B A C K S T O R Y
- So let me back up quite a bit and share how we found out we were expecting. It was a Tuesday in early October. I had a hair appointment later in the evening, so I put a baked ziti recipe in the crock pot to feed husband and Greer dinner while I was gone. When I got home, I was immediately met with the smell of something burning when I opened the front door. It was so strong, but husband couldn't smell a thing. My intuition said, "You're pregnant!" But, I felt hesitant to hope for that since we had gotten three "no's" in the months before. I couldn't wait, though. I was in the very early window of taking a pregnancy test, and while husband read bedtime stories to our girl, I snuck off to take a test. I waited what felt like forever (isn't that always the case?) Then returned to check the results, which clearly showed only one line (not pregnant). I was sad and disappointed and relayed the test result to husband. We finished bedtime with Greer and tucked her in. I had a nagging sensation to double check the test that I had thrown in the trash about twenty minutes earlier. Sure enough, there it was....the faintest second pink line. Husband and I examined that tiny line, totally unsure if it meant we were pregnant or if the test had been compromised since it had been turned upside down in the trash. I was all ready to take another test, but we were out. After a little convincing, husband ran to the store to grab more tests for his not-so-patient wife. I took the second test, left it on the counter for about 10 minutes before checking, and like the first, there was the faintest second line. I waited two days to take another test, which only gave me another faint second line. Then on Saturday, we got the bright pink second line we had been praying for.
H E A L T H
- Overall, everything has been great health-wise during this pregnancy. Of course, I'm getting over a bad cold now, but that really hasn't affected the baby at all. It's just left this mama lagging a bit. I mentioned last week in a personal post that we had a scare at the beginning of the pregnancy. I was sent to the emergency room at six weeks to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. I was having constant pain around my ovaries that had been lasting for a couple of weeks. Thankfully, the doctor was able to see that baby was in the correct spot and the pain I was having was due to the rupturing of ovarian cysts. I was so very thankful for an answer and a baby safely growing in the right location.
- The sickness, well constant nausea, wiped me out in the early weeks. It has slowly gotten better, and I'm almost to the point of it being completely gone. This is much different than my pregnancy with Greer. The all-day nausea lasted through 12-14 weeks, and was then gone with the arrival of the second trimester. This time around, it is lasting far longer. While the nausea is just about gone, my appetite is still not back in the evenings, making dinner-planning a real challenge. Nothing sounds appealing, but just about everything is appalling. Worst of all, what might sound good the day we try to plan out the weekly menu, sounds terrible the day we are set to eat it.
- Weight gain has been moderate, with six pounds gained to date. Honestly, I'm surprised it isn't more with the amount of carbs and sweets I've been consuming. Just like with Greer, these are the two food groups that I am drawn to, while all others make my stomach turn.
- I'm not prone to breaking out outside of pregnancy, but the break-outs on my face returned (just like Greer's pregnancy) with the arrival of the second trimester. I'm guessing this will last until the third trimester or so.
- The reflux showed up last week to my dismay. I had it pretty badly with Greer, but it didn't show up this early, that I recall. Give me all the Tums.
- I officially felt baby move on New Year's Day! And since then, the movements have become more pronounced and more frequent. I love feeling all kicks and flutters!
S L E E P
- I was sleeping around eleven hours in the beginning. I was literally exhausted by 8:00 in the evenings, and would crash hard around 9:00/9:30 at night. Once I got to the 12 week marker, I was able to push my bedtime a little later, but not by much. I'm finding now that I can go until 11:00, but mostly I like to climb in bed around 10:30.
- The insomnia is kicking in now that it's harder to find a comfortable position to sleep in. I love sleeping on my belly, and well, that's not an option. Middle of the night bathroom breaks are also now disrupting my sleep.
E M O T I O N S
- I can definitely tell that I am more emotional during pregnancy. Crying comes easier (I'm not a cryer by nature), but I think motherhood is partly the reasoning behind that too.
- Anxiety is something I have to work through, especially when pregnant. And I think a lot of that is due to having miscarried with our first baby. You can read more on that here.
- I've felt really strongly that we are having a second girl since around week 10. However, I'm starting to rethink that notion as we near the gender reveal. While my pregnancy has been very similar to Greer's, it's also had some key differences, which make me think maybe Junebug is a boy.
- We are excitedly awaiting the gender reveal in t-minus 15 days!!!
H U S B AN D
- He has been an absolute saint during this pregnancy. Husband has taken on almost all of my typical around-the-house responsibilities, especially during the first trimester. I was so nauseous and exhausted that I was barely surviving the days at home with Greer. Laundry, dishes, making meals, taking care of Greer in the evenings, house chores....you name it, he did it/is still doing it.
- Husband thinks we are having another girl, hands-down. Either way, he is over the moon for this baby and will be so excited for a boy or a girl. He's already the world's best girl-dad, so it will be a lot of fun to see him either expand his role as a boy-and-girl dad or keep on being incredible with daughters.
- He felt the baby move over this past weekend, and it was super sweet and special.
G R E E R
- It's been so fun watching love on this baby sibling of hers. She likes to give sugars and hugs to Junebug, which melts me.
- When asked, Greer says she wants a baby sister. I think either way, she's going to be so very thrilled to have a baby of her own :)
- When we go to baby appointments, she loves hearing the heartbeat, exclaiming, "It's Junebug!" The last time we saw baby via sonogram, Greer couldn't stop telling us that she had seen the baby on t.v. I'm looking forward to the anatomy scan to watch Greer take in this baby again. She's so very aware, and that makes it all the more fun!
- Just a little over a week ago, Greer transitioned to a big girl bed. We told her she would be giving the crib to Junebug, and she was simply delighted by the notion.
C U R R E N T L Y L O V I N G
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