Baby Belly #2 | A Day in Mollywood

30 Weeks Pregnant

March 6, 2010 By Molly

The bump: (um, did I swallow a basketball?)

How far along: 30 weeks, 2 days. Less than 10 weeks now, people! I can barely believe it!

Total weight gain: Let’s just not discuss this any more, mmmkay?

Sleep: Hate it.

Best moment this week: Just lots of hard punches and kicks from our little guy. He is gettin’ jiggy wid it in there and I love it! He is *supposed* to be well over 3 lbs at this stage. And I can definitely feel hard body parts exploring around in there. Elbows and feet, possibly? It’s the most amazing thing. When I lay down at night I watch my belly for a little while and it’s like the circus has come to town. I’m going to try to get it on video so I can share. Tickets to the show will be free

Food cravings: I just can’t stop craving donuts. It makes no sense because I never eat donuts when I am not pregnant. See, it’s the baby who wants them. It’s not me I swear!

Gender: BOY!

Differences & Similarities between #1 & #2: Mother trucker, the horrid back pain is back in full force. It started about 26 weeks with Landon and 28 weeks this time. It honestly feels like someone is repeatedly stabbing or punching me in the middle of my spine. And nothing helps. You would think that sitting down would feel better than standing but it doesn’t. It hurts so bad to sit down. I did massages during my first pregnancy to try to eradicate the pain. It didn’t work. A few people have recommended seeing a chiropractor. Have any of my readers done this? I’ve never been and have heard some bad things about them so I am unsure about it. But I would seriously love to find something that would help. Baths, maternity belts, heating pads, massages, tylenol . . . nothing works and it hurts all.day.long.

29 Weeks Pregnant

February 25, 2010 By Molly

The bump:

How far along: 29 weeks

Total weight gain: 23 lbs . . . yes, you read that right. And I have absolutely no idea how I have already gained this much weight. I know I shouldn’t freak out about it but you know what? I’m freaking out anyway. When I saw 141 on the scale I almost cried. I think it’s because I already know first hand how hard it is to get that last 10 lbs off your belly and butt after the baby is born. Also, I figure that the baby will actually only be between 6-7 lbs. I just think I bake small buns Then you have the placenta and fluid retention and crazy big boobs. But man oh man, why do your hips and butt have to expand so much, geez . . .

Sleep: To put it mildly? It sucks. I wake up every 30 minutes. Who feels rested after a night of sleep like that?

Best moment this week: Hearing B’s heartbeat. I haven’t heard it in over a month because of transitioning to a new doctor. It was really good to hear the strong little bomp, bomp, bomp, especially after being so sick and feeling like I was starving him.

Food cravings: Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Seriously. I have to stop.

Gender: BOY! Just a side note that this week I had a phase where I was ready to change baby B’s name. Naaman talked me out of it but I think it’s funny that we’ve been calling him by name since our 18 week ultrasound and suddenly my inner voice was telling me that the name we picked was all wrong. I’m back to being sure though. Oh, the indecision of pregnancy!

***A little update on my latest appointment and meeting the new doctor . . . I thought she was nice enough. She seemed a bit rushed, however, and I ended up feeling like it was a bad time to ask questions. I decided that we will continue on with her and at my next appointment Naaman will get to meet her and he can help me decide what he thinks. At the end of the very short appointment she told me that she has two boys 20 months apart and they are best friends. She said that I will love the age difference. That was encouraging! I never planned to have 2 under 2 but I will embrace it with an open heart and mind. I actually think it’s going to be pretty amazing to see my two baby boys together! My sister Cindi and I are only 13 months apart and I can’t remember a time from my childhood when she wasn’t there. She and I were two peas in a pod and I hope that is exactly how Landon and B are together : ) I can just hear them both giggling and playing together and it makes me really really happy.

I found out that I passed the 1-hour glucose test! I was a bit taken aback by the number though. It was only 50 even after drinking the glucose drink. When I told Naaman the number he said that if I were an inpatient at the hospital they would have treated me for that, especially since I’m pregnant. I do remember feeling very ill after I got home from the blood test. I felt like I was going to throw up and needed to take a nap. The nurse was a bit taken aback by the number but the doctor didn’t say anything so I figured all is well. But now I’m worried. I might call them later to ask them about it.

