half-way

20 weeks

 It seems we are finally on the up and up. Will came back early Friday morning and we have been trying to regain our sense of normalcy. 

Friday morning we went to a family breakfast at a local eatery, it was wonderful. Then we headed over to the children's museum and let Madison play, while I pretended to ignore all the germs. On Saturday, we had a quick little valentine's photo shoot with a mom friend of mine that is a photographer. Madison was less than cooperative, so who knows how they will turn out. Sunday was a beautiful day. We went to church and went on a family bike ride to get ice cream.

So I think we did a sufficient job of enjoying each others company again. Its amazing how much energy having a little help gives me. Even when Will leaves for work in the morning now, its not that bad because I know he will at least be there at night to help me. I am thankful for the time I had with just Madison because I think  needed to prove to myself I could handle my own child, but I am really thankful I have help again. It was pretty lonely around here. 

Which brings us to today, the anatomy ultrasound for our second little peanut. Even though I was a bit distracted with our crazy toddler running around and crying, I was still in awe that another soul is being formed inside of me. I showed great restraint and refrained from looking at the screen when the gender parts were in view, so we will have to wait until June to know. But my gosh, these siblings look the same. I compared Madison's ultrasound to this one and it is almost identical. Exact same profile!

 

It seems strange to say, but I know that this baby is already acting different than Madison. I hardly feel this baby move at all, maybe it is just positioned differently, who knows. However, I felt Madison constantly from about 15 weeks on. Crossing my fingers that means this baby is just slightly less busy. 

So here we are, 20 weeks down, 20 weeks to go, yikes! With Madison I could hardly wait for July to arrive so I could meet her, but with this baby, I am a little less anxious. Imagining two children is still too much for my mind to handle sometimes. 

all I can muster...

18 weeks

I think we might just conclude this winter is a wash. It is nearly February and I have been sick nearly this entire month. If you include the morning sickness stuff, I have been sick all winter. I just keep thinking it will clear, but maybe it just isn't, and I need to find some sort of peace about being sick. 

I am also flying solo this week. I didn't want to mention anything in case there are crazies out there, but if the crazies want to come and get us then best of luck to them.

My classes this semester are in full swing and attempting to write a paper while wrangling a toddler proves to be quite difficult. Why, oh, why did I ever think college was so haaard??

There are some silver linings in this little storm we are in. Like it was finally above 15 degrees this weekend. The sunshine helps me tremendously. It is supposed to be in the 50s all week, hallelujah!

i wish I could find something to write about in regards to this pregnancy. I have just been so preoccupied with everything else I do not notice it most of the time.  I hoping that when we have our ultrasound in a week, I will feel more of a connection to this babe. 

Madison seems to have recovered just fine from her stitches, but has been reacting to her shots she received last week. She weighs a measly 21 lbs. I fed her spoonfuls of peanut butter yesterday so maybe that will help her put on some weight. She just never sits still, even in her sleep she moves constantly. She burns too many calories to keep any weight on.

We are heading to Houston in two weeks or so. It might be one of our last times back before we have two kids, eek. 

This is all just a bunch of rambling, but I finally finished my paper and this is all I can manage. Here are some pictures of our mischievous baby. She knows what she isn't supposed to do but does it anyway. Pretty typical, I guess.

I am actually 19 weeks pregnant today, but unless Madison can figure out how to work our camera, looks like I won't be taking a picture. Poor, poor second child. 

still in a rut...

This was how our week ended, stitches on Madison's forehead. 

This little incident actually starts much earlier in the week, with me getting sick, again. 

I thought I had found some new energy, new outlook for the new year, but that quickly came crashing down about seven days into it. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I had gotten a gym membership and was incredibly anxious to use it. I have used it once, new year fail. 

After class on Monday, a cough began to develop and then just take over my body. It is still lingering today, which is not really compatible with working out at the gym. 

So all last week I was trying to care for someone else, while trying to grow another human, while trying to get over another silly cold. That left little time to go to the grocery store and by Friday our pantry was bare. 

