Babyshower + 39 weeks...

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this but we live in the best ward. I've never felt so welcome or so loved in a ward than I do here. Some of the ladies I've gotten to become friends with threw me a baby shower this past Friday night! I wasn't expecting anything since this is my second baby and another boy so I was totally surprised when Emily approached me about it. It was so fun and so nice to get out with some girl-friends. We went to a cute little Italian restaurant in Ballard and then had molten lava cake at Hot Cakes just down the road. It was so fun and I'm so grateful to have made friends here. They are all so great. Here are a few pictures...

Baby bumps! In order of due dates- January, February, and March. Boy, Girl, Girl.

The ladies (missing Maren) from left to right... Kelly, Kathryn, Emily, Kelly, Noel, Me, Layla, and Lisha

Delicious chocolate/peanut butter molten lava cake and ice cream. If you ever visit Seattle, you must come here.

Heres some pregnancy progress for you...

How far along: 39 weeks... almost. Technically I'll be 39 weeks on Tuesday but at this point who cares.
Total weight gain: at my last appointment I had a different doctor (it was the day after Christmas so mine was on vacation) so the new doctor didn't tell me if I'd gained anything. Just said I was right on track.
Maternity clothes? I've grown out of a lot of them. I'm thinking of just wearing sweats and Jordans t-shirts the rest of my pregnancy haha
Stretch marks: Yep and more new ones this past week. Baby is really stretching me out!
Sleep: Eh... depends on the night and how tired I am. I usually wake up around four or so and can't get back to sleep and Noah has been getting up super early too. Also the baby moved around like crazy until late (midnight or one). Sometimes I can get to sleep through it but most of the time I can't.
Best moment this week: Christmas and my baby shower!
Movement: Yes but its slowed down a bit and is more like rolling around. Not so many kicks and jabs like he used to. Hopefully that means he's getting ready to come out.
Cravings?: Nutella. We bought a big thing of it at Sam's Club last night and I just made short bread cookies to go with it. Yumm...
Anything making you queasy or sick: no.
Labor Signs: I've had some painful contractions in the last week or so. But nothing regular and a TON of braxton hicks. Lets hope I have some progress when I go to my next doctors appointment on Wednesday (last Wednesday I was only a fingertip dilated and only 60% effaced. But the doctor reassured me that as a second time mom things can change really fast)
Missing anything?: Regular/non-maternity clothes...
Symptoms: Siatic pain has been really bad lately. Lots of pelvic pressure/pain. Heartburn. Low back pain. Contractions.
Belly Button in or out? Out. My belly looks kind of pointy. lol
Wedding ring on or off? There was a few days when I couldn't wear my ring because of swelling. Luckly Jordan got me a really pretty infinity ring for Christmas (that is a half size bigger) so I can wear that when I can't wear my wedding ring. But right now, as I type this, I can. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: Baby!! He should be here in a week or so (we might talk induction on Wednesday)... crossing my fingers. Lets hope Jordan and I can finally pick a name for this guy.

Thoughts + 37 weeks...

 I've been wanting to write a normal post lately... not one thats just updating my progress in pregnancy. But I haven't been able to decide what to write about because there's not really anything new going on with us. So here are just some random thoughts (in no particular order) I've had lately that might give some insight into what my days are like... some of these things I think, literally, everyday... PS- don't be offended. :-)

~My testimony of prayer has grown a whole lot just from moving here. The gospel is an amazing thing and I'm blessed to live where I live... for so many reasons.

~I hate The Land Before Time 5. Curse you Amazon Instant Video for not having the original.

~Important life lessons can be learned from the movie mentioned above... like if you're lost in the wilderness with friends and aren't sure if the plants are edible, tell your dumbest friend to try everything first, just to be safe. Also, pray your children don't learn their grammar from this movie.

~Its ok if my floor is covered in bits of play doh and pine needles... let it go. Just let it go.... and breath...

~I love having a little boy. With all his energy and roughness, he sure is a mama's boy. And I can't wait to have another one. Boys are so fun. But I am a little biased.

~My husband is the most loving and supportive (and patient) person in the world. I'm lucky to have him.

