37 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending March 13, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Like seriously, can you even believe we are at this point?! After everything, we made it. Thank God we've gotten this far.  

Bump:
Like every day Justin asks if my belly has grown lol. Well our little dude is supposed to be gaining an ounce each day, so yes, the belly is growing every day. And it's so itchy, I cannot tell you how itchy it is. I do not remember this much itchiness when I was pregnant with Cal.

Doctor Appointments:
At MFM, fluid levels were around the same as last time. 20-23 after measuring several times. Didn't get an estimate on Eren's size this week, but he looks pretty squished up in there, we didn't get any good pictures of his face or anything. He passed the BPP ultrasound great. And I only had a couple contractions on the NST, so we officially survived the last NST before full term! Yay!
At my regular OB, it was a pretty quick appointment, I didn't have any questions really, we covered a lot the week before. My belly is measuring 40 cm, Eren's heart rate was at 138 bpm. She told me to keep taking the Procardia until 37 weeks since I'm still having plenty of contractions. And that's pretty much it for that appointment. 

Energy:
Napped while putting Calvin down for his nap this week. That was actually kind of nice. I napped, he played on the iPad. When I woke, he went to sleep. Justin's been having me put Calvin down for bed lately so he can work on finishing the basement. Justin puts Cal down to bed 99% of the time on a daily basis. It's nice spending time with Cal before bed knowing it's going to be way harder when I have little Eren to nurse to sleep too. It's nice just having these last few weeks with Cal, not knowing what day might be his last as the only one around here. 

Food:
I've been starving and eating all the things lately! Not healthy things either. I've been bad.

Sleep & Dreams:
I've been having a lot more dreams lately, several each night, every time I get up to pee in the night I had one, but can't remember it. 

Physical Symptoms:
Hairline zits seem to be appearing more often. I think overall they weren't as bad as my pregnancy with Calvin though. 

I'm at that point I can't freaking sneeze. I can't get a deep enough breath to even make a darn sneeze happen! It's terrible. I need to sneeze, I try to take that initial breath in, then it goes away because I can't take a deep enough breath, there's just not enough room in my lungs I guess. Dumb. I remember this happening way earlier with Calvin though, so at least I'm glad it's taken this long to be an issue this time around. 
Some days I feel like death and want to lay around all day, then other days I am pretty good to go. I am having sooo many contractions it's not even funny. I can have 7-9 per hour no problem for many hours, then some days I'll have maybe 1-2 an hour, like wtf?! But they aren't painful or too intense. I have them a lot more at work than at home because I sit at a desk all day at work. I don't know if it's just gravity working directly on Eren or what, but that upright position can cause me to have sooo many contractions. Once I head home and lay on the couch, they'll go away. Even when I sit at my desk at home to edit YouTube videos, I can have several of them, so it's just the position that's making them worse, in my opinion. 
Some nights I have been having a couple contractions laying in bed, which is unusual for me. Usually I don't have contractions when I'm laying down like that.

Backache and cramping Saturday night and lost some more mucus plug a couple days. Started to worry that Eren was going to be that silly baby who comes just days shy of "full term" just to make me mad lol.
Driving is so uncomfortable. I have to be far enough away from the steering wheel to fit the belly, but I drive a stick and need to be able to reach my foot all the way down on the clutch, plus I'm short to begin with. I have contractions a lot when I'm driving because of the awkward posture and having to scrunch up over my belly to look both ways at stops and whatnot, it's just a pain in the butt. 

Natural Induction Plans:

We have the okay to have sex again at the end of this week. Not that I'm like super excited to be having sex at 37 weeks pregnant haha, but I want this baby out. I know my husband was hoping we'd make it to this point, seeing as once baby's born, we've got another 4-6 weeks without sex ahead of us lol.
Also plan to take walks everyday. And plan to go grocery shopping, with lots of walking. Since 31 weeks I've been told to limit walking.
Maybe I'll feel like nesting and cleaning. Cleaning can totally wear you out, so maybe it will help.
I told my husband I will only sit on the yoga ball until he comes. At the dinner table? Yoga ball. Watching TV? Yoga ball. We'll see how long that lasts haha.
Walking up and down the stairs, squatting, hot showers. I remember when I was in the hospital with Calvin, my doctor told me no hot showers because it would cause nipple stimulation and could start contractions. I am also contemplating trying to use my breast pump to see if nipple stimulation does anything.
I hate pineapple, but a lot of people say eating pineapple works. I don't know what the science behind that one is though. We'll see if I actually try that one. Maybe if Justin likes pineapple, we can split one. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Went shopping with my mom and sister at Hobby Lobby. Mom is making us a dockatot type lounger for Eren and we got to pick out fabric for that and I also got some scrapbooking stuff for Eren's baby book scrapbook. My sister let Calvin roam free in the store which is not something we usually let him do so I'm sure he had fun.

