35 weeks!

How far along? 35 weeks.
Baby’s Size: a butternut squash- 17.2-18.7 inches & 4.2-5.8 lbs.
Total Weight Gain: 32 lbs... yikes! I really don't think my face is as fat this time as it was when I was pregnant with Elliot, though. My belly seems much more round and centered. Maybe that's where all the weight is going ;)
Bellybutton: Out out out.
Stretchmarks: a few more have appeared on my belly itself- where I did NOT have any stretchmarks when I was pregnant with Elliot. They are small, and light... and I pray they stay that way and don't get too much worse.
Maternity Clothes: Nope!
Gender: a little brother.
Movement: Not as much movement lately, I think he's running out of room in there. Sitting is SO uncomfortable because he is constantly pressing his butt up under my ribs. It's really painful!
Sleep: Not as great lately, hard to get comfortable and I have to get up to pee 4+ times a night, usually.
Symptoms: braxton hicks, insane pressure down below, ribs feel like they are going to crack, lower back pain, heartburn, swollen feet/ankles/calves/knees, I CAN NOT SIT STILL... you know, all those typical glamourous end-of-pregnancy symptoms :)
Food Aversions: none
Food Cravings: sweets- ice cream, chocolate chip muffins, cookies, etc.
Best Moments this week: Elliot laughs everytime he sees my bare belly (if I'm changing, etc). It's SO stinking cute. We went for a long walk (which we haven't been doing as much lately) to the park Wednesday and I really enjoyed watching him climb all over the jungle gym. He is growing and changing so much, I can't believe I'm about to start fresh with another little one. Time truly flies, I'm going to try to enjoy every single stage of this new little baby's life.
What I miss: when my feet didn't look like I had elephantitus.
What I am Looking forward to: Meeting this baby boy and {dare I say it?} NOT being pregnant anymore. I realized today that I have been pregnant for almost a year and a half of the last three years. Wow!
Milestones: Full term in only TWO weeks (what the what?) and less than 5 weeks until my due date. Guys, I'm having a baby either this month or the beginning of the next- whaaaat?!

what we've been up to

No matter how hard I try, it seems like I am not able to blog consistently every day. Sorry for that. I usually get things done on the computer at night, but lately I've been so drained and exhausted that I pretty much crash on the couch the minute Elliot is asleep. I feel ready to pop!!

So, what have we been up to?


Well, Elliot has been getting better at entertaining himself, particularly in the morning. Lately he's been finding more exciting things than toys to play with, like boxes...


He also likes to carry his blankets everywhere, especially in the morning.

... and he's been busy making messes while I'm cleaning/organizing/trying to get things ready for his little brother's arrival. Aw, how nice of you, Elliot!


I am 34 1/2 weeks pregnant and I've been working on the nursery. We rearranged things, added some new furniture, and hung some new things on the walls this weekend :) I'll post some pictures soon!

I had an OB appointment yesterday, and I'm happy to say that little brother has FLIPPED! I used some of the tips/tricks in the following article:

If you are pregnant, you must read this!
Optimal Fetal Positioning For a Better Birth by Doula Momma.

We also saw on ultrasound that he is thankfully not posterior and his head is fully engaged, as low as it can go. Hopefully that means I won't have terrible back labor this time. But we'll have to wait and see! My cervix is very thin, and my OB was nervous to check me because she thought it might break my water. Sooo, I have no idea how dilated I am. But that's okay. Either way, this baby will be here soon!

