21 weeks

BabyS2 Week 21

How far along? 21 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: total weight loss is sitting around 15 pounds. I haven't gained any yet. I'm just hoping these next 19ish weeks are nice to me.  

Maternity clothes? Yes. Just yes. 
Stretch marks? A few. 
Sleep: nope. I've just chalked it up to a loss. Between rotating shiftwork, teeth coming in, pregnancy nightmares and pains...it's a no. 
Best moment this week: thing 1 loving on "the baby" by pointing to my belly, lifting the layers of shirts, and sometimes hugging the belly.   
Movement: yes. She loves to move when I'm ready to wind down. She thinks it's play time. 

Food cravings: not really sure I have had any this week. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: no.
Have you started to show yet: um, yes. 

Labor Signs: No. But holy moly the pains this week. Yowzers! I don't remember them starting this early with thing 1's pregnancy. 

Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: probably moody due to the uncomfortableness I've experienced. These growing pains are no joke this time around.  
Weekly Wisdom: don't rely on second trimester energy. Sometimes, it just doesn't show its face. 
Milestones: we're currently on the downhill slope of this pregnancy, officially less than half way to completion haha

21 week bump: 

How I've felt this week:

Halfway there!

BabyS2 Week 20

How far along? 20 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: total weight loss is sitting around 15 pounds. Same weight today as last appointment (3 weeks ago). 

Maternity clothes? Yes. Although some of them are a little loose. And others are a lottle snug. Haha
Stretch marks? Some are reappearing from Abby's pregnancy. 
Sleep: Still no. Abby has been up quite a bit the past week and a half. This momma is beat. 
Best moment this week: getting to see baby move around at today's ultrasound.   
Movement: yes. Favorite time is bedtime. Between the one on the outside and the one still inside, I'm convinced they're trying to run me ragged. 

Food cravings: Cracker Barrel white cheddar cheese. Chocolate frosted donut. Claussen pickles. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: thankfully, no.
Have you started to show yet: um, yes. 

Labor Signs: Not yet thankfully. Still a long ways away too I hope. 

Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: I stand by last week's thought- why isn't "tired" an option?? 
Weekly Wisdom: sleep when you can. Always sleep when you can. Especially before you have a baby on the outside. Trying to take naps during this pregnancy is unbelievably unrealistic. 
Milestones: halfway, folks!!

20 week bump: 

And some with thing 1:

Week 19

Holy moly we're almost halfway there!!

BabyS2 Week 19

How far along? 19 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: total weight loss is sitting around 15 pounds. 

Maternity clothes? Yes. I tried wearing non maternity and had to wear a belt because they kept falling down when I bent over. Halfway through the day the belt and pants were cutting into my poor pooch. 
Stretch marks? The ones from Abby's pregnancy are beginning to reappear. 
Sleep: No. Still no. 
Best moment this week: baby is getting big enough to feel the movements on the outside.   
Movement: Always. Especially when I lay down at night. 

Food cravings: Reese's Sonic Blast. Chick-fil-a breakfast. Claussen pickles- gotta be Claussen. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: thankfully, nothing this week.
Have you started to show yet: um, yes. 

Labor Signs: No! But the ligament pain is still showing its ugly head this week. And baby has found a way to mash against my sides and it hurts. 

Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: why isn't "tired" an option?? 
Weekly Wisdom: take time to play in the sun with the children. Playing ball, sidewalk chalk and paint, and just plain ol' sitting on the ground with Abby has been my favorite. She's growing up right before my eyes and I can't believe how quickly it's happening. 
Milestones: movements are beginning to be felt outside the belly. 

19 week bump? Ha. Imagine last week's bump. Maybe I'll take a pic tomorrow. 

BabyS2 Week 18

Phew. 

Oh. So. Tired. 

How far along? 18 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: 3 more pounds lost as of the last appointment. 

Maternity clothes? Every outfit this week- well except for pajamas and today's dress. 
Stretch marks? Not from this pregnancy. 
Sleep: No. Just no. 
Best moment this week: not sure if it's the "best" but a moment that definitely made my day...having a student bring me a whole box of Cheez-its and bag of Hershey's Miniatures with a sweet note from her parents.  
Movement: All the time. Especially when I want to relax. 

