35 weeks down, 5 to go!

how far along: 35 weeks

weight gained: 19 lbs

maternity clothes: i am so tired of my maternity clothes! i am ready to wear my regular clothes again. guess i have several weeks before that will happen. and ughhh... how i hate those first 2 weeks after delivery when you aren't pregnant but still look it! that is torture and everything fits horribly and uncomfortably. that stage is the worst.

stretch marks: it must be a miracle! i still don't have any. please stay that way! thank you mustela.

belly button in: it is totally an outie now. feels funny, pokes out through my shirts, and makes sweet cheeks laugh when she sees it.

baby movement: i am kicked in the ribs and side nonstop. it is crazy just how painful it can actually be. i know she is small in there but apparently she likes to stretch out as much as she can. it is funny feeling small, round things poking out and wondering just what part of her body it is! pretty sure she still does flips in there. i am hoping though since i feel the kicking in the ribs that it means she is at least head down.

cravings: not really. i just eat small meals more frequently. i get full quickly.

next appt: monday, april 4th. i will have the group b strep test at that time.

update from last appt: i met with my favorite doctor and explained to him my nervousness over both a vbac and repeat c-section. the truth is i am scared to death of both! i feel like it is a no-win situation but she has to get out of me somehow. thankfully he listened to me, explained my options thoroughly, and told me in the end it was our decision. i just wish he would have decided for me. he did make me feel a lot better about the vbac, saying i am definitely a good candidate for it. that eased my fears a bit. so that is still the plan. we will push on for the vbac with hopes of a much better recovery with this girl than we had with sweet cheeks. of course, i realize everything can change in a minute and i will do whatever is safest for her. fingers crossed and prayers please that we have a successful vbac!

symptoms: i am actually feeling pretty good for the most part. the reflux hasn't been near as bad. that may be because i am doing smaller meals now. the only complaint really is the huge, ugly, swollen feet and ankles that i endure daily. seriously, they are UGLY and shoes only accentuate it. it is weird that it is mainly my left foot, a lot more so than the right. maybe i walk funny and never realized how much i lean on the left foot. hopefully someone would have told me by now that i walk funny if that was the case! i am doing much better drinking water hoping that will help the swelling but it really doesn't seem to make a difference. i am surprised that it is actually kind of painful by the end of the day and hurts to walk on them. i figure if this is my worst complaint, i am still doing pretty good.

nursery: it is looking so good now! i love it already. we have some shelves hung, crib mattress in the crib, rocker with cushions, lighting, and clothing washed. the only things remaining are hanging of frames, purchase of a decorative pillow for the rocker, and a changing pad for the dresser. once the husband and i get those things done, i will be ready to share pictures with you. hopefully we'll finish that up this weekend.

gear: i did get a little bouncy seat from work for her. it will be nice so now i have two... one for upstairs and one for downstairs. makes that a bit easier i think.

me at 35 weeks

31 weeks...

how far along: 31 weeks

weight gained: 18 lbs (this time around with sweet cheeks i had gained 19 lbs, funny how close the two pregnancies are)

maternity clothes: yup and those are even starting to feel small. my belly is quite round and my shirts feel like they are barely covering it.

stretch marks: yippy! NO!!!


belly button in: nope. i have 100% lost my belly button. can't find it anywhere.


baby movement: definitely. i feel her all the time. she is quite the gymnast. it often feels like either her elbow or her heel is coming out of my side. kind of strange feeling. the husband got to feel it the other night too. makes me wonder what position she is in.

cravings: yoohoo and chocolate eclair ice cream bars. yummy! explains the 18 lbs i guess.

aversions: still the same restaurant... just the smell of it.

next appt: monday, mar 7th

update from last appt: the doc i saw isn't my fav. she made me feel rushed. i had my gestational diabetes test and my antibody test, both of which came back fine. this doctor went ahead and scheduled my c-section for april 25th. i am hoping to avoid a c-section all together. i am going to ask my (favorite) doctor at this coming appt if they will at least push the c-section date off until may 2nd, as i'd prefer it after my due date to give me the chance to go into labor naturally. we'll see what he says.

symptoms: currently i have a cold. blah. sleeping is still sporadic due to leg/foot cramps. and reflux... oh my gosh... the reflux!!! it is so horrible. i avoid bending over at all costs because of it.

nursery: it looks so beautiful. i already shared a pic of the new paint, which is gray on 3 walls and gray/white stripes on one wall. the nursery now has a crib, dresser(need to go get these knobs for it though from anthro), and table in it. i need to get a mattress for the crib. holy cow are there a lot to choose from. i feel overwhelmed every time i start researching the topic.

gear: i got an ergo baby sport carrier in blue. not the color i probably would have chosen, but babysteals.com had it one day for a great price so i had to take it. i have heard lots of good things about these carriers, so i hope baby girl and i both like it.


and finally my belly shots




big and round... i'm talking about my belly here!