Random Thoughts:
Can't I just start maternity leave now? I think about starting it at 38 weeks but then I don't want to take one week away from Eren, if that makes sense. If I only take 8 weeks total and take one before he's born, then essentially I'm taking one week away from him. Can't decide. Should I just take 9 weeks and take off a week before she'll perform a c-section anyway.
It's weird not knowing Eren's birthday. I know that doesn't really make any sense because most people don't know the baby's birthday until they arrive, right?! I just wish I kind of had an idea at this point haha, I don't know why.

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

36 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending March 6, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Justin had to do "peek-a-boo" with Calvin to get him to smile. It took soo many pictures to get a good one this week! haha

Bump:
Itchy. 
It feels like Eren may be reaching that point where it's too tight in the belly to do much. His movements seem to have slowed down and I'm not feeling as many jabby movements.
Just realized I haven't updated weight gain in awhile, but we are officially up 40 pounds right now! Yes, it's higher than it should be, but better than my last pregnancy, so that counts for something right? Lol. 

Doctor Appointments:
At MFM my fluids were measured at 20 cm! Which is the lowest we've ever seen them. They're usually around 25, and they were at 27 at my highest point back around the new year. So that was awesome news. Then I went in for my NST and was totally having contractions, Eren was moving around like crazy and the heart rate monitor could hardly keep track of him so I was once again super worried I was going to be sent down to L&D again for more monitoring. I am so fearful of those NSTs after my hospital stay at 31 weeks.
At my regular OB, I was measuring 38 cm. Doc told me that I'd have a c-section at 39 weeks if I didn't go into labor beforehand, which will make Eren a March baby no matter what. At 36 weeks 1 day I'll take my last Makena shot and probably finish my procardia pills (36+2 I have a doc appointment and she said we'd discuss then). I have been having more contractions and more intense ones the last few days and my doctor said that's common toward the end and she wasn't concerned, but it does make me wonder what it's going to be like when I stop taking my pills. She said the procardia would be pretty quick to get out of my system. And I would hate for him to come just a few days shy of being officially full term (37 weeks).
So at 37 weeks we can start trying to induce naturally, which I'm super excited for. I was curious about a cervix check, but she said she wouldn't start those until 37 weeks and even then, she didn't sound like she was really big on them. She also said she's going to be on vacation in my 37th week, not that I'm very concerned with who delivers Eren, it's just ironic that of course, that's the week lol. I plan on doing everything in my power to induce naturally once we hit 37 weeks.

Energy:
Maybe I'm going to nest after all. I have spent the last couple months totally not caring about dishes, cleaning, pretty much any house duties. I've been a lazy hobo, no lie. Then all of a sudden out of nowhere this week, I am actually doing dishes, keeping the counter tops free of clutter, vacuuming the living room. It's totally strange. I was putting away groceries Sunday, saw that the fridge shelves needed wiping down, so I actually did it. Even wiped down the front of the fridge after clearing off the one million pieces of paper and random magnetized stuff. I never do that kind of stuff haha. Maybe this is the beginning of some sort of nesting...
Justin also seems to be getting ready for Eren. He pulled out all the baby stuff from the basement and organized our storage room down there. It's getting so close! Finally got the baby car seat out and installed the bases in our cars.

Physical Symptoms:

Everything hurts. This belly is so huge. Face chubbiness, especially the nose, is totally here. I'm just glad it waited this long this pregnancy, my face was chubby for months in my first pregnancy haha. I don't remember ever saying such a thing when I was pregnant with Cal, but I can't wait to not be pregnant!
Spent most of the day Thursday and again Tuesday recording contractions. I was having a TON. Not painful, but definitely more powerful than my usual belly tightening.

Round ligament pain is back, plus more cramping.
Boobies seem to be growing, and they can get tingly every once in awhile.

Food:
Maybe I'm starting to feel like I'm losing my appetite. Some days I just have to make myself eat lunch because I know I need to, not because I'm really hungry. But I still think there's a correlation between an empty stomach and contractions, so I do try to snack to prevent them.
But I have had one hell of a sweet tooth at the same time. I don't want to eat real food, I want cookies and snack cakes for all meals.

