25 Weeks: Scarlett Kay

Baby girl is growing right along!  It's hard to imagine we're only about 3 months away from meeting this little girl for the first time.  This pregnancy is going by SO incredibly fast compared to my first!!

Preggers!

The last couple of weeks the lower back pain/aches have really kicked in.  I didn't realize how uncomfortable I constantly was until I took a dip in a friend's pool and the weightlessness feeling on my belly was just incredible.  For once I didn't feel that constant tug on my lower back.  It was amazing, and I didn't want to get out of the water!  Other than that, no other real complaints!  My weight gain is still pretty steady at 20lbs now.  Not bad!

Running is so glamorous these days!

Now that I'm just studying for the NCLEX full time I'm able to hit the CF gym 4-5 times a week and still run once a week. (Maybe that's why my back is sore!)  It feels great to be active in this stage of pregnancy, but the 0450 wake ups are hard!  I just say to myself that I only get to hit the gym for about 3 more months before I have to take a long break, so enjoy it now!  Luckily I have a great support group at the gym and I love seeing them every morning.

Hard studying all day in a comfy position!

I'm interviewing a new OB this week so I'm excited for a little change up!  More to come on if it works out.  I hope so!  Next week is my last monthly appt, then from then on we go bi-monthly.  I'll also schedule my glucose test next visit.  Woohoo!

We started planning a celebration party for our little one this week!  It's not quite a shower (because we have the basics still from our first), but more like a sprinkle!  Mama can always use breast milk bags, diapers and wipes!  Plus, who doesn't like to get together for a party?  We're looking forward to having everyone over again!  I missed hosting parties when I lived in Florida.  It's nice to have people over again.

Cuddling next to sister on a lazy Sunday morning

She had to be in a picture too!

The question I get asked the most is how does Norah feel about the new baby?  I always answer the same thing.  Truth be told, she's still just a tad too young to really grasp what's going on under Mama's ever-stretching shirts.  She definitely knows what a baby is, but has no idea what's in store for her.  We think the first few weeks will be rough with me healing from a major surgery, her adjusting to not being the center of our attention and Dada not getting any paternity leave to help out much BUT we'll survive.  We'll find a new normal and it will be great once more.  She's a strong girl and we know she has so much love to give to her baby sister.

I can finally feel Scarlett move, kick, stretch and roll all the time now.  It's my favorite thing about being pregnant, feeling the baby move.  It's so incredible.  I'm anxious to see if she's still lying transverse or not next week.  I haven't been able to pick up her heart beat on my stethoscope yet, but I read it takes until about the 28th week to do so, so I'll try again in a few weeks.  She's as big as a head of cauliflower this week!

I had to let go of my 2 abs I had, but still hanging onto my traps!

He thinks he's hilarious!

As for nesting goes, it's coming along slowly.  I get so tired so quickly (especially on days I work out).  Also I have to put in 3-4 hours/day studying, so my purge is going slowly.  After Labor Day Weekend things should slow down for us a bit and I can start tackling the big items on our list.  I really want to get as much done as soon as possible for so many reasons.  I won't be getting smaller or more comfortable as time goes on! Haha.

Just a few more weeks until our FINAL trimester!!

23 Weeks: Scarlett Kay

Almost a month past our halfway point and baby and I are still growing right along.  We had our big anatomy scan a few weeks ago and everything checked out great!  She's in the 50th percentile for size so she's perfectly average.  One thing we noticed right away from our pictures was her NOSE!  It's a perfect match to her sister's ultrasound and it's the classic Daddy nose.  So funny!  We have a feeling these two are going to be twins earth side.

Last week I FINALLY graduated nursing school!  I can't believe I did it!  So my bump buddy and I had to get one last school photo!

Then the husband and I jetted off to California for a wonderful 4 day kid-free babymoon.  We loved sleeping in, long conversations at dinner and beach time but we talked about our little love the entire time.  We were so excited to get back to her!

Bump and I biked to breakfast!

Hiked 3 miles!

My selfie is changing all the time

Now my husband has started his big boy job at a local law firm in town and I'm studying for the next month for my nursing boards.  We are still trying to squeeze in weekend fun trips with our girl.

Blue Hole Park

Gilcrease Museum

Thus far (knock on wood), I'm still feeling great!  I haven't noticed really any big changes except it takes me longer to clean and do chores.  I'm not as quick as I used to be!  I'm still sleeping pretty well.  Only waking up once a night to pee, score!  The horseshoe pillow has really been a lifesaver.  I'm seeing a chiropractor once a month and I'm hoping it keeps that awful back pain I had with Norah at bay.  I'm still at CrossFit 3-4 times a week and running once a week on my own.  I'm feeling the good ol' Braxton Hicks contractions at least once a day, but they're pretty infrequent and not painful so I don't mind.  Still no nausea or vomiting yet!  I'm back to really no food aversions, so that's been nice.  I'm really hoping my body holds up this way throughout.

