Bump date: Week 33

This pregnancy is flying by so fast its kind of crazy. Here is what's happening as of late...

How far along: 33 weeks! I can't believe she will be here so soon.

How big is baby: About the same as last week, I have read that the baby gains around half a pound or so every week until birth from this point on.

Belly button: Out.

Total weight gain: 23+ pounds.

Sleep: Remember last week when I mentioned that I was unsure if sleep loved me back or not? Yeah well, I know now that it totally doesn't. This last week sleep has been terrible. I had my worst spout of heartburn so far with this pregnancy last Thursday and it was bad! I woke up multiple times because of it, and nothing seems to ease it. I just have to let it pass. My inner thighs are hurting so it's basically impossible to get comfortable even with a body pillow. To top everything off, pregnancy insomnia is a legit thing. I wouldnknow first hand. I woke up at 5:30 Saturday morning and couldn't fall back asleep until 6:30 or so. It's not like I don't want to sleep or anything, physically I am very tired but I just can't relax enough to sleep. So, long story long....Sleep stinks.

Movement: If what feels like bruised ribs and a sore back counts as "Movement" because she is bouncing off the walls of my tummy almost 24/7, then yeah! She is a total mover. ;)

Maternity clothes: Stay tuned for a change in this category next week. The baby shower is this weekend so I plan to snag a new outfit or two sometime before then. Nothing fancy but at least it will be something new and refreshing. On a completely different note, this past weekend we bought both girls and Troy their new outfits for our family of 4!! photos after Ella is born. :) I plan on waiting to buy mine after delivery cause ya know, who knows what my body will be like after that jazz. 

Gender: A beautiful baby girl.

Best moment this week: I would have to say the best moment this week has been going through Katie's old baby clothes and seeing what I could reuse with Ella. I actually walked away with a trash bag full so I would consider that a success. We also bought some new craft supplies for our house and Katie is beyond excited. We started the morning of painting & using our imagination. It was awesome! 

Looking forward to: The baby shower!!! It's this Saturday and I am just so blessed and excited. I will post plenty of pictures on next weeks update or possibly just do a post on the shower itself. I am also looking forward to my doctors appointment next week on the 5th. :) I will probably post my 34 week update after the appointment so all the info is as updated as I can give. lol

Ella Alana at 33 weeks gestation!

Newborn goodies

What is better than newborn girl clothes? Seriously nothing is more cute or able to be girly squeaked over. lol

I have a serious problem when it comes to shopping for Katie and now Ella too. All the girly clothes and styles just melt me. A down note to having two daughters is that I love shopping for clothes for them at Target and Babies R Us and guess what guys, clothes like those don't fit too well into this moms budget. It's pretty cruddy. So needless to say, I don't visit those stores very often. I can openly admit that I probably wouldn't have the will power to say no to those outfits. However, over the course of the last 8 months I have bought a few items for our newest addition and I wanted to share them with you guys, along with the outfit I'm pretty sure little Miss Ella will be coming home in!
Look at how cute these goodies are,

This special little outfit is from our trip to San Diego when I was 24
weeks pregnant with her. She fo sho is the best little sis ever.

These binkies are too cute

I bought her the Carters baby blanket yesterday and couldn't be more in love with it. It is so soft and cute, I had been thinking of getting Ella one of these for the past few days and when I came across this I just knew it was the one. I love rubbing it on my tummy while I talk to her, and she pushes back at me. I told Troy I wanted to have it in the labor and delivery room with me while she is born, & after she's all clean she can snuggle it with me. A moment I am anxiously waiting for. :)

Now check out this beauty!

This gem is pretty special to me, I bought it at Target (go figure) probably the very week or the week after Troy and I found out we were expecting another baby. We were a long ways away from finding out the gender of our baby but when I saw this dress I had to buy it just in case we were having another girl. It was like I could automatically envision her wearing it. A bonus was that this dress was also on clearance for $4 y'all, that's a good deal.
Somehow this dress just sticks with me and it's what I see her entering our house in on that sunny summer day that she gets to come home.
My sweet Ella Alana.

Well guys, Thanks for taking a look at the adorable wardrobe that she has accumulated so far. I still need to go through bags of big sisters clothes and see what Ella can make use of but so far these are her new & non hand-me-down goodies.
Hope you enjoyed it
:)

Bump date: 8 months

I had my 32 week appointment this morning and it went really well. This time the eldest child had to join me and surprisingly did a really good job. I usually try to get a babysitter for Katie during my visits only because she used to freak out seeing me at the doctors office. She must have thought they were torturing me or something. Well this time she had to tag along and she did fabulous. I think learning about how to give a urine sample was her favorite part haha! Everything seems to be measuring right on track with my little babe and I couldn't be more thankful. It's becoming more and more real that a new bundle of love will be in my arms instead of my tummy very, very soon. I find myself awakened in the middle of the night thinking like "Holy cow..uhhh..I'm having another kid!" I am so excited...but it also makes me feel nauseous in complete honesty. Ha
Here is the newest set of information on the pregnancy. 

