27 Weeks with Baby #2

Amanda Steinbacher Photography

Can't believe we're closing out second trimester already. This pregnancy has gone fast -- and slow at the same time. Overall I feel good! A few minor annoyances, but honestly after the year of fertility struggles and loss, I'm so happy to be pregnant and carrying a healthy baby girl. Getting ready Lucy to be a big sister holds a lot of magic -- while not normally a sweet and caring soul, Lucy is already in love with her "Sissy" and now I understand the parents who place a lot of energies into the older siblings instead of the baby.

Health-wise I got to stop checking my blood sugars four times a day, but do have to re-do the one hour glucose test.

Upcoming we are scheduling the 4D ultrasound, having maternity photos done in late February, and starting work on the nursery. 11 weeks to go!!

How far along? 27 weeks

Total weight gain: 15 llbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes, but also able to wear non-maternity leggings and tunics and a few dresses. 

Stretch marks? I spotted some new a few weeks ago, but I try not to look at myself without clothes on. 

Sleep: Seemingly better than my pregnancy with Lucy. I go to bed early, wake up a few times to go to the bathroom, but sometimes have a 1-2 hour period in the wee hours of insomnia. At least I'm able to sleep in the bed! With Lucy I was on the couch from 17 weeks. 

Best moment this week: Pregnancy moment? Feeling her be a lot more active and strong. And at my OB appointment this week, she thumbed on the heart doppler so hard the midwife lost her grip on it. 

Miss Anything? Belly sleeping. Bending over. 

Movement: Kicks and tumbles -- usually after I drink or eat and when I flip over in bed. I've noticed she thumps a lot if I'm startled by something. 

Food cravings: Lately I've been craving fruit. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.

Gender: Girl :) 

Labor Signs: None. 

Symptoms: Pregnancy brain, heartburn, carpal tunnel, pelvic pain

 Belly Button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? On -- I guess at this time I had swelling with Lucy; but not this time -- yet.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy definitely. 

Looking forward to: Making progress on the nursery is my focus the next few weeks. 

Ir's a ...

It's a wonderful thing we love pink and sparkles around here, because I'm having another baby girl! Our anatomy scan was Wednesday. Dec. 5. She was a little uncooperative and almost didn't give us a good look. In fact we have to come back in four weeks for another scan because she didn't show lips, nose, or four chambers of the heart very well. But we're all very happy to welcome another lady into the Brink family. Lucy, especially, is over the moon.

I'm told I have an anterior placenta right now which is why I'm not feeling her movements very well. It does stress me out, especially at night because I'm still able to sleep on my belly. I want to feel those reassuring flutters and kicks. I also can't wait for Lucy to be able to feel her kick from the outside.

I've started buying a few things here and there now that I know what it is -oh, and planning the nursery too!

And Baby Makes Four!

This blog may need retitled.

I'm now almost 8 weeks pregnant with Baby Brink #2. Having suffered a pregnancy loss just 9 months ago, I'm cautiously optimistic this little bean will make it. The first ultrasound is scheduled for less than a week away, at which point Lucy may get the news that she'll be become a big sister in April. The journey to baby #2 ended up being longer and more challenging than I imagined, but in the end, I believe it will be worth it. I'm so excited for Lucy to have a sibling to grow up with, even through the 6.5 year age difference.

_____

Oh hey, I'm 17 weeks pregnant now! I guess it's true the second child gets the short end of the stick. I was so good about documenting my pregnancy via my blog and photos with Lucy; I haven't taken one bump photo. Maybe it's the fact I'm starting out bigger than I was and don't like being photographed or it could be life is just way more hectic six years later.

I often forget I'm pregnant, but when I remember, I feel instantly happy. I wanted this for so long and went through more heartache than I expected to get here. Unlike my pregnancy with Lucy, I am relatively laid back about this -- even with it being a more high risk pregnancy due to my age and semi-diagnosed gestational diabetes.  I'm so laidback I think I could go all 40 weeks without knowing. Crazy! I don't even pretend to have a "feeling" one way or the other. After all I thought Lucy was a boy until the anatomy scan.

Social media announcement at 12 weeks

Symptom-wise I'm feeling pretty good! My first trimester I had the normal stuff -- really just one week around the 9/10 week mark of nausea and heartburn. Second trimester has been great. My sleeping patterns are pretty off. Around 9 pm I just hit a wall and have to lie on the couch and fall asleep and then spend a few hours in the early am wide awake! I'm currently still belly sleeping but I expect that to end soon. My bump is getting more noticeable, and I'm moving into some maternity clothes.

We've heard the heartbeat two times now, the first of which baby gave me a scare and wouldn't let us find it very easily. Last appointment at 16 weeks HB was 145. Also on the clinical side, I have been referred to the Diabetes Center for gestational diabetes. I shouldn't have technically been diagnosed based on my three hour glucose tolerance test, but they're being more conservative considering how Lucy's birth went down. So now I have to prick my finger four times a day until the day I deliver. It's a pain, but worth it to avoid the complications I had with Lu.

Lucy at Four

My beautiful and brilliant Lucy is four!

