29 Weeks

Only 11 more weeks to go!  Yikes.  It sounds a little scary when I put it that way.  (Maybe I'll just stick to saying 29 weeks.)

Here I am.  

As you can tell, baby is growing.  Although, I am somewhat proud to say that I actually measured a little (ok, a tiny) bit smaller than the 28 that I was supposed to, (I don't think that I have ever measured small) but nothing to be concerned about.

Baby girl continues to be doing great.  If I remember correctly, I think her heart rate was 138 at the last appointment (which seems to be typical for her).  She has quite a bit slower heart rate compared to Alayna and her temperament also seems to be more mellow (minus the fact that every doctor that has listened to her comments on how much of a mover she is, but let's disregard that for now).  Let's take her calm temperament as a sign that maybe she will be an easier baby than Alayna.  (Fingers crossed.)  As most of my family recalls, Alayna was NOT the easiest baby.  In fact, she was quite hard.  So, here's to hoping that this baby's calm temperament continues on.  (Although, I am comforted in the fact that I survived a HARD baby once.  I can do it again.)

I still feel really good.  In fact, when people ask me how I am doing, I kind of feel silly because I don't have much to report.  I always just say I am feelin' good.  I have the typical aches and pains here and there, but nothing to really complain about.  I am starting to notice I am a bit more uncomfortable at times, but who wouldn't with a belly my size. :) 

Layna felt the baby kick for the first time tonight and to be honest, I think it freaked her out a little.  But once we explained to her that was how the baby was saying hi to her, she was pretty excited.   We talked about how the baby is going to live with us at our house and we asked her if she was excited about that.  She enthusiastically said, "Yes!"  (Guess we'll see how she really does when the time comes.)

As for names, we are getting somewhat closer.  And by that I mean we have 3 possibilities, but we still are looking.  Rest assured, we are working as hard as we can to make sure this little girl's name isn't "baby" or "Grantalina" as my Dad calls her (considering his name is Grant after all).

Layna didn't want to be left out of the picture taking, so here we are.

Be on the lookout for upcoming crafting posts.  I am getting in the crafting mood. 

Craft #1.  Baby quilt.

24 weeks

I figured it was about time for a pregnancy update. 

Here I am at 24 weeks. 

A front view of the belly.  (It's hard to see, but the sticker says 24 weeks.) 

As you can tell, I am rounding out quite nicely.  And based on the five pounds that I gained at my monthly check up...I think it's safe to say that baby girl is growing!  Luckily, I hadn't gained much the rest of the pregnancy.  But this is the first time I have been pregnant during the holidays, so I think I need to watch myself a little closer.  It's so nice to have an excuse to pig out on the sweets, but I probably don't need ice cream swimming in hot fudge every night....just every other night.  :)  Ok, ok.  I haven't really eaten that every night, but I have made hot fudge more over the last couple weeks, than I probably should have.  Normally I am more of a vanilla girl.  Give me a bowl of ice cream any day, but lately, I have really been craving chocolate....especially my Grammy's homemade chocolates. (My dad travelled to Utah this past week, and I told him I wouldn't be sad if he picked some up and mailed them to me. :) 

Enough about chocolate.  I have been feeling great so far.  Most of the time I forget I am even pregnant, until I feel a little poke or kick....which by the way, I am feeling quite often now, and I am LOVING it!  A couple weeks ago, the little stinker finally cooperated and kicked hard enough that Dan could feel her.  It seems she likes to be tricky and kick all she wants until Daddy wants to feel and then she becomes shy.  But she's coming out of her shell. 

Alayna is very aware that there is a baby in mommy's tummy, she knows where the baby's room is, and she knows it's a girl, but beyond that, I don't think she gets much else.  But, hey, she is 3 after all. 

The name.  Oh, the name.  Our list is in better shape, but nowhere near where it needs to be.  We just are having a hard time.  Thank goodness we have some time.  When asked, Alayna has told us a couple different names for the baby.  Recently, she thinks we should name her Brinley.  Based on the fact that her 6 month old cousin named Brinley just visited us a couple weeks ago.  And when we ask her if it would be confusing to have two Brinley's, she doesn't seem to think so. 

Well, that's all that I can think of.....until the next update.

If you care to compare.  Here's a link to my 23 week pregnancy picture with Alayna.

So much for my mother's intuition

And here is where I am admitting I was wrong.  Dead wrong. 

Remember how I mentioned earlier that Dan and I were thinking opposites when it came to the gender of our baby?

Well, we did indeed find out what we are having.  But let me explain a little before I reveal what our baby is.

First. I just knew Alayna was a girl.  I somehow knew long before I even was pregnant with her that I would have a girl first.  And Dan and I were on the same page when it came to her.  I will never forget what the ultrasound tech said to me when we were about ready to find out her gender.

"So what do you think you are having?  What is your Mother's intuition?" 
And I said, "Well, I don't know if I would call it Mother's intuition, but..." 
And then she jokingly said, "Well, we'll call it Mother's intuition if you are right....and an educated guess if you are wrong. " 
Once she confirmed that we were indeed right.  She said, "See, Mother's intuition."

Well, I have to admit, I prided myself on that little fact.  The fact I had Mother's intuition when it came to my baby.  So this time around I figured the same thing.

