting the house in order a little bit... I have cleaned out my closet to make room for Baby B's stuff.

Cravings - Sushi... I want it soo bad. Only 4 more months.

Birthday Prediction - April 23rd

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21 Weeks Pregnant!!!

Not much to report this week. Today was my last day of the semester so I am off for two weeks now! It is going to be nice to have that time with my little boy.

What's going on with Baby B: Last week she was weighing about 14 oz so I assume she weighs a few more oz now. It's amazing... She has a lifetime of eggs in her ovaries now. Which means part of my future grandchildren are inside of me right now.

Symptoms: I am almost in control of my headaches. I am nesting a bit but I am completely exhausted.

Cravings: Nothing really

Birthday Prediction: April 23rd

20 Weeks and 2 days Pregnant

I am a few days behind. After all of the celebrating on Friday after our ultrasound and my nesting spree and and the party we went to yesterday the blog post for this week was kinda put on the back burner.

Anyways, we had our 20 week ultrasound on Friday. Everything looked perfect, which is all you really want to hear. I had been anxious to hear what the baby was measuring at since at 20 weeks Breckin was measuring a week and half ahead. I was terrified that we would find that this baby was measuring just as much, if not more ahead than Breckin was. Thankfully though the baby was measuring at exactly 20 weeks!! I might have a NORMAL sized baby. Maybe I wont have to be induced because of size! I guess only time will tell but this at lease gives me hope. I am terrified of have the same (or worse) complications as last time.

The tech had to have me lay on my side for a little while to get the baby to move into a better position so she could get the last of the measurements and maybe see the gender more clearly. After a few minutes she finished the measurements then turned the screen towards us so we could see the baby. After seeing the beautiful face, finger and toes, she focused her attention on finding out the sex and sure enough the baby finally got into a favorable position and allowed us to see from a couple of different angles that it was a little GIRL! Kevin and I could not be happier that now we have our little boy and our little girl. It's just so perfect.

After leaving the doctor's office we went out and bought a ton of girl clothes from Babies R Us. We couldn't help ourselves they were having a sale on spring/summer clothes... which was perfect for us... So we went a little crazy. After we went to lunch then went to buy pink balloons for our gender reveal photo. And this is how we told our friends and family....

Nesting is kicking in now. Yesterday I cleaned out our closet to make room for all of Baby B's stuff. It was quite an ordeal because Kevin and I are both stuffers and there was a ton of stuff in the closet that had no business being in the closet. I plan to clean the baby clothes today and hang them up. Then we will likely move on to another room to organize.

19 Weeks Pregnant!

I'm almost halfway.... or quite possibly half way. Who knows. The doctor has said more than once "Watch, this baby will make his/her appearance at 38 weeks and we wont have to worry about size at all." So I guess we will see. I can't believe we are only a week away from finding out the gender. I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas. With Breckin I wasn't this anxious. I KNEW Breckin was a boy. There was no doubt in my mind. I didn't need anyone to TELL me. This one has me a little stumped. I have doubted myself a little. I have mostly felt boy, but is that because I have always told myself I was only going to have boys? Is everyone under the sun telling me this is a girl made me question my own intuition? I don't know... but I WILL in a week.... as long as the baby cooperates. I am taking OJ and chocolate with me to get the baby moving if need be. I am planning on doing a gender reveal shoot with Breckin that afternoon so don't expect to find out until after the family all gets their calls and I have a chance to edit at least one of the images to put up on facebook and the blog.... oh please let this week fly!

What's going on with Baby B: Baby B is about the size of a mango, weighing about 8.5 oz and measuring about 6 inches. I feel the baby everywhere and every movement so I am sure this baby is measuring big. The baby can hear my voice now and his/her brain is developing the sensory system.

Symptoms: I am getting control of the migraines. I need to catch them immediately to make them go away. Dr. Hirata has me taking in caffeine to help get rid of the headache. So I have been drinking green tea at the first sign of a migraine. Sometimes I am lucky and it goes away completely other times it just dulls it but anything is better than terrible, vision impairing headaches. Last night I had heartburn. I hope it doesn't become a normal thing.

Cravings: Nothing really.

Sex Predictions: This will be the last one of these!! And I think I am going to say.... boy.

Birthday Prediction: April 23rd

18 Weeks Pregnant!

Monday I had to leave work early because I was having a bad nausea/dizzy spell. My vision was also impaired. Anteal and Kim drove me and my car to the doctor. I found out the headaches that I have been having over the last few weeks are migraines. I have also been having very very low blood pressure. The combo of the two caused my spell. I was given a few ways to combat my symptoms and was told that if my migraines had not improved before my next appointment that they were going to put me on medication. I want to avoid meds. whenever possible so I am following the doctor's orders exactly.

On to more exciting news... The baby must be getting really big because I am feeling it him/her all the time. The baby is big enough now for me to feel movement by putting my hand on my stomach. Last night (Thanksgiving) while Kevin was putting the little man to bed I was laying on the couch trying to feel the baby. I laid my hand down on my stomach and the baby kicked my hand. He/she did it 3 times and they were STRONG hard kicks. I yelled for Kevin to come down so he could feel the baby moving (since he hadn't felt it yet). The boys came running down the stairs. Kevin put his hand on my stomach but the baby didn't do anything. He kept it there for a little while but nothing happened. I then took Breckin hand and said out loud "Ok Baby! This is your brother. Let him feel you." I put Breckin's hand on my stomach and the baby kicked him... hard. It was enough that I could feel the kick on my hand through Breckin's hand. He got this surprised look on his face. I told him that was the baby and he got the most amazing smile. It will be a moment I never forget. We tried for the rest of the night to give Kevin a chance to feel the baby with no luck. It will come. If this baby is anything like Breckin you will be able to see him/her moving in my stomach from across the room.

What's going on with Baby B: He/She is about 5.5 inches long (isn't this how long the baby baby was last week?) about the size of a bell pepper, and weights around 7 oz. The baby is moving around a lot.

Symptoms: I am getting control of my headaches but I also haven't had a very stressful week. Hopefully they wont come back next week when I have a busy work schedule.

Cravings: Salt!

Gender Prediction: The heartbeat at the doctor's on Monday was 150... So I am going back to thinking it is a boy

Birthday Prediction: April 23rd

17 Weeks Pregnant!!

This week I had a doctor's appointment where they gave me my first glucose test. My number was 90 and they want it to be under 139, so I am good! No gestational diabetes! The baby's heart rate was 160. It's still pretty high! The baby was moving around like crazy and it took the nurse a little while to catch the heartbeat. I just laid there and enjoyed listening to the heartbeat and baby move. It's really one of the best sounds in the world.

