Baby Catch Up.

Well, I knew it was a bit to be expected that a third sweet baby would be a little left out of the constant and consistent chronological record I dutifully kept with Kenna and only slightly less so with Finn...  but little did I know that this poor little guy would also have to contend with a packing, moving, unpacking, a new job, and a new church along with the other demands on Mommy's time of pregnancy and two big siblings! This means that there's been not a single pregnancy post about him since we announced it back in September (at which point I was already past the first trimester) and no pregnancy baby book or photo albums so far! (Although to be fair, Finn doesn't have any photo albums yet either- I'm hoping the boys won't really care about this much when they get bigger and won't take it as a sign of Mommy having favorites or anything- Kenna, who probably will be the only one to really care, already has four.)

Maybe the fact that I've tried hard to keep the blog updated will suffice- at least that's what I'm telling myself!

So I thought I'd at least try to play catch up with some of the belly photos I did sneak in here and there through all the busy days. Almost all of them were taken with the fancy photo phone Matt picked out for me, even though he does fuss about how he'd be happy to take "real ones" for me. Somehow it just feels easier to snap a quick one with my phone on the way out the door after how long it takes to get everybody dressed and ready most days!

Baby number 3! 

13 weeks:

12 Weeks 6 days

1st ultrasound! Pregnancy confirmed and ready to announce!

14 weeks

16 weeks

Momma had just gotten herself a haircut.

17 weeks

I felt so large already in this picture!

Partly the denial, but partly that little man has been measuring big all along!

It's a boy!

A friend kept the kids while we went to the ultrasound.

Kenna was a little bummed, but got right on board with brother #2!

I think the cupcake with little blue shoes helped.

18 weeks

Packing up the whole house to move, crashing on the couch at night.

22 weeks

Walking out the door, ready for church.

(At our new house by now.)

29 weeks

Matt bought me this Shelly Moore Band t-shirt for Christmas.

He was purposely hoping it would fit my belly!

32 weeks

I finally broke down and bought a few new maternity pieces, but refused to spend much. 

This shirt was one of them, $10 at Old Navy.

33 weeks

Against my will, finally wearing maternity jeans, also from Old Navy.

I hate how badly they fall down! 

This shirt was consignment, it's super comfy.

I know I did the cute little "how are you feeling" surveys with the other two, but to be honest, this pregnancy has been harder on my body than the first two and I've been trying really hard not to spend the whole time complaining. While I'm thankful to have stayed really healthy, there's been lots more aches and pains than I remembered. Maybe I'm getting older, maybe my body is saying three is my limit, or maybe being pregnant while keeping up with two older babes is just hard work, but I've been struggling especially at night with lots of pain and discomfort, and my old friend severe indigestion. And the Braxton Hicks contractions have been no joke!

We're also having a harder time naming this one than we ever have before. Of course, because we are having a boy, all I can think of is a whole list of girl names I love and I'm really struggling with the boy ones. We've agreed not to go to the hospital without a name settled, so we'll at least have a 15-20 minute drive to decide!

Thankfully, little man moves frequently and reminds me that he is almost ready to join in the fun chaos around here. Kenna is beyond thrilled "two baby brothers," and likes to say hello to my belly and give the "brand new baby" lots of kisses. Finn has just recently gotten into taking care of Kenna's "babees," mostly kissing them and putting them "night night." It's really, really sweet and I can't wait to see what he thinks about the real deal- although we'll have to watch him like a hawk! He is quick and sneaky, and plays a little rough.

The Last Belly Pic...

(This one was 5!)

(This one was 8!)

We didn't have much of a chance to get an official last belly pic in the hospital, like I did with Kenna. Here is the very last one I took, 3 days before delivery...

goodbye belly, hello baby!

Fun Facts About Finn!

So I had all these fun posts prepared about the end of my pregnancy including my last belly picture and our last picture as a family of three, etc.... turns out in the end there just wasn't time for any of that! We woke up, went straight to the hospital, and less than 20 minutes later had a baby in our arms!

Some fun facts about Finn so far:

-Kenna was born during my birthday week and our birthdays are 6 days apart (the 23rd and 29th) and Finn was born during Matt's birthday week... exactly 6 days apart too! (the 1st and 7th).

-Today (March 4) was his expected due date... instead we're already home from the hospital and went to his birthweight check at the pediatrician today!

Grumpy old man face:

-Finn's hair color is exactly the same as Matt's. I had wondered if he would have Kenna's red hair and though he does look a lot like her to me, he definitely has his own boy thing going on.

