24 week update - "I'm what?!"

If it weren't for my pregnancy app, I would not remember how far along I am! With Grace, I could tell you in a second, "I'm 22 weeks and 3 days! And baby is the size of a..."

Today when writing this post, I literally had to look it up because I hadn't opened the app in maybe 2 weeks and had lost track. Not that I remembered 2 weeks ago either...hence the reason I opened it then. I'm terrible.

Baby's size: A 1.5lb ear of corn

Movement: I'm feeling alot more movement over the last 4 weeks :-) Sometimes it feels like baby is throwing all of its weight at once and I get a little motion sickness. Other times, baby stretches out sooo long that a foot feels like it's going to stretch my skin to breaking point!

Total weight gain: 5lb and steadily gaining nearly 1lb/week

How do you feel? 

I'm still taking afternoon naps when Grace naps. Not every day, but most. And just like before, I've noticed times when I cry over the smallest things! Oh pregnancy hormones. Most people cry during a sad movie. Pregnant people cry describing a movie they haven't even seen...like when I was describing the trailer of this movie to Mathias. Tears.

Body image: I just looked back at my 25 week update with Grace and saw my linea nigra had appeared by now. Kinda funny it hasn't this time. Could this mean it's the opposite sex?? My belly button was also just flat at this point. But it's definitely feeling like an outie these days! But you can't see it from the outside of my shirt, it's not that prominent. Yet?

What's next? I've scheduled my next appointment and it includes the gestational diabetes test. I'm much less worried this time around. I'm not eating a bowl of ice cream EVERY night like I was before, and I feel like I'm much less sedentary. I'm constantly moving from the time I wake up before 4am until 10 or 11 at night.

I think I've also made the executive decision to get a second crib instead of putting Grace in a big girl bed and putting new baby in her crib. Her crib converts to a toddler bed when she's ready, and she reeeeally likes sleeping and napping in her crib right now. She's contained, I know exactly where she is (not rifling through her bookshelf or through her dresser when she should be sleeping), and she's not once made any attempt to climb out. I'd hate to disturb her good sleep patterns by putting her in a big bed...she loves playing/standing/rolling around when she's on it and I just don't see her calming down and falling asleep on it quickly and easily like she does her crib. Like before, I have an "image" of the perfect crib, but will wait until baby arrives to decide on color ;-)

20 week update + anatomy scan

Woooaaah we're halfway there!

Baby's size: An 11oz banana

Total weight gain: Just 2lb but beginning this week, I may be gaining 1lb/week 

Movement: Finally felt the baby move! It wasn't til about 18 weeks with Grace and same this time. Although I still don't feel this baby kick as often or as hard...seems more chill in general!

How do you feel? 

This is what 20 weeks pregnant with a toddler running around looks like

Maternity clothes: When I was pregnant with Grace, I had my "bigger months" during the winter so I got away with wearing my regular leggings with long sweater and just a few long sleeve maternity shirts. But with summer approaching, I had nothing! My sweet friend, Bresney, graciously gave me a ton of great maternity clothes--Easter dress included if you caught that photo on Facebook or Instagram.

Moment of the week: Our anatomy scan!! We went Monday and got great news--baby looks good and no red (or even yellow) flags! We of course told the US tech we wanted to keep the gender a surprise....but Mathias and I both have our guesses ;-)

16 week update

Grace loves her baby sibling!

I'd love to say I'll keep up with this blog as often as I did with my first pregnancy, but what I'm quickly learning is life with a toddler doesn't. slow. down. So I'll try my best to update each month, but I make no promises!

Also...I've taken no bump photos!! But I don't think it's really that noticeable yet. Except of course to the Krispy Kreme lady who boldly asked me when the baby was due. Umm, these donuts aren't all for me lady!

Cravings: So I'm 16 weeks today and baby is apparently the size of an avocado :-)

...which is on my list of cravings. With Grace, I had one craving, and that was ice cream. I had a small bowl almost every night. But now I could take it or leave it. Cravings are all over the place now! They seem to strike at any moment, are ALWAYS fleeting, and are usually very random and very specific. The craving has to be fulfilled in a short window of time, after which I'm turned off by it and it's on to the next craving. This happens most with pasta, chocolate desserts, and avocado toast. 

How are you feeling? A bit run down. Just like before, I have to take an afternoon nap (Re: 2-3 hour coma) every day during the week or I can barely keep my eyes open. Thankfully, this is the same time Grace takes her afternoon nap so it works out...for now. Nauseous but not to the point of sickness. I can still say, "Never have I ever puked," but I've had some days of all-day nausea that's made it hard to eat. And OH the headaches. I'm getting them so much more frequently now and I know I should be drinking more water! I just generally feel... different. This pregnancy just feels different. Does that mean I'm having a boy?? 

