Month: November 2017

Baby Update · Daily living · Parenting

Baby #2: Week 8

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I don’t know if it’s because my first trimester is happening in October (Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month), but I’ve been so worried and scared about losing this baby. I have no reason to feel that way! My previous pregnancy was normal, and I’ve never had a miscarriage. But I know so many people who could say the same thing, and that’s what made me ultra aware that you just never know. I was so anxious to get to my OB and both see the baby and hear a heartbeat.
My first appointment with my OB went well. I got all my paperwork squared away, and got to see Baby Kiel #2 with my mom and Gerrit. Everything looks normal! The doctor confirmed that I was 8 weeks along on the dot and gave us a due date of 29 May 2018. Baby’s heartbeat was right at 160 bpm. I’ll be going back in at 12 weeks, which is probably around the time I’ll be announcing the pregnancy officially!

How far along: 8 weeks on 17 Oct 2017
Approximate size of Baby: the size of a raspberry
Gender: no idea
Weight gain: none (-3 lbs)
Symptoms: Nausea, breast/nipple soreness, bloating, back pain, food aversion
  • The last day of week 8 and first day of week 9 I had pretty much NO nausea! I was actually a little worried… is feeling better a bad sign?? But then the nausea came back after dinner that night. No actual vomiting though so far!
  • Does the boob soreness go away?? I can’t remember!
  • Some days I feel bloated, some days I feel normal. We had a few cooler days, so I pulled out my (non-maternity) jeans, and they fit fine. I just feel like I have more of a tummy pooch than normal with certain tops.
  • My lower back still hurts here and there. I definitely think it’s not as bad when I’m more active, but it’s hard to want to get off the couch when you’re feeling nauseated.
  • Certain foods are not sounding appealing lately. Most veggies don’t sound good, and I can only eat a few bites of salad if I make myself. The smell of pretzels has been making my stomach turn. I made a marinade for chicken with some white wine, and the smell of wine actually made me gag. In general, my appetite is low, I get full quickly, and I’m eating things I don’t normally eat (more carbs, cheese, sweet snacks).
Maternity clothes: Not really. I have a few tops I wear here and there, but they’re not really necessary.
Stretch marks: no new ones
Belly button in or out: in
Sleep: Good when I can get it! I don’t seem to be craving much extra sleep though, which seems odd for the first trimester. I still get by with about 6-7 broken hours most nights.
Best moment this week: I have 2 this week: my parents arriving and seeing our baby for the first time! My parents drove in from Chattanooga on Monday, and I love having them here. I love when my WHOLE family gets together, but having my parents to myself (and my little family) is just really special to me. Gerrit is having fun with his Mimi & Papa, and I enjoy the extra pairs of hands and company throughout the day.
We also got to see Baby Kiel #2! I had my first OB appointment the day I hit 8 weeks, and they went ahead and did an ultrasound. It was definitely different from when I saw Gerrit for the first time. We saw Gerrit at 10 weeks, and he was moving around and starting to look more human haha. At 8 weeks, our baby looks pretty blob-like yet. But we got to see him/her and hear a nice steady heartbeat of 160 bpm. Gerrit was mesmerized by it! My mom had him on her lap while I was getting the sonogram done, and she said he sat so still watching and listening. Although he doesn’t say a whole lot about the baby, I think he’s very interested in this whole process!
Miss anything: Eating healthy — I’ve been a lot more lenient with my diet with the low appetite and food aversion. I’m trying to just go with it for now and not feel guilty, but I just want to want to eat a salad again!
Movement: not yet
Cravings: Animal crackers (probably because I knew it helped my nausea when I was pregnant with Gerrit), cheese sticks, and raspberry sorbet.
Looking forward to: Gerrit’s birthday — I need to get my to-do list in order so I get everything ready in time!
Baby Update · Daily living · Travel

