24 Weeks

Baby Size:Canteloupe

Symptoms: Pregnancy dreams!  I really don't remember them being this bad and vivid with my last pregnancy.  The other night I glanced at the computer screen while my husband was watching "Breaking Bad" with headphones, and I had a nightmare about drug dealers!  (I watched the first two season on the show, but it got to be too intense for me.)

Workout: Some prenatal Pilates.  It was a busy week, and I find that if I don't workout in the morning then it's probably not happening--sadly.

Cravings: Sweets.  All day every day...no joke.

Best Moment(s) of the week: Hearing the heart beat--it never gets old.  I had my regular check-up this week, and everything looks good.

Missing: Being regular.  With my last pregnancy I was regular until the bitter end; in fact it wasn't until after I gave birth that I had a problem.  This time around, after the first trimester it has been rough in that department!

This week has been busy, but relatively uneventful--just the normal "life" things that need to be done.  I'm currently dealing with a toddler who is struggling with finding her way.  She cries more now then she ever has in her little life.  We're struggling to figure out the best way to handle it.  I really don't want a spoiled monster for a child, but when you're in the moment and it's happening it's hard to know the "right" thing to do.  Overall she's still a very good girl, but man does she have her moments. 

22 Weeks

Baby Size: Papaya

Symptoms: Stuffy nose.  It wakes me up at night, because I can't breathe.  I've started wearing Breathe Right strips and they have been helping a ton.

Workout: Went to the gym 3 times...cardio mostly.  Plus Lili likes playing at the Kids Club.  Also, at home, I did an Arm workout 3 times, as well as Prenatal Pilates.

Cravings: Still Apples.  I have at least one every day.

Best Moment(s) of the week: Getting to the gym.

Missing: Eating food with reckless abandon.  Lili and I went to one of our favorite places, Whole Foods, and at the cheese counter they were giving away samples of Parmesan.  We each ate a piece and it was delicious, so I decided to buy a small block of it ($22.99/lb!!).  When I got home I realized it was "raw milk Parmesan"...........it's probably okay for me to eat, but just to be on the safe side I didn't/haven't eaten it.  =(  But it was so yummy in the store!

I'll try to lay off the bathroom photos next time.  =)

My belly button is starting to make it's way out.  I guess that makes sense because my uterus is just above my belly button, I think.  Or it's at my belly button.  Either way, it was probably around this time last pregnancy that my belly button started to pop.  I used to think outtie belly buttons on pregnant women looked ugly...but when I had one, I couldn't care less about it!  I remember thinking I'd put tape or something over it, but in the end it really didn't matter to me.

I have a couple pairs of pants I want to turn into maternity jeans.  I have all the materials, and I've read plenty of blogs/instructions on what to do...but I'm still nervous about messing them up so I haven't made any yet.  Plus, the weather is starting to get really cold so I'm pretty okay with sweats!  Ha!  My desire to "look cute" this pregnancy is waning.  Darn.

And I've decided not to keep track of my weight gain.  I don't own a scale, and I'm not too concerned about it.  Although I can tell you I'm gaining weight much differently then with Liliana.  This time around I appear to only be gaining weight in my hips and thighs!  (Every girl's nightmare).  Oh well...not much I can do now.  I'm trying to workout still (although I don't workout nearly as hard as I'd like) and I try to eat sensibly.  To be honest, I'm not too concerned about losing the weight once I have the baby.  I'm also trying to cut down on eating overt sugar.  That is, cookies, cake,  brownies, ice cream...you get the idea.  It's harder then you think, because I would eat desserts all day every day if given the chance!

21 Weeks

I've said this before, but it's worth saying again: Being pregnant is by far the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.  I am always amazed by pregnancy and the absolute miracle of birth.  Do you know how insurmountable the task of getting pregnant (the actual science behind it) seems to be?  It seems so unlikely.  Well, for me, it's happened again and I couldn't be more excited--and nervous--and a little scared.