Sleep & Dreams:

Rolling over in bed sucks. My whole pelvis just absolutely aches and my belly feels like it weighs half my body weight. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Calvin said "tractor fall!" when his toy tractor fell and it made me so happy! He'll be talking in sentences before we know it. :)
Playing outside with Calvin over the weekend. He and Justin kicked a ball around the yard and Justin was throwing it onto our roof and they were watching it bounce down. Calvin thought that was lots of fun. We taught him the word "roof" and now he keeps talking about "daddy ball roof."
I love laying with him at bed time or nap time, I always ask him about his day and he'll tell me random words about what happened. I just can't wait to watch him form sentences and get even better at explaining himself to us.
We went outside after it rained and played in the yard a bit. Calvin was chasing his ball and kept kicking it further and further away. He landed in a puddle in the neighbor's yard and I could just tell by the look on his face that he wanted to play in that damn puddle! But I hollered at him and got him to return to our yard before he really made a mess. He was already pretty wet and had muddy shoes from playing out there at that point. He kept looking down at his wet pants and shoes and saying "all dirty."

Random Thoughts:
I never felt postpartum cramping while breastfeeding with Calvin. I'm actually kind of scared of it this time around. They say it gets worse with each pregnancy and some ladies say the pain is pretty intense, so I'm not looking forward to that.

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

35 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Feb. 27, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Every week we get closer to meeting Eren. And every week is an awesome milestone in his development that puts my mind at ease more and more. 

Bump:
Stupid stretchmarks on the belly are getting worse. 
Only two more Makena shots! Can you believe it? I've been so tired of those things lately and I just can't wait to get them finished. I hate shots and needles and getting blood drawn, gross! I'm so glad Justin's been able to give them to me instead of having to go to the doctor all the time for them, even though I'm still at the doctor every freaking week anyway lol. I just can't believe I've already had 18 of those shots! That sounds so crazy. 

Doctor Appointment:
At MFM Eren was measuring 6 lbs 1 oz at my 34+1 appointment. Big boy, but still about half a pound behind Calvin at the same age. My fluids were measuring borderline again. This time at 25.1 cm. Stupid. Thought I was going to fail my NST because I was totally having little baby contractions pretty regularly. The nurse said it was probably just because of the high fluids and perhaps I needed to pee. So glad they didn't wheel me down to L&D again! I have fears of those NSTs because of my first experience with them at that office.

Energy:
Still want to nap always. How many weeks has this section said the same exact thing?! Lol.

Physical Symptoms:

Lots of pressure and heaviness in my pelvis.
Belly is so itchy! Like everyday non-stop itchy. I apply body butter morning and night and I don't think it's helping.

Crampy one night toward the end of the week. I don't think I've had that feeling at all previously this pregnancy, so that was weird. Kind of had me worried about preterm labor honestly. 

Low back and hip pain is back again. 

Constipation is back with a vengeance lol. It was here in the very beginning and all of a sudden it's back.
Had a little preterm labor scare Saturday night through Sunday afternoon/evening. I wasn't having regular contractions or anything, so I didn't call or go in to L&D. It literally just felt like Eren could fall right out. I was feeling so much pressure and heaviness and achiness in my pelvis, plus some cramping. I remember my doctor telling me I should try to sleep it off if I'm having lots of contractions, to see if they're legit or not. Even though I wasn't contracting regularly, I still took this advice and went to bed early. Woke up the next morning and my abs felt like I did one million crunches overnight and my lady bits felt almost swollen. So all day Sunday I moped around like a hobo, sat in a chair at the stove to make dinner, etc. It was miserable. But then right before bed Sunday night it all just magically went away. Wtf? Perhaps Eren was in a stupid position that was making me feel so much pressure, I really can't know for sure. Then I woke up Tuesday morning (35 weeks exactly) feeling the same heaviness and achiness, this time accompanied by the pregnancy waddle! Did not have this with Cal. It makes me totally understand when ladies say they just wish their pregnancy was over and done with. If this is what the next few weeks are going to feel like constantly, I totally understand.

Food:
I've been waking up feeling extra hungry lately, which is different.

Sleep & Dreams:

Sometimes it's hard to fall asleep, I just can't shut my brain off, but it's nothing terrible. Like I've said time and time again, I've been very fortunate in both of my pregnancies to sleep really well throughout overall. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Spent a full day with Mr. Calvin while Justin was staying at a friend's house. It stresses me out to think about having to put Calvin down for both his nap and bedtime, Justin's usually really good doing bedtime, in particular. So Mr. Cal surprised me by being an extra perfect little man for both naptime and bedtime. He was very cooperative and that made me super happy. :)
However, the weekend was also stressful for me because Justin was staying overnight at this same friend's house when I woke up to my water breaking at 32 weeks with Calvin and Justin had his phone on silent and no one would answer me to take me to the hospital. So that was great. Having him go over there again this weekend brought a lot of fear of the same thing happening again this time.