~Sometimes its okay for my toddler to throw a giant tantrum... I need to take a shower.

~I enjoy church so much more now that I don't have to sit in nursery for two hours. Bless those people who get called into nursery. Another testament that the lord really does answer prayers. *five weeks before I'm due to have this baby, Noah just decides that he's fine in nursery without me. He only cried for five minutes two Sundays ago and last Sunday he didn't cry at all. Prayers answered.*

~I never thought I'd have to console my child from the toilet. But as a mom, what is privacy anyway.

~Its good to know that pregnancy isn't forever. Whether you have your baby at 37 week or 41 weeks, you WILL have your baby. And from what my doctor has told me, I only have three more weeks at most... and I'm counting on three more weeks... Not being pessimistic... just realistic and patient.

~I still haven't packed my hospital bag... maybe I should do that sometime...

which leads us to my pregnancy update..

How far along: 37 weeks! Thats only 21 days left.
Total weight gain: 20 lbs up. I thought I had gained 23 but at my last appointment my doctor told me just 20... I didn't gain anything between 35 and 37 weeks. I'm in good shape this time!
Maternity clothes? I should just delete about half of these questions..
Stretch marks: Yes...
Sleep: Last night I slept like a rock... only woke up once and it was just to roll over... which is odd because with Noah my sleep seemed to get worse the further along I was but it seems to be getting better. Probably because I'm SOOO tired at the end of the day; between the house, taking care of a two year old, and being massively pregnant, I'm always exhausted.
Best moment this week: Hmm.... I don't know if I've had a best moment this week. Things have been good. Just trying to get everything with Christmas done and get ready for the baby. I'm not nearly as anxious this time as I was as a first time mom...
Movement: Almost all day long. He's an active little guy.
Cravings?: Nothing this week.
Anything making you queasy or sick: no.
Labor Signs: Tons of braxton hicks and lots of pressure... that doesn't mean labor though so... no.

Symptoms: My heartburn is back. Turns out baby hasn't dropped like I thought he had (normal for a second pregnancy). I just carry really low I guess. The heart burn is getting pretty bad though. And my pelvis kills me.
Belly Button in or out? Out. And Noah is still fascinated. But now when you ask him where his baby brother is he points to my stomach... cutest thing ever.
Wedding ring on or off? Still on. My hands still look normal.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: Christmas and January!!

36 weeks...

How far along: 36 weeks
Total weight gain: As of a week ago... 23 lbs up. 
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks: Yes...
Sleep: It was better just because I've been SOOO tired... but last night it was worse again. I'm exhausted again tonight though so hopefully I sleep better.
Best moment this week: I haven't posted about pregnancy in a few weeks so... we decorated for Christmas and went to the ward Christmas party. Also, getting ready for baby more and more each week. Its getting exciting!
Miss anything?: Being able to bend over.
Movement: Almost all day long. He's an active little guy.
Cravings?: Last night I was craving ginger bread loaf from Starbucks. So I made a copycat and it was the best ever. Sooo yummy.
Anything making you queasy or sick: no.
Labor Signs: No real labor signs yet. Just lots of pressure and I think baby has dropped a bit.
Symptoms: Everything pregnancy related. I know baby has dropped though because my heart burn isn't as bad anymore. But you should see my belly... its huge. I've had people in my ward asking if I'm having twins... and at the ward party some ladies stopped me and asked me when I was due; when I said at the beginning of January they were shocked and said that he would probably be early. haha I had to tell them probably not because Noah was late. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll come a few days before his due date.
Belly Button in or out? Out. Noah thinks its hilarious.
Wedding ring on or off? On. Haven't really had any swelling this time so its been nice.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: Picking a name! We're back to talking about names so we'll see what he looks like out of the three we like. Oh and the next FOUR weeks... can't believe I only have four left! So fun.

A few changes...

