number 2 [week 23]

Symptoms: Although Eric says he doesn't notice a difference, I think I've had a little bit of swelling in my feet. It's completely normal at this stage of pregnancy, and they already hurt all the time. My hands also sometimes feel tingly, and I've noticed my ring sometimes feels a little tighter, but that might also be attributed to the heat. Pregnancy-induced carpel tunnel is a thing, and I'm wondering if I'm in the beginning stages of experiencing it.

Cravings: Still thinking about Oreos nonstop...

Aversions: Nada!

Missing: Eating whatever I want. I can't stop talking about everything I want to eat after giving birth.

Mood: I've been a little hormonal and emotional lately; we've been busy bees with a lot going on.

Sleep: It's still been really great in our luxurious bed. Being able to make it through the work day back at school has been a worry of mine!

Dreams: Really random mixes of totally weird stuff. Nothing stands out, except that food has been recently prevalent in my non-waking thoughts.

Movement: Wesley remains totally active. There are times that he moves so suddenly and powerfully that I yelp out loud or make a funny expression in response. It's been entertaining to those around me.

Best Moment: PAINTING IN WESLEY'S ROOM OFFICIALLY BEGAN! On Saturday Eric and I moved the last of the furniture and boxes out of the room, he removed nails and patched the countless holes and dings we found in the walls, and I removed the outlet and light switch covers. My dad and Ashley came over on Sunday and helped Eric paint the ceiling and walls. Simon got to help paint a special section of wall under the window and was so excited to help. The shelving unit needed lots of sanding before paint, so my dad has been working on that during the last few days. So far I am absolutely in love with the color I picked out, and the room already looks completely transformed. The door, door frame, closet, and closet doors still need paint, and unfortunately carpet orders are backed up and we won't be able to get an install for 3-4 weeks. On the bright side, we're having measurements taken next week and will have plenty of time to paint and install new baseboards since the old ones were no good. It's slowly coming together!

Pregnancy Purchases: Do our maternity photos count? We got them done with Jamie of Jamie Scobee Photography, a close family friend of our friend, Brett. Simon was a ham the whole morning, but we had a great time with Jamie and felt really comfortable during the shoot. I've already seen a few teasers and can't wait to see the rest!

Other News: Summer is pretty much over for me. I had my back to school training on Tuesday and got a taste of what it will be like going back to work for the next 3 months. It was nice to see coworkers and colleagues and have delicious In-N-Out for lunch (another craving). We'll see how I fare after the first week back.

Looking Forward To: I am helping out with a co-ed baby shower for our friends Jordon and Brianna. They are expecting their first child, a daughter they're naming Allison. The shower is this Sunday and it should be a lot of fun!

Wesley's room empty and prepped for paint

Big brother helper!

teaser from our maternity session

number 2 [week 22]

Symptoms: I've been feeling pretty good, but also pretty huge. I'm trying to not worry a lot about my body image, but it's a difficult task when every part of you is constantly changing. As is common with second pregnancies, I began showing sooner this time around than I did with Simon. On top of not being at as low of a pre-pregnancy weight as I was back in 2012, I just feel bigger all around. I tried comparing myself to my last Week 22 belly picture, and Eric thinks I look the same size. I think I look bigger, but I just have to remember that this is a different pregnancy and a different child. Our health is all that really matters.

Cravings: Oreos so bad! I didn't buy any during my last grocery shopping trip because I wanted to be good, but being bad sounds a lot more fun now.

Aversions: Nothing has been particularly bothering me. Woo hoo!

Missing: While I'm trying to appreciate my pregnant body, I am at times still missing my pre-pregnancy self. I recently went through some photos from the beginning of this year, a time when I didn't feel great about myself. I can't believe I felt that way, because I look at those photos now and wish I looked like that now!

Mood: More and more excited to meet my little one, Wesley! He has a name!