Random Thoughts:
Starting to rethink our newborn cloth diaper stash. Again. Lol. Do we really need more or do I just want to buy more stuff? Since Eren keeps looking like he's going to be a little smaller than Calvin, I wonder if it's going to take a little longer to get into one size diapers. I question having two in cloth and whether our stash is going to hold up well for two. I think about getting a pack of disposables just in case, but then I tell myself why spend money on trash when I could just buy a couple more cloth diapering items. Decisions. Justin's official stance is, wait and see. I hate that stance lol.

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

34 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Feb. 20, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Thirty-four weeks! I want this boy to cook at least three weeks longer, of course, but 34 weeks puts my mind at ease a lot, honestly. I know if he came right now he'd be in the NICU, but it wouldn't be a terribly long stay (God willing) and he'd be mostly great and healthy. I can't wait to meet him but I want him to be able to come home with us from the hospital when he comes. Thirty-four weeks is also scary too because they won't try to stop labor at this point. That worries me because of the L&D stay I had at 31 weeks. I wonder if that happened again, would they make me stay and deliver? 

Bump:
Some days I miss my anterior placenta (that I had with Calvin). I felt so much less direct movement. Like if I'm uncomfortable, having some contractions, or don't feel well, feeling Eren move around like crazy makes me feel even worse. I love that I can feel him so well, but at the same time it makes me nauseous just to watch his little body parts floating all around my belly lol. There are just times it's so uncomfortable for him to be moving around as much as he does. It almost feels like he'll sleep an hour, then literally be up for an entire hour, all day log! It's exhausting lol. 
Also, I don't know if this bump has dropped or what, but holy crap, it feels soooo heavy on my pubic bone area. It feels like my bump is sitting directly on my lap when I am sitting, and driving is becoming hard. 

Doctor Appointments:
These were the two most positive appointments I've had in a long time, it feels like. At MFM my amniotic fluid was measured three times ranging from 21-24 cm. Which is an improvement and technically takes me out of the "polyhydramnios" class, if only barely. What's considered high is 25 and over. I also only had one contraction on the NST which is super awesome. My contractions have been very limited since they started me on the procardia medication, I'm so glad it looks like it's working well! I got to see his little tiny baby hair on ultrasound. I can't wait to see what color it is!
At my regular OB, my uterus was still measuring big, 38 cm at 33 weeks! My doctor let me know that either hospital I go to has a level II nursery which means if baby comes early, he will be fine to stay there, unless we have some serious problems that she doesn't anticipate. She is still worried about me going into labor early because my uterus is measuring big and my body will essentially assume I'm full term and ready to go because my uterus is measuring that way. She was happy to hear my fluid levels were looking slightly better and she said having been diagnosed with polyhydramnios wouldn't affect my chances at a VBAC. And she said the headaches I've been having are a common side effect of the procardia pill they have me on to prevent contractions. She said I'd be able to come off that medication at 36 weeks, along with the Makena shot. Speaking of the Makena shot, we only have 3 to go! Ah! We're really down to the wire here. My next appointment with her isn't until March 1. If we make it to that appointment I will be oh so happy. I pray every day we get to March, my mind will be able to rest so much easier once we get to that point. Then Eren will be 35 weeks and a couple days, although of course I want him to make it to 37 at least, I am still counting my blessings for each day he's still in my belly, knowing each day in there is saving him two days in the NICU.

Energy:
I've been filming YouTube videos like a crazy person lately haha. I just feel so inspired and want to take advantage of that while I can. I've been getting a lot of feedback from my audience lately and I try to make videos based on their questions. I take every opportunity to film. First thing in the morning before work, while Justin is putting Calvin to bed, and random times throughout the day, I've just been able to harness that desire to film and use it to my advantage. It's been a lot of fun. Even though I am so tired in every other aspect of my life, I'm glad I am able to enjoy my hobby still. :)

Physical Symptoms:

So much heaviness and pressure in my pelvis. I feel like I have to pee twice as often.
Achey boobs. That's a new one. I've had nipple sensitivity throughout this pregnancy pretty much, but all of a sudden this week, the boobs are feeling achey and kind of sore to the touch, especially on the armpit sides.
Is the oily skin returning? It's been pretty good this time around compared to with Calvin, my skin was so oily with him it was insane. And my skin was oily in the beginning with Eren. Perhaps it's just that spring is on the way, the air is getting a little less dry, so my skin is getting more oily.