Here's a little bit of background for you: When Jordan and I got married we were (and still are) all about saving money. We moved into a teeny tiny basement apartment in the avenues of Salt Lake City where our rent was 550$ a month. Our bed was a metal frame with a mattress and box springs given to us by J's parents. Our dresser was also given to us by them and we didn't have a kitchen table. For a couch we bought a 60$ one off of craigslist. It wasn't the worst thing in the world; black faux leather that was a bit cracked and had a few holes but it was comfortable and served its purpose. Three and a half years and a really bad couch cover later we were given J's grandparents old couch since they were moving to Idaho and didn't need it anymore. It was in pretty perfect condition even though it was about 20 years old. But it was white. Try having a 7-8 month old growing baby and a white couch at the same time. Needless to say, that couch wasn't so white anymore by the time we moved here.

So now that Jordan has a real job we decided to make a few changes on our house! We now have a kitchen table and... a new couch!! This is a big deal to me since J has had to listen to me complain about how much I've hated the couches we've owned. We decided that since we have a 2 year old and another boy on the way (and we plan on having more kids) that we didn't want to spend a fortune on furniture. So even though our couch is from Ikea, its super comfortable and looks great in our house; and a bonus: the cover is removable and can be dry cleaned! We love it.

Before: Older couch, Red pillows, dark brown curtains that were there when we moved in.

After: New grey couch and ottoman, white curtains, new pillow covers that I made.

33 weeks...

How far along: 33 weeks
Total weight gain: Had my appointment this morning and I've gained a pound from last time. So 17 lbs up total. 
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks: A few new ones around my belly button and on my hips.
Sleep: Painful. Asked my doctor today if she had any suggestions and she said she didn't. boo...
Best moment this week: We got a new couch! If you've known Jordan and I and our situation for the last 4.5 years you'll know that this is a big deal... for me anyway... I'll write a post about that later.
Miss anything?: Walking normally? haha I have the pregnant waddle going on... I guess I have for a while now but its been especially noticeable lately.
Movement: Yep and he's sooo strong.
Cravings?: Apples with caramel
Anything making you queasy or sick: no.
Labor Signs: Braxton hicks and he may have dropped a little this week.
Symptoms: Well today after I explained my aches and pains to my doctor she said "welcome to the third trimester of your second pregnancy." haha My pelvis feels like its going to break in half every time I stand up. You may think I'm being dramatic... I'm really not. It literally feels like its going to break in half; its really painful. And my lower back hurts a lot more this time. Neither of these things were a problem when I was pregnant with Noah. My doctor said thats because with the second pregnancy everything happens so much faster so things are a lot more uncomfortable earlier on. Fun huh?
Belly Button in or out? Out. This answer won't change.
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: The next seven weeks! They are going to fly by and theres so many fun things to look forward to 

Noahs birthday: TWO....

Last week my little boy turned TWO!! Its insane how fast time goes by with kids. Noah is a pretty amazing little kid. I may be a little biased on that. But I think hes pretty great. Here are a few fun things about our two year old...
~hes a climber! He loves cimbing on anything and everything.
~hes really into cars right now.
~He loves Toy Story, How to Train Your Dragon, and Cars
~He loves the park.
~He loves to wrestle with his daddy.
~Lately he's been very chatty.
~Hes all boy... rough and tough and runs everywhere. Rarely will he sit still and he likes to head butt and chase the dogs. Too bad Chihuahuas get stressed out so easily... poor puppies.
~he can say doggy, bubbles, popcorn, truck, buster, papa, daddy, mama, please, and thank you. Some parents might be worried at this point that he doesnt say much but he understands so much that we're not worried.
~he can tell you what a dog, cat, car, lightning mcqeen, snake, lion, tiger, owl, and monkey says... and anything that growls.
~when you tell him to say doggy sometimes he'll bark instead.
~hes hates diaper changes and riding in the car and grocery shopping.
~hes obsessed with play dough.
~he likes getting his own snacks out of the fridge.
~hes a really picky eater.
~hes not a fan of nursery unless I'm there with him.
~hes been sleeping in a toddler bed for about three months. That all started because he was climbing out of his crib every day.
~he loves playing outside.
~hes what J likes to call an assertive cuddler. He'll just climb into your lap (even if you're on the computer or eating) and cuddle with you... and hes very cuddly.
Anyway, theres a little bit about our big guy. Hes getting so big and becoming very independent. Its sad but so exciting at the same time. I cant wait to see him in his role as big brother.
Here are a few photos from his birthday...

