40 Weeks

40 Weeks

January 22, 2014- January 28, 2014

How Far Along: 40 weeks. FORTY BLESSED WEEKS. We made it! 

Size of Baby: Baby Center estimates her at 7.5 lbs and 20 inches long or the size of a small pumpkin. At my 41 week appointment, they estimated her to be 8 pounds and 21 inches. Please do not grow much more, my precious girl. Although my nurse said these measurements aren't usually accurate. I guess we'll see!

Total Weight Gain: I fluctuate between 27 and 30 pounds. I lost a few pounds this week, so I'm at 27. I just can't eat much anymore.

Maternity Clothes: Oh this makes me laugh. You know you're getting big when most of your shirts don't cover your belly. I've been living in leggings and long sleeved Target shirts. And yes, my outfit in this picture is the very same outfit as my 39 week picture. Ain't no shame in my game.

Gender: Still our sweet sis! These late ultrasounds have just confirmed this fact for us, which has been fun. 

Movement: She's still moving a lot! Her movements are slower, but they're increasing in frequency. Her feet are in my ribs all. the. time. She's still most active at night, which is much like her brother.

Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty well for being 23,421 weeks pregnant. I wake up early and can't fall back asleep, but that's not necessarily a bad thing! 

What I Miss: Being able to sit for long periods of time without having this one nerve in my back that aches like crazy. If a chair or couch is too soft, I get this horrible pain in one spot. It happened with Griffin, too. Eek.

Cravings: I am still craving sugar in the evenings like whoa. I typically like dessert, but lately I need something to satisfy my sweet tooth every single night. I'm afraid I've created a habit for myself! 

Symptoms: I'm tired. I'm achy. I'm uncomfortable. I'm emotional. I'm 40 weeks pregnant and I have alllllll the symptoms. Come out, angel! 

Best Moment of the Week: Obviously, making it to our due date was the best! I can't even believe it! I also got a massage this week which was really lovely, but mostly intended for labor pressure points. Even though it didn't work, it was relaxing and I felt much better afterwards. It was also our last weekend as a little threesome (my parents are here this weekend). We didn't do anything crazy… we played together, read books, watched Bubble Guppies, went to church, walked around Target, ate Chipotle to try to smoke the baby out and some other little things. It was nice to just spend a quiet weekend enjoying each other. I love my boys so much!

39 Weeks

39 Weeks

January 15, 2014- January 21, 2014

How Far Along: 39 weeks

Size of Baby: She's the size of a mini watermelon which is said to be a bit more than 7 pounds and around 20 inches long. All I know is that she doesn't have much more room!

Total Weight Gain: 29 pounds at my weigh in this week. Yahoo!

Maternity Clothes: Yes. I will miss my maternity leggings so very, very much. 

Gender: Girl!

Movement: She moves a lot in the evening. She hangs out on my right side about 85% of the time. I love feeling her little butt press out… it fits perfectly in the palm of my hand! She really shoves it out there. We may need to work on being a little more ladylike when she's born. ;)

Sleep: I'm sleeping well thanks to a half tab of Unisom every night. I feel like a new woman!

What I Miss: I miss being able to get up off the floor without sounding like a dying elephant. It's comical to see and hear, I'm sure.

Cravings: JIF Peanut Butter, straight from the jar. All day, every day. But mostly in the morning!

Symptoms: I'm waddling something fierce. It's the only way I can be assured to keep my balance! 

Best Moment of the Week: Since we thought this might be our last weekend as a trio, we had a family date night at Tom & Chee in Newport. It's a grilled cheese restaurant and it's SO good! We've loved T&C for a long time, but hadn't eaten there recently. I had a Pep & Chee (sourdough, mozzarella, pepperoni and marinara) and creamy tomato soup, Griffin had a standard American cheese and white bread sandwich, and Tyler won the night with a Barbara Blue. It's blueberry compote, ham, and Brie on a GLAZED DONUT. It was incredible and I immediately regretted not getting one myself. He had a cup of the Blue Cheese Chili which was also incredible. Afterwards, we went to the candy store next door and Griffin got to pick out some candy. Then we went home for some popcorn and a viewing of Chuck the Truck. It was a really sweet night with my guys and one I'll think of fondly for a long time. 

We also tried to play in the snow with Griffin earlier that day, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. It was an experience to say the least! 