Can't wait to meet you, baby brother! ♥

33 weeks

How far along? 33 weeks 3 days.
Baby’s Size: a honeydew melon- 17.2-18.7 inches & 4.2-5.8 lbs.
Total Weight Gain: 30 lbs... well on my way to gaining 45 pounds again this pregnancy, like I did with Elliot. That's fine by me, as long as I lose it as easily and quickly this time!
Bellybutton: Out. :) Aaron is always poking it.
Stretchmarks: a couple more small and faint ones around my belly button :( Surprisingly, none on my butt this time around! I guess it did all it's stretching last pregnancy, haha!
Maternity Clothes: I {still} haven't bought any maternity clothes, isn't that nuts?! I'm just wearing my regular shorts, and my longer shirts and dresses.
Gender: all boy, as we all know. :)
Movement: Oh yes- and he's definitely still breech. His head is always under my ribs and it drives me INSANE. It's incredibly uncomfortable, especially when I'm sitting down.
Sleep: I've been falling asleep on the couch every night by 9 before dragging myself up to bed. We've been busy, it's been hot, and I've been exhausted. So I'm sleeping relatively well- other than waking up to pee.
Symptoms: plenty of braxton hicks, lots of pressure, SUPER swollen feet/ankles, lower back pain... I'm just not comfy these days. I love being pregnant but I'm pretty much over it now. Excited for the next few weeks to pass so I can meet my baby boy and NOT be pregnant anymore!
Food Aversions: Are you kidding me? EVERYTHING looks and sounds good these days...
Food Cravings: ice cream, ice cream, ice cream. And chocolate. Even in the morning! Don't worry, I don't eat any that early... but I certainly do think about it!
Best Moments this week: Aaron randomly turned to me a few days ago and said, "I can't wait for Sully to be here." We're generally so busy right now with Elliot and just... life... that we don't just sit and talk about his upcoming arrival the way we did when I was pregnant with Elliot. So it was really cute to hear him randomly say that. :)
What I miss: I'm ready to start running again, to get my body back, and to be able to sit comfortably.
What I am Looking forward to: OB appointment next Monday, and we are also going to finish up shopping for the rest of what we need for Sully. It's so exciting to be buying "little baby" things again!
Milestones: Only four weeks until full term, and seven weeks until my due date!

28 weeks!

How far along? 28 weeks 2 days.
Baby’s Size: a rutabaga :) 13.6"-14.8" & 1.5-2.2 lbs
Total Weight Gain: 20 lbs... oh boy!
Bellybutton: IT HAS OFFICIALLY POPPED! I don't really like how you can see it poking out through my shirts.
Stretchmarks: no new ones, but if you look closely enough you can now see the VERY faint white marks (about 1") that I got around my belly button at the end of my last pregnancy.
Maternity Clothes: still none, wearing all of my regular clothes- I wonder how long I'll be able to go before I have to give in? I only have a few pairs of jeans that still fit {with the belly band}, but it's getting too hot here for jeans, anyways.
Gender: a ROWDY baby boy.
Movement: He's been moving like crazy- and sometimes it hurts.
Sleep: I have officially entered the "I can't sleep because I can't get comfortable, and WHY AM I SO HOT?!" stage of pregnancy. Blah.
Symptoms: huge increase in Braxton Hicks this past week or two, and my belly hurts most of the time. To be expected, in the last trimester.
Food Aversions: red meat- but I don't really eat that anyways.
Food Cravings: candy, which is great since Easter is right around the corner ;)
Best Moments this week: Aaron had a four-day weekend, and we took advantage of it! From swimming/hiking at the river to cooking out with friends, we really enjoyed ourselves and the time we got to spend together. I also had a lot of fun taking St. Patrick's Day pictures of Elliot- and I have a bunch more to post. I'll probably do that tomorrow :)
What I miss: Not feeling like a whale. haha.
What I am Looking forward to: OB appointment in a couple weeks.
Milestones: How do I only have 12 weeks left? Crazy.

26 weeks!

Click HERE to read my 26 week post with Elliot.