Opening presents. From J and I he got  a two foot tall track (of sorts) for his cars, 9 hot wheels,  play doh, and a fire truck. Once he opened the hot wheels he didn't really care about anything else.

He had a fun-fetti cake and was only interested in eating the frosting a sprinkles.

Family photo :-)

31 weeks...

How far along: 31 weeks
Total weight gain: +16 lbs.
Maternity clothes? Yes and growing out of some of them.
Stretch marks: I found a few new ones on my sides and a weird place: my calves... I guess they have been getting swollen and I can really feel it when I kneel down.
Sleep: terrible and very painful. We took our memory foam pad off our bed last night to see if that would help... it didnt. And I'm starting to keep J awake too with all my tossing and turning.
Best moment this week: We took a trip to Utah to see family and friends. Noah had a blast playing outside and trick or treating.
Miss anything?: yes and no. I miss being able to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Movement: yes and this little guy is strong! Theres one spot on my right side up by my ribs where he likes to stretch out and its starting to hurt. The dr told me today thats where his bum is :-)
Cravings?: lemon bars.
Anything making you queasy or sick: no.
Labor Signs: Nothing associated with real labor.
Symptoms: feeling huge lately. Jordan reminded me a few days ago that I was "huge when I was pregnant with Noah." Aww.. thanks babe... :-)
Belly Button in or out? Out. This answer won't change.
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: The next few months are going to be fun. I'm really glad the last part of my pregnancy is during the holidays. Noahs birthday is tomorrow, Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas, New Years, and then I'm due!! Exciting stuff.

Trip to Utah...

This last week Noah and I took a trip to Utah to see family and friends. It was really great seeing everyone and we had a lot of fun. Noah LOVES playing outside, especially in the leaves and he had a great time trick or treating in my parents neighborhood. The first full day we spent there, we had a little party in honor of Noahs second birthday. It turned out really well and it was so fun seeing everyone that came. Noah is one loved little boy.
The rest of the week was full of playing outside, going to scheels and cabelas, going out to eat with family, and of course Halloween! We dressed Noah up as Nacho from Nacho Libre. His costume was a huge hit... pretty much everyone we passed while trick or treating said something about it. He was so cute and it was warm enough that he could go shirtless (and he wore his cape the whole time... I was amazed). Trick or treating this year went a lot like it did last year (his first time trick or treating was in Jordans parents neighborhood). The first few houses he was nervous but eager to get candy and by the end he didnt understand why he couldn't go inside every single house. He had a blast.
But like every vacation, it has to come to an end and its nice to come home and get back into the swing of things. I don't know if you've ever traveled with a toddler by yourself but it can be stressful so I was glad to come home to Jordan.
The next few months are going to fly by and I'm so excited. This month we have Noahs birthday (tomorrow!!), Thanksgiving, and my birthday. December is Christmas and new years, and then BABY!! This pregnancy has gone by so fast, as has this year. It'll be fun to do a recap in the next month and a half :-)

PS- I tried uploading a crap load of pictures to this post and it turns out google sucks and rotates my pictures the wrong way and there's no option to rotate them back... sorry.

28+ weeks...

How far along: 28 weeks 4 days

Total weight gain: As of Tuesday, 14 lbs up
Maternity clothes?  yup. And I finally got my new pair of maternity jeans in the mail this week... along with a super cute maternity maxi dress. That makes two pairs of maternity pants I can wear :-)
Stretch marks? Oh just everywhere... no new ones though.
Sleep: Some nights are better than others. I've been super tired recently so its been better... I slept really well last night except for when Noah woke up every three hours. You think they sleep better as they get older... nope.
Best moment this week: I got my glucose test this week and it came back normal! yay! No gestational diabetes and this time I don't have to take an iron supplement like I did with Noah. I did have to get my RhoGam shot though... didn't know it was done in the glutes. OUCH! With Noah they gave it to me in my shoulder. Rude awakening...
Miss Anything? Sitting comfortably would be nice. But I'm not complaining.

