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

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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

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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! 

34 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

How far along?: 34 weeks pregnant

Total weight gain/measurements: 166lbs (+26.2 lbs), belly 44.5 inches around

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity

Stretch marks? Still unsure if I've gotten any new ones.

Sleep: I think the photo says it all...hahaha

Best moment this week: Seeing baby girl!! :D

Miss anything? Sleeping on my stomach  

Movement: Movement all the time during the day, but she actually doesn't move a whole ton at night! It gives me a little bit of hope...maybe she won't be a night owl like her brother was? He kicked SO much at night it was ridiculous! It's so cute when Mike comes home after a night shift, it's like she knows. As soon as he comes in the bedroom to go to sleep, she starts kicking away! :D
Food Cravings: cocoa pebbles, egg rolls and pizza. SUPER healthy stuff! >.< haha

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope! :)

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None

Symptoms: fatigue, braxton hicks, general discomfort and occasional acid reflux. The acid reflux is mostly at night when I do have it and it's almost always a result of eating something that triggers it too close to bedtime.

Belly button in or out? It's pretty much completely out all the time, unless I'm lying down.

Happy or moody most of the time: Pretty happy this week!

Looking forward to: Newborn snuggles!!! The other night, Vince didn't want me to rock him to sleep, he wanted me to just put him in his crib! That's the only time of day he will really snuggle, so I felt a bit bummed! :( He is getting so big!

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33 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

How far along?: 33 weeks pregnant

Total weight gain/measurements: 165.4lbs (+25.6 lbs), belly 44 inches around

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity. Only a couple of my tank tops still fit! 

Stretch marks? Having a really hard time telling if I've gotten a couple new ones or if they're old, but my belly is definitely itchy. 

Sleep: What's that? xD

Best moment this week: Baking and eating some yummy cake!!
Miss anything? Sleeping on my stomach!

Movement: Loads of movement. She's a squirmy worm! She's also been liking to stick her feet up into my ribs.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope! :)

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None

Symptoms: fatigue, braxton hicks, general discomfort

Belly button in or out? It's pretty much completely out all the time, unless I'm lying down.

Happy or moody most of the time: Pretty happy this week!

Looking forward to: Getting spring cleaning done! I am in full nesting mode. :D

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32 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

How far along?: 32 weeks pregnant

Total weight gain/measurements: 162.6lbs (+22.8 lbs), belly 44 inches around

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity. Even some of my stretchy shirts are no longer working as well.

Stretch marks? If I'm not mistaken, I got a couple of new ones this week! :( Explains the itchy belly! 

Sleep: Sometimes bad, sometimes good. I almost feel like at this point, I'm in a constant state of exhaustion that never really goes away, unless I have coffee. And even then, the awake feels fake...if that even makes sense lol! I do try and rest as often as I can though.

Best moment this week: Hearing Vincent say "Thank You!" for the first time and continuing to say it! :D It is so exciting when he learns new words!
Miss anything? Not really

Movement: SO much movement. All the time. I wonder if this child ever sleeps. I don't notice her move much at night when I'm getting up to use the bathroom though - perhaps that's a good sign?! I absolutely love feeling her move about! :D

Anything making you queasy or sick? No vomiting this past week! :D I haven't experienced any nausea either.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None

Symptoms: fatigue, braxton hicks, general discomfort

Belly button in or out? It's pretty much completely out all the time, unless I'm lying down.

Happy or moody most of the time: Some days moody, some days really happy - it just depends.

Looking forward to: Planning Vincent's birthday party :D I think we have finally set a date. I'm going to attempt to make this party as DIY and inexpensive as possible, which should be a fun project and challenge. And the closer we get to it, the closer we get to Samantha's due date, which is super exciting as well!

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31 Weeks Pregnant - Baby #2!

How far along?: 31 weeks pregnant

Total weight gain/measurements: 162.4lbs (+22.6 lbs), belly 43.75 inches around

Maternity clothes: Mostly maternity, with the exception of long, stretchy shirts and yoga pants. 

Stretch marks? No new ones. 

Sleep: Awful! The other night, I stopped counting after the 10th trip to the bathroom. Definitely reached the point in pregnancy that's preparing me for the nightly nursing sessions every 1-2 hours! I am so thankful for my mom, who has often offered to keep an eye on Vincent for me around midday, so I can take an early nap or offer to get him up after his nap, so I can eat after he goes down for his and sleep for a couple of hours.

Best moment this week: Getting to spend some time with my sisters in law, brother in law and niece! My niece is a couple months younger than Vincent and watching them play was so wonderful! :)
Miss anything? Sleep. Very much. 

Movement: Lots of movement! Mike has been able to see and feel her movements so much better lately. It helps that she's been more wiggly when he is home!

Food cravings: Cereal and pasta!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Yes, but not exactly sure what. Twice this week before bed, I lost my dinner. The first time I got a really sharp pain in my gut that got progressively worse until I threw up. The second time, I was in the middle of eating dinner and out of nowhere, I felt like I had to throw up and I did. Both days, I'd taken my Unisom and B6 the night before, so it could've just been a matter of dinner not agreeing with me.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: None

Symptoms: fatigue, braxton hicks, acid reflux, general discomfort

Belly button in or out? Top is out. It's getting to where you can occasionally see it poke through my shirt, but only sometimes! I'm still waiting for it to even out with the rest of my belly. 

Happy or moody most of the time: Very moody, although I really am happy! I think it's just a matter of stress, lack of sleep and third trimester discomfort that makes me moody. I am so thankful for having such a patient husband, who couldn't be more understanding! And I really do try my absolute best not to be snippy, even when I'm feeling particularly irritable.

Looking forward to: Checking more things off the to-do list! I have been so focused on the holidays these past couple of months, that I'd put almost everything else on the back burner temporarily. But there are still a few things to get done before Samantha arrives, not to mention Mike has a birthday next month and Vince's 2nd birthday is coming up before we know it also!

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