number 2 [week 11 & 12]

Symptoms: I got super sick with a cough on top of the worst nausea ever, so weeks 11 and 12 are combined into one post with my photo from last week (which I was barely able to muster up the energy for, hence my miserable expression). I've felt absolutely horrible and even missed work, so I'm cutting myself some slack on this one.

Cravings: Iced tea. I cannot find decaffeinated iced tea (by the bottle or can) anywhere! Eric thoughtfully bought some flavored herbal tea bags for me so I can make my own.

Aversions: Sweet baby peppers! I don't know what happened; we used to be good, then all of a sudden we weren't.

Missing: My old self. Aagghh!

Mood: Pretty pathetic and tired and trying my hardest not to accept any pity.

Sleep: I've been doing a lot of it, as much as I can. It sucks feeling like you could always get more.

Dreams: I'm having a harder time remembering them lately. I dreamed something really funny or odd recently, but I didn't write it down so it's gone.

Clothing: Leaning toward the looser fitting selections as best I can. I feel like I'm showing no matter what I wear.

Best Moment: We had our second prenatal appointment at 11 weeks! Unfortunately, I didn't have an ultrasound, but we did get to hear Baby's heartbeat via a fetal doppler. My doctor performed an exam, I met with the prenatal clerk to fill out paperwork regarding prenatal testing, and I went to the lab for a glucose test and routine blood draw. My lab results have all come back normal, and I'll be returning for my next appointment at 16 weeks.

Pregnancy Purchases: I scored a big bin full of maternity clothes on Facebook for only $25! They're mostly cold weather items, which will come in handy toward the end of my pregnancy and possibly early postpartum. Not everything is my size, so I plan to resell the items that don't work for me. Considering that the entire collection looks to have originally cost hundreds of dollars, I think I got a pretty good deal on the pieces I'm keeping.

Other News: The weekend after my birthday, Eric took Simon and me up to Apple Hill to visit our favorite year-round orchard, Boa Vista Orchards. We also found a new year-round orchard, Mill View Ranch, that has the most adorable play town for kids. This last weekend was Jenny's bachelorette party and I played DD for the evening. Dinner and dancing made for a really fun girls' night.

Looking Forward To: Hopefully feeling better soon, the school year winding down, and more sleep!

 little monkey

us at Apple Hill

Jenny's bachelorette party

number 2 [week 10]

Happy 31st Birthday and

Happy Mother's Day to me!

Symptoms: Nausea, heartburn/acid reflux/indigestion. Super fun.

Cravings: Pizza. So bad.

Aversions: Still struggling with many things healthy (see above). A while back I threw up an orange slice; I'm still not over that trauma.

Missing: Why do hotdogs sound good? Because I can't have them? Probably. I never. Ever. Crave them.

Mood: Feeling more moments of normal here and there. Trying to look forward to the positives!

Sleep: I'm sleeping heavier. The prego body pillow came out of hiding recently and gives that support I'm suddenly needing between my knees.

Dreams: I horrifyingly dreamed that a member of our family pretended to commit suicide. It was traumatizing. My subconscious forced me to wake out of the nightmare to escape the awfulness. I'd rather not share specifics, but it was pretty much the worst dream I've ever experienced.

Clothing: Still riding out the regular clothes for as long as I can. I got a Visa gift card for my birthday, so hopefully some shopping is in my near future!

Best Moment: We hosted a casual BBQ at our house Friday night for my birthday. So many of my wonderful friends were able to come over on what I felt was short notice on my part, but it meant so incredibly much to me. This morning, Eric cleaned the house and my dad came over to make waffles. We enjoyed an afternoon family brunch at Lester's girlfriend, Laura's house. And our home smells lovely from all of the fragrant flowers I've received!

Baby Buys: I was able to score my dream diaper bag on resale for only $40! I just so happened to come across one for sale on one of my Facebook swap pages for children's items. It's the Royal Envy B.F.F. Diaper Bag by Ju-Ju-Be, which regularly sells for $165. I could never rationalize that much money for a diaper bag, but I couldn't pass up a second-hand one in great condition at such an awesome price. Yay for my first baby buy for Number 2!

Other News: Simon experienced bowling for the first time yesterday at our friend, Bailey's birthday party. He has a toy bowling set at home, so it was really exciting to see him try out the real thing. It was so cute, and we also showed him how to play a few arcade games and tried a round of air hockey. We had a great time!

Looking Forward To: My 11-week prenatal appointment is only a few days away! I'm waiting in anticipation to see this little one again. It's also going to be a busy week with 5 days of swim lessons for Simon. Wish us luck!

dream diaper bag!

Simon's first time bowling

with the birthday girl, 4 year old Bailey

our family on my birthday/Mother's Day

number 2 [week 9]

Symptoms: My gag reflex is off the hook. I'm still nauseous here and there, and I've felt super bloated (like in this photo!).

Cravings: Hash browns and pancakes. Because aren't they just delicious? 

Aversions: I want to get back on salads for lunch, which I've wanted nothing to do with for a few weeks. It's such a struggle to get in fruits and veggies early in pregnancy, but it's so important nonetheless!

