Trimester Three!

I have officially made it to the third trimester! 

I don't know how that happened so fast. 

I am now going to the doctor every two weeks instead of four, which is a reminder of how close to the end we are already. I had to take the glucose test to test for gestational diabetes and then had my 28 week appointment last week. I forgot how unpleasant the drink is that you have to take before they draw your blood. I went in first thing in the morning, took the drink, checked the time (it was 9:06am), and waited to have my blood drawn. Now, anyone who has had to do this before knows that you have to wait an hour before they draw your blood to be tested. They had me go to the back to draw my blood, again I checked the time and it was 9:55am when they drew it. When I asked the man if it was alright that they drew it ten minutes early he assured me that I shouldn't worry, it wouldn't make a difference. I left feeling a little uneasy about it. I wasn't very confident in the man's response, plus on top of that, he was very rough when it came to drawing blood. I've had my blood draw several times before and it has never hurt so much or left me with a sore bruise (which is just starting to go away). On top of that, the drink that day left me a little jittery and gave me the worst headache all day long. Oh well, it was over with... or at least I thought it was.
When I went to my doctors appointment a few days later they had the results and I was one point over the limit. My doctor told me they normally don't worry unless you are about 60 points or more over the cut off, that I should be fine, but either way it was necessary for me to take the 3 hour glucose test just to be sure. That was the last thing I wanted to hear.
I told my doctor that I understood and had no problem doing the 3 hour one, but was curious if drawing my blood about 10 minutes before the hour mark on the last test would have made the difference that made me go one point over the cut off. He said it absolutely would and sent me back to do the one hour test again later that week instead. My reason for sharing this story is not to complain, but to let everyone else know that even if the nurse says it is alright to draw your blood early when doing a glucose test, DO NOT LET THEM! I redid the test, made absolutely sure they waited the full hour before drawing my blood, and my results came back fine. I almost had to endure a long unnecessary test, where I would need to fast 12 hours beforehand, have my blood draw four times. I am so glad I asked my doctor about the situation and was able to just do the one hour test again. I guess it is important to trust your gut.
Again sorry to complain so much. I know it wasn't such a big deal to redo the hour glucose test, but I just don't want anyone else to have to deal the same thing if it can be avoided.

According to babycenter.com baby Reagan is a whopping 2.5 pounds and is about the size of a butternut squash. 

I have not been craving much lately, except for ice cream. Ice cream always sounds so good lately. 

I made the switch to maternity clothes weeks ago. In fact I think it was the day after posting my 20 week blog post that I decided I needed to stop avoiding them. 

My nausea and headaches have gone away for the most part. The contraction like pains I was having have also gone away. Now I am mostly dealing with being uncomfortable all the time. Scott likes to tease me because every time I start moving I make little sounds. I don't realize I am doing it most of the time, but when things as simple as getting in and out of bed, standing up, putting on socks, etc. gets to be so uncomfortable I can't really help it. I am also starting to swell, mostly in my hands, feet, and face. I can't wear some of my shoes and have a hard time putting my wedding rings on or taking them off. My heartburn has also been outrageously bad over the past several weeks. Thank goodness for Tums! They save me. It will be interesting to see how much hair Reagan is born with. I had it bad with Chloe and she had a head full of hair, and all the pregnancy rumors I have heard about heartburn indicating a lot of hair has been true for other people. So we will see. 

Reagan is rolling and kicking a ton lately. I love it. She favors my right side and likes to keep me up at night. My favorite thing about being pregnant though is feeling the baby move, so I have no problem trading a little sleep to feel her at night. The last few days she has been more active during the day. That makes it fun so other people can feel her too. 

Less than 11 weeks until the due date! I am excited to meet this little girl.

Sister in Training!

Lately Chloe has picked up a new hobby... taking care of her baby doll. She knows that her sister is in Mommy's tummy and is named Reagan. She also calls her baby doll Reagan. She will randomly tell me "Reagan hungry!" and get a toy bottle and feed it to her doll. She has days when her doll doesn't leave her side. She makes her baby doll go potty, eat, take naps, and snuggle. She asks to give her a bath, and I have caught her smelling her dolls bum and peaking in the diaper too. I know Chloe has probably picked up all of this from watching me nanny other babies and care for them in similar ways. Even if that is the case, she never mimicked me while I watched them. It only just started and I have been done nannying for almost a month now. 

It melts my heart to see her so eager to take care of her doll. She is going to be such a great helper when Reagan comes. It has been sweet to see her start to understand (as much as a two year old can anyways) that she is going to be a sister. She gets so excited to hug, snuggle, or kiss baby Reagan. She wraps her arms around me and hugs my belly. She loves to give it kisses and blow raspberries at her sister. 

Chloe also got to feel Reagan move for the first time on Sunday. We were sitting in church during Stake Conference and she was on my lap. Reagan kicked, getting Chloe right in her stomach. Chloe jumped and looked down. I could tell she was shocked and unsure what had just happened. When I told her that baby Reagan kicked her, her reaction was to try and kick her back. YIKES! I had to tell her that we don't kick. I told her Reagan didn't know better and that is how she says hi. Chloe then spent several minutes hugging my belly and saying "Hi Reagan!" 

