Round 2: 7 weeks

How far along: 7 weeks

Baby Size:  Blueberry

Weight:  118.6

Symptoms:   Nausea, 

Maternity Clothes: No

Sleep:  Up every single hour once I finally do fall asleep.  So maybe 4 hours a night.

Cravings/Food Aversions:  I have times where nothing at all sounds good, but I eat anyway because I need to.

Belly Button:  In

Rings on or off: On

Gender:   I'm still thinking boy

Name:   Boy name yes, girl name nothing

Movement: No

Stretch Marks: I have so many left from Eleanor

Best moment: Seeing one baby and it's beating little heart at the ultrasound.

Looking forward to:  Telling more people

Nervous about:  Eleanor weaning.  I'm trying to do it so I can have a little break before the next baby but she's not ready to.

What I miss:  Wine- especially on a day like today.


Labor signs:  No

Appointments:   July 10

Misc.  I had the ultrasound picture on the clipboard in the bedroom and Eleanor saw it and said 'baby'.  I showed it to Eleanor when we first got it and I was blown away when she said that.  I also wanted to melt and squeeze Eleanor because it was so precious. 

Round 2: 6 weeks

How far along: 6 weeks

Baby Size:  Sweet pea

Weight:  118

Symptoms:   nausea, cramping, tiredness, my nipples are sore- I wonder if that's because of the nursing because that's when I notice it the most, and bloating

Maternity Clothes:  No, but I have been doing the hair tie trick with my pants, and I am going to need some more sleeping shorts I think

Sleep:  It's terrible already.

Cravings/Food Aversions:  No real cravings or aversions but nothing really sounds good at this point so I've been trying to eat fruit since it's lighter food and cheese for the calcium.

Belly Button:  in

Rings on or off: on

Gender:  boy

Name:  Girl name no, boy name yes

Movement: None

Stretch Marks: I already have a ton from Eleanor

Best moment: Rob downloaded a baby app and I thought it was so cute. 

Looking forward to:  Ultrasound on Friday

Nervous about:  Ultrasound Friday, 

What I miss:  There have been a few rough days where I would have ended the evening with wine or a margarita if I could.


Labor signs: Nothing yet.  Hopefully not for a long long time. 

Appointments:  Ultrasound Friday

Misc. 

Round 2: 5 weeks

How far along: 5 weeks

Baby Size:  Sesame Seed

Weight:  188.8  So I'm up from 117.2 the day after I found out.

Symptoms:   nausea, cramping, tiredness

Maternity Clothes: nope, and I'm probably going to need some.  Most of my I'm so huge nothing fits are warm weather stuff.

Sleep:  It's terrible.  Between Eleanor's wakeups and the restless legs which are already kicking in and 2 different kids sleeping on different schedules I'm tired.

Cravings/Food Aversions:  Nothing yet

Belly Button:  in

Rings on or off: on

Gender:  girl

Name:  Girl name no, boy name yes

Movement: None

Stretch Marks: I already have a ton from Eleanor

Best moment: I told my sister today.  That was fun!

Looking forward to:  Ultrasound next week and telling more people

Nervous about:  Next weeks appointment

What I miss:  Wine.  I've had a few rough days with the girls and I was in the need for something but nope.


Labor signs: Nothing yet.  Hopefully not for a long long time. 

Appointments:  Ultrasound next Friday

Misc. 

Round 2: 4 weeks

How far along: 4 weeks

Baby Size: A teeny tiny poppy seed

Weight:  117.4 (As of the day after I found out)

Symptoms:   Nausea, Cramping

Maternity Clothes: Nope

Sleep:  Last night I was hit with a sudden wave of exhaustion and couldn't even stand.

Cravings/Food Aversions:  Nothing yet

Belly Button: In

Rings on or off: On

Gender:  Unknown.  I say girl

Name:  We have our boy name from when I was pregnant with Eleanor, but no clue at all for a girl

Movement: Waaay to early.  I felt Eleanor at 18 weeks so I've got a while to go

Stretch Marks: I have a ton left over from Eleanor

Best moment: Finding out!  I tested at 10dpo.  I knew it was early, but I've had positives at this point so I just decided to test on a cheapie test.  I tested, and hopped in the shower.  When I got out I looked at the test and saw that second line.   My first thought was that I maybe read it after the time frame (I probably did) or that it was expired but it wasn't.  I didn't say to Rob, but left to run some errands.  While I was out I picked up some more tests and a big sister book.  I got home, tested and then when that turned positive I gave the book to Eleanor, and told Rob she wanted him to read her a story.  