38 Weeks

38 Weeks

January 8, 2014- January 14, 2014

How Far Along: 38 weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Center says she weighs about 6.8 pounds and is about 19.5 inches long. They say it's the size of a leek, but let's be honest. It's the LENGTH. This child inside me is not the weight of a leek. We had an ultrasound this week to check on some stuff and they estimated her at 6 pounds 13 ounces! Our sweet little peanut. 

Total Weight Gain: 27 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Oh yes. I love that sweater in my picture; I'd forgotten about it! I'm glad I got at least one more wear out of it. 

Gender: We got confirmation that she is indeed a girl at our ultrasound! We're ready for her!

Movement: I love feeling the big movements that shake my belly from side to side. The miracle of pregnancy will never be lost on me. She is definitely loving to punch my bladder these days though which isn't as fun for mama.

Sleep: I haven't been sleeping well. Not at all. I've been exhausted and irritable. I was mostly just chalking it up to the end of pregnancy, but it turns out I'm iron deficient. I'm hoping the supplements I started taking will help, plus my doctor told me to start taking a Unisom every night. I'm a much better Rachel when I'm well rested. Can I get an amen? I know my husband and my parents are…

What I Miss: Nothing special this week!

Cravings: Sugar at night, peanut butter, and root beer floats. So healthy, right?

Symptoms: I'm just exhausted and Ramotional. Womp womp.

Best Moment of the Week: Hands down, seeing Bubbles on the ultrasound and knowing she's doing fine in there was the best moment. I'm measuring about 3 weeks behind, so they wanted to make sure she was growing and that my fluid was adequate. I'm happy to say that all is well and she looks perfect! I also loved getting a "bonus" ultrasound. The last time we had one with Griffin was at 20 weeks, so this was an unexpected treat. We even got to see her hair, so she's really taking after her brother on that front! I'm so eager to see her precious face in person and not on a television screen!

I also had a Panera dinner date with Griffin that was so fun. I love doing special things with him and I know our days are limited! We chowed down on soup and macaroni and then split a McDonald's hot fudge sundae at home. I love that boy so much. He is my joy!

35 Weeks

35 Weeks
December 18, 2013- December 24, 2013

How Far Along: 35 weeks

Size of Baby: She's over 18 inches and 5 1/4 pounds, although I wouldn't be surprised if she's longer than that. She feels longer! Her fruit/ veggie size comparison this week is a honeydew melon.

Total Weight Gain: I'm up 28 pounds in 35 weeks. It feels like so much more, especially when I'm maneuvering the stairs all day long. 

Maternity Clothes: Absolutely. Attempting to wear non-maternity shirts these days is straight comical. I won't even entertain the thought of regular pants! Like my sweet pajama pants up there? I've been wearing them a lot more than I should admit.

Gender: My little Bubble girl!

Movement: Yes. I can usually predict how she's going to move when I eat or drink certain things. She really goes crazy for ice water and still moves the most in the evening. I think she's a tall girl because she is all up in my ribs, which Griffin really wasn't. She's also been punching me in the bladder more and more which is, as you would think, an oddly unpleasant feeling. But I love feeling her little limbs and thinking that I'm able to identify different body parts!

Sleep: It's super hit or miss these days. I'm having a tough time falling asleep, then I wake up super early. It could be worse!

What I Miss: I would've loved having a glass of wine with all the Christmas food prep that I've been doing over the last few weeks, but that's about it. It's nothing that a Verner's with cranberry juice hasn't been able to fix! 

Cravings: I knew that with Christmas coming, I was going to be having my mom's cheesy potatoes at least once. They are so incredibly good and I haven't stopped thinking about them. I know those leftovers won't last long in my fridge. I'm still craving ice cold water.

Symptoms: Back pain and one night of awful, awful heartburn. I actually thought I might start breathing fire. Spoiler alert: I didn't.

Best Moment of the Week: Last week, Griffin and I spent a few days with my parents in Michigan. I left on Wednesday and he stayed with them, so Tyler and I were kid-free for three days. As much as we missed him, we were able to go out a few times and really enjoy each other's company! On Friday night, we went to a great restaurant called Local 127. I would highly recommend it if you live in the area-- great food and a wonderful atmosphere! We had a leisurely dinner and talked for a long time. I love it when we can spend quality time together like that… especially when we don't have to pay for a sitter AND dinner! 

33 Weeks

33 Weeks
December 4, 2013- December 10, 2013

How Far Along: 33 weeks

Size of Baby: Baby girl weighs a little over 4 pounds and is approaching the 17 inch mark. She's the size of a pineapple, which Griffin would love! He enjoys all of the citrus fruit so very much.

