It’s happened - I’ve started the list on things we need to buy for the baby. It’s Chris who is concerned about having everything we need in time, rebuying things after you have kids isn’t something we’ve planned for. We have a pack and play (which we used for Jake after he outgrew the bassinett but wasn’t quite ready for the crib), a crib (currently being used as a toddler bed) and a few items of clothing.

I did save the coming home outfit that Alice and Jake both wore - the same one! - so this baby can wear it as well. I think that’s a cool thing. I’m debating doing a baby list thing at a store (what is that called? I’ll remember in about fifteen minutes.) just so we don’t forget anything, but I’ll most likely shop online so a list in one store might not be worth it.

Is it bad that I feel like I want a baby shower? I never had one with either of the other kids but for some reason, really want one now. Of course I only know a few people here and don’t hang out with them all that often, so I think I would feel odd inviting them to one.

I think the baby had a growth spurt today. I got up this morning, realized we weren’t doing anything really today so I did a little gardening. Back when my Mom was visiting in May she did a lot of gardening here - we planted new flowers, pulled weeds and laid down the black plastic stuff and bark. When she left I had to lay more black plastic and put bark down in the back of the house - and today I finally started it. I did the work in the shade, before the sun moved to that side, but it was still hot and humid. I’m not sure how long I took to get it done but when I finished I realized I didn’t need another work out today!

I came inside, had lunch and had to lay down. I ended up napping for a couple of hours and it felt so good! I swear the baby was bigger when I got up too. I think I’m starting to show, though I decided not to take pictures until I can see the baby when I look down (and, modesty aside, my chest is quite large these days) so who knows when that will happen.

i figure a baby growth spurt since I am tired again, like go to bed ‘on time’ tired. Yay for that!

I haven’t had to take my vitamin B for morning sickness for just about a week! You have no idea how happy I am that the phase passed by. And I’m glad it wasn’t that bad, I’ve heard stories about being sick all day long, not being able to eat at all, etc. Mine was just when I woke up and since it was the first time I’ve experienced this, I’m just happy to be done.

I’m feeling great all around. I have energy again and have only been sleeping at night. I have been going to bed later then usual, but I chalk that up to Chris’ horrible work schedule. He is on leave for a few days so hopefully I can get back to normal again. I really enjoy having a couple of hours to myself in the morning, I’ve never claimed to be a morning person so the quiet helps me wake up and also clean a few things before the kids wake up.

We haven’t been to the Y in over a week and are actually debating quitting our membership. I’m not sure what is stopping us from going, but we seem to have lost our excitement over the place. I hope this is a short phase, one that ends once we just go already, as gymnastics through the Y is much cheaper then through the private gym they were attending. Today Alice said she missed gymnastics, but I’m not sure if she just said that because I asked as she never mentions the classes.

I’m glad to be feeling like my old self again - albeit an old self that can’t button her jeans anymore.

I really have to think about exact moments of the other pregnancies to realize if whatever I’m feeling or thinking is normal or different and I’ve even looked it up online to see if it is normal. I’m surprised at all that I have forgotten!

I am wondering when I’ll start to show, already being a bit chubby doesn’t help. And it stinks that my pants aren’t so comfortable anymore but I don’t feel like I’m showing, or not showing enough anyway, to warrant maternity clothes. I realized just last night that I really can’t sleep on my stomach anymore, which I am SO going to miss. I remember really really wanting to sleep on my stomach when I was pregnant with Jake and I was so huge.

And I think I’m annoyed that the pregnant symptoms are running crazy through my body. I’m still tired but not every day and not as tired and I’m getting up in the middle of the night already! That’s very annoying though I am able to fall right back to sleep after a trip to the bathroom. A few weeks ago if I woke up, that was it, I was up! Thank goodness that little phase has ended.

I talked to my Mom who mentioned that her Dr. said vitamin B can give you hot flashes….which is just what my Dr. gave me for the morning sickness! And I’d like to know why she didn’t mention the hot flashes! I’ve had one every day or every other day - not that bad when you look at it I suppose, but annoying nonetheless. I’ve been able to skip taking the vitamin every other day this week which hopefully means I will be able to quit taking it all together pretty soon which means no more hot flashes! Just the regular heat and humidity.

Chris made chicken wings tonight - they were SO good! I was surprised I could eat them - when I was pregnant with the other two I couldn’t eat spicy or greasy foods. But the wings were too good! We also made steaks but I was too full to eat any more. Hopefully it will still taste good tomorrow when I reheat it!

I had a dr’s appt today - everything is good. We got to hear the baby’s heartbeat, around 160, much better! The last time we heard it, it was racing away at around 190. That had me panicked for a day or so, but I got over it. My weight is good, the dr said I should gain between 15 and 20 pounds total and I’m going to talk to the other dr I’ll be seeing as well. I did tell him I’ve been walking which he was happy about so I felt good. Now to make sure I get to the Y more then just twice a week!

I have been overheating lately, or at least what I think is overheating. Sometimes I just feel really hot and need the fan to hit me, other times it hits me and I overheat, then about five minutes later I sweat it all out. Not a pretty sight, trust me. I said well we are in the south and the dr didn’t have a reason for it. He said just to take care to dress cool and if I worry to give them a call. I haven’t looked it up but maybe I’m just overly hot this time around. When I was pregnant with my son, toward the end (when I was huge) I was always hot. I used to sleep on the couch, with the fan aimed in my direction, oh and the couch was next to an open window. Oh I was so hot. I was huge and it was summer in Washington, not typically a hot time but there are a few weeks in July where it gets hotter then usual.