My next appointment is March 24th. I’ll be 33 weeks and then I start going every two weeks! Our hospital pre-registraion and tour is only 3 weeks away. This is really happening. We’re getting close and I am kinda sorta FREAKING OUT! In a good way, of course : )

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Pregnancy #2, Pregnancy Quiz 4 Comments

28 Weeks Pregnant

February 21, 2010 By Molly

Sorry for the lack of posts. Last Friday I started feeling under the weather and by Saturday I was puking my guts out and could not keep anything down. Naaman took care of me when he got home that night and then an hour later . . . he was puking his guts out. We had to call in reinforcements the next morning. My mom and dad took Landon home with them and Naaman and I just laid in bed and took turns barfing. It was a super romantic valentine’s day, let me tell ya! We had dinner reservations at one of my favorite restaurants but of course, that didn’t happen. I guess we will have to celebrate valentine’s day another time because I want my piece of red velvet cake with cream cheese icing, damn it! Anyway, it’s back to regularly scheduled programming.

The Bump: (please ignore the streaks on the mirror)

How far along: 28 weeks, 3 days

Total weight gain: 15 lbs . . . I think it’s still the same because I lost weight during the awful stomach flu!

Sleep: It’s not that great. Lots of tossing and turning. My hips/pelvic bones ache so bad. I had forgotten about that pain. I had it when I was pregnant with Landon. I lay on my left side and 30 minutes later I have to switch sides because my hip hurts sooooo bad. Oh well, not much longer now.

Best moment this week: The realization that I am finally (holy shit, people!) in my THIRD TRIMESTER!!! Less than 12 weeks to go now . . . and we’ll have a brand new little one to love on!

Food cravings: Last week nothing sounded good but I’m back to craving donuts so no worries ; )

Gender: BOY!

Belly Button in or out: Almost ready to pop out.

What I’m looking forward to: Naaman finally made the switch to being full-time at a new hospital. While I am extremely happy about this new opportunity for him, it meant new insurance which meant that I would have to switch doctors AND deliver at a new hospital. I seriously love my current OB so I am very sad about this. But it’s the best option for our family right now. I will meet my new OB this Wednesday and I hope I love her because I really don’t want to keep searching. Wish me luck!

Differences and Similarities between #1 & #2: I added similarities to this section because it seems that the further along I get in my pregnancy the more it reminds me of my pregnancy with Landon. For the past couple of days I have been experiencing that really bad back pain that I had with Landon. I just can’t get comfortable no matter how I sit. I really don’t think my small body was meant to have a huge basketball on the front of it. I can tell my spine struggles to figure out how to support the extra weight in my core. It hasn’t gotten quite as bad as Landon but I can tell that it’s probably going to be quite painful from here on out. The difference is I don’t have time to think about the pain. I’m a mom now. Gotta keep moving!

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Pregnancy #2, Pregnancy Quiz 5 Comments

26 Weeks Pregnant

February 4, 2010 By Molly

Skipping the fashion show this week. I don’t match and I just woke up in these pictures, lol. Enjoy!

Bare bump:

Front of belly: (I have a stupid tattoo and a stretched-out belly button ring hole. And yes, I regret both of them)

I’m also going to skip the pregnancy quiz for a general baby/mama update.

I have not posted regarding the progress of my depressive episode that started rearing its ugly head in December and got worse in January. I am very happy to report that I am doing much better! I can’t begin to describe how supportive and wonderful my OB was when I told her that I was certain I was becoming depressed. She took it very seriously, as I think all doctors should, and stayed in the room talking to Naaman and I for a good twenty minutes. I explained to her all of my symptoms and in turn, she explained our options and what she felt was the best choice for the treatment of depression during pregnancy. She told me that she sees many pregnant patients every week suffering from varying degrees of depression. And she has seen positive outcomes with a small dosage of antidepressant. The verdict? Zoloft. A very small dosage every morning. Although skeptical, I agreed to it and filled the prescription the next day.

I woke up the next morning and stared at the pill bottle for a good five minutes. I picked it up, inspected the tiny green pill and started crying. Let me tell you this is one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make. On one shoulder sits a negative little devil with horns telling me what a terrible person I am for putting my needs first. On the other shoulder an angel is telling me that things will get much worse if I don’t try something and to trust my doctor and God that this is the right decision for BOTH mama and baby.

After much soul-searching . . . the angel won the argument. And I’m glad she did. I’m feeling 90% better! I have had no side effects at all from the drug and it’s just amazing how stable I felt after only two weeks. My OB has me coming in every two weeks for follow up and to check on baby B. And my therapist has me coming in during the weeks that I don’t see my OB. So in essence, I am being “checked up on” every week by a professional.

When I walked into my therapist’s office last week, she told me I had the swing back in my arms and the pep back in my step. I took that as a good sign. I’m not usually a good “faker” when I’m depressed. I have trouble hiding my emotions. So when I’m sad or troubled . . . people know it. Same on the opposite spectrum. When I’m happy people know it!

