Baby Bum #2: Some Deets and Stuff

12.13.2016


As we approached R’s first birthday (back in August), Jordan and I discussed when we wanted to start trying to have another baby. We both have three siblings and had talked in the past about wanting at least three, maybe four kids just based on that fact that we like the size of our own immediate families. 

Of course, then I gave birth and said ONE CHILD ONLY KTHANKSBYE. But over time you start thinking maybe having another one doesn’t sound like such a bad idea after all. (Side note, if you haven't read them, you might enjoy my two posts: 10 Reasons Why Running a Marathon is Like Having a Baby and the follow up I wrote after actually giving birth.)


We definitely weren’t ready to start trying at any point before she turned one, but right around August we both felt like maybe we could just sort of “see what happened” in that department if you know what I mean. You may or may not remember that it took over two years to get pregnant with R, and we did end up seeing a fertility doctor for a short time, so we really had no idea how long it would take to get pregnant again, or if we even could.


We are so extremely thankful and blessed that it did not take very much time at all this time around. Truthfully, I was surprised to find out I was pregnant even though we were trying, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected in that sense. (There are kind of a bit more details there but not really something I want to put on the blog. I also want to be sensitive about giving any sort of impression that "It was so easy!" because I know there are many who struggle and are still struggling, and getting pregnant is not certainly easy for so many people. Again, we are very thankful that it did not take as long as it did with R and we do not take that for granted.)


I took a pregnancy test on Monday, October 10, because I threw up. I woke up around 4am that morning and felt super nauseous. I fell back asleep and woke up around the time I was supposed to start getting ready for work and threw up. I felt extremely nauseous and called in sick that day. My mother-in-law drove over and picked up R for me (bless her), and I laid on the couch all day watching The Flash on Netflix and completely unable to sit or stand up without feeling like I wanted to throw up again. I sincerely thought I just had a bug because R and Jordan had both been sick the previous week, but my MIL told me that I should take a pregnancy test to rule it out. I was like, okay but I’m not pregnant.


I did have one of the cheap sticks at home, so I took one around 3pm, once I could sort of move around without wanting to rush to the bathroom. The faintest line showed up, like seriously it was barely even there. So I called Jordan and said that I took a test and it was maybe showing a