Total Weight Gain: I still think about 25 pounds. I never weigh myself at home. It's my gift to myself.

Maternity Clothes: Of course. I found the dress above when I was pregnant with G and it's just as comfortable as I remember! Leggings are a must, but it does cover my rear end. 

Gender: Baby angel girl! 

Movement: Yes, mostly in the evenings! It's fun to guess what she's doing with her little legs and feet. Such a crazy, amazing feeling! 

Sleep: Great! I will take all the good sleep I can get at this point. 

What I Miss: Maybe just having a wee bit more energy. I'm slow moving these days, both physically and mentally. 

Cravings: This is CRAZY, but I've been craving a certain burger from a local restaurant. I can't even think about other hamburgers, but if you get me a Gordo burger from our neighborhood pub… I will love you forever.

Symptoms: Nothing weird or abnormal. Just pregnancy stuff. Some of it is fine, some of it's gross. I will leave it at that for the comfort of us all.

Best Moment of the Week: My father-in-law came to paint Griffin's big boy room this week and we officially moved G out of his nursery and into his new room! I cannot believe it… three years flew by when I blinked. It was so bittersweet, but mostly sweet. He's so excited about his new room and his big boy bed! He's also excited that his "sissy" will be sleeping in his old room. I'm so proud of how well he's done. My baby is growing up! Just in time for me to have another one, right? 

32 Weeks

32 weeks

November 27, 2013- December 3, 2013

How Far Along: 32 weeks

Size of Baby: She weighs about 3 3/4 pounds which is the size of a large jicama. What in the world is that? She's also about 16.7 inches long… she's running out of room in there! 

Total Weight Gain: I think I'm hovering right around 25 pounds. I could definitely crush a small person.

Maternity Clothes: Oh yes. All day, every day. Except for that vest that wouldn't zip shut if my life depended on it.

Gender: Girl! 

Movement: She's still a wiggly little thing, but not as much as her brother was. He was a wild man when I was pregnant with him. She's a whole lot calmer in general. 

Sleep: I'm still sleeping pretty well! It's nice to be at my parent's house for Thanksgiving because they like getting up with him and letting me sleep in a little bit… that's the only gift I need this holiday season!

What I Miss: This is going to sound cliche, but this is the question I struggle the most with every week. I am truly so thankful to be pregnant and so close to full term. It's hard to really "miss" anything, especially since there's no guarantee that I'll ever be pregnant again. I get pretty sad thinking about that and that's why I really don't feel like I miss much about not being pregnant! Crazy hormones.

Cravings: I try not to eat hot dogs when I'm pregnant, but I've really been craving a coney dog from one of the coney islands in Michigan. The desire gets stronger whenever I'm home. You can bet I'll be going for one during my first post-pregnancy Michigan trip! And no, Cincinnati coneys don't count. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Symptoms: I'm having a lot of heartburn. I had two episodes of it at the most when I was pregnant with Griffin, but it was so bad this past week that I resorted to a spoonful of mustard (a home remedy recommended on the Internet). I had to grab a bottle of Tums Smoothies and they've been my constant companion. There is no rhyme or reason to my heartburn; I haven't noticed it coming on with specific foods. It just hits me when it hits me. Phew! It's no joke.

Best Moment of the Week: We had our pictures taken by our fabulous friend Abby Veldman this week. I'd wanted pictures of our little trio before Bubbles came along and it coincided perfectly with Christmas card season. It was absolutely freezing on the day we did them, so we met at the DIA downtown. I am so, so happy with how they turned out! Abby is incredible and has captured so many important moments in our lives, so it only felt appropriate to have her take photos of our family and the Bubble bump. She's incredible; if you live in the metro Detroit area and need pictures made, she's your girl! These are just a few of my favorites… 

31 Weeks

31 Weeks

November 20, 2013- November 26, 3013

How Far Along: 31 weeks

Size of Baby: She is just over 16 inches long and should weigh about 3 1/3 pounds. BabyCenter says she's the size of a coconut and I do love coconut! 

Total Weight Gain: We'll see at my appointment next week! I'm a little concerned with Thanksgiving fast approaching, but not concerned enough to curb my turkey eating. Amen.

Maternity Clothes: Oh yes. 

Gender: Girl! 