Movement: You bet. Love feeling my little guy move.
Food cravings: This week not really anything.
Anything making you queasy or sick: no.
Labor Signs: Nothing associated with real labor.
Symptoms: Just pregnancy.
Belly Button in or out? Out. This answer won't change.
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: Noah and I get to go to Utah a week from today. Pretty excited about that but sad Jordan doesn't get to come with us.

Oh and I was feeling cute today so here's a bump picture for you... don't mind our lame, wavy full length mirror. Its the only one in the house at the moment.

So other than all that, there's not too much to update on for the last few weeks. Noah is adorable as ever and though he doesn't talk in a language many people can understand, he can now tell you what Thomas the train says if you ask him- "choo choo" (and he's not being shy, which is the case much of the time he's around people other than J and I). And even Lightening McQeen- "dowwwww". He sleeps really well in his toddler bed and is so smart even though he doesn't say many real words.

Jordan is still enjoying working at Amazon, though as any job can be, gets stressed at times. He says he likes the new challenges and he is learning a lot. Anyone who knows my husband well knows how smart he already is so its fun to hear he's learning new things.

I still love being a stay at home mom. Although I love doing massage, I never really enjoyed working in Spas (or working for anyone in general). I feel very at home being a stay home mom and not just literally. It just feels good. But I won't try and downplay how hard it is. Its the hardest job I've ever done in my life but also the most rewarding. I have my days when its extremely hard to even get out of bed, get out of the house, deal with a temperamental toddler, or get anything done around the house. Even getting dinner on the table is damn near impossible some times. But in the end, I wouldn't trade my life for anything. I learn so much every day. I feel so lucky and so blessed every day. I have an incredible little family. Can't wait to introduce our new little guy into our family... Can't wait for there to be FOUR of us!

26+ weeks and blessed...

How far along: 26 weeks 2 days

Total weight gain: I'll keep you posted...
Maternity clothes?  Yes but I did find a non-maternity shirt today that is long enough to fit. Its long sleeved too so... bonus.
Stretch marks? There may or may not be a few around my belly button.
Sleep: Last night was the best sleep I've gotten in a long, long time. Even though I woke up every time I needed to roll over. The night before last I got hardly any sleep due to bad siatic nerve pain and a racing heart... and hunger.
Best moment this week: My mother in law was here last weekend. We love having people stay with us... especially grandparents.
Miss Anything? Not complaining. I am very sleepy though.

Movement: Oh yes. This little guy is becoming very active. I love it.
Food cravings: The usual. Sweet, potatoes, and a new one: cereal.
Anything making you queasy or sick: not really anymore.
Labor Signs: Still those darn braxton hicks.
Symptoms: The newest one is siatic nerve pain. I didn't really have that with Noah. Its super fun though..
Belly Button in or out? OUT. See picture below
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: I have a trip to Utah coming up. I'm a little nervous about traveling with a two year old by myself but I think if I prepare enough it will be ok.

Now, ready for a bunch of pictures? Well... I bunch for me anyway since I hardly ever post any.. here we go. To begin, here is my 1st and 2nd pregnancy comparison photos. They are a day off but who cares...

Noah: 26 weeks 3 days

Baby boy 2: 26 weeks 2 days

My bump this time is a little bigger and rounder. And if you don't mind me saying, I'm a bit more 'curvy' :-)

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this but, Noah LOVES my belly... particularly my belly button. When we're at home having down time (sitting on the couch watching a movie usually) he always wants me to pull my shirt up so he can look at my belly and lay his head down on my stomach. I like to think he's bonding with his brother already. Its adorable...

Noah is fascinated with my belly button. He always starts giggling when he sees it and has to feel it. Its so funny.

And here are a few from Jordan's moms visit and the park today...

Noah throwing rocks with Grandma Hulet

Like father, like son. He wanted to wear Jordans socks one morning

Watching the bubble man at Carkeek Park today.

Running around at the park on this gorgeous day. Seriously,  Seattle... when is it going to rain?

