28 Weeks

Twenty Eight Weeks

I must say this pregnancy has a completely different feel then my first. I knew this time around it would be different because I get they are different. My body is in a different place then before. I didn't completely lose all my weight I gained back after I stopped pumping with Rylee and I don't think my body really ever recovered to push another baby out. But really, do our bodies really ever go back to pre-pregnancy? I don't think entirely. Rylee reminded me last night how much our bodies as mothers really go through to birth out our little babes. I was drying myself off from a bath and she points to the stretch marks on my belly from her pregnancy and says "aww booboo mama". I look down and remember the day I first day I saw those marks coming in. Two weeks before she was born the first mark broke through. I remember being irritated to make it so far into the pregnancy without one stretch mark. As I look at them now I do see those I am not saddened but proud. I grew a healthy little human inside me and I am so lucky my body is able to.

Some days I wake up with energy to take on the world. All the chores around the house get done. I take Rylee out for a fun play adventure, we eat a yummy prepared meal, and I can do a cartwheel as I leave her room at bedtime with my remaining energy. Other days....getting up to go to the bathroom or put in a new Disney movie in seems to take all my energy. On those days we stay home and I crawl into her room and watch bake cookies and read her books from laying on the floor. We eat leftovers or drive through chick fil a for lunch. We watch the little mermaid more times I will ever say. Her and I shower together because I cant leave over to unplug the bath tub. And I fall asleep while reading her bedtime books. This pregnancy is reminding me how much I can't push myself. I need to let laundry sit and let go of the ideal perfect summer of daily planned activities for Rylee. I'm a major must be in control person so its hard to swallow. But if I don't, I'll end this pregnancy on bed rest!

Jacob's beautiful baby shower was this past Sunday. We spent the week organizing all his clothes and purchasing a few items for his room. I've been spending more quiet time in his room and just imaging what our life will be when he arrives. I m excited for him to arrive. To give him the physical love I long to do. I'm excited for Rylee to meet her brother and pray she transitions well into sharing her mommy. I'm excited for Ryan to hold his son because there aren't enough kicks from my belly to compare to holding your baby in your arms. His room seems calm and peaceful. Rylee enjoys going through his little things and high fiving my belly. In twelve weeks or less this little boy will touch our lives and being beautiful chaos with him!

I ordered my breast pump (if you didn't know most insurances now completely cover the purchase of a breast pump! Fantastic!) I hope and pray breast feeding flows easier with this babe and the pump won't be in full use like before. With Rylee I pumped everyday for almost 7 months. Goodness I tried to make it to a year but it didn't work out as planned. The humming of the breast pump still haunts my dreams! Especially those midnight and 3am pump fest!

We still need a few more things before Jacob arrives and I've made lots of lists so things aren't left out. A double stroller is at the top of the list. Ryan is making a fantastic light for his room and we need to get a toy storage unit from IKEA. I need personal things like nursing bras and a few lounge pants for post birth chaos. We plan to give Rylee a little mermaid princess dress as a big sister gift and take her to build a bear to make her brother a welcome gift (thanks for the idea Amy!) Busy busy summer ahead!

How far along: twenty eight weeks
Weight gain: 8 lbs. Gained 4 lbs this week. I wasn't too surprised. I've been so uncomfortable in my belly and feeling like I was stretching out more.
Best moment: baby shower! And eating nachos at the baby shower!
Miss anything: being able to sleep through the night without having to get up to pee every few hours
Movement: a lot of very hard intense shifting going on in this belly
Craving: nothing new this week
Mood: feeling calm this week. Very tired
Looking forward to: Rylee's second birthday in a few weeks!
Labor signs: lots of braxton hicks but no changes otherwise

I brought out my seeing machine and took a stab at making burp clothes. I was inspired by a family members baby shower gift of a homemade blanket, hats, and burp clothes. Very fun and relax to sew!

We have little Jacob's coming home outfit ready to go!

Precious Cargo

Jacob's baby shower was beautiful!

I suggested the airplane theme. My two best friends, mom, and aunt did an amazing job with it! They tied in my love for things old and my love for tacos! Glad my mother-in-law snapped all these photos.

27 weeks

So I'm a few days late to post. The past week has been very busy. Second week of summer was jammed packed!

Between the hubs days off we went to disney the last time before baby J arrives. Growing up we always had annual passes to disney. I know there were moments of struggle for my parents to buy passes for a family of five but I am so thankful. All those years of disney visits instilled the disney magic in me. Cheesy? Maybe. But true disney lovers know exactly this feeling. The past few visits have really opened our eyes to the disney magic I see in Rylee. Her pure excitement when she sees Ariel or Minnie brings tears to my eyes. Ryan can't deny it either, he gets a little emotional too!

We visited a preschool we are thinking of for Rylee. We are so so torn between keeping her home another year or sending her a few mornings a week. We both agree she would benefit from socialization with peers and learning to obey rules given by other adults. I will be home from work on maternity leave for at least 6 months (maybe longer if we strike it rich) which is most of the school year so there isnt a true need to send her. Who knows. We'll figure it out, we always do.

How far along: 27 weeks - third trimester

Weight gain: 5 lbs

Best moment: spending the day with one of my best friends with out our littles

Miss anything: WINE! Ryan has been sipping on our favorite wine which makes me jealous :)

Movement: tons tons tons.  Braxton hicks are very frequent. Probably giving my midwife a ring on Monday to double check on everything

Craving: a caffeine filled coke! Splurged and had one yesterday! When pregnant with Rylee I never touched caffeine. Being pregnant with a toddler makes caffeine a need on some days!