My only wish in taking this medication was to make sure I was stable and happy when B arrives so I can take care of my family and myself. The good news is . . . it looks like I’m going to get my wish!

Please understand me when I say that this is not easy. Depression is real. It is a very valid concern during pregnancy and millions of people suffer from this every day. Obviously, pregnancy doesn’t give me a free pass. And I’m okay with that. I have to do what is best for me and my baby and trust me when I tell you that this is what is best. It would be so easy for someone to use the word never in this situation. For instance, I would never take antidepressants while pregnant. Never say never. I’m taking it. I’m doing better. Baby B is doing fine and because of this we can be one big happy family of FOUR in May.

Instead of feeling sadness, fear and anxiety about adding to our family I am feeling happy and excited. And I can FINALLY say to my new little boy . . . mama can’t wait to meet you, hold you, and love you with all of my heart, soul and being. Ahhhh, that feels so good.

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Depression, Pregnancy #2 12 Comments

25 Weeks Pregnant

January 28, 2010 By Molly

The bump:

How far along: 25 weeks

Total weight gain: 15 lbs

Sleep: It’s going okay. Landon has a big mean molar coming in so he has been quite restless. He wakes up and whines and then goes back to sleep but that directly affects how I sleep! I don’t like it when he is in pain.

Best moment this week: I had a very vivid dream last night about baby B. My skin was stretched so thin that I could actually see him. He was so adorable in my belly. I know it sounds like a creepy dream but it is really the first time I have ever dreamed about him. When I woke up I had a warm fuzzy feeling that he is doing just fine in there. Deep down inside I am still worried that there might be something wrong with him and this dream made me feel better.

Food cravings: Girl Scout Cookies!!! When I saw the box with the Girl Scout logo on it setting on my front porch I was absolutely giddy! Thin mints and shortbread and peanut butter patties . . . OH MY!

Gender: BOY!

Belly Button in or out: Almost ready to pop out, I swear!

What I’m looking forward to: I wasn’t going to have maternity photos done but I found a great photographer who had a great deal going on so I went ahead and booked her. I am now SO excited to do these. Of course, Naaman and Landon will be a part of them too. I think I will have them done between 30-32 weeks so stay tuned for that!

Differences between #1 & #2: It’s definitely getting a bit tougher to play on the floor with Landon. Bending over is already difficult at this stage and I’m sure will only get more so as the pregnancy progresses. Obviously, I wasn’t playing on the floor with a toddler last time around so it has definitely been challenging. It’s more uncomfortable to hold him too because there’s a big belly in the way. But we’re managing ; ) Overall, I’m still feeling really good physically. It’s truly been a big blessing!

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Pregnancy #2, Pregnancy Quiz 7 Comments

24 Weeks Pregnant

January 21, 2010 By Molly

Now that I’m working I’m actually wearing cute maternity clothes again so my photos might be more stylish! That’s why you’re seeing two outfits. One from yesterday and then from today. I’m warning you though, when I get home I immediately switch to pajama pants and t-shirts. It’s more fun to veg in comfy clothing. By the way, sorry I skipped week 23. We were super busy!

The bump:

The bare bump:

How far along: 24 weeks

Total weight gain: 15 lbs. I’m supposed to gain between 25-30 lbs total so my doctor assures me I’m right on track!

Maternity Clothes: Yes, finally getting to wear my cute work maternity clothes again!

Sleep: Lots of tossing around. It’s hard to get comfy when your baby NEVER stops kicking you. B is not on the same sleep schedule as his mama.

Best moment of this week: Landon giving me belly kisses and “zerberting” his brother. He does it all the time now. He will lift up my shirt and he actually laughs when he sees my belly. It’s hilarious. I tell him, “Landon, did you know your baby brother is in mama’s belly?” He looks up at me with deep concentration trying to understand what I’m saying. I point to my belly and he starts kissing it. Sometimes he lifts up his shirt too and so I have to return the favor and kiss his belly : )

Food cravings: I was really craving a Wendy’s cheeseburger yesterday so I indulged.

Gender: BOY!

Belly Button in or out: It’s flush. Still has yet to become an outie.

Labor Signs: Let’s hope not.

What I’m looking forward to: Only 3 more short weeks and I will be in the 3rd trimester! How is that possible? This is the fastest and easiest pregnancy ever.

Milestones: Baby’s face is fully formed now. Skin is really thin so you can see through it but if I could see through my belly I could see how all of his facial features would look. I try to think of what he will look like but all I can picture is Landon ; ) I think they are going to look a lot alike.

