38 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

How far along?: 38 weeks pregnant

Total weight gain/measurements: 176lbs (+36.2 lbs), belly 46 inches around

Maternity clothes: Maternity and whatever I can squeeze my large self into xD

Stretch marks? Not sure if I got any new ones this week, but the small ones I got last week have darkened a little bit

Sleep: Eh. I've had a couple nights I've actually gotten fairly decent sleep, but for the most part 5 hours or less. I'm so thankful that Vince still naps, so I can take a snooze during the day! My mom has also been great about letting me go back to bed for a couple hours after she has gotten up on a few mornings, so I don't have to wait until Vince naps. 

Best moment this week: 
Miss anything? Sleep

Movement: Seems like she moves non-stop! I LOVE feeling her roll around, although I'll admit that it's becoming very uncomfortable! She is not a fan of me leaning forward at all - it almost feels like she will stick her feet right up against my ribs and push up really hard!
Food Cravings: Cereal

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None

Symptoms: LOADS of braxton hicks contractions, fatigue, extreme nesting syndrome and swollen feet

Belly button in or out? Out!

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy :)

Looking forward to: Vincent's 2nd birthday party on Sunday! :D

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Samantha's Nursery & Decor

Although technically, Samantha's nursery is also our bedroom/office, she has got her own little set up, which I felt was worth it's own post! ;) Plus, all the little decor projects have been SO much fun these past several months; I painted her four canvases, just like I did for Vincent, painted and hung up her letters and made a quilt, a couple of pillows and a taggie toy to go with the theme. I also put together four of the paper pom poms hanging from the ceiling. Everyone who attended our baby shower put their finger prints on the tree in the cream colored frame and Mike's cousin Alma made the beautiful diaper cake!  

Samantha has got the wall on my side of the bed for her bed (the same newborn napper in the pack n play that we used for Vincent), her dressers and the rocker that was in Vincent's room.

For the first several months, she will be sleeping in the newborn napper in the pack n play and I will use the pack n play's changing table for diaper changes, particularly at night. It worked great for Vincent and I'm hoping it will work well for Samantha! We are hoping that Vincent will be ready for a toddler bed by the time Samantha is ready for the crib, but we will just have to see! There's a bassinet underneath the napper and the changing table, which she can sleep in for a little while as well, after she's grown out of the napper. We've got the swing in front of our dresser at the moment; although it's not entirely ideal, it works for the time being. If she is anything like her brother was, it might be where she sleeps some nights!
I used my silhouette to cut out vinyl letters to label all her dresser drawers, just as I did with Vincent's. It definitely makes the plastic dressers more fun. :) They contain most everything she needs: newborn to 3-6M sized clothing, socks and shoes, hats, bibs, baby care items (lotions, brushes etc.), linens, blankets and extra diapers and wipes. 

The rest is kept in the pack n play storage: diapers, wipes, burp cloths, powder, rash cream, aquaphor and hand sanitizer, extra blankets, stuffed animals and swaddling blankets.

That's pretty much it! I am so excited to have just about everything checked off on the "to do before baby" list and beyond ready for this baby girl to make her appearance! :)

37 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

Just before our baby shower! It was such a crazy busy week, I didn't get a chance to take a chalkboard photo!

How far along?: 37 weeks pregnant

Total weight gain/measurements: 172.8lbs (+33 lbs), belly 45 inches around

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity, yoga pants and extra long tank tops! Only a handful of non-maternity shirts still fit and some of the maternity shirts have gotten too tight! 

Stretch marks? Got a couple more small ones this week

Sleep: Just about non-existent

Best moment this week: Our baby shower! It could not have been more perfect. It was absolutely beautiful and it was so lovely to get to spend some time with family! <3 We got some things we'd been needing for Samantha as well, which was a huge help.
Miss anything? Sleep

Movement: Lots of rolling around! There are also some times it feels like she is beating on my belly like a drum or running in place on the side of my belly haha! Oh and I can't believe I have yet to mention, that like her brother, this baby girl is SUPER hiccup-y! 3-5x per day is the norm. Poor baby!
Food Cravings: Cereal

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None, although the braxton hicks are becoming a lot more frequent, especially when I'm cleaning or chasing Vincent around. I had a few last night before dinner that were stronger than usual and I needed to stop doing what I was doing and wait for them to pass. I am thinking it might've been because I was hungry though, because it stopped after dinner!

Symptoms: Fatigue, lots of braxton hicks and acid reflux. Also an almost constant aching pain in the middle of my back and my abdominal muscles from the weight of baby. I explained it to Mike like this: imagine you've got a hiking backpack full of bricks strapped to your front and you can't set it down; you carry it with you everywhere, go to the bathroom and shower with it and sleep with it as well! That's seriously what it's like.

