14 Weeks Pregnant!

Officially SECOND TRIMESTER!!! WHOO HOO!!!

Baby Growth: Leo can now squint, frown, grimace, tee tee, and suck his or her thumb! At this point Leo is roughly 3 1/2 inches long (size of a lemon) and weighs 1 1/2 ounces! 

My Symptoms: Second Trimester is FOR SURE here 🙂 My energy has gotten much better. We actually had two snow days this week from school (with no snow) and I was feeling good enough to plan FUN things for the kids rather than just watch movies and chill like we did so often over Christmas when I was freshly pregnant. 

 

The biggest tell-tale sign for me that I’m in the 2nd trimester is that I will have times where I forget I’m pregnant and just feel NORMAL. I def feel more like I can conquer the world (and handle three children!) when I’m feeling like my normal self instead of being so tired and achey and worn out 🙂

 

Sadly, this pregnancy is following suit of my others: I’m having the migraines. Boo. Drinking Spark every day REALLY makes a difference. But right now I just do not like the taste of it. Which is not normal for me as I usually LOVE my Fruit Punch! I gag it down most days but this week I have had a cold and just can’t make myself do it. So I busted out my Coffeccino instead and it was super yummy! Hit the spot, did the job of Spark, but gave me a “coffee” type taste 🙂 Zach also told me a trick with the Spark and I started mixing it in my shaker cup with ice and then also added ice after. It’s def more manageable for me when it’s SUPER cold!

Usually if I’m going to have a headache, I wake up in the night with it. Isn’t that odd? I have one today, for example, and woke up this morning with the pain. I took 2 Tylenol at breakfast but it didn’t help. I’m hoping my Spark and some caffeine at dinner will do the trick since it worked for me before! Even though I’ve been having the headaches, they aren’t NEARLY as bad as I remember in the past. I’m hoping I can stay on top of my water drinking, Spark downing, and take Tylenol at onset when possible to keep them at bay as much as possible!!!

 

My boobs have FOR SURE gotten bigger. I wear sports bras to sleep at night now. I used to go bra-less allllll the time prior to babies, but now I have to always have something against my chest. Anyone else like that? Anyways my sports bras ride up in my sleep and it’s so uncomfortable. I need to get the maternity stuff down and see if I have any larger ones in there or I need to go buy some! My boobs are also still very warm to the touch and tender. Which I know is not normal for second trimester…as usually those symptoms dissipate now rather than just get started. I truly believe it’s b/c I still produce milk and my body took awhile to tell my boobs that i’m actually pregnant again 🙂

 

I am also noticing the need to hit the john more often. If I do wakeup in the night then I always have to go. I will also get hit with an intense urge out of nowhere during the day and just have to run for it! 

 

I have been doing more Bradley stuff and am REALLY proud this pregnancy. In the past I had issues with squats and couldn’t really keep my feet flat on the floor but this time I can do ’em no problem!!! I need to get Zach to help me with the relaxation exercises as well but usually when I think to do the Bradley stuff he isn’t home and at night we just wanna chillllll.

 

Even though I have more energy, I still get tired pretty easily. I’ve started to make my goal bedtime 10:30 rather than 11 and many times this week I was in bed even earlier than that. I watch tv or browse Pinterest for nursery inspirations. I may not fall asleep until 11 but I’m getting more rest which I think is good!!!

 

Emotional Roller Coaster Emily has arrived. I get crunk super easily. I can think of three different times in the past week that I’ve been SO MAD about stuff. Usually I may get bothered or annoyed but I have been MAD. Like Zach is usually the crunk one but he has had to calm me down about stuff 🙂 Luckily none of it has been about him although I have been short tempered, less patient, and just cranky too towards him 🙁 Boo!

 

Weight: Up another pound! Def gaining quicker this time than last. At two pounds total. With Britt at this point I was still under my pre-pregnancy weight, with Kye I’d already gained six pounds! Glad I’m not as bad as I was then but I do need to be mindful as I don’t want to gain too much. I’d like to be around 20 lbs again if possible. 

 

Gender: Well foods I like made me think girl for awhile but now that I’m showing more I am SO SURE it’s a boy. My stomach is EXACTLY like it was with Kye. With Britt I had a cute little “basketball” tummy. With Kye I had a massive, fat all over, “football” tummy. I really didn’t like how I looked at all while pregnant with Kye…and so far I feel the same with this pregnancy. “They” always say that girls steal your beauty but, in my case, my son stole mine 😉 I will TRULY be overjoyed either way but my guess for now is BOY.