Mood: feeling relaxed. Enjoying summer and opportunities to sleep in past 5:30am. 

Looking forward to: baby shower tomorrow :)

26 weeks

Twenty six weeks

I have spent the past three days starting summer vacation. Yes! Rylee and I have been on a few play dates, enjoyed water activity in the backyard, had popsicles on the front steps, and slept in till 7:30! Feeling exhausted by the end of the day and finding it harder to feel comfortable in bed. I wake up throughout the nighg to pee and my jammie shirt and shoved up above my belly. Very glamorous life as a pregnant mama.

Made more progress on Jacob's room the past few days. Added some curtains and a new rug. Makes the room feel more homey. I sat in the room today, rocking in the chair, watching Rylee read books. Such a sweet reminder how fast time is really moving. Our sweet little family member will be here so soon and I still cant wrap my thoughts around having another baby.

How far along: twenty six weeks
Weight gain: 4 lbs (lost 4 lbs this week from a stomach bug)
Best moment: hearing Rylee make sweet attempts to say her brothers name
Miss anything: feeling comfortable and relaxed while sleeping
Movement: kicks are mors frequent and intense. Braxton hicks were less frequent this week
Craving: still craving spicy foods
Mood: feeling calm. Feeling excited.  Feeling freaked out.
Looking forward to: Jacob's babyshower. My mom, aunt, and two best friends have been working so very hard and I am excited to enjoy time with family and friends during this sweet time.

25 weeks

Twenty five weeks

This past week has been a rough one. My belly has done some awesome growing but I am starting to feel uncomfortable.  The chaos of toddler life reduces my opportunities for all day lounging on the couch for a cheesy lifetime movie. I have realized I need to rest when I can, so I do, which causes some cleaning and laundry to pile up. With two days left of work, I've started to make a big to do list to start off the summer with a clean house.

Over the past weekend, Ryan and I worked in Jacob's room (feels so strange to say his name). He hung up the pegboard we made and a shelf. The room is slowly coming together.  We need a rug, rylee to give up her crib, hang a lamp, and a baby. 

How far along: twenty five weeks
Weight gain: 5 lbs (lost 2 lbs)
Best moment: hearing his heartbeat!
Miss anything: wine!
Movement: kicks are getting stronger. As I write, my tablet is bouncing from his strong kicks. I am also experiencing some braxton hicks. I didn't experience them with Rylee so thisnis new for me. Some get a little intense to were I am catching my breath. Whew!
Craving: keeping with the spicy theme
Mood: tired but happy
Looking forward to: summer vacation in two days!
Gender: Boy! Jacob Ryan Burkett

Its just a big girl slide

GgI'm sitting in my doctors office waiting out that glorious hour for my glucose test. To any parent, an hour of just sitting is simply awesome. I can read a magazine of celebrity gossip, read a few chapters from the new Emily Giffin book that I pre-ordered weeks ago yet barely made a dent reading, catch up on my favorite blogs, or just simply stare at the wall because I have no other responsibility other then to sit.

But because my brain can never just stop thinking and give my emotions a break, I sit and think. I look around at other moms, we exchange smiles, our due dates, and whether its our first time being knocked up. I'm the only one here who is going for round two. The nutty lady who is enjoying the hour of solitude.

I keep thinking...that was me. Having the pure joy of having our first baby. Feeling so blessed my body was able to create and carry a beautiful baby. I remember thinking of how adventurous our life would be with a new family member. Our life has been nothing but an adventure since Rylee was born almost two years ago.

Yesterday I watched my husband follow her up the big kid slide. She had so much pride in each step she took up the stairs. I stood at the bottom waiting to catch her. She slid down with a bright smile and giggles. She did it. Slid down on her own and didn't reach for my hand for security.

A wave of emotion hit me like a wall. Trying to keep it together, I step away to hide behind my phone to take one more photo to document that day.

Its just a big girl slide, I thought. But I'd be lying to myself if that's really all it was.

Standing at the top of the slide seemed like time flew by ever too fast. I thought of the sleepless nights as an infant, when I felt sorry she choose me to help her get through the long nights. Battling breastfeeding, trying anything I could to soothe her. By attempt #142 I knew singing you are my sunshine calmed her. I learned how to swaddle the first night Ryan went back to work (he was always the swaddle pro, whereas I just built her into a messy burrito). I remembered watching her sleep as I folded pink clothes at 5:30 am.

Its just a big girl slide.

She sat down and made her first turn down the swirly slide and I remember the first time she laughed at me. The first time she smiled at me and it wasn't gas related. The first time she sat up from a crawl position and looked just as shocked as I was.

Its just a big girl slide.

As she disappeared behind the turn I remembered her birthday party. The first party I ever planned with such meticulous detail. Thinking we survived our first year as a family, it had to be perfect! She loved smearing into her cake and holding her mermaid ribbon wand. And now I plan for her second birthday. Another day to celebrate the birth and growth of our special little girl. The little girl who turned Ryan and I from a couple to a family.

Its just a big girl slide.

As she nears the end of the big girl slide, her face is gleaming and I can see her wheels are turning to make her way up the steps to slide again. And a huge part of me wants to stop her. Hold her. Tell her how much I love this life she has created for us. But I let her run and climb those steps again. She is building herself to be confident and strong climbing those stairs and how lucky are we to witness.

It will never be just a big girl slide for me. It will be a reminder of how far she has come and how far I've come as her mother. As each day passes I'll be building a bank of memories to burst through on the next trip to the park when she masters flipping off the swing