Never a dull moment

went to the aquarium this morning for some family fun. I knew I would be pushing myself, but I wanted to spend time with Ian and Bella. I felt contractions as we were walking around and kept going to keep up with the family. We don't have too many of these days left with Bella and I want to
make the most of our precious time we have remaining as a family of three.

Admiring the "fishies" and "shaaaaaarks"

"Here fishy, fishy, fishy..."

Before nap time, Bella and I took a bath together. The bath actually started out as my bath, but an adorable little diaper-only wearing a baby wanted to join me. The bath wasn't as relaxing as my usual bath, that's for sure. We had fun and it was a great way to unwind before nap time. I laid in bed and watched movies while Bella napped and Ian worked. It was during this time, I noticed that baby #2 wasn't as active as she normally is. She is so active, day or night, and for a period of nearly 2-hours she barely moved. I tracked her movements for another hour and headed downstairs to discuss this issue with Ian. We decided it would be best to call the OB and see what the on-call doctor had to say. After discussing the decreased movement with Dr. Zweibach, he decided it would be best if I went to L&D for monitoring. So I headed to L&D and Ian headed to the Peluso's to drop Bella off.

Once I was hooked up to the monitor, baby #2 began moving like crazy! It was as if she knew where we were and wanted to make me look like an idiot. But, once I was hooked up to the monitors, another problem arose. The nurse asked if I had high blood pressure normally and I do not. She said my BP was 156/98 and that she was concerned. She called the OB who ordered a urine sample and blood work. Thankfully everything came back normal! After nearly 4-hours of being hooked up to the monitors, my BP dropped to 128/72 and that was low enough to be discharged. It's still high for me, as I'm normally 115/70 but it was a definite improvement than the other readings today. The OB wants me back in bed rest until my next appointment on Friday... super, just super. Luckily my dad arrives Wednesday and I will have help with Bella on Monday and Tuesday. As long as my BP is fine on Friday, I'm assuming I can return to normal activities.

Ian, catching some z's at the hospital.

There's never a dull moment around our house and this little girl is certainly testing her limits. I am thankful that I went to L&D delivery today because I had no idea my BP was so high. It's almost like she was telling me that I needed to go and get checked out. This little girl may be stubborn and difficult but she was looking out for me today. What a sweetheart! I felt totally fine, with the exception of a minor headache and never knew my BP was elevated.

Only 5 weeks and 3 days to go... or maybe less if she decides to make her debut a little early! =)

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Too much

Today, I really overexerted myself and now I am paying for it. My body tried to tell me several times to slow down or stop, but I just kept going and now I feel awful. I'm having contractions, my round ligament pain has returned and my body is simply exhausted. I need to stop being so damn stubborn and listen to my body for once. 

We began our day with a play date with some new friends. The kids were contently playing inside when my child convinced the other kids they should go play outside. Kristin, the hostess, suggested that we stay inside but I could tell the kids were itching to go outside and like a fool, I said going outside would be great. The kids played outside for about an hour and a half and I was exhausted when it was all said and done. Chasing a toddler around a huge yard is definitely not what I should have been doing, but honestly, what's a mother to do? Bella also had a blast chasing the host family's cat around. The play date was wonderful and very laid back. It's exactly what we needed.

When we got home, I made lunch for Bella and myself and began leaving some instructions for Ian. Ian was working from home so that I could attend a consignment pre-sale during Bella's nap time. I told Ian that Bella should be down for a nap, no later than 1pm and that if she should wake up early, leave her in her crib for a few minutes. You see, Ian has the habit of running into her room and scooping her out of the crib every time she makes a peep. I have a love/hate relationship with him about that. I love that he loves her so much that he wants to tend to her every need, but I also hate that she plays him like a fiddle. She's a daddy's girl... what can I say? 

Now on to the consignment sale... I received a pre-sale pass and was able to shop when it first opened. I quickly headed to the 2T and 3T sections to pick up some things for Bella. Baby #2 has more than enough clothes, between all the hand-me-downs and new outfits people are giving her. She does not need one more stitch of clothing, except for the custom outfits I order from my seamstress (of course). I picked up a total of 17 outfits for Bella, all of which were sets. I love finding dresses with bloomers and shirts with matching shorts or pants. I think bottoms really finish an outfit, especially for little girls who often don't sit in the most lady-like positions. I also headed to the toddler boys section to look at some outfits for my friend Stephanie's son, Connor. I found three really handsome-looking polo and short sets (yes, I am obsessed with sets). Hopefully Stephanie likes them and if not, she can consign them or give them away. On my way out, I hit up the toy section and picked Bella up a Fisher Price dollhouse. It came with all the little pieces and was in great condition. I then proceeded to the checkout counter to tally up the goods. I picked up 20 outfits and the dollhouse for $110! The most expensive thing I purchased was the dollhouse for $15 and a smocked 2-piece set for $11. Other than that, everything else was under $5... can't beat it!