-Two friends of mine from high school were scheduled for inductions/C-sections on Monday and we came in Tuesday- our babies are a day apart in age and one of them's recovery room was right next door to mine!

-Kenna LOVES her "brother baby" as she calls him. She gets so upset when she can't hold him, and wants to check on his baby toes/hat/pajamas constantly. Before even leaving the hospital we had already intercepted her trying to feed him a hershey's kiss and a sour patch kid!

Meeting big sister:

-I prayed that Finn would not be born on what would have been my mom's birthday (Feb. 28th) but that he would hold out and have his own day. God answered by sending him on March 1st (the very next day) and it seems so appropriate that we started a new morning in a new month with a new baby in the first month of spring. God's timing has continually been such a sweet picture to us of his grace and mercy in every detail of life- they are new every morning!

-I went to dinner with my bother and sister in law the night before he was born and was asked "Is it twins?" I wish I could have known to reply, "no, he's just coming tomorrow!" Little did I know I would wake up the next morning in labor!

Here is a (ok, not so) quickie version of our birth story, since I am always fascinated by reading other people's:

At 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, I woke up wide awake with stomach pains that I wasn't sure wasn't just gas or something. I went to the bathroom 3 times and finally got back in bed, telling Matt I thought they might be contractions so I was going to try timing them. From what I could tell, they were about 7-10 minutes apart (I've never timed/counted contractions before because my water broke before labor started with Kenna). My Dad was coming to stay with Kenna, so I thought we should call him & just ask him to head closer to this side of town just in case. Matt also called my OB (located right across the street from the hospital, but about 40 to 45 minutes away) and they advised coming in for a check in case it was false labor.

I had left a few things unfinished because I had felt so lethargic the past few days, so I tried to put in a load of laundry and then hopped in the shower to wash my hair. By the time I got out of my 5 minute shower, I could barely talk or stand up through the contractions. Matt took the reigns on the phone calls and the next thing I knew my Dad and Jana had arrived and Matt and I were out the door... we both could tell by this point that we needed to go straight to the hospital, not the OB office.

On the way there, the contractions were coming hard and strong in waves and from watching the clock, were less than 5 minutes apart. Despite getting every stoplight red (or maybe it just seemed that way!) Matt managed to get us there in 30 minutes. As we pulled into the drop-off at Rex, I could feel immense pressure from Finn's little head and figured my water was about to break. We pulled up, grabbed a wheelchair, and were instructed to go straight to the 2nd floor maternity waiting room and someone would meet us.

By the time we got there, I had broken out in a sweat but couldn't even get my own jacket off (I realize now I was in transition at that point). A labor & delivery nurse met us a minute or two (eternity) later and we wheeled around the corner to a delivery room, me screaming like a bad actress in a baby movie. I'm pretty sure there's a young professional drug rep. who now never wants to have kids thanks to me wheeling by!

At that point everything happened very quickly, as though in fast forward. I needed Matt's help even getting into a hospital gown and the nurse said I was 9 cm dilated. Suddenly the room was full of nurses and our awesome OBs, Dr. Alvarez. I asked about an epidural and was told there was no time, and also no time for the antibiotics I was supposed to have for Group B strep). In a matter of mere minutes, they put an IV in, I pushed a couple really hard times, my water broke (with some meconium staining), Finn's shoulders got stuck coming out, Matt cut the cord, and I was stitched up... and Finn was in his Daddy's arms! From the time we came through the front door to when Finn was here, only 17 minutes had passed! Crazy!
From some where in the room I heard someone say "nine pounds"... an almost 10 pound baby with no pain medication. I do not hope to repeat that experience with any future baby-having if I can help it. We hadn't even had time to grab the camera from the car when arriving- these three were taken on Matt's cellphone!

I think I'm still in a little bit of shock at how quickly it all happened and how close we truly came to having our baby in the car/the parking lot/the hospital lobby! I have 100% confidence that Matt could have delivered him if he absolutely had to, and that God would provide what we needed in each moment, but I sure am glad that we made it just in time!

What a little trooper... so glad he's here safely!

He's Here!

I have to say, I'm a pretty big fan of these kinds of blog posts... we are happy to say that our little boy has arrived!

Finnegan Walker Brogli

9lbs 11 oz 21 inches, 9:57 a.m.

We are so thankful for this sweet healthy blessing! Despite a very fast delivery, a bit of meconium when my water broke during delivery, and untreated Group B Strep (there was no time for antibiotics!) God brought this little man into the world in His perfect plan and timing. We are so excited for our family to grow and for Kenna to meet her little brother, which will hopefully happen later this afternoon.