Food:
I don't know if it's a coincidence, but it feels like hunger brings on contractions for me. Every day sometime in the middle of the day either right before lunch or right around 2-3 pm, I have an hour or so with more contractions than the rest of the day. The procardia medication is helping, compared to beforehand. I try to snack more and keep my belly full but it's hard when you're not actually feeling hungry.
Acid reflux. It's been a lot worse in the third trimester, and worse than with Calvin if I'm remembering correctly. I've noticed a couple things that tend to make it worse: buffalo sauce, salsa. I love buffalo sauce. We almost always get boneless wings for an appetizer when we go out. I love buffalo chicken salad and wraps and pizza. And I used to love having chips and salsa for an after dinner snack, but the closer I have those foods to bedtime, the worse the reflux seems to be. That's crappy. I don't remember ever having food related problems like that with Calvin.

Sleep & Dreams:

Sleep is still going pretty well. Once again, like I was with Calvin, I'm super thankful my sleep hasn't been bad throughout this pregnancy. Yes, I have some weeks where things are sucky, but I know that so many women really struggle with this throughout pregnancy and I'm so very happy I have gotten off pretty easy both of these pregnancies (at least so far). 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Having good doctor appointments. I just felt super happy leaving them both. :)
It was 30th Justin's birthday over the weekend and I organized a little surprise dinner with his siblings and mine. I was so proud of myself that I actually pulled it off. I'm super bad with secrets and I just never thought I'd be able to do it, plus Justin's usually super attentive and figures things out too fast. So last minute it turned out the place we wanted to meet at closed down! So I had to figure out where we would go instead, literally just minutes before we arrived. So stressful! Haha. I was so scared this awesome plan was going to be ruined literally last minute, but it all worked out and he didn't even suspect a thing! :)

Random Thoughts:
Justin got Eren's name sign finished and hung it in the nursery. I kind of saw that as the symbolic finishing touch for baby's arrival.
I miss going for walks. The weather is finally starting to break a little here lately (one day it's 60, next day it snows lol) and when it's nice out, I just want to take a little walk. But my doctor said to limit walking, plus I know I get a ton of contractions when we go for walks too, so it needs to be avoided. I just pray Eren holds out until 37 weeks, then we can start walking again. We can do whatever we want if we can just make it to 37 weeks! :)

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

33 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Feb. 13, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Bump:
Can I just wear dresses from here on out?
C-section scar ache every once in awhile. Sometimes it just feels like the normal, underwear/pants are tight in that area, but other times it really feels like the ache is coming from the inside out. 

Doctor Appointment:
Had a biophysical profile ultrasound done. Last week Eren wouldn't do the practice breathing, this week he was doing it like crazy.
Fluid levels are still high but I didn't get a number from the ultrasound tech.
NST went well. No L&D rush like last week.

Energy:
I need naps. Still.

Physical Symptoms:

Backache is back. I have been slacking on the yoga ball since the L&D scare. I sometimes get contractions when I'm on the yoga ball so I've been avoiding it.
Round ligament pain hasn't really been an issue at all this pregnancy, it was much more prevalent with my first son. So it's just appeared out of nowhere this week, which is weird.
I think I have some very light belly stretchmarks coming in! I hadn't gotten any new ones so far this pregnancy and was actually thinking and hoping I'd get off Scott free, but nope.
In the shower one day I felt like I had a letdown in my right boob but didn't have any leakage.
Had a bad headache one day, haven't had one of those in awhile, so that was weird.
A lot more hip discomfort when I get up to pee in the night or first thing in the morning. It's like a looseness but also acheness. I guess it's just a shock to my hips to have to get up and move after laying all night, because I don't really get the feeling during the day.

Food:
I've been somewhere in between the low carb thing and last week's "just eat whatever you want" thing.

Sleep & Dreams:

It's getting harder to fall asleep. Getting up to pee literally one million times per night. If I drink just one little half glass of water before bed, I will be up all night peeing. But I've been so thirsty lately, especially in the night! 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Leaving my doctor appointment at MFM and not being wheeled down to labor and delivery. No joke. I was so worried things would happen like they did last week, but this week's appointment went very well.

Random Thoughts:
Packed and filmed my hospital bag video. It's in the car ready to go! Though I pray we don't need it for another month at least!

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

32 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Feb. 6, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Bump:
Might be getting ready to retire a couple tank tops that are not giving me enough stretch these days!