By the time I got home, I was exhausted. I was having contractions off and on, but nothing regular. According to the OB, the contractions are bound to occur this late in my pregnancy and as long as my water doesn't break or they aren't regular, I'm good to go. Today's contractions were down right painful and I almost felt bad enough to pull over once or twice. I over did it and my body was certainly telling me to slow down. Once I got home, I took a warm bath and laid in bed until Bella woke up from her nap. Speaking of Bella's nap, she took an almost 4-hour nap. I was thankful for the long nap (as was Ian) and we headed out to dinner once everyone was up and ready. At dinner, I felt terrible. I couldn't wait to get home and lay down again. I assisted Ian with the bath, book and bed routine and once Bella was asleep, I hopped in bed myself. I am exhausted, my body hurts and I need a good night's sleep. So without further adieu, goodnight everyone! Tomorrow I will take it easy and not push myself as much, I promise. 

Love always,

Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

P.S. Ian is SWAMPED at work. He literally works from 8am-6pm and then again from 9pm-2am... every day! He is feeling overwhelmed but he is making such great progress. The managing partners are very happy with his work and most importantly, the clients are very happy with his work. I told him tonight I'd gladly switch places with him. He could be pregnant for the next week and I'd play tax consultant for a week... unfortunately (after realizing just how uncomfortable I had been feeling for most of the day) he declined my offer. Haha! Only 8 more days until March 15th!!! And only 40 more days left until my due date. Well played Ian, well played. =)

Sleepless Sunday

It took me forever to fall asleep last night, even though I was exhausted. I just couldn't get comfortable and I tossed and turned for several hours. I finally fell asleep around midnight and my numerous trips to the bathroom interrupted my sleep, as usual. I figured that with my late bedtime, that I'd be able to sleep in but I was grossly mistaken. I was up at 5am and wide awake. What the hell?!?

I watched a movie and worked on the nursery a bit. It's basically finished but I wanted to rearrange a few of the wall hangings. Before I knew it, it was 7am and everyone else in the house was still asleep. Lucky them. The house was so quiet and peaceful but I could have used the company. Everyone was awake by 8am and we began our vey lazy Sunday.

We had a some rain over night and the weather forecast predicted more rain. We planned accordingly and stayed at home today. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a beautiful day and we missed out on some fun outdoor activities. Bella and Ian decided to get in the hot tub and spent about an hour in there. Bella loves the water but the pool is too cold and takes forever to heat up, so we take her in the hot tub. She loves it! We ate lunch and after lunch, Bella went into the family room to collect her lovies. She made it clear that she was ready for nap time and went down for her nap without making a peep. I love that about her! I joined Bella for an afternoon nap, even though I knew I'd regret it later. But I was exhausted and my body needed the extra sleep. We both slept for 3-hours!

I've reached the point of pregnancy where I am over it. I'm tired of feeling uncomfortable, I'm tired of the insomnia... I'm basically tired of all the unpleasant pregnancy side effects. Too bad I have about 6 more weeks to go. It's going to be a loooooong 6 weeks, that's for sure. Luckily the end result is totally worth it! =)

Well, here's to hoping I get some sleep tonight and can be well rested for the week. Grandma Ruth is coming over tomorrow and we have a couple of play dates scheduled this week. It's still not our typical busy week, but we're getting there and I'm still trying to take it easy.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella and Baby #2

Pop 911

Ian and I have been discussing asking my dad (a.k.a. Pop) to come to Florida to assist me while I'm supposed to be taking it easy (sounds much better than modified bed rest). Well, tonight I made the call to Pop 911.

Ian's mom, Grandma Ruth has been a great help, but she works three days a week (even though she claims she's retired) and always seems to keep a crazy schedule. I really only need help in the morning, until Bella goes down for her nap and for a little while in the afternoon, before Ian gets home from work. We have managed to make things work, but it's sometimes a little tricky. My mom, Dee Dee, works full-time and is saving her vacation for when baby #2 arrives. I'd much rather have her down here for the birth and the week following, so I didn't think it would be wise to ask her to come down now. Plus, my sister just had a baby and I'm sure she would like to spend some time with my new nephew. We will still continue to utilize Grandma Ruth and look forward to Dee Dee's arrival, but we decided it might be a good idea to call for back up.

When I spoke with my dad, I didn't have expectations of how long we'd like for him to stay. My dad asked how long we were thinking and I honestly replied, "I have no idea... for however long you would like." What came out of my dad's mouth next was a surprise and a huge blessing... he offered to stay for up to two-weeks, if we needed. Wow! 14-days of company and an extra set of hands was such a pleasant surprise and I quickly said, "Okay!" I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and like I could actually survive the last few weeks of this pregnancy. When I told Ian the good news, he was also very excited and relieved. It's a very busy time of year for Ian and he helps out at home as much as possible, but having my dad in town will definitely be a big help for our entire family. Plus, it'll be nice to just visit with my dad for that long. Thanks, Pop!

