number 2 [week 18]

Symptoms: I've been feeling a lot better this week. I've had some days with really high energy and some days with less. I've felt happy, healthy, and really big and pregnant! The headaches have stopped, and my acid reflux has been subtle. Other than some hamstring and back pain, I don't really have any complaints!

Cravings: Sandwiches. With deli meat. Oh, deli meat...

Aversions: I'm trying really hard to eat less carbs, so I feel like I'm starting to not want them as much (I type as I bite into an English muffin... I did say less).

Missing: D . E . L . I . M . E . A . T .

Mood: This pregger's got two thumbs up! 

Sleep: A little rough due to more wild and vivid dreams. Some nights I sleep like a rock. I absolutely NEED those afternoon naps after work.

Dreams: For as long as we've been together, I've had dreams about Eric and me breaking up. I always have them when things are absolutely great and we haven't bickered over anything dumb (as all couples do). Annoyingly, I've had a breakup dream two or three times this week, which is a frequency out of the ordinary. In the dreams I'm pregnant with Number 2, and Eric decides we'll be together until the baby is born and then divorce immediately after. Stupid, right? That's what Eric always says when I tell him in the morning. I can only imagine that these ridiculous dreams come from some insecurity that I'm not aware of, and you'd think they would've gone away after so many happy years together. 

Movement: Number 2 has been wild this week! I've felt lots of dancing that is no doubt my little booger throwing a disco in my tummy. So far this kid is a big fan of pizza and spaghetti with meatballs and zucchini, as evidenced by the jam sessions that have happened in my uterus after consuming these meals. Of course our little break dancer has been shy for Daddy, which doesn't surprise me one bit. 

Best Moment: We enjoyed a lovely 3-day weekend celebrating Independence Day. Eric and I took Simon swimming at Lester's on Saturday and Sunday, and our big boy got lots of practice swimming back and forth between us wearing his life jacket. Our friends, Ben and Debra, invited us to their house on the 4th of July for a BBQ and more swimming. We called it a night without watching any fireworks since Eric and I had to work the next day, but Simon had so much fun eating and playing with the other kids that it was definitely a spectacular-enough day without them.

Baby Buys: Not for Number 2, but for Simon! I got him a book called I Am a Big Brother, which we've been reading together in the long anticipation of Baby's arrival. We have discussed all the ways that Simon can be a big boy helper when his little brother or sister is here, and he couldn't be more excited and motivated to help take care of the baby. We also talked about how Mommy and Daddy took care of Simon when he was little, and I showed him photos of when he was a baby; a time that doesn't seem like all too long ago!

Other News: I'm so done with working and ready for my summer break! We're finally down to the last week of summer school and I couldn't be more excited. It's been really laid back and enjoyable, but a big part of me is just ready to stay home. I've got so much to do around the house, and I really want to take advantage of the time I'll have off to get organized and take care of what needs to be done for Number 2!

Looking Forward To: Gender ultrasound next Wednesday, I cannot wait!

Big brother in training!

Swimming fun

Happy 4th!

we're back!

If you're reading this, that means my blog is officially back on public viewing!

Feel free to catch up on my last 12 weeks of blogging about baby Number 2. My journaling style is different this time around... mainly to discriminate this pregnancy from my last, but also to make life easier for myself with both a busy toddler and a healthy dose of morning sickness in tow.

I'm super late publicizing my blog, as I've been a bit behind on my weekly updates (refer to toddler and sick crap in previous paragraph). Now that we're live again I'm going to try my hardest to post on-time, but also remind myself that as much as it would be lovely to be the do-it-all Pinterest Mom, I'm also human and being a pregnant human can totally suck and make me want to do nothing except lie around and binge on junk food and Netflix all day. Wow, this snarkiness totally shows I'm not a first-time mom over here. I love it.

I also love that you took the time to stop by. Whether it be weekly, monthly, or just this one time today, thank you for coming over to check out these silly ramblings of a crazy pregnant lady. Eric and I are so ecstatic to finally be expanding our family, and I truly want to cherish this experience as much as I did the last one. In all honestly, pregnancy is a miracle that I am incredibly honored to be blessed with again.

Hugs and happiness!

