6.9.16

21 Week Pregnancy Update - Baby #2!

 **Baby at 18 weeks**
**Baby at 21 weeks**
 
**Our Little Bo Peep**

How far along?  
21 Weeks

Total weight gain/measurements: 
My weight is the same from my first prenatal visit... So I'm going to say that I haven't gained any weight yet!

Maternity clothes:  
In need of! Even though I haven't gained any weight, my belly is a lot bigger than when I was pregnant with Hunter. My regular clothes are starting to get too tight, especially pants. I can no longer do up the bottom on any of my jeans, meanwhile I wore all my pre-pregnancy clothes right until the end with Hunter! & My shirts are all starting to get too short due to the fact I have such a long torso.

Stretch marks: 
No new ones....Yet.

Sleep: 
Terrible. Hunter doesn't sleep through the night, so that interrupts my sleep ALL night... When I do get the chance to lay down, I cant stay in one position for too long. I find myself tossing and turning a lot. 

Best moment this week: 
I just came from a second ultrasound so I got to see my baby again! Normally, where I live, they only do 1 ultrasound (the anatomy scan) when you're in your second trimester. They didn't get a good enough picture of her heart or kidneys the last time (baby was moving lots and wouldn't stay in a good position), so they needed me to come in again. Yay!

Miss anything? 
Sleep. I used to sleep so well at night when Hunter was breastfeeding.... But now that he's off the boob and in his own bed, & still not sleeping through the night... It makes for a hard nights rest. 

Movement: 
Lots now! Movement has really increased over the last week. I would feel flutters and movement inside, but now there's lots of big kicks that can be felt on the outside too. 

Food cravings: 
I usually crave sugar in the evenings. I looove sugary, sour candies!
Still loving sandwiches and salads... and still always craving a Spicy Italian from Subway! I could probably eat a foot long sub once a day... Can someone fund my Subway addiction please?

Anything making you queasy or sick? 
Morning sickness still! Every morning, sometimes a bit in the evenings, and if I have to get up out of bed in the middle of the night. I'm pretty much just nauseas all day. So much for that blissful second trimester! 
Oh, also, red meat... Not a fan anymore. I'm all about the chicken and pretty much nothing else. 

Gender:  
ITS A GIRL! 
I knew she was going to be a girl before I even got pregnant! At our first ultrasound, the tech said she wasn't 100% sure, but she was going with "girl".... Thankfully I had a second ultrasound and it was definitely confirmed that she is in fact, a girl! 

Labour signs:  
None

Symptoms:  
Morning sickness is still a big one
Lots of kicks
Lower back pain
Starting to get a bit winded while doing minimal exercise a.k.a chasing after my 1 and a half year old

Belly button in or out? 
Still in

Happy or moody most of the time: 
Moody for SURE

Looking forward to: 
Buying baby girl clothes! 
& also buying Hunter his new big boy bed!



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10.8.16

17 Week Pregnancy Update - Baby #2!

How far along?  
17 Weeks + 4 days

Total weight gain/measurements: 
Ive been continuously losing weight and then slowly gaining it back since I got pregnant.. I'm currently 1 lb heavier then I was at my first prenatal appointment (at 9 weeks)... So not much change there. 

Maternity clothes:  
Nope

Stretch marks: 
No new ones

Sleep: 
I have to wake up to pee a couple times a night... & Hunter has been having a bit of a hard time sleeping lately, so that has been affecting my sleep greatly... 

Best moment this week: 
The first big baby movement happened today!  
& when my mom showed me the adorable project she's working on for the gender reveal! 

Miss anything? 
My family :( Dying to go home!

Movement: 
Felt little flutters since maybe 13 weeks... But today was the first solid kick where I was like "Oh yes.. that was definitely my baby!"

Food cravings: 
Sandwiches. I could eat a variety of sandwiches and salads all day and be the happiest kid. I'm REALLY craving a Spicy Italian on cheese bread from Subway though. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? 
I'm still nauseas every single morning. I throw up usually once a day... but sometimes I do get a bit nauseas in the evenings too. 

Gender:  
Crossing our fingers for a girl! 7 more days until the ultrasound! 

Labour signs:  
None

Symptoms:  
Starting to not be able to do up the button on a lot of my pants... Haha! 
Still have morning sickness.
I get light headed and dizzy sometimes.. and cramps in my legs... but I think I can put that on the fact that I haven't been drinking enough water lately. When you go pee 37 times before lunch time, you don't get too eager to drink MORE water... Haha

Belly button in or out? 
In but I have a feeling its going to pop out sooner then my first pregnancy

Happy or moody most of the time: 
Moody as all hell. So emotional, so stressed, so everything. Plus with the heat on top of it all, and lack of sleep. Oy. 