It’s about time for new clothes. I can still fit my jeans but I’m doing that whole rubber band around the button and through the hole thing. Ugh maternity clothes already? This just isn’t fair! Chris laughed and said maybe I should just buy shorts with and elastic band and live in those. I have a couple of flowly shirts that look nice but maybe I should just wear tank tops all the time. Tank tops and elastic band shorts. What a sight!

I was doing laundry this morning and in leaning up against the washer, I felt the hardness of the baby, the space she is taking up. Ever since my son was born I have slept on my stomach. I think it was because he was such a big baby. I bet I can’t sleep on my stomach anymore. I haven’t really been anyway, more like kind of on my side. I already need another pillow for putting under my leg so I can get comfortable.

I have another dr’s appointment next week, I actually don’t remember when so I need to call the clinic to double check. I am starting over today with my eating, I can’t be eating junk and I wonder if eating the sweets is part of what is causing me to crash and fall asleep in the afternoon? I had breakfast already and we have plans to go to the Y and library today. I figure I’ll take an apple and pb&j sandwich for the kids and I.

Actually I probably need to eat more then I have been. When I was following my LA plan I was eating quite a bit each day - and losing consistently. Obviously I don’t want to lose but I need to eat well, and I wonder what would happen if I picked up my LA plan again and kept doing it?

This baby is sucking the energy from me! I think I need to find foods that will give me more energy and eat those. Or eat more during the day or something.

Today I woke up, took my vitamin - I don’t have full blow morning sickness but feel woozy/wobbly/weird - when I first wake up, unless I take it. I am usually awake for 45 minutes to an hour and then I feel okay enough to eat. After breakfast I did laundry and tried to entertain the kids. We hit the Y as a family but the pool was closed - which I guess was okay because Chris had to get to work! I did get in a 20 minute walk on the treadmill so at least something. The kids and I headed to the library where I realized I was starving! We just went grocery shopping so I didn’t want to go through a drive through and once we got home I had a banana and a pb&j sandwich.

After eating I just couldn’t stay awake. Luckily for me the kids were tired too so we all took a nap - a long nap. We didn’t wake up until 9PM and eating that late is always hard. Well, actually it’s the eating after waking up after a long nap that is hard! The kids wanted cereal and I have yet to figure out what to make for Chris to have when he gets home. He requested dinner be something to eat tonight and also have enough leftovers to take for lunch tomorrow. I might just have to leave him a note to eat the leftovers we have and then I’ll make him something tomorrow to take with him.

I’m amazed at how I can go for days and have lots of energy and then other days I’m just wiped out. I also wonder if this has something to do with the prenatal vitamin I take. I admit I don’t take it every day. It seems that when I do take it I end up feeling sick that day. Like sick that the other vitamin doesn’t take away. It’s very odd.

I’ve been sleeping a lot lately. The other day I laid down at 4PM to take a nap, at 4:30 I moved to the bed and said I would be another half hour, at some point my son joined me and then I woke up and it was dark. I felt refreshed and figured it was late, middle of the night late, 3AM or so. I started wondering if our garage door was closed and if our pool toys and towels had been brought inside - and of course the wondering caused me to not be able to go back to sleep!

After walking downstairs I found the garage door to be closed - and the pool things to still be outside. Once I cleaned up, I grabbed a glass of water and found that it was not even 11PM. I’d slept for seven hours though and was awake. I managed to stay up until 3AM, then fell asleep for a few more hours.

I’ve forgotten how tired being pregnant makes you. With Alice I was exhausted for the first couple of months, but then it went away. With luck, by the end of the first trimester (in a couple of weeks) I’ll have a lot more energy. I’m fine for a few hours - depending. It can be the morning to early afternoon or all afternoon, but not both. Last night I went to bed at 7PM!

I’d like to be able to stay up later. My husband has been home early every day this week and we’ve been out and about every afternoon, part of my tiredness I’m sure. But now he has a three day weekend, and then next he has a four day. He hates to stay at home - especially since he quit smoking and drinking coffee, plus he is finished with school (at least for the time being).

There will be no more losing of the baby weight - more like gaining the baby weight.

We found out a couple of weeks ago that we are expecting another baby. A surprise baby as I’ve had an IUD for the past 3+ years, so for a baby to get past that is amazing. I had an ultrasound right away, and then again yesterday and the baby is fine, fast heartbeat, wiggly and all.

I lost a few pounds right around finding out - one sign I thought I was expecting as I couldn’t eat anything either from not being hungry or from food/smells making me sick. I lost 16 lbs on LA before finding out - and realized the other day that I can’t remember if I lost more. I stepped on the scale and found that I’ve lost 17lbs - but I think a couple of weeks ago I was actually down 21lbs. How odd to be so in touch with what I’ve lost all this time and not so anymore.

I admit that once the vitamin b6 the dr gave me for morning sickness (which I never experienced before!) kicked in, I was fine to eat whatever. Of course whatever sort of was ‘whatever’. I made the comment that wouldn’t it be nice if the baby craved junk food? Cheetos, chips and sub sandwiches? Of course that isn’t healthy and after a couple of days of eating bad (one day I felt like I had a lot of sugar - and I did, in the form of my kids fruit snacks), I’ve been back on track.

I need to start walking regularly, making sure I get plenty of water, and eating healthy. I am meeting with a nutritionist on Friday and am going to show them my LA plan and figure what I should add, more protein, etc. I put LA Weight Loss on hold and figure once the baby is born, eating healthy and breastfeeding will be a good jumpstart to losing weight again.