30 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Jan. 23, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

30 weeks. Holy crap. I literally, absolutely, seriously cannot believe we're already here! And I remember how fast the first 10 weeks flew by, I can't even imagine how fast these last couple months will be! 

Bump:

I feel like Eren has had another growth spurt. I feel like my whole belly just weighs a ton. If I lay on my back while lounging, watching TV or whatever, I just feel like my belly is too heavy, it's uncomfortable to lay like that for more than a few minutes. The weight of my belly rested again my back and spine is not comfy at all anymore. I don't remember ever having this feeling when I was pregnant with Calvin though.
I feel like Eren is sleeping and waking in longer stretches. I feel like he has more periods of stillness than before. And when he's awake, holy crap he's having a party in my belly. I don't feel like his movements have slowed like it's getting tight in there just yet though.
Been noticing Braxton Hicks even when I'm just sitting down.

Energy:
I want to nap pretty much every day, but have yet to do it. I'm okay to stay awake in the evenings, it's just that middle of the day desire to pass out that's taking over these days. 

I got to meet with my regular doctor this week, but next week I get to see Eren on ultrasound at MFM and see if my fluid levels are okay! I am excited to see the results of this three week diet limiting carbs.

Physical Symptoms:

Even though I've been keeping up on my yoga ball hip opening exercises, my hip has been bugging me a little bit this week. It's not nearly as bad as it was back in December before I started using the yoga ball, but it's just not as perfect as it has been lately.

I'm also feeling like it's hard to catch my breath at times. Almost like it's hard to get a nice deep breath. 
Also definitely feeling like I got punched in the pubic bone, it feels very sore and almost strained. I definitely don't remember that being this early with Calvin. 
Been having some very slight light headedness in the last few days of this week. Just a random wave of it here and there. 

Food:
Tomorrow I get to find out if my three week diet helped my amniotic fluid levels. I'm super excited to see the results, but I am preparing myself as well for no real change. The way I see it, even if it didn't help my fluid levels, I know for a fact it's helped in the intense weight gain department, and I'm pretty sure in turn, that has helped the water weight/swelling issue too. If I look at pictures of myself at this point with Calvin, my face was so darn chubby, I almost hate to see pictures of myself at that time. I know I gained a lot of weight with Calvin (over 50 pounds). My feet would be so swollen every night, my calves were so huge it was uncomfortable for me to kneel on them. I don't have these issues this time around. Perhaps that was all going to happen anyway, no matter my diet, but I like to think that at least I tried and at least things look better than they did last time around. I'll know I tried my best to prevent the complications that happened last time with Calvin, even though the doctors all say it was a fluke thing and I had no control over it. Sometimes you just can't help but think, what if I did this differently?
It's kind of how I am viewing my hopeful VBAC attempt this time around. Perhaps I just can't give birth to these big babies naturally. Perhaps that's just not how my body is made. However, if I don't at least give it a try, then I'll definitely never know. That's why I'm prepared for another c-section, even though I know it will suck physically and psychologically, at least I'll know I gave it a go.

Sleep & Dreams:

I feel like I might start needing to pee more than twice nightly! 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
We went to my dad's property to help him lay some pipes. Calvin loves it over there. He could wander around for hours on end and never get crabby or bored, even though it was quite chilly. He loves the tractors. He played in the dirt. He's such a boy haha. I wonder if Eren will enjoy getting dirty too. Part of me can't help but imagine him as just another Calvin, sometimes it's hard to remember he's his own little individual.

Random Thoughts:
I remember when I was pregnant with Calvin, Justin talked a lot about his high school days or the early parts of our relationship, just reminiscing on the old days when he was young and had no responsibilities, etc. I worried about him then, that he was regretting having a kid and being a grown up. We were only married and moved out of our parents homes for a few months when we got pregnant. I'm glad he isn't like this now. This time around, he always talks about seeing Calvin and Eren growing up and playing and us just being a big family together. I'm glad he seems to be more excited for the future instead of dwelling on the past.