Eric, Christina, Simon, & Number 2

number 2 [week 17]

Symptoms: I've had an on-and-off headache since Saturday afternoon, so that hasn't been super fun. I think I'm finally over my cold congestion, which is a plus!

Cravings: I needed FroYo really bad yesterday. You read that right; I needed it.

Aversions: Still anti-scrambled eggs, and I learned that there's such a thing as "over hard." Not bad!

Missing: Cold, pretty, summer cocktails.

Mood: Still super tired everyday, but thankful for my health and happiness.

Sleep: The last few nights have been rough with the headaches. My nights have been restless with vivid dreams and tossing and turning. It sucks waking up in the morning not feeling well-rested.

Dreams: I dreamed that I left my current school and went back to the school I first worked at after graduating from college. In my dream, I worked with a former student from my current school who is now in high school and was still a high school student on an elementary school campus (which makes no sense, but rarely dreams do). I was really happy to be working with that student again, even though I'd left my current school and had taken a pay cut! It was a nice dream though, and it reminded me of how rewarding my job can be and why I love it... even on the hardest days.

Movement: I think I am starting to feel some very faint movements coming from up in there. It's been a few weeks now that I sporadically feel something and wonder if its Number 2 knocking to say hello. Most of the time it happens only once and I'm left not knowing. A few days ago I really think I found the little bug by pressing on a really hard spot low on my belly. I swear after poking it, the hard spot moved! It felt like the two of us were finally interacting with each other after craving a moment of bonding with this babe for so long.

Best Moment: Simon has been talking about the baby nonstop and is super excited about our coming addition. He's asked me questions like, "Is the baby wearing clothes or a dress?" and loves to say goodnight to my belly before naps and bedtime. He's told all of the parents of his daycare friends that, "There is a baby in my mommy's belly," and insists that, "First, the baby has to grow up and come out of your belly, and then I will be a big brother." Although we've explained to him that we don't yet know if the baby is a boy or a girl, he constantly refers to the baby as a girl and claims that he's going to have a baby sister. Eric and I immediately remind him that it might be a baby brother, but the idea of another boy is just not sticking. We'll see if we're able to make Simon's wish come true...

Baby Buys: Nothing this week, but I did start a baby registry with BabyList! Once we know the gender, Eric and I will go out to a few stores to pick out more items and then merge those registries with our BabyList. It makes me excited to start shopping!

Other News: Speaking of registries, I've started thinking about when to have my baby shower. My friends Jenny and Erica kindly offered to help throw my shower, and I decided that it would be fun to have it in our new house since we have more room here than our last house did. This end of summer/beginning of fall is a super busy time of the year with friends getting married and/or going on vacation, our annual camping trip, and multiple birthdays in our family. Picking a date around all of these events has been tricky! Eric and I will definitely need to be on our game making sure we're ready for this baby to come, so we're not in the same situation we were with Simon's arrival!

Looking Forward To: Just over two weeks until we know Number 2's gender!

number 2 [week 16]

Symptoms: The congestion has gotten a little better since last week. The indigestion and acid reflux have been a bit worse. Unlike my pregnancy with Simon, I've had horrible prego acne! Simon gave me flawless skin regardless of how often I washed my face. Number 2, however, is making me look worse than any of my pubescent years. This is definitely a different kid! 

Cravings: Cottage cheese. My coworker, Kristen, brought some into work and it's all I can think about.

Aversions: I'm so over scrambled eggs.

Missing: Back on longing for my runny eggs!

Mood: Tired, but happily feeling more and more pregnant by the day!

Sleep: Summer school started this week, so I'm working shorter days and picking up Simon from daycare right after he eats lunch. He goes down for a nap when we get home and I'm trying to get one in for myself as well. I've noticed that no-nap days leave me exhausted in the evenings and asleep by 8:30.

Dreams: Dang it! I had a good dream to share that I cannot remember now.

Clothing: Very comfortable in my summer maternity clothing. I'm still striking out with finding any maternity sleepwear, so the hunt continues. 

Best Moment: My 16-week prenatal appointment was on Tuesday. Eric wasn't able to leave work so I went on my own. It wasn't entirely eventful, but I briefly heard the baby's heartbeat and it was strong and immediate. My doctor and I had a lovely chat, my next two prenatal appointments were scheduled, and I went to the lab for my second trimester screening blood draw. A good visit and healthy progress make me a happy mama.