Missing: Runny eggs. I don't think I'm supposed to have them since they're not fully cooked. But they sound sooooo good.

Mood: Really tired. And really whiny when I'm nauseous and all I want to do is lie around. Eric loves it.

Sleep: I feel like I've been sleeping a little harder. I need all the sleep I can get. Mornings are tough when I'm sleepy/sick.

Dreams: I had a really odd one where I was on the show Switched at Birth. The two main characters switched bodies (a la Freaky Friday), and then one of them died! It was the strangest thing ever. 

Clothing: I wore a belly band last week. It was super annoying but way more comfortable than doing the hair tie trick with that particular pair of capris. Some clothes are becoming tighter and I'm going to have to do something about it soon.

Best Moment: I co-hosted a bridal shower for my friend, Jenny, whose wedding Simon and I are in this coming June. It was fun putting on the festivities and catching up with a few friends. I think everything went really well, and the bride and her guests all seemed to have a great time. The whole day sure was tiring, and it took a lot of time for me to recover afterward, but I loved being a part of it and am glad it was a success!

Pregnancy Purchases: One of Jenny's other bridesmaids gave me some milk thistle capsules to help with my nausea. She is in the third trimester of her first pregnancy and swore by these when she was in the nausea stage. I've never heard of milk thistle and am extremely wary of everything I put into my body while pregnant, so I'm going to look into these a little more before giving them a try. Regardless, it was an extremely kind gesture and it would be nice to find some kind of relief! 

Other News: I'm counting down until our next prenatal appointment at 11 weeks. I'm so excited to see the baby again and hopefully hear that everything is still progressing perfectly. I feel more nervous than I ever was with Simon, even though I do think I was but I just cannot remember as clearly. But, maybe I'm even more nervous this time because Eric and I have been waiting for this baby, and it terrifies me to think that something could happen. I just want time to move faster so I can rest easier.

Looking Forward To: My birthday and Mother's Day next weekend! I keep forgetting about them since I've been so distracted with pregnancy business. I'm sure both will be a nice celebration with my family.

number 2 [week 8]

Symptoms: Still nauseous. Still bloated. My back's been hurting. I'm falling apart!

Cravings: I was dying for a fruit smoothie one morning. When I finally got one, I literally got tears in my eyes it was so delicious!

Aversions: I don't remember the last time I had a banana. Or a coffee. I don't know who I am anymore.

Missing: Cold lunch meat. I almost accidentally ate some today at a work luncheon. I know it wouldn't have been the end of the world, but skipping it was a real bummer to say the least!

Mood: I'm still struggling with feeling that I'm not giving Simon enough attention because I'm always feeling awful. I hate feeling like an inadequate mom. I know it will get easier as the morning sickness passes, but all I focus on is the now and the fact that he sees Mommy not feeling well ALL the time. On a positive note, Simon's been behaving extremely well and letting me rest when needed, so I can't complain too much.

Sleep: I've been sleeping awkwardly lately, curled up into a ball for no apparent reason. It's been killing my back, but I don't know how to not end up in that position.

Dreams: I don't know why Molly popped up again, but she did! Something about shaving her head? There have been lots of other strange ones, but I can't remember them after I wake up.

Clothing: I finally started the hair tie trick with a few pairs of pants. I'm still trying to hold off on shopping, but I don't know how much longer I'll be able to go.

Best Moment: We took Simon to see the Gold Country Pro Rodeo and I somehow managed to feel like a normal person the entire time. Maybe it was just getting out of the house, or being distracted with the sights and the show, or indulging in a tri tip sandwich and soft serve ice cream. Whatever it was, I really enjoyed the day (despite the heat) and was happy to share a new experience with Simon. He and Eric loved watching the mutton busting the best.

Pregnancy Purchases: I didn't buy any actual pregnancy-related products, but I had been craving Chex Mix for a few days. By the time I got around to buying some, I had no interest in eating it at all. My hormones are causing my appetite to be as unstable as mood swings.

Other News: I got a new car this weekend! The lease on my Civic was coming to a close, so Eric and I went back to Folsom Lake Honda and turned in the lovely blue Sapphire to upgrade to a new Accord. My new girl, Pearl, is a beauty and drives wonderfully. The extra space will definitely be useful when I have two little bodies to haul around!

Looking Forward To: My friend Jenny's bridal shower is next weekend, and I feel totally unprepared! I know I've got plenty of time to get things together, but I feel like I'm getting nothing done while lying around sick everyday. Maybe I'll feel better come week 9!

Pearl, my new Accord

Simon at his first rodeo

number 2 [week 7]

Symptoms: Nausea, nausea, nausea. I've been sick as a dog. Dry heaving, dizziness, barfing (although thankfully not too much), and lots of time spent in bed. I even went home early from work one day because I just couldn't hack it.

Cravings: Chinese food. I decided to be good and get orange chicken from Trader Joe's, even though my heart was really set on Rose Garden.

Aversions: Last week's highly-craved tortilla chips are now a no-go. I also cannot look at another saltine cracker.

Missing: Sushi. I may have been drooling over it at Trader Joe's.

