Sunday September 1st, 2024

We made it to 14 weeks this week! I think that starts the second trimester?! Baby is now the size of an orange. Sadie loves hearing what the baby’s size is each week. I had an ultrasound done and my mom and Sadie came along and it was so sweet!

Sadie absolutely adored seeing her sister! Baby girl was moving and kicking and even did a headstand?! The ultrasound tech was like “That is one active baby… when you start feeling kicks you are in for it!” haha. Sadie was very similar in utero and I loved it.

We were able to get a recording of baby’s heartbeat and have it put into a bear for the kids to snuggle. It’s really special to have that keepsake.

I need to start getting better about taking pictures of my bump… which is definitely there. I have transferred over to mostly maternity clothes now. Here’s one of me and Sadie on our favorite trail.

And here’s the kids loving on their baby sister. My heart just melts when they rub my belly and kiss it.

I got my first negative body comment while being pregnant. We told someone in our lives that we’re expecting and they said “I thought you were getting fat!” 🙄 I saw an instagram reel recently and this lady was like “Have you heard of the new lipgloss for men?” and then she held up a bottle of superglue and I was thinking hmm, I know someone who needs that 😆

Onto positive things!! I’m so happy to be in the second trimester! The first trimester blahs are starting to go away. Nighttime is still dicey with hating food and feeling sick, but it’s getting better little by little. I don’t like the same foods I used to at night, but I’m just trying to find what works. Right now it’s popcorn and apples, lol.

I started back up with chiropractic care, which is great. I was getting some headaches during the first trimester, so I’ve been to see a prenatal chiropractor a few times. The kids love going with me because the office is really family friendly and has toys for kids to play with while moms get adjusted. It’s neat going back since last time I went was during Mordecai’s pregnancy and early postpartum!

14 weeks is a weird time because I’m feeling a lot better, but not quite to the point of feeling kicks. It’s so easy to wonder if the baby is okay, but I just need to trust God. I think what He is teaching me right now is to not value my comfort.

Pregnancy isn’t a comfortable thing. Period. I have a weird rash on my arm. I can’t sleep on my stomach anymore. I pee a lot (and I know this is just the beginning 😂). I just spent 10 weeks feeling like I had the stomach flu. And it’s all a blessing because a human is at the other end of these symptoms. How amazing is that? Honestly, motherhood in general is all about selflessness, which can be so hard! But it’s amazing because it grows and stretches me each and every day.

We are still stumped on a name! I think I’m more eager to have a name to be able to call her by her name (rather than “she”), and Jimmy is in no rush haha. I know we will find the right name soon enough! I can’t wait!

Saturday September 7th

Ready for a really random update? I mentioned having a rash on my arm in one of the above paragraphs and ugh, it really escalated. It started out with an itchy spot on my inner arm that quickly became just… unbearable. I could hardly sleep at night because I was itching and in so much pain.

I contacted the midwives and they said I could try hydrocortisone to ease the itch. They advised going to urgent care or my PCP if it didn’t get better in a few days. Well, the rash ended up spreading down my arm and onto my back in patches. Then it blistered and the blisters oozed. I know. I’m grossed out just typing that!!

The original rash spot was just so tender, red, and hot. I “slept” (slept is a loose term for spending the night scratching haha) with an ice pack on my arm and finally after more than a week of itching I tried poison ivy scrub thinking maybe I got poison ivy? It didn’t help, so I gave in and went to urgent care.

Right away, the doctor diagnosed me with cellulitis in my upper arm (the original rash spot) and had me tested for Lyme disease. She prescribed me antibiotics and a steroid cream. It was kind of funny trying to figure out the medication situation because I’m allergic to a whole class of antibiotics… and I’m also pregnant… and she wanted to use a specific antibiotic to potentially treat Lyme disease. Yeah, it was just a lot going on.

The urgent care visit was today, and I now have one antibiotic dose in me and used the cream once. Praying so hard this resolves soon and isn’t Lyme disease! The doctor said the test will most likely come back negative because the rash only developed a week ago, so she wants me to be tested again in 4-6 weeks just to be sure.

So there’s the random update. I feel like God is helping me develop my patience and long-suffering and for that I’m thankful! I’m also learning to ask for help sooner than letting myself suffer with weird ailments!

Friday September 27th, 2024

I’m 18 weeks today! My prenatal appointment went well. It was one of those pretty basic “how are you feeling?” and then a quick check of my blood pressure and the baby’s heart rate. It’s always a joy and relief to hear the baby’s heart beating. I haven’t felt any movement yet, so hearing that heartbeat is a relief… there’s a baby there! Her heart is beating! Thank you, God!

In other news: my rash is pretty much gone and I’m feeling so much better! I ended up seeing an e-dermatologist and the doctor thought the rash was poison ivy and prescribed me a new medicine. I was really struggling with guilt for a couple of weeks while I went through that because I was taking so many medications: steroid creams, antibiotics, hydrocortisone, allergy medicine, unisom to be able to sleep, and more. I know it was all approved and okay, but I didn’t like the thought of the growing baby getting those medications, you know? We never figured out what the rash really was. So weird!

I am well aware that I’m now in the sweet spot of pregnancy: My bump isn’t so big that it’s hard to get around, morning sickness is gone, and I’m just chugging along and giving thanks to God constantly.

The hardest thing right now is that my inguinal hernia is back. I had it when I was pregnant with Sadie and Mordecai and it’s just an annoyance and aches if I’m on my feet too long. It’s a good reminder for me to listen to my body, though. Other than the hernia, I’m doing really well!

I’ve started to feel a little emotional, but only in a sentimental way. Reading sweet books to the kids? Makes me cry! Sadie watching a Daniel Tiger episode where he met his baby sister? Cue the tears!

As I type this post, I’m on the way to the Outer Banks, NC with my mom, dad, Sadie, and Mordecai for a little beach trip! Totally missing Jimmy, but he said he wanted to stay home and get some house projects done. I’m excited for a week with no schedule and a bit of relaxing. This is probably my last trip before having the baby?! Her due date is already feeling way too soon!

If we stay in our house, we will likely be doing a little overhaul of Sadie’s bedroom so we can fit her sister in with her! We’ll do some furniture rearranging and a good clean and de-clutter. At the same time, we’re holding this plan loosely. If we see a house for sale that we think would be a good fit for our family, we would move if we felt God was calling us in that direction.

Our prayer is that God would make it clear and that He would give us wisdom. This is hard to do! I would just love to know, right now, what to do. What the coming months hold for our family. But how would that be trusting God? It’s always amazing to see His plan unfold so perfectly like it always does.

It’s hard to believe I’m almost to the halfway point. My next prenatal appointment is after we get back from the beach, and then the anatomy scan is on October 11th. Praying that all is well with baby and giving thanks for each day with her.

I am so thankful to God for this baby. I still just can’t believe He has given us another soul to love. It is such a privilege and responsibility to raise a child. They’re a gift straight from God for us to love, nurture, and teach. I pray Jimmy and I can do a good job for Him.

Previous Updates:
Our Family is Growing Again!
Finding Out About Baby #3
First Ultrasound and Telling My Mom
Morning Sickness
First Prenatal Appointment
Finding Out the Gender of Baby #3