We don't believe in "lucky numbers" but here is a funny story about nines for you... we left the house with some pretty severe contractions just after 9 a.m. arriving at Rex's front door at 9:40... Finn was born at 9:57 a.m. weighing well over 9 pounds. As you can imagine, there was no time for an epidural or any other pain relief... my first all-natural delivery!

We are loving Rex so far and can't wait to share more pictures. Thank you all for your prayers, and we are happy and healthy here just soaking in our new little addition!

38 Weeks.

Here's a mini-update for 38 weeks since honestly, there's not too much news!

• I had a check up yesterday and was told I "haven't dilated much at all yet." This means I'm still pregnant, maybe for awhile!

• There's a full moon tonight and I hear mixed reviews on whether they cause people to go into labor (although I think a change in barometric pressure does).
  

• Matt has a one weekend only class tonight and all day tomorrow that he can't miss (it's pass/fail) so as much as we want the fun to start, we're actually hoping the baby waits until next week.

• I'm feeling as well as can be expected at this point- not sleeping well, lots of heartburn, can't lift a thing (like my toddler), and it's so hard to get around! Just feeling ready for my body to start being able to get back to normal.

• Also feeling ready to meet this little boy! His nursery isn't fully done yet, but I don't even care. Can't wait for the tiny toes and new baby smell.

• The hospital bag is mostly packed and we're making sure the car seat is put in this weekend! We haven't done it yet because I'm crazy manic nesting and want to vacuum the whole car with one of those industrial gas station vacuum hoses.
  

• Belly pics are pretty comical at this point- I kind of feel like a science project! But, posterity is posterity, and I'm sure I'll want to compare pregnancies later. Here's 38 weeks, in the same pants as my 2 month picture except that then they were folded over and now they're straight up to my arm pits! Gotta love the fold-over yoga pants.
  

Come out soon, baby boy! We want to meet you!

33 Weeks!

How Far Along:
33 weeks! Everything looked great as of my appointment on January 6th, and my next appointment is week after next at 35 weeks, which means we start weekly appointments after that! At that point it will feel like the real countdown since the baby is technically considered full term at 37 weeks. We also both really love our doctor which makes a huge difference this time.

Size of Baby:
4ish pounds- the size of a pineapple! This is the first week he's really felt to me the same size as the little fruit comparison.

Total Weight Gain:
Exactly the same, which I'm amazed at- 19 pounds. See comments below regarding massive intake of Mexican food.

Maternity Clothes:
I am so done with maternity clothes. I've been trying to creatively make yoga pants pass for real clothing.

Gender:
Boy boy boy, big strong boy!

What I Miss:
Just like with Kenna, the first thing I'm going to want to eat after delivery is a big huge Greek salad from Panera absolutely smothered in feta cheese. Mmmmmm.

Sleep:
Once I'm asleep I'm fine, but any rolling over is super uncomfortable and it's really hard to get up for the bathroom. I also have to have my precise pillow configuration in place to be able to sleep.

Symptoms:
Still having some crazy Braxton Hicks this week, especially at night. I don't know if I'm feeling them more because it's a second pregnancy, or if this little man is getting set for an earlier appearance. During the contractions we can feel his little head right at the top of my belly, so I think this little dude has not turned southward yet, which is making me a little nervous!

Best Moment this Week:
Matt and I doing some decorating in the nursery together... it's almost done!

What I'm Looking Forward to:
My baby shower next weekend... yay! My Sunday School ladies throw such fun parties!

Funny Cravings:
I've been craving Mexican food in a big way... specifically crunchwraps from Taco Bell, and I ate a whole jar of Tostitos queso over the past week. We went to Las Margaritas for lunch yesterday and it was everything I knew it could be.

The 7 Month Belly!

We are 26 weeks pregnant as of the day after Thanksgiving, and instead of doing an update and being tempted to complain about how the heartburn has returned with a vengeance and the fact that I've probably gained weight this week, I thought I'd share instead all the fun things the little man in the belly has been up to the past week or so:
Here is our end-of-6-month belly picture... two trimesters down, one to go! (And yes, I do feel huge!)

Last week we were in Florida with my grandparents, and we took Kenna (and Matt!) out on their first sailboat trip (lots more about this trip to come!). This is me trying to find a life jacket that will also fit baby brother:

And we think Kenna is starting to understand that there's a baby in Mommy's belly. She istrying to call him by name already, and loves to give him lots of kisses:

Oh, and one more! Hiding under the apron while Momma bakes at Thanksgiving:
PS- If you happen to think of it, please be in prayer for us on December 9th as we go to be checked for gestational diabetes. I'm a little concerned that this may end up being an issue for this second pregnancy, especially being tested right on the end of Thanksgiving/2 birthdays week!