Tomorrow I will look at flights and book my dad a flight. Hopefully we can plan his trip around Grandma Ruth's spring break to effectively utilize all of our resources. With only 7 more weeks to go, maybe 5, we have help planned out for 3 weeks. Once mid-March hits, Ian should be back to working normal (as normal as normal gets in the accounting world) hours. For the first time in the past two weeks, life seems manageable again. We can get through this and we will survive. In the meantime, we're eagerly anticipating the Pop's arrival.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Newborn Fever

While Bella was at Grandma Ruth's for the weekend, I had the opportunity to spend the day with two adorable newborns! Ian and I attended a low key get together at our friends', Paul and Lisa's house and got to spend the entire afternoon with two babies under the age of 8-weeks. No diapers to change, no child to feed... no responsibilities! It was wonderful and I forgot how cute, adorable and sleepy newborn babies are. Baby Daniella and baby Olivia were absolute angels! But most newborns are perfect little angels...

Only a crazy person would choose to spend their time away from their own child with other people's children, but newborns are much easier to deal with than a very active toddler. When newborns cry, they usually only need one of three things: food, a diaper change or to be held. When toddlers cry, God only knows why they're crying and their crying often sounds more like whining. Rather than running all over the place and climbing on pieces of furniture, newborns are content to be held for long periods of time. Don't get me wrong, I love Bella and she is so much fun to be with, but today was a reminder of just how much I miss having a newborn.

At the current moment, I am in no hurry to trade places with the parents of a newborn, especially when it comes to nighttime. I enjoy my sleep and I am not looking forward to interrupted sleep. Bella is on a great schedule and it's going to be an adjustment for the entire family when our little one arrives. It will be a challenge for sure, but it's a challenge I'm ready for. I mean, we had no clue how to take care of a newborn when we brought Bella home and we survived (somehow). So we'll handle this change the same way: do whatever it takes to survive! Hopefully by the time we bring baby #2 home I'll be more comfortable with asking for help and humbly accept the help from family and friends.

I am very much looking forward to meeting baby #2 and bringing her home. While we may be sleep deprived for several weeks or months, having a newborn makes the lack of sleep completely worthwhile. In less than 8-weeks or so, we will be meeting our daughter for the first time and I cannot wait! In the meantime, I'll enjoy baby Daniella and baby Olivia AND my sleep.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Giant Baby?

I went to the hospital today for a perinatal appointment and ultrasound. Normally I'd be excited at a chance to see baby #2, but I wasn't expecting this appointment, it was at the hospital and it was early. I was told to arrive between 7:30-7:45am to register and then my appointment was at 8:00am.

I arrived at 7:45am and registered as expected. There wasn't much to go over seeing that I had been at the hospital the day before. What I wasn't expecting was the $100 co-pay that the registration lady said I owed. I had no idea how they came to this number, as perinatal appointments are covered at 100%. Rather than argue with the lady and reschedule the appointment, I paid the $100 using our FSA card and vowed to dispute the charge once it went through on our insurance. I was back in the waiting room by 7:55am and began what turned out to be a very long wait. I watched at two patients who arrived after me were taken back and I was soon the only one left in the waiting room. I waited... and waited... and waited some more. Finally at 9:00am, the ultrasound technician called my name and I was finally taken back for the ultrasound.

The u/s technician scanned some of my parts and said that at first glance, things looked just fine. This was a huge relief because my OB was concerned about me being dilated or my cervix shortening. Thankfully my cervix appeared to be fully intact. She was also looking for the placental lake that appeared on an earlier u/s, but could not find any during this u/s. Yay! The u/s technician then moved to baby #2. She took measurements of essentially every major body part of baby #2. We then briefly discussed the measurements... and I was presented with some shocking news. Baby #2 appears to be measuring 3-weeks ahead in terms of her femur length, stomach circumference and head circumference. I was 32 weeks 1 day, and she was measuring at about 35 weeks 2 days. Her estimated weight was approximately 4 pounds 14 ounces. OH MY GOD, I AM GOING TO HAVE A HUGE BABY! I know these measurements are just estimates, but Bella wasn't exactly a small baby. She was two weeks early and weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces. I will definitely be discussing baby #2's size with the OB at my next appointment. I don't want to be induced (at all) but I also don't want to deliver a ginormous baby! Hopefully baby #2 decides that she is ready and comes a week or two early and this will be a moot point.

I don't have any pre-existing conditions or gestational diabetes that would potentially cause me to have big babies. I'm not overweight and have a relatively small frame. Ian and I weren't big babies and we were each about 7-pounds. I suppose I'm just destined to have big babies, which is fine by me. I can't imagine having a 5 or 6-pound baby and how fragile they must be. Bella was a big, sturdy baby and I liked that. Baby #2 can be whatever size she needs to be, just as long as she is healthy. Just a little less than 8-weeks before this little girl is due, but if she would like to arrive a little early, that'd be just fine by me.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Labor and Delivery

After dealing with what I believed to be Braxton Hicks contractions and pelvic pressure, I called the triage nurse at the OB's office. At their urging, I went to the hospital to be monitored. I was checked into OB triage right away and hooked up to fetal monitors for a bit. I knew that as soon as I took a moment to rest the contractions would stop... and I was right. Once I laid down in the hospital bed, not a single contraction occurred. I was continuing to have pelvic pressure, but it definitely wasn't as bad as the pressure I was experiencing Monday night. The OB wanted to release me, but he wanted to see more activity from baby #2. I haven't even met this child yet, but she is a defiant little girl! She was snoozing so the nurse decided to pump me full of apple juice to get her going. Within 15-20 minutes, baby #2 was on the move. After about 2-hours of being monitored, we were finally released. I was given instructions to rest until my next OB appointment... next week. The instructions also said no lifting and limited amounts of walking. Awesome.