Belly button in or out? Out!

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy, but I've been very tired, which definitely causes moodiness.

Looking forward to: Thursday's birthplace tour at the hospital where I'll be delivering! I think becoming familiar with what the L&D ward looks like will help ease my nerves in that regard. By the time I was in labor with Vince, I'd already been to L&D 4 times, so I felt pretty comfortable once we'd arrived!

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
(Can I just say that marking one of those off ^^ every week is my favorite part of posting these blogs?! Hahaha!)

36 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

How far along?: 36 weeks pregnant - just one more month!

Total weight gain/measurements: 171.2lbs (+31.4 lbs), belly 45 inches around

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity, yoga pants and extra long tank tops!

Stretch marks? Still just the one I mentioned last week

Sleep: I still don't want to talk about it xD

Best moment this week: Checking more things off the to-do list! I cleaned the house top to bottom, finished making the treats for the L&D staff, decided on a theme for Vincent's 2nd birthday, made and printed his invitations and bought and made all of the decorations! I've been keeping super busy! It feels great to be on top of everything and definitely makes time go by faster. Also, we finally got an exercise ball, which I've been happily bouncing on! :D
Miss anything? Sleep

Movement: Lots of rolling around! There are also some times it feels like she is beating on my belly like a drum or running in place on the side of my belly haha! Oh and I can't believe I have yet to mention, that like her brother, this baby girl is SUPER hiccup-y! 3-5x per day is the norm. Poor baby!
Food Cravings: Pizza & cereal

Anything making you queasy or sick? I've had a couple bouts of nausea this week, but it wasn't caused by anything in particular that I can think of.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None

Symptoms: fatigue, lots of braxton hicks and the acid reflux has been a bit worse this week! I know I need to completely cut chocolate out of my diet for the remainder of pregnancy but...but...chocolate!! *SOB*
I've also been having issues with sharp pain smack in the middle of my back on either sides of my spine, that wraps around the top of my belly. It's a consistent pain, so it's definitely not labor or anything, but very uncomfortable! And it happens pretty randomly - I haven't noticed a pattern, so I'm not sure what is causing it. This happened during my pregnancy with Vince as well towards the end, so I'm wondering if it's pain caused by pressure or possibly gas? 

Belly button in or out? Out!

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy :D

Looking forward to: My mom arriving this weekend and our baby shower! :D

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

35 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

How far along?: 35 weeks pregnant

Total weight gain/measurements: 170.2lbs (+30.4 lbs....ooooy vey xD), belly 45 inches around

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity; although I'm even starting to grow out of some of my maternity clothes! :(

Stretch marks? Now I can tell for sure that one of my old stretch marks stretched further, because the top of it is red, whereas the old ones have faded, so TECHNICALLY I don't have any new ones lol

Sleep: I don't want to talk about it...hahaha

Best moment this week: This was a great week! Celebrating Mike's birthday, couponing with my sister in law and getting together with Mike's aunt and cousins to visit and plan my baby shower! :D Also, getting the rest of our W2s in the mail ;D HahaMiss anything? Sleeping on my stomach!  

Movement: Many. Much. Movement. I LOVE it! <3 :D
Food Cravings: cocoa pebbles, egg rolls and pizza...

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope! :)

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None

Symptoms: fatigue, braxton hicks and this week AWFUL abdominal muscle pain! I feel like she's trying to bust out right in between my abdominal muscles. I can tell that the diastasis recti is much worse this pregnancy, even though I've been trying to be extra careful! I know part of it is likely because of how many times per day I lift up Vince, but that's something that can't be avoided!

Belly button in or out? It's very much out! It's actually getting to the point where you can see it through my shirt now. I'm beginning to doubt it will even out with the rest of my belly like it did with Vince, like I thought it might!

Happy or moody most of the time: Very happy this week :)

Looking forward to: Our baby shower! Mike and I were not planning on having a shower this time around, so it was such a wonderful surprise when Mike's aunt and cousin told me they wanted to throw us one! I'm so excited to get to celebrate with everyone! :D

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

What's In My Hospital Bag? - Round 2!

It was SO much easier and quicker to pack my bag this time around!! After the experience with Vincent in the hospital, I got an idea of what things were necessary and which things weren't so necessary. It of course depends on your hospital as well and what they provide, so I highly recommend checking with them first. Luckily, a friend of mine delivered at the same hospital where I'll be delivering Samantha, so I was able to make a list and get everything I need into a single bag. I'll be able to gather a little more information during the tour, but with this baby being my second, I wanted to have the bag packed by 35 weeks! :)
I purchased this bag at Target several months back with the hospital stay in mind! Last time, I actually regretted packing several smaller bags, because it ended up just making more to keep track of and carry. 