Baby #2: Week 7

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How far along: 7 weeks on 10 Oct 2017
Approximate size of Baby: the size of a blueberry
Gender: no idea
Weight gain: none (-2 lbs)
Symptoms: Nausea, breast/nipple soreness, bloating, fatigue, a little back pain
  • I had been dreading the nausea getting worse, and it did right when I entered the 7th week. It had been occasional and mild before, but the day I hit 6 weeks is when it lasted almost half the day. I had to remind myself that eating would probably help, and it did.
  • My boobs feel worse. I never realized how much Gerrit leans on them or accidentally bumps them… ow! I feel bad snapping at him when he does it, but the ladies are SORE lately.
  • Ugh, I just feel fat. I read that the hormones cause your digestion to slow down, so maybe that’s why I always feel bloated. It’s one reason why I dug out my maternity clothes! I don’t really need them yet, but looser tops help me feel a bit better.
  • I’d have to go back and look at when the fatigue really hit me when I was pregnant with Gerrit, but I really haven’t felt it yet this time. I have afternoons where I feel tired, but I don’t feel exhausted or anything. I have noticed more of those tired afternoons this week though.
  • My back hurts already once in awhile. I am going to try to work out this pregnancy to see if that helps with some of the aches and pains. I would love to avoid some of the back pain I had with my last pregnancy.
Maternity clothes: Not really. I pulled my maternity clothes out to look through them, and I have worn a few tops that are more flow-y but don’t necessarily look like maternity clothes. I washed a bunch of clothes I thought I’d wear in the near future, but for now they’re just sitting in my closet.
Stretch marks: no new ones
Belly button in or out: in
Sleep: Better! I mean, I still go to bed too late, but I’ve been falling asleep easier and staying asleep (when Gerrit lets me). I occasionally get really tired in the afternoons, but that’s usually following a rough night with G. He has unfortunately gotten another cold, which keeps me up more at night.
Best moment this week: Probably the South Texas Maize! We drove out to Hondo (just under 2 hours away) to visit Graff 7A Ranch, where they have a corn maze, pumpkin patch, plus tons of stuff for kids to do. It was a fun afternoon out!
Miss anything: Probably still wine
Movement: not yet
Cravings: I don’t really have any cravings yet, but there are foods I tolerate more than others. Carbs and cheese generally sound the most appealing, but that’s normal for me haha! As much as I would like to eat healthy, vegetables have not been appetizing right now. I try to make myself eat some here and there, but I’m not pushing it right now. Tart green apples and slightly under ripe bananas sit well when I’m feeling nausea come on.
Looking forward to: My parents are coming to visit next week! And I have my first OB appointment next week too!
Baby Update · Daily living · Parenting

Baby #2: Week 6

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It’s October! I feel like September really flew by, and here we are in Gerrit’s birthday month. I can’t quite wrap my head around the idea that he will be 3 in a few weeks.
 I just have to say… you should go look at the weekly boards I did when I was pregnant with Gerrit. Do you know how long some of those took me?! That is a fantastic way to highlight how much TIME I had (and didn’t realize I had) before parenthood. I just shake my head at Old Naive Me. Oh, and I love my Cricut. So helpful for quick and easy!
How far along: 6 weeks on 3 Oct 2017
Approximate size of Baby: the size of a pea
Gender: no idea
Weight gain: none (-1 lb)
Symptoms: I still think the one I notice the most is breast/nipple tenderness. And it’s only getting worse. I still have a noticeably lower than normal appetite and occasional nausea. Usually water and a snack help with that though.
I’m still not very tired. In fact, I feel like I’m nesting already. I’ve been feeling the urge to clean and organize things around the house! I’m not sure if that’s a pregnancy thing or the fact that it’s fall now! It’s not even close to being chilly here, but temperatures in the 80s vs 90s/100s feels like such a relief. The cooler weather definitely has me feeling energized!
I’ve been feeling fat lately. Since my appetite is low and I’ve gained no weight, I think I’m just bloated. I just know that shorts that I was all excited about fitting into with my weight loss are now feeling snug again. Good thing I didn’t pack up the too-big shorts!
Another symptom I don’t remember if I had with Gerrit is skin issues. My face is so out of whack lately! It’s dry in some areas and breaking out in other areas. I have no idea what to do with it. But it’s not like me to have multiple zits on my face, so I’m not liking this.
Maternity clothes: nope
Stretch marks: no new ones
Belly button in or out: in
Sleep: Still not feeling tired at night no matter how long I was up! Gerrit no longer naps most days, so I couldn’t sneak a nap in even if I wanted to. Gerrit has been up more in the night again, so the sleep I do get is pretty broken. 
Best moment this week: Cooler weather! Sorry, I know that’s not pregnancy related, but OH MY GOSH feeling 70s after a long hot Texas summer was so amazing. It was a very rainy week, so we were a bit cooped up, but all the snuggles were nice.
Miss anything: Hello, Pinot, my old friend… I’ve come to gaze at you again…
Movement: not yet
Cravings: fizzy drinks
I made myself a “virgin hard cider” the other day: apple juice and carbonated water. It actually really hit the spot! I was wanting something sweet yet light, and my beverage was just what I wanted.
Looking forward to: A long weekend! It’s Columbus Day next Monday, so we’re taking a mini trip to the San Antonio area. I also scheduled my first OB appointment, and I’m anxious to see how things are going with The Tiny One.
And here’s one more photo, because Gerrit wanted to be involved! Ah, I can’t wait to see him as a big brother! ❤