Doctor Appointment:
Uterus was measuring 34 cm at my 31 wk, 1 day appointment, which is better than I was expecting, definitely! At my 32 week appointment with Calvin, I was measuring 37 cm (a difference of 5 cm vs 3 this time)! So I think we're looking pretty good in that respect. I was actually happy hearing that number, even though it's still "big." :)
If you want to hear about the Maternal Fetal Medicine visit and the following Labor & Delivery stay for two days, click here (I thought sitting down and filming about it was a little easier to explain than writing out a blog post).

Energy:
I want all the naps. Gotta get ahead of the newborn. Sleep now, because there will be limited sleep in a couple months.
When I was in the hospital with Calvin from 32-37 weeks, I napped a lot. I always just attributed it to the fact that I was bored and had nothing better to do in the hospital. But now I think it was just another symptom of the third trimester.

Physical Symptoms:

Out of breath. I keep sighing or exhaling very dramatically because of it. People probably think I'm upset about something haha, but I can't help it.
Justin says I've been snoring. It started at like 26 weeks with Calvin, so I think 32 weeks is just fine this time around haha.
Achy hip again, even though I've been doing the yoga ball thing every night, like usual. 

Food:
Misbehaving on diet. Definitely haven't been low carb a few days this week. Cookies. That's my weakness. Tried peanut butter cookies because at least they have fat and protein. But when those were gone I just made regular chocolate chip cookies and those aren't healthy like in any way haha. So I've had an off week this week in the diet department, I just hope it hasn't negatively affected things. I have another ultrasound to check fluid this week, so we will see how it looks. It had previously been slightly lower at each ultrasound in January, so if it's up this week, we'll know the diet is at least somewhat helping, I think.

Sleep & Dreams:

Weird dreams, but I can't remember them very well. 

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Wednesday night I came out of the bathroom, holding a cotton ball, removing my nail polish, wearing just a big t-shirt and Justin looks at me, smiles, and says, I like your bump to butt ratio and drew some curves with his hands. I just laughed.

Random Thoughts:
Finally got to order a couple clothing items for Eren! We do a monthly budget and January we did super duper bad, so I saved the baby buys for February and ordered them the very first day on Amazon haha. I'd been wanting to get some t-shirts for him since he'll be wearing cloth diapers and I don't want them to be covered by a onesie, I want to see them! (Calvin wasn't cloth diapered until he was 9 months old) I'm very excited to see a little newborn in cloth! :)

Love,

Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

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

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

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

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

26 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Dec. 26, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Doctor Appointment:
Calvin was not having it at the doctor appointment this week, so it wasn't a long, enjoyable ultrasound. Cervix measured 3.9 which is still super. :) Didn't get a weight measurement, which was disappointing.

Bump:

I was watching and reading my updates with Calvin and around this time he was already up in my rib cage. Every once in awhile I feel Eren up there like if I'm bent over and squishing the belly, but overall, I think he stays pretty low, so I'm grateful for that so far.

Energy:
Been trying to do more yoga and stretching for my hips and back, I can't decide if it is helping yet or not though.

Physical Symptoms:

Headaches seem to be returning. They're not super terrible, but just a little annoyance.
Feet swelling is beginning. They don't look super puffy just yet, but by the end of the day you can definitely tell there's some swelling going on.

Food:
Week of Christmas. Didn't eat the best.

Sleep & Dreams:

Restless nights, hard to get comfy, hard to fall asleep.

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Christmas was this week. This year was much more exciting with Calvin than last year. He was just too little to understand last year so it was cool to see him get excited about opening gifts.

Random Thoughts:

Less than 100 days until Eren is due!!!

Love,
Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

25 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Dec. 19, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Bump:

Calvin distinguishes between me and brother in my belly. He will pat my belly and say "bubber" then pat my leg or my chest and say "mom." He even came over to give brother some chips. He placed them on my belly, waited a moment, then ate them himself lol.

Energy:
Took an extra walk this week, so I felt a little productive exercise-wise. Even when I wear my support belt, walks can really bother my hip and low back. I know that movement helps, but perhaps walks aren't the answer. Maybe some stretching and yoga are the better way to get my exercise in.

Physical Symptoms:

Zits everywhere. Dude wtf?! Looking back at my 26 weeks update with Calvin, I had some bad zit face going on then too, so I guess we've just reached that point in pregnancy. Haha.
Hip and back ache, blah blah blah.
Restless legs.

Food:
Baked cookies.
Baked some poppy seed bread at home. The recipe makes two loaves...
Mom baked a big cinnamon roll and brought it in to work.
Went out to dinner and the movies with Justin.
Just all over, too much unhealthy food and snacking this week!