How far along: 32 weeks today. 

How big is baby: 17 inches & around 4 pounds.

Belly button: Out. I also seem to be noticing just a few new stretch marks but nothing terrible. It's also something that isn't unexpected. I got them with my last pregnancy and knew they would show up this time too.

Total weight gain: Dude, umm...23 pounds. I was kind of shocked to hear that number but everyone else seems to be super happy with it so it's good with me. Plus that means it was totally ok for me to eat everything I did over the last two weeks. ;)

Sleep: I love sleep. Seriously L.O.V.E it. But, I'm not sure it loves me back all that much. I have been having a really hard time catching my breath when I'm laying down so that tends to keep me awake. I also can't seem to shut off my brain so I spend like 40 minutes thinking of everything I need to do or should do until I can actually doze off.

Maternity clothes: All I can say is that some new maternity clothes are desperately being needed. I don't know how much more my husband will graciously tolerate me wearing his clothes instead of my own. lol. With the baby shower approaching soon I hope to go shopping for a new outfit or two. Maybe some maternity shorts?

Movement: Ella is one strong baby, she moves and rolls around a whole lot with a bunch of power.

Symptoms/Labor signs: No actual labor signs but a few braxton hicks contractions. I have no idea how to really notice these but my midwife says from the info I have given her that I have probably experienced a few. I also am dealing with a little bit of round ligament pain so that stinks. It can definitely make it hard to walk at times. Other than that everything else is the same. My heartburn has seemed to calm down a little bit so that is definitely appreciated.

Gender: Princess Ella.

Best moment this week: Katie stopped her antibiotics on Saturday so that was a relief. It's been really nice having everyone in our home feeling well and being active. Fingers crossed that none of us get sick again anytime soon.

Looking forward to: The baby shower! My dear friend Kaysha is planning it and I might just pee my pants with excitement (or from Ella pushing on my bladder). It will be so fun to be gathered with close family and friends to celebrate Ella and her soon arrival to our family. On another note I actually really enjoy my doctor visits so I am looking forward to going back on May 5th for my 34 week check up. 

Ella Alana at 32 weeks 

I also wanted to let you guys know that a post about Ella's name and the special meaning it holds in our family will be up very soon, so keep an eye out for it. 

:)

Bump date: Week 31

There's not a whole lot of news this week with the pregnancy but here is this weeks update. 

Let's dive right in.
:)

How far along: 31 weeks 

How big is baby: Anywhere between 16-17 inches and 2.5-3.5 pounds.

Belly button: Its back in!... J to the K guys, it's out and will remain out until she's out! lol

Total weight gain: 17+ pounds.

Sleep: Pretty good so far this week. Katie is getting better at sleeping in her toddler bed so that is a huge blessing. I definitely seem to sleep better when there is more room in my bed, but I totally miss her snuggles too.

Maternity clothes: Nothing has changed.. haha. I need to go buy something so I can actually share an update for this question. :)

Movement: Little miss Ella is so active. I love to hold and rub my tummy and feel her push back at me. Counting down the weeks until I get to snuggle this babe.

Symptoms/Labor signs: Everything is the same as last week. Whether that's good or bad, I'm not sure but I'm good with it. I'd rather take things off my list of symptoms than continuing to add them. 

Gender: Girl

Best moment this week: Can we talk about the worst moment? Katie got Strep throat. Legit. She will be done with her antibiotics this Saturday thankfully. The best part of the week has been getting out of the house the last couple days. Parks and lunch dates have been greatly appreciated times of relaxation.

Looking forward to: My 32 week appointment and starting the process of getting ready for Ella to arrive. In the next few weeks I will be washing her first load of laundry and I'm so excited! Almost in tears people. lol :)

31 weeks pregnant with baby Ella
(Isn't she pretty)

Bump date: Week 30

I am so excited to be 30 weeks pregnant! It is so awesome but sort of freaky to begin the 10 week countdown. Knowing Ella is right around the corner is both amazing but surreal. I was able to have my appointment early this week instead of waiting until the 9th. It was honestly the best appointment I think I've had this entire pregnancy. I love my OB office and the staff there, but I especially like the midwife I saw this week.  I think I might do a post at some point about my labor and delivery experience with Katie, but it will take some time to write. I was able to talk with this midwife about some concerns I had and she gently put them to rest. I was greatly surprised and beaming with joy at the end of this appointment. I am looking forward to continuing this journey until Ella arrives, and after with this midwife group. I was also stoked to find out that I passed the glucose test with flying colors and seem as healthy as can be, even with all the Easter candy that was consumed over the last week, and weeks to come. ;)
Now let's jump into this update. I will be adding a picture of my baby bump for the last 10 weeks or however long she chooses to stick around. I have pictures of my ever growing bump since I found out we were expecting our 2nd child at 4 weeks gestation! But, I only plan to share the last few.
Enjoy.

How far along: 30 weeks! Now we start the 10 week countdown!!! I am beyond excited... and slightly nervous in all honesty.