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

Colorful Makeup : New Video on My Beauty Channel

I just uploaded a fun makeup look on my beauty channel if you're interested.
I've been really into fun, colorful looks lately. They totally take me back to my early days in makeup when I was super passionate about it and never gave a crap if somebody thought my eyeshadow was too dramatic. Haha. Enjoy!

Products Used:
Pacifica Alight Multi Mineral BB Cream
Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation 2.0
Flower Beauty Daily Brightener Concealer DB1
Loreal True Match Powder N2
NYX Tame & Frame Espresso
Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel
Makeup Geek Contour Powder Break Up Cool Porcelain
Honest Beauty Luminizing Powder Dusk Reflection
Flower Beauty Flower Pot Blush Warm Hibiscus
Pony Effect Eye Primer
Jordana 12 Hr Made to Last Pencil Eternal White
Sleek Makeup iDevine Ultra Mattes V1
Loreal La Palette Nude 1
Wet N Wild Single Shadow Creme Brule
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette
NYX Wonder Pencil Light
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner Trooper
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Flower Beauty Miracle Matte Lip Rosewood

Watch the video here!

Love,
Alaina

29 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Jan. 16, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Calvin wasn't being his typical toddler model self this morning. so these two are the best shots we got :)

Bump:
I've been hovering right around the +30 lb mark these last couple of weeks. I've been watching my carb intake and definitely not snacking like I used to. I'm waiting to see if the diet change helps my generous amniotic fluid levels (ultrasound 1/24 to measure them).
Had to scoot my car seat back a notch to accommodate the belly. I drive a stick shift and need to be able to reach the clutch and I'm pretty short so there are only so many notches I'm going to be able to scoot back. When I was pregnant with Calvin I went to the hospital at 32 weeks, so I'm unsure how much adjusting will need to be done before the end haha.

Energy:
Not too bad, actually.

Physical Symptoms:

I don't think there's anything to update on. Everything is going really smoothly.

Food:
As I've mentioned before, I've been concentrating on eating less sugar and carbs. Now because of this, I've noticed a decrease in my daily calorie intake. Crazy thing is, I don't feel more hungry. I am definitely eating less calories, but because those calories are coming from meat, dairy, and produce instead of sugar and flour, etc. I feel just as full on less calories. It's crazy. And it's not like I'm completely denying myself treats either, I'm just choosing different treats. Instead of cookies, I have peanut butter on celery. If I want something sweet for breakfast, instead of having cereal, I am choosing oatmeal. Yes, I've had a bowl of ice cream a couple nights here and there, but overall, I am just super proud of myself for feeding my body and my baby way better nutrition.
I use an app called Lose It to track my calories. It allows you to put in your own recipes which is super helpful. Before I started this diet, if I had an extra 300 calories left in my day after dinner, I would snack until I used all those calories. Now that I've started to give more thought to my diet, if I'm not hungry, I won't use up those remaining calories just for the sake of using them all. Now that's a big difference, especially because before those last few hundred calories were nearly always junk food, and right before bed, the worst time to be packing on the calories.

Sleep & Dreams:

Falling asleep can still be sucky, but it's not like I spend hours awake, so I should be thankful. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Walking down the hallway one morning this week, I glanced over at both of the open bedrooms, and seeing the two nightlights shining in the dark, it really occurred to me that we're going to have TWO boys here in a couple months. TWO kids! :)
Our sweet Calvin is officially a big boy now. As of this post, he's slept two nights in his big boy room, in his full size bed, and he has done awesome so far!

Random Thoughts:
I really really hope this new diet will help my fluid levels. I wasn't instructed by my doctors or anything, it's just something I thought about with Calvin and decided to actually implement this time around since my fluids are high again. I've read that some women are instructed to change their diets when they have high fluid levels, so I figured I might as well give it a go. I've also read that women with gestational diabetes can end up plateauing on their weight gain because of the diet switch. So that makes me feel better about the fact that I haven't gained anything in a couple weeks.