27 weeks down, 13 to go

how far along: 27.5 weeks


weight gained: 11 lbs (oddly enough, the exact same amount i had gained with sweet cheeks at 27 weeks)


maternity clothes: yes and no. i have discovered that my non-maternity tunics work great with a belt over my belly. gives me a little variety with my clothes at least.


stretch marks: so far, NO! yippy. maybe my mustela does the trick.

belly button in: it's so on the verge of being out. so close. sweet cheek's thinks it is a funny sight to see


baby movement: wow does she poke and move. mostly poke. i often feel what i think is a foot or a hand poking me. of course as soon as i touch it, she moves. she also feels like she does flips in there. i will feel her totally all the way across from one side of my belly to the other. i think she is quite long already. she moves a lot though... morning, noon, and night! wonder if this is any indication to how she'll be outside my belly.


cravings: sticky rice is a favorite lately. not much else.

aversions: a local restaurant i used to get lunch from quite a bit but not now. suddenly just the smell of the restaurant bothers me.


next appt: feb 18th

update from last appt: no more placenta previa or blood clot. i am so excited about this. so for now, i am released from the perinatal doctor and go only to my regular ob. and if all goes well, i hope to be back on track for a vbac. fingers crossed! but of course i have learned in life that the best laid plans never really happen.


symptoms: oh. my. gosh. the charlie horses are killing me at night. they are a torturous way to be woken from sleep. i also could not count on both hands the amount of trips taken to the bathroom in one day. i really think she dances on my bladder and tries to get me to pee my pants. already a funny girl, right.

nursery: the husband, sweet cheeks, and i have all been working as a team to get the room emptied. we are quite close. my goal is to have the painter out next week. we'll see if we make it.

gear: a girl i work with had a sample of a skip hop via messenger. so yippy us, it's now ours. love the color and size of it. plus, i think it works for both the husband and me. isn't it cute.

sweet cheeks and i also cashed in on the babies r us great trade in event. we took in an old car seat and used the 25% off coupon on a new graco snugride 35 infant car seat in racer. so little by little, we are getting all the baby essentials needed.

me and my ever growing belly



belly close up!

23 weeks

how far along: 23 weeks, 2 days


weight gained: 6 lbs


maternity clothes: yup, all the time! i love my gap maternity jeans and cords.


stretch marks: no! i did start using my mustela 9 month maternity cream. hope it works at preventing this time around too.


belly button in: yes


baby movement: i feel her. the husband can feel her. sweet cheeks can feel her. all the time. she is a tumbler, especially at night. it is the most amazing feeling in the world and just impossible to describe.


cravings: sadly yes... mcdonalds sausage, egg, and cheese mcmuffin. also, blueberry mini wheats.


aversions: still none


next appt: mlk day- we get to have an ultrasound to check the moderate placenta previa i have. sweet cheeks will get to go. hope she is as amazed at seeing her sister as i am imaging her to be.



symptoms: trouble sleeping, sciatic nerve pain, and daily reflux issues. it is ridiculous how hard bending over has become.


me at 23 weeks. the belly has grown lots since 18 weeks!

18 weeks

how far along: 18 weeks, 3 days

weight gained: 3 lbs

maternity clothes: a bit. some shirts and 1 pair of gap semi panel jeans. love them! so comfy. also no, still wearing lots of my own shirts and pants (with a belly band of course)

stretch marks: nope. not at all. never got them with sweet cheeks either. hope it stays that way! need to buy myself some mustela.

belly button in: way in!

baby movement: i don't think so. every so often i stop and think, "hey, was that it? did i feel her move?" then that is it. the moments gone. so no real movement yet but i absolutely can't wait.

cravings: queso tonight since we ate at moe's and i couldn't have it. darn you soft cheese!

aversions: no

my first belly shot! can you see it?
i think i feel bigger than i look.