Looking forward to: 
Next week! We have our ultrasound on Wednesday!!!! 
& then my wonderful friend Leila and her husband are arriving that weekend for their vacation! (Which I'm going to try include myself in at all times... hahah :))


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13 Weeks Pregnancy Update - Baby #2!

How far along?  
13 Weeks 

Total weight gain:
Ive been losing and gaining since I got pregnant.. So I'm not too sure what my weight is now in comparison to when I got pregnant. 

Maternity clothes:  
Still wearing my regular clothes, and probably will be for awhile. I lost weight before I got pregnant, and lost another 8 lbs while being pregnant, so all my clothes have a bit of wiggle room now. I still plan on buying some maternity leggings, at least 1 pair of jeans, and a couple tank tops. Those were the things I needed the most last time around! 

Stretch marks: 
Nothing new yet!

Sleep: 
I wish I could sleep all day. If I didn’t already have a baby to take care of, I would nap at 11am and 4pm. I get so exhausted right around those times. 

Best moment this week: 
Bo and I made a decision about our future & we’re VERY excited about it!!

Miss anything? 
Alcohol sometimes.. and mostly because it’s summer…. There’s nothing like having a nice cold drink on a hot summer day! 

Movement: 
I swear I felt movement! I don’t know if it is, because I’m still in my first trimester… But I swear it was the baby!

Food cravings: 
Mozza sticks! I eat mozza sticks more often then Id like to admit. Also, pickles. Mmmmm

Anything making you queasy or sick? 
Ever since I went to the emergency room a few weeks ago, my nausea has been at an all time low! I get sick once in the morning, and then I’m good for the rest of the day. So much more tolerable then the all day, everyday sickness I was experiencing. 
The seafood & meat section in the grocery store makes my stomach turn. 

Gender:  
I’ll know in under 6 weeks! But mothers intuition tells me I’m carrying our baby girl!

Labour signs:  
No

Symptoms:  
Just a little bit of nausea first thing in the morning. 
Glowing skin! My skin has never looked better! 
Still so fatigued.

Belly button in or out? 
In

Happy or moody most of the time: 
Lately, happy! 

Looking forward to: 
The gender ultrasound even though its over a month away! & then possibly announcing the name, if we are in fact, having a girl!


10.6.16

9 Week Pregnancy Update with Baby #2!

Well hello, hello pregnancy updates round 2! How exciting! We found out were expecting baby #2 about a month ago and couldn't wait to share the news with family and friends! It's funny how last time I was pregnant, I didn't want to let anyone know until I was at least 12 weeks, but this time I think we kept the news to ourselves for maybe a week? We had planned to conceive this baby, so we were very excited to see that positive test the first month of trying! Were very happy to be expanding our family and making Hunter a big brother! 
How far along?  
9 weeks!
 Current due date is January 13/2017 which happens to be on a Friday. 

Total weight gain: 
I'm pretty certain I've lost weight.. I don't have a scale but I finally was weighed at the NP's office today, so I'll know for future updates what I've gained. 

Maternity clothes:  
Not yet, but I'm definitely going to buy some for this time around... Nothing fancy or brand new, just whatever I can get second hand. I wore all my regular clothes when I was pregnant with Hunter, but the 3 maternity tops I did have, were so nice! I have a long torso, so if I wasn't wearing a long tank top under my shirt, my belly would be popping out the bottom.

Stretch marks: 
Nothing new yet... But I'm sure they'll make their appearance later on & that's okay. They can join the millions of others on my belly and hips. I actually don't mind stretch marks at all. They have never really made me self conscious... Which I'm thankful for. After I became a mom, I became much more humble and gentle towards my body.... In turn, I ended up seeing my new mom pouch and stretch marks as just another part of motherhood! Plus all the stretched skin on my belly is so soft, and Hunter loves hugging it <3 

Sleep: 
Well I still breastfeed throughout the night with Hunter, and he is usually in my bed somewhere between 12am and 4am....So my sleep is as good as it can get for now. Until the big ol belly appears.. Dun dun dunnnnnnnnn. 

Best moment this week: 
When I asked Hunter "Where is the baby?"... He pointed to my belly and then hugged it.
I should also mention he's 14 months old & we've never showed him where the baby is before. So it was pretty darn adorable.. It may or may not have made me cry a little bit. 

