Baby #2 :: Twenty Seven Weeks

Last week of the second trimester! Woah. Like, serious Joey Lawrence woah.

Size of baby: A head of cauliflower according to BabyCenter and a rutabaga according to The Bump. Apparently we are moving away from the crown-to-rump measurements and going to head-to-toe measurements (although those veggies don't seem like 14 in to me!). Baby is about 14 inches long and about 2 pounds.

Best moment of the week: With the exception of some threenager behavior from our first born, everyone has been in really good moods lately. It just makes life's craziness much easier to deal with. Also, we bought our first brand new car! Unfortunately it's so brand new that we have to wait a couple of weeks for it to be delivered. I'm not so good with that patience thing!

Cravings/Aversions: Salt and sugar all day long. I don't even want to look at the scale.

What I love: Right now, a whole lotta everything!

What I'm looking forward to: SpringSpringSpringSpring. If I don't get out of this house soon I might explode. I just.want.to.take.a.walk.

Worries: Names! We have such a short list of names right now, and not by choice. We have a pretty solid front runner for a boy, but the girl names are just not happening. Luckily we haven't had too much disagreement. If one of us suggests a name but the other doesn't like it, we're pretty good at just leaving it at that. Everyone keeps joking that it doesn't matter anyway. We changed Noelle's name once she was born and it completely threw people for a loop. We had chosen Elizabeth Claire months before she was born and everyone was so confused when we said Noelle Jane was here!

What is different this time around: Feeling like I'm already 8 months pregnant!

Symptoms: Leg cramps at night, Braxton Hicks - overall, I'm feeling pretty good this week. I've had a lot of energy. This is very good considering how busy I've been at work, home, and on some side projects.

Sleep: Not bad. Hydration is the key to avoiding overnight leg cramps and I ditched the giant pregnancy pillow when I realized it was making things worse. That thing was a Godsend last time; just not the case this time around.

Boy or Girl: Leaning toward boy this week - yep, this will definitely change from week to week :o)

The belly: Feels huge!

Movement: Getting stronger and more frequent. Baby is definitely starting to have more of a "schedule". I love knowing when I can expect baby to be active, but I definitely don't freak out if it's not exactly the same from day to day.

Milestones: The previously closed nostrils have opened up and baby is practicing "breathing" through its nose. There is also lots of brain tissue developing so baby's brain is super active.

Weight gain/loss: Plus 3 for now. Next appointment is April 4 so I'll have a new number then.

Baby #2 :: Twenty Six Weeks

Size of baby: An English hothouse cucumber (huh?) according to BabyCenter and a of lettuce according to The Bump about 14 inches and about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds.

Best moment of the week: Finally starting the biggest pre-baby project - starting renovations on Noelle's big girl room! Ripped up the old carpeting in preparation for new carpet and sanded down all of the orange-toned woodwork to get it ready to be painted beautiful, crisp white!

Cravings/Aversions: Wants=milk, peanut butter, fruit, pickles. Don't wants=eggs, string cheese (oh, the insanity!) - pretty much the same this week.

What I love: This belly :)

What I'm looking forward to: Continuing the big girl room renovations this weekend.

Worries: My anxiety has definitely taken a backseat this trimester and I am so grateful!

What is different this time around: More tired, more irritable, more achy - yep, I'm a joy to be around!

Symptoms: Meh, the usual - aches, pains, heartburn, crabbiness.

Sleep: I found that if I stay well-hydrated throughout the day I am much less sore at the end if the day and overnight. Of course this means I'm up once or twice to use the bathroom, but I can normally fall asleep fairly quickly.

Boy or Girl: Leaning towards girl these days, but I'm sure that will change. I honestly don't think about it very much. I'm sure some people who don't find out the sex before birth have a hard time thinking about anything else, but we're able to the focus off of it most of the time. Although, I did look up the Chinese gender chart (which was right for Noelle and is right for my friend who just found out she's having a girl) and it says boy!

The belly: Getting bigger every week! I'm definitely carrying the same as I did with Noelle - just a big basketball! At a work conference last week I stood up from my seat and the people around me (who don't usually see me in our building and didn't see me before I sat down) said they had absolutely no idea I was pregnant. Even though my shape is the same, I'm still definitely carrying lower. There are times I feel this baby is just going to fall right out (gross, sorry). I can only imagine what it's going to feel like in the last few weeks. Also, this week's picture makes me look huge! Although really, it's not the picture making me look huge ;) My doc did say I was measuring ahead at my last appointment, but not by much.