I've been hitting the thrift stores pretty hard lately and have been scoring some really good maternity shirts/nursing clothes.  Seriously, not many maternity clothes I own are brand new!  I've been lucky with picking up a few things here and there for Scarlett too.  I have to stock up on "little sister" onesies!  We started a small gift registry on Amazon, but really our list is so much more smaller and focused this time around.

Now that school and our babymoon are past us I can finally start working in my list of things to do before baby comes!  The nesting mode has really hit me hard this week for some odd reason.  All of a sudden I really want to de-clutter and organize!  I have to put in 4-5 hours a day studying, but I'm hoping to still work a few hours (or at least one) going through all of Norah's clothes, organizing them and slowly getting around to all the closets and cluttered rooms.  It's so funny how a one pound little girl makes me want to completely toss my house upside down!  By Mama's estimates I have about 15 weeks left and I'm sure I'll need every week.

She loved this "baby bed". Trying to set up Scarlett's space in our room but Norah has other plans!

Our old fashioned doppler

I know these next 15 weeks are going to fly by.  I'm both so excited and sad all at the same time.  I can say with confidence we're loving life right now with all these new changes just around the bend and enjoying what's left of our time as a family of three <3

Halfway There: 20 Weeks

Whoooooaaaaaa We're Halfway There!!

I seriously can't get over how quickly this pregnancy compared to my first is flying by before our eyes!  I told my husband we were halfway and he was stunned.  "What happened to 17, 18 and 19 weeks?!"  GONE! LOL  I just remember being alone in Florida, counting down the weeks and they seemed SO slow.  Now with life and family all around, I just don't have the time to even think about it.

Baby!

I'm still feeling really good!  Little tiny bouts of nausea here and there, but nothing to complain about.  I'm still having pretty bad food aversions, so eating healthy is a struggle! LOL but we're making it work.  I'm still all about my diet sprite, watermelon and guacamole!

1st Pregnancy vs 2nd at halfway!

I'm definitely showing bigger with Scarlett than I did with Norah.  I didn't think that was possible!  I got so big with Norah, but we'll see if it slows done (please!)

Norah has a ledge to sit on now!

This Mama is still rocking CrossFit 2-3 times a week.  Once school is over (and 12 hour day clinicals) I'll get back to 4-6 days a week.  It's getting more difficult to bend over to take the bar from the floor, but I haven't had to strip weight too much yet.  I can still do pistols despite the off balance issues haha.  My push ups have to be done at an incline because my belly hits first, and no more sit ups on my back but other than that not modifying too awful much.

Running has slowed down quite a bit.  My belly sprouted very quickly with this one, which makes it a little awkward running.  I'm probably going to start using my support belt soon just so that I don't feel like I'm flopping around everywhere.

We're picking up a few onesies here and there at thrift stores, but definitely not going crazy.  I'm looking forward to school ending and I can start "nesting" or doing what little nesting I can do for her.   I have so many hand-me-downs to sort through!  Mama has one week of nursing school left and Dada takes the Oklahoma State bar in one week too!  So much happening this month.  Each month that ticks by we get more and more excited to meet our Scarlett!

4th of July working in labor and delivery!

When you tell your only child she's only got 5 more months of riding solo! :)

Next week we have our big anatomy scan to make sure her organs are developing well.  We can't wait to see her, finally end school and Daddy takes the BAR!

Norah and I's Breastfeeding Journey

This blog will be all about breastfeeding and boobies, so if you're squeamish now...here's your chance to move on.

I've successfully breastfed my sweet daughter for 25 months.  When I first started I didn't think we'd make it a month.  My breastfeeding journey started just a half hour after giving birth in the recovery room.  A lactation consultant was by my side putting Norah to breast and working out my colostrum.  Her help was very much appreciated and when I first saw Norah latch I cried.  I said to my husband, "My boobs work, I'm feeding her!"

Norah's First Latch

Proud Daddy

The problems started once we got back home.  Around day 10 I couldn't get her to stay latched.  She'd pull off constantly and cry, and I'd get so frustrated.  Pile on the only sleeping 3 hours at a time, and you had one stressed out Mama.  Also, she didn't quite gain weight real well in the beginning, so I had some added pressure of trying to put weight on her as quickly as possible for fear that our pediatrician would insist we supplement with formula.  I really wanted BF to work, so I knew once we started down the formula road there was no looking back.  My awesome MIL suggested I try a nipple shield.  That thing was magic.  Looking back I think my let down was too strong, and she was drowning thus pulling off frequently.  The nipple shield slowed my milk flow, allowed her to stay latched and trained her to open her mouth extra wide to accommodate the nipple shield.  It wasn't the ideal situation, but at that point it was all about surviving until that next feeding.  The nipple shield worked for us, allowed her to start packing on the pounds, and actually allowed me to enjoy BF for once since we first started.