Differences between #1 & #2: B kicks me all the time. I do not remember Landon kicking me this much or this early. He immediately lets me know if he doesn’t like the position I am sitting/sleeping in. He will kick the crap out of me until I move positions. He’s very picky and knows what he wants! But it isn’t very fun being woken up at 2 a.m., 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Well, you get the picture.

One thing is for certain. I am carrying him very low, exactly the same as Landon. I always hear pregnant women talk about how they get kicked in the ribs. I never once got kicked in the ribs with Landon. Not once! My belly is much bigger than I was with Landon at this point in pregnancy. I’m guessing B will be at least over the 7 lb range, which is perfectly average. Landon was 6 lbs, 14 oz. so almost crossed into the 7 lb range. I think B will be bigger but not by that much. It will be fun to see how similar or different they are when B is born.

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Pregnancy #2, Pregnancy Quiz 6 Comments

22 Weeks Pregnant

January 7, 2010 By Molly

So what’s up with baby B this week? Let’s find out!

The bump:

How far along: 22 weeks

Total weight gain: a whopping 13 pounds {runs to hide in shame}. Can I just add that I have no idea where this 13 lbs is hiding? I feel the same size with the exception of a big belly!

Maternity clothes: since I’m not working, I’m afforded the luxury of wearing pajama pants and t-shirts all day long. This is so very different than last time when I had to try to squeeze my expanding body into cute work clothes every day and make myself look presentable! But it’s saving us money, that’s for sure!

Sleep: I had to go pick up my saving grace, known as the Snoogle pregnancy pillow, because my belly is just not comfy anymore. I’ve got to have something between my knees and also something underneath my belly to allow me to sleep. My right hip is already aching during the night. This didn’t really happen until week 28 last time. But whatever, it’s part of the deal.

Best moment this week: Hearing B’s heartbeat at our appointment. Strong and perfect!

Food cravings: Donuts and milk. Just like last time. I have to have lots and lots of milk.

Gender: a precious baby boy!

Labor signs: Let’s hope not

Belly Button in or out: It’s right on the cusp of no longer existing, if you know what I mean. Stretched out just to the point of looking like there is no belly button at all. Weird.

What I’m looking forward to: I’m excited to go through the tubs of newborn/baby clothes we used for Landon. Many of the clothes were worn only once or twice and I am so happy that we get to pull them all out and use them again! Tiny little socks, cute little overalls . . . it will be so fun to look through all of them and think of the memories of Landon wearing them.

Milestones: B is kicking ALL the time now. A strong kick to my bladder here. Then a punch to my gut there. He’s very active, which is nice during the day. Not so much at night.

Differences between #1 & #2: Going off of the assumption that we will not sell our house {don’t say we won’t though because I might kick you in your chins} we will not be ordering new furniture because there isn’t anywhere to put it. By this time with Landon we had already picked up our furniture at the store and enjoyed putting it together. I had already registered for the baby bedding and thought of the decor. I don’t think I’m registering at all this time because I don’t want any baby showers. It doesn’t feel appropriate when we were just “showered” two years ago!

If we aren’t moving we don’t need much of anything. There are pros and cons to this. The pro is that we are saving thousands of dollars using everything we had last time! The con is that I don’t get to be excited about decorating a nursery or getting anything new. Boo hoo hoo. I’m completely depressed about it but I know we will not be in this tiny house forever. Eventually I’ll get to decorate TWO new rooms for both of my boys as well as a big play room! I’m looking forward to that fantastic day!

P.S. I’m sorry for all the blog changes. I am working on finding just the right layout and design so please bear with me. I’m quite indecisive as of late!

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Blogging, Home, Pregnancy #2, Pregnancy Quiz 6 Comments

21 Weeks Pregnant on New Year’s Eve

December 31, 2009 By Molly

The bump:

Bare bump:

B and I did not have a very good day yesterday. I had Braxton Hicks contractions a few hours after waking up so I took a long shower, drank some water and laid back down to see if those buggers would subside. I felt sick to my stomach and had a massive headache. This might sound weird but I suddenly felt really pregnant! I haven’t felt really pregnant yet since I saw two pink lines so I guess 21 weeks is a record or something! My belly looks so much bigger to me today. I honestly get the feeling that B is further along than anyone thinks. And who could blame me? I still have serious doubts as to when we actually conceived this baby! All we know is B is ahead as far as growth goes so we shall see.

Another thing that worries me is that B is currently breech. He has been head up in every ultrasound we have had so far. I know most people will say he has plenty of time and room to get into the correct position but I would rather he just make that move now. I do not want a c-section after having had Landon vaginally. Let’s not screw with two different parts of mama’s body, mmmkay? That just wouldn’t be fair!