Sleep: We finally got a new bed frame, and I'm in heaven! Our bed has been on the floor since we moved into our house. It was completely fine until my belly started getting bigger, and I knew pretty soon that it was going to become more difficult for me to get out of our low bed. Now that our mattresses are raised I'm in total bed bliss, and I feel like I've been sleeping better, too! I would live in this bed all day if I could.

Dreams: I had a weird nightmare that had nothing to do with people I know or places I go. I was just somewhere with someone, and people were trying to capture us. My subconscious didn't like it and thankfully woke me up out of the dream, but I couldn't go back to sleep and was awake for an hour and a half. Mommy was a major grump that following morning.

Movement: Wesley is still as active as ever. I'm starting to wonder if it's a boy-thing, because I remember Simon being the same way. I love feeling Wesley's constant moving in my tummy, as it leaves me rest assured that he's happy and healthy.

Best Moment: Eric and I made a plan to finally paint the nursery this weekend. The room is empty for the most part, with the exception of some baby items and furniture and some empty boxes. My goal has been to get this done before going back to work and have the room as put together as possible by my baby shower at the end of the month. As long as I continue to stay on top of things, we'll have this nursery completed before Halloween so I can relax and wait for labor!

Baby Buys: I found a hamper for Wesley's room at Home Goods, although I may swap it out with Simon's (they're exactly the same, but differ in color). Eric and I also went out to Buy Buy Baby and Target to add items to my Babylist. I was disappointed to not like both store's options for specific things we were looking for. Eric called me picky, but I think I'm just being choosy.

Other News: My summer break is quickly coming to a close. School starts next week, so my days home with Simon are numbered. It's been so nice getting things done around the house and enjoying my nesting mode. Despite Simon's nap refusal, it's been fun being at home together and developing our own daily routine. He's been such a fantastic helper every time we go out shopping for home and/or baby items. My big boy is seriously going to be the best brother ever.

Looking Forward To: Sharing photos of the painted nursery!

a boy has a name

From the moment we named Simon, I knew that having another boy would be a problem for Eric and me. 

We really didn't seriously consider too many choices when it came to naming Simon. There were literally no other names we both liked, so making our final decision was relatively easy. I believed that because of this, coming up with a second boy name for a second son would be a challenge without having any backup names stowed away. I ended up being exactly right.

I began researching names early in this pregnancy. Knowing it would be a difficult task regardless of gender, I didn't want to put off gathering ideas until learning if we were having a boy or girl. I needed to be prepared this time, which is a constant feeling I have regarding this child. After hunting through some websites I found a boy name that I liked, but Eric wasn't really digging it. I didn't think I'd heard a definitive "no" from him, so I held onto the name while continuing my search.

When we learned Baby's gender, admittedly one of my very first thoughts was, "Oh crap, what are we going to name him?" I still hadn't come up with any other ideas, and Eric only had a handful of suggestions that I unfortunately didn't like. I felt that name burning in my pocket again, but kept pouring through boy name lists hoping to find something that Eric would feel stronger about. One afternoon I stopped upon that name again, and suddenly a wave of emotion came over me as one of Eric's former suggestions popped into my head and clicked as the perfect middle name companion to my idea. Tears immediately came to my eyes, and I knew it was the one.

With nervous excitement and a heart full of emotion, I went to Eric and formally put my name decision on the table. I explained that while I knew his feelings, I couldn't help but have a strong connection with this name and an instinct that it was the right one for our new son. Eric's reaction was still the same, but he agreed to "try the name on" to see if his mind would change. A few days later Eric used the name out loud, and I excitedly asked him what he thought and if he was sure over and over and over again. He said yes, and with that Number 2 had finally been given a name. 

Wesley Adrian

Wesley - "Western meadow"

Adrian - "Dark sea"

I feel so incredibly happy to have a name to call my second little boy by. Simon welcomed the news of Wesley's name very happily and goes back and forth between addressing him by name and calling him "Brother." The more that the three of us use Wesley's name, the more real he becomes. I am so eagerly excited to meet our next son and cannot wait to share this little one with the world. A little kick from inside my belly tells me that he's looking forward to meeting you all, too!

number 2 [week 21]

Symptoms: This backache won't go away! For as much energy as I've had organizing things around the house (major nesting mode is going on), I sure do wipe out like nobody's business when my body's done. When I get tired like that, I've noticed a waddle comes out when I walk!

