32 week update

8 more weeks y'all! According to the "pregnancy checklist" I should be getting my hospital bag (or as I refer to as my bug-out bag) ready. I don't think I overpacked last time, and most of the things I'll pack are things I use daily, so I'm not too worried if this doesn't get done for another month or more. I do need to pull the newborn clothes out of the attic and wash everything though! But of course, without a washer and dryer (Yes, we're still renovating the kitchen and laundry room. No, we didn't meet my guesstimated completion date and may still be another 2-3 weeks away from that!), that could prove a little difficult.

New this week: I finally felt hiccups last Friday! I wasn't sure it was even hiccups at first because they were so fast, but then they slowed to that familiar rhythmic thump. I felt them much sooner and more often (we're talking every day) with Grace, but maybe they'll be more frequent now. Or maybe not! Just another thing to add to the list of how different this pregnancy has been.

We also celebrated our first anniversary! 6/18/2017 we got married in the tiniest ceremony in our backyard. We planned it 5 days in advance and I would not have changed a thing! So last Monday to celebrate, we went to Hall's Chophouse downtown. I'm a little embarrassed to say I'd never eaten there before ($$), but years ago when I was compiling a collection of recipes donated by local chefs (of some of Charleston's best restaurants.....I still have a copy if anyone's interested!), the family owned restaurant was very nice and I met privately with one of the chefs to get a recipe. Anyways, dinner was amazing and way too expensive but totally worth celebrating the occasion! 

Baby's size: A 4lb head of lettuce. Starting next week, baby will start gaining about  0.5lb/week!

Total weight gain: 14lb. Although I haven't gained as much weight, I started out heavier so technically I'm right about the same. But...I just feel bigger. I look bigger, I'm more uncomfortable, and my skin feels like it's being stretched to the max. I'm religious about putting belly cream on each night because I feel if I don't, stretch marks may be inevitable if I still have 2 more months to grow! At this point, I can't see how much bigger I could possibly get. Ugh. And this heat!!

Baby purchases: Since we have so many gender neutral things, we really don't need anything new. The only thing we need is a double stroller (a necessity in my opinion...Mathias is yet to be convinced)! I did countless hours of research on double strollers, creating a pros and cons list and narrowing down my top 4 picks. I now consider myself an expert on the matter and could literally help anyone find a double stroller now based on their needs. Where will you be using it most and how often? Are you able to deadlift more than 30lb? How important is ease of fold to you? How many children do you have..and how far apart in age? Is there a big height difference between people who will be pushing it? And probably most important, what's your budget?

Before I did any major research, I was leaning towards the Joovy Caboose. It seemed to fit all our needs- it's relatively cheap and comes with a universal car seat adapter, has a second seat that you could remove to reveal a bench seat with an option to stand, and it's pretty lightweight considering it holds 2 kids. But the more reviews I read, the more I considered where we'd be using it (mostly grass and gravel and rarely indoors), the seats don't recline to a point kids could comfortably nap, and the push is generally not all that great (although this was coming from those who are used to using top of the line strollers). After going back and forth on getting a side by side vs a tandem and getting opinions after a 20 minute long presentation with my top 4 picks to any family member who would listen, we ended up going with the Peg Perego Book for Two! It was the narrowest of the side by sides (only a few inches wider than my single, and narrow enough to fit through doors and down the hallway), has a standing fold, opens/collapses so easy, lays flat for naps, has a great sun shade and gigantic basket, great wheels for any terrain I personally would take it through, and an adjustable handlebar. It's not all that light or compact (but also not the heaviest or bulkiest choice double stroller) but...you can't win em all...and the push is so smooth that it doesn't feel heavy at all once it's on the ground. Bonus: I found an open box deal and got it $250 off the original price...sold! 

29 week update - Well hello, 3rd trimester!

I can't believe we're in the final stretch! 2 down, 1 to go. Guess it's time to dig out the newborn items and wash everything! Might be hard without a washer, dryer, or counters....

Two weeks ago, we decided to re-do the kitchen/laundry room floors. Kind of the opposite of nesting. We pulled up the linoleum only to discover 3 more layers of linoleum since the house was built in the mid-80's. This revealed some major wood rot and, unexpectedly, some cabinet rot. So what was, "We'll just replace the floor with new tile," has turned into, "We have to tear up the entire floor in 70% of the kitchen and laundry room, tear out the damaged insulation, shore up the joists, make repairs to the plumbing, replace the insulation and subfloors, install a cement backer for the tile, replace all the lower cabinets....and that also means replacing the countertops, theennnn we can lay the new tile."

So yea, I haven't had a kitchen or laundry room in 3 weeks and we're looking at maybe another 2 until it's completely finished. But it is going to look AMAZING (it better, anyways)!

New this week: I had my gestational diabetes test and they said no news is good news. So since I haven't heard anything back, I'm assuming I passed!

We also had our maternity/family photos taken at the beach with the same photographer that did our maternity session last time! 

Now that we've reached the 3rd trimester, my doctor visits go from monthly to every 2 weeks. That is so crazy to me that we're already here.

Baby's size: a 3lb cabbage

Total weight gain: 11lb

Symptoms & Cravings: I wish I could say feeling hiccups! I'd felt them by 27 weeks with Grace, but this pregnancy has been different in alot of ways. Being uncomfortable much earlier (this baby just loves to stretch out and push my skin to the limits), my linea nigra showing up much later (and still way lighter), no cravings but just being all over the place with what I want to eat, and having an "outie" now! My skin and hair have changed too. I have always had very oily skin but it's been perfectly neutral for the last several months, and I used to have to wash my hair every 2-3 days or I looked like a grease ball. Now I can go 4, probably 5 days without washing it!

How do you feel? Round. And heavy! This baby is heavier, another reason I think he or she will be a little early. My back is getting to be an issue too and I no longer have a choice but to sleep on my side. For Mother's Day, Mathias got me a float session in the sensory deprivation tank at Glow Spa. I've wanted to go for so long, so I'm super excited to go this weekend!

Moment of the week: I figured out how we'll do the gender/name reveal! With Grace, I just made  a simple white image with her name on it, and pink feet stamped next to it. Then I made this image my profile picture on Facebook so everyone could see we'd had a GIRL! This time, we had our photographer take a picture of Grace holding blue hydrangeas, and another picture holding pink hydrangeas. Whatever the baby is, boy or girl, that photo will be posted!

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.