I have also been battling a 4 day long headache this week. It got really bad yesterday. I was walking around with my left eye closed because somehow it helped... a little. It was blinding by mid-afternoon. I emailed the doctor and got a response to check my blood pressure every once in a while.. living this far out there really isn't a place to get it checked. I posted this problem on Facebook and got a slue of responses and luckily Melissa, who lives a mile from me, had an automated one I could borrow. Kevin ran out and got it for me so I was able to check my blood pressure WHILE I was having the headache. It was 99/63. Breckin woke up a 6 this morning, like normal, but when I told him to go back to sleep he did. Normally he asks for a hug, climbs into my arms and it's all over from there... we are up for the day. He ended up sleeping until 8 which helped so much. I needed that extra sleep so badly. I still have a mild headache today but nothing compared to yesterday. Hopefully my nap later helps knock it all the way out. I had an insane to do list to do today. I had to go through and pick what NEEDED to get done today and what didn't. Breckin and I have spend most of the morning coloring in bed so far.

What's going on with Baby B: Baby B's skeleton changed from soft cartilage to bone! The baby weighs about 5 oz, and about 5 inches long from head to rum, about the size of an onion.

Symptoms: The geographic tongue is back this week and it is worse than before. The headaches I guess count as a symptom too.

Cravings: Mushrooms, grape juice, sugary treats. Chicken is still pretty unappealing.

Gender Prediction: Oh gosh. I don't even know anymore. I have a strong girl vibe now but I still can't let go of the boy vibe I had earlier

Birthday Prediction: April 23rd

Mission: Cut Waste and Budget

With the new baby coming into our lives Kevin and I are trying to figure out how to organize our world. Our biggest goal, one which seems impossible right now, is to get our budget down to the point were we are living strictly off of Kevin's salary.

I wrote out our budget recently and have compiled a list of things that we can cut back on. There isn't much because we don't live very extravagantly to begin with. We don't go out to eat, we rarely shop for ourselves, we haven't been on a vacation in years, and we don't have the latest and greatest anything... our phones are phones. So in order to cut our budget we are really having to get serious. So where do we make cuts?

Gas -

We live in the middle of no where. We are lucky that my work is only ten minutes away and that Kevin has a company car (since he has a 75 mile round trip each day) but when it comes to going anywhere else we have to drive an hour. Every time we go shopping or to visit friends we end up spending hours on the road and use up a ton of gas. For years Kevin and I would grocery shop once a month and we needed something like milk Kevin would pick it up on his way home from work. This not only saved money on gas but on food as well because those "treats" and more expensive dinners that you have a tendency pick up every time you go to the store you don't get as often. Maybe eight or so months ago Kevin and I decided to go to grocery shopping every two weeks so we could get more fresh items and it has shown in our budget. So, we are going back to the once a month shopping. Driving to town half as much should cut our gas budget quite a bit.

Food -

We spend far to much on food each month. We like fresh veggies and fruits and we have a habit of not focusing on being economical when it comes to dinner planning. With the once a month shopping I have to really plan out our dinners, and looked specifically for dinners that are healthy and cheap. No more of this "There's nothing "good" to eat. We need to go shopping" stuff. I have a list on the fridge. Those are our choices and we don't shop until they are gone.

Our other problem, we shop mostly organic. It's important to us to feed our son healthy, fresh, preservative free foods. So we had to decide what NEEDS to be organic and what doesn't. Some things, like cereals and bread, maybe it's not as important to get them organic, especially when it costs twice as much.

Another issue... We waste... ALOT. I will buy fresh veggies or fruit for a recipe and end up not using everything and the left overs go wasted. We also end up buying a lot of veggies out of season because we need them for a recipe. We have this big beautiful freezer that my mother bought us for Christmas a few years ago. It's time to start using it. We are starting to buy fruits and veggies when they are in season or on sale and we are taking the time to cut them up and freeze them for future recipes.

I don't always have the energy to cook healthy meals, and with Kevin working a lot of late nights I end up relying on frozen meals. These aren't cheap, the portions are small and they are full of preservatives. I have been doing a great deal of research on freezing meals. So when I have time to cook, I cook enough for two meals and freeze half for later. This way we have healthy meals that are cheaper than store bought freezer meals... and the portions are better!

Diapers -

I never thought I would be saying this... but we are looking into cloth diapers. It's not that I have anything against cloth diapers but I have so many things on my to-do list each day that the thought of having to wash diapers and deal with cleaning up poop beyond the actual diaper change makes me cringe. I have a couple of friends who cloth diaper and I think they are changing my mind. Beyond the obvious savings it's not THAT much extra work... especially when you are breast feeding. The diapers can be used for future children as well. I have been doing a lot of research and think this might actually be for us. So we are going to trying and since we are making such a financial investment in the diapers we are going to MAKE it work.

Power -

There isn't a whole lot we can do here but I am having Kevin put up a laundry line for me after winter. Not having to run the dryer everyday once we include the cloth diapers into the mix should be helpful when it comes to the power bill.

So what have we done so far -

This weekend we went back to our once a month shopping. We went to Sam's and Kroger and this wasn't a cheap trip.. in fact it busted the budget but I am trying to remind myself that many of the things we got I wont have to buy again for many many months. We stocked our freezer and have enough dinners for a month and a half and that doesn't include leftovers.

While at Sam's we bought bell peppers, onions, and meat in bulk. We also bought lots of mushrooms while at Kroger. The rest of my Saturday was spent cutting up everything up and freezing it. I will say that I will NOT do this with onions again. The freezer REEKS and I can't seem to get the onions packed up enough to make it go away. We have six months worth of onions!! We were able to get six steaks for ten dollars. We cut them up for three meals of fajita burritos, two meals of stir fry and one meal of steak sandwiches! I had to cook the mushrooms before freezing them. It wasn't a ton of work and considering how much I am into mushrooms right now it will be well worth it.

For dinner I made Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells and I made enough for two meals. I separated them out and froze half. After dinner I calculated the cost of the shell dinners and found that each meal with bread cost a total of six dollars and that is with about half of the ingratiates being organic! I think that is pretty good. The shells were awesome and I am excited that I have another meal of it in the freezer waiting for me.

So... I guess we will see where all this work.

16 Weeks Pregnant!

Oh how time flies. It feels like I am writing one of these every other day now. So many things are coming together this week!! More details later.

I have a doctor's appointment coming up this Monday. I have to take my FIRST glucose test for this pregnancy.

I've been dealing with some seriously rough allergies. I am finally to the point where I am just dealign with a clogged running nose. I did have some really terrible pressure behind my eyes and consistent headaches but both of those have mostly subsided.

What's going on with Baby B - Baby B is the size of an avocado, about 4.5 inches long.

Symptoms - I've been cramping again. It mostly comes up when I have been moving around a lot. I hate it! I am happy to say that I have gotten some more energy back! I have been able to clean the whole house the last two weeks. It is so nice having a clean house again.