Baby Size: Pomegranate

Weight gain: 9lbs total so far

Symptoms: Feeling bigger as I can feel my uterus growing.

Workout: None...oh wait, Prenatal Pilates (it doesn't really feel like a workout though)...it was a lazy week. 

Cravings: Granny Smith Apples

Best Moment(s) of the week: Anatomy scan!  Everything looks great!  Let's hope it stays that way!

Missing: My desire to workout.  =(

18 Weeks

One of the things that I wish I had done with my first pregnancy was take more picture of me actually being pregnant.  I wish I had documented my growth better.  There is probably a handful of photos of me, and I think they're all from my 8th and 9th months.  So...I've sort of dropped the ball already.  But starting now is better then nothing.  

Here we go....

Baby Size: A bell pepper

Weight gain: yes--I don't know the amount at the moment, but I'll know next time.  =)

Symptoms: A slight amount of nausea, hunger, extremely emotional over random stuff, and slight back pain.

Workout: Running 3-4 times a week, light weight training 2 times a week, and Prenatal Pilates 3-4 times a week.  Let's see if I can keep it up.

Cravings: Meat.  Steak.  Vegetables.

Best Moment(s) of the week: Increasing amount of fetal movement--there really is something in there!

Missing: Carefree living in my body.

For the Next One

When I was pregnant with Liliana it was so surreal.  Everything was new and exciting and scary!  I loved being pregnant, and I worried all the time that something, anything would go wrong.  (Nothing did, in fact I had a textbook pregnancy and delivery--but that didn't stop the worry.)  But because of the worry I didn't document anything.  I waited until the last minute to purchase baby items, maternity clothes, pick names, etc.  I didn't want something to go wrong then be stuck with the reminder of all the baby clothes for my lack of baby........it was irrational.  I think a little worry is healthy.  But trust me, I take the worry to another level.

After she was born, I vowed to make a list of things I remember for the next pregnancy, so I could do it differently.  I'm sure "not worry so much" would be at the top of the list.  But as many new mothers know, time goes quickly and before I knew it a year had passed since she was born.  As a result, I don't remember those things "for the next one" like I used to. 

Some of the things I remember I wanted to do differently include:

1. Try not to gain as much weight.  With Liliana I gained (gulp) 35 lbs.  I ate anything and everything I wanted--it showed.  =)  I was able to lose all the weight and then some by the time she was 4-5 months old, with little exercise and a regular diet.  I chalk it up to breastfeeding.  Actually it was around that time (4 months post-partum) that I did start working out slowly.

For the next one, I told myself to try not to gain as much weight.  I was really wanted to not gain weight in my face--although I think that's unavoidable once I get to the third trimester.

2. Workout--longer.  I wish I would have been more detailed on my workouts with Lili.  I know I was able to run until 32 weeks with Liliana, then it got too uncomfortable.  I did the ellipitical for a while, but I pretty much say I stopped working out at 32 weeks. 

For the next one I hope to keeping running until at least 36 weeks.  I also did prenatal pilates the first time around, and for the next one I hope to do it more regularly.

3. Try not to worry so much.  Nope, not a chance.  I think I probably told myself not to worry about every pain or lack-of-pain with the next one, but there's no way I cannot worry.  The first trimester is the worst, because I feel at any second something could go wrong--and I wouldn't know, because you can't feel the baby and I don't really feel pregnant.  Look, I know that doesn't make sense, and a lot of my "worryings" are unfounded.  But I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't worry.  I'd like to try to worry less though.

4. Take more pictures...of me...of my growing belly.  This is one that I need to do period.  Take more pictures.  I was looking through all of my pics and there are tons of cute little Lili, but hardly any of me and Lili or my husband and Lili and there certainly aren't any of all of us together.  As for when I was pregnant with her, I think I have one picture from when I was 6 months along, and a few from when I was 8 and 9 months...that's it.

For the next one, take more pictures...of people (us).  I'd like to have visual documentation of my growing belly.  It would have been so nice to be able to compare my belly the first time around with my belly the next time around.

