13 Weeks

The Belly:
Its bigger.
How can I tell?
Santa told me.
He was an "off duty" Santa Clause with a real beard, who struck up a conversation with J  at our Christmas Eve Breakfast out.  I held her, with her legs wrapped around my waist, while we talked and he said to me, "and I see you're expecting another one." Initially I was just blissfully mommy-full, saying "yes" while thinking about my new baby. But then it dawned on me that holy cow Santa -- that was brave! I'm still not official looking. But I guess Santa does have the skills to sense another child coming into the world.

Probably a better gauge than Santa, is that I can now feel a little softball in my belly.

I still grow and shrink from bloating. At night time I'm lookin pretty prego these days. Maybe that's just how my belly is gonna roll this time, I'm not sure getting bigger is gonna change the bloating trend.

I will post a photo soon. (Preview of Week 14 of pregnancy --- we all get sick. So I haven't taken the photo yet.)

Ok photo done. The cringing smile, this time, is due to sickness.

                              Dec 2009                                                            Dec 2011

12 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly:
Sometimes its bigger, sometimes its the same.
(I think-- its hard to judge for myself.)
Blake says he feels it when he hugs me.

Even though I am excited to be showing, I've started to become a bit paranoid about showing too soon, just because I'm worried for what that means later. (I'm slightly obsessed with not having another 9lb baby if I can help it.) I need to take a chill pill.

hmm. Didn't realize I was so tired looking. :)

Its been a long week trying to get J to sleep. 

She's been sick and stuff, so not much sleep at all.

I feel like this is more what I see in the mirror.  (Maybe that's because I took it in the mirror! ha.)

Poochin out low, with room above.

(I carried J so high, it'd be nice if I carry lower this time. Time will tell.)

Comparisons:

                                Dec 2009                                                         Dec 2011

How to Make (AND TAILOR FIT!) Your Own Maternity Pants

Okay I know there are a number of tutorials out there on this subject already, but seriously, making your own maternity pants is such a great opportunity that I feel we should leave no stone unturned!

Why make your own?
First of all, if you are trying to save some cash on your temporary wardrobe, this is an outstanding way to do it!
Second of all, even if money is no object, making your own maternity pants allows for you to completely stay true to your unique fashion sense as you transition through this phase of life.  No more making due with what's available, or pining after the designer super-expensive maternity jeans you know would be nuts to pay for!
Third of all, if you are like most women I know, finding the perfect pair of jeans to fit your exact figure is hard enough when you're not pregnant, so it can be next to impossible at times when you are relegated to maternity sections that can be overly generic in sizing --- particularly if you are quite tall, short, curvy, not curvy.... you know, all the stuff that normally makes jean shopping trying.

That said, I think all women should have the opportunity to have custom maternity pants.  So, even if you don't sew, I bet you know someone who does!  And if you show them this tutorial, bring them your supplies, and perhaps a nice thank you gift, I bet you will find yourself in some stunning personalized attire!
{Hint: Bartering (skills, or time, or objects) with friends is such a great way to nicely, fairly, and cheaply help each other out!  For instance, I have sewn for both baked goods and couponed items --- worked out great on both ends of the deal!}

So,
How to do it.

11 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly:

Well my uterus is still tucked away inside my pelvis, but don't tell my belly that! It's pretty sure the baby is ready to show itself.

Yes, my belly still changes shape all day long. I look the most pregnant after a meal (conveniently that's when we took the night time photo) and the least pregnant first thing in the morning. (More proof, this belly is not baby yet, once baby is showing it sticks around.)

(We just took some Christmas photos of J. Hence her fancy duds.)

Ok here is an example of my shape shifting belly!

Taken 12/13/11

Taken the night before

12/12/11

I don't remember bloating like this with J.

I had a dream last night that my belly started sticking out really intensely, just in one spot, like an egg at the top of my pelvis! It looked crazy, and I was embarrassed. (That's what happens when I read too much about the size of my uterus at this point in pregnancy!)

Or...

When I hit 35 weeks pregnant with J, I found two tiny stretch marks. And I cried. I cried because I knew there was more to come and I was struggling with the loss of "perfection." I was not excited about "failing."

So,
yes,
the stretch marks grew.
I got more.
And of course, I've added a small thin scar, low lying on my abdomen.

I'm not perfect.

I've been marred.

But you wouldn't know that some days, when I act like I can still do this or that perfectly, in my own strength, by my own will.

Yesterday I was praying about my fears of gaining too much weight with this pregnancy. I worked really, really hard to lose 15 lbs more than I gained in my last pregnancy -- because I so desperately want to go at this second pregnancy from a place of health. But after working so hard to lose it, its not as easy as I thought it would be to regain it.

And as I was praying, this is what I felt God saying:

10 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly: 
Its up and down, all around.
I'm beginning to realize that, sadly, the baby won't be pooching out there for a while. (You would think I would know that from experience, but the excitement of new life just erases logic at times.)
I bloat in and out for now.
Even my chest "bloated" yesterday. Since I'm still nursing J, my chest hasn't been doing much growing (as opposed it what it did last time: by this point last time I was already at least 2 sizes bigger, if not more) which honestly, I appreciate the lack of growth this time. But yesterday all of a sudden the winter coat I've been wearing was very, very tight in the chest. And then today its back to how its been. Weird.
My weight is the same story. I think I've gained about 3 lbs, but I don't know because its just as erratic. When I went to my first prenatal appointment I almost lost my mind because I thought I gained 8 lbs in the first 8 weeks, but a couple days later I found that it was actually only 2 lbs. Phew!

These pictures are getting boring, not a whole lot to show ya!