Cravings - Is it bad that I have been craving Roman Noodles? So gross... but so good. I could also go for some brownies right now. I am big into artichokes right now. They are a lot of work for such little reward but are so good.

Sex Prediction - Believe it or not I only have 3 more of these where it will be a sex "prediction." The 4th will have the actual sex!!... as long as the baby corporates. I am so confused at this point. I keep going back and forth. Something is telling me girl now but my boy instinct was SO strong before. I don't know if the fact that EVERYONE else thinks it is a girl has swayed me towards girl.

Birthday Prediction - April 23rd

15 Week Pregnant!

This was easily one of the most stressful weeks of this entire pregnancy... home stuff, work stuff. I am hoping for a somewhat relaxing weekend. The house is clean, so that is one less worry. Saturday is jam packed but sunday I left open to just have family time... so sunday.. relaxation.. hopefully?

What's going on with Baby B - Baby B is 4 inches long from crown to rump, about the size of an apple, and weights about 2.5 oz. I showed Breckin what 4 inches looks like with my hands and said "this is how big your baby is," he looked puzzled at the space between my fingers staying "baby?" Every week when I read the size it amazes me. The baby is growing at such a rapid pace and it wont be long until I am feeling more consistent movement. He/she can sense light now. He/she is also developing taste buds.

Symptoms - I have continued to have consistent headaches but I think most at this point are sinus related. The netti pot does help a little. I have gotten a little energy back, so I spent the week trying to get the house back in order. I am hoping that this energy sticks around. I much prefer a clean house and being able to actually cook meals rather than heating something up. I have spent some time collecting recipes that freeze well. My plan is make all these meals in the two months before the baby is born (which is apparently going to be here in the blink of an eye), so we have plenty of good homemade meals once the baby comes

Cravings - Nothing really.

Gender Predictions - When I think boy it just seems right but when I think girl if feels like a possibility. I am tired of this guessing game... a little over a month to go. Come ON Dec 9th.

Birthday Predictions - April 23rd

14 weeks and 2 days Pregnant!

It's been a rough and busy week. I have had some sort of stomach bug this weekend and even though I feel much better today it has taken a lot out of me. I haven't felt the baby in the last two days (Yes, I have been feeling movement this early.. I did with Breckin as well.. it shouldn't be surprising since I somehow produce linebackers) but Kevin thinks it because I have been concentrating on other things. It's still worrisome when you have been sick and you don't have a reminder that the baby is ok.

What's going on with Baby B - I was amazed to read that Baby B is 3.5 inches long. He/she is growing so fast! The size is compared to a lemon this week. It seems like so much is going on. The baby can squint, frown and grimace. He/she is also producing urine at this point. The baby's body is growing faster than the head now and by the end of the week his/her arms will be more proportioned with the rest of the body. Baby B's liver will start producing bile this week and the spleen starts helping with production of red blood cells!

Symptoms - We have a new symptom this week... Geographic Tongue. I freaked a few days ago when I noticed that I had bald spots on my tongue. They don't hurt but they continued to grow so I emailed my doctor on Friday. When I hadn't heard back by the end of the day I called my mom and apparently I have always had this but I hadn't had an outbreak since I was a little kid. It's harmless and seems to manifest when your hormones are really high. Hopefully it will go away soon.. it looks quite weird. I have gotten some of my energy back. Enough for me to start actually planning for the arrival of this little one. I have been searching for recipes that I will be able to make and freeze the 2 months before the baby comes so we will have lots of food options without us having to cook. I have also started to make mental lists of things that need to be done around the house and purchased... I need to actually put that down on paper.

Cravings - I have barely eaten in two days. I am just getting my apatite back today. All I have wanted was Chicken Romen Noodles. Which is totally unhealthy but it is all that I could stomach yesterday. Overall, I have been craving grape juice like crazy and it tastes amazing to me! I am still having a lot of trouble with meat still but I have been able to eat more and more veggies. I've been craving steamed artichokes. We steam them up and eat them with butter. Breckin is a big fan of this craving. You would think he would have trouble eating them but he does a really good job. I don't think that is a normal skill for a 2 year old.

Gender Predictions - This new symptoms is really starting to make me question if it is a boy. I didn't have it with Breckin... and aren't your hormones higher with girls? I don't know! Everyone around me thinks it's girl. Honestly, I don't care either way. I can't wait to find out on Dec 9th.

Birthday Predictions - April 23rd.

13 Weeks Pregnant!

This week I had my 2nd doctor's appointment. I got to hear the little one's heartbeat. It was at 170. It sounded so beautiful and I was relieved to have that reminder that everything is going well. I scheduled my 16 week appointment, where my first glucose test will take place. I also got to schedule my 20 week ultrasound!! That will take place on Dec 9th! Oh my! I am less then two months from knowing the gender of this little one!

What's going on with Baby B - So I guess I am in the second trimester. Although, so many sites have conflicting information. Some say I was in the second trimester last week, while others say I have a week to go. Baby B is the size of a peach or a medium sized shrimp, about 3 inches! That seems so big! The baby has fingertips. Veins and organs are visible through Baby B's skin. If Baby B is a girl her ovaries are formed and contain over 2 million eggs. That would mean my GRANDCHILDREN are in me right now. That is crazy to think about.

Symptoms - Headaches. Lots of headaches. It's terrible. I am still so insanely tired and there is still a huge list of things I have NO desire to eat.

Cravings - Salty, sweet, sour.

Gender Predictions - Even though the heartbeat is remaining on the high side I still think this little one is a boy.

Birthday Predictions - April 23rd

12 Weeks Pregnant!

Time is flying right now. I have my second doctor's appointment Tuesday and I will get to hear the baby's heartbeat. Even though we have had an ultrasound a month ago I really feel like after I hear the heartbeat it will all become very real. Maybe it's because we have hit that 12 week mark and will then have proof that the baby is healthy.

I'm almost done with homecoming. We will decorate the gym this afternoon for the dance tomorrow. We also have the game and parade tonight... as long as the weather gets better. After tonight the hard part is over. I am so tired though. I am hoping to get a nap in for Breckin and me before we have to head to the school. We will be leaving in the middle of Breckin's normal nap time so I am trying to shift his entire schedule so maybe he will go down for his nap earlier. I guess we will see how that goes.... if he doesn't nap neither do I.

What's going on the Baby B - The baby is about the size of a lime or plum, just over 2 inches and weighing about an oz!! B will be developing his/her reflexes this week. His/Her ears are where they should be at this point. The baby's brain is developing rapidly. Some sites say I am in the second trimester while others say I am in the second trimester at the end of this week.