Cravings: Donuts! I saw something about a Nutella-filled donut somewhere but can't find it now. Totally can't stop thinking about it!

Aversions: I walked past sweet baby peppers at the grocery store the other night. They're still turning my stomach.

Missing: I wanted a corn dog at the State Fair this last weekend. Wah!

Mood: Feeling good, but gigantic! Eric had to cut my toenails for me, because I just couldn't see how I'd be able to get myself into that position.

Sleep: I haven't been taking my naps lately, and neither has Simon! I've also been staying up late and having trouble getting to sleep at times. I wasn't using my pregnancy body pillow very regularly for a few weeks, and now I feel like I can't get comfortable without it.

Dreams: I had another weird dream about an extended family member passing away. In the dream, I was completely distraught over the news, dramatically more so than I think I'd be in real life. It was still a sad dream, and I didn't feel great about it after waking up.

Movement: Eric definitely, for sure felt Number 2 move this week! Seeing his expression of joy and happiness after finally feeling his second son move was so heartwarming for me. Finally I get to really share this boy with his daddy!

Best Moment: As I mentioned above, we went to the State Fair this weekend with our friends Justin and Molly. It was a scorching 100+ degrees out, so we tried our best to stay in the air conditioned and shaded areas as much as possible before the sun started to set. Eric and I both agreed that we won't attend the fair next year with a newborn in tow if the weather is that hot. In any case, we had a great time as a family of three and hopefully will get to share another experience next year as a family of four.

Pregnancy Purchases: I broke down and bought another maternity clothing lot on Facebook. I don't know how I was able to wear so many of my pre-pregnancy tops with Simon, but that is definitely a no-go with Number 2. I'm keeping about half of the items in the lot and reselling the rest.

Other News: I've been able to make some decent progress on clearing out the nursery. More items have been moved to the garage, frames and photos have been unpacked from a couple boxes and hung up around the house, and Simon's room has been organized and decorated a little more. Our hockey friend, Renee, generously offered to give us a twin bed for Simon, which we've started calling his "Big Brother bed." We're getting the mattress, box spring, and frame all for free so now we just need to look for bedding. We will convert the toddler bed back into a crib for Number 2 when the nursery is ready. Little by little, we're getting closer and closer to painting day!

Looking Forward To: Sharing Number 2's name! Eric and I have finalized our decision on what we'll call this next boy. Formal announcement coming soon!

at the fair, with a monkey!

number 2 [week 20]

Symptoms: Halfway mark, holla! I've been feeling pretty good, aside from constant back pain and being tired. I get uncomfortable easy and can feel worn out after simple tasks (like doing the dishes. (Lame, but also ha!)

Cravings: In-N-Out and Del Taco, the latter I don't even like. For some reason, those commercials for The Del Taco make me salivate. Regardless, I've eaten neither.

Aversions: Water is sometimes super delicious, and other times it's yuck.

Missing: Drinking... not water!

Mood: It's been a great and exciting week!

Sleep: There have been a few days that I've skipped my afternoon nap, and I have no idea how I've been able to function during those evenings. Maybe because I'm off work? Mornings are tough, and I sometimes have a hard time getting out of bed.

Dreams: Dang it, I had a super comical/strange dream last night that I cannot remember. I thought about it so much after waking up that I was sure I wouldn't forget. 

Movement: Number 2 has been so incredibly active lately! Movement happens most often while I eat and when I lie down. The little bean has developed some strength and finally made my stomach bounce this week! I absolutely love feeling the tickles, and Eric thinks that he finally felt a little kick.