Mood: Pretty miserable, to say the least. It's hard for me to remember if I was constantly this sick with Simon. I'm happy in the brief moments when I feel like myself. And of course, I'm thankful for this little miracle that's torturing me from the inside.

Sleep: I've been impressed that it's been mostly uninterrupted. I think I've woken to go to the bathroom only once or twice.

Dreams: The night before my friend Molly's birthday, I dreamed that she had a new apartment that was really a wine cellar. She was hosting a get-together and her new apartment was literally crawling with cats. For some strange reason she was really excited about the cats; like, more excited about the cats than all the wine. It's funny because Molly is really more of a dog person.

Clothing: Everything's fitting better this week, especially because I've not been bloated like I was last week. I do, however, feel really fat and pudgy by the end of the day no matter what I eat, and then I wake up the next morning looking normal again. I also keep seeing maternity shorts for sale on the Facebook swap pages, but I have no idea what size I am since I've never been big-pregnant during the summer. The weather spiked to an unnatural 90 degrees today, so I'm already terrified of what's to come.

Best Moment: Seeing our little peanut at my first prenatal appointment. It sure is small, measuring less than a centimeter, but it's really in there and its heart is beating. I was so nervous going into the appointment, but everything looked great. Fingers crossed for another great view at my next appointment at 11 weeks!

Pregnancy Purchases: I tried some ginger candy to help combat my constant nausea. The problem is, I don't actually like ginger. I popped a piece while driving and I feel horrible to admit that that piece of candy went flying out my car window just seconds after entering my mouth. I guess it was either littering from a moving vehicle or barfing inside of one.

Other News: I also had a dentist appointment the day after my prenatal appointment; my first dental visit in over 8 years. It went well and I was pleased to learn that my teeth are not in as bad of condition as I had feared. My dentist decided to hold off on x-rays until after I have the baby, and we scheduled a teeth cleaning for June. Oral health is important for a healthy pregnancy!

Looking Forward To: A week of less nausea? (Yeah right.) But maybe some more energy so I can spend more waking time with my boy.

number 2 [week 6]

Symptoms: I've been so bloated. I feel like I look so bloated in this photo. I'm not really showing yet, but my Bloat Baby is in full effect!

Cravings: Salt! Tortilla chips sound amazing.

Aversions: I'm struggling with my daily salads. Spinach and I will probably be taking a break from each other very soon. Hopefully a brief switch to romaine will do the trick.

Missing: Beer. I've been sniffing Eric's beer. The funny thing is that I'm less of a beer drinker and more of a cider girl. I think I only want it because I can't have it.

Mood: Nervous. I'm so happy that we finally got pregnant, but I'm scared at the same time. It's a natural kind of scared that all pregnant women experience in some form, just hoping that everything will turn out okay.

Sleep: Exhausted is an understatement! Just when I think I might not be able to sleep again after a nap, there I go...

Dreams: I'm volunteering at an event this weekend that's being held at a local private university. I've never been there before, and for some reason I dreamed that the campus was something like a scene from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. African animals scattered across expanse grass spaces while students passed between buildings, and an eatery that resembled the state fair's midway was erected in the parking lot and sold what seemed like every junk food known to man between carnival games and gambling machines. I was just trying to find a dang Dutch Bros!

Clothing: Pants are feeling tighter because I'm so bloated. I fear that dressing will become a harder task sooner than expected.

Best Moment: I was excited to have my prenatal phone appointment with a nurse this week. I needed to update my recent health history and was asked a few routine questions about my previous pregnancy and my current one. The nurse was really nice and we had a great conversation. This is the beginning of everything starting to feel real!

Pregnancy Purchases: Since trying to conceive, I've only been taking a simple folic acid vitamin. Now it's time to change over to a regular prenatal multivitamin, and I purchased my favorite combo pack from Target that also comes with a DHA supplement. So far I've been able to stomach them without issue.

Other News: It's funny walking around work with this huge secret. I've only told 3 people and I plan to keep the news quiet for the time being. While I have no reason to think anything will go wrong, I'm still nervous with the idea of spreading our news too quickly too soon. I'm hoping my nerves will be settled soon when we finally have my pregnancy confirmed.

Looking Forward To: My first in-office prenatal appointment is next week! Hopefully we'll get to see our little one and be rest assured that everything is developing naturally on the inside. There's always so much anticipation leading up to an ultrasound... it's hard to wait!

here we go again!

After months of trying, Eric and I have finally succeeded in conceiving Number 2!

When you see a number of negative pregnancy tests, it's almost confusing when you finally see a positive one. I can't count how many times I've looked at this, reread the instructions and doubled checked that this is in fact positively positive. It's the first time since August that I've seen more than one line.

I bet you just looked at the date of this post and realized this was written at least over a month ago. Yes, my blog has been set back to private so I can quietly chronicle what will be the beginning of our second pregnancy journey, which I have lovingly named Number 2. My posts will become public again once we safely make it to the second trimester.

Shock is still in place and I cannot believe that we are about to do this again. I cannot believe that Simon is going to become a big brother. Eric says that our family is going to be complete.

Thank you for completing us, Number 2. We look forward to meeting you!