BABY! 😉 Ok ok, for real now! We are WAY excited to be adding another sweet baby GIRL to our family!

I know I know, 3 girls and 1 boy! That’s a lot of pink {and a lot of weddings to pay for}! 😉 But really I couldn’t be more thrilled! My son, on the other hand, was a tad disappointed. We told our kids with the typical cupcakes filled with pink frosting. When I asked Gabe how he felt about it he said, “I thought it was going to be blue in there mom.” Whomp whomp. Ritch told him how important his job is as a brother of three girls, and I assured him that we will {likely} have another chance to have a boy in the future {yes, I’ve always wanted 5 kids. Well really I always wanted 6, but my hubby is more keen on 5, so we’ll see…one baby at a time is our motto ;)}!

I consider it a blessing to get to be a mom to three sweet girls. I have the privilege of  teaching them to become women who love and trust in the Lord, of showing them that true beauty has nothing to do with one’s outward appearance, and to be an example of a mom who loves them selflessly and unconditionally.

Also, I get to be real with them….to be vulnerable about my weaknesses. I will show them {because it’s impossible to hide} that I am not, and never will be, a perfect woman, and I don’t expect them to be either. I will teach them the importance of giving grace, and they will experience the feeling of security and love that comes from receiving it.  To be a mom of three girls is a weighty task, one I do not take lightly…but one I will do joyfully with all of my heart every day for the rest of my life {which isn’t hard, look at these beauties}!

I’m just over 21 weeks along now…and everything is going great! I’ve fully felt the bliss of the second trimester and am loving it!

Symptoms

Nausea:

The nausea is pretty much nonexistent at this point {hallelujah!!!!!} I still need to eat something small first thing in the morning and after I workout, but other than that it’s pretty much business as usual!

Fatigue:

Out with the nausea, in with the fatigue! I actually enjoy afternoon naps, so this symptom is not one I consider an issue at all! 😉

Baby Belly:

Yep I totally have one! I actually think I’m already passed the “did she just eat a huge meal or is she pregnant” phase! This happened to me with my 2nd and 3rd pregnancies too. My uterus knows the drill and gives the baby plenty of space pretty quick, but then the growth slows down and plateaus in the third trimester!

Super Nose:

I’m still crazy about smells. It is not uncommon to find me with a wax warmer on and a candle lit at the same time. 😉

Movement:

I am feeling this little missy move a few times every day! I still haven’t reached the constant movement stage {the doctor said my fluid levels are amazing, which is great but also keeps me from feeling movements until the baby gets bigger}! I love feeling my babies move. I never, ever complain about a jab in the ribs or kick to the belly…I cherish every single time I feel my sweet babies move…and miss it like crazy when it’s all said and done!

Aversions

Garlic and onions are an absolute no in my life these days. Mostly because I just can’t handle the after taste! Really anything super strong tasting is out of the question. I bring a toothbrush and toothpaste with me everywhere I go {although I do that even when I’m not with child lol}!

Cravings

I’m still on a Village Baker {read: insanely delicious sandwiches} kick! I actually missed it while we were in Chicago! I’m finally loving salads and sweets again! I’ve been making a lot of Fudgy Paleo Brownies and Healthy Peanut Butter Blondies to healthily satisfy my sweet tooth! 😉 I’m also still eating loads of hummus and carrots!

Exercise

I’m back to my gym routine because it’s way too cold and dark to do anything outside in the morning now! I take it easy, mostly cardio with a few workout videos in my basement thrown in here and there. I have learned to accept and love the changes my body goes through during pregnancy, and really just workout for two reasons!

1) I love doing it and

2) I believe it absolutely helps you have a smoother labor and delivery if you stay active during pregnancy.

I have given birth to all three kids naturally, and I think that was possible, in large part, to staying active up until the day I gave birth!

My thoughts

Oh gee, I told you most of them up yonder about having a third girl. It threw me because I really thought I was having a boy since I felt SOO different than when I was pregnant with Naomi! {But I can probably blame it on the fact that this is my first pregnancy over 30 lol}! I think what I’m most excited about is getting to have two kids of the same gender less than two years apart! Bethany and Naomi are 4.5 years apart, and while I know they will be great friends…I always wished my sister and I were closer in age. Now my younger girls will get to experience that and it’s going to be awesome!

I’m also over the feelings of anxiety about having a 4th child come out of me and into our family {LOL, but seriously I was freaking for a few months}. I’ve passed from crazy nervous to crazy excited about meeting my sweet girl! That 20 week ultrasound is really amazing. She was playing around in there and all I could think about was holding her, breathing in that sweet newborn scent, and loving this precious little girl more than I can ever express in words!

My other kids:

They’re kind of over the excitement because it’s taking so so so long for this baby to be born! LOL! The one I’m the most concerned about is Naomi. She is all about mommy and gets crazy jealous when another kid even looks at me. When asked what her name is, 50% of the time she says “Nay” and the other 50% it’s “baby.” Yikes.

Nesting:

After this baby is born our older 3 kids will share a room and she will have her own room. I’m finally scheming how I will decorate it! Yes it’s true, I only have ONE thing hanging on the wall in Naomi’s room because I didn’t want to pink it out just to have to blue it up later. Well now all is fair in two consecutive girls. So time to start decorating! 🙂

Things I’m Loving!

Prenatal Vitamins!

I realize I have totally forgotten to remind all my mommas out there about prenatal vitamins! Probably because I’ve been taking them for 6+ years now and don’t really think much about it! I take these Rainbow Light Prenatal One vitamins! I love that they are food based vegan & gluten-free!

Cocoa Butter Lotion!

I still can’t recommend Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lotion enough! I literally use it every morning and every night…I just slather it all over my belly! Yes, the smell can get to you in the first trimester, but since I’m past that I don’t mind smelling a little like chocolate all day and night! 😉

La Croix

I can’t stress enough how much La Croix has saved my life during this pregnancy. I still drink at least 1 can a day and am eternally grateful to this company for creating such an amazing beverage!

Well that’s all she wrote! Any questions about the 2nd trimester that I didn’t answer? Drop me a line in the comments!