Sleep & Dreams:

Acid Reflux kept me up in the night once this week.
Keep getting what feels like the start of a calf cramp but it never fully turns into a cramp, especially in the the night.

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Went on a date night with Justin to see the new Star Wars in theaters. We saw the last one when I was pregnant with Calvin. Sitting in the theater was legit super uncomfortable, and it's one of those cool theaters with the recliners. I could not get comfy, it sucked. But the movie was good lol.

Random Thoughts:

I hope I'm not jinxing myself here, but I feel like I was way more emotional when I was pregnant with Calvin. Like little comments would set me off. But they don't seem to bother me much this time around. 

Also this week it totally feels like pregnancy is too long! It feels like I've been pregnant forever and why isn't Eren here yet?! I don't remember it feeling this long with Calvin and I spent five weeks in the hospital waiting on him! I just can't wait to meet him and I want to see him sooo bad! :)

Love,
Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

24 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Dec. 12, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

Doctor Appointments:
I was totally was not looking forward to seeing how big my bump is measuring, but I met with the midwife, not the doctor and she's much more relaxed so she didn't make a big deal out of it. She did say I was measuring big, but I didn't bother to ask how big. It feels like Eren could be up into my rib cage in the next week or so. I don't remember that this early with Cal!
I had a MFM appointment and my regular OB right afterwards. Justin was able to stay home with Calvin so I didn't have to worry about dragging him along, which was nice. I got to enjoy the ultrasound time.
Cervix is measuring at 3.8 cm, which is awesome. Eren is estimated to weigh 1 lb, 7 oz now, which is ahead, but not unexpected because he's been about a week ahead the whole time, plus Calvin was a big baby. The midwife says Eren will probably be over 8 pounds too, but that's no surprise.
Got some cute profile shots of little Eren and my sister is convinced he has our nose, so he's going to look like me, not Justin. Calvin is totally a Justin twin baby, so of course I'd be happy to see what a little me baby would look like. Lol.
I heard Eren's heartbeat at the MFM ultrasound and recognized it as about the same tempo that Calvin's was at. I spent weeks 32-37 in the hospital with Calvin listening to his heart rate being monitored twice daily, so the 138-143 bpm range sounded super familiar to me. It was cool to recognize it and remember listening to Calvin like that many, many times.

Bump:
Ordered a support belt. It can be irritating to wear constantly all day, but I do think it's helpful. It definitely helped on a walk.
Otherwise, the belly doesn't really look that giant, I guess, but it sure feels huge. 

Energy:
Chasing around a toddler is hard work man. Plus my hip and back hurt a lot lately, so chasing a toddler when you feel like an old lady is super hard.

Physical Symptoms:

My left hip hurts pretty much every day and it sucks. Why do I feel so achey already? And it's not only in the evenings, it can be achey in the middle of the night when I get up to pee and first thing in morning when I roll out of bed. It's sucky. I was actually reading back through my updates with Calvin and I was feeling achey at this point last time too, which surprised me to read.
I've had my first leg cramp the last day of this week. I was stretching in bed in the night and it was just a split second but it reminded me of how sucky those leg cramps are! Haha. I thought I was going to get away without having them this time.
I've had a couple zits this week on my chin, which is pretty unusual for me.

Food:
I haven't been as good as I have been in the past. Instead of coming in with 100-200 calories left each day, I've been using up every little bit and sometimes going 50-100 calories over. Not a good habit to get into, especially since we're still in the third trimester here.
As I've experienced pretty much this entire pregnancy, there are just some days when what we have planned for dinner totally does not appeal to me and we have to switch things up. I might have looked forward to this meal for a couple days but when the moment actually comes, I don't want anything to do with it. Haha. Crazy hormones.
Justin and I stocked up on some ice cream we both like. Lately, we have been going out to get ice cream maybe once or twice a week, but at least this way we will be spending our money a little better by eating at home. I love cookie dough ice cream with Hershey's chocolate syrup. I even added some crushed up Keebler Striped Fudge cookies. Yummy!

Sleep & Dreams:

Sleeping on my side is getting easier. This belly is just getting so big.
Had some super weird dreams this week but can't seem to remember them all. I feel like it's been awhile since I've had some weird ones.

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Seeing Eren on ultrasound and chatting with my sister about how he might possibly look like us instead of another Justin clone. I'll probably have my hopes up this entire time that he's going to look like me, then when he's born, he's totally still going to look like Justin and Calvin lol.
I actually told Justin this past weekend that I thought Calvin was looking to have a little more of me in him as he's grown up. I think he has my chin. I always joke with Justin that we're going to have the best looking kids in town. We live in a pretty small town, but that does not detract from my statement! Haha.

