Pregnancy: Round 2 {27 week edition}

It's been about ten weeks since the last update and I've just reached the 27 week mark. (27 on the 27th! That's fun, right?) And the crazy part is: technically I only have another ten weeks until I'm considered full term (40 weeks is the actual finish line, but the baby will be fully developed at 37 weeks).

So rather than lament that this poor baby #2 isn't getting the weekly or monthly attention her big sister received, let's go with a Once a Trimester plan for updates. Yes! That was the plan all along! (as long as we aren't sticklers for real trimester dates...I'm saying 3 official updates at any point whatsoever = total win.)

 {19 weeks}

symptoms: 

First time: Main complaint was ab muscle pain- feeling like the baby might just tear through my skin and fall out. (spoiler alert: that never happened).

This time: The exhaustion has mellowed (though I won't turn down an afternoon nap if given the chance...why am I not given more chances?!) Heartburn has arrived in full effect, too, so I'm popping Tums and hoping it means this baby will have a beautiful head of hair to show for my trouble. Other than that though, I can't complain too much. Two weeks ago in fact, I was feeling pretty great, enjoying that second trimester sweet spot after the worst symptoms subside, and before the hugeness of the third trimester sets in. But then last week I had a couple of the worst days I've had this entire pregnancy (including the early days when I could barely pry myself off the couch in the evening). The baby seemed to grow dramatically, and my body was failing to keep up. She was squished in there, and the rest of my organs were displaced...and felt angry. My lungs were compressed, my diaphragm hurt, and my back ached. I couldn't sit or stand comfortably...my torso just seemed too small and too week to deal with this baby. I struggled physically, but it was worse emotionally. I couldn't take Piper to school (lifting her, plus lugging all of her gear just wasn't possible) and in the evening I struggled to even sit at the dinner table. One night it was just too much, and I told Dustin I had to just lay down. I spent the entire evening in bed, listening to he and Piper play, have bath time, and do the bedtime routine. It killed me to feel like I couldn't be the mom I wanted to be, and I ended the night crying. I was worried that if this is how I felt at 26 weeks, then I couldn't possibly make it another 14 weeks. I felt guilty for giving Piper less than my best, and for putting so much extra work on Dustin's plate. He assured me that they were both ok, and that I needed to do whatever it took to stay healthy and take care of this baby. He took on the brunt of the Piper-duty for the week, and after a few days I was feeling soooo much better. My body needed a little time to adjust, and my muscles needed a chance to grow stronger. It's hard to remember that in pregnancy, like in life, no stage is permanent. A bad day isn't forever, and a rough patch doesn't mean you're doomed until the end of time.

weight gain:
First time: about 15 lbs.
This time: about 15lbs. I'm encouraged that my growth is lining up with last time...it makes me worry less that I'm going to gain 125 pounds and have to be rolled into the delivery room. However: the pattern of growth seems very different than last time. With Piper, it was slow and steady...getting a little bit bigger every week (verrrrrry slow in the beginning, which I was thankful for). And this time, it seems my body has two settings that it remembers, and just jumps to them. I looked a good 3 months pregnant from day one. Then I grew gradually until 6 months or so, and BAM- baby doubles in size. Goodbye regular jeans. (and by "regular" I mean the non maternity, but 2 sizes up pairs I had been working with). I'm hoping that maybe the bright side is that I'll hold steady at this stage until the very end, when I will inevitably balloon up again. 

 {20 weeks}

cravings/aversions: 
First time: Not much. Some of the crazy hunger from the first trimester had returned though. 
This time: Nothing crazy....but I do still love to eat! For a while I missed the hunger from the early days...I wanted an excuse for more grilled cheeses!! But I truly wasn't that hungry for a while. Good news though- it's back! I try to pack a lot of snacks during the day, and I plan a little something at night after dinner or else I go to be starving.

movement: 
First time: Lots. Around this time, Piper started to run out of space so there was a lot of moving and shifting going on. 
This time: A lot! And I love it! I always thought Piper was a very active baby, but obviously had nothing to compare it to. Now, I think maybe that just how all babies are? Or at least all of my babies. This girl is wiggling constantly...I love to feel her kicking (most of the time...) and watching it is funny too. My favorite is when Dustin can finally feel it (I think that was around 20 weeks? But it's really easy now!) Mostly she gets active when I'm still...especially after I eat. And at night if I roll over too far from my side to my belly, she lets me know she's getting squished with some pretty forceful kicks.

{21 weeks}

I am loving: 

First time: Chatting with people about the baby (and keeping the gender a secret- fun but sometimes hard!)

This time: Piper was away recently for a week with my mom, and it was a really nice break. Sure, it was great to have a little time with less responsibilities, but in addition, it was fun to just be pregnant. The experience of being a pregnant mom is definitely different. Dustin has been fantastic in wrangling Piper while I attend to baby #2's needs (i.e. sleeping and eating a lot) but with all the activity surrounding a toddler, it's hard to be still and focus on this new little bundle with the type of focus that I had last time around. I'm not sure how much you can really bond with a fetus...but in the quiet moments of that time alone, I did have some "I'm so glad you're here" moments with my baby-to-be. 

I miss: 
First time: Sleeping on my back (technically a no-no)…or my stomach (an impossibility at this point.) I always thought I was a side sleeper…oh how wrong I was. 
This time: Beer. Delicious beer. Dustin recently got to brew his own beer with some friends and I was oh so jealous. And going on vacation without being able to have a nice drink on the beach? Not idea. Last time I was excited to get that baby out in time for pumpkin beer season. This time I'm fantasizing about delicious wheat beers on the deck, with a slice of orange. Oh yes. 

(And the sleeping? I pretty much sleep however is comfortable these days...which is...not much.)

spazzing about:
First time:  Getting everything done! I could hear the timing ticking by, and I worried that everything wouldn't be ready in time. 
This time: Ummmm, nothing? I'm sure that's not true, but I'm actually remarkably relaxed about this entire pregnancy. Last time I got obsessed with all the little details and preparation. This time....I'm just trusting that the baby will show up, and we'll go from there. I might even be a little too relaxed. I think there are a probably a few things to get done that I should feel a bit more urgency about. But I'll get to them. Maybe after a nap.
OH- but I'm more than a little worried that this baby will never have a name. That process...could be going better. "Baby B #2" is catchy right?
 

{23 weeks}

looking forward to: 
First time: Completing the nursery. I loved pulling together Piper's room. It was so fun for me to plan, and dream and create....and I'm still obsessed with the results.
This time: Having two little girls. Meeting this whole new person that has never existed before. We're having so much fun learning more about Piper's little (big) personality, and it's getting us even more excited to have another little lady in the house to love. Last time I was excited about a lot of the "stuff" that goes along with having a baby- I think mostly because I couldn't wrap my head around what it means to actually become a mom and meet your child. This time, that's the part I just can't wait for. 

{26 weeks}