Looking forward to:   Seeing baby, hearing the heartbeat. 

Nervous about:  Everything.  Even though I've had a healthy full term pregnancy, having two early losses makes me a nervous Nelly.   Eleanor is still nursing-and she is not going to give it up easily, but I want to have a break before this baby. 

What I miss:  Nothing yet.


Labor signs: Nope.

Appointments:  None yet, waiting on betas

Misc.   4 weeks with Eleanor  Beta 1: Progesterone 38, HCG 237 (with Eleanor it was drawn the same day in the pregnancy and was 13.7 & 32 so these numbers are great)

Incredibundles Review & Giveaway!

I received product in exchange for my review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Recently I was contacted by Amy to see if I wanted to work together on a review.  I've seen Incredibundles featured by bloggers I follow before and think it's a great way to shop for a new baby.  

And since I have a new baby coming next year, I thought it would be fun to get him/her something special.  

I spent a lot of time perusing the site for what I wanted to pick.   

I liked this Learn & Grow bundle,  

this Sleep Bundle,

and this would put Eleanor over the moon (she's developed a love of Elmo)

You can also create your own bundle  which I debated but ultimately decided on this bundle pictured below.
(Baby's 1st Books - Standard).


I opted for this because we love to read books in this house and we had none of these books yet.

I ordered it on a Saturday night and had it by Wednesday morning so shipping was pretty quick.

Although Eleanor is pretty good with her books (aside from the few times she got crayon happy) I'd kind of planned on keeping these for the new baby.  I should have known that wasn't going to happen...

Not only are the books adorable, but the box they arrived in is reusable and perfect for storing them, or other kid essentials in.  We have books all over the house: in her room, our room, the spare room, the living room, the basement, and the car and I will probably use the box to store them and some other small toys and essentials  in the car (because my car get's messy with one kid already, two and it will be a disaster)

The books have been a hit.  The day after we got them I came out of the shower to find this.  I melted and then of course took pictures.

And because I'm sure you will love the convenience and selection as much as I did, Incredibundles has offered one reader a $50 gift certificate of their own to try them out.

  

Enter on the rafflecopter below to win it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Round 2: 13 weeks

In case you missed the announcement on facebook or instagram baby number 2 is coming next year!

How far along:  13 weeks

Baby Size:  A scoop of ice cream or a peach


Weight:  119.4  (I'm up between 2 and 4 pounds depending on when I weigh myself.

Symptoms:    Still nauseous at times, although it's better.  Sleep is waking up every single hour and using the bathroom 10 times before falling asleep.   

Maternity Clothes:  I pulled out some of my summer stuff.  Not because I really 'need' it but my non maternity shorts are getting snug and I don't want to buy more.

Sleep:  Up every hour at night.  This is an improvement from waking up every half an hour though.

Cravings/Food Aversions:  Meat generally is a no go (especially chicken).  Having issues with dairy.

Belly Button:  In

Rings on or off: On, but I usually don't wear them since I'm mostly home.

Gender:  I had a dream the other night that it was a girl.  When I picture this baby I see a girl, but sometimes I have boy vibes.

Name:  We are stuck on a girl name.  There is one we kind of agree on but it has a meaning that I don't love.  I don't necessarily care about meanings, but I don't want a daughter to have a bad meaning.

Movement: No and I didn't feel Eleanor until 18 weeks so I don't expect anything for a few months. 

Stretch Marks: Yes, but nothing that wasn't already there

Best moment:  This was a good week!  I had the NT scan on Friday and while they couldn't get the measurements they needed because the baby had it's chin down I got to see baby and it was bouncing all over.  I loved it!

Then I called my best fiend Friday to tell her and she was so excited.  She was one of the people I was most excited to tell.  

Monday night I shared on facebook so now it's official.  I shared this picture with the caption 'Just reading a bedtime story'

Looking forward to:  Feeling the baby move, nausea being gone

Nervous about: I'm nervous before every appointment paranoid that something will be wrong.  I'm nervous about having 2 kids and then going back to work and having 3 little ones under 3.

What I miss:  I was noticing last night that bending over is already uncomfortable


Labor signs:  Nope

Appointments:  Next Thursday (the 6th) is just a prenatal appointment, and September 11th is the anatomy scan.  

Misc.  Just excited to finally be public and not feel like I'm keeping a secret. 

Another weaning post

4 months ago I wrote a post about weaning Eleanor.  

