6 Months Prego and Counting . . .

I've made it well OVER the HALF WAY point - Woo Hoo

It has been one HOT summer.  And can I say that I will never be pregnant during the summer again (if I have any say in it.)  :)  My pregnancy with Hunter, from September-May, was much more comfortable . . . snuggly sweats to lounge in, jeans & long sleeves to hide swollen limbs, and with the hormones raging - temperatures were much more tolerable.

21 weeks

A noticeable growth spurt . . . with +4 lbs in less than a week.

23 1/2 weeks

GLUCOSE TEST

Time for that dreaded appointment . . . I had terrible memories of my 1st glucose test so I was actually kind of anxious over this one. I went alone with Hunter, as I have done for most of my appointments this go around (he does so great at these due to his excitement for the baby and for the sheer fact he's so shy it makes him very well behaved.) I decided to try my luck with the red drink this time since I'd already taken on the orange . . . not too terrible until I hit about the 4th sip.  It takes me the full 5 min to drink all of it - for some reason it is impossible for me to chug anything, so i have to sip it down painfully slow.  And then yes - the aftermath is the worst.  I drank it at 9:30, had it checked at 10:30 after fasting since dinner the night before, I didn't get back to see doctor for my regularly scheduled appt until 10:45, so it was 11:30 before we made it back home to eat anything.  This must have sent my body into some kind of CrAzY sugar coma - because I literally felt like someone had drugged me with sleeping pills to the point my thoughts weren't even cohesive and I crashed on the couch & slept for over an hour while Hunter played trucks & watched Bob the Builder (not my finest Mommy moment). But it really kicked my booty.  

So, Note To Self: take a snack & eat ASAP after test is complete, or maybe take someone with me - it kind of scared me after I finally woke up and looked back on what happened.

24 Weeks

My momma snapped a few photos of me to celebrate the 6 month milestone.  

(and then we went shopping for new maternity clothes to make me feel better about my growing self)  :)

Funny how with my 1st pregnancy I took pictures every week - maybe more if I'd felt like I'd grown more . . . now to get a picture even just once durning the month seems to be a challenge.  haha

24 week comparison between pregnancies #1 & #2

Holy cow . . . I wasn't surprised with the belly size difference, I realized that already.  But I can't get over how much OLDER I look -- what happened?   lol  I guess that's the difference between a previously childless & carefree 25 year old vs. a 28 year old hard working mommy of a toddler.  Can't imagine what I'll look like in 3 more years - chasing after 2 little boys . . .  (this is where I remind myself that "beauty is fleeting" and what a blessing it is to age; to raise my children, to live life, to grow older with God's grace.)

8 weeks               18 weeks               25 weeks

Big Growth Spurt in the last 7 weeks:

That's an additional 10 lbs, 5 lbs between just 24-25 weeks, bringing the current total to 20 lbs.  At this rate, my 31 lbs gained with Hunter seems fast approaching.  But I did remind myself that this was also around the time of my growth spurt with him too, in which I gained 11 lbs during weeks 23-27.  So maybe like the first time, things will settle back down and I can maintain that +1 lb a week goal.  Or maybe not, and I'll just get huge, LOL.  As long as my baby boy is healthy - I can always lose the weight after he's here (and it's not so dang HOT).   :)

25 Weeks

Note to Self:

Oh This: 
---My baby is already measuring slightly bigger than average.  So probably not much of a need for those "newborn" diapers & clothes for us. Again. (Hunter: 8 lbs 11 oz).  
---And then there's the lovely “mask of pregnancy” or chloasma, which in my case involves brownish patches of skin on my face - especially around my lips (thank you Hicks' women).  Though it seems to be worse this go around, I suspect because of the summer sun exposure, so I'll just keep lathering up on sunblock.  
---THE ITCHING & muscle stretching - though not as bad, possibly because I've been stretched out once already??  I've also been consistently enduring really annoying anxiety ridden dreams, like the “I have a final in a college class that I forgot to study for” or “showing up naked or inappropriately dressed to places" or those crazy "difficult decision" types.  So much fun.  
---But the absolute worst?? INDIGESTION / REFLUX / HEART BURN, whatever its called.  All I know is that this, almost constant burning in my chest & throat, is about to drive me mad.  No amount of Maalox or Tums, or dietary changes seems to help.
---I read this on a pregnancy blog the other day and literally laughed out loud because I could identify exactly to what she had to say when it comes to "exercising" 