I am eager to see how Chloe transforms from the roll of only child to a big sister. I know it will be an adjustment for all of us, but moments like this make all my concerns slip away and I can't help but smile.

Guess who turned TWO?!?!

I got a little behind in posting this. We got to celebrate Chloe's 2nd birthday on April 23rd. It is amazing to me not only how fast these past two years have gone, but also how much Chloe has changed. 

(Chloe day 1)

(Chloe 1st Birthday)

(Chloe 1st Birthday)

(Chloe 1st Birthday)

From her first day in my arms and every day after she has brought me so much joy! She has and continues to teach me so much. From her tough side to her most sweet and tender side I love everything about this girl. Her smile lights up a room and her laughter is contagious. She is a little princess and brings happiness to all those around her. 

She can now name her colors, count to three (sometimes five if she doesn't forget not to skip the number 4), name animals and the sounds they make, and sing along to some of her favorite songs. She is learning so much and will talk your ear off if you let her. She is using the potty but still in pull-ups. She loves to help with everything and is a girl who knows what she wants.

On her birthday, she woke up to a living room full of balloons, and a yummy banana bread breakfast. 

Balloons are her favorite! She loves them. After her nap we went to the park where she loved swinging and going down the slide.

That night after dinner, both sets of grandparents came over for dessert and to watch her open her presents! Let me just say this girl is loved, and it shows in how much she is spoiled!

I still can't believe we have a two year old running around! I wouldn't trade it for the world. I do wish she would slow down just a little though! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOLO! 

Half Way There!

20 weeks down, 20 weeks to go!

I am halfway through this pregnancy, which is crazy to me. Despite how much harder this pregnancy has been (between nausea that just wont go away, migraines, infections, and sharp,tight pains  in my abdomen) it still seems to have flown by so far. I am sure it is because I am busy taking care of a nearly 2 year old and couldn't tell you on a given day how far along I am down to the very day. The main reason I do know how far along I am is because I get updates on my phone every week.

According to babycenter.com, baby is the size of a banana.

I have been craving pizza, ice cream, and pancakes. Thankfully I think I am getting over my aversion to meat and can finally start eating the dinners I make for us.

I am still avoiding maternity clothes, but it is only a mater of time. I know I need to give in soon since my clothes are all starting to get uncomfortable or too tight.

My nausea was finally going away for a few weeks but has suddenly decided it is back pretty strong the last few days. I am not pleased by these bouts of morning sickness returning. 

I have been getting headaches daily, and most days they turn into migraines. 

A few weeks ago I started have tight sharp pains in my lower abdomen. It came in waves and would last several hours at a time. It reminds me of the preterm labor contractions I had with Chloe. With her I had to go to the hospital and was put on a medication that slowed down the contractions so I could make it all the way to my due date. The only difference this time is that these go away after a few hours, don't occur daily, and aren't causing any problems yet and it is too early in the pregnancy to take anything to prevent them. 

This little one is moving a ton too. It has been so much fun to feel that more often. It is one of my favorite parts of being pregnant. 

We had our 20 week ultrasound yesterday. It was fun to see this one moving around and see all the different body parts. I love watching the heart beat and seeing their little hands, feet, and face features.

Look at that little button nose!

Baby feet are the cutest!

And of course at this ultrasound we were able tot find out the gender. Scott and I had fun preparing for this. We looked up old wives tales (even though I don't really believe any of them), and asked friends and family to make guesses. We tallied up their guesses along with ours before we found out.

OLD WIVES TALES

BOY OR GIRL?

Happy vs. Moody -------------------------------------------------- BOY

Clumsy vs. Graceful ----------------------------------------------- BOY

Sleep on Left side vs. Right side -------------------------------- GIRL

Feet are very cold vs. feet stay the same --------------------- GIRL

Frequent headaches vs. stay the same ------------------------ BOY

Clear skin vs. Stolen beauty ------------------------------------- GIRL

Heart rate under 140 vs. over 140 ----------------------------- GIRL

Craving salty/sour vs. sweet ------------------------------------ GIRL

Spouse loses weight/stays the same vs. gains weight ----- BOY

No morning sickness vs. Morning sickness ------------------ GIRL

Chinese Birth Chart ---------------------------------------------- BOY

Mayans method --------------------------------------------------- GIRL

Age plus month of conception --------------------------------- GIRL

Chloe has been saying she is going to have a "sissy" since day one. Scott and I on the other hand were thoroughly convinced we were having a boy. We had names picked out either way, and didn't have a preference at all (this time). 

We didn't think Scott would be able to make it to the ultrasound yesterday, so we came up with the idea to have them write down what the gender was and seal it in an envelope so we could find out together. Scott ended up making it there just a few minutes after they started. He decided that we should still have them seal it and that we should wait to find out until later that night! We had our parents over for dessert and the big reveal. Scott took the envelope to Party City and had them put it all together without him finding out. They blew up a black balloon and had confetti and another balloon which was either pink or blue. They also gave us silly string in the same color but the bottles didn't say what color they were. We popped the balloon and had our parents take a video and spray the silly string to find out. 