Movement: Getting stronger and more frequent. Baby is definitely starting to have more of a "schedule". I love knowing when I can expect baby to be active, but I definitely don't freak out if it's not exactly the same from day to day.

Milestones: The eyes will soon start to open and the eyelashes are grown in also. Baby is practicing breathing by taking breaths of amniotic fluid.The network of nerves in baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He or she may now be able to hear voices around me.

Weight gain/loss: Plus 3 for now. Next appointment is April 4 so I'll have a new number then.

Baby #2 :: Twenty Five Weeks

Size of baby: A rutabaga according to BabyCenter and a cauliflower according to The Bump - 13.6 inches to 14.8 inches and about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds.

Best moment of the week: Hmm, I had a good week, but there's just not one big thing sticking out!

Cravings/Aversions: Wants=milk, peanut butter, fruit, pickles. Don't wants=eggs, string cheese (oh, the insanity!)

What I love: Feeling more frequent and stronger movement. When Noelle asks to feel the baby move or give her brother or sister a kiss.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting more things crossed off of the pre-baby to do list! Finally going to take on some major projects this weekends!

Worries: My anxiety has definitely taken a backseat this trimester and I am so grateful!

What is different this time around: Right now, just more tired, more often.

Symptoms: Normal aches and pains and mild heartburn. Starting to get some Braxton Hicks when I'm not hydrated.

Sleep: I found that if I stay well-hydrated throughout the day I am much less sore at the end if the day and overnight. Of course this means I'm up once or twice to use the bathroom, but I can normally fall asleep fairly quickly.

Boy or Girl: Still completely unsure.

The belly: Getting bigger every week!

Movement: Getting stronger and more frequent. Baby is definitely starting to have more of a "schedule".

Milestones: Baby is beginning to exchange that long, lean look for some baby fat. Baby is also growing more hair – and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture!

Weight gain/loss: Plus 3 for now.

Baby #2 :: Twenty Four Weeks

Size of baby: An ear of corn according to Baby Center and a cantaloupe says The Bump - about 11 in and just over a pound!

Best moment of the week: Taking Noelle to her first play! I've mentioned before that Bryan and I want to do what we can to have one on one time with Noelle before her world is turned upside down. I had a great opportunity when we saw that First Stage Children's Theater was doing Pinkalicious. What on Earth is Pinkalicious, you ask? It's a book about a girl who loves, lives, eats too much, and turns - pink, of course! We had a great time and I was so proud of how well-behaved Noelle was. The group definitely knows its audience as there were two, half hour acts and a 15 minute intermission. It was perfect!

Cravings/Aversions: Wants=milk, peanut butter, fruit, pickles. Don't wants=eggs, string cheese (oh, the insanity!)

What I love: Feeling more frequent and stronger movement. When Noelle asks to feel the baby move or give her brother or sister a kiss.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting more things crossed off of the pre-baby to do list! Really feeling the pressure here. We have a lot to do for Noelle's big girl room in order to re-nursery her current room!

Worries: My anxiety has definitely taken a backseat this trimester and I am so grateful!

What is different this time around: Aside from the worsening aches and pains, not too much is different at this point. Although, one thing I did realize recently is that I am much more "go with the flow" this time. I haven't cracked open a pregnancy book once and I barely utilize my pregnancy apps. I really like not being told how I "should be" feeling.

Symptoms: Aches and pains, mild heartburn, sleeplessness/insomnia. The aches and pains are pretty much sidelining me at the end of the night. Not fun.

Sleep: Even the pregnancy pillow isn't helping these days. My hips and lower back are very sore during the night.

Boy or Girl: Still completely unsure.

The belly: Getting bigger every week! I want to do comparisons of my pics from Noelle's pregnancy. I feel much bigger at this point than I did last time.

Movement: Bigger kicks, a roll here and there and my doc confirmed that baby is pretty low. Apparently this is normal after the first pregnancy because things have been stretched out. This makes me a little nervous for the home stretch. I remember how low Noelle felt at the end and how much pressure there was. What's it going to feel like when the baby is already that low?! Yikes!

Milestones: His or her brain is growing quickly now, and taste buds are continuing to develop. Baby's lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help air sacs in the lungs inflate once baby hits the outside world. His or her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Weight gain/loss: Ummm, so yeah...new total of plus 3 (previously minus 3). February was all about sugar. March will be a "clean up" month.

I was a complete slacker this week (aka I was insanely busy at home and work) and never took a weekly pic. Instead, you get a picture of my beautiful Noelle at Pinkalicious.