37 Weeks

These last couple months have gone by really fast as we were back and forth in Utah and Oregon (working on the play). Now I am 37 weeks, which means the baby is full term and can come at any time! We are so excited to meet this new little girl. However, I would prefer if she came after Easter as we still have a lot to get done before she comes. 

So, here I am at 37 weeks:

Elanor really wanted to be in the picture!

These pictures were both taken at 37 weeks. I'm pregnant with baby #2 in the one on the left and with Elanor on the right. I think I look pretty similar in size.

I am really grateful that I have really easy pregnancies. I am not too easily tired, have plenty of energy, I don't swell anywhere, and I generally feel good! I had an appointment this past week and I am already dilated 1cm, and today and last night I felt like I had some minor contractions or pressure of some sort. As I said above, I would prefer her to come after Easter, but who knows? I would be excited either way! Elanor was born five days early, so it is possible this baby could be a little early or I could be pregnant for another month! Whatever the case, we will have a baby soon!

The Weekly Photo + Pregnancy Talk

6 1/2 months or  27 weeks + 3 days or 192 days pregnant.

Also, I'm in the third trimester! So, just 3 months left, that is a little over 12 weeks my friends.

I have received a lot of comments on how I am so big this pregnancy, which I don't really mind. However, my weight gain has been about the same and though I showed earlier, I think in the long run I will be about the same size. I do carry a bit bigger anyways. I am pretty average in height (slightly on the shorter end), but I have a short torso. So, I have a pretty large, round belly.

Here are some comparison pictures (same shirt as well):

Pregnant with Elanor at 29 weeks.

Pregnant with baby #2 at 27 weeks.

People are also always asking me how I'm feeling and usually I always say "good". In truth, I have really easy pregnancies. My first trimester was a lot more difficult than it was with Elanor. I threw up and felt nauseous way more often. I also had aversions to most food! However, compared to many that are really truly sick, it was not bad at all. Ever since the second trimester started, I have felt great! I have plenty of energy and I love feeling my baby move! Sure, sleeping can be uncomfortable, but I don't have much to complain about.

If anyone is interested, here are some things I do that make my pregnancies easier:

1. I don't eat sugar. 

Sure, occasionally I'll have a tiny bite (Christmas time was hard!) and I have had a few mugs of hot chocolate (made with unsweetened chocolate or unsweetened cocoa, milk and raw honey-a less refined and better form of sugar). It can be hard, but worth it! There is less weight gain, I'm healthier, and all that sugar could very well effect a little baby's developing brain.

2. I do yoga every morning.

I did not do this when I was pregnant with Elanor. It has been so nice to do this! The breathing exercises really helped in the 1st trimester with nausea. It not only strengthens my body, but gives me energy to start the day. There are quite a few pregnancy yoga videos on youtube. Also, do your Kegels.

I guess that is pretty much it. Other than that, I just do what I normally do. A little school with Elanor, walks, clean the house, play with Elanor, make breakfast, lunch and dinner, run errands, eat, read, relax with Tyler in the evening…the regular stuff. I also taught ballet. I just stopped, since we will hopefully be moving soon.

So, yes being pregnant. It is on my mind and I'm so glad to finally be pregnant after all the waiting. I am savoring the experience and not complaining since it was so hard to get pregnant in the first place. I am grateful (in a sense), that we went through that, because it has made me a lot more grateful for this experience. So, for me, right now, being pregnant is pretty much the best.

The Weekly Photo

I know, I know. You already saw these photos! But, finding out our baby's gender was the biggest thing that happened last week. Also, The Weekly Photo was started as a challenge to help me take more pictures and the photo chosen for the week was to be the picture that most accurately described our past week, or showed a big event, etc. Thus, these two same photos are on here again. 

Baby girl's profile.

Me, at 18 1/2 weeks.

It is Thanksgiving this week! As most people know, obviously.  I love Thanksgiving and we are again doing it at our house. I actually really enjoy making the Thanksgiving feast. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

We're Having….

...a girl!

We had the ultrasound on Tuesday and it was a lot of fun because an ultrasound tech was teaching an intern, so we we able to have a super long ultrasound. It was wonderful to see our baby girl move around, cross her legs, touch her face, stretch out, etc. It was also very relieving to see that she was healthy and everything was normal. 