I really don't want things to turn out like they did with Cal, I want to avoid being in the hospital for weeks! I don't want my waters to start leaking early! And although my doctor has never officially blamed the high fluid levels for that, I can't help but think it. Even though the diet is hard, don't get me wrong, I love sweets and carbs, I can't wait for that ultrasound to see if it actually helps my fluid levels.

The diet feels easier because I keep telling myself it's only a couple more weeks. However, of course, if it turns out that my levels are better after eating this way, I'll have no choice but to continue the diet until the end, knowing that it's beneficial to myself and Eren. But by that point, it will only be another two months, which is still totally do-able. If I look at the diet in these segments instead of like it's a forever thing, it totally makes it feel less daunting. This strategy is also something I'll have to keep in mind when it gets to be time to work on losing the baby weight. Plus that's another thing, if I keep eating better while I'm pregnant, it will make losing the baby weight a little bit easier, especially since I started out this pregnancy ten pounds heavier than I wanted to be. Overall, I know the diet is for the best in all aspects, it's just hard because I definitely have a sweet tooth ha.

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

Third Trimester Update: I feel like the nesting is beginning

We moved Calvin into his big boy room this week. He's successfully slept there 3-4 nights now and he's doing super awesome! And I think perhaps this event has pushed me into nesting mode. The nursery is now a little more empty.

But it hasn't started with baby stuff, it's begun with my own junk. Just last night I threw out a couple handfuls of million year old nail polish and bunches of old skincare samples. Like where did all these things come from?! Over the weekend I was going through my makeup.

Then last night I took the first step in the baby's room: I filled up the changing table with our newborn diaper collection! I am so excited to cloth diaper Eren from the very start.

Still haven't pulled out the newborn clothes yet, still haven't gotten the bassinet out, but I know it's coming! And I can't wait to sit down in the nursery folding and putting away all those adorable tiny baby clothes I haven't seen in a year and a half!

And yes, I totally do want to buy baby stuff! But I know it's totally unnecessary. We have everything that we used with Calvin. And Cal and Eren are both spring babies so the seasonal clothing selection should work out fine for Eren too. It's so fun to gaze at the baby clothes in stores and online though. But I know Eren has plenty. Calvin had plenty of outfits he'd only worn once. They grow so fast.

And I know that technically, I could still have three months before meeting this little boy, on the inside I swear he's coming early and will be here in just about two!

_____________________

So far I have picked up a couple items for our newest addition, but really not much.

I ordered a personalized teether from Zen Mamas.
I got four sleeper sacks (these and these) because I wanted to try so
me with Calvin but never got around to it. I like the concept of just being able to pull up the gown to change a diaper in the night instead of half undress a crying baby.

I do want to order some regular t-shirts for Eren, since we will be cloth diapering this time around, I want to be able to show off his fluff. :) And I'd like to try those kimono style shirts and see if they're any easier for dressing a little one, I was intrigued by them with Calvin but never purchased any.

Some other things I want are really more for me than Eren. I'd like some new nursing bras and a good nursing night gown. And I want to get a set of picture frames for the hallway for Eren's newborn pictures. And I think I want to get that Lansinoh Therapearl compress. Man, I do not look forward to the clogged ducts that come with those early weeks of nursing!

I just can't wait for this little guy to arrive! Although I pray it won't be too soon, like his brother attempted. I am so excited to see how our family dynamic changes. I can't believe I'm going to be a mommy of two in no time!

Thanks for reading.
Love,
Alaina

18 in 2018 : Project Pan : Using Up Makeup I Already Have

If you saw my previous post, you might have seen this one coming too. 

I've created myself a little list of 18 makeup products that I want to use up in this next year. They are items I have forgotten about, products that I've owned way too long, things I use all the time, or stuff I love so much that I try to save them for special occasions. 

