17 weeks

Just a quick update on baby #2. I am now 17 weeks along which has gone by insanely fast and I'm still somewhat in denial that our family of three is about to become a family of four. However it's getting harder and harder to ignore my growing belly.  The bump is bumping! We have been calling this baby "Baby Lentil" because it was the size of a lentil bean when we found out I was pregnant. 

The second trimester has been pretty kind to me.  I have regained *some* of my energy which has been really helpful now that Ellie is in full blown toddler mode. Like SkippyJon Jones, she is up and down and back and forth!  So far I've been able to alleviate my minor aches and pains by sleeping with my beloved pregnancy pillow, Snoogle. I haven't been able to make it back to prenatal yoga which is something I really enjoyed the first time. I know I really should and I know once I got there I'd be glad I went, but it is so hard to find the energy after a long day of Ellie watching. Perhaps I will force myself to go tomorrow. I have gained less weight this time around but I feel much bigger.  As usual with second pregnancies, your body remembers and it pops back out a lot quicker.  I feel like my poor hips never got a chance to go back to their original "spot".  And they probably never will!

Baby Lentil is now about 5 ounces and is 5 inches long from head to toe (so says my Baby Center App).  I started to feel her move around 15 or 16 weeks but it is still very faint and I often have a hard time telling if it's the baby or if I'm just digesting. I say "her" because at our NT ultrasound the technician gave us a preliminary guess that the baby was a girl. It's too early to be certain but we'll find out in a few weeks. I would be very happy with either sex but it certainly would be easy to have another girl because we have all the girl stuff (too much really!). However since this is likely our last baby it would be fun to have one of each. We are really looking forward to finding out.  Once we know the sex of the baby, Tom will finally be willing to talk names and I think it will  feel more real to me.  That's also around the time you can really start to feel the baby move so that will help as well. My cousin Nate and his wife Maria just welcomed the birth of their son Diego.  Seeing their photos from the hospital brought me right back to our first days with Ellie. It's going to be interesting having a newborn again, the good and the bad.

Ellie has started to notice as well.  Sometimes she will lift my shirt up and press on my belly button. We started doing this to her when she was a baby and we would say "ding dong" like it was a doorbell.  I think she likes doing it to me because my belly button is almost sticking out all the way. It will be really interesting to see how she likes being a big sister. She'll be too young to fully understand what's going on but perhaps that's a blessing.  Instead of having a 2-3 year old whose used to having your undivided attention, she probably won't realize what she's missing.  It is what it is! I am lucky that I have met some wonderful mom friends who have been a big support to us.  One of which is also expecting a second baby soon.  Our babies are both going to be 17 months behind their big sisters and both of our sets will be three months apart. I am happy to know someone who is going before me and with whom I can share and commiserate with. My mom's group has been really helpful in watching Ellie when I need to go to the doctor or have an appointment and thus far I haven't had to find a babysitter (one I didn't know). Ellie has only been watched by family and close friends. We are very lucky!

I am starting to look forward to cooler weather, especially as I break out my maternity clothes. Nothing sounds better than sweatpants and slippers. I also think it's going to be really fun having this baby during the most magical time of year - Christmas! Nothing is more homey than sparkly lights, homemade pie and a Christmas tree.  We didn't have a Christmas tree last year and I am DETERMINED to have one this year.  I just have to figure out how to Ellie proof it.  If anyone has any ideas or tricks, please let me know.  This pregnant woman needs a Christmas tree. Consequences be dammed! 

Lots to look forward to in the year ahead.  Here are some of our latest  pictures:

Ultrasound 7 weeks

Ultrasound 13 weeks (3D)

Ultrasound 13 weeks

16 weeks

16 weeks

16 weeks (and one year!).  Ellie is already squishing the belly. :)