18 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly:
I'm starting to feel kinda big, which sorta worries me for later.  Hmm.
But I asked the midwife if belly size is indicator for baby size and she said no.  So I can stop looking in the mirror now.  (Yeah like that's gonna happen.)

All Natural Headache Remedy

So if you've been reading my weekly pregnancy updates, you've noticed that this pregnancy has brought with it many headaches. (Like the literal headaches, that hurt your head.) And I hadn't been able to get rid of them with anything.

• I tried acetaminophen -- NOTHING! Ever! No help!
• I tried tying heat pads to my head. The warmth kinda distracted me and made me feel cozy, drowsy -- but it did not really bring any real assistance.  (I was just informed via facebook, that in fact, I should have been putting cold on my head, and hot on my feet. You want to decrease blood flow to the head to improve headaches. So don't follow me on my heating pad idea!)
• I tried more water. No change.
• I tried coffee. On occasion that helped. But not always. And I need to watch the caffeine intake.

So I was stuck with headaches.

Then I saw this idea that peppermint oil might help. 

Googled that right up!

Tried it.

Seriously magical!

It is the only thing that has helped me, and it really really helps me.

So what do you do?

Just grab yourself some peppermint essential oil. Take one little drop and rub it on each temple.

Somehow the cooling sensation is a magical cure of wonder!

It takes about one minute for the cooling feeling to really kick in, and about 30 seconds after that, my headache is soooo much better. Actually its gone!

And I can tell it is working, because when it evaporates, my headache comes back until I reapply.

Couple things to note:

• I read you should test the oil on your skin in a less conspicuous spot, just to make sure you don't have a weird reaction to it. I tried it on my hand.
• Don't go nuts and put a lot on your temple, you just need a tiny bit. The cooling sensation can get a bit intense if you go too heavy, and it actually can feel more like burning. (I guess its sorta like icy hot.)
• At first when I applied it, I was moving around quite a bit, and I noticed that the vapors kinda wafted towards my eyes and it stung a tiny bit. (This was a small price to pay for the awesome relief it brought, allowing me to move around so much!) But if it bothers you, just stay put for a little bit after you put it on.

Also, I think it smells awesome.

Although, I've always been a fan of mint. If I could live next to a mint field I would be ecstatic.

So I plan to use this essential oil for other fun essential oil projects, like homemade air fresher, cleaners, ect.

Win/Win!

* Click here for more of my healthy pregnancy tips

Sonogram Time!

On Thursday we got to have our sonogram!

This pregnancy has been going so much faster than the last.  With J, I thought I would die of old age before our sonogram date finally arrived.  I could hardly stand myself for those first 17 weeks or so.  

This time well, they say with a toddler on your hands you don't have time to sit around and think.  This of course is true. But I also have the special circumstances of both our impending move to another state and a husband who is finishing a PhD.  (After watching and supporting him as he goes through this, I don't recommend anyone getting of one of those darn things!)  

So yeah, I don't have any of the free time I had last time to spend waiting around!

 That would explain why it felt like a blink before we could find out this baby's gender.

That is, until we got to the waiting room before our sonogram.

All of a sudden I got really unreasonably nervous.  I went through my mind as best as I could, and couldn't come up with an explanation for the anxiety.  Well, other than since having a c-section all pregnancy appointments get my stress levels up.

And we had to wait in the waiting room for about a half hour after our appointment time (and we were there about 15 mins early.)  I started to get all sweaty (nerves plus the fact that it was like 80 degrees in there) and panicky and just plain weird.  And I didn't even really know why!

So... I feel like that 45 mins in the waiting room kinda evened out the sonogram-wait-time-sensations for the two pregnancies.

The sonogram tech looked RIGHT off the bat for Baby #2's gender.

And this is what we found out:

We sent this to our families and friends to let them know.

(Actually we sent a version with more video involved, but I'm a little paranoid about putting our kids' names on my blog, so I had to cut parts of the video where we say it and use photos instead.  Sorry it's not quite as awesome as the original.)

17 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly:
Half way through this week I felt like I "popped."

Also, check out my sassy super model alter ego shadow striking a pose all on her own.

How does she not have a belly, just a booty? She's got her own agenda!

My belly feels pregnant now.