The special occasion items are the ones I really need to work on. They are products I cherish so much that I hardly get enough use out of them to make them worth the price tag! They'll go bad before I even get to enjoy the whole thing. And what a waste that is! 

Special Occasion 

MAC Prolongwear Concealer

Collection Concealers

The forgotten items seem to make up a big bulk of my collection these days. When I go to declutter and throw things out, these are ones I just can't seem to get rid of, yet haven't been using enough.

Forgotten Stuff

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation Medium

Benefit Boing Concealer

Kat Von D Setting Spray

Kat Von D Autograph Pencil

Maybelline Master Fix Loose Powder

Loreal True Match Powder

Flower Beauty Stick Foundation

EM Bronze Kiss Eyeliner

Pacifica Alight BB Cream

These are items I love. I want to be able to say I've used it up. I want to be able to say yes, I loved it, and I got my money's worth by using every last bit of it. 

Stuff I Love

UD All Nighter Foundation

CosRx Make Me Lovely Cream 

Pony Effect Eye Primer

Colourpop Cry Baby Eyeliner 

Flower Concealer

Maybelline Concealer 

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick Lolita 

I hope this inspires you to take a second look at your collections, whether it's makeup or something else. This year I want to focus on using what I have and not buying new stuff. 

Watch the video here for more details.

Thanks for reading.

Love,

Alaina

No Buy 2018 : Buying Zero Makeup

If you follow this blog regularly and have been for years, you just might have read the title of this post and said "wtf?" to yourself. Or you saw this coming. You have seen my makeup reviews dwindle since becoming a mother over a year and a half ago anyway. My priorities have simply changed. In 2017, I believe I spent the least amount of money on makeup that I have since before 2012 when I first started to really build my collection.

I moved my makeup collection/YouTube studio into my bedroom in May 2017. Ever since then, I've been slowly decluttering and purging makeup I don't use. I've been reducing my stash and realizing it's all just stuff. A couple years ago, it broke my heart to throw something out, but I have come to see that there are way too many things in my collection that I literally don't use. Reading and watching stuff on minimalism has had an effect. Not that I plan to be a real minimalist one day, I just find the lifestyle very inspiring and useful for everyday life. Just the whole world view that minimalists have makes me start to see the error in our super-consumerism society.

So how did I get here?

Step 1:
I had been watching Project Pan-ing videos and came across a "makeup no buy year" video that got my interest. The concept seemed impossible when I first opened that video up.
Lauren Mae's 18 in 2018 Project Pan Video
Too Much Tash's Not Buying Makeup for 1 Year Completed Video

(sorry for the sloppy handwriting)

Step 2:
After watching it, I sat down and did some makeup basics inventory. I counted how many concealers, mascaras, powders, etc. I have and I realized, if I ever wanted to completely use these things up, I would need to avoid new makeup at all costs for at least a year. I saw that I had enough of the basics to go an entire year without buying anything new. Even if I wore a full face of makeup every single day, I probably still wouldn't get through all of these items.

Step 3:
Then I wondered how much money I spent in the last year on makeup. My husband and I have been sticking to a very good budget since May 2017. We use an app to track our purchases in different categories, so I had at least eight months of makeup purchases recorded. I added all that up, used it to calculate what I probably spent Jan.-April and discovered that I probably only spent about $200 last year anyway. And I told myself I could totally save that money and use up the stuff I already have in 2018. That $200 both sounded like a big and very small number at the same time. I know there are people who spend that every month and I know there are people who've probably only spent that in their lifetime on makeup. But for me, it's a serious reduction from what I had spent in years prior.

Step 4:
So I figured I would talk about it. I'd put it out there on social media to motivate myself and hold myself accountable.

The whole thing that got me started on this blog was makeup, so it's a little strange to be saying I'm not buying any for a whole year. This blog now covers a variety of topics. It has changed and grown like I have. This is a weird challenge that I'm setting myself up for, but I think it's necessary to challenge ourselves sometimes. I hope you understand.