Due date: June 16th 

How big is baby: 16 inches & 3 pounds. 

Belly button: Out :)

Total weight gain: 17 pounds so far. That number is awesome & the doctors are proud.

Sleep: Sleep has been borderline ok this last week. Heartburn is either keeping me awake or waking me up in the middle hours of the night. I'm hoping for a better sleep record this week but only time will tell.

Maternity clothes: Nothing has changed this week as far as clothing goes. Although I was
 day dreaming about some cute maternity tank-tops not too long ago.

Movement: Constant & strong. This past weekend quite a few of my family members got to join in on the fun and feel her move around and play. It was a special time.

Cravings: Gatorade has tasted amazing ever since it became all that I could drink for nearly a week, so I keep that in the fridge. I need to restock my freezer with cherry Popsicles and then all things cold should be accounted for. I have also been loving Nutella toast and a cold glass of milk. ;)

Symptoms/Labor signs: Besides the usual killer back pain, heartburn, leg cramps, and shortness of breath, I don't believe anything is new this week. Still no labor signs which is currently a good thing.

Gender: Girl

Best moment this week: Starting the 10 week countdown! That is unless I go over the magical 40 weeks. I really hope Ella decides to come on time or just a tad bit early. I know she will stay put as long as she needs, and I am thankful for having her cozy in my tum-tum. Katie was almost a week late so who knows what Ella will do. My guess though is for her to arrive on her due date, or very close to it.

Looking forward to: Starting appointments every 2 weeks until I'm 36 weeks and then I start going every week until Ella arrives. :)

Ella Alana at 30 weeks gestation.

Taking care of a sick toddler

Katie was sick recently and it was no fun over at our house. Our days consisted of too much movie watching and not enough sunshine and play. It struck her on a Tuesday afternoon after her nap. I walked into the bedroom with a toddler on my bed and a pile of puke laying next to her. #gross
The vomiting continued for the rest of the day and so did a very high fever. I took her to the doctor where she was tested for strep throat and the flu. Both of which, thankfully, came out negative. The doc said it was probably just a stomach virus and would last several days and then she should be back to her young peppy self. Well, as soon as I thought Katie was better the icky bug monster attacked her again! She had bad tummy pain and spent lots of time on the potty. Poor gal. :(
It seriously freaked me out when she went almost 9 hours long without eating anything. Thankfully she is all better now and I couldn't be happier. Here are some tips and my must-haves when my toddler babe is under the weather.





Big Hero 6!
A good movie or something on Netflix that your child loves to hang out and watch for a bit. Most kiddos don't want to sit still and watch T.V for long periods of time, and that is true for Katie too. I needed her to take it easy and try and give her body a break from running around and playing in the house, so a fun fix was a movie marathon. Let your kid pick out some movies or one favorite one and just put it on repeat. They will hopefully lay down for a solid few minutes and rest while they watch it. It's a win-win situation.


Burts Bee's Products:
Bubble bath, Shampoo & Calming lotion.
My kid loves bath time, so getting her to soak in some soapy water and relax with some toys was pretty easy. It also helped keep her mind off of feeling like poo, which was a major positive. I love most of the Burts Bees products but these three happen to be my current favorites. I always have them in my house and we use them regularly. I love the way they smell and how soft they leave Katie's skin. They don't contain a ton of harmful chemicals and we just really enjoy them. I actually got pretty excited the other day thinking about using them on Ella when she is born. She will be one yummy smelling newborn. :)


Simply Saline & Boogie Wipes
Katie seems to struggle with getting a stuffy nose regardless if she is sick or not. It's pretty easy for her nose just to be stuffed up a little so these tools come in handy for me. Whenever she seems to be really stuffed up and having a tough time breathing through her nose, usually around bedtime, I use the saline spray. Of course this is not her favorite activity, and using the nose sucker, as we call it in our house, surely isn't a party. The Boogie Wipes are handy when we're out and about and she has a pesky little booger that just wont leave her alone. A few good swipes with these bad boys and we're good as new. The wipes work great for a runny nose as well.


Children's Tylenol 
Last but not least, I keep some Children's Tylenol in the medicine cabinet. If you know my family we're not to big on using medicine unless we really see fit. And until Katie came down with this gross sickness, she had never once taken any medicine, not even for teething. That though is no attribute to me, because thankfully she hasn't been a terrible teether & she had never spiked a crazy fever before. If any of you mama's out there have used medicines before that's perfectly fine. I'm simply stating what we do/or have done over here. When I first took Katie to the doctor for being sick, we gave her a dose of this Children's Tylenol before we left so they could help show me what amount to give and any other helpful tips. I was relieved when this brought her fever down from 102.6 back to a 99.8. She never seemed to get to uncomfortable with her fever after this dosage, so I never gave her any more. Now that she has had it, and I've seen how it works for her, I keep some at home, just in case.


What are some of your must haves when your children get sick?
Leave a comment below and let me know.
& here's to hoping that our poor kiddos never get sick again. ;)
Have a great Easter weekend.