I realize it’s premature to be worried about the baby’s position but Landon was in position by 18 weeks and pretty much stayed put. We received multiple ultrasounds due to placenta previa to confirm that Landon liked being head down. Oh, if only my pelvic bones could talk. So baby B if you could please master a head stand some time before your due date it would be greatly appreciated! I thought the tightness in my belly today might have been from him getting into a new position. My belly just feels different now if that makes any sense at all.

Our NYE plans do not include fireworks or champagne or anything very exciting for that matter. Naaman is working and must work tomorrow also. We typically celebrate when the ball drops in Times Square, which is 11 p.m. for us. It gives us an extra hour of sleep! Yep, we are officially lame. But at least we are lame together and not lame alone!

To all my readers . . . have a fun and safe celebration tonight ringing in the New Year! 2010 is going to be a good one and I’ve got some big plans for my fourth year of blogging!

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Holidays, Pregnancy #2 1 Comment

20 Weeks Pregnant on Christmas Eve

December 24, 2009 By Molly

How cool is it to hit the half-way point of my pregnancy on Christmas Eve! What a great day it has been. As many of you know, the hubs works in the medical field, which means that he often has to work holidays. Sick people don’t take days off. This year he had Thanksgiving off but that meant he would have to work Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas! There’s no other way to say it other than IT SUCKS! But this morning Naaman got put on stand-by at the hospital! We get to spend Christmas Eve all to ourselves as a family and I am so grateful. It’s a Christmas miracle . . . hohoho.

But the truth is we already had our family Christmas yesterday! I had Naaman snap this photo of me standing in front of the Christmas tree with all of Landon’s presents ready for the next morning!

I still can’t believe that we’re halfway through this journey! Can it really be true that we’ll be bringing home another teeny miracle in a mere 4 1/2 months? I feel B move all the time now. He really likes breakfast! And Naaman also felt B move from the outside during week 18, which was quite a surprise considering Naaman didn’t feel Landon move until I was 20 to 21 weeks.

Speaking of miracles . . . I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas to the fullest tomorrow. May you have peace and joy wherever you are!

Filed Under: Baby Belly #2, Holidays, Naaman, Pregnancy #2, Work 2 Comments

19 Weeks Pregnant

December 19, 2009 By Molly

First things first. The 19-week bump . . .

I’m going to forgo the pregnancy quiz this week in place of an update. Baby B is fine and dandy in my uterus. We had the follow-up ultrasound on Thursday and although I was nervous we were quickly reassured by the doctor who told us our baby looks great! He is even bigger than he is supposed to be at this point in pregnancy! The focus in the heart is still there but is a non-issue. It causes no problems for the heart and will probably disappear in the third trimester.

There are no other markers present to suggest any birth defects and truthfully, B looks exactly like Landon on the ultrasound pictures. Exact same facial features . . . so it will be interesting to see if B is Landon’s twin 21-months removed. I have a feeling he will be. We know he’ll be just beautiful.

Thank you to all of you for praying for us during this time. It was a very emotional week for me but I feel much better now. I left the doctor’s office feeling nothing but relief!

I’m still feeling really good. None of the aches and pains of my last pregnancy. As I’ve mentioned before I became horribly ill with the flu when I was 17-weeks pregnant with Landon and never really truly recovered until I was about 26 weeks pregnant. I felt sick, run-down and in pain the entire time coming down with secondary infections such as bronchitis and severe sinus infections.

This time I feel none of that. Oh, I’m more tired than usual but my appetite is great. My energy level is still good. My back and ribs don’t hurt at all. It’s wonderful to be able to be able to enjoy this pregnancy physically!

Emotionally, however, it has been a little rough. It’s been pretty stressful around here what with our house on the market, unexpectedly going from two incomes to one and the thought that if we don’t sell our house then we really have no need to buy anything for this baby. We’ve bought one outfit for B and that’s it. There is no nursery to plan for and decorate. There is no closet or dresser to fill. It doesn’t seem as fun as planning for Landon. I know, I know, a teeny tiny baby doesn’t need its own room. He will be next to me in the bassinet for the first few months anyway. But I still want him to have his own space. I want him to have his own furniture and clothes and toys. And it’s not that we can’t afford those things. We can. But there isn’t even a corner to fit it in right now. So, it’s a bit heart-wrenching thinking about how I will feel if we are still here when B arrives. And honestly, it’s looking like that is how the cookie is going to crumble. Speaking of cookies . . . I’m off to go make some. Better to drown my sorrows in food rather than tears anyway, right?

But I know the MOST important thing is that we are having a healthy baby! That is truly all that matters to us. The rest will work itself out eventually.