I wish I was better at updating this blog. I never want to forget every detail of her childhood and about these days raising a little girl. It's been more fulfilling than I could have imagined, and it gets better every day. Don't get me wrong -- her getting older is the most bittersweet feeling that rocks me every hour. I look at photos of her at two months, two years, last year -- and I get weepy. I never realized these years would move as quickly as they do. I want to freeze time; I try in my own way by snapping countless photos of her. But it doesn't work, she keeps growing!

I've never met anyone like her. She's cute as a button, super sassy, hilarious, and SOOO smart. She connects things in a way that 35 year old Amy sometimes doesn't. While she's lost some of her dramatic toddler-ness, she can still get fired up and weepy over something silly.

Her current loves: TOYS including mashems, Disney princess, anything Paw Patrol, Frozen, Shopkins, Legos, PlayDoh and most of all watching anonymous hands unwrap toys on YouTube. She loves going to the mall and possibly getting a toy or special treat like a "juice" (Orange Julius). She has a big sweet tooth and loves anything sugary.

She sometimes takes her afternoon nap, but isn't a beast if she doesn't. She would stay up all night if we let her -- her once 8 pm bedtime is now more like 9:30/10. She sleeps through the night without issue. We're working on not peeing in her Pull-up overnight. She's been otherwise potty-trained since January at 3 years, 3 months. At her last doctor visit, she was 36.4 pounds and 38" tall.

She's a pretty independent kid, though she does get clingy when I leave her like dropping her off at daycare. She plays well with other kids for the most part. Her best friends are Nathan and Noah. Most of all she loves her honorary grandparents Susan and Kevin. Her favorite stuffed animals are dogs Sam, Samson and Buster. Her lovey is still her beloved "Beeky" who she often turns to in times of stress.

I still carry her as often as my arms will allow, and she loves snuggling on my lap just as much as I do. While I miss my little baby, I can't get over how fun she is now at four. Most of the time I really do feel like she's my best friend.

Lucy (December and January 2015)

"I got a book"
Oop-Oops
Dada bad. Twee On.
Minnie Bow Show
Be nice, Dada, be nice!
Here you go, Mama.
2, 5, 10
Doney (Donnie)
Seeva
Beeky Beeky Beeky
While reading: "Doggy in the doggy"

Ever since she turned two, Lucy's been learning and developing at a rapid rate. Her language is the most progressed, but I've also noticed her reasoning, identification, and memory.

She doesn't sing much, but maybe that's coming up in the future.

She likes to help -- that's my best form of redirection right now.

Lucy has a strong will and will routinely drop to the ground to pout, but doesn't tell me why she's upset. The power struggles are always a source of contention between me and her.

Lucy at 2 1/2

Fank a yow (Thank you)

MickyMeenie 

What happen? 

Mama take Dada so-a! Be nice! Timeout!

Anna-Elsa-Olaf

Sorry Doc, Sorry Lucy hit you

Doc Stuffin snack
Sammy cute! Sammy's my fwend.
Dada stink
Why Busta get timeout? He take MickeyMeenie!
The sun hit me.
Mama potty? Mama get MMs?

Lucy: Are you precious: Lucy: No, I'm a cutie!

Paw Patrol

I want Shake it Off!
Your dress pwetttty!

Lucy: Where's Mommy? Wes: At work. Lucy: Taking pictures?

At 2 1/2 years old, Lucy weighs 29 lbs, is 37" tall - at 50th percentiles for both. Pretty healthy kid overall - not sick often.

Sam is CUTE!

Lucy at 3 Years Old

Our big girl is now considered a preschooler. At 3 years, 2 months on January 1, she became potty trained and with few accidents started wearing big girl underwear (cotton Disney Princess, Frozen, and My Little Pony) exclusively (save for nap and overnight). I had been feeling for several months that I'd be sending her to high school in diapers, so I'm amazed she did it so quickly once we introduced panties this time around.

A week after the potty training, she graduated from crib to full-sized bed! And also got her first haircut. With so many giant milestones in such a short time, I've become a little weepy and really missing the tiny Buggy girl she used to be. But as a trade off, she really is so much fun to be with now. She's slowly able to reason with now, a little less tantrumy. She calls me her "best fwend." And she is mine. I can't believe how amazing she is -- brilliant (I'm told), funny, outgoing, and so so beautiful.

She's now 32 lbs and 38" tall -- still 50th percentile, though she looks leaner than she is. She loves playing with little collectible toys like Shopkins and Fashems. Mostly she loves watching YouTube videos of adults opening up these toys. Her favorite food is chicken, and she has a huge sweet tooth.

We have her registered in her fourth session of swim classes, and she loves it. She could play in the water all day if we let her. I hope to register her for dance class in the fall.

Since I've had a ton more downtime with it being off season for photography, I've been able to spend a lot more time with Lucy and Wes, which I'm so thankful for. As much as I enjoy my photography business, I hate feeling like I'm missing out on Lucy growing up. As much as she frustrates me, I miss her every second I'm not with her. I made the coolest little kid, and she's only newly 3!