Food cravings: Potato salad. Hot Now KK donuts. Coca-Cola. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: taking my prenatal during the day makes me unbelievably sick.
Have you started to show yet: ha. Today's moment:

Student: (whispers) it's getting bigger.

Me: What?

Student: (a little louder but still unclear to me what's she's saying) it's getting BIGger

Me: Do what?! 

Student: (very much louder while looking at my belly) IT'S getting BIGGER!! 

Me: Um, thanks. Thanks, sweetheart. Love you too. Haha! 

We had a good laugh out of that one. 

Labor Signs: No! But the ligament pain is showing its ugly head this week. 

Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On and still loose. But by end of day, they are definitely off and giving my fingers a breather. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: probably still moody. 
Weekly Wisdom: write everything down. I'm losing my marbles this week...using the wrong words, mixing up thoughts, forgetting things. Losing it I tell ya. 
Milestones: nothing that I can think of, other than baby is still growing well and moving to let me know baby is okay. 

18 week bump

Telling Thing 1 to leave the dog pee'd on ball alone. 

 

Cue Baby Stratton #2's Weekly Questionnaire

How far along? 17 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: I've lost about 10 pounds since finding out! We'll see how that translates to Monday's appointment. 

Maternity clothes? Almost always. I can fit into pre-pregnancy pants (actually a little better all around, minus the Dunlap diseased look) but it's getting uncomfortable when the belly gets cut in half. 
Stretch marks? Not from this pregnancy. 
Sleep: Somewhat, but nowhere near restful. I'm up at least twice a night. 
Best moment this week: BabyS is quite mobile and let's me know daily just how comfortable it is with moving around freely. 
Have you told family and friends: Yes-a while ago. Just haven't started back with the blog posts yet. 

Movement: All the time. 
Food cravings: Pickles- surprise. Mac n cheese- surprise. And Samoas GSC- good thing I only bought one box this year or that ten pounds I've lost would quickly reappear.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Smells. All the smells. Especially meat cooking.
Have you started to show yet: Um, yes. To say the least. The pooch pouched early.

Labor Signs: Noooo. Wayyy too early!

Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On and still loose.
Happy or Moody most of the time: MOODY! I'm sure Phil would say this isn't new though. 
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy life to the fullest: even on the crabby days, find something positive. 
Milestones: We're well into the second trimester but this magical second trimester energy still hasn't appeared. 

Emotional Start

This is hard...

We had a rough night last night. She wouldn't stay asleep unless she was laying on her belly and across my chest/belly. 

Now it's time to wake up for the day and she's sound asleep. No amount of moving around or turning on lights is waking her gently. So now I have to wake her up. 

Moments like this I wish I could stay in bed and snuggle with her because I know she's growing up right before my eyes and soon she won't want to snuggle and cuddle with me and that'll break my heart. Sigh. Emotionally mommy today. I can't believe she is 8 months old already. 

Mommy loves you AG! Always remember that, please! 

Ball of emotions.

Damn the tears. 

Timehop got me today. Got me good.

Two years ago, we had a healthy baby growing (pregnancy number 2) inside. We were excited to have the chance to add a little human to our family of four. Elsie and Richard would snuggle up to me from the day we found out. We would then go on to lose another pregnancy before we got pregnant with Abs but it wasn't without many, many tears. 

Breastfeeding got me too. We haven't been exclusively breast milk (nursing and pumping) but she has gotten all the breast milk I can make. Well, it just isn't going well right now. Stress from work and stress of life have gotten in the way. I have gone through my freezer stash (a whole 25 ounces) since going back to work. She eats more than I can pump. And today, I have 8.5 ounces saved up for tomorrow with the sitter. Not enough. She eats at least 12 ounces while away. I was so excited because we made it over a month of only BM while I was back at work. Pity party commencing. 

I don't need comments of how many survive and thrive on formula. I know they do. 

I don't need comments of how I should be happy I made it this far. I know I should. 

I don't need comments of how stress isn't going to help. I know it doesn't. 

What I need, is to not feel like a failure. Because I do. 

What I need, is to know that it's okay because she is healthy and that's what matters. Because I feel like a failure. 

This breastfeeding thing is hard work.  She's had 4 months (almost) of all the milk I could make. That's an accomplishment, right? 

Big ball of emotions today. Time to snuggle with my big ball of sass (Abs) and attempt to finish some school work.