Best Moment: We had my 20-week sonogram appointment for Baby's anatomy scan and also found out the gender: it's another boy! While I wasn't completely surprised, I was definitely in a small state of shock after learning that Eric and I are going to have another son. Our new boy looked adorable and measured 11 ounces, adjusting his estimated due date one day ahead to November 30th. We invited our dads and Ashley over for dinner and shared the news by telling Simon in front of them. Poor Monkey had been hoping for a sister so badly, and our hearts completely sank to see his disappointment when informing him that we're instead having a brother. He warmed up to the idea later in the evening when he saw the ultrasound photos on my computer and asked to look at them again. We decided that he could choose his favorite photo and we'd print his own copy to keep in his room. That idea excited him immensely, and ever since Simon has happy greeted "Little Brother" in my tummy and come up with all kinds of activities that they will do together as brothers and best friends. I never imagined I'd be a 'Boy Mom,' but this is the blessing that life has given me. Eric and I would still very much like to have a daughter, so we're not ruling out the possibility of having more children just yet.

Baby Buys: Now that we know that Number 2 is a boy, we bought paint for his nursery! The theme will be penguins (to match my 'Baby Birds' idea, Simon was owls), and the paint color we purchased is called Smoked Turquoise. The color scheme of the room will be a combination of turquoise, light blue, grey, black, white, and brown (because of the furniture--crib and glider). I'm excited to get started on his room, after we finish clearing it out of course!

Other News: I also had my 20-week prenatal appointment. My doctor gave me a copy of the sonogram report, which was "as perfect as perfect can be." Even though I'd had to roll over a lot trying to get Number 2 to change positions for clear views of his heart, all of the movement was successful and the doctors were satisfied with all of the photos. We scheduled my September appointment, and I was in and out in a jiffy. Eric had to miss this visit again due to work, but it wasn't a big deal as it was quick and easy. My little boy's heartbeat still sounded great, and I'm continuing to focus on exercise and good nutrition.

Looking Forward To: My maternity photos have been scheduled for August 7th! I've got to find something to wear!

number 2 [week 19]

Symptoms: I've been a little achy and uncomfortable this week. My lower back and hamstring pain probably isn't going anywhere anytime soon. There have also been a few moments when I've felt dizzy after bending down, which I've read is completely normal due to dramatic changes in my cardiovascular system which cause lower blood pressure. On the up side, I've yet to have round ligament pain or darkened skin spots. 

Cravings: I finally got some sour gummy candy! I ate it way too fast.

Aversions: I was a hungry cow all week, nothing really turned me off.

Missing: My deli meat mistress; I was so desperate that I picked some out of a Subway sandwich and a pinwheel, which were both still delicious.

Mood: More and more excited as we come closer to the halfway point!

Sleep: Still loving nap time. It's hard if I miss it.

Dreams: I dreamed that we found out Baby's gender and it was a girl! In the dream, I bawled out of happiness, similar to the day we found out I was pregnant. Apparently, it had been difficult to determine that Number 2 was a girl and there was lots of checking to verify. Never having had a girl, I can imagine that you'd need to double and triple check that there isn't anything hiding between the legs lol.

Movement: Feeling the bug move sometimes almost feels ticklish. He or she is most often active when I eat, lie down in bed, and wake up in the morning (but oddly before I get out of bed). Eric has yet to make contact, but he touches and talks to my belly every chance he gets.

Best Moment: Summer school is officially over! It was a fun and stress-free session, and I'm really glad I took a break from teaching a separate class this year. I now have 32 days of summer to stay home and spend time with Simon, visit with friends, and get a certain someone's nursery in order!

Baby Buys: I went to Hobby Lobby with plans to buy materials to make a quiet sign to put on our front door during nap time. I ended up finding an adorable pre-made sign that I got for 40% off with a coupon, costing roughly as much as I would have spend on the materials to make my own!

Other News: I received my prenatal screening results in the mail and my final result screen is negative! This means that I am considered low risk for having a baby with the specific birth defects for which I was screened. Of course not all birth defects are found by this prenatal screening test, but my test result is reassuring. Here's continuing to hope for a happy, healthy baby!

Looking Forward To: We will learn the gender tomorrow! I'm dying.

Nap time sign!

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!