How far along? 26 weeks 1 day.
Baby’s Size: the length of an english cucumber- about 14" long and a pound and two-thirds.
Total Weight Gain: Not entirely sure, as I forgot to weigh in, but when I last checked, my weight gain had suddenly skyrocketed!
Bellybutton: it's juuuust about popped out. This is new to me- it never popped my last pregnancy.
Stretchmarks: still nada!
Maternity Clothes: other than a few tank tops and my bella band, I'm STILL wearing all of my regular clothes. I'm pretty proud of that fact!
Gender: another precious baby boy.
Movement: Sully has officially entered the "dance party" phase- where he kicks, punches, flips and turns enough to make my whole belly change shape. This is my favorite stage, when the movement is crazy, right before they start to get too squished in there to really do flip flops and rolls.
Sleep: Pregnancy when you have a 14 month old = the cure to insomnia. Still sleeping GREAT.
Symptoms: not a whole lot. If it weren't for my growing belly, I don't even feel pregnant when little Sullivan is sleeping. I am starting to get headaches again, but it's hard to tell if its from my allergies now that it's getting warmer or from being pregnant.
Food Aversions: none, really.
Food Cravings: ICE CREAM and dark chocolate, can't get enough!
Best Moments this week: date night. This is becoming a regular thing for us, because we have finally found a great babysitter and, well, we have to take advantage of this time while we can before Sully is born and Aaron deploys.
What I miss: Running and working out, lately. I'm so excited to get back into really good shape after this baby is born!
What I am Looking forward to: buying some more things for Sully. He's all set in the onesie and sleeper department, thanks to his big brother's hand-me-downs, but I still want to get him some new stuff anyways.
Milestones: Last week of the second trimester?! Seriously?!!!!

baby brother has a name!

Introducing, Elliot's little brother: Sullivan Grey! :)


I had my anatomy scan today. After they examined every tiny part of his organs and extremities, they declared Sully "superbly healthy." There were no defects that they could see, and he was still measuring 1-2 weeks ahead, weighing in at exactly one pound (16 oz). SUCH a relief! <3

Sullivan was, what the doctor described as "outrageously active." During the scan, he flipped himself into the transverse, breech, AND head-down positions, before finally settling back into the breech presentation {just like his big brother} and curling up with his little hands by his face. He also waved, mooned us, grabbed his toes, and insisted on smashing his feet flat against my uterus while they were trying to get pictures of his feet, making it nearly impossible. He's a wild one!





They did notice right away that my cervix was already quite thin- alarming but not too surprising, since the same thing happened with Elliot, although it was a few weeks later than now. For now, they told me to try not to worry too much, to relax and keep an eye on my braxton hicks, and that they would reevaluate the "situation" in 4 weeks to see if it has changed. I pray that little Sully isn't planning a super early arrival- I can't go on bedrest this time, not when I have to take care of Elliot!


I'm so happy that my little man is healthy and active! Such a relief!

baby #2 update (after nt)

I had my NT scan today, and it went wonderfully! The first thing they noticed, right away, was that the baby was larger and more developed than they expected. Originally, my due date was June 8th (based on my LMP). Then, after my first ultrasound, they changed it to June 10th. By that due date, I am 13 weeks 4 days pregnant. On the ultrasound, however, the baby measured between 14 weeks and 14 weeks 3 days. In addition, the NT fluid was already dissolving and almost gone... which doesn't happen until the fourteenth week of pregnancy. I have a follow up ultrasound in four weeks, so they will probably change my due date (to the beginning of June or even late May) based on that.

What was left of the NT fluid measured normally. Once the ultrasound technician was done, she brought the doctor in and told him that our son had gastroschisis. After hearing that, he also closely examined the brain, heart, and facial features, and everything looked normal, as far as he could tell. THANKFULLY, the belly was also properly closed with the intestines tucked safely INSIDE. :)




14 weeks (ish) belly!

Bellies pop much sooner the second time around...

13 weeks 1 day belly... definitely starting to show a lot sooner with the second pregnancy!

I look terrible. It's been rainy and cold here so... I haven't put much effort into my appearance lately. Aaron also has a SIX DAY weekend, so we've been lazing around the house. :) Even Elliot is staying in his jammies all day today.