Random Thoughts:

Been wearing more makeup this week. I got a few new products and have been excited to try them out each day. It's nice to get back into that sometimes. We've been really good at budgeting and not spending money on random stuff this year, but it's nice to just treat yourself sometimes. 

I looked back on my 4 weeks pregnant post and remembered how bad I felt in the beginning for removing Calvin from his only child position. I felt so guilty, like I was ruining his whole world. But I am so glad I don't feel that way anymore. I cannot wait to see these brothers interact. I hope they grow up to be just as close as me and my sister are. I hope they learn to forgive each other and always have each others' backs and are the best of friends. I am so happy they are both of the same sex and they get to be so close in age. I really just can't wait to see them grow together. 

Love,
Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

23 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Dec. 5, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

that boy looks too grown up here! 

Bump:
How big is this bump going to be in a month, or in four months for that matter?! I feel like it's already absolutely huge.
Also, why does it feel like Eren is trying to tear out my cervix? 

Energy:
Calvin's been sick, got everyone else sick too, so energy has been crappy all around.

Physical Symptoms:

My hips/low back hurt pretty much every evening.
Some shirts feel like they are so tight they are suffocating the bump!
Restless legs for a couple weeks now in the evenings mostly. It's not super terrible yet, but definitely there.

Food:
No big cravings. Watching myself and counting calories, making up for the terrible Thanksgiving week, but it doesn't seem to be helping because I'm up another two pounds this week. That brings us to a total of 23 pounds in 23 weeks. Now if I could end up at a total of 40 pounds for 40 weeks in the end, that would be totally cool, but I know from my first pregnancy, at some point here soon, I'm bound to start gaining a steady two pounds per week and that's not going to lead me to only 40 pounds at this point! I guess all I can say is I tried. :)

Sleep & Dreams:

Learning to sleep on my side better. I did it with Calvin, I can do it again.

Favorite Moments of the Week:
I know it isn't pregnancy related, but this made me super happy. Calvin went poo on the potty! He came over to me, said "poo poo," so I put him on the potty and he went! Ah! Pretty exciting.

Random Thoughts:

These updates seem to be getting shorter each week lol. 

I can't wait to see Justin and our two little boys together. 

I can't wait to see what Eren looks like. I keep envisioning him looking totally different from Calvin.

Love,
Alaina & Baby Brother Eren

22 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending Nov. 28, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

MFM Doctor Appointment:
Calvin came along this time, and although he did super awesome at the last ultrasound, he was not having it this time around. Therefore, the ultrasound tech worked as quick as she could and we didn't get to just stare at baby brother and marvel in his cuteness like we sometimes do. Haha. Since Calvin wasn't having a good time, I totally forgot to ask how my cervix was measuring, but I did get a glimpse at the screen as she was taking the measurement and it looked to be over 3.5 cm, which is good. Everything else seemed to check out fine.

Bump:
Should I get a support belt?
Should I buy more pants?
Why are these pants already driving me insane?
But in other news, Eren feels like he's already newborn size. He is so strong. There are times he kicks where it literally scares me because he's only supposed to be this tiny little one pound baby and yet he can really pack a punch. It seems as if he went from just fluttering around in there to trying to claw his way out in a matter of days. Some days it totally feels like he's trying to dig through my cervix. I remember Calvin would always be up in my rib cage with his little feet and I thought that was bad, but holy crap, stabbing my cervix is way worse. Haha. 

Energy:
Calvin tires me out man. But I will say, it's great motivation to try and not gain a million pounds. I can't imagine what chasing two of these boys is going to be like!

Physical Symptoms:

Hips ache, back hurts some days, heartburn, all the fun pregnancy stuff.

Food:
This was Thanksgiving week. Let's just say the whole counting calories thing was totally thrown out the window and the scale showed it!

Sleep & Dreams:

Weird dreams are still occurring.

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Calvin had so much fun at his great grandpa's in the country this Thanksgiving. He loves it down there. Being outdoors is the best thing for that kid. He hadn't napped all day but was still a joyous little boy. If we had been couped up inside under those circumstances, there would definitely have been a meltdown.
Calvin woke up early on Tuesday this week, so we laid in bed together for a couple minutes. It's the only time this guy will cuddle with me, when he's super tired. He is usually constantly on the go. It was nice to just lay with him, knowing we won't have many moments just the two of us like that in a few months time.

Random Thoughts:

Seriously, how am I going to be able to keep up with two crazy little boys?!

Love,
Alaina & Baby Brother Eren