25 Weeks!

How Far Along:
25 weeks! Only 15 weeks/105 days left and officially the first week of 3rd trimester. Can I say again how insanely fast this pregnancy is going?

Size of Baby:
a rutabaga- although I'm not sure I've ever seen one of those in real life.

Total Weight Gain:
Miraculously still at 11 pounds... but a week-long vacation, Thanksgiving, and Kenna's & my birthdays are all in the next few days!

Maternity Clothes:
I'm about ready to give up attempting any kind of waistband, and just go straight for the yoga pants for the next 15 weeks. Although I did have some success making a maternity skirt with a pair of maternity jeans that were too short in the leg (but they were free, so I wanted to use them!)

Gender:
Little brother man!

What I miss:
Nothing really- till amazed at how quickly the weeks are going!

Sleep:
Can't complain! I still can't quite make it all the way through the night without having to get up for the bathroom, but at least it's usually only once!

Symptoms:
Feeling lots more kicking and flipping- this is one active little boy already! I'm craving ham in a major way (isn't that random?), and have had a little more indigestion, but nowhere near as bad as it was with Kenna.

Best Moment this Week:
Settling on a definite name and how Kenna wants to "kiss baby" by kissing my tummy in the mornings. So cute and sweet.

What I'm looking forward to:
Decorating his nursery, especially getting a monogram up on the wall! I also found out this week that my awesome Sunday school ladies are going to throw me a shower in January, which I think is just the sweetest thing- I wasn't expecting one for a second baby! I can't wait!

23 Weeks!

So, as predicted, I'm not doing too well with this weekly thing! We're already over halfway there to meeting our little boy- the weeks just seem to be flying by so quickly. I think after having experienced the miracle that is pregnancy and birth once already, I feel even more amazed at what God does in our bodies as women and how precious the tiny life is that he sustains in there at is grows!

Baby Boy is 23 weeks old, and in searching for real-life photos of what a baby at this age looks like, I found this article about a baby girl who was born at 22 weeks and survived. According to most hospitals, a 22 week old "fetus" who does not survive birth either because of early labor or abortion, is not considered a life- it is placed in a bio hazard waste receptacle and does not go to the morgue. It is not illegal to end the life of a 22 week old baby in the womb, but if you walk into a neonatal unit and end the life of a baby of the same age there, it is murder. Does that seem strange to anyone besides me? The baby girl in the article weighed only 10 ounces and is about the length of a ball point pen. Her skin is dark because it is barely fully formed. I encourage you to read the article, the photos are amazing! What an amazing gift to be able to serve and worship the God of the universe that holds the mystery of life in his hands.

Instead of trying to catch up from 19 weeks, let's go straight to 23!

How far along:
23 weeks!

Size of Baby:
Just over a pound- a large mango!

Total Weight Gain:
11ish pounds. Still working on staying under 25 total!

Maternity Clothes:
Nothing fits the same way this time as it did with Kenna. "Under the belly" stuff in particular is not so helpful! I feel much bigger, much earlier than I did with Kenna.

Gender:
Boy oh boy! And we are SO excited.

Movement:
Little brother moves less often than his sister did, but when he moves he moves big! Especially in the evening after dinner (also when Kenna was the most active) and sometimes first thing in the morning... just the beginning of him waking me up early!

What I miss:
Nothing really! I'm trying to enjoy this time being pregnant with our little man because it's going by so quickly!

Sleep:
I've actually been sleeping a little better recently- less tossing and turning and less bathroom trips.

Symptoms:
Noticeable stuff the past 2 weeks or so: increase in stretching ligament pain (low belly pain), some braxton hicks at night when i've been really active during the day, indigestion, and clumsiness! Clumsiness is apparently a big symptom of pregnancy for me, especially as I get physically bigger. I have a self-imposed ban on lifting my laptop now, not because of the weight of it, but because when I drop and break it I will be so bitter at myself! Also, I've still been out of breath a lot.

Best Moment this Week:
Dressing Kenna up for Halloween and thinking of ideas for two kids' costumes next year! Dorothy and the Lion, little Bo Peep and her sheep, Alice in Wonderland and a bunny...

What I'm looking forward to:
Pretty much all of November! I have a craft show this weekend, then my Dad is coming in town, then we're going to Florida for a few days to see my grandparents, then Kenna's and my birthdays, then Thanksgiving! YAY!