Symptoms - Still so so so tired. I am having a hard time functioning today. Homecoming alone is enough to drain my energy but add teaching high schoolers every other day, a 2 year old and a pregnancy on top of that and I am a zombie. I am actually still pretty nauseous and got sick for the first time this past Sunday. I am adding a few things back into my diet but for the most part most things still sound unappealing. My bump is getting really large... it was with Breckin, so I'm not surprised. It's impossible to hide that I am pregnant and a good number of my students have figured it out at this point. They started asking questions recently to feel out wether or not is was ok to ask. I of course told my SCA kids a few weeks ago and I think they are more excited about this pregnancy then most of my friends and family.

Cravings - Nothing stand out. I just want sweets and salty still.

Gender Prediction - Boy

Birthday Prediction - April 23rd

11 Weeks and 2 days Pregnant

What's going on with Baby B - Baby B is the size of a fig or a small lime... about 1.5 inches. He/she is mostly formed and some of his/her bones are starting to harden. The baby can open and close it's hands into a fist. The baby kicks and stretches.

Symptoms - I am still so tired. I guess it isn't going away anytime soon. I can't seem to keep my eyes open most days. I doesn't help that we have had such a busy week. Between homecoming planning, Breckin's birthday party yesterday and going to the fair today I haven't had a chance to rest. Homecoming is this week... hopefully I will make it through the week. Next weekend we have the dance and on Sunday we have a field trip with Breckin's daycare so it looks like I have quite a while until I get a break. I've been cramping a lot and my bump continues to grow.

Cravings - I am craving super salty and super sweet. Still having a hard time eating healthy. Hopefully as I come to the end of the 1st trimester I will be able to start adding foods back into my diet.

Gender Predictions - Everybody under the sun thinks this baby is a girl. I don't think there is anything behind their prediction... I think everyone just WANTS it to be a girl. I still think it's a boy. Some days I question but for the most part I stay strong in the boy prediction.

Birthday Predictions - April 23rd, still.

Letter to My Little Boy

Letter to My Little Boy:

Breckin,

Today you are 2 years old. It amazes me who much you have grown. You are the sweetest child I have ever been around. You are kind and empathic. You are polite and generous. You love your friends and family and you are extremely affectionate. You pick up information so quickly. It seems like overnight you were speaking in complete sentences. I am so proud of the little boy you are becoming.

I love you more every day… every second! I look at you sometimes and it makes my heart skip. I want you to know that you mean the world to me. You made me a mother. You made me who I am today. I cherish every second I get to spend with you. I cherish every kiss, hug and “luv u momma.” I am so grateful that I get to be your mother and that I get to watch you grow up. It is almost overwhelming to think of all the wonderful moments that we have ahead of us. I can’t wait to see who you become this year and in the years to come. I can’t wait to see you as a big brother. You will be amazing. I love you. I will always love you.

Love,
Your Momma and Biggest Fan

10 Weeks Pregnant

What's going on with Baby B - The baby is about the size of a prune or kumquat, about an inch and 1/4 long from crown to rump. Baby B's arm joints are working now and he/she is forming bones. B has completed his/her most critical time of development and has now entered the "fetal period" when the tissue and organs will start to grow rapidly. At 10 weeks B is swallowing liquids and is kicking around like crazy!

Symptoms - So tired still. I can barely get through my day... even with a nap on my days off. I went to bed at 8:30pm last night and slept until 7:30am (my wake up time is determined by Breckin). My nausea is still pretty annoying but it's worst when food is sitting in front of me. I am starting to get a bump.

Cravings - Eat? Do I have to? It's so upsetting... if a food is healthy for me I don't want it. I gag down veggies, and whole wheat really upsets my stomach. Both of these are things I normally love. I could eat broccoli ALL day long. Now it makes me gag. All I can think about is potato chips, pickles, and sweets. I haven't been indulging myself but I think it might be time to allow myself these things in moderation because right now I am barely eating.

Gender Predictions - I still say boy but I am STILL seeing the girl name everywhere. It's just not a common name. I went from rarely hearing it to hearing it everyday.

Birthday Predictions - I am sticking with April 23rd.

9 weeks Pregnant

So much has happened this week. Monday night we had a bit of a scare. I bled a little and it was terrifying. We called the doctor's after hours number and she told me to just to rest, that it didn't seem to be bad enough for me to run into the ER and if I were to go to the ER I would likely sit there for hours and hours. I have to say, if you are going to have a scare like that it is nice to already have a scheduled doctors appointment the next day. Tuesday was our 8 week ultrasound, where we found out the baby was actually measuring 8 weeks 4 days.

This moved my due date to April 27th. It was so wonderful seeing a healthy little bean with a beautiful heartbeat (176). We met with the nurse after the ultrasound. She checked me and could see the bleeding was not serious. They also explained to me that this pregnancy would be treated differently than my pregnancy with Breckin. I will be tested twice for gestational diabetes and the baby's size will be monitored more closely. Thursday I get a call from the nurse telling me that they tested my sample for Group B Strep (I was positive at the end of my pregnancy with Breckin) and it came back positive. When you test positive this early in pregnancy it means your infection is really bad. I am on antibiotics now. And finally Friday I hit the 9 week mark.

What's going on with Baby B - The embryo is finally considered a fetus! He/She is an inch long and about the size of a grape or olive. The baby is looking more and more like a person.

Symptoms - I am so insanely tired. SO TIRED. Nausea. It's not insanely strong but is this underline nuisance all day. It's the worst whenever I sit down to eat so I haven't been able to eat all that much. My bump is growing and growing though. I only have one pair of pre-pregnancy pants that still fit (another low bump). My pants from my pregnancy with Breckin are still huge. For some reason I was convinced that my legs were going to get really fat in that pregnancy, so I bought a lot of loose fitting pants. My legs never grew so I was uncomfortable and constantly pulling my pants up. Mom took me shopping this weekend and got be a pair of work pants and jeans that fit perfectly and are SO comfortable. They will be able to grow with me since I can wear the belly in different ways.

Cravings - Lemon juice, lemon juice, lemon juice

Gender Prediction - Boy... I'm having another big baby. This is a boy

Birthday Prediction - April 23. It's interesting that my last birthday prediction turned into my new due date. They have made it clear that they are going to induce me so I think that Monday before the the due date will be my baby's birthday.

8 Weeks Pregnant

My ultrasound is the day after tomorrow! I am so tired of this wait!!

What's going on with Baby B - The baby is the size of a kidney bean or raspberry. The baby is constantly moving at this point and has webbed fingers and toes. The good news is that the baby's tail is almost gone.

Symptoms - Ehhhh! My symptoms have completely disappeared today! It's so worrisome. No nausea... NOTHING. I've been fighting this wicked cold/allergies. It is making things so difficult. I can barely breath! I have been doing everything I can to fight it though... minus medicine. I think it's helping because today I can breath out of one nostril and I have been sneezing up a storm, which brings a few minutes of clear breathing each time.