Thank you for reading!
Love,
Alaina

28 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Jan. 9, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Third trimester, how I've waited and waited for these days! My belly is enormous, my body aches, but I know we are in the final stretch and I'll be meeting my baby boy soon! I feel so much calmer and ready to meet my baby, yet these are the days when worries about delivery start to creep in. 

Bump:
Had to start turning to the side to do things like washing dishes. The belly takes up too much room in front, so I have to stand sideways to make things easier. Haha.
It also feels like my ribs are expanding. They can get achey around the sides and back and just feel like they're stretching out. 
I can totally tell how Eren is laying in the belly, not just by how it feels but also just looking at the bump. The bump is looking uneven these days. I don't think he has a preferred side yet though, he seems to switch back and forth plenty. 

I can feel and see his little body parts like feet and knees way better than I ever remember with Calvin and I think it's finally occurred to me why! My placenta was in front with Calvin. That must have been why his little body parts never protruded like Eren's do now. For the longest time that never occurred to me. I thought perhaps I wasn't remembering correctly, but I'm pretty sure this is the case. Very cool.  So at this point with Mr. Calvin, I was up a total of 33 pounds... what most people would have gained the whole time. And I was doing really good there for awhile this time around, but Christmas didn't help things so my official total up until the third trimester this time around is... 31 pounds. Super. I've been eating sooo much better this pregnancy, yet I'm still essentially in the same exact boat as last time, so that's not very encouraging. 
Weight gain totals so far:
13 wks up 5 lbs
19 wks up 15 
24 wks up 23
28 wks up 31

Doctor Appointments:
Got to see Eren in 3D at the ultrasound and it was so amazing. It really was too cool watching him move around in there! We got some really good pictures too. As soon as he popped up on the screen I said, holy crap he looks exactly like his brother! But after examining the pics a bit more, I think they have some differences. I saw him lick his umbilical cord and he had his hands up in his face a lot. We got some really clear pictures of him and it was super cool.
Eren is measuring 2 lbs 12 oz, a week or two ahead of schedule, which is where Calvin was at at this point too.
I was able to leave Calvin with his grandma because I had the MFM appointment, then immediately my regular OB appointment, where I had to wait around for the gestational diabetes test, so I didn't want to risk Calvin having a bad day with two really long appointments back to back.Bonus: I was able to really enjoy the ultrasound all by myself.
Amniotic fluid levels were "generous," so they're having me back in three weeks to double check on them. They were "borderline" high with Calvin too.
Cervical length was good, but I didn't catch the actual measurement.
Now it's time to see my regular OB every other week.
The midwife is still confident we can try for a VBAC. She suggests that after we hit 36 weeks and I have my last dose of Makena, I start doing more activities to try and get myself to go into labor naturally, that way I'll have a much better chance at a vaginal delivery as opposed to being induced medically. When I think about the 36 week mark and the fact that it's only 8 weeks away that gets me so excited. April seems like forever away right now, but 8 weeks just sounds so much closer. I realize it could still take another month after that point, but the countdown is underway!
Plus no news is good news on the GD glucose test, so I guess we are in the clear. :)

Energy:
Still feeling awfully tired.
I seem to be getting more short tempered with Calvin this week too, which totally bugs me. I hate snapping on him, only to immediately apologize to him for being mean. I wonder if this is being caused by my lack of energy, I just can't move around like before. I am trying not to pick him up as much because I keep getting Braxton Hicks when I do because he's a 30 pound toddler. Plus it hurts my back picking up his toys all the time, so I'm asking him to help out more. He's usually very helpful, but I think those two things are just a hard transition for us both. He wants to be held and gets mad when I don't pick him up, so I get mad at him for being whiny. I try to be patient with him when I ask him to help clean up, I like to let him do it on his own time, but sometimes it just feels like he's literally deaf and does not hear my requests. It's just a sucky cycle at this point.