I haven't been placed in bed rest but I have been struggling to maintain a limited level of activity. How am I supposed to entertain a toddler, when I'm supposed to be resting on the couch? How am I supposed to get my 25-pound toddler in and out of the crib, when I'm not supposed to be lifting anything? I suppose limiting myself as much as humanly possible is my overall best bet, but it sure isn't practical. I'm really hoping things calm down and the OB clears me for regular activity next week... fingers crossed.

Fortunately, Jessica (the babysitter) was here today so I didn't have to worry about who would be taking care of Bella in my absence. Bella didn't seem at all concerned that I was leaving and waved good-bye as I walked out the door. Bella seems to have a lot of fun with Jessica and that makes it so much easier to leave when I need to. Jessica is also super helpful around the house and emptied all of our trash cans and vacuumed and mopped the floors (without me having to ask). She is AWESOME!

Grandma Ruth came over in the afternoon to help me with Bella. Everything was going great and I was getting plenty of rest until something unexpected happened. After taking a sip of hot tea, I suddenly felt ill and without any warning, I proceeded to vomit all over myself. Seriously?!? That pretty much summed up how my day had been going and was the icing on the cake.

But the highlight of my day?!? The aerated, crushed ice at the hospital. Oh it was so delicious! Chewing on ice has always been a bad habit of mine and it's a bad habit I've passed on to my child. I guess it's the little things in
life that matter most... or it's just turning lemons into lemonade.

Hopefully there aren't any more trips to labor and delivery until baby #2 is really ready to make her debut. Until then, it's back to the couch and more rest for this mama.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Taking time to rest...

Like I mentioned in a previous post, I've been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. Normally BH contractions aren't a big deal and it's simply your body's way of preparing itself for the real thing, but when other symptoms accompany BH contractions, it can mean that something is up. Today when Bella and I were leaving Sprouts, I began having BH contractions and felt very lightheaded. I stupidly drove the two of us home, but called the OB on the way home. I explained that I had left messages for the triage nurse (who is on my naughty list) for the past few days and that I was having some problems. The receptionist scheduled me for an appointment with the nurse practitioner that afternoon. I then called Ian to enlist his assistance. When he picked up the phone, I began crying because I felt concerned, guilty and frustrated. I guess a mother's guilt never ends.

Luckily the drive home from Sprouts is relatively short, so I focused on my driving rather than what was going on. Once we got home, I poured myself a huge glass of water and found myself a snack. I thought maybe my glucose level was low and I just needed to eat a little something. I also grabbed some milk and a snack for Bella and turned on the television. I needed to rest and I knew turning on her favorite show would keep her entertained until Ian got home. Bella was a perfect angel and sat contently until Ian pulled into the garage. We then waited for Grandma Ruth to arrive so that we could go to my appointment.

While we drove to the OB's office, we discussed how I was feeling, both physically and mentally. Physically, I was feeling pretty yucky, but I could deal with the lightheadedness, BH contractions and headache. Mentally, I was feeling AWFUL. I felt guilty because I had pulled Ian away from work. I felt useless because I couldn't perform my job of taking care of Bella. I felt worried because I didn't know if something was really wrong. My very loving and very understanding husband reassured me that we would get through this and we needed to do whatever the OB recommended.

The appointment was fairly normal and we met with one of my favorite providers, the nurse practitioner, Katie. As I explained my symptoms, I had to fight back the tears. There's just something about not being able to have complete control over your body that is disheartening. I also shared that I didn't want to feel like "that mom" who calls the OB or goes to labor and delivery for every little thing. Katie, who is known for being blunt, looked me square in the eyes and said, "Do you want me to smack you with my shoe? Stop being so stubborn! You are having some problems and it's okay for you to call your OB anytime something doesn't feel right." I laughed and said okay. When she asked me what I was doing during the BH contractions, I said drinking lots of water and trying to rest. She pretty much told me that it was very important for me to rest. She then reassured me that she believed the contractions were only BH contractions and that I was anemic. She took some blood and confirmed her suspicion. Rather than dole out a prescription for an iron supplement, she told me to increase my natural iron intake via my diet. I appreciated this approach, as iron supplements are known for their side effects and my IBS has been bad enough. Thankfully, the baby sounded great on the Doppler and I was measuring right on time. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to rest and even went for a prenatal massage. The massage helped me relax and I had a solid hour of rest and relaxation.

One question still lingered in my mind... how the hell am I supposed to rest when I have a 22-month-old to care for?!? Ian suggested a few things, like having the babysitter come more than one day a week or enlisting the help of his mom. He also said that he planned to work from home as much as possible so that he could help as much as possible. I love the fact that my husband is more than willing to pick up my slack, but I felt so guilty that he was having to do more than his share. This guilt will never pass, but I'm trying to work through it. I'm praying that this is only temporary and I'll be back to my normal self soon enough. This too shall pass...