Cravings - No real cravings yet. I have been wanting lemon juice and I have finally allowed myself to have it this week, even though it is bad for my teeth, because it's full of vitamin C and can help my cold.

Gender Prediction - I think my gender prediction is wavering. I am not as confident that it is a little boy anymore. I still feel stronger that it's a boy but hmmm.... I don't know.

Birthday Prediction - My birthday predication remains the same... April 27th.

7 Weeks Pregnant

We are a little over a week from our first ultrasound. It's dragging so slowly! I just want to see that healthy little heartbeat and the wait is torture. Hopefully this week will fly by....

What's going on with Baby B - The baby has doubled it's size since last week. The baby should be measuring around a half an inch this week, the size of a blueberry. The baby is developing little hands and feet, which at the moment look like little paddles. The two hemispheres of the baby's brain are developing.

Symptoms - My nausea keeps going in and out. It's so funny, when I'm nauseous I am miserable and I want it to stop but once it stops I worry that something is going wrong and I want it to come back. I've been cramping still. It gets very strong and painful sometimes. Hopefully this worry will end with the ultrasound. It's just the unknown that is so scary right now.

Cravings - No real cravings right now. I had a small glass of lemon juice last night, which is a childhood craving for me. I also have been wanting chicken fingers, which is a craving I had quite a bit with Breckin. Most mornings all I want is a piece of fruit.

Gender Prediction - I still think it's a boy but I have been seeing signs that it's a girl everywhere. The name that we have picked for our little girl is not very common but I have been seeing it everywhere recently.

Birthday Prediction - My birthday prediction is still April 27th.

6 Weeks Pregnant

I am about six weeks along today! I decided from now on my weekly updates will have five categories; What's going on with Baby B, Symptoms, Cravings, Gender Prediction, and Birthday Prediction. I also decided that I will refer to this baby as Baby B, since the baby's name will begin with a B either way.

What's going on with Baby B - The baby is about a quarter of an inch long, the size of a sweet pea or lentil! This week the baby is developing his/her nose, mouth and ears. The baby's heart might be beating at this point. If it's not now, it will be within the next few days. The baby's intestines and lungs are also developing. Baby B is also busy forming his/her pituitary gland, brain, muscles and bones. So much is happening! It amazes to think all of this is going on inside of me. Being the second pregnancy doesn't make this any less amazing.

Symptoms - Holly Molly Nausea!! I have had some consistent all day nausea the last two days. There is a stomach thing going around school. I really hope this is morning sickness though. I want to know that this is a healthy pregnancy and that the baby is growing. I continue to be insanely tired. I can never get enough rest. I have had constant dull cramps. I have also had some sharp cramps and sharp pains in my back which really scare me. I am so terrified that I am going to miscarry. I am trying to focus on the morning sickness as a good sign, rather than the sharp pains as a bad sign.

Cravings - Some foods sound good for about a second before the thought of eating makes me nauseous. I was craving chicken salad, so we picked some up at Whole Foods yesterday. It tasted AMAZING. I had it on their organic french bread and it was probably the best chicken salad sandwich I have ever had. Unfortunately I was nauseous the entire time I was eating, so I didn't get to enjoy it fully. We found this awesome recipe for these super special chocolate chip cookies. You have to let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 24 hours. I hope by the time we make them tonight I will be able to eat them.

Gender Prediction - I decided to include this category so I can make a weekly prediction about this child's gender. With Breckin I was so sure he was a boy. I saw that line come up on the pregnancy test and I thought "There's my boy!" I had that same feeling this time. It will be interesting to see if I remain this sure up until my 20 week scan.

Birthday Prediction - I assume this baby will be induced early. Dr. Hirata said I would be watched more closely this time and the baby will not be allowed to grow bigger than Breckin was at birth. My labor was pretty dangerous with Breckin and it could have been far more dangerous if he was allowed to grow any larger. My estimate due date according to my LMP is April 29th, but like I have said before this might change at the first ultrasound since I ovulated a little later than normal. Either way I believe this baby will be born before April 29th. My friend Kim's birthday is April 27th and since my babies like to be born on my friend's birthdays (Breckin was born on Lauren's birthday, Oct 5th) I am predicting that this baby will be born on April 27th.

Could it be starting?!?!

Morning sickness that is... I was feeling kinda nauseous before bed last night and I have felt this underlying dizziness and nausea all day. I have also been pretty crampy and my hips ache. There seems to be a stomach thing going around school, so I wonder if this is that and not morning sickness. I have been a little concerned because my only pregnancy symptoms have been cramping and fatigue. I am so scared that this isn't a viable pregnancy. I just want it to be Sept 20th already, so I can have my first ultrasound. I can at least relax a little after that.

5 Weeks Pregnant

I'm 5 weeks pregnant. I'm not positive about my estimated due date yet since I didn't ovulate until cycle day 16. Kevin thinks I may have ovulated a day earlier since my pregnancy test at 10 days past ovulation was so dark. Either way I think my due date is between April 29-30. I guess we will find out at our first ultrasound on Sept 20th.

Physical Symptoms - I'm so tired... sooooo tired. I have also continued to have cramping. Other than that I've feel fine. I actually would welcome so more pregnancy symptoms so I could just feel pregnant. I keep forgetting that I'm pregnant and I am afraid I am pushing myself too hard.

We had a very eventful week here... Tuesday, we had a 5.8 earthquake while I was at work. The epicenter was a few miles from our house and Goochland High School. The student's were evacuated and remained outside until the busses came and took them home. We had two significant aftershocks that night and another the night after that. All 3 aftershocks brought me to my feet. We were lucky that we didn't have any significant damage to the house. The initial earthquake broke the seal on the upstairs toilet and did damage to Breckin's bedroom window but it could have been much worse.

Thursday our power was knocked out by a down tree. We then had a large thunderstorm that kept the power out for several more hours. We were without it from 3:30pm-1:00am. We hooked up the generator so we didn't lose our food. We all had a horrible time sleeping, both Breckin and I NEED our fan to sleep.

Friday Breckin had his surgery. I wont go into to many details because I feel that he would want me to keep it private. I will say that the surgery went well and he is a trooper.

Saturday hurricane Irene hit Virginia. It had very little effect on us in Goochland but there were quiet a few down trees and outages across Central VA. We never lost power and it seems like most of my family in Central VA were just as lucky. The news said the coast was going to be hit the hardest, so Mom had a friend watching the river house. They lost power there but the house and dock made it through without damage. Our family friends who live in the northern neck said that it wasn't terrible there and most had power, which is wonderful!!

Here's hoping for a less eventful week! And maybe I will actually FEEL pregnant this week.

PREGNANT!!!!!

That's right! You heard correctly!! I'm PREGNANT!! I want to scream it from the rooftops but it is still far to early. Only a couple of people know right now.

Let me start from the beginning....

Sunday August 14th, I started cramping. It continued steadily throughout the week.