For the last little while I was just really feeling like I knew what we were having.  In fact, I was 99.9% sure.  But Dan seemed to think differently.  And being, that we could not persuade each other to change our mind, we decided to place a friendly bet where the winner won....... a foot rub.  I mean, go big or go home, right?  Well, a foot rub was sounding pretty fantastic to me.  Not to mention the winner had bragging rights and I was ready for those bragging rights of me and my Motherly intuition.

So the day came and all I could think about was how right I was and how wrong Dan was.  Seriously.  I was SURE I was right.

So when the tech asked if we wanted to find out and we assured her that we did, she mumbled (and I mean mumbled).

"It looks like it's a GIRL."

I had to immediately say, "GIRL? Did you say GIRL?!?" 

(Obviously, I was thinking that we were having a baby of the boy kind.)

She checked again and said, "OH YEAH.  It's a GIRL!"  As she proceeded to show us.  I then turned to Dan and exclaimed, "Well, you were right!"

I think I was in shock the rest of the day.  I mean, I REALLY thought it was a boy.  The heart rate was lower, I was less sick, our boys name list is pretty well set, and I just really was thinking it was a boy for some reason.  (I even had a blog post title ready for announcing the gender--Now that's pretty certain.)

But Dan was right.  (He later told me he was ready for me to win the bet.  Not because he thought it was a boy, but because I just seemed so certain.)  He won the foot rub, which I have yet to give, and the bragging rights.  But because he is a better person than me, he hasn't even given me a hard time about it.  Not once.  Bless his heart.

And now I need to say that we are THRILLED!  Girl or boy it doesn't matter.  I know it may seem like I was hoping for a boy, but really we both were routing for a healthy baby.  And she looks perfect. 

We are both so stinkin' excited for Alayna to have a little sister.  And Dan is beside himself with joy knowing that he gets another Daddy's little girl.  And he loves the fact that we are already equipped for another girl.

So, there you have it.  A GIRL!  

You can imagine my thoughts lately have been about names, bows, frilly dresses, pink, babies, and attitude.  Because you know there's going to be lots of that in years to come.  :)

*And wish us luck in the naming category because our girls name list is in SAD shape.*

19 weeks

So, some of you have been dying for a belly picture.  (Read: My family has been bugging me for some pictures.)

And here they are.  My 19 week belly pics.  There are two, since I didn't quite realize I wasn't standing all the way to the side.  (I think subconsciously I didn't want you to really know how big I am yet.)

 The full blown side view.  *Gasp*

I am fully aware that I am just one of those women who's body simply cannot. hide. the. baby.  I don't know why my body chooses to be all out in front, but it does.  I am already getting comments daily about my belly and people are shocked to find out that I am not even quite half way.  Just today, A lady at the temple asked when my due date was and I think her eyes were about ready to pop out of her head when I told her.  :)

All well.  All I can do is laugh.  We are so thrilled to be welcoming another little one into our family, that it just doesn't seem to matter.

One more present

Alayna got one more present, I thought you might like to see.

That's right. A BABY!

Alayna's going to be a big sister.

And this is how she feels about it.  :)

We are THRILLED as well!

A few more details:

I am due April 6th, which means I am 17 weeks.

I am feeling good....especially now that I am in the second trimester.  Although, I can't complain too much since I wasn't near as sick as I was with Alayna.  I did have some daily nausea, but nothing that made me run to the bathroom.  There were a few close calls, but I can proudly say that there was NO throwing up in my first trimester.  Dan considers that quite the feat since it was quite the opposite when I was pregnant with Alayna. Mainly I was drained of energy, had a serious lack of motivation to do anything (My poor house suffered during that first trimester), and I was extremely tired. 

Now, I can tell a huge difference and I am really starting to feel like myself again.  Myself with a tummy anyway.  Boy, when they said you start showing sooner with your second, they are NOT kidding.  I think I have been trying to hide my belly since week 6.  You think I am exaggerating, but I am not. Anyone who lives here in Safford will vouch that I am telling the truth.  I actually had someone ask me if I was expecting when I was 5 weeks along.  But I am considering that a fluke and I was not actually showing.  I mean, really?!?  

I shutter to think how big I will be at the end of this pregnancy if I am this big now, but I am enjoying it.  Pregnancy is the only time you can have a belly and get away with it.  Right?

Alayna went with us to one of the ultrasounds to find out our actual due date.  (There was a discrepancy between what my official due date was so we had an ultrasound done.)  Now, every once in a while she will ask if we can see the "baby on the computer" again.  And, this week I was telling her she has a doctor's appointment (her 3 year check-up) and without skipping a beat, she said, "Yeah, I do, so I can see the baby in my tummy."  I quickly told her that there is no baby in her tummy, only a baby in my tummy.  And based on the lovin' she gave the baby we babysat yesterday, I don't think this baby will have a moment alone with her around.  She loves, I mean LOVES babies!

My relatives have all asked if we are going to find out the gender of this baby (since my sister hasn't found out for her last two babies) and my answer to that is...probably.  We're not for sure yet, but I don't know that we could handle the suspense.  I like to think we could, but I think Dan is really wanting to know.  As for boy or girl?  I have an inkling, but I still go back and forth.  Basically because I think it's one and Dan thinks its the other.  But it's only two more weeks if we do find out.

Does that about answer all your questions? 

Now I have a request of all you ladies that have had babies within the last few years, where do/did you shop for your maternity clothes.  I am in need of a few things and I am coming up empty handed.  I am tall and somewhat slender (with a belly) and it seems to make shopping a bit harder.  Any tips would be much appreciated!