 

Speaking of the gender, this week’s Baby Center update talked about whether or not to find out. I mean reading their lists of pros and cons for each…I don’t see why more people don’t find out??? The ONLY negative thing that I have found (and this is my THIRD pregnancy keeping the gender a surprise) is planning the nursery. That’s it. I truly believe there are more pros to keeping it a surprise than there are reasons to find out! Maybe I’ll write a post about it 🙂 

 

Maternity Clothes: Mrs. Charlotte got me some really cute jeggings for Christmas in a size 6 and they are falling off of me. I actually need to take the second pair back to exchange for a 4! As long as I have these things I don’t see myself busting out my maternity jeans anytime soon haha! I need sports bras but otherwise am totally comfortable in my normal stuff! I do NOT have a cute pregnant belly this time so I do NOT want to make it noticeable. So I’ve been sticking to stuff that doesn’t hug my belly so far!!!

 

Movement: A few times this week I have felt a little something! I’m not getting overly excited but it does make me hopeful for that good positioning where I’ll be able to feel a lot of movement like I could last time!

 

Sleep: Zach had some sleep issues which caused me to have some and he actually ended up sleeping up stairs one night this week, which I hate!!! I did also bust out my pregnancy pillow and am trying to sleep on my side. My stomach is still okay but my boobs hurt to lay on them! I have had a rough week of sleep…between headaches, and getting woken up having to go to the bathroom, and Zach not sleeping well it was just rough. Hoping it gets better!

 

Cravings: I wrote about our NYC trip this week and totally wanted a hamburger so Z cooked some! I still am not LOVING beef the way I have before and I would trade a burger for a Subway sandwich for sure. I’m still really wanting Aligatu. We made more cocoa-no-bakes! I also have been loving my english muffins at lunch time! On Saturday Britt and I went with Casey, Courtney and Mrs Charlotte to find some stuff for Casey’s nursery (and I found an awesome locker for Kye’s big boy room!!!) and we hit up Chicken Salad Chick for lunch after. MY FAVORITE!!! So so so so yummy! I ate all of my lunch and then that night I ate Britt’s left overs for dinner 🙂 

I mentioned earlier that I’m having issues drinking my Spark…well it’s not just that! I cooked green beans a few nights ago, took a bite, and literally had to spit them back into my napkin! Since I can’t smell my sense of taste is very mild. I know pregnancy can make it more intense and I’m thinking that’s my issue? Like I can taste better so more stuff grosses me out? 

 

What I Miss: Being headache free 🙂 My cute pregnant belly from last pregnancy! 

 

Best Pregnancy Moment of the Week: It was a BUSY but wonderful week! I really enjoyed having Kye home for the snow days and Kye and I also had a date day over the weekend. My favorite thing though was the date Zach had with Britt. They went to dinner together and Zach got dressed up so nicely and dressed Britt up too AND coordinated their outfits! Completely on his own! It was THE most precious thing ever!!!

 

Britt also came running my room after her bath last night yelling “Mommy! Love you! Love You!” It’s the first time she’s initiated saying “I love you” and it totally melted my heart! I had a great time with her with the girls Saturday. She was so well behaved and Zach said he also truly enjoyed her on their date night. We are so blessed to have two such wonderful children!

 

Both kids started swim this week. I kept putting it off b/c I was so exhausted and didn’t want to deal with loading up in the car and everything. I’m thankful my energy is back some and they are both enjoying it!

 

I loved, loved, loved watching Sean and Catherine’s wedding!!! Did anyone else watch? Totally an awesome highlight of my week! Sean is such an amazing example of Christ and they are both bright lights in this dark world. I know many people missed it to watch the Grammy’s which was unfortunate! If they replay it, be sure to watch!

 

This week I started gearing up for the upcoming kids sale and I went through all of Kye’s and Britt’s infant clothes (up until like 9 months old). I assumed I’d want to get rid of a lot of it, especially Kye’s. I mean it’s almost 5 years old! I assumed it’d be super out of style? But I was happy to be wrong! Yall going through that tub with Kye helping was so awesome. He loved it! He kept holding up the clothes and we’d laugh at how it’s hard to imagine him wearing them. I probably took out less than 10 things to sell! Going through Britt’s felt odd b/c it feels like she was JUST wearing this stuff haha! I did find a little newborn sleeper from each of their tubs to take to the hospital with us. I thought it might be cute for Leo to wear one of their outfits while we are in the hospital 🙂

 

I am just SO thankful to be at this point in pregnancy. I have a sweet blog friend who miscarried at 13 weeks pregnant and I have had her in my thoughts so much. I talked to Zach about it recently and how connected you do already feel with your baby at this stage of pregnancy. I know the pain they have felt over that sweet baby has probably been so, so difficult to deal with. While my heart truly goes out to them, it also makes me that much more thankful to be at week 14. The golden week where so many of those concerns become minimal. I’ve been purposefully not allowing myself to live in fear…I know that things could still happen to Leo and I pray constantly for the Lord to keep Leo healthy and strong and safe. 