Movement: I'm starting to feel her little feet all up in my ribs. It hasn't gotten crazy uncomfortable yet, but I know the day is coming. She's also hiccuping more and more. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love feeling this girl move around! I don't think I'll ever tire of it.

Sleep: I'm still sleeping very well. I'm so thankful!

What I Miss: Really, nothing! Maybe not having to only eat certain kinds of sushi when we go out? But that really doesn't even bother me. 

Cravings: I haven't had any specific cravings this week, but when I want something, I absolutely have to have it RIGHT THEN. I've been thirstier than normal, but it's nothing that a tall glass of water can't fix!

Symptoms: I'm just tired and winded a lot. Nothing too bad. My acne is still kicking in case you were worried.

Best Moment of the Week: We're really starting to get the house ready for Little Miss. We're going to move Griffin out of the nursery and into his big boy room within the next few weeks so that I can get him settled in a bed and get the baby's room ready. I cannot believe that we're going to have a BABY here soon! 

30 Weeks

30 Weeks

November 13, 2013- November 19, 2013

How Far Along: 30 weeks

Size of Baby: She's nearly 16 inches long and weighs almost 3 pounds. That's the size of a head of cabbage. I can really feel her getting better; her kicks and rolls are getting stronger and more powerful. I love this stage!

Total Weight Gain: Not sure. We'll see at my appointment!

Maternity Clothes: Yes! I happened to throw on my Old Navy maternity skinnies from last pregnancy that are a full panel jean. I am just not a fan of ON maternity full panel pants; the panel only comes up halfway over my belly and it's not comfortable. I have been loving my Jessica Simpson skinnies from Destination Maternity. I will miss them come January!

Gender: Our little lady!

Movement: She's still the craziest at night when I go to bed. I feel her pretty regularly in the morning until about 10 minutes after I've finished my cup of coffee. She was going CRAZY for Tyler this week! She was rolling around and kicking his hand. His reaction was priceless. I think he'd forgotten how amazing it is to feel your child do that as it's been three years for us. We love this wild child so much already!

Sleep: Truly, I can't complain. I'm sleeping pretty well for someone in her third trimester. I'm not routinely waking up for hours on end and I wake up in the morning feeling fairly rested. I'm exhausted by 2:00 every day, but I don't think that has anything to do with how much I'm sleeping.

What I Miss: Nothing pops out this week! I'm trying to really soak up this pregnancy.

Cravings: Nothing I can think of off the top of my head. I could still eat a bean burrito from Taco Bell every single day!

Symptoms: Acne. I'm also to the point where going up the stairs makes me winded as heck. I have to go incredibly slow and if I don't, I actually have to sit down and catch my breath for a minute or two. I've been sending Tyler upstairs for most things when he's home and he's been such a trooper. I'm just running out of air!

Best Moment of the Week: Tyler was gone a lot this fall. I did a lot of single parenting and it was a tough few months. When he's gone, it's all me all the time. I don't have a nanny or any of our parents to help so it gets tiring and overwhelming. While he was gone, he booked me a "Mom to Be Maternity Package" at a local spa and I finally cashed in on it this week. I had a lovely maternity massage and a spa pedicure. It was a GLORIOUS three hours. I loved every minute of it!! I didn't do anything like that during my first pregnancy, so I appreciated it more than you know. I was so thankful for Tyler's thoughtfulness in insisting that I take some time to relax. I even got to lie on my stomach for my maternity massage which was incredible. Bubbles went absolutely bonkers from the new position, but she settled down pretty quickly so Mama could relax. It was a wonderful afternoon; thanks, babe!!

And just for kicks, here I am with both kids… Griffin on the left and Bubbles on the right. I think I look pretty similar!

29 Weeks

29 Weeks

November 6, 2013- November 12, 2013

How Far Along: 29 weeks

Size of Baby: She weighs roughly 2.5 pounds and is 15 inches from head to heel. She's the size of a butternut squash which makes me want to make some butternut squash soup. I feel like I grew a ton this week! 

Total Weight Gain: After eating our way through Boston this past weekend, I am utterly terrified to step on a scale. I know I've gained though. I can see it. Look at that bump!

Maternity Clothes: I'm still wearing all maternity pants except for my yoga and sweat pants. My tops vary, but most are maternity. The sweater above is not maternity; I just sized up.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: She's still moving a lot! She likes to get her little butt all up in my right side. On Saturday, I gave it a little pat and she kicked me back so hard. She's feisty! She also kicked up a storm on both of our flights this weekend. Maybe she'll be a pilot like her Papa!