For Samantha, the hospital will provide diapers, wipes, a hat and a booger sucker. So for her, I've packed her going home outfit (onesie, pants, bow, socks & shoes), two newborn sized onesies, one pair of pants, two pairs of socks, two pairs of scratch mittens, both a newborn and 0-3 month sized hat, a newborn sleeper and a pair of baby clippers (which I totally forgot to include in the photo lol!). It's not pictured, since it's not purchased yet, but I'll also be packing a SwaddlePod, which is basically knock-off Woombie. This hospital won't send us home with a receiving blanket, so I wanted to have this on hand. The minky blanket I made her was also a must, since it may be a little chilly and I'd like to cover her with it once she's strapped into her car seat. 

For myself, I packed two nursing tanks, a pair of comfy yoga pants, a pair of boxers, two pairs of socks, two pairs of mesh underwear (not sure if this hospital provides them), slipper socks, a hairbrush, straightener and a cosmetic bag. Then of course a box of thin mints, because...well I shouldn't have to explain why. ;D 

In my cosmetic bag, I've got mini shampoo, conditioner and body wash, two small hair care products, moisturizer, nursing pads, gum, hair ties and bobby pins. I've also got a small makeup bag. In it, I've got face wipes, deodorant, Q-tips, a toothbrush and toothpaste, dry shampoo, hand cream, lip balm, powder, concealer, blush, mascara, eyeliner and a couple of brushes. As I did last time, I won't actually add this to the bag until we're about to head that way. 

As far as extras go, I'll also be bringing my phone charger cable, iPod, earbuds, Samantha's binder for all of her paperwork (pictured above with the rest of her things), two copies of my birth plan, my DSLR, the Boppy pillow and a plush Tiger. The tiger will actually be for Vincent from Samantha; we figured that might be a nice gesture to Vincent when he meets her for the first time. :) I also got an idea from a couple of mommy friends to make little gifts for the nursing staff at the hospital, so I'll be bringing those as well once I have them finished! 

I'll be using some twine to tie these around peanut M&M baggies!

I'll go ahead and add a list of the things that I packed last time around and didn't end up needing:

- The birthing ball. I got to the hospital and immediately labored in the tub for a bit and was in transition pretty much straight after. I was too busy screaming to even think about the ball. Hahaha
- The baby medical kit, vaseline and diaper rash cream. The hospital provided all the vaseline we really ever needed with Vince and never really needed diaper rash cream until he started solids! The only thing in the medical kit that I'll be bringing this time around is the pair of baby clippers. I didn't use them in the hospital with Vincent, because I was TERRIFIED, so I bit them to trim them instead. This time around, I'm much more confident in my infant nail trimming skills. And those baby nails are LONG when they're born!! - The sleeping gown. I actually never ended up liking them at all! Mike picked up a sleeper from home instead when he went back to get cleaned up and that was much more useful. So I packed a sleeper this time instead. - Maxi pads. The hospital not only provided a better version of those, but also a squirt bottle, TUCKS pads and dermoplast.
- Regular underwear. The mesh underwear are a million times more practical and comfortable after delivery and the hospital will likely provide some on top of the pairs I packed.  - A nursing bra. I ended up not being a huge fan of them - I preferred the nursing tanks, so I made sure to pack a second one of those instead of the bra.
- My Medela pump. The only reason I brought it last time, was because by bringing it, the hospital was able to provide me with a free new set of pump accessories. Since my pump was handed down by a friend, that was important, but unnecessary this time around.

On the flipside, here are the things I'm bringing this time that I didn't bring last time:
- The Boppy. I was told by several people that I would not need it in the hospital. Well, Mike ended up having to bring it back to the hospital with him after he went home to get cleaned up! I swear by that Boppy. - A 0-3 month hat. Vincent ended up having such a large noggin, that the newborn hats never fit him! It's hard to say how big Samantha's head will be, but I figured it would be a good idea to pack a second larger hat just in case. - A SwaddlePod. I ended up liking this type of swaddle a million times more than a traditional one or the velcro SwaddleMe, because it keeps baby so much more snug without being too warm or bunchy. It's also lightweight and not much bigger than a sleeper.
(These three things were all things Mike ended up having to grab when he went home!)
That's it! It's so crazy to think that almost exactly two years ago, I was starting to pack my first hospital bag! (You can check that post out here) :D I'm so incredibly excited to meet this little Miss!