Cute little profile!

She is definitely a girl! Tyler knew even before I did and before the tech said anything, when they passed over this area before checking gender.

Foot!

Crossed legs.

If you feel like watching 6 minutes of the ultrasound, here it is:

We did not have any preference on gender, but are very happy to be having a girl. It certainly makes it easier, since we already have girl stuff! Elanor is very excited to have a little sister and she will be such a great big sister. I love having a sister and my sister and I are really close (I wish she lived right next to me!), so I really hope Elanor and this new little girl have that as well.

Here I am at 18 1/2 weeks. 

Everyone keeps telling me that I look huge and must be carrying twins, but my doctor assured me that I am normal, and any second or subsequent pregnancies are usually bigger at first, but the same over the whole course of pregnancy. Plus, I have only gained 8 pounds and they want me to have gained 10 by 20 weeks, so I am right on track. Also, the baby is exactly right on for size, so not big or small, just right.

I keep meaning to write more pregnancy posts, so that I keep better track of this pregnancy than I did the first. So hopefully, I can write more of these!

Big Stuff Happening...

I have been writing this blog post in my head for a few years now. I was always thinking of what I would write when I found out I was pregnant. However, years went by, and I did not get pregnant. Years. I wanted to have my children quite close. 18-24 months between Elanor and the next baby, would be ideal, I thought. My sister and I are 19 months apart and I have always loved being so close in age to my sister and we have always been the best of friends. I wanted something similar for Elanor. As it turns out, you cannot plan (at least things that are out of your control). I have learned that lesson multiple times. This one was hard though. What pained me the most was how often Elanor asked for a sibling. All of her friends have siblings, and she did not. We have thankfully lived next to the Pitchers for the last few years and those boys have been pretty close to brothers for Elanor.

We finally went and met with some fertility doctors last year. There was a problem and most likely an expensive one. However, Tyler ended up having a super busy year last year (80 hour school and work weeks!!) and he did not have the time to meet with the doctors some more. This summer, once Tyler was done with everything, we decided to meet with our fertility doctor again. There were a few more tests and it was determined that in vitro fertilization was our only option. We had been told this last year as well and the idea had seemed so unwanted at the time. I did not want to have doctors make me pregnant and have to do all the shots, and pay all the money and then it might not even work. However, over the course of the year, I talked myself into it and decided I was being a bit selfish and things do not always happen the way I want them, but that does not make them worse, just different. 

BUT--

a week and half after meeting with our fertility doctor, I found out I was pregnant!!! As in, the seemingly impossible happened. We were both in a bit of shock. We had been told we would not be able to get pregnant naturally and we had obviously wanted to get pregnant for the past almost three years! Yes, friends, I am having a baby! Me!

So--the info:
I am due April 18th,
which means I am 12 1/2 weeks along,
so 3 months done, 6 to go.
We find out if it is a girl or a boy in November.
Yes, Elanor and our new baby will be over 4 years apart,
but Elanor will be such an awesome big sister (she loves babies!).

We are so incredibly excited! I learned a lot these past 2 1/2 years of not being able to get pregnant. I learned a lot about gratitude. I am so grateful that I have the most wonderful husband, that loves and takes care of me and is such a wonderful father. Plus, we have such a hilarious, smart, and beautiful daughter. I felt continually blessed with what I already had, and I know many people don't have these things. I learned that I needed my Heavenly Father more, and He helped us all as a family. I am not sure why we were able to get pregnant now, but I do know it was quite a miracle.


We told Elanor by giving her two gifts. One was a "best sister" shirt and the other was the book, "Baby Dear" (which is out of print, but I found it in a book with all the books by the author who wrote "Baby Dear"). "Baby Dear" is about a little girl who becomes a big sister and copies everything her mom does with her own baby doll. I loved the book when I was little as it has such cute illustrations.

Elanor with the gifts.

Here is Elanor's reaction:

Here I am a couple weeks ago--10 weeks along, I think. I am so huge already!

I guess I need to take another picture! 

So, yes that is our big news. We could not be more excited!

Also, this is why I have not been a good blogger lately--I have not felt all that great. However, being sick is awesome, if it means I'm pregnant!