Sleep: Overall, I really can't complain. Sometimes I wake up for a while in the middle of the night, but it could be worse. I am really, really tired as the day goes on, but I think that's pretty normal. 

What I Miss: Energy and not having achy hip pain.

Cravings: I've really been craving a homemade sub sandwich. Today I got the stuff for it at the grocery store and made myself one. Don't worry; the meat was adequately heated per every pregnancy guideline. It absolutely hit the spot. I really considered having another one, but I'll just have to wait until tomorrow. 

Symptoms: Random, but I got sick today. I was afraid that my morning/ all-day sickness could be returning, but I think it was due to me not eating enough this morning. Other than that, I'm just tired, achy, and slow. All things that just come with the territory! 

Best Moment of the Week: I mentioned above that we went to Boston this weekend (I'm planning on blogging a recap next week!). We talked to Griffin on FaceTime a few times and every single time, he asked to see his baby sister. He has blown me away with how excited he is for her to come. I realize that there will be a huge adjustment period once she's born, but I can't wait to see Griffin love on his sister. I also loved when she kicked me after I patted her bottom. Sweet thing. 

28 Weeks

28 Weeks

October 30, 2013- November 5, 2013

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Size of Baby: She weighs about 2 1/4 pounds and is approximately 15 inches from head to heel. That's the size of a large eggplant, but I will tell you, it feels A LOT bigger!

Total Weight Gain: Not sure, but I'm afraid the floor is going to start shaking when I walk. Here comes Big Mama; get out the way. 

Maternity Clothes: I will be in maternity pants and leggings for months to come... even post baby. I can assure you. I'm in a mix of maternity shirts and non-maternity shirts. My biggest problem with non maternity shirts is length. 

Gender: Girl! My dad started calling her Bubbles and so Griffin has started calling her that as well. So sweet!

Movement: I've noticed that her movements have slowed down a little bit. They just don't feel as fast and jerky as they have been, but I'm sure things are getting a bit more snug in there. Slow down, sister; you still have 12 weeks to go!

Sleep: I've slept fairly well this week, but have definitely had a few lengthy sessions of being wide awake in the middle of the night. My head cold hasn't helped me in the area of sleep either. 

What I Miss: Cold medicine (still). Clear skin (still). 

Cravings: Yogurt and my morning cup of coffee. I rarely drink an entire cup, but it really helps me get going in the morning. I still crave bean burritos from Taco Bell... Every. Single. Day.

Symptoms: I've started having occasional heartburn at night when I go to bed and it is no joke. I really feel for you mamas who suffer from it your entire pregnancies. It's awful. I've also noticed that I've been so much more sore this time around. When I was pregnant with Griffin, I felt really good. I had tons of energy and felt amazing. This time? I just kind of ache all over and am constantly tired. I don't know if it's just that I'm 3 years older or that I'm caring for a toddler, but... ouch. However, I would do this for one million weeks for our girl. Totally worth it!

Best Moment of the Week: I've had this awful head cold for the better part of almost two weeks now, so we haven't been doing much. Tonight, we took advantage of a beautiful night and when Tyler got home from work, we headed to one of our favorite parks to walk. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but we walked, Tyler pushed Griffin on the swing, looked at the gorgeous trees, watched an amazing sunset and talked. These moments with my guys are one of my very favorite parts of life and to top it off, it's so wonderful to think that we'll have our sweet girl with us next fall! I'm so incredibly grateful. After a tiring week, it was just good to do something relaxing as a family. 

27 Weeks

27 Weeks

October 23, 2013- October 29, 2013

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Size of Baby: She weighs nearly 2 pounds and is about 14.5 inches long if her legs are extended. Baby Center compares her to a head of cauliflower. Not my favorite vegetable, but I guess I like it now!

Total Weight Gain: Still gaining, but since I don't get on my scale at home, I'm not sure how much. I'll have another appointment in a few weeks, so we'll see how many pounds I've packed on then!

Maternity Clothes: Yes. I wore the dress above to a wedding reception and loved it; it was so soft and comfortable! It's so nice not to have to wear Spanx for 9 months. I was dreading wearing maternity tights, but it really wasn't so bad! 

Gender: Girl! There's a lot of pink entering our house slowly but surely.

Movement: I still feel her every day and mostly at night. I can usually get her to move if I lie down on my side or lean back on the couch. No specific pattern of movement yet. 