Tuesday August 16th, I was eating my lunch. I went to eat my applesauce when noticed it tasted rotten. I check the expiration date and it had not expired. I threw it out and planned on throwing the rest out when I got home. I forgot and Kevin packed me another applesauce for lunch on Wednesday. I went to eat it and again it tasted rotten. I suddenly remembered that Breckin had an applesauce packed in his lunch so I texted Pam asking her to taste it or throw it out. She texted me back the applesauce tasted normal to both her and Kim.

Thursday August 18th, I was 10 days past ovulation and working a late night at school for

business day. We had been going back and forth about whether to test that night or not. I got my positive pregnancy test with Breckin at 10 days past ovulation. We felt if we got a positive we could tell mom on her birthday but if it was a negative I was going to have to wait 4 or 5 days for my cycle to end knowing that I'm not pregnant. I finally decided that I would "hold" and decide when I got home. Well, we put Breckin down to bed and decided to test. We got the camera ready so we could film the results like we did with Breckin's test. I sat the test on the counter and the line came up almost immediately... no time to film. Look how beautiful and dark it is! I bust into tears.

I tested again Friday August 19th, the test was darker. We went out of town for mom's birthday,

came back Sunday, tested again, and the test was darker yet again. The test I took today was DARKER than the control! I am so happy, excited, overwhelmed... I could go on but I wont. I have been crampy and it has gotten pretty bad at times. I have had two days of morning sickness. It seems to alternate days. I've had a couple of mood swings, those aren't fun. I welcome the symptoms though, no matter how miserable. I just want a healthy pregnancy and baby.....

So, I guess my updates will now be PREGNANCY updates!

6 DPO

I'm 6 days past ovulation today. I started feeling some mild and at times sharp cramps yesterday. Last month my cramps were off to the side close to where my ovary is located. This month my cramps are more centered. I am hoping that is a good sign. I'm not really having any other symptoms but it's still early.

I haven't decided when I will test. 10 DPO, which is the earliest I would consider testing, is on Thursday and I have to be at work until 7pm for business day. I was thinking about testing on Friday (mom's birthday) before we head to the river. If I get a positive I can tell mom as one of her birthday presents. I am sure it will make her day. But if I get a negative I know I will be devastated and it will ruin my mood for the entire weekend. If I don't test Friday I have to wait until Sunday (13 DPO), which I'm not sure I will be able to do. I don't know what to do!! I guess I will make a decision based on how I feel at the end of the week.

On a different note, I went back to work last week for my flex days. Tomorrow starts the teacher work week. I have a full week ahead of me before I start my part-time schedule. Hopefully it will be a distraction.

Positive OPK.... Finally!

I finally got my positive opk today. You would have thought I got a positive pregnancy test based on our reactions. It's nice to finally know that I am ovulating. My confidence for this cycle has returned. I hope so badly that I end up with a positive pregnancy test in less than two weeks.

OPK for Cycle Day 14

I took an OPK when we got home from shopping today and the test was darker then yesterday's but still not positive. I hope this means that I will actually get my positive tomorrow.... though if the OPKs this month have taught me anything it's not to expect anything.

So frustrated!

I was expecting to get a positive OPK yesterday since my test the day before was so close to positive, but the test was the same as yesterday's, if not slightly lighter. It was the last test I had of that brand so I had Kevin pick some up on his way home. I took a test that night and it was obviously negative, not even close to a positive. I know that this isn't saying much because it's a different brand but it's insanely frustrating.

I took another test today and yet another negative! I seems lighter then last night's but last night's test has been sitting overnight and it seems like it has got darker. The test from last night seems to have a dark line going down the side of the test line which if I had seen it last night I might have considered it a positive because it is as dark as the control.

I was having a 30 day cycle then a 26 day cycle. It went back and forth like that for the last 8 months. Last month was supposed to be my long cycle but it was another short cycle (27 days). Maybe this is my long cycle? So I wouldn't ovulate until CD 16 or 17 if that's the case. I am going to assume that is what is going on instead of getting upset. If I don't have a positive OPK by Monday or Tuesday I might go insane.

Really my concern is that I will get a complete negative (much lighter then the other tests) and never get a positive. If I don't get a positive I might not have had an LH surge and that would mean I didn't ovulate. I was feeling good about this cycle. I just had this overall feeling that this month things were going to turn out good.... but I don't know anymore. Trying to conceive is not fun. I just want to be pregnant again.

About to Ovulate

I will be ovulating tonight or tomorrow. I have been nauseous today and extremely emotional the last few days. I burst into sobbing tears last night for a very stupid reason. I am feeling more confidant this month but I think the negatives last month hurt my over all confidence and made me a little weary about getting excited. I am so ready to be pregnant.

My summer is coming to an end next week. I will be doing my flex days next Wednesday and Thursday and the week after that is the first full week for teachers. I have enjoyed my summer so much. I love getting to spend so much time with my little boy. He amazes me everyday. I knew I was going to love being a momma but I really had no idea... I love that little boy more then life and I love him a little more each day... if that is even possible. I don't know how I got so lucky. He really is an amazing child.

Changes we are making this cycle

I am trying so hard to stay positive this cycle. Right now I am feeling better about our chances and I hope this feeling lasts the entire month. Last month I had an emotional slump very early in my cycle. I think there was something in me that knew it wasn't a going to be our baby. My hormones were all out of whack. This month though I my spirits are higher.

I have been trying to meditate every night. I think me being more relax will help our chances

Also, Kevin and I are going to have more romantic evenings. I have been afraid of this trying to conceive journey becoming more about the science of having a baby rather that the love and fun of having a baby.

Lastly, I am making sure I drink more water. I was so concerned with limiting water for the 4 hours before I tested, whether it was OPKs or pregnancy tests, that I think it effected the way my body works.

Hopefully these chances will help us out this month. I so want to be pregnant!!

On to the next one....

The witch showed her face today... so this cycle is over and I'm not pregnant yet. I'm upset but I'm ready to start focusing on this cycle. We are hoping for better luck this month.

This is horrible

Maybe I ovulated late since the day I was supposed to be ovulating we had all the drama with Breckin at the GI doctor. I don't know... I shouldn't get my hopes up. I am still cramping... badly at times and mostly in the last 3 or 4 days. These are not cramps that I normally get around my period. I have also had slight waves of nausea.

I'm not testing again until Monday and I am 100% expecting another negative test. I just wish my body would stop playing these games with me and would let me just feel normal if I'm not pregnant. And if my period is going to show I wish it would just do it now so I can start trying again. This is torture. I can't even describe how I feel...

12 Days Past Ovulation

Another negative pregnancy test.

This doesn't look good for a chances this month. I tested first thing this morning... negative. Then I tested again this afternoon because "something was telling me to"... negative.