First few days in the hospital

Hours old

She's sleeping and full...guess I'm doing something right!?

It was so exhausting waking up every 2-3, sometimes every hour to feed her.  Especially when you're the ONLY one that can at that point (too early for bottles).  We decided to wait until about 5 weeks to introduce a bottle to rule out nipple confusion.  It was so demanding, and I was exhausted.  I found myself starting to tell my husband..."If we do formula then I'm at peace with it.  I just want sleep.  Formula families have it easy, they can split the waking ups.  Let's just try it."  My awesome husband kept just saying, "Let's just get through until Friday."  Friday would come.  "Let's just get through until Wednesday." Finally, our first month marker was right around the corner.

Jaundice eyes

She ate and he slept

This summed it up for me.  It wasn't glamorous or easy but I fed my baby.

About three weeks in, we turned a huge corner.  Norah June started sleeping through the night.  At three weeks.  This allowed me to get sleep, and have the energy to move to our next step.  Weaning from the nipple shield!  As much as it helped us that first month, it was a pain in the butt.  Washing that thing out constantly, needing to track it down every time she was hungry and trying to use that thing in public was just a mess.  I was ready to start going all natural.

I didn't know where to begin, so I attended a BFing meet up held by a group of LCs once a month called Tea For Two.  I walked in pretty nervous toting my 4 week old, boppy and nipple shield and felt like a complete newbie.  I received some great advice, and within a week we were shield free!

Look Ma, no shield!

Slowly BF started to feel natural for me, and my subtle notions of trying to convince my husband to formula feed stopped.  She started sleeping 6-7 hours at a time, and I finally got a hang of feeding my baby.  She got back to her birth weight in about 3 weeks, and by month two had gained 2lbs!

Practicing with a cover

Couldn't even make it out of the car

We'll never get on the road! Haha

Milk drunk

Around 6 weeks she was big enough to try side laying nursing...my FAVORITE position yet. Life changing.

Once BFing became easier, we could venture out of the house more which made for a more happy Mama.

Father's Day, nursing in a carrier while picking blueberries

Her first beach day

IKEA

4th of July Meal

Then it was time to go back to work.  I feared this because I was sure I wouldn't be able to pump enough for her.  Little did I know, I would pump enough to feed twins (sure felt like it at least)!  I had a stash of about 150oz when I started back when Norah was 3 months old, and it only grew.

BF on her first plane ride

On a ferris wheel

In the woods!

First day back at work

Day 1's gold

By friday...

November 10, we made it half a year!  My first goal was met!  At this point, breastfeeding was easy, convenient (especially if you're raising a baby on your own) and Norah was very efficient at drinking milk as well.

Norah's Thanksgiving

Turned me into a puddle.

We kept nursing/pumping on!

Pumping and driving!

Then we hit our 1 Year Mark!!!

1st Birthday Feed Sesh!

Nursing in Paris!

I was SO proud of us!  I thought we'd wean so, but Norah June wasn't having it quite yet, and I stayed home with her until I went back to school in June.  By then I needed the sleep desperately and didn't want to rock that boat, so we continued to pump/nurse through the summer semester.  Finally come the Fall semester I stopped pumping (YAY!) and we took it down to TWO feedings a day.

Fast forward to Norah at about 20 months (January) and I still wasn't ovulating due to breastfeeding twice a day, so we needed to wean pretty quick.  I got her down to just night feedings when all of a sudden I popped up pregnant!  So we held on to that last feeding for a few more months until her second birthday!

Feeding Big Sister and growing Little Sister

We made it TWO years!!  I couldn't believe it.  Finally I was ready, Norah wasn't but I needed a break before nursing the little one again full time in December.  She took about 2 weeks until she stopped asking for "milk", and now she drink 2-3 cups of cow milk/day no problem.

Overall I donated close to 700oz of milk to the Florida State Milk Bank and that just makes me so proud.  I never thought I'd over produce enough to be able to help other babies out.  I hope we can do it again this second time around.

Huge shout out to my support husband, especially those first few weeks when all I wanted to do was formula feed so that I didn't have to get up every 3 hours to nurse for a hour.  He kept urging me to just keep with it for one more day, one more week and then we were hooked.  He never asked me to use a cover in public.  He always stopped happily for breaks when we were out and about to let me feed the baby.  He always brought water and my phone when I was trapped under a hungry milk banshee.  Support partners make ALL the difference!  Now with our second coming along, he said in a joking (but not joking) manner that I have no choice this time.  I WILL breastfeed haha.  He's a true believer that my magic milk lead Norah to be such a great sleeper at night.  Who knows!

I'm so fortunate to be able to breastfeed for as long as we did, and it's a bond I hold so dear to my heart.  <3