Miss anything? 
My energy. As well as not having morning sickness. Blaaahhhhhh. 

Movement: 
Nope. I felt Hunter at 17 weeks, and then Bo felt him just a couple days later, so I'm interested to see when I'll start feeling this little one flutter around. 

Food cravings: 
I don't have constant cravings, but I'll get a random "Ohhhh, I want that!". One of those was a pizza with mushrooms and onions - which is something I would never ever ordinarily order..... & the other was mini rainbow chip Chips Ahoy cookies! 

Anything making you queasy or sick? 
Oh you know, just waking up... breathing.. The morning sickness is sooooo rotten this time around. I thought I had it bad with Hunter, but oh my. I've had to stop drinking coffee because I got sick before I would even finish a cup... Also grocery shopping in the raw meat section always turns my stomach.

Gender:  
No idea. I have an ultrasound booked for August 17th & I'll be almost 19 weeks then, so we'll know the gender then! We're feeling girl this time <3 

Labour signs:  
Goodness no. 

Symptoms:  
Extreme fatigue and nausea. It's 10x worse than it was with Hunter.. It's kind of incredible how tired a woman can get during that first trimester. It's unreal! 

Belly button in or out? 
In!

Happy or moody most of the time: 
Very happy to be pregnant, but for the most part, I'm so MOOOODDDYYYY. I blame it on being sick all day. It really takes a toll on a person when you can't even bounce your baby to sleep or sing him songs because you mouth being open makes you want to puke. 


Looking forward to: 
Well, I want to say my ultrasound... but that's forever away... So I'm going to say my next prenatal which is on the 28th! Excited to hear this little one's heart beat! 

14.5.16

Hunter's 1 Year Update! (At 13.5 Months!)

So this is obviously late if you couldn't tell by the title... Haha! Oops.. So neglectful... But here I am now.... Determined to finish this post to round up the first year of Hunter's updates! I stopped doing monthly updates after 9 months because everything seemed to be about the same!


Height/Weight:
He weighed 24 lbs at his 1 year appointment. I don't think she told me his height, because I can't seem to come up with a number... We did measure him on the wall, but that's in his room, and he is currently sleeping in there.... & since I'm determined to finish this post tonight, we're just going to have to scratch the height.

Routine:
We don't really have too much of a routine... It's been basically the same thing for a few months now. He wakes up somewhere between 7am-8am and we usually take it pretty easy... Have some snacks, watch the Wiggles... Then a nap somewhere in the late morning, early afternoon. Then play, lunch, play, snacks.. The typical things you would do with a 1 year old I guess! Lots of playing outside since we've been spoiled with good weather the whole year! The one part of our day that's always the same is the evening when I start cooking dinner. Dinner at 6pm, bath RIGHT after because #MessyBaby. Then we hang out and play until bedtime at 8pm!

Sleeping:
He wakes up between 7-8am.. He'll have 1, maybe 2 naps a day. If he has a second nap, he's usually [obviously] harder to put down at bed time... but if he doesn't take that second nap.. Holy moly watch out. He goes to bed for the night at 8pm. Then usually comes into bed with me somewhere after midnight. I'll nurse him back to sleep & then he'll usually only wake up 1 more time before the morning to breastfeed. 

Eating/Feeding:
He likes to graze throughout the day... It's easier to give him snacks then it is to sit him down and try give him a meal, except for dinner. We'll usually start the morning with yogurt and frozen berries + chia seeds, which I help him eat because that's not a mess I want to clean up first thing in the morning haha! I'll sometimes sit him in his high chair for lunch, which is usually leftovers, or a mix of random fruits, veggies, cheese, bread, etc. Some of his favourite snacks/foods are: yogurt & frozen berries, together or separate. He's obsessed. He also loves marble or mozza cheese, pickles, peas, bagels, bread, spaghetti, & tacos to name a few! Oh and he breastfeeds like 938759237652 times a day. 

Sizes:
I'm literally just about to pack up his 9 month onesies. Hahaha! His shirts and sleepers are anywhere from 12-24 months... But I'm about to clear out the smaller sizes and so more shopping in bigger sizes. His pants are definitely smaller, probably 12-18 months at most.

Milestones:
He says so many words! (Mum mum, dada, tweet tweet, hot-hot-hot <--mommy's coffee, tickle tickle, yummy yummy, probably some more but that's all I can remember for now)
He's been walking/running around since he was 9 months old.
He has 8 teeth and I think his molars are trying to come in because ho wa! #TeethingIsAnAsshole
He also got his first haircut! Cut by me!
 ^^Blurry, but oh my goodness... Look at that precious little face!
 