Sleep: I've been sleeping like a LOG. It's been wonderful! I always wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom when I'm not pregnant, but I haven't even been waking up for that lately. I'm just so tired that I just pass out. You won't hear me complaining!

What I Miss: Nyquil. I had a monster cold this week and I would've done just about anything for some heavy duty cold medicine. I can't take anything with Tylenol because I'm allergic to acetaminophen. 

Cravings: Candy. I've been really into milk chocolate lately. Good thing I passed my glucose test!

Symptoms: I used to have really good bladder control. I think we should just leave it at that. 

Best Moment of the Week: My parents came into town for a few days and my mom and I tackled our attic. I'm really starting to get into the swing of nesting and thanks to her expert help, I was able to donate and consign box after box of stuff we didn't need from our attic. It was fun to dig out the baby gear and think that it will all be back in use soon! My parents also brought my brother's old bunk beds that will be going in Griffin's big boy room! I'm so excited to finish switching Griffin from his nursery to his new room to make room for his sister. 

And just for a little comparison, I'm 27 weeks with Griffin on the left and 27 weeks with Baby Girl on the right. I would say the bumps are pretty comparable!

Days 22 & 23 :: 26 Weeks

26 weeks

October 16, 2013- October 22, 2013

How Far Along: 26 weeks

Size of Baby: She weighs approximately 1 2/3 of a pound and is 14 inches in length. They say that's the size of a scallion, but I think they should clarify that it's the length of a scallion. I've never seen a scallion that weighs that much.

Total Weight Gain: I've gained 4 more pounds which puts me squarely in the "I don't want to talk about it" camp. Thanks so much.

Maternity Clothes: Yes! I finally gave up on any maternity tanks with shelf bras. There isn't a shelf bra in the world that's going to help me these days. I bought a few long maternity tanks from Old Navy and so far, I've been very pleased!

Gender: Hopefully still a girl! Unless there's a complication or I go way over my due date, we won't have any more ultrasounds to confirm the fact. However, our 19 week ultrasound was pretty darn clear!

Movement: I said tonight that I'm starting to wonder if I'll give birth to a very small shark. This girl thrashes around like nobodies business! I love it so much though. One of my very favorite things ever is feeling my baby move! 

Sleep: I'm waking up for about 45 minutes to an hour in the middle of the night, which is a pain, but not terrible. I'm not uncomfortable; I just feel temporarily wide awake.

What I Miss: Donuts. I fell out of love with them this week. Sad day.

Cravings: Frozen Kit Kats... oh my word. I can't get enough! 

Symptoms: I've noticed that I'm starting to get winded much easier than before. Walking up the stairs at a fast pace really throws me for a loop. I also had a few waves of nausea this week that weren't pleasant. I'm really hoping we don't revisit morning sickness in the third trimester.

Best Moment of the Week: I've said this before, but Griffin really loves the idea of this baby. He says good morning to her each day when I get him out of bed and squeals and hugs and kisses my belly. He also found a renegade pacifier in his room this week and tried to "give it to her now" by putting it in my belly button! Haha! Something I really love about being pregnant now that he's a bit older is that I think he understands it a little more than he would've a year or so ago. I love this picture below. I took it this week and he was trying to hug the baby as best he could. Sweet thing; I love him so much. 

Another one of the greatest moments of the week was when one of my best friends Kristi found out she's having a baby girl! These two chicks will be just shy of two months apart and I can't wait to see them together. Several of my closest friends are pregnant right now and it's fun going through this life stage together!

I'm also counting this post as my Day 22 and 23 of Being Imperfectly Intentional. It's been my goal to document this pregnancy as well as I did with Griffin's and most of that has been through these weekly updates. I know they're not super fun to read, but I've loved looking back on where I was at this stage with Griffin and comparing the two. 

This covers the twenty second and twenty third days of my 31 Days of Being Imperfectly Intentional series. 

25 Weeks

25 weeks

October 9, 2013- October 15, 2013

How Far Along: 25 weeks

Size of Baby: From her head to her heels, she's about 13.5 inches in length. She weighs approximately 1.5 pounds and is the size of a rutabaga. I've never actually seen a rutabaga. Maybe I should look for one at Kroger next week. 

Total Weight Gain: I'm still hanging tight at 13 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Oh yes, I'm still rocking a maternity tunic like no one's business. I've also determined that I can't wear any more tanks with shelf bras. It's just not working for me. I picked up a few maternity tanks at Old Navy last night and I wore one today. It was so comfortable and I'm planning on grabbing a few more this weekend!