IT'S A GIRL! 

Looks like Chloe was right all along. We are so excited and can't wait for little Reagan Renee Jones to get here in August! 

16 Weeks!

I had my 16 week appointment on Friday and was so happy because Scott was able to go with me. We aren't sure if he will be able to make the 20 week appointment when they do the ultrasound (we are still trying to figure out his schedule and see if we can make it work), so it was exciting that he was able to go to this one with me. I have finally started to gain a little weight and should continue to gain weight now instead of losing more. Baby's heartbeat sounded great, which is always good news.

According to babycenter, baby is the size of an avocado and is 4.5 inches long (head to bum) and 3.5 ounces.

I am feeling the baby move, though it is still not very consistent. I can't wait until I can feel him/her a little more frequently.

Cravings: cereal, cinnamon rolls, donuts, and strawberry ice cream

I cannot stand to eat much meat right now and the smell bothers me too. Most of the time when I make dinner by the time I finish I can't eat it and I have something small later.

The nausea and morning sickness haven't been everyday and I am hoping this means it is finally starting to go away. I still get it though and when I do it hits pretty hard. I am so ready to be done with that part. I am exhausted and have a hard time getting in any naps, just waiting for that second trimester boost of energy to kick in.

12 Weeks Down!

Friday I hit the 12 week mark with baby #2. I also had a doctors appointment which I had to bring Chloe to. It was actually a sweet experience to have her there, especially since it was such a quick appointment. All they did is check my weight, the baby's heartbeat, and sent me to get some blood drawn. When they put the gel on my stomach before checking for the heartbeat, Chloe got so excited and yelled "Lotion!!!!" She loves lotion right now and is always asking for it. Then once they found the heartbeat I told her to listen and she would hear her brother or sister. She put her hand up to her ear and said "ahhhh listen!" It was a very sweet experience. I still have a hard time adjusting to the idea of Chloe being a big sister.

Baby is the size of a lime now and between 2 and 2.5 inches long - according to babycenter

I can still feel the baby move every now and then, but I cannot wait until I can feel them more often and  stronger

 I am still losing weight, but not enough for the doctor to be concerned. Hopefully the morning sickness will be easing up soon and I can start gaining some weight. The bump is still growing even though my weight isn't.

Cravings include: cereal, chips, and macaroni and cheese 

I'm not in maternity clothes, though I did get a few pants that are a size bigger than what I have been wearing. Mostly this is just for comfort.

Symptoms still include morning sickness, cramping, increasing trips to the bathroom, tenderness, and fatigue (I am sleeping a little better at night, but still feel exhausted all day. I am trying harder to start sneaking in a nap during the day.)

9 Week Prenatal Appointment

Scott and I went to our first prenatal appointment today for baby #2. We expected that we were just over 8 weeks along in this pregnancy, however, our doctor informed us that we were over 9 weeks (it is so much nicer to hear them move your due date ahead instead of pushing it back). Instead of being due August 29th, baby #2 is expected to arrive around August 22nd.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BABY

First trimester - 9 weeks and 4 days along

Baby is about the size of a grape.  

I know some people might argue or say I am imagining things, however every now and then, if I am focusing on it, I do feel little baby movements. I am positive it is not gas or anything else. It has definitely been a huge surprise since I never expected to feel anything this early in the pregnancy. I think part of it is because I know what it feels like so I am noticing it sooner. I can't feel the baby all day, and am not counting kicks or worried if I don't feel anything, but it is definitely a blessing to be able to feel a little bit already.

A LITTLE ABOUT ME SO FAR

Symptoms - cramping in my abdomen, sore/achy muscles, tenderness, I definitely run to the bathroom a little more often including several times at night, fatigue (most days I don't get a nap in and no matter how exhausted I am at night I can't seem to get much sleep at all), nausea (with Chloe I hardly had any problem with this, but this time I have been nauseous almost all day everyday and throw up nearly every morning for the past 3 or 4 weeks YIKES. Unfortunately because of this I am losing weight instead of gaining any but that should get better in the next few weeks.)

I am definitely showing earlier with this pregnancy. I had a small bump around 6 weeks along, though I am sure this is mostly only noticeable to me, and it has slowly been getting bigger since. When comparing my size I realized that at 8 weeks along I was the same size as I was at 13 weeks with Chloe. 

I am not in maternity clothes and probably wont be for a little while longer, although most days I have to keep my top button of my pants undone for comfort. 

More than anything I have been craving pancakes. Pancakes, crepes, and french toast have been calling my name. 

(9 weeks along here)

Chloe is absolutely convinced that she is having a "sissy" by the way! We will have to wait to find out about that! It is cute to see her get excited about the baby "girl" or "sissy" in her opinion even if she doesn't quite understand what it means yet!