Pregnancy Purchases: I scored another Facebook find; 7 maternity dresses and 2 maternity tank tops for $30! I think I'm officially set for summer.

Other News: Eric and I finally told Simon about Number 2! I wanted to wait until after this week's doctor appointment to make sure everything was still progressing safely, so we shared the news with him that evening. It's so crazy imagining that my first baby is going to become someone's big brother. It feels great that everyone finally knows our news!

Looking Forward To: The gender reveal countdown is officially on... July 13th come on and get here!

comparing pregnancies at 16 weeks!

number 2 [week 15]

Symptoms: Just when I was beginning to feel better; right as I was starting to turn a corner... BAM! I got super sick. I woke up Friday morning feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. I felt weak and dizzy and had no appetite. By the afternoon, I confirmed I had a fever of 100.7 and cried until Eric was able to make it home with Tylenol. The fever was gone by nightfall, and now I've been dealing with cold-like symptoms in the days since without the ability to take any kind of decongestant for relief. Ugh.

Cravings: I finally gave into my Chinese food craving and sent Eric for takeout. Anything to make me feel better, eh?

Aversions: I've still not been bothered by much, so that's a tiny plus!

Missing: Cold medicine... haha!

Mood: Pretty awesome the first half of the week until my fever hit.

Sleep: I've been off work this week, so I've enjoyed some midday napping while Simon naps. There have also been some mornings that I've woken up before him, like my body is already running on an internal clock.

Dreams: First dream about Number 2--it was a boy! What I remember most about the dream was nursing him, and it was easy to get back into like riding a bike. He looked just like Simon but was bigger, possibly not a newborn anymore. I remember Simon was a girl in my first dream about him, so I have no idea what this dream meant!

Clothing: I've tried wearing some of my athletic wear around the house, but it becomes too tight and uncomfortable after a while. I still need to hunt for some maternity lounge wear, especially since my pajama shorts are getting too small. I can only wear Eric's lounge shorts so long before they're too hot (and look ridiculous lol).

Best Moment: I announced my pregnancy on Facebook! I made the cutest photo announcement of Simon wearing a 'big brother' super hero shirt, and my silly pregnancy brain did not catch that I spelled the word "November" wrong without the B! I'm trying to laugh about it instead of being horrifyingly embarrassed (if you know me, you know spelling and grammar are my THING!), because it's still a cute photo. Even Eric didn't catch the mistake before I posted it, so it's not all my fault...

Pregnancy Purchases: I bought some maternity dresses, shirts, tank tops, and a pair of shorts from a friend/mutual friend whom had a bunch of maternity clothing for sale. She gave me a great deal, and Simon had fun playing with her kids while I tried on a few pieces. It's been cooler this week, but I'm excited to be finally stocking up on summer items!

Other News: I'm slowly but surely starting to work on clearing out the mess of our spare room to transform it into Number 2's room. Since we moved into our house, the spare room has been the catchall for everything we've yet to put away, and its mess has become even worse as I've thrown random things in there and just closed the door. So far, I've managed to move out the small dresser that Simon no longer uses and put it in the hall closet (which I first had to clean out and vacuum). It now holds all of our office supplies, arts and crafts items, and stationary. I also emptied Simon's bigger dresser, which will become Number 2's, and organized and packed away all of his old clothes that no longer fit. As soon as we sell some furniture in the living room, the bookcase will come out of the spare room and go into the living room and we'll be able to unpack all of our boxes full of books. It will be progress little by little, but progress nonetheless!

Looking Forward To: My 16-week prenatal appointment is tomorrow! Maybe I can haggle my way into getting a free ultrasound??

NovemBer... oops!

number 2 [week 14]

Hello Second Trimester!

Symptoms: We've reached our first milestone! I cannot believe the difference a day makes. It was like a switch was flipped on day one of the second trimester. I have not had any nausea (except when waiting too long to eat, which is normal), and my energy level has been making its way back up. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be human! I might not be entirely out of the woods yet, but I'm enjoying the ride today.

Cravings: I had a tuna sandwich this week from Beach Hut Deli. It was amazing! Now I want another.

Aversions: I don't think anything's grossed me out over the course of the last week. Maybe we're on the up and up!