"So I…took a really long walk around Target the other day? I cleaned the house real good and made several consecutive trips up the stairs? We took the firstborn to a neighborhood festival and I’m sure I did some walking in between all the sitting on all the various benches?  I’m not very good at the pregnancy fitness thing, to be perfectly honest.  Jason keeps telling me that if I got more exercise I wouldn’t be so tired all the time. I think he is probably right, but also that he needs to shut the hell up and bring me some pie."  -alphamom

I know I should be exercising, and that it would be beneficial for me in SO MANY ways, but for some reason I CAN NOT make myself do it. I've made a few attempts; walking the block, swimming laps in the pool, yoga/stretching . . . but it's never lasted for more than a day. I blame it on the heat . . . or on Hunter . . . or my current status (tired, achey, uncomfortable). Oh well, I guess I'll be paying for it later.

New This Time: 

---Nesting! Did I even do this while pregnant the first time??  I may have, but considering we were updating/renovating our new house & trying to get moved in before Hunter was born (if I remember correctly we barely made it  by just a couple weeks), I may have combined my "nesting" feelings and our actual need to get us settled.  But this time it's real . . . be it pregnancy or Pinterest, I've had the bug to get some stuff done.  Early on I started planning a nursery (odd considering I didn't complete Hunter's until he was 6mo) and Hunter's new bedroom.  I've bought several things for our new tiny man and our growing family that I feel will be essential (also odd considering I didn't buy anything for Hunter until he was pretty much home from the hospital).  I've also accomplished several things around the house that have been on my to-do list for a while but even worse, I keep adding to it.  I can't seem to get everything I want done - done; but I'm still working on it.  

---As for the “pregnancy glow” . . . where is it??  Did I miss it this time??  Or does swollen limbs, flat hair, tired & puffy eyes, and an overall feeling of huge-ness count?  HAHA - nope, no pregnancy glow this time . . . it's just sweat from the constant 103 degree temps that continue to plague us.  :)  In all seriousness though, I haven't felt NEARLY as "cute & pregnant" as I did the first time around.  Just big & uncomfortable.

---Which leads me to another new; I've come to realize that because I didn't know what was to come, I LOVED being pregnant the 1st time.  All of it was exciting and new and fun - even the bad stuff had an exciting spin to it.  This time though, I find myself just wanting the baby to HURRY up and get here.  I absolutely LOVE feeling him grow & kick inside of me, (and in my opinion, it will be the only thing I miss about pregnancy) but oh how I can't wait to meet him, know his personality, cuddle him, and see his face, and kiss him to pieces.  Now that I know what's to come - this whole pregnancy is just a test of patients & endurance to get to the prize!  :)  

---That being said, my anxiety & level of fear is also much higher.  I was so naive the first time but becoming a mother has opened my eyes & tendered my heart to so many things that "can happen."  This of course reminds me to cherish every moment I do get with my baby . . .  because if something were to go wrong and these weeks of pregnancy were all I ever got to experience with this child - it wouldn’t make him less real, less loved, or less apart of our family.  It's really surprised me this time how quickly our family has expanded from 3 to 4.  I catch myself talking about "my boys" as if they were already playing together in the backyard . . . and Hunter doesn't let an opportunity slip by without making sure to include his baby brother.  The difference?  I'm not sure.  Maybe it's the better understanding of my love and its depth for my children.  Maybe it's having Hunter.  I panic inside sometimes when those horrible thoughts cross my mind - because Hunter is already so in love and so attached, how could I ever explain if something happened.  And then I have to remind myself that God is in control . . . of our growing baby boy and of taking care of all of our needs; those now and those to come.  Therefor, I try to focus all of my thoughts and energy (pushing past complaints, whining & anxiety) into making this time so special for all of us.  

Because how precious and how amazing to be raising one little boy on the outside and growing another on the inside . . . 

Thank you Lord. 

I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

Psalm 34:4-7