In the meantime, I will make a conscious effort to rest as much as possible... wish me luck.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Braxton Hicks

I spent the morning trying to prepare for tomorrow's play date, but baby #2 had other plans. After doing some light cleaning (by my standards) I began having Braxton Hicks contractions. I tried to work through it, but when they didn't subside, I knew it was time for rest and lots of water. My plan was foiled yet again because, oh yes, I have a 22-month-old toddler!

I sat on the lanai while Bella played at her sand/water table. She played outside for a good 45-minutes until se realized how much fun it is to throw sand out of the box. Bummer. I decided it was time to go inside and resort to letting Bella watch television. While I "relaxed" on the couch, Bella watched The Lion King until it was time for lunch. I was still having BH contractions by this time and I was having some pain in my lower back. I figured I'd put Bella down for an early nap and really relax. I also called for reinforcements... or Grandma Ruth.

I laid in bed for nearly two hours and drank a ton of water. I also called the OB to reassure myself that these were in fact BH contractions and nothing else. The rest and water helped a bunch, but every time I stood up, the BH contractions would begin again. Luckily Grandma Ruth was here by the time Bella woke up from her nap so I had some assistance. I laid on the couch while Bella and Grandma Ruth played. I was thankful for the extra help but I was still getting up and down quite frequently. Ugh!

Being pregnant was a hell of a lot easier BEFORE I had children. When I was pregnant with Bella and wasn't feeling well, I could relax without interruption. But God bless my little Bella, because I think she could tell that I wasn't feeling 100% and was fairly well behaved today. Thank goodness for my well behaved child because today would have been much more difficult with an unruly child.

And to the unborn child, still incubating in my uterus... please cut me some slack. Please stop these false contractions because they are beginning to freak me out. I am by no means ready for your arrival and I need you to stay put for at least another 6-weeks. I am very eager to meet you, but I could really do with out the BH contractions.

As I'm writing this, I am also watching my abdomen contract. Guess it's time for me to get back to relaxing and chugging ungodly amounts of water. I'm hoping today was a total fluke and I just over did it this morning. After all, Bella and I have a play date to host tomorrow morning!

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Exhausted!

Exhausted does not even begin to describe how I am feeling tonight. Pregnancy insomnia has returned and caused me to wake up at 4:30am. So yes, I have been awake since 4:30am... and I am miserable.

Today went by quicker than I expected, but it has been a long day. We were supposed to join some friends at Chuck E. Cheese for a day of fun, but I canceled because I wasn't feeling up for the challenge fun. Instead I called my friend Stephanie, who happened to have a change of plans, and instead we had a play date. The play date was great and Bella was distracted with Connor and all of his toys, which allowed me to rest a little. Stephanie was kind enough to make lunch for us, too. What a great friend! We headed home shortly after 1pm for Bella's nap. I attempted to take a nap, but I think I was overly tired and so I couldn't fall asleep. Bummer.

We had leftovers for dinner and we're now watching Alice in Wonderland before bath time. I think I'm going to let Ian handle bath time tonight. I simply don't have the energy to help out tonight and I think Ian understands this... or at least I hope he understands.

The third trimester of pregnancy sucks. Plain and simple. For me, the insomnia, nausea, Braxton Hicks contractions, edema, heartburn make it very difficult to enjoy the last trimester of pregnancy. Luckily I only have about 9-weeks left, that is, if this baby arrives on time. If she's ready a week or two early, I wouldn't mind.

Okay, that's enough complaining for one day... I'm too exhausted to do any more complaining.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Gotta Keep Going?

We planned to do something fun and outdoors today, but my body had other ideas. I woke up at 8:30am (sleeping in around here) and didn't feel quite well. My back was bothering me and I just felt run down. I chalked it up to pregnancy catching up with me and decided I'd better take it easy for the day. What a bummer on a beautiful Sunday!

Ian took Bella outside for a walk in her wagon. She loves that wagon and I'm beginning to think Ian loves it as much as she does! They went on a nice, long walk around our neighborhood and tool time to stop to chat with the neighbors. Once they returned from their walk, Bella asked to go outside again. This time they went for a walk, without the wagon. Their walks allowed me to relax on the couch for awhile and I apparently needed to do this.

All week long I chase after Bella, pick up Bella, clean, cook and try to stay as active as possible. Sometimes I push myself and I later regret doing so. Whether it's picking up Bella to hold her or hoisting the stroller out of the trunk, my body takes a beating... daily. I've found ways to give myself a little relief, which include letting Bella climb up and down the stairs, rather than carrying her. I would never deny a request by Bella to hold her, but lugging a 25-pound toddler up and down the stairs several times a day isn't easy with a a pregnant belly. I also refuse to sit around the house and do nothing all day, so Bella and I will try to maintain our weekly schedule of play dates, outings with friends and music class. I will keep pushing myself for as long as I can... or until someone tells me otherwise.