5 Month Belly Picture:
We've been so busy I had to settle for a quickie mirror picture (and I forgot to hold up my 5 fingers!). Hopefully I can replace it with a real one soon, before I get any bigger!

19 Weeks...

On Friday the 8th I was 19 weeks pregnant, but the update is a little late because this morning we had our big ultrasound- our 2nd trimester scan where we could answer the big pregnancy question... boy or girl?


We wanted to wait until today to be able to say that Kenna is having a
BABY BROTHER!!!

We got the pure joy of seeing our very healthy baby boy on screen today- with everything measuring on track for his development, a healthy heartbeat of 152, and some definite "boy parts." I had felt as though it might be a boy, but I couldn't really give a reason why I thought so. I had to correct myself and say "or she" every time I naturally said "he" when referring to the baby. It is so nice to know for sure now!

After the ultrasound tech measured everything on the healthy checklist, she also took a few shots in 3D for us- a total surprise! She had to jiggle him around a little to get him to turn and face her... apparently he was a little shy after having exposed himself and kept his little hands up near his face. How amazing to see our little boy's face already! What amazing technology the Lord has provided for us to see him and know he's healthy! Here is our little buddy, Baby Boy B:
And Big Sister is looking very big this week too! She got to come with us to the ultrasound, and watch baby brother in real time up on the tv screen.

How far along:
19 weeks! Everything seems to be flying by.

Size of baby:
Estimated at 12 ounces according to the ultrasound, approximately the size of a large tomato!

Total Weight Gain:
7 pounds according to our home scale (that may be slightly less than accurate thanks to a little somebody who likes to jump on it to see the numbers change) and exactly 10 according to the doctor (I think we splurged a little on our trip this weekend!)

Maternity Clothes:
I wore my "fat jeans" buttoned low under my belly for our anniversary date last week, but I knew for sure it would be the last time I wore them! I unbuttoned them the minute I sat down in the car to leave the house!

Gender:
IT'S A BOY!

Movement:
I have a little rolly polly in there... lots of soft little movements here and there throughout the day are a constant reminder of my little co-inhabitant! He seems to be really active mostly at night, too.

What I miss:
Free time! There are a lot of things I used to do that there just isn't as much time for anymore, but I'm so thankful for this little window of time in my life where little hands and hearts constantly need me.

Sleep:
I've been having recurring dreams about my Mom that are kind of hard. I dream that she didn't really die, and I run into her later and she is confused about why our lives are so different and why we've been acting as though she had died. There's something so disconcerting about seeing someone and interacting with them exactly as they were in your dreams, and then waking up knowing they're not here anymore.

Symptoms:
I'm still craving apples with cheese sticks like crazy and having really stuffy nose at night.

Best moment this week:
Finding our baby is a baby brother! Now we just have to pick out a name.

What I'm looking forward to:
Seeing Kenna be a big sister. She is CRAZY about babies already!

Here is the end of the 4th month belly pictures. We took this one during our trip to the mountains this weekend (more about that soon!). It's nice to take belly pictures and see that I'm not quite as big as I feel!

We're so thankful for the ways the Lord has blessed our growing little family. We know that this little one, and Kenna too, are "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). One of our prayers for our kids is from Ephesians 3:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and high and long and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (verses 16-19)

17 Weeks and a 22 Month Old.

Our little stinker turned 22 months old yesterday... the countdown to a 2nd birthday is officially on us! I took her to get "18 month" pictures last week... we have only really taken her for the professional ones about once every 6 months, somehow the 18 month ones really got away from me! I'm realizing now I didn't even blog about her 6 month or 12 month ones that we combined with our Christmas ones if you want to see them! I will blog more about these because it was a kinda funny story.
And the pregnancy:
How far along:
17 weeks and starting to feel quite pregnant!

Size of Baby:
I think this week is a turnip.

Total Weight Gain/Loss:
5 pounds, trying to keep on track!

Maternity Clothes:
In addition to the things I wrote about last week, I'm so grateful for maternity clothes this week. My sister-in-law let me tag along to a consignment sale with her and shop on her consignor's number so that I got 75% off of everything I bought for myself and Kenna! I got 6 pieces of great condition maternity clothing, mostly nice sweaters, for only $8!! Then last night I stopped by the share shop at school before my class and found several more pieces! The share shop is such an amazing ministry at SEBTS- it's like a goodwill/thrift store that students and others donate to and then seminary students can "shop" there for free. We have been so thankful for them this past year. I found several great maternity tshirts and almost cried when I found a pair of corduroy pants from Target in my maternity size brand new with the tags on! Praise the Lord!