Lately I've been trying to pay more attention to my blessings. Today, I feel so blessed. I have an incredible husband who loves and supports me. He has a great job and is able to support his family with more than enough. I get to be a stay at home mom to the most amazing little boy. And I'm about to have another amazing little boy to adore and love. We live in a beautiful place. We always have enough to eat and enough activities to fill our days with. I really do live a good life and even though there are days when I can barely get out of bed, I couldn't ask for anything more. Today I especially love my life.

24 weeks...

Heres a tired looking, no make up wearing, 24 week pregnant me.

How far along: 24 weeks

Total weight gain: Not sure. My next appointment is at 27 weeks (yay for the glucose test and Rhogam) so I'll let you know then.
Maternity clothes?  yep and I'm even growing out of some of my maternity clothes... starting to wonder if my jeans will last to 40ish weeks.
Stretch marks? No new ones... yet.
Sleep: Gets worse every night.
Best moment this week: We got another dog. But she's really shy and skiddish... and not great friends with Noah... I'm hoping it works out but right now I'm not sure...
Miss Anything? My sleep. But then again I'm going to be missing that for the next year and a half or so. Once baby boy is here I won't mind so much. Some people complain about having to wake up to feed baby several times a night but I love it... especially nursing.

Movement: Yes and I love feeling him from the outside. I fold my arms over my belly sometimes when I'm sitting down and he'll kick me. Its fun.
Food cravings: Candy. Always candy. Chocolate mostly though. This boy has a sweet tooth just like his mama.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Italian food.
Labor Signs: Not yet. I'm hoping to go into labor on my own this time though. When I was induced with Noah the doctor told me I probably would have gone into labor that day anyway since I was at 3.5 cm when I went in that morning. Bummer.
Symptoms: Heart burn. Hip pain. Big belly... ya know.
Belly Button in or out? OUT.
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Depends on the day.
Looking forward to: My mother in law is coming out next week and we're really looking forward to that.

Aw crap. Not again...

Some people are so funny around pregnant women and say the funniest things. Here are a few I've had with this pregnancy:
So I was able to go grocery shopping alone yesterday (well half of it was alone... the first half we attempted to go as a family. Noah hates grocery shopping no matter who goes).  As I was checking out at Albertsons the cashier asked if I needed help out. I politely declined. And then he got all serious and stopped and looked at me and said in a very serious tone as if he was delivering some news I didn't know about, "are you sure? You're pregnant." I wish I was witty on the spot like my husband and had looked alarmed and said something like, "aw crap. Not again!" But I'm not so I just smiled and agreed with him.
And then there are the people who dont know how to act or know what to say to a pregnant woman. Sitting at dinner a few months ago with some of Jordans coworkers, the waiter brought over a sample of their brew of the month (we were at a burger place/pub) for everyone to try. I gave mine to the person across from me and she asked if I was sure I didn't want it. After I explained that I was pregnant (and that I dont drink), one of jordans coworkers looked at me and said, "so like, when is it, like, coming out?" Very awkward and I couldn't stop laughing.
And then there are those people who don't have any tact and just say whatever they want with no filter! Last weekend we were at carkeek park just walking along the shore line of Puget Sound. It was around 10 in the morning. Well, there was a couple there who were obviously loaded and having a grand old time (one reason why I don't understand drinking... is it fun to make yourself look ridicuous?). Anyway the woman yells to me "you're pregnant again right? Cause see, I've had kids so I know but my husband just thought you were fat." And then they started laughing hysterically at eachother. Wow... some people. And then add being drunk on top of that and you've got a class act!
Anyway, I didn't really get comments like that while I was pregnant with Noah (except from some of our friends in Germany but they have a different sense of humor) :-) Fun times when you have a giant belly! I'm looking forward to the comments I'll get when I'm even bigger!

23 weeks...

How far along: 23 weeks

Total weight gain: Up 7 lbs total.
Maternity clothes?  fer shrrrr...
Stretch marks? I thought I had a few new ones above my belly button but I think those are still old ones..
Sleep: Terrible. 
Best moment this week: Last weekend was really good and relaxing. Also, the rain yesterday morning. Also, I think we settled on a name... it starts with... wait wait... too much detail... you'll just have to wait until January. so.far.away. :-)
Miss Anything? Nope. Feeling pretty good.