Missing: Coffee, but I'm still not particularly in the mood for it.

Mood: Happy and relieved that I'm feeling this much better, so far. 

Sleep: It's been restless due to the heat. Eric and I have pulled the tower fans out and have one run in our room at night. I fall asleep hot, then I get cold and pull up the sheet, then I'm still cold and I pull up the comforter, then I get hot and throw off the comforter, then I'm still hot and I throw off the sheet... and then the whole process starts over again.

Dreams: I had an odd dream that one of Eric's best friends, a brother to me, told me that he and our group of friends hated me. It was so odd because this particular friend is one of the kindest people I know and would never say the things to me in real life that he said to me in my dream. I don't know what it meant, but we get along so well so I'm not reading into it at all. As upsetting as it was in the dream, it just seemed silly to me when I awoke!

Clothing: I've worn my new maternity shorts almost everyday. I really do need to get another pair. They're just so comfy and perfect for the near triple digit heat we've been having.

Best Moment: Being in the second trimester just makes me so happy. I finally feel like I've crossed a hurdle and can feel more at ease that Number 2 is safe and secure. There's still a lot of time left, but I feel like a significant portion of it is finally behind us as well.

Pregnancy Purchases: Nada this week, I was too busy with other important tasks...

Other News: Important tasks like Jenny's wedding! It was such a fun and exciting day and went off despite a few hitches, such as the makeup artist being MIA and almost not fitting into my bridesmaid dress! Luckily for the bride, she had an amazing team of friends and family who worked together and made everything perfect. Simon played his role as the Legacy Bearer, carrying the special bear made in memory of Jenny's late grandfather. It was such a lovely weekend spent with really awesome people, and I am so happy that my wonderful friend is finally married!

Looking Forward To: This week off from work! The academic school year ended on Thursday, so I have this whole week to stay at home until summer school begins on Monday. Hopefully I'll still be feeling well enough to do a few things around the house and have some fun with my Monkey!

Monkey in a monkey suit

Walking down the aisle

Eric and me at the reception with friends Josh and Rob

number 2 [week 13]

Symptoms: Still dealing with a little nausea (cheddar burns when it comes back up), and this dang cough that's lingering. Indigestion and acid reflux are still hanging out, too.

Cravings: I wanted a burger really bad on Memorial Day, but I'm not sure if that was a craving or the nostalgia of BBQing on a 3-day weekend.

Aversions: Still don't want those sweet baby peppers. Or strawberries in my salad... but I can eat those separately.

Missing: The ability to do nothing whenever I want, like the pre-Simon days. Don't get me wrong--I love him to pieces, but it's hard to be pregnant and lazy when you already have an adorable little someone to take care of.

Mood: Wishing I could muster up more energy. It's been getting a little better, but I'd really like to get back to exercising again. I'm already so soft!

Sleep: I napped a lot during the weekend. It was glorious!

Dreams: I dreamed that Eric and I graduated from high school, today in our 30s. I must have been thinking about my first group of 8th graders that finished high school this week.

Clothing: I'm definitely showing. And my tops are getting tighter in the chest.

Best Moment: No baby news to report, but I'm so happy to be in the last week of my first trimester. I'm hoping I'll be feeling better soon and that my energy level will eventually return to normal before it tapers off again. Getting closer to the second trimester also means we're closer to sharing our news publicly with those who don't know yet. 

Pregnancy Purchases: I bought my first pair of maternity shorts for only $2.50! They're Old Navy brand and seriously are so comfortable that I feel like I'm wearing a pillowcase. I can't wait to get another pair now that I know my size.

Other News: Eric left Simon and I during the holiday weekend for his annual boys' trip to KublaCon. We kept ourselves busy with shopping, a trip to the county fair with Auntie, a birthday party, and a dinner date with James and Lilly. I even got a morning out to myself when I went to watch my former 8th graders graduate from high school. I have no idea how I was able to do it all, as making it to the graduation and the fair had been questionable. I think my body decided to give me a little break since Eric wasn't home to take care of me, but I still had my moments late at night. Either way, Little Man and I survived the weekend without Daddy, and now we're glad to have him home!

Looking Forward To: Second trimester. Come on, second trimester!

Simon turtle at the fair!

Being silly with ice cream

First carnival ride with Auntie