Gender:
Can't wait to find out- I'm ready to be able to plan what we'll need for the nursery & how much of Kenna's stuff we can reuse!

Movement:
I can feel little one hanging out around my belly button recently. He or she must have lots of room to wiggle because I've been able to feel him/her gently rolling around the past few days. When I lay very flat on my back with my belly stretched out, Matt can feel him/her too!

What I miss:
Nothing, really. I'm ready to actually look pregnant though, not just like I'm putting on weight.

Sleep:
Still having crazy and slightly disturbing dreams. I've been waking up once a night to use the bathroom, always exactly between 5 and 5:30 am... you could set a clock to me.

Symptoms:
Nothing new, but still lots of cravings. Apples, plain potato chips, and barbeque sandwiches.

Best Moment this Week:
Feeling the baby roll over, and Matt being able to feel him/her already.

What I'm looking forward to:
Knowing which gender to plan for and name!

16 Weeks and 21 Months!

So as you can tell, I'm not very good at this weekly update thing... skipping from 11 weeks to 14 weeks to 16 weeks! But this pregnancy really does feel like it's going twice as fast, which is good because I feel about twice as big as I did with Kenna at this point. I'm grateful that it feels faster though, because I think I very much underestimated how much more energy it takes to be pregnant and have a toddler around!

How Far Along: 16 weeks! Almost halfway done.

Size of baby: the size of an avocado, plus its "bubble wrapping" as Matt says.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think still just 2 pounds, although the OB said I had lost a pound since my last appointment.

Maternity Clothes: A sweet friend from church loaned me a big bag of maternity clothes, and another one gave me a Motherhood Maternity gift card almost the minute she found out we were expecting- so grateful to these generous ladies! It's SO nice to have some wardrobe options.

Gender: Our appointment is set for Oct. 5th- praying that little one will cooperate!

Movement: There have been two times I've thought I've felt movement, but it's hard to know for sure this early.

What I miss: Sleeping in!

Sleep: Still lots of strange dreams, and having a hard time getting back to sleep after I wake up to go to the bathroom.

Symptoms:

I think I have officially entered the clumsy stage that I knew was coming-twice this week I've dropped Kenna's yogurt on the kitchen floor & it exploded everywhere (including some on the dog). I've been extra weepy the past few days, and have had trouble sleeping for several weeks because my nose gets so stuffy at night. Weird!

Cravings: Apples, apples, apples! I've been eating apples, apple chips, and apple juice like it's going out of style!

Best Moment this week: Getting an unexpected look at our baby this week at the OB- they couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler because the baby was "hiding" behind my bladder, so we got to do an ultrasound instead! And baby still looks nice and healthy.

What I am looking forward to: Looking more pregnant- not just like I've gained 15 pounds or something. Also, getting the nursery set up & Kenna switched over to her big girl room!

Kenna is growing in leaps and bounds- it seems like each day she is doing a new task that we didn't know she could do or repeating something after us that we've never heard her say. 20 to 21 months has been a big boom for her as far as word acquisition.

Recent words she's been saying:

-cheese

-juice

-doors

-trash

-hi, howareya (she got this from imitating me on the phone, and says it all as one word)

-yuck

-bubbles (sometimes comes out "bubs" or "bobbies" if she's really excited)

-Loola (our nickname for our dog)

-Ash (our neighbor's dog)

-why?

-puppy

-stop

-no ma'am!

-hi, bear! (said to her teddy bear when she found it in the dryer)

-bye bye Loola (whenever we leave the house)

And new tasks:

Recognizing/pointing out family members by name in photos on the fridge, saying "Nana" when we drive up to Nana B & Granddaddy's house, etc.

Talking on the phone... she will babble for ages when there is someone on the line to listen to her! It is hilarious to see her walking around with the phone, talking with her hands, not letting the other person get a word in!

She will go get us things we ask for (such as a diaper) or go put something in the trash if we hand it to her.

Recognizing the difference between hungry and thirsty, and telling us yes or no about things she wants to eat (usually if she says yes she really will eat it.)

Opening the fridge and getting something for herself (sometimes a bad thing... we were putting away groceries yesterday, and she was trying to tear into a block of cream cheese & eat it like a cheese stick!)

Has enough teeth to eat "big foods" that you bite into, such as apples, and will usually help herself to one if she can find one.