Gender: Baby girl!

Movement: She's kicking around right now! I feel like she has super active days and then laid back days. She's most definitely the most active at night. I will miss this so, so much when she's born.

Sleep: I'm still having great second trimester sleep.

What I Miss: Clear skin. Oh, how I took it for granted for 28 years. My dermatologist said it's temporary. Even if it sticks around forever, it's completely worth it!

Cravings: I've really craved soup throughout this pregnancy. I could eat a huge bowl of any kind every day. It's currently 10:30 pm and now I'm craving a bowl of vegetable soup. Mmmmm.

Symptoms: Not to beat a dead horse, but acne. Oh well. My hair isn't falling out as much anymore, which is great! 

Best Moment of the Week: This week I saw two of my girlfriends who have moved away. They're both due with boys (one in November, one in January). It was so fun to see them and their cute baby bumps. It made me so excited to see them again in January but with our babies! It's also been so fun to pick up little things here and there for baby sister. I love shopping for Griffin and it's been wonderful to have another baby to consider. Could you just die at these tiny shoes? Thank you, Columbus Day sales!

24 Weeks

24 weeks

October 2, 2013- October 8, 2013

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Size of baby: She's roughly 1 1/3 pounds, over a foot long, and she's around the size of an ear of corn. 

Total Weight Gain: 13 pounds already-- eek! I better cut down on the after dinner dessert. 

Maternity Clothes: Yes, please. I do need some good maternity tanks but haven't been able to find any that I love. Any suggestions? 

Gender: Our girl!

Movement: This little lady can really get going! I've been able to see some of her movements from the outside. I took a video of her this week really kicking and punching at my stomach. Such a miracle.

Sleep: I'm sleeping just fine. I know this is probably going to be short-lived as I quickly approach the third trimester. 

What I Miss: This is gross, but I miss hot dogs. I don't eat them a lot, but I've been really craving a coney dog from National Coney Island in Michigan. Oh well, it's only temporary!

Cravings: Donuts, bean burritos, Dr. Pepper, and red meat except for hamburgers. I've mentioned all of these, but I just want to reiterate that they haven't died down. I don't like those things all together, though, just to be clear.

Symptoms: Just my beautiful, beautiful acne. 

Best Moment of the Week: I think I can say with 98% assurance that this baby has a name! We have two names that we really love and Tyler basically told me I could choose. I absolutely love what we've decided to go with. We're doing the same thing we did with Griffin and will wait to announce her name until she's born. Around fifteen weeks to go! 

And just for a comparison, here I am with Griffin at 24 weeks. I really feel like I'm carrying Sister much differently than I carried Griffy. I can't believe that was almost three years ago! 

23 Weeks

23 weeks

September 25, 2013- October 1, 2013

How Far Along: 23 weeks

Size of Baby: She's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. She's the approximate size of a mango! 

Total Weight Gain: Not sure, but I will hop on the scale during my appointment on Thursday! 

Maternity Clothes: Absolutely. And may I say, good maternity leggings are a revelation. During my pregnancy with Griffin, I had a few pairs that were so ill-fitting. I remedied that a few weeks ago and bought some that actually fit well. However, I still will never endorse leggings as pants in public. Cover those tushies, ladies! 

Gender: Sweet baby girl!

Movement: I'm not feeling her move, but gosh, she has strange patterns! One day she'll be crazy active all day and then the next day, she's much more low key. I guess she gets tired from all those kicks and punches!

Sleep: I'm still sleeping fairly well. I can only pray that this continues through my third trimester!

What I Miss: We went out for Mexican with friends this weekend and I would've loved a real margarita! Soon enough, soon enough.

Cravings: Still bean burritos all. the. time. I could seriously eat one every single day. I've also been craving spaghetti and really, any kind of pasta.

Symptoms: I'm having the craziest dreams! I remember having wacky dreams when I was pregnant with Griffin, but these take the cake. They're so bizarre, make little sense, and often include people I haven't thought of in years. What in the world?? My acne is improving with my antibiotic creams, plus I've been using Egyptian Magic at night as a moisturizer. Erin recommended it to me and I've been very happy with the results! 

Best Moment of the Week: My parents both got to feel the baby kick which was so special! We also stocked up little sister with some darling clothes at consignment sales. My mom is just a little bit excited to spoil another baby and it's been so fun shopping for a baby girl! Here's just a little sampling of what sister has hanging in her closet waiting for her...