We still are nursing although I have pretty much dropped the morning nursing session and that leaves us with two.  It still makes me feel guilty when she asks for milk and I say no, although usually I can distract her and she actually said 'No milk' when she got up a few days ago.   Today though I almost gave in after having had 4 hours of sleep and just wanting to sit for a minute but I knew I couldn't give in.

I've been nursing her for 20 months.

I've never been away from her for more than ten hours, and that was only a few times when Rob had surgery.  I'm starting to feel this itch to have my body back and have a little more freedom.  

Of course I feel a huge sense of guilt and sadness over it.  Guilt because she loves her milka milka milka. :)

Sadness because I'm going to miss those snuggles so much (getting weepy thinking about it already)

I will especially miss it at night when she curls up in my arms and snuggles in.  I melt.   I know she can go to sleep for other people.  My dad was an expert at getting her down for nap when he would watch her when Rob was sick.  I think Rob could probably do it, but he hasn't yet.  So really being the only one who can put her down get's old.  Yet, knowing I can do something that no one else can do is kind of empowering.  

Although I had hoped to make it until Eleanor turned two, I just don't know if I can.  I think that's okay.  I gave her the best I could. 

I think one of the hardest and guilt inducing parts is that in a perfect world she would wean herself, but she's not so I'm sort of forcing it.  I shouldn't because I should let her decide when she's ready, but nursing has to be mutual and it's getting to be one sided. 

We aren't weaned yet though.  I still have to figure out how to drop the nap time nursing session next and then eventually the nighttime one (obviously that will be the hardest one), but I'm on the path to it.

First Response Pregnancy Test #IC #ad

I participated in a Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for First Response. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

When I suspected I was pregnant with Eleanor I tested using a First Response Early Result Test.  They were kind of gold standard on the message board I was on and are often referred to as FRER's  

My tests from Eleanor (Jan. 2013)

When I thought I was pregnant I tested as soon as I thought I could.  The top test in the picture above is 10 dpo, so well before my missed period.


Rob & I are hoping to expand our family in the nearish future (now that he's finally feeling better), and so when I was given the opportunity to review a new design from First Response, it was such a perfect fit.

I'm guilty of having peed on my hand trying to test in the past.  The new design of this stick should help eliminate that moment.  The handle is longer, the curved design makes it easier to hold and it has a  50% wider tip.    These may not seem like big deals, but they really will make it easier to test with. 

No matter how faint the line is, a line is a line when your trying to get pregnant. The second line means that there is urinary hcg (human chorionic gonadotropin), which is the pregnancy hormone, detected. 

This test can detect the hcg up to 6 days sooner, and if you test the day of your missed period the test is 99% accurate, and the results can be read in just 3 minutes.  I may be guilty of watching the test just wiling that second line to show up so 3 minutes is no time at all really, but still feels like a lifetime when your hopeful.   

The tests are good no matter when you take it (sometimes women are advised to use first morning urine) and are FDA approved.  You can buy them at drugstores, grocery stores and mass retailers for between $8.99-$15.99

For more information check out the First Response site here

Coming to an end ~ Rob's getting surgery!

After 7 1/2 rough months, Rob's final surgery is going to be tomorrow

This has been such a long journey-for both of us.  I know that it's been extremely frustrating and exhausting and painful for Rob, and at times I haven't been the most supportive. I've tried to be, but have had my burnout moments.

I've been frustrated, exhausted and drained as well.   It's really hard to function when you have to be 'on' all the time.  A break to me is running to the grocery store for milk alone.  That's a whole 20 minutes of freedom.  Rob's been better about helping but it's still nothing I can rely on.

We've fought a lot lately.  I hate it, and I know it's just a result of circumstances.  The fights are because I'm without free time and overwhelmed.   I feel so isolated without friends.  When I see all my friends doing all these fun things and I am sitting home I hate it. I hate feeling left out and jealous.

It's been stressful trying to balance everything, and more often than not I fail.

I'm stressed about money because bills are adding up to insane amounts already, and surgery 3 hasn't even happened.  I know things will work out and we will survive.  We have been blessed with so much generosity and things will be alright.

So some good prayers and vibes that this surgery will be exactly what he needs to finally get better.

18/19 Month Current Favorites & Obsessions

These are some of Eleanor's current favorites/obsessions.  Some are tangible things, but all make my little girl happy!

1) Little Blue Truck:

She loves this book.  We read it almost every day.

2) Bubbles:  I really need to get a bubble machine.  I get sick of blowing them and have to hid them or I hear "bubble bubble" all day.

3) Mother Goose Club on youtube.  I've been using this to stop tantrums more than I should, but she loves them.



















4) Dolls:  She has three now and loves them all.

.