Making animal sounds (moo, baaa, etc) for cow, sheep, pig, dog, horse, and sometimes a duck.

As the weather changes into fall and the weather gets a bit chillier, I keep remembering being on "the countdown" to having her this time two years ago... and now she will be turning 2 in less than 2 months and becoming a big sister in less than 6 months!

Here's a cute video of her playing with a bubble machine on our porch. Thanks to Aunt Leanne for helping us find the good kind that makes the bubbles automatically!

14 Weeks!

How Far Along: I totally missed 13 weeks, I'm actually at 14 weeks as of this past Friday... the days are slow, but the weeks are flying by! We're already starting the 4th month!

Size of baby: Baby B is now the size of a lemon.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up 2 pounds, and trying to keep a close eye.

Maternity Clothes: I'm still able to button my regular shorts, but nothing feels quite normal. Sports bras have become my best friend!

Gender: There's only about a month until we can find out!

Movement: None but I can start to feel the baby's little "bubble" especially when Kenna decides it's fun to sit on my belly.

What I miss: Having energy.

Sleep: Lots of strange dreams, but waking up less frequently.

Symptoms: Still feeling like I have no energy. Not so much sleepy anymore, but just no "get up & go." I've been getting a really stuffy nose at night which makes it harder to sleep, and been feeling like I can't catch my breath which is a little scary at times... weird pregnancy side effects.

Cravings: Salad and fruit, SO thankful to be craving something healthy! I could honestly eat salad at every meal recently, although I did feel the distinct need for a big, good burger the other day.

Best Moment this week: How excited Kenna has been about babies recently! I don't think she understands yet that we are having one, but she points them out very excitedly everywhere she sees one, even in books & family pictures.

What I am looking forward to: Knowing which gender to buy for at consignment sales!

And just for fun, here is an impromptu picture of 2 months and 3 months. I guess the old adage is true that you do start "showing" earlier with second pregnancies! Matt made me promise to make him take pictures instead of these bathroom mirror do it yourself numbers... I'll work on that. (PS- Tara and Leah, I stole your number in the picture idea! I didn't label my belly pictures with Kenna and it was a pain later trying to remember which was which. Your way is much easier!).

2 months:

3 months:(Edited to add: I replaced the photo with a non-mirror one, so this is really 3 1/2 months.)

Fearfully and Wonderfully!

Last week we had a 12 week appointment where we unexpectedly got another glimpse of our little one through ultrasound. What an awesome thing for God to give man the ability to develop such a technology. As amazing as hearing that little heartbeat on the doppler is, nothing beats seeing your little one move around in "real time" and know that they are healthy, happy, and safe in his/her little bubble. What a blessing that I by no means take for granted.

The pictures were a little fuzzy since Baby is just now big enough to start showing up on a belly ultrasound versus an internal one. However, we did get to see little one wave at us very clearly! How incredibly amazing to see an 11 week old baby, still developing inside the womb and barely the size of a fig, wave so clearly. To make the same kind of motions that our almost-two-year old does... when I stop to think about the incredibleness of that, I just have to praise our amazing Creator. I mean, a fig is tiny little fruit.

It brings so much meaning to some very familiar verses, Psalm 139:13-16:

"For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book before one came to be."

How unbelievable to know that the God of the universe, that created all the mysteries of how we work and who is the only one that can breathe life into us would care to know us at all. As much as I love Kenna and this second baby, both of whom are part of me and have lived inside of my body, knowing that my heavenly Father loves me infinitely more, and is in fact the very definition of perfect love, is pretty intensely incredible. And to know that he desires to know and be known by each one of his creation, as flawed and crazy as we are in our sin, makes that love that much more awesome.

Seeing such liveliness so early on the ultrasound, such a strong little heartbeat, makes me wonder how anyone can doubt that life begins at conception. I remember hearing an interview on the radio with a planned parenthood director who had left her job after watching abortion on an ultrasound. She had always been told that the fetus was not a life, couldn't feel anything, and that it didn't hurt them. She watched as the tiny person reacted in obvious pain to the procedure and she had a "change of heart." I read since then that she was one of 8 abortion industry workers that left their jobs around the same time period, and that one clinic in Montana closed due to "decline in business."

We are coming up on 13 weeks this Friday and headed out of the 1st trimester. Praise the Lord for a healthy baby!