I'm assuming this is it for us this month. I am going to start looking forward to the next cycle. Hopefully we will have better luck... I am trying to be positive but I scared this is the start to a bad trend.

These tricks are not funny....

Well, I guess my body was tricking me... I took a pregnancy test yesterday and it came up negative. I was only 10 days past ovulation, which is still early, but I can't help but feel that I would have had SOME sort of positive yesterday if I was actually pregnant. I plan to test again tomorrow first thing in the morning (12 DPO). If it's negative, which I suspect it will be, I wont test anymore this cycle. This cycle is due to end Sunday or Monday.

I'm feeling really beat up... this has been a rough month.

Soooooo

So, either I am pregnant or my brain is playing some MAJOR tricks on me. I keep thinking "I don't even need a test. I already know I'm pregnant." Oh my, I really hope I'm not setting myself up for a HUGE disappointment.

My lower abdomen has been cramping the last few days and today the cramps have gotten pretty sharp. My abdomen has also been very sensitive. I am very uncomfortable with my pants' button against my stomach. I remember this from when I was pregnant with Breckin. I was using my bella band by around 9 weeks because pants were so uncomfortable. The question is... do I normally feel this way at this point in my cycle and I am just more sensitive to it now?

My chest is pretty sore as well. I am also tired and feeling really worn down. I am also having some symptoms that I wont mention here, but they are pretty convincing as well.

Today I took Breckin outside to swing and get the mail and the heat was really getting to me. I got dizzy and thought I was going to faint. I had to drag a kicking and screaming toddler into the house. He keeps asking "Outside?"

Well, I test Wednesday after we put Breckin to bed. I will update then...

About 6 Days Past Ovulation

Today we are about 6 days past ovulation. We plan on testing at 10 DPO (Wednesday). Normally implantations happens between 6-10 DPO. That would be about the time symptoms start. I have been good at not analyzing every little thing so far, but I bet the next few days turn me into a crazy woman. In that last day or so I have had a few pretty convincing symptoms that have since stopped, so who knows. I guess only a test will tell.

Update: July 9th

This has been stressful week. On Friday I took Breckin to his follow-up GI appointment. They found hidden blood in his stool and sent us straight to the hospital for x-rays. We found out that he had a great deal of stool sitting in his colon. They put him on a colon cleanse for the next 4 weeks. If they find more blood after the 4 weeks he will have to get a colonoscopy. I am scared to death and am hoping with everything I have that they don't find blood.

Well, I have had very positive OPKs the last two days (Friday and Saturday). The first positive suggested that I would be ovulating today (Saturday) but with all of the stress from Friday I think my ovulation was delayed a day.

Trying to Conceive Rollercoaster

I am hitting an emotional slump. I don't know what is wrong with me. On cycle day 1 it really hit me that I could be pregnant by the end of the month and I really felt like I WOULD be. Now, on cycle day 9, days before I will actually ovulate, I am feeling like it's not going to happen for us this month. I really wish this slump would end. I don't expect to ovulate for another 4-7 days. Maybe my hormones will shift and I will feel confident again.

I've been staying distracted this cycle, so I do not become obsessive about the baby stuff. Kevin and I decided to go ahead and start working towards our farm. We plan on building the barn and coup in the next 6 months, getting the chickens next spring and getting the goats sometime between Feb-May of 2013. Kevin is building the chicken coup and doing all of the fencing himself, so I doubt he would be able to have everything done before the next breeding season for goats. We also plan on having a huge garden (that Kevin will fence off). We want to be as self-sustaining as possible in the next 5 years.

Cycle Day - 3

Breckin escaped his crib today. I heard the banging over the monitor and instantly knew what had happened. I ran up to his room to find him standing next to his crib crying. I held him for a little while, then laid him down in his crib. He asked me to lay down ("night night") next to him, so I laid on the floor until he fell asleep. His crib is on the lowest setting, so maybe it's time for the toddler bed. I'm not sure ANY of us are ready for the transition.

I'm on cycle day 3. I'm no where near ovulation but I decided to start my daily testing with the OPKs today... why? Because I can. I bough a ton of cheap OPKs over the internet.

Great Weekend and Our First Trying to Conceive Cycle!

We had a great weekend. Lots of great food! Sushi-o was amazing as always. We didn't get a lot done around the house, but I guess that's ok.

On to more exciting news! I started our first trying to conceive cycle this morning. My cycles generally alternate between a 26 days and 30 days. Since I just had my 26 day cycle (which ended up actually being a 25 days) I am assuming that I am gearing up for a longer cycle. I will start OPKs around day 7 or 8 but I likely wont ovulate until day 15 or 16. I want to start early just in case I ovulate early... you never know.

Now comes the more difficult task of staying relax, and enjoying the process. I also need to keep for going crazy in the two week wait before I can test. I am sure I will be analyzing every little thing my body does during that time. The good news is that I am finding it much easier to eat healthy in the past few weeks. So that will help. We went grocery shopping Saturday at Whole Foods (my favorite store in the world!), so the fridge is full of really great options.

Breckin's Health

I got a call from the GI doctor today. Everything came back normal in the latest round of tests. There was no sign of malabsorption, or an intolerance of any kind. His PH was a little low but they would like me to keep him on the same diet he is on now... limited fruit, and two doses of probiotics a day. They believe now that he has "toddler diarrhea" (Toddler's diarrhea If your child has multiple loose bowel movements per day, perhaps containing undigested foods or mucus and foul-smelling stool, he may have what doctors call toddler's diarrhea. There's no discernible cause, except perhaps the addition of new foods or other change in diet. Your toddler will continue to gain weight and grow normally, soon outgrowing this condition.). He will likely have this condition until his is school aged but it isn't serious. This is a huge relief and I have felt an enormous weight lift.

We finally have a girl name!

After two years of debating we have finally settled on a girl name. The boy names have been picked for years.

If Breckin was a girl Lorelei would most likely have been his name. I love the name but hated that when I mentioned it as a possibility to anyone they brought up the Gilmore Girls. Also, all of the boy names we like begin with a B. We figure if all of the boys will have B names that we should just go ahead and give everyone B names.

I'm not going to say what the name is since Kevin and I decided we would keep baby #2's name a secret until he/she is born (we don't want to hear people's opinions of the name) but I will say that I love it and I am excited that we FINALLY found a name we both like!

Update 6/19

My baby fever has calmed down. Thank goodness! It gets really bad around ovulation and usually disappears soon after, but I was afraid that it wouldn't this time since we were so close to trying to conceive. I am able to focus on something other than planning for pregnancy and babies.

We have had several distractions the past two weeks. Some good, some not. We have been working with a GI doctor the last month. We have been trying to figure out why Breckin is still having issues with mucus in his stool and diarrhea. We have been trying to figure out what is causing these symptoms for a year and a half now. We have tried elimination diet after elimination diet, seeing an allergist, and now we are finally working with a GI doctor. This isn't a distraction that I want. I hate that my sweet little baby is having these issues.