5. Be a cute pregnant lady.  Towards the end (what I remember most) I think I just looked frumpy--in fact I know I did.  And lazy.  I slept a lot, and didn't really go out much.  I didn't have many maternity clothes, and it was so hard to find cute ones.  I mostly wore my husband's old t-shirts (until those got to be too small).  I wore my regular pants (unbuttoned of course) until about 8 months, then it was men's basketball shorts and other things with elastic waistbands.  I gave up.

For the next one, I want to look cute!  Yes, I realize that's on me.  I need to take the time to do my hair and put make-up on, but I'd also like to find cute maternity clothes!

**I guess this post will be a work-in-progress.  As I think of more things I wanted to do differently I'll document them.  But I gotta tell ya, the more time that passes the harder that's going to be.**

This Girl

When Liliana cries or has a snotty nose I bring her into the bathroom, take a little toilet paper and wipe her nose.  The first couple times she didn't like it (as I assume most kids do)...but now she doesn't mind it.  In fact, I may go so far as to say she likes it???

Another thing she loves is taking a shower.  We have a stand up shower in our room, and she loves playing in the shower--even when the water is off.  If I'm in the bathroom, she'll come in and get in the shower.  I feel that is a little dangerous so I never leave her alone it in the bathroom when she's in the shower (no matter if water is on or off).  For that reason we keep the bathroom doors closed.  But the other day I we were in my bedroom playing, and I left the room to get something.  In the 2-3 minutes that I was gone, I come back and found Lili "blowing her nose" with almost all of the toilet paper.  And sometimes she gets confused and puts the toilet paper up to her hair instead--I don't know what she's doing.  When she's done she'll put the "used" tissue in the trash (she LOVES throwing things away).  Needless to say, I tried to salvage some, but then I gave up.  I feel like her love of toilet paper could be a good thing when we're potty training, as I could say something like, "we only use toilet paper when we sit on the potty."  Who knows.  I've never potty trained anyone and I don't plan to do it with her anytime soon.

Motivation

I have to admit, I've lost a quite a bit of motivation to write in this blog.  I had it (motivation)--for a while--and I had all sorts of plans in my head for it.  But now, I have kind of lost the desire.  I've somewhat become disenchanted with blogs in general, to be honest.  The more blogs I read--that are popular--the more I'm convinced that people have no idea what they're talking about.  I read posts about getting your child to sit still in church, or what it is like to have multiple kids, or--what bugs me the most--posts about "essential hospital bag items" or "newborn must-haves".  These lists, obviously, are completely subjective!  And for some reason, when people try to pass them off as necessary I get annoyed.  I'm not saying I want these posts to go away, but man, they sure do annoy me sometimes.  

I don't know...and posts on Motherhood--well, I never read those.  I guess I'm not to that point; the point where I need encouragement in the Mom department.  I'm not saying I'm a great mom by any means, but I think my baby and I are happy.  I don't know.

Well, here's what's been going on with us: the hubs took a couple of summer classes and did very, very well.  In fact, in one of the classes he got the highest grade in the class!  That's a nice confidence booster for him.  Sometimes I forget that he's actually learning stuff when he's gone all day, but then he'll come home and talk about some situation and how the law applies and blah blah blah.  It's at that point I realize/remember that he is working hard and learning loads of stuff.  He's also working part-time at a law firm and gaining experience there.  He works hard and doesn't complain.  I sure am lucky to have him.

Then, after a conversation him and I had one day I got the urge to apply for grad school.  So I did.  And I got in.  I was accepted to the University of Nebraska-Omaha.  I think that's pretty exciting.  I won't start until the Spring 2014 semester, and the program I'm in is for Secondary Education with an English Concentration.  I'm hoping to take classes in Administration too.  I think once my kid(s) are in school themselves I'll go back to teaching and eventually get into administration.  

And of course, Liliana.  She is great.  Getting big and running around everywhere.