So Friday morning rolls around and my wonderful husband decides to take Madison to Starbucks and bring us back some breakfast. However, on his way into the store, while holding Madison, he trips on the curb. While he was trying to catch himself, Madison's body bent backwards, almost out of his arms, and her head made contact with the stones lining the walls of Starbucks. Blood then went everywhere. Followed by our first emergency room visit and stitches. 

Will feels awfully guilty for all of this, but if I had just not gotten sick, then none of this would be an issue. 

Madison has recovered quite well. Acting like her normal, crazy self. 

Until last night that is, when she was up half the night with a possible fever. 

Which means we were up with her half the night. 

Here is hoping that this week will actually improve and we can attempt to regain some control of our lives. Being controlled by sickness is pretty miserable for me.

Here is also hoping the next post will at least contain some pictures of me dressed, an update on Madison's growth (she is 18 months today), an update on the baby inside of me (I have a dr's appointment this week), or at least something other than me complaining about being sick.

Pregnancy 2.0 because I can't think of anything more catchy

15 weeks

16 weeks

Why, yes, I am wearing the same shirt in each photo. 

I am struggling to think of anything to update on about this pregnancy, which is quite sad. 

I have not even really taken notice at how much I am growing because I have been way to occupied with other things. I did weigh myself at the gym today, still just a 7 pound weight gain. I am pretty proud of that considering I tend to gain like 3 pounds a week. I think it is because my appetite and food cravings are normal again. I am not being forced to eat fast food every meal anymore.

I also feel more like myself again. I did get pretty sick in Durango and threw up several times, but other than that, I have been feeling much better. 

So my advice, if you get pregnant and you feel like you will never feel normal again for 13 weeks, just keep holding on, it gets better. Even though I have done this before, I thought I was destined to eat Wendy's for dinner every night and never remove myself from the couch.

I am starting to feel the baby spasms again. Soon those spasms will turn into full fledged punches, so I am enjoying the little, non-painful flutters.

I am already coming up on the big ultrasound. Since we are not going to find out the gender, I am most looking forward to seeing if this baby has Will's nose. Here's to hoping this child will resemble me in some way. 

the winter blues

It happens every year, but every year it takes me by surprise. I find myself in a bit of a slump. I thought that I was really embracing the Christmas spirit and would be able to joyfully celebrate another year passing, but no such luck. Even though this year was incredibly full and wonderful, I still mourn the passing of time. With every new year, I get a bit freaked out about the date, 2013?? It sounds so futuristic, right? I also had a bit of a hard time with out family. So mix the winter cold with pregnancy emotions and I am just a mess. 

But, yesterday I decided to take ownership of my funk and do something about it. I joined the 24 hour gym that includes child care. Lets be honest, the child care is actually the only reason I joined. I am tired of constantly complaining about how I never get a break, blah, blah, blah. I am also joining a group at a church in the area called MOPS (mother's of preschoolers). I can chat with other moms while someone else watches my kid for free. And my mother gifted me a membership to the children's museum and zoo for Christmas. So I have several options now to get out of the house without much of a expense to us. 

Enough about my seasonal depression... (I should really live somewhere where the sun shines all year round.) Here are some pictures of our last month as a family. 

We went to the Zoo lights one evening before Christmas. Madison enjoyed the lights and the Christmas music playing in the background. 

Then it was Christmas. We only really took pictures of Madison opening her stocking (which I made, toot, toot my horn). I think she was pretty overwhelmed with the day, luckily we did not go overboard with gifts. We purchased one gift for her. 

The very next day we headed to Durango. The parents of Will's longtime friend have a house there. We split up the drive over two days and Madison did pretty well in the car and hotel. Once we got to Durango, our plans of a ski trip were put on halt due to a little thing called pregnancy. Will got to go snowboarding two days and I had the privilege of watching Madison. It was still fun to get away for a few days.

Now we are back into the swing of things. 

Our anniversary is tomorrow, 4 years! So we are going to celebrate by watching the Cotton Bowl, go Ags!