It hasn't been all worry though. We have had good distractions the last few weeks as well. We bought Breckin a swing set and we are working on building it now. I am enjoying spending the summer with my little boy. We started our "homeschool preschool" a few weeks ago and he's learning so much, so fast. He is insanely smart. He amazes me everyday.

This weekend is our last waiting to conceive weekend. I am expecting this cycle to end Monday or Tuesday of next week. I am having all of my favorite foods this weekend... all the foods that I wont be able to eat come the end of this cycle. Friday we are having Chipotle. I wont have to stop eating Chipotle but I will have to limit it. Saturday Kevin and I are going out for a Sushi date. It will only be our second actual date since Breckin was born. I plan to eat a TON of sushi, since I will have to give it up completely. Finally, on Sunday we will be having a big steak dinner. My steak will be cooked medium rare because there is NO reason to eat a steak that is cooked above medium rare... but since meats should be cooked throughly when your pregnant I wont be having any steaks until this second baby is born.

Photos and OPKs

I got my negative OPK yesterday. The last egg we were avoiding is now gone and the wait is officially over. We are now just waiting for this cycle to end. I can't believe we made it! There were times I thought we would just give up waiting like we did with Breckin.

Kevin and I would like to do a photo series to document this up coming pregnancy. I have been looking around the internet for some inspiration but I haven't had any ideas come up yet. It will come to me. I have seen endless pictures of women standing to the side on a black or white backdrop or facing the camera with one hand on top of their belly and the other underneath. I want to do something original... or just different then what you see everyday. Whatever it is it needs to be able to document the whole pregnancy from start to finish. Any ideas?.... oh right, no one is reading this yet.

Pregnancy Amnesia

I was told by many women that once you have your baby you completely forget how difficult pregnancy is and how much labor hurts... even if you had an epidural. Right now I am suffering from some serious pregnancy amnesia. I have this very idyllic idea of this upcoming pregnancy. I KNOW it wont be that way. I know that I will spend the first 12 weeks worrying about miscarriage and the last 12 weeks being insanely uncomfortable but somehow that isn't dampening my enthusiasm. I know labor is going to be rough but I am very excited about that day... already. I feel like a crazy person right now.

I tested (OPK) again this afternoon to make sure I was no longer ovulating and I got another positive. I was hoping I was done ovulating. I am "holding out" again so I can test this afternoon.

Obsessive Day

I am having a bit of an obsessive day. I've been tired and lazy and have spent a good chunk of the day thinking about the journey that Kevin and I are about to start. I told myself I wasn't going to get like this!! I can't wish my summer away. I need enjoy all of these moments with my little boy. They by go too fast and I can't enjoy them with my head in the clouds. STOP ME!! I wish we could just start this month!! Maybe this obsessiveness is coming from the fact that I am currently ovulating. Maybe it will go away once I am done tomorrow.

Positive OPK

I just my positive OPK for this cycle. That means I will ovulate in the next 48 hours and I will be half way through this cycle. We're getting there.

Preparing for Pregnancy

Before getting pregnant with Breckin I spent 2 months on a "fertility diet." A diet that helps regulate your cycles, and improves your overall health. Basically it's the way you should be eating anyways, limited sugar and carbs, lean proteins, more fruits and veggies, avoiding food that you can't eat while pregnant, etc. Before Breckin my cycles were all over the place. I started the diet and prenatal vitamins and within a month I had normal 28 day cycles. The idea is to improve your chances of having a healthy pregnancy. Whether it actually helps I don't know, but it makes me feel like I am actually doing something while I am waiting to conceive.

When preparing for my pregnancy with Breckin I had no trouble going on this diet. I easily gave up everything I had to. This time around it hasn't been so easy. I'm not sure what it is. I keep telling myself my body need to be healthy to increase my chances of a healthy pregnancy but I keep allowing myself to splurge and indulge in those things that I am going to have to give up in a few weeks. Things like sushi, SUGAR, red meat, carbs, etc. Maybe this time I have a better idea how long I am giving these things up. I felt it was important to eating this way through the year and a half that I breastfed as well. I often felt deprived. I was very aware that what I ate affected my breastmilk. I wanted to give him any chance possible to be healthy. 2 months of a fertility diet, 40 weeks of pregnancy, then 18 months of breastfeeding is a long time to stress about everything you put in your mouth and how it will affect your child. I'm a worrier though.

We have planned this pregnancy so carefully. We want the baby to be born at the end of the school year so I can go out for my maternity leave and not have to come back until the next school year. Because we have put such an emphasis on this due date timeline I have been terrified of having trouble getting pregnant or having a miscarriage. You would think I would be trying really hard to be healthy but instead I have been eating horribly and gaining weight. I need to put a note on my refrigerator saying "You are eating healthy so you can have a healthy pregnancy and baby."

Last "Waiting to Conceive" Cycle!

I finally started a new cycle yesterday. I am now on the second day of our last "waiting to conceive" cycle. I'm trying to not rush this cycle because in doing so I will be rushing through a good chunk of my summer break. So, I am going to do my best to relax and enjoy potentially my last month of having my body to myself for a very long time.

Almost there...

I will be ending this current cycle anytime now... just waiting. This next cycle is our LAST "waiting to conceive" cycle. I started using ovulation predictors this past cycle, so I have a better idea of when I am ovulating... if anything to avoid getting pregnant when we are so close to our goal.

My head is spinning with the thought that I could be pregnant soon. Most of the time Kevin and I are insanely ready to add to our little family and the wait is incredibly difficult but there are still moments where I worry that we aren't completely ready. How will me being pregnant affect Breckin and my relationship? Will I be to tired to roll around on the ground with him or to push him around in his little car outside? How will he react to a sibling? Can we afford this? What if we have twins?!? I am so used to it being just Breckin and me most of the time. Am I ready for that to change? Things have just gotten so easy with him... sleeping, eating, schedule, everything. Am I ready for complete chaos again? I know a new little one will only add to our family but it's still a scary concept that gets more and more real everyday.

A month and a half until we try to conceive

I figured it was time to start working on my blog. We are very close to trying to conceive and I hope to keep up with this through the entire pregnancy.

Right now I am waiting to ovulate. I bought a pack of 40 OPKs (ovulation predictor kit) cheap online. I haven't gotten a positive test yet but I feel like I will get one in the next 2-3 days. Once I have ovulated I will only have two more periods and one more ovulation before we are trying to conceive. I feel like we have been waiting so long and we are very ready. The wait will be worth it though. If I get pregnant right away (fingers crossed) the baby's due date will be near the end of the school year. I will get my maternity leave, how ever long that ends up being, and then the entire summer off with the baby!