22 Weeks

22 Weeks

September 18, 2013- September 24, 2013

How Far Along: 22 weeks

Size of Baby: She's approximately 11 inches and almost a full pound. That's about the size of a spaghetti squash, which I've never actually cooked, FYI.

Total Weight Gain: Not sure if I've gained this week or not. Actually, I'm sure I have; I just don't know how much. I'm okay with that. Ignorance is bliss, right? 

Maternity Clothes: Yep! For the most part, maternity shirts are finally noticeably more comfortable than non-maternity shirts. Old Navy has some darling maternity tops right now!

Gender: Girl!

Movement: I saw my belly move this week when she kicked! She's a powerful little stinker! She's still moving mostly in the morning and evening, but if I lie down, she starts making herself known. 

Sleep: I'm still sleeping fairly well! I don't have trouble falling asleep and I although I always wake up in the middle of the night at least once, that's very normal for me, pregnant or not.

What I Miss: I'm not really missing anything this week! 

Cravings: Still sweet things and red meat, but NOT hamburgers. Isn't that weird? I've been loving any kind of red meat, even in ground beef form, but the thought of a hamburger still makes me want to cry. Pregnancy is weird.

Symptoms: Acne and hair loss. I keep forgetting to mention this, but I've been losing hair by the fistful since I was about 6 weeks pregnant. This happened during my pregnancy with Griffin as well. I'm one of the lucky ones who loses hair for 9 months and then for about 4 months after I have the baby. It's a good thing I have so much hair; otherwise, I'm pretty confident that I'd have bald spots!

Best Moment of the Week: On Friday, Tyler felt the baby kick! I promised him that no one would be allowed to feel until he felt her move and she decided to show off big for her daddy! He had gotten home on Thursday night from a trip and I was so excited that he finally got to experience her moving. It was such a special moment!!

21 Weeks

21 Weeks

September 11, 2013- September 17, 2013

How far along: 21 weeks

Size of Baby: She weighs about 3/4 of a pound and is 10.5 inches long. She's the size of a carrot and that's a good thing because I do love carrots!

Total Weight Gain: I had to go to a non-OB appointment on Friday and I'm up 10 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. Grow, grow, grow!

Maternity Clothes: I'm only wearing maternity pants, yoga pants, and running shorts. Comfort is key! I'm still in some non-maternity tops, but I've found a few simple maternity t-shirts and long sleeved maternity shirts at Target lately that are good, solid colored basics. 

Gender: Our little girl child!

Movement: I primarily feel her in the morning and in the evening. I've felt her a few times when I've put my hand on my belly, but she usually stops moving immediately when I do that. Stinker! I feel her mostly on my right side. She's definitely getting bigger and her kicks are getting stronger!

Sleep: I'm sleeping well! 

What I Miss: My belly is a different shape this time. It kind of has this weird indentation that I didn't have with Griffin. I had some surgery in the spring, so maybe that has something to do with it? So, if I had to say something, I would say I miss my round Griffin pregnancy belly. ;)

Cravings: Oh my. Let me tell you something. Thanks to my friend Meme, I found these mini pumpkin pies at Trader Joe's. They are the most delicious things I've ever had. I've been saving my last few for the season finale of Big Brother, but I've thought about them every single day since I picked them up on Monday. So... two days? Ha! Also, donuts. I could eat 5 donuts a day, but I usually have zero. Sad.

Symptoms: I did get a little nauseated a few times this week, but I think it was a fluke. I finally saw a dermatologist for my acne and she gave me some stuff that is pregnancy safe. I have a follow-up with her in a few months, but I've already seen a small improvement. I'm really hoping it continues because Poison Ivy Face here isn't the most attractive. 

Best Moment of the Week: We went and looked at double strollers on Saturday. I'm pretty sure Tyler's heart stopped when he realized how much they can cost. Bless him. Griffin loved "test driving" the strollers, though! He's going to be such a good big brother. It was also my first experience at Buy Buy Baby. It was a little overwhelming! I need to go back when Griffin's at school and I can browse a little bit. I just love looking at stuff that we need for our second baby. I'm still so, so thankful that God has blessed us with this little love! 

Also, if you have double stroller recommendations, leave them here! We're looking at the City Select with the extra seat right now, but I'm definitely open to other options. We need something that works with our Graco Snugride baby seat. We've loved our single BOB and are planning on keeping that, but I need something that's a little less... massive... for our everyday stroller. Let me hear what you think!