Our day was completed with a visit with our friends, the Freedmans, to watch the Super Bowl and enjoy some yummy food. The kids played all evening long and danced to Madonna during the half-time show. It was adorable! We made it until almost 9pm, when Bella had reached her breaking point. It was way past her bedtime and we needed to get home to get her to bed. Bella was fast asleep by 9:30pm and we aren't too far behind her. My body is craving sleep and who am I to deny my body such a wonderful thing?

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

We went to our third (elective) ultrasound today at Meet the Baby. At first baby #2 was asleep with her backside turned toward us. After a few minutes she woke up, but refused to cooperate otherwise. She flipped her little body but turned her head away from us. We were there for about 25 minutes and were about to reschedule, but the u/s technician had another idea. This is when she called for back up...

With two u/s technicians by my side, we talked to, sang to and jiggled baby #2 into a better position for the u/s. At first baby #2 seemed more annoyed than anything else, but once she got going, she started posing and giving us some pretty good shots. I honestly wouldn't have minded returning for another u/s but I was happy she finally cooperated! I need to give a shout out to my ladies at Meet the Baby in Brandon... thank you for giving us some beautiful shots of our baby girl!

She already looks so much like Bella!

Look at that perfect little hand!

Love that cute little face.

Smiling already!

Another funny anecdote from the day was the way baby #2 would respond to the sound of Bella's voice. Ian took Bella out for a break and upon their return, Bella was giggling, shrieking and talking (quite loudly). Much to our amazement, baby #2 moved her head toward the sound of Bella's voice! It was so cool! We encouraged Bella to talk to baby #2 and we watched in awe as baby #2 continued to move to the sound of Bella's voice. These two little girls are bonding before baby #2 even makes her debut. 

We left with over 80 images of baby #2 and a DVD. I can't say we ever watched Bella's u/s DVD, but maybe that is something we can show to the girls when they're a little older. It's pretty amazing to have these keepsakes, even if u/s images tend to look a little creepy to the average eye. Before leaving, we scheduled a maternity photo shoot. I can honestly say that I am not looking forward to the photo shoot. I don't like having my picture taken on a normal day, much less when I'm 32-weeks pregnant. This is not something we did when I was pregnant with Bella and I've always kind of regretted it. I'm hoping we get a few decent shots that we can actually share with people. Here's to hoping!

I loved seeing baby #2 today and I'm a little sad we won't get to see her again until she arrives. I'll be 30-weeks on Tuesday, which means we'll be meeting this little girl in about 10-weeks! If she's as punctual as Bella, she will arrive a little bit early. Bella was born at 38-weeks, so if baby #2 follows in her sister's footsteps, we could be meeting her in only 8-weeks... how exciting!

Love always,

Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Meet the baby?

Earlier this evening, the three of us headed back to Meet the Baby for our re-scheduled ultrasound. We went with minimal expectations, as baby #2 was any thing but cooperative during the last u/s and our expectations were basically met. This child HATES the u/s process and refuses to show us her (probably) beautiful little face! She was on the move the entire time and once again turned her back to us (physically). We were able to get ONE picture and the u/s technician made us a DVD of our wiggly little girl. Bella definitely didn't move this much and this child moves ALL THE TIME!!! We are really going to be in for it if she is this active on the outside...

Meet the Baby is awesome and scheduled us for another u/s when I'm 30-weeks. The plan is that she will start to run out of space to move and hopefully be less wiggly. I feel a little spoiled that we get to see her again, but then again, I'd like some decent u/s pictures of this little girl for her baby book. Hopefully she cooperates at the 30-week appointment! But Meet the Baby is a really good and I'm sure if we can't get any good shots of her, they'll schedule us for yet another u/s.

Bella was an absolute angel during the 30-minute u/s and either stood next to the table I was laying on or sat on the couch with her daddy. She even pointed to the screen and said, "baby." O-m-g, how cute is that? I still don't think she has a clue of what's about to come in April, but I think she finally realizes that something is going on with my body. She even referred to the baby as "Minnie" which is one of her favorite characters. And no need to worry, because we're not naming the baby Minnie.

I'm feeling a little under the weather tonight and I'm so congested. I'm going to drink some hot tea, make a date with my neti-pot and hope for the best. There is nothing worse than being sick while you're pregnant because there's nothing (good) you can take and you pretty much have to let it run it's course. Bummer. Anywho... I'd better make that tea and get to bed. Some extra rest would do me some good, that's for sure.


Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

You've got to be kidding me!

Around 3:30am this morning, I was in the middle of a dream. The dream was really bizarre, but the gist of dream was that my friend, Maria and her father, wrote me a prescription for anti-nausea medication because I was at their house and feeling nauseous. Sounds plausible to me, as Maria is a nurse, but I have no idea why her father was involved. Anyway... I woke up feeling super nauseous. I tried to ignore the nausea for about 30 minutes, but when it did not subside and I could not fall back to sleep, I resorted to other measures. I managed to make my way to the kitchen and found my anti-nausea medication. Seeing that it was 4am and I'd be up for the day in 3-hours, I decided to take the Zofran because it does not make me drowsy. Thankfully the Zofran took effect pretty quick and I managed to take a 2.5-hour "nap" before it was time to get up.