Movement: definitely. This baby is a lot more calm than Noah was though.
Food cravings:Chocolate... and cinnamon bears... all day. Everyday.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Italian food.
Labor Signs: nope. Except those lovely braxton hicks that I've been feeling since 14ish weeks.
Symptoms: Pregnancy.
Belly Button in or out? Out and getting more out everyday.
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I wish I could say happy. Well I am happy. I'm happy with my life and my incredible husband and darling boy and I'm happy that I'm pregnant and having another amazing son. But I'm depressed at the same time... if that makes any sense. Depressed for no good reason (like I have been so often in my life). So I'm trying to find things to do to distract myself in the mean time. I know I'll feel better soon. Like we say often in our house, everyone has bad days.
Looking forward to: Projects. My mother-in-law is coming out to see us next week. Possibly taking a trip to Utah next month. The rain.

22 weeks, comparison, & labor day...

How far along: 22 weeks

Total weight gain: Stay tuned for next weeks update... I have a dr's appointment then.
Maternity clothes?  Still yes. I got my new stuff from Old Navy in the mail last week... its nice to feel cute again :-)
Stretch marks? No new ones.
Sleep: I wake up several times a night. My hips hurt every morning. Fun stuff. I'm not complaining though because I know I'll miss being pregnant when this baby gets here... even though I can't wait for him to finally get here. 
Best moment this week: The three day weekend. Jordan got Monday off... like most people. Its sooo nice to have him home.
Miss Anything? Nope. Feeling pretty good.

Movement: Yes. And this morning I got to watch my belly jump around with his movements. Its awesome seeing him move from the outside.
Food cravings: Potatoes. My boys seem to love potatoes when they're in the womb :-)
Anything making you queasy or sick: Pizza.... yuck.
Labor Signs: Nope. Just braxton hicks still.
Symptoms: Oh all kinds of things. You name it. Except still no morning sickness... thank goodness.
Belly Button in or out? Oh its out. And Noah thinks its so funny. He wanted me to walk around with my shirt lifted up yesterday so he could see my belly button.
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: Getting my other projects started. I have a few sewing projects I want to do for this baby. I just finished his car seat canopy and I'm making him a blanket like the one I made for Noah. I'm also going to make some ties and bow ties, pacifier clips, and a crib sheet (and possibly and crib skirt...) crib bedding sets are so expensive and I can't find one that I absolutely love. Plus we never even used half the stuff that came with the set we bought Noah.

Here are comparison photos from my first pregnancy and this one... both taken at 22 weeks. The pictures are pretty different so its hard to tell, but my belly is definitely bigger this time.

This past labor day weekend was nice and relaxing... for the most part. It was really fun that Jordan got the day off and we got him all to ourselves yesterday. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it but his days (and ours) are pretty long. He leaves for work in the morning at 7:30 and doesn't get home until 6:15-:30 usually. So when he gets the day off its the best. Saturday we took a trip down south to Southcenter and went to the mall and a fish store Jordan wanted to check out. If any of you reading have toddlers or children age two or close to two you'll know that its hard to go anywhere without some stress. But it was fun to get out of Seattle for a little bit even if it wasn't that far away. Sunday was a typical Sunday... we went to two hours of church which mainly consisted of me hanging out in nursery with Noah. He still hasn't adjusted yet and doesn't like being left in there without us... we'll get there one day hopefully. Jordan is a primary teacher for the 10-11 year olds so he did that. Yesterday we stayed around here and went to lunch and ran a few errands. It was just nice to have Jordan home. 

I love my job...

This week I'm not going to post a pregnancy survey because really, nothings changed from last week. Other than babys movements are getting pretty strong and they will get even stronger in the next few weeks(loving it... this is my favorite thing about pregnancy) and I've been craving fries... I think I'll go get some from kidd valley today. Here are a few bump pictures... I never ask Jordan to take pictures for me so you get phone pictures. I think I look slightly bigger this week (and I mean SLIGHTLY. Some people will probably say no, I look the same in both)... especially considering that the first picture was taken at the end of the day when my bump is usually bigger and the second was taken this morning. This is a huge difference between my bump with Noah and this little boy. Next week I'll post my comparison photos from my first pregnancy and this one...