11 weeks

Today I'm exactly 11 weeks pregnant. I've seen these little surveys on several people's blog, and I thought it would a good way to remember all the little fun details as we go. Being a second child myself, one of my big priorities for this pregnancy is to relish in an record as many little details as possible... not letting everything slip right by because I'm so busy and tired with a very active toddler. Matt surprised me with a second copy of the same little "belly book" I used with Kenna, which I loved for how fun & detailed it is. I really like the symmetry of having the same book for both pregnancies- I love looking back and comparing and seeing how many things there are that you notice right away with the second since you have a little better idea what to expect after having the first (ie: knowing what you're feeling when the baby first starts to move). Hopefully you're like me and like to hear the nitty gritty of other people's pregnancies... if not, we'll try not to get too baby-centric around here!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 11 weeks

Size of baby: the size of a fig- last week we called he/she "Baby Kumquat" and this week we've graduated to "Baby Fig!"
Total Weight Gain/Loss: no weight gain yet
Maternity Clothes: regular clothes, but going for my more flowy shirts
Gender: can't wait to find out!
Movement: none so far
What I miss: feta cheese
Sleep: lots of crazy dreams (I told Matt I should write them down & sell them as movie plots! They are that weird & crazy) & lots of getting up to pee already

Symptoms: tiredness is starting to wear off just a little!
Cravings: just hungry all the time

Best Moment this week: starting to move Kenna's stuff around to her big girl room- her room will stay the "nursery" for #2

What I am looking forward to: knowing boy/girl so we can start planning!

So Excited!

Our family is super happy to say that we are expecting our second baby! It feels crazy to even write that... I can't believe Kenna is already big enough to be becoming a big sister and we're about to do the newborn thing all over again!
We went to the OB last week, and everything is looking great! Our official due date is March 4th and we're looking forward to finding out the gender as soon as possible! We got to see our little squirt on ultrasound and hear it's precious little heartbeat. I've got to say that is one sound that never gets any less amazing!

My first trimester symptoms have been:

-a generally nauseous feeling most of the day, especially if I get too hungry or too full (wondering if this means it's a boy, because I was never sick with Kenna!)

-very emotional mood swings... tearing up over silly little things like radio commercials, and silly little things setting off my temper!

-super hungry with lots of cravings! Perfect example- a few weeks ago we got Chinese food and the only thing that sounded good was crab rangoon, and it was the best crab rangoon EVER. Also craving pasta and potatoes like I did with Kenna- any comfort food to calm the queasies.

-I've been uncharacteristically sleepy. Not just tired, but can't keep your eyes open sleepy! Pretty much anytime Kenna takes a nap, I lay down for a few minutes too. Matt has been super helpful in this area- putting dinner on the grill while I sleep for a little bit and things like that.

Basically, my pregnancy symptoms resemble the 7 Dwarfs... Hungry, Queasy, Cranky, Clumsy, Crampy, and Sleepy... that's 6... and Weepy.

But so far, we are all healthy and happy and thankful for this immense blessing from the Lord... all 4 of us!

36 Weeks and a Bargain

Here is my current look at 36 weeks, with one pair of pants that fits and lots of anticipation:
What the OB is saying about our progress:
-We are dilated 2 centimeters and starting to efface!
-She's not premature at this point, so she safely can and might come at any time now!
-They gave us all the warning signs that require an immediate call to the hospital (I'll spare the details of those) and that we should call when the contractions are 5-7 minutes apart... or when they "have me cursing" as the OB said!
-If we keep up this progress, it looks like little K will be making her appearance sooner rather than later...

Some of the things I've been doing to get ready:
-Eating whatever I want, whenever I want! The intensive baby-weight-be-gone diet must start sooner than I want to think about!
-Finishing up little things here and there for the baby room... hanging things on the wall, labeling dresser drawers, and putting away clean laundry.
-Packing my hospital bag, just in case!
-Becoming close friends with Matt's sweatpants.

I also thought I'd mention to anybody that's interested that Old Navy is having a $10 and under deal sale right now, and also some 75% off clearance from the summer. Matt and I just happened to stop by the store because I had a $6 gift card from a return that I wanted to use up, and we got some great deals! Matt got a really nice brown and blue dress shirt for about $12, and I got a nice little haul of tank tops, one long sleeve maternity shirt, a 'tshirt skirt' as I call them, and a navy blue summery top, 8 items all together for just under $30!
I get super excited when clothes are on sale for $1.99, even if they are just little tank tops! I'm also noticing that CVS is a really good place for bargains... they offer grocery staples like milk for much cheaper than stores, have some buy one get one free things, and also have a store card that earns you free "bucks" which are like store credit based on your spending. I started using them for prescription filling, and now we can use the bucks on things like photo processing and the occasional shampoo, etc.