Physical Symptoms:

As I mentioned last week, I'd been having many more Braxton Hicks contractions just doing everyday things like lifting the laundry basket or getting up off the couch after sitting awhile. The midwife at my doctor office showed me an exercise to do daily to help with the contractions. She made them sound very normal though, especially for a second pregnancy, and told me to only worry if they were continuing despite rest and hydration, occuring 6-8 times an hour.
Don't want to jinx myself here, but last week I mentioned my back and hip were feeling better and they has continued feeling good this week too! The one thing I can think of that I've been doing differently and may be making the difference is that I brought out my yoga ball and have been using it nearly every night before bed. I sit on it to open up my hips, roll on my chest to let my belly hang, or lay my back on it to let it lengthen out. I haven't been great about doing my once weekly exercise day, but at least I'm getting in a bit of stretching every night with my yoga ball.

Food:
Keeping up on counting my calories after the terrible holidays. I've even given some thought to the idea of trying out a gestational diabetes friendly type diet, to see if it would help Eren not grow so gigantic, but I go back and forth with that one a lot. Calvin was giant, but he continued to be in the 95%+ once he was on the outside too, so that makes me think he's just meant to be a big boy, there wasn't anything that I caused, so I just assume Eren will be the same way. And I think what about my amniotic fluid? Maybe if I tried to eat this way for the next 2-3 weeks and they go back to check my fluid levels and they look better, that would tell me that my eating habits are helping out. And then there's always this part of me that says, it's only three more months, just do what you want. And that part isn't constructive haha.

Sleep & Dreams:

It's been hard to get comfortable in the night. I haven't mentioned it yet, but it's been going on for probably two months already, I've been peeing twice overnight instead of the usual once.

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Seeing Eren on ultrasound in 3D. :)

Random Thoughts:
Part of me wants to start washing the baby clothes, but there's this other part of me that wants to wait until 32 weeks, just as some kind of crazy superstitious act that might prevent my water breaking at the same time and everything turning out exactly like with Cal. I don't even know if that makes any sense. I feel like if I get things ready too quickly, like I did with Cal, it could cause Eren to come early, like Cal did. But for real, I want to start going through the baby clothes!
Justin and I agreed that in February we would start Calvin's transition to his new big boy room. So it would make the most sense to wait to get the baby stuff out until Calvin is settled in his new room, so we still have a few weeks.

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

Meal Plan with Us! January 2018

Meal planning has made life so much easier for us!
And it's seriously helped us in the budget department too.
We plan out about a month at a time. (We started with two weeks at a time in the beginning though because it totally takes practice to remember each ingredient you need and not have to make emergency trips to the grocery store for one single important item. I can definitely tell you we've gotten way better than we were in the beginning. We started in May last year.)

We go to the store once per month for our big grocery trip. Well, we go to two different stores. We go to Aldi and get everything we possibly can, then hit up Walmart for the remaining stuff. It still blows my mind how much we save by getting as much as possible at Aldi first!

Now that's not to say that's the only time we go to the store. We usually run out of milk somewhere in the middle of the month or somebody craves a particular item. We always end up going to the store for a handful of items later on, BUT the big shopping trip is taken care of in the first few days of the month.

We don't always stick to this schedule super strictly, especially since I'm pregnant and have cravings and aversions haha. I go through and cross off the meals we've already made for this reason. In case one night comes along and I'm like "holy crap, I do not want that for dinner!" we can choose another meal and switch.

Sorry for the sloppy writing, this is #RealLife right here.
Also, please don't get confused by the word "Saturday" at the top left hand corner, that's just a magnet.
:)

Tips for only going to the store once per month:
1. Plan meals with fresh produce for the first half of the month.
For some, this is impossible. Maybe your "milk run" turns into a mid-month veggie run. We do keep some mixed vegetables frozen for sides though.