I don't normally like to complain about being pregnant or any of the related symptoms, but nausea at 28-weeks?!? You've got to be kidding me! Like I mentioned in previous posts, my nausea pretty much subsided when I entered the 2nd trimester with Bella. It did return about a week or so before I had Bella, but about 10-weeks of nausea was manageable. The constant feeling of feeling like I'm going to vomit is not at all fun! I haven't actually gotten sick since we got home from Baltimore, but I never know when I'm actually going to get sick. Oh well... I guess it's back to the anti-nausea medications for me.

Despite my rude awakening early this morning, we managed to pull ourselves together and attend our weekly play date. I most definitely participated in nap time this afternoon and that nap was much needed. Bella ended up taking a 3-hour nap and I ended up taking a 2-hour nap. I felt somewhat refreshed when I woke up and felt ready to get through the rest of the evening.

Anywho... dinner is on the stove and Ian will be home soon (although he is running late) so I'd better get back to my mother and wife duties. And for the record, I will be taking my Phenegran tonight before I go to bed to help me fall asleep and to prevent any middle of the night bouts of nausea tonight.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Headaches and Heartaches

Thank goodness Bella was with Grandma Ruth last night because, I was sick as a dog last night. I woke up yesterday morning with a headache, that progressively got worse throughout the day. Once I returned home from Lisa's baby shower, I was in a lot of pain. I decided it was time to take some Tylenol and relax for a little while. When I went to lay down, my headache was so bad that I couldn't get comfortable. I tossed and turned for almost 2-hours and finally managed to fall asleep. When I woke up, I thought my headache would be gone, but I was so wrong. My headache was still there and I felt even worse. 


I tried every trick in the book to get rid of this headache. I took a bath... drank some tea... chugged water... rubbed my temples... applied an ice pack to my head... ate a snack... you name it, I tried it. Nothing worked. The headache was so awful, that I ended up getting nauseous. So not only did I have a pounding headache, but I felt like I was going to throw up. 


Sufficed to say, I put all my plans on hold for the afternoon and evening. I wanted to finish up my arts and crafts project, but couldn't. I wanted to mop my floors, but couldn't. My afternoon and evening to catch up on things around the housed, didn't happen. I was disappointed, but I physically couldn't do anything. I hate it when I have plans and my body doesn't allow for me to follow through with my plans. 


I have said it before and I will say it again, this pregnancy is SO different than when I was pregnant with Bella. I had 12-weeks of nausea with Bella and I'm going on 21-weeks of nausea with baby #2. I had a few minor headaches with Bella and I've had many debilitating headaches with baby #2. I had zero complications with Bella and I'm having to go for a level II u/s with baby #2. I had some back pain during the last trimester of my pregnancy with Bella and I've had terrible back pain since the first trimester with baby #2. Bella was a dream baby and is a very well-behaved toddler, so God only knows what baby #2 has in store for us! 


It's not even 10am and I have already called Walgreens to refill my prescriptions for anti-nausea medication. I refilled both (yes, there are two) so that I have an arsenal of anti-nausea medications for the week. I need to hit the road to go pick up Bella from Grandma Ruth's and run a few errands. Bella and I have a busy week ahead of us... appointments, meetings and play dates. The weekend won't bring much relief, as we have a really busy weekend planned. Unfortunately, there won't be much time for rest and relaxation until after the holidays.


And on top of me not feeling 100%, I received some heartbreaking news from my dad yesterday. My god father, Uncle Mickey, is not doing well at all. He's been in the hospital for the past few weeks and needs a liver transplant. Unfortunately his condition is too far gone and he is too weak to qualify for a liver transplant. My dad went to visit him yesterday and he is now in a coma. His arms and legs are strapped down because he is having such bad tremors. I called his wife, Aunt Laurie, yesterday to tell her that we loved him and that we were thinking about him. It's funny because Aunt Laurie and Uncle Mickey aren't biological relatives, but we have always treated them as such. My dad and Uncle Mickey grew up together and have been best friends since childhood. He is the brother my dad never had and has always been there for our family. My heart aches so badly, as I cannot imagine life without him. So, please keep him and our family in your thoughts and prayers.


Well, I'd better get a move on and pick up my beautiful little girl. I haven't seen her since Sunday morning and I can't wait to see her! I hope Monday is good to y'all!


Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

The weekend update

In typical SNL fashion... here is the weekend update! Overall, it was a laid back weekend and I am thankful for that. The next month or so will be very busy, so weekends like this are a blessing. 


Our weekend started on Thursday when Ian and I attended a fundraiser for the March of Dimes. Bella was at Grandma Ruth's for the night and we had a night out on the town! It was fun to get dressed up and have a night out together. We used to do things like that all the time, but since having Bella, we rarely do stuff like this. It was a food and wine tasting event, so I indulged in only the food and Ian indulged in both the food and wine. The desserts were certainly my favorite and were absolutely amazing! There was a silent auction, so we bid on a few silent auction items, but didn't win anything. We watched the live auction and left shortly after that ended. Even though we were home by 10pm, it felt much later than that. Gosh, when did we get so old?!? Because I wore heels, my back was killing me*. Being pregnant in heels is not for me, as I spent most of Friday on the couch until Bella came home.