Gender: We are waiting to find out! It was fun to make our assumptions and hear everyone else's guesses last time. But Mathias really loved being the one to tell me in the delivery room. So, as hard as the uncertainty might be, we'll be waiting til the baby's born to find out! I will say, Grace's heart rate was slower, and we were able to find it on our at-home doppler at 11 weeks and this baby's is much faster! Also during our 19 week anatomy scan, as soon as the picture went up on the big screen I remember my first thought being, "Oh, that's a girl," with 100% certainty (as much as I didn't want to admit it the entire time!)  so maybe the same thing will happen next month at our scan.

Maternity clothes: I looked back at my 17 week "bumpdate" and saw it wasn't til then that you could really see a baby bump. I figured it would appear earlier this time and it has! I've already started using my Maeband to keep wearing a few pairs of pants. But otherwise, still in my regular clothes.

Other oddities: I have a nose like a bloodhound. I can smell bleach a football field away. I can step into a building and know if a rodent has died in it in the last 48 hours. Grace's diapers smell stronger than ever (and maybe they are more potent, but I honestly can't take a breath in sometimes because it's so overwhelming). I have more food aversions because of the way they smell.

Be sure to check back next month! I'll post my 20 week update + an updated close-up of baby :-)

Round two: Hickman party of 4!

This mini "photo shoot" in the backyard is how we told my mom we were expecting another baby!

My mom helped me take most of Grace's monthly update pictures because the child smiles best when her Grandma is making funny faces behind me. If you saw Grace's formal Christmas photos, it was obvious Grandma was not in the room :-| 

So after a few 12 month photos were snapped, I popped in the frame and flipped the chalkboard over.  It took several minutes for mom to "get it!" Haha best reaction when she finally figured out what was happening!

Baby Hickman's birth story

It has been one week since our lives changed in the biggest and best way. Here is how I remember it:

Friday 2/3 – 9am

“Why don't you just leave work if you're having contractions?!”

Because I'm stubborn. I had a funny feeling it would be my last day of work and there wouldn't be a 'next Monday' for me. There were a few things I still needed to wrap up and besides, contractions were only an hour apart...no biggy.

Saturday 2/4 – 3:30am

I normally wake up about this time to go to work every day, but when this happens on a weekend, I never have trouble falling back asleep. But my contractions seemed pretty consistent and pain level was only at about a 3. I grabbed my phone and started timing them...10 minutes apart. Knowing this phase could last hours, I started to slowly and calmly get ready for the hospital. I finished packing the last few items into my overnight bag, hopped in the shower, plucked my eyebrows (very important to do during labor), then woke Mathias.

For the next 8 hours, my contractions continued at precisely 10 minutes apart. The human body is a crazy thing. To be so consistent and predictable to do something at exactly 10 minute intervals on the dot is incredible. In the middle of contractions, I took time to notice this phenomenon and focused on that just as it was encouraged in one of my birthing meditation books. This awareness helped me abate fear induced anxiety, allowed me to remain calm, and eased tension I was holding in my muscles.

We were advised to call the doctor when they were 3-5 min. apart. Around 11pm we went to lay down to sleep when we hit that 5 min. mark. My pain level jumped to a 6, so we were out the door headed to the hospital. We were an hour away from our due date and ready to meet our baby. Cue the Yoga Nidra techniques!

Sunday 2/5 – 3:30am

Walking out of the hospital felt both relieving and discouraging. We found out I was only 1 cm dilated and were advised to return once my water broke or contractions were 2-3 min apart or became unbearable.

 

Sunday 2/5 – 11pm

Needless to say, with contractions coming every 5-8 minutes for the past 24 hours, I was unable to sleep after leaving the hospital. Throughout the day, pain level slowly increased until the Super Bowl, when they were beginning to become unbearable. Not even Gaga's amazing performance was enough to distract me from my, now, level 8 pain. My contractions were not speeding up though, which was getting frustrating because I was now dreading each wave. I didn't know how much more of it I could take and my frustration became fear..fear of the next wave of flashing pain. I released the most genuine and defeated tears and whimpered to Mathias, “Let's go to the hospital.” The last 6 contractions before I accepted an epidural was blinding, level 10 pain. Then came sweet, numbing relief. Ahh...and sleep finally!

Monday 2/6 – 11am

The doctor said, “I'll be right back.”

You'll be right back?! What the fuck am I supposed to do until then, my legs are in stirrups?!

The on-call doc delivering had been pulled away from a hysterectomy to see me...which apparently now needed his more immediate attention again so he tapped my knee, apologized, and left the room. It's cool, I'll just chill here!  He wasn't gone long and after 45 minutes of, what I consider nearly painless pushing, our baby girl was here!!

Her name is Grace Scarlett Hickman. She was born Monday, February 6th at 11:22am, weighing 6lb 7oz and is 20.5” long. She is perfect.

Grace was Mathias's great grandmother's name and Scarlett, a nod to his favorite color.

39 weeks + last bumpdate

Well, eviction notice was sent 2 weeks ago, giving 2 days left to vacate the premises...and in true procrastination fashion, little one hasn't even started packing yet. It appears I may be late.

Story of my life.