 
^^The day of his first birthday! My handsome boy!
^^His first time bathing in the sink before his first hair cut!!
^^Not so bad right?? Such a big boy!


20.1.16

I Hugged My Baby

Hunter and I have been having a very interesting few days. We have been sharing some very special moments between us that we've never really had before (along with some very emotional ones as well). The older he gets, the more in tune with everything he becomes. He's seriously one of the smartest little people I know. He's so intelligent.
The other morning, I brought him to my room so I could get dressed. I was in the middle of changing my shirt, when Hunter looked over, saw my boobs, and gave me the most adorable, loving, excited look ever! (Breastfed baby problems, am I right?? Haha!) So I of course sat down, on the floor, and nursed him for a few minutes while he played with my hair and tried to stick his whole hand in my mouth. When he was done, I sat him in front of me while I put a shirt back on. He was staring at me so sweetly this whole time. Let me just note here, Hunter is usually the busiest baby in the world. Always gotta be doing something. Always babbling away in his cute baby talk. Always on the go! So to see him so calm and sitting there, plus looking at me the way he was, was so moving. So I sat and looked at him looking at me. He's the sweetest thing Ive ever seen in my life. All I can think is how amazing this little child is. This is my son! MY son! He's incredible. So I lean over and hug him, my arm wrapped around him and my head pressed against his. Then he takes his arm and puts it on mine and starts to lightly scratch my arm. More of a tickle. He leans his head into mine and just holds it there. We sat on the floor hugging for probably 2 minutes before he moved. 

That boy.
My little angel pie.
He's my everything <3

19.1.16

Meatless Mexican Quiche! (+Taco Seasoning Recipe!)


Words cannot explain how terrible the lighting is in my kitchen in the evenings. Just so yellow. Eek!
Anyway.. I made this delicious quiche the other day and it was just so good that I really wanted to share! Plus I'm always searching for new things for Hunter to try & he loved this! 
This dish is so incredibly versatile. You can change anything you want to make it something you like! Change the cheese, veggies... Add in meat. What ever tickles your fancy my friend. 

Meatless Mexican Quiche
1 9 inch pie crust 
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped 
Half a can of black beans
2-3 tbs of homemade taco seasoning* or 1 pkg taco seasoning 
1/4 cup water
1 tomato, diced
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
Salt and pepper 
1 1/2 cups cheese of your choice 

*Taco seasoning recipe below!

1. Start by pricking your pie crust with a fork and "blind baking"** it in a preheated 400F degree oven for 10 minutes. 
2. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add garlic, onion and green pepper and cook until they start to get some colour, add beans, taco seasoning and water. Stir until combined and turn heat off. 
3. When your crust is done, bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until nice and golden. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk and salt and pepper to taste. 
5. When your crust is ready, pour the seasoned skillet mixture evenly into crust. Add the tomatoes, followed by the egg mixture and then top it off with the cheese. 
6. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the top starts to turn golden and the edges are set. 
7. Let quiche cool and set for about 10 minutes before you cut into it! Enjoy!


**Blind Baking helps your crust bake without giving it too much colour. 

Taco Seasoning
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chill powder
1/2 tbsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt (optional)

This recipe makes about 1/3 cup of seasoning. You can always double, triple, or quadruple this recipe and then you'll have homemade taco seasoning on had for all sorts of meals! Scrambled eggs, chicken wraps, quesadillas, and of course, tacos! 


Let me know if you try either of these recipes! Be sure to tag me on Facebook or Instagram!

17.1.16

My Breastfeeding Journey (So Far!)

