4 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #2

Week ending July 25, 2017.
Due Date: April 3, 2018

To baby #2:

Little tiny baby who lives in my belly, I am so excited to meet you! You are only just the size of a teeny tiny poppy seed but I can't wait to see you! I hope you look like Mommy, because your brother looks just like Dad.

I pray you are growing so perfectly in there.

please, i am so sorry for the dirty mirror, forgive me!

___________________

I took my first pregnancy test this cycle on Friday 7-21-17. I could not believe my eyes when I returned to the bathroom to see it was positive! I was totally not expecting it!

Justin and I started trying in May and we went through two cycles with no luck.

I know that's nothing compared to so many women out there and it only just gave me a tiny glimpse at the heartache they must experience month after month.

_____________________

I seriously can't believe I'm back here typing up these updates once again! It feels like just yesterday I was this totally naive mommy-to-be! Haha. 

Bump:

Bloated. I'm interested to see how quickly this bump shows up since everyone says it shows faster after the first go-around.

Maternity Clothes:
No way! Not yet!
But I can't wait to wear them again. I have already been browsing online. I don't need more, but it makes me excited just to think about styling the future bump!

Emotions:
I've been surprisingly good. Had zero crazy meltdowns. Unlike at this point when I was pregnant with Calvin. I had two before I even got my first positive with him. :)

Food:
"I will not gain 7 pounds in the first trimester, I will not gain 7 pounds in the first trimester, I will not gain 7 pounds in the first trimester!"

Sleep & Dreams:

Been having more vivid and numerous dreams since a couple days before my positive test. Dreamt about cigarettes once. I dreamt about drinking and smoking when I was pregnant with Calvin like all the time haha.

Energy:
Actually pretty good so far.

Physical Symptoms:
Slight light-headedness, but much less than I remember with Cal.
Some light cramping, but much less than I remember with Cal.

Favorite Moments of the Week:
Seeing the positive test and running downstairs to tell Justin before he left for work. And telling my sweet Calvin he was going to be a big brother!
Taking a family photo on the back porch and knowing we secretly had four people in the picture!

Baby Purchases:
Well I did buy some more Buttons diaper covers with the excuse that we'll have two in cloth come next spring haha.

What I Miss:
Not having to keep a secret. Ah!

Random Thoughts:
I already feel guilty for forcing Calvin out of his only child position.

Love,
Alaina & Tiny Baby #2

Our Big Announcement!

Calvin is going to be a big brother!!!

We are expecting baby #2 April 3,2018!

I can't believe I'm typing this again, it feels like just yesterday, but...

Love,

Alaina & Tiny Baby!

Our announcement video is here!

TWW Symptoms Baby #2

Here are my symptoms during the two week wait for Baby #2!

CD14
stomach ache overnight, very low intense abdominal cramps and soreness, spotting (one little spot), bloated, starving (never experienced that one before, I legit was absolutely starving to death for about two days, and I felt like I was getting sick, my stomach hurt so bad)
CD15 - O Day?*
sensitive nipples
CD16 - 1 DPO
dull low cramping like round ligament pains
CD17 / 2 DPO
CD18 / 3 DPO
some lightheadedness afternoon (I noticed in my previous cycle I had lightheadedness after ovulation too, so I can't call that a pregnancy sign)
CD19 / 4 DPO
CD20 / 5 DPO
increased cm pm
CD21 / 6 DPO
woke up feeling happy, had a dream about cigarettes (when I was pregnant with Cal I had dreams about drinking and smoking a lot haha)
CD22 / 7 DPO 
felt like I was getting a cold, short of breath
CD23 / 8 DPO 
lightheaded, abdominal twinges pm, hairline zit, loss of appetite
CD24 / 9 DPO Implantation Day?
had many dreams overnight, left side backache early am, left side abdominal twinges and ache am, another hairline zit (this is the day I convinced myself I was pregnant, also told Justin it was totally a boy)
CD25 / 10 DPO 
I got a positive test! A faint, but totally there positive and I was genuinely surprised by it!
I didn't plan on testing so early, but I just couldn't seem to help myself. It was my first test of this cycle, so I'm not sure how much earlier it could have showed up. It's just interesting to me that I also got my first positive with Calvin at 10 DPO, but it was much fainter than this one.
CD26 / 11 DPO 
bloating begins, minor nipple sensitivity and aching in sides of boobs
CD27 / 12 DPO 
slight fatigue 


*According to an app I use. I wasn't temping or using OPKs so I really don't know exactly when I ovulated.
Thank you so much for joining me in this new journey!

Love,
Alaina & Tiny Baby #2!!!

Adventures in Budgeting

I understand everyone's financial situation is unique. We are a family of three living in the St. Louis, MO area. This is just what we do and I thought the numbers might be helpful for someone out there.

I've never tried to stick to a real budget ever before in my life, but Justin and I have made it a goal this summer to do so. Starting in May, we've set out this general budget for our family each month. May was the first month and that was the only month we went over (-$23).

We started this with the intention to use it as practice for once I am a stay at home mom (still probably a couple years down the line), just to see if we could make it work. It has been our little experiment for the summer. We're unsure if it's going to become part of our everyday life or not.

Some stuff to note:

We did some concrete and yard work over the summer, but we did not include any of that in the budget. We considered that a one time cost and not an everyday thing.

We also don't include our mortgage, which is probably strange to most people. The mortgage is not just another bill to us. It is the primary payment we make. Everything extra goes toward it.

We have no other debt. No student loans, no credit card debt, no car payments, etc.

Here are our general categories, but we don't strictly stick to them, they're just a way for us to kind of monitor what's going on, more like guidelines.

$400 groceries
$250 gas
$130 power
$155 entertainment
$100 car insurance
$65 internet
$50 water
$50 gifts
$50 kid stuff

"Total survival budget": $1250

It just really goes to show you how much we were spending on totally unnecessary junk. Reading a lot of minimalism articles and tidbits on Pinterest has helped me change my outlook too. We are not minimalist, I totally don't ever think I could do it, but the concepts have really helped me in this time of change.

Since implementing the budget, I feel like we both think more about our purchases. I do not feel like we're missing out on life by sticking to this. We still get out and do things. For me personally, I ask myself if something is truly necessary before buying. I still treat myself every once in awhile, but I'm not heading to Target "just to walk around" when I'm bored anymore.

I hope this is helpful in some way. I hope it helps to see actual numbers, even though it's different for every family and location.

Love,
Alaina