Click below to see our updated name list.

My favorites are Ada, Elsa, and Eden.
Aaron's are Aurora, Willow, and Sawyer.

12 weeks!

Okay, I decided to do one of these every two weeks. :)

How far along? 12 weeks 3 days.
Baby’s Size: The size of a plum, 2.1" and .49 oz
Total Weight Gain: 1 1/2 pounds.
Bellybutton: innie.
Stretchmarks: not yet!
Maternity Clothes: If I was wearing maternity clothes already, something would definitely be wrong. lol!
Gender: I still think it's a girl, and pretty much everyone else agrees. Even my OB told me that she "bet it's a sister."
Movement: Still not feeling anything yet. Looking forward to it!
Sleep: I've still been sleeping great, except when I have to get up to pee. Bedtime is my favorite time of day.
Symptoms: I'm feeling MUCH better now! The only thing I can really complain about is that I don't have much of an appetite and nothing really sounds good to me...
Food Aversions: Soup. Yes, I think it's weird, too. And above all else- the smell of charcoal, or ANYTHING cooked on a charcoal grill. Ugh. It makes me want to vomit just thinking about it.
Food Cravings: Mozzarella sticks, pumpkin pie, ice cream.
Best Moments this week: Hearing that nice strong heartbeat at my OB appointment, and cooking (and eating) a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
What I miss: Right now? Nothing, really. Just loving being pregnant again.
What I am Looking forward to: Getting closer to the second trimester! Can't wait to be out of the first!
Milestones: Second Thanksgiving in a row where I was pregnant.

hi there, belly.

Yesterday, at 10w4d, I suddenly realized that... woah... I have a baby belly! It just appeared out of nowhere!

Pregnancy #2: 10 weeks!

As you probably remember, I did one of these surveys every week when I was pregnant with Elliot. Now that I'm pregnant with baby #2, it's been fun to be able to look back at those. I also enjoyed doing them, so I think I will do them every 5(ish) weeks this time around. :)

How far along? 10 weeks 1 day.
Baby’s Size: The size of a prune, about 1.2" and .14 oz
Total Weight Gain: nothing so far.
Bellybutton: innie.
Stretchmarks: not this early!!
Maternity Clothes: Nope. Still wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans (from before I had Elliot!)
Gender: Although I'm not as confident as I was early on with my first pregnancy, I think I'm guessing a girl this time around. I'm about... 65% sure. :)
Movement: Not yet, can't wait!!
Sleep: Well, other than waking up for Elliot, I've been sleeping great! That's what happens when you're exhausted!
Symptoms: nausea, lower back pain, headaches, fatigue, digestive system is crazy.
Food Aversions: Pickles and red meat. YUCK!
Food Cravings: Anything sweet and dessert like.
Best Moments this week: Celebrating Veteran's Day with good friends at Applebee's :)
What I miss: Being able to go longer than an hour or two without eating, and not feeling like I'm going to vomit.
What I am Looking forward to: EVERYTHING! Can't wait to find out what we're having and decide on a name!! Plus I have an OB appointment next week.
Milestones: Already a quarter of the way through with this pregnancy.


10 weeks 1 day pregnant with baby #2. I feel like I was showing more when I was 10 weeks with Elliot. What's up with that? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around!

Your Three Words

Last Belly Shot
Since this is my very last Friday being pregnant {or at least, not in labor}, I thought I'd take ONE last belly picture. :) So there it is! 36.5 weeks pregnant with my little man!

Every time I check Top Baby Blogs, I'm amazed at how many more votes we've gotten. You guys rock!

30 weeks belly

feeling the love?

Are you feeling the love? Because I certainly am. The love I have for the little boy growing inside of me is amazing. I can't even put it into words.



"The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people."
-Vincent Van Gogh



"The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched-
they must be felt with the heart."
-Helen Keller

Top Baby Blogs has reset their votes... this is our chance to finally make it onto the first page! :) Please vote!