 

Questions/Concerns: 

• I did look into the cramping during intimacy stuff and it is totally normal, but that doesn’t make it any less nerve-wracking for me! Thinking about cramping for an hour def kills my mojo mood!!!
• So I can FINALLY talk about this!!! When I went to my 2nd appt for Leo I asked Stacy “so you are legit gonna deliver this baby right?!?!” She said “welllll” and I was like “omg you’re moving?” haha Turns out SHE’S PREGNANT! Yes, AGAIN! Our kids are all the same age haha. She will have her baby on August 4th and I’m due on August 1st. She still thinks it’s totally possible that she will be able to deliver me. And I’m not that worried about it honestly. I really WANT her to get to do it finally but I’ve got this thing down now so I’ll be okay either way 🙂 I plan to see Theresa again at some visits since she was so supportive of my natural childbirth with Britt and I know it’ll be great again if the need arises! Also Stacy found out she’s having a BOY which even more makes me think Leo is a boy since we have not only had kids at the same time, but also have the same sex each time 🙂
• This nursery is stressing me OUT. I would LOVE any suggestions! I want to have it be travel themed, modern in colors, gender neutral. I plan to have the bedding, curtains, etc all be gender specific but in the same color schemes obviously as the rest of the room. This bedroom will also be the baby’s room forever! As in, until they turn 18 and move out haha. I know we’ll change it up at some point but my goal is really for the room to easily transition into an older child room. I know, it’s a LOT. And I’m pretty picky too. But if you have some suggestions PLEASE send ’em my way!!! My Pinterest board is gonna explode from ideas (which btw is an issue with the Pinterest world we live in…TOO MANY OPTIONS!)
• Also I need help from you mama’s of more than one kid!!! My travel system stroller is from when I had Kye and I really do love it! I already sold the infant car seat that goes with it and have to buy a new one for Leo. My question is: should I sell the travel system stroller I have and buy a whole new travel system? Or do you think the stroller will keep lasting for at least this baby and another one following?
• Same question really…but moms of more than 2 kids: what items would you suggest for me to buy new??? I am probably at the “mid way” point in my world of babies. I hate the idea of having to buy something new with only ONE baby left to use it so if there are things that I should go ahead and get I wanna get them now. For example, I’m selling the high chair I used for Kye and Britt and will buy a new one for Leo and #4 to use. Any other items you recommend me doing that with?
• And finally…I have a BIG PRAYER REQUEST!!! I went ahead and made my appointment for my shot for my foot. Basically the shot he gave me before was a guess on the location of my issues. I told him I was going to be trying to get pregnant so he did the shot where I was having pain in hopes that maybe we’d get lucky. I got an MRI and found out the EXACT spot where the shot needs to go (our guess was wrong…which duh, I don’t get lucky haha). So at my appointment this Wednesday he’s going to inject the exact location of my issue with the shot. Either the shot will work and I will be BACK TO NORMAL or…it won’t work and we will have to do surgery after Leo is born. Yall I can’t fathom having to go through surgery again. Plus since it didn’t work the first time, I don’t have a whole lotta faith left. PLEASE pray for this shot to work. I’ve had foot issues now for almost 18 months. I’m so ready to be HEALED!!! And it would be a HUGE blessing to be pain free for Disney too 🙂

Goals for this Week: Get through Christmas on the blog haha! I actually have another very busy week so my goal is to do my best not to be grumpy through it all! 

 

Belly Pictures: I had a day where I didn’t have to go anywhere so I wore a tight tank top under a sweater so I could see how my belly really is looking. THIS was the moment I decided it’s a boy!!! Check out that GUT. I’m big alllllll the way around. Straight up football!

 

 I had Z take the belly pics last night again…so I look rough but oh well! You can buy the belly stickers I have here!

 

 

 Def sticking out a little more!

Past Pregnancies: You can see my week 14 from my pregnancy with Britt here! Ugh I hate how cute and skinny I look!!!! Really I think it’s 90% due to being tan. I’m gonna keep reminding myself of that b/c I’ve just been too lazy to spray tan lately!!!

 

I did have a lot of similar symptoms with the cravings and feeling more energy though! 

 

You can see how my tummy REALLY does look the same as Kye’s in this post! I was close to 16 weeks pregnant but, duh, it was my first so it took me longer to show than it does now! This week with Kye I felt tired, had a lot of headaches, had some issues where my heart felt like it was racing, felt very sad and lonely. We went garage sale shopping (and still have like all the stuff we bought that day haha) and I did my normal thing of laying out ALL THE TIME with Ashley. Gah those were the days! Foods I liked the most were milk, cereal, peanut butter crackers, and juice. I did not like chicken or any green veggies (gotta say that’s how I feel now too!).

 

At this point I was hoping Kye was a girl because I didn’t want the pressure of having the first Parker son yet. I also hoped that my child would love animals and that if it was a boy that he wouldn’t feel pressure to be some big football star. Still too early to tell on that one with Kye huh? 😉