I've officially breastfed Hunter for (almost) 42 weeks. I've nourished him earth side as long as I did in utero! How amazing!My overall experience so far has been a pretty great one! We haven't had any real struggles in regards to latching and supply. I've said this before, but while I was pregnant, I always said that if I could have anything go my way, it would be to breastfeed easily. It's been such a blessing to have that come true.  
This was Hunter's very first latch. I'm so thankful his dada thought to take photos and videos during this time. I was so focused on Hunter that it didn't even cross my mind to document anything! He was maybe 20 minutes old and he was instantly nuzzling my chest, trying to find his milk! I sat up and latched him on and that was it! He was sucking right away and did so for probably 10 minutes! It's funny because to this day, he often nurses for 10 minutes and he's done!
I nursed Hunter as much as possible but we ended up "topping him up", as the nurses would call it, with formula, during our 5 day hospital stay. He would nurse nurse nurse & then I would feed him an ounce of formula. (To this day, I still regret giving him formula & not trusting my body to do it's thing. Breastmilk usually comes in around 3 days postpartum. My milk didn't come in until day 5 and I feel like giving him formula and not the boob may have helped in delaying the process, along with all the stress of our extra stay.)
After a day or 2 at home, I ended up quitting the formula cold turkey. He was only getting an ounce every few hours and my milk was finally in so I deemed it unnecessary! The above three photos are him holding his hands so sweetly. He used to nurse like this all the time! It was so nice! Now, I get hands and feet in the face. He pinches me, sticks his fingers in my mouth and twist and turns his head. Oh and he also likes to stand or be like, downward facing dog type positions.... 9 month olds are fun to nurse people! Haha!!

The first few weeks are a complete blur. I literally feel like all I did was nurse Hunter! I remember he did a lot of cluster feeding during his growth spurts. He still nurses quite often now when he's teething or just having a bad day. Breastfeeding is nourishment and comfort all in one convenient little package! The photo directly above is REAL life! Sleeping, looking like a hot mess, boob out, baby snuggled in close. Oh and "mom arm". Don't forget the mom arm. Am I right ladies? 
I did try to pump. I wanted to pump so I could bring bottles to town with us. It was easier just to give him a bottle in the car instead of having to get out, hop in the backseat and nurse him (which is easier said then done with a small 2 door car!) Well, turns out, I can't pump very easily! It takes me all day, sometimes 2 days, to pump a bottle big enough for him to drink for one feeding. I have never pumped more then 3 oz in one sitting. The most I usually get from pumping is 2 oz. Still to this day, I'll try to pump, and Ill get maybe 1 oz from one boob. So, now I don't bother. The above photo is me breastfeeding Hunter in the back seat while his dada washed the car at the carwash! Haha! It's a bit more convenient now that he's older and eating food. I can just give him a banana or a muffin and he'll be content. 
 This is one of my all time favourite photos. I remember taking it, very clearly. It was really early in the morning one summer day. The window above my head was open and the cool morning breeze was coming in. I could hear the ducks quacking down at the bottom of the yard. I thought Hunter was going to wake up for the day but as soon as he started nursing, he dozed off. He was barely latched on and I could feel his slobber all over my boob. Haha little sweetheart. He was just in a diaper, snuggled under the blankets with me. It was the best.
We mastered laying down nursing somewhere between 2 and 3 months. I would always nurse him while I sat and he laid propped on a pillow. When we finally got comfortable enough to nurse laying down, it was a game changer! Then he learned to sit up on his own, or at least with me holding him, and then he wanted to nurse like that for awhile hahah! Now that he's 9 months old, I literally don't have to do anything in the middle of the night when he's in bed with me. He'll just roll over, find my boob and dream feed! It's a life saver in the sleep department! I've never really had too many "up all night with the baby" moments. I can probably count on both hands, how many times we've had a rough night. 
"Hi, I'm Hunter and I like sitting in moms shirt to nurse because I'm too lazy to hold up my own head" Haha!
Quick break to smile for the camera! 
 I really have always been so thankful for my ability to breastfeed my son with such ease. It's comforting knowing you're giving your baby the absolute best nourishment they can receive. Plus! It's so incredibly convenient! After having such a successful breastfeeding journey, I don't know how I could ever prepare bottles for an infant! With all the cleaning and sterilizing (plus, I don't have a dishwasher), and the mixing and warming. Maybe that says something about my laziness. Haha!!
One this is for sure, like I said, it's not ALL sunshine and rainbows! .... But for me, its pretty close. Sometimes I just want to go a few hours without being touched. Or I just want to give in and give him formula because I'm tired of being the ONLY one who can feed him. Those feelings usually don't last too long. The endorphins during a nursing session usually crumble the negative feelings. 

There are so many opinions on breastfeeding these days. What age you breastfeed them to, if you breastfeed in public, if you cover up while nursing, the list goes on. I'm trying to be a part of the group of women who promote breastfeeding and all the positive things that come with it. Normalize it again! Make nursing breasts non sexual and see them as what they are meant for; nourishment and comfort. It's such a wonderful bonding experience. I want to be a part of the positive movement! It's nice to hear stories and experiences of others. I know it's helped me! If I can be a positive influence in a nursing woman's life, I'll be happy!