Baby's size: A 7lb watermelon. But as pointed out at our 37 week US, Baby Hickman is measuring slightly smaller so make that a (roughly) 6.5 lb seedless watermelon!

Total weight gain: 30 lb. My ankles and calves were swollen just a few times over the last couple weeks so I'm wearing only my loosest socks now and retired wearing boots until the baby comes.

Down to the wire: We're getting so close to due date and I admit, my impatient nature has gotten the best of me and made me irritable at times. I'm getting up slower, my body aches, and I experienced some intense low abdominal cramping earlier this week. I was hesitant to call them contractions, and knew they weren't when the pain wasn't coming and going in waves. But after all the cramping and spotting, I'm still none percent effaced or dilated. Which has me wondering...will this pregnancy ever end?

Moment of the week: Receiving an ultimatum and knowing there is, indeed, an end to this pregnancy. My doctor and I have agreed going past 41 weeks may not be in my (or the baby's) best interest. So we went ahead and scheduled one last US for next Wednesday in place of an NST (non-stress test). She'll check baby's growth again and amniotic fluid to ensure placenta is not deteriorating. I just have a feeling I'll go into labor on my own before then, but if I don't by next Friday, I'll be induced on the 10th! 

How do you feel? Ready. Ready to see our sweet baby's face, ready to meet the tiny human I've been carrying for the past 9 months, eager to learn its likes/dislikes, watch it learn, grow, and develop a personality. Ready for the up-all-night feedings and never ending diaper changes. Ready for the "Why are you still crying?" and the "What is in your mouth?!" 

The card I received from my sweet coworkers was so right: 

You can get the room ready, make lists of to-do's, Stock up on everything new babies use, read all the baby books, take every class, research diapers and how to relieve gas...

(which is so funny because I've literally spent hours doing all these things)

but nothing prepares you for how it'll feel when baby arrives and it all becomes real 

It still blows my mind that this breathing blessing is half Mathias, half me. This child has always been a mover and a shaker, and I hope here on Earth, it is just that. I can't wait to pick out the little "he gets it from his daddy/she takes after her momma" intricacies, but more so, recognizing the independent traits that make him/her unique. And as we can all hope for, part of a generation that is better than the one before. 

It won't be all butterflies and rainbows. I know that. It'll be tough at times, and the new role of lifelong parenthood will test my patience and my limits. But I also know it'll be the greatest and most rewarding challenge. I'll make mistakes...alot of them, and it will try Mathias and my relationship. But we're ready to begin this adventure because it was never about us. It's about our family.

37 weeks + last peek before arrival

Normally, I don't post a bumpdate but every 4 weeks,

but this growth spurt the past 2 weeks warranted one!

Baby's size: Well the baby apps say roughly 6.5 lb and the size of a leek. It doesn't look like I've grown much (story of my life) so our doctor recommended an US yesterday to check and make sure Baby Hickman wasn't "too small." As expected, baby is slightly smaller than your average but nothing that's raising any red flags or eyebrows! She guesses our little one is about 6lb. Yea, in its cheeks!!

Total weight gain: 27lb. Y'all, I tried to do a headstand last week. Don't ask me why. I think I just wanted to see if I still could do it since I haven't inverted since I was maybe 15 weeks or so. As a prenatal yoga teacher, I can safely say inversions are still safe during pregnancy as long as it was in your pre-pregnancy practice, you have a safe place to do it (preferably against a wall), and a spotter if needed. I could barely keep my legs up and it made me feel so heavy! I know I should not compare my practice to others but that's the ego kicking in. That, and my will to not let pregnancy be a reason I can't do anything I wasn't able to do before. Gotta know (and accept) your limits though!

How do you feel? I have been getting more Braxton Hicks contractions lately. At least that's what I think they are. They're described as a pre-labor contraction, a tightening of the abdomen, and may be localized to one side or the other. They don't last long, and they're not consistent. But man...it feels like this kid is trying to crawl out of my side when it happens! Heartburn is pretty frequent, but not that bad. Still sleeping normal, and only one instance of cankles!

Moment of the week: I do believe the baby has dropped! This past Sunday, I woke up and felt more low pressure, it was more painful to walk, my balance is off..kind of like I'm tipping forward constantly, and my low back pain has kicked it up a notch. On the upside, I can also breath much easier and don't get out of breath as quickly. I've read the baby can drop then undrop, so I won't count this as a sign the baby's arrival is near. Honestly, I think I'll be late!

Down to the wire: Mathias and I attended our childbirth class and had a tour of the maternity ward. We learned alot and I'm feeling more at ease with the entire L&D process. I feel silly even suggesting I have one, but I am going into it with a "plan" and that is to put myself into a meditative state. Yoga Nidra has worked with sitting for a 3hr tattoo that was effectively painless, soooo we'll see if I can apply the same practice with labor lol

With only 3 weeks left, I have my "bug-out bag" packed, nursery organized, all the baby laundry done, car seat installed, important paperwork ready to go, and birth plan written. The "eviction notice" will be served this Sunday. You've got 2 weeks to vacate the premises!