Hello down there!

It's getting much harder to see my feet these days :)

24 weeks! Hello, Viability!

"Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon."
How far along? 24 weeks- if Elliot were to be born this week, with signifigant medical assistance, there is a good chance that he would survive.
Baby’s Size: About a foot long, the length of an ear of corn.
Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds.
Maternity Clothes: Ohhh yes. It's been cold here, so I've been wearing all my new fall/winter maternity tops.
Gender: It's a BOY!! :)
Movement: My little man has been dancing away in there!
Sleep: Another decent sleep week- I'm only waking up once a night lately. Spooning a body pillow has really helped.
Symptoms: I've been extra sleepy lately- but I think that's partially due to this dreary weather.
Best Moments this week: Having another ultrasound, finding out we're having a boy, telling my husband (he was SO happy!) and settling on his name- Elliot Reid.
Food Aversions: Nothing new.
Food Cravings: Anything sweet.
What I miss: I'm not really missing much of ANYTHING this week. I'm just so happy to be carrying this little boy. I love that I can provide everything that he needs right now.
What I am Looking forward to: Some of my cloth diapers arrived in the mail a couple days ago. Is it strange that I can't WAIT to try them out? hah.
Milestones: Our baby is now viable. Hopefully he'll stay in there until December, though!


We're slowly creeping up the lists. If you vote for me, let me know, and I'll be sure to vote for you, today, too! :)

faith, hope, & love

I've been trying to focus on enjoying every single moment of this pregnancy. The love I have for my unborn son is indescribable. I never knew I could love somebody I've never met this much.
Secretly, I've been hoping that Elliot will be inspired by the love I have for him- that it will fuel him to get bigger and stronger. He has a long road ahead of him.
According to my high risk OB, the average gastroschisis baby is in the NICU for 2-3 months. I already know that those will probably be the hardest months of my life. I've been researching, reading others' stories, trying to prepare myself. But really, what parent is ever ready to see their newborn son in so much pain, hooked up to so many machines and wires?
When I start to feel overwhelmed by worry and doubt, I turn to comforting bible verses, like the ones below. Ultimately, Elliot's life is in God's hands. I trust him.
All I can do now is have faith, hope, and love.

"For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is open to everyone who knocks." (Luke 11:10)

"The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 2911)

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Improvising at it's best.

We're spending the day at the beautiful city of Traverse City, Michigan today- and unfortunately, it's cold and rainy. Even worse- my new maternity clothes haven't showed up in the mail yet. Left with no other choice, I improvised. I combined a pair of leggings, a blue sundress, and a white cardigan- and NONE of these are maternity.
The bump is getting pretty big, these days!

Friday: your three words

"Over Halfway There!" Peanut and I have made it to twenty weeks. Less than twenty (probably only 15 or 16) left! Hopefully, they'll set the date for the induction or c-section at my next appointment, on September 9th. I can't wait to meet my son or daughter!
About Y3W: I borrowed this idea from Jenni at Jenni From the Blog. From now on, every Friday I'll try to sum up my week in just three short words.

This week's random photos:


20 week belly :)

Part of the orchard.

Apples! We had a late snow that froze the apple and cherry blossoms, so we really didn't think we'd get any fruit at all this year. These apples are TINY compared to last year, but hey, it's something!

A bumblebee, hanging out on the deck.

Growing belly.

I didn't take a picture last week because I was feeling a little overwhelmed.
I'm feeling better now. It still drives me insane that I'm facing the unknown, but I'm doing so with a more positive attitude. Watching my belly continue to grow is comforting. I just keep picturing the baby inside, kicking happily, unaware of his/her birth defect.
I'm flying out east to be with family tomorrow. I'll be back on Friday the 6th, and we have our meeting with the geneticist, ultrasound, and amnio on the following Monday. I think I'll feel even better once I actually know what we're up against.
Keep growing, little one!