Saturday we packed up and went to the zoo for the day. Apparently there was some sort of Latin festival, so the zoo was a bit more crowded than usual. We didn't mind the crowd and we were able to see and do everything we wanted to. We finally rode the safari train, which was so much fun! The weather was relatively cool, so the animals were out and about. We headed home shortly after lunch for nap time. Bella took a quick nap and we headed to a fall festival that our HOA was hosting. Our community was only completed last year, so our HOA is relatively new. The board has only been in place for 6-months and this was the first event. It was great to meet more of our neighbors and we definitely enjoyed the yummy bar-be-que. There was a bounce house and other little games for the kids. Bella played with her little friends and LOVED the bounce house!


Sunday was a relatively laid back day. We did some things around the house, including all of the prep work for painting the nursery. Ian pulled all of our painting supplies out and I took inventory of what we needed. Luckily we just need some new roller covers and drop cloth, and that's it. I taped the room, floor to ceiling, and we are ready to paint! While Bella napped, we watched football and relaxed. My back was sore from all of the prep work, so I laid on the couch with a heating pad*. We then headed to the mall to do a little holiday shopping and for Bella's pictures. Bella did SO WELL with her pictures and we ordered pictures to give out during the holidays. We ended the evening with dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings (yum) and I returned to the couch with a heating pad.


*Despite only being a mere 18-weeks pregnant... I have been experiencing back pain almost every day. I had some back pain with Bella, but it wasn't this early on. I'm going to discuss my pain with the OB at my next appointment because it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I suppose picking up a 25-pound toddler isn't helping, but like I really have a choice in that matter.


And if you're wondering why I am posting at 4am, it's because pregnancy insomnia has returned. I went to bed around 10pm and woke up at 2:30am, wide awake. Thankfully, it's not every night but the nights it does occur, it is awful. My mind starts to wander once I'm awake and it makes it that much harder to fall back to sleep. I definitely haven't missed the insomnia and I will be glad when it subsides... which will most likely be after the baby is born. Oh the joys of womanhood and pregnancy!


Well, I'm feeling kind of sleepy so I'm going to go with it and try to go back to sleep... even if it's just for 3-hours!


Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

2nd Trimester... time to start planning!

I've reached the 2nd trimester (woo hoo!) and the weeks seem to be flying by. I'm beginning to feel so much better and I hope this feeling continues! For me, the 2nd trimester goes by the quickest. When I was pregnant with Bella, I felt great and I accomplished so much during this time. That being said, my nesting instincts are kicking in and I'm beginning to plan. 


We don't know whether or not Bella will have a little brother or a little sister just yet, but we will hopefully know in less than 4-weeks. We've opted to have an elective ultrasound at Meet the Baby once I'm 18-weeks. I know, we could wait 2 more weeks and simply find out the gender at the 20-week anatomy scan, but what's the fun in that? I've never been a patient person, but more importantly, my dad will be in down for 10-days in November and I'd like to have the new nursery painted while he's here. And so the planning begins...


We ordered the furniture and most of it has been delivered. It was on sale, so we couldn't resist. The furniture really sets the tone for the room. I momentarily considered white furniture, but opted for classic cherry furniture. In fact, the only difference between Bella's furniture and the new furniture is the finish and the dresser. Bella's furniture is chestnut and she has an armoire. The new nursery furniture is cherry and will have a dresser. We purchased a 4-in-1 crib, so the cribs will convert from a crib, to a toddler bed, to a day bed and to a full size bed. I love the fact that we purchased such great furniture and it can grow with the kids. 


I've even begun to narrow down the bedding options. If Baby #2 is a girl, I'm partial to the Scarlett bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. If Baby #2 is a boy, I'm partial to the Bradley bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. Either bedding will go with the cherry furniture and can be used for the toddler years. In fact, it kind of makes me want to re-do Bella's room, but I think we'll cross that bridge once we transition her into a toddler bed (and we are by no means ready for this). I love PBK and all the super cute stuff they make for kids. 


I just need to figure out what color to paint the new nursery, which will be decided once the gender is determined. I'm thinking a cream or khaki for a little girl's to set a neutral background for the dark furniture and pink bedding. And I'm thinking a light blue or khaki for a little boy's room would work well with the bedding I'm considering. Either way, the room isn't going to be painted a bold color, like Bella's room. I think a more neutral color palette will accent the dark cherry furniture and light, neutral bedding with either pink or blue accents will look adorable. 


Oh, all this planning gets me so excited about my pregnancy. Nesting is so much fun and I can't wait to really get started. Only 25.5 weeks to go! Oh wow... time is really starting to fly! By the way, I was discussing baby names with some girl friends today, but we have absolutely no idea what we're going to name this baby! We definitely have some wonderful options, but we haven't narrowed our list down to any less than 20 or so names per gender. All of this planning really makes me excited to meet Baby #2!


Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2