Meals that need fresh ingredients

Tacos (lettuce)

Philly cheesesteak (onion, pepper)

Italian chicken sandwiches (lettuce)

Buffalo chicken wrap (lettuce)

Quesadillas (bacon, onion, pepper)

Chicken nachos (lettuce)

2. Think of ways you can use leftovers or main ingredients in the same week.
Example: Roast on Saturday turns leftover roast meat into Beef and Broccoli on Monday
3. Make a list of all the meals your family likes so you can easily just glance at the list and choose what day to put meals on. We keep a list divided into a few categories so we can pick and chose which meals will work best on which days of the week, since some days just allow for more cooking time than others.

Easy meals, no prep

Hot dog mac

Sausage crescents

Grilled cheese

Breakfast for dinner

Full Crockpot meals

Crockpot chicken & potatoes

Chicken & dumplings

Potato soup

Chili

Stew (carrots)

Roast (carrots)

Pulled pork on hoagies

Partial Crockpot Meals

Beef & broccoli (frozen)

Enchiladas

Ranch chicken taquitos

Regular meals (need prep)

Orange chicken & rice

Sloppy joes

Beef potato casserole

Burgers

Spaghetti

Baked pasta

Pasta con broccoli

Shrimp pasta

Lasagna

Taco casserole

Fried chicken & potatoes

Buffalo chicken flatbread

Breakfast pizza

4. Throw in a couple new recipes each month if you're feeling up to it, or if you're getting bored with the same stuff. I find it just keeps things interesting. It makes meal planning feel less monotonous. Chicken Ranch Taquitos was our new recipe for this month.
5. Plan to make big dishes over the weekend when you have time. Then use the leftovers during the weeknights when time is a little more scarce.
Example: Lasagna on Saturday turns into leftover Lasagna on Monday

So I really hope this was helpful and you were able to take a little bit of advice from it. Happy meal planning!

Love,
Alaina

27 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Jan. 2, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

The last week of the second trimester, can you believe it?!

Bump:
It feels like Eren had a growth spurt recently. And looking at my weekly pics, I think the bump is definitely looking bigger these last couple weeks. Once again, I've said it a million times, but holy crap, how big will this bump be by the time Eren arrives?!
Also, I've been able to feel Eren's little body parts protruding out. He'll just stick them out and sit there for a few seconds. It's cool to be able to feel that little bump for awhile. :)

Energy:
It feels like I'm back in the first trimester again lately. I want to nap every day.

Physical Symptoms:

My back and hip have been hurting less. I don't know what I've done differently though...
Have been feeling more contractions lately. Mostly they just feel like Braxton Hicks tightening of the belly, but maybe 2 or 3 times they've had a bit more intensity. I started drinking a ton more water and that seems to help overall, but I'm still going to bring them up at my doctor appointment next week.

Food:
Trying to make up for Christmas, but I still probably snacked more than I should have.

Sleep & Dreams:

Stupid restless nights. I just can't get comfortable. And when I can, I then simply can't shut my brain off and just sleep, or I get acid reflux, or I need to pee. Blah. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Calvin and I were sitting on the couch watching TV one morning and he just started running his fingers through my hair saying "brush."
I've gotten to spend much of the week with Calvin since it's the awkward week between Christmas and New Year, work was super dead. I'm so grateful for that time with my love. It was awesome to be able to hang out with him so much. He's been so good about nap time, he falls asleep really quickly and I really took those moments to just watch him sleep for a minute or take his picture. He's so grown up, guys! I can't believe it some days. Those are the moments when I have to really step back and say he's not a baby anymore.

Random Thoughts:

In my mind I can't see myself going past 40 weeks because Eren's been measuring about a week ahead this whole time, plus Calvin was a big boy and he came at 37 weeks (8 lbs 6 oz). I just assume they'll induce me before Eren is a 10 pound baby, but I guess we will have to see haha. And if he is a 10 pound baby, we're pretty much guaranteed he'll fit in one size diapers at birth so that whole newborn stash thing was pointless... haha

Love,
Alaina & Baby Brother Eren