• Its starting to feel tighter now (pulling the "now-I'm-a-mommy skin" tight again.) Its still sorta soft, but firmer. (So yeah I'm sure no one else cares, and that it sounds creepy. But its something I wondered about-- at what point it would happen.)
• I've I've officially opened a closet door and the fridge into my belly with in the last two days.
• When I squatted down to get J's crumbs off the floor my belly got smashed into my legs by surprise.
• And I'm starting to want to put my hands on it more now, to rub the baby. But then I stop myself because I feel like the baby is still too small to actually feel the rub. (But maybe I'm wrong, and I should just do it.)
• Its getting a little tricky to lay J down in her crib

Small Space Living

Since our next place is going to be significantly smaller than our current home, I've been trying to decide what to take with us, and what to get rid of. 

I'm also brainstorming up decorating ideas like crazy. (umm hi pintrest. Yeah its awesome.)

So, I decided to stop by the library and grab some books.

One of them was "500 Ideas for Small Spaces"

A lot of it was stuff I can't do since we are renting  (good stuff, but things that would require painting trim or redoing a bathroom, ect)

But the things that I can do, were pretty helpful.  I wanted to keep the ideas on hand for myself. And I thought maybe someone might enjoy the help as well.  So I thought I'd blog them up.

Enjoy:

Ideas for Small Space Living

In the Living Room:

• When possible guide foot traffic around (rather than through) conversation areas. Position main seating in the center, in a tight U-shape.
• It is preferable to choose an ample two-seat sofa rather than a small three-seat sofa. The slightly smaller sofa allows room for an end table. 

16 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly:
I'd say it's official now.
I'm not sure, but I feel like the belly is now bigger at this point, than I was last time at 17 weeks. (I've heard you show faster with subsequent pregnancies.)

January 2012

Dec 2009

2012

J is saying, "PICK ME UP!!"

2009

Although I will say Blake is making my life by telling me how I'm "so small this time." Or that I "don't even look pregnant." Do I believe him? Nah, not really -- I was wearing a coat when the second statement occurred. But do I love him more for saying it? YES!

I will say that I am thrilled with the fact that I can still wear my coat. Last time, I wasn't able to wear my coats by like 8 weeks pregnant -- not because of the belly, but the boobs. It totally sucked cause I had a terrible time finding anything that could fit my chest while not being HUGE in the arms. I looked pitiful in all coats. So the fact that this time I can still zip my coat, no problem, look normal, and possibly even "not pregnant" at 17 weeks -- I'm pretty pleased with that!

My belly is starting to feel pregnant. Like, it feels wrong to have any weight press on it, and I like to sleep with "Pilly" my body pillow now. (Blake and I named him Pilly last time around. He kinda became out pet.)

15 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly:
Over this week, some days I think "Yeah, I've definitely popped." But it doesn't always seem like it, especially in the dresses I'm still loving to wear. But I am showing more.
The bump is definitely lower, and sticking out forward, more than last time. Which for the time being, I kinda like. :)

I didn't get dressed in time to ask Blake to take the photo today, so this is what you get!

 It's still not the kind of showing where {when my hands aren't showing the definition} a stranger would know for sure its a baby and not cookies. So I'm starting to get those confused looks from passers by, trying to decide what's going on there.
I've gained about 6 or 7lbs now, {Two weeks into the second trimester} and I don't know how that sounds to you, but I'm really happy with that. I don't have a record of how I gained last time, but I know I'm much more on track this time around. (I think I gained between 8 - 10 lbs in the first trimester last time.) And that makes me happy since I'm really hoping to keep me and baby #2 in a healthy weight range -- praying for a simpler delivery.

14 Weeks

Well,

week 14 kicked my butt.

That whole "Yay second trimester" thing was offset by a supremely hard week of life.

We got home from our Christmas travels and welcomed the second trimester with a stomach bug. It sucked. Honestly it just was about more than we could emotionally stand right now. Blake is working nearly 24 hours a day (He usually comes to bed around 4am, but last night it was 6am) to finish this crazy PhD. (I've started to think no one needs one of these things!) So the day that this sickness struck, I felt so bad to take him away from his work, but I was just not able to take care of J. I had to call Blake and ask him to come home, which I cried about because he's on a deadline that's holding our future job and life, and its all he can do to get this paper done on time as is. Then I get sick. I felt so bad for him. But he was still able to work from the couch, so that was good. The next day Blake was sick, and I was still sick, but getting better, so we kinda traded taking care of J when we weren't in the bathroom.

So, I can no longer say I've never puked while pregnant. Although, I'm positive it wasn't pregnancy that caused this disastrous spell. J did pretty well compared to us, and was able to get by with just a kinda off day, but no super bad symptoms thank goodness. And we all luckily got mostly better in about two days.