20 weeks

21 weeks 2 days

Anyway, Noah is the cutest little boy ever and a little terror at the same time. One minute he'll be so cute and cuddly, giving me hugs and kisses. Or he'll be hyper, running around in circles and wanting to wrestle or crashing his trucks into things. And the next minute he'll throw a huge fit and have a meltdown over the slightest thing. It never gets boring at our house. But I love being a mom more than anything I've done in my life.
I also love being married to my best friend. Its exciting to think we're going on five years... ok so maybe we're only at 4 years and 3.5 months but still! Time flies when you're having fun. I've never felt so supported as I do with Jordan. He's really an amazing man and I'm so glad that blind date worked out. I hope I can raise my boys to be just like their dad. I'm a very lucky girl.
Well, theres the mushy stuff I've been thinking about. We're still loving Seattle. The weather is changing and I'm excited for fall... I didn't think I'd say it but I'm even excited for the rain. I have a bunch of projects I've been working on and thats been fun. I hope to one day be one of those women who can make any craft and have it turn out perfect... its still on long way off. Practice makes perfect!

20+ weeks...

How far along: 20 weeks and three days

Total weight gain: I don't really weigh myself anymore so I'll post weight gain when I have my prenatal checkups.
Maternity clothes? for sure. I just ordered some more on oldnavy.com the other day and got a really good deal. I'm pretty much in all maternity stuff now (but I guess I have been for a month or two now)
Stretch marks? No new ones.
Sleep: Getting pretty uncomfortable. I wake up several times during the night, usually just to turn over. Its starting to be a bit of a challenge just to change sides.
Best moment this week: My sister and brother in law came to stay with us. It was fun to see them and hang out with them

Miss Anything? Nope. I love everything about this stage in pregnancy.
Movement: Still everyday... and getting stronger :-)
Food cravings: Yesterday I was craving orange sticks (you know the ones you can get at Christmas time?) and I couldn't find any at the Target... sad. But I crave sweets pretty much every day.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Anything with a really strong flavor.
Labor Signs: Nope. 
Symptoms: Heartburn, sore hips, growing belly.
Belly Button in or out? I *almost* feel ok about saying its out... almost. But its not completely flat  around the edges yet.
Wedding ring on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.
Looking forward to: Fall. The leaves are starting to change just outside our house and the air in starting to feel crisp like fall. Though I'm not sure I'm looking forward to the six or seven months of rain/clouds we'll be getting soon. As this is our first fall/winter/spring in Seattle we're not sure what to expect.

So nothing really new going on here. Yesterday Noah and I braved going out shopping again. The day before we drove 20 mins up to Hobby Lobby so I could get some craft supplies for decorating the boys room and Noah had a tantrum pretty much the whole time we were there. So after that I was a little hesitant to go out again just a day later. Well we went... trying to be brave. Noah starting getting impatient like usual when we go shopping and didn't want to sit down anymore. To try and avoid another meltdown, I put him in the main part of the shopping cart. He refused to sit down... and believe me a was trying really hard to get him to sit down. Well there is a reason they put those little signs on shopping carts about not letting your child stand in the main part of the cart. I was slowly walking through the store, Noah standing in the cart; me telling him over and over to sit down and holding his arm/shoulder. Well I stopped the cart to go over and take him out of the cart. Just as I stopped he took a step to the very end of the cart and fell out head first. I died. It was awful. He bumped his head on the metal part and toppled over onto his back. So sad and I felt like the worst mom ever. As he was screaming in my arms someone came over and offered to help; luckily she didn't look like she was totally judging me and was genuinely concerned. She said she had something similar happen to her little girl. Anyway, Noah was really quiet after that and just wanted to cuddle and then sit in the cart the rest of the trip. I can't get that image out of my head though... worst trip ever. Thankfully I don't think there is any serious damage.. he doesn't even have a bump on his head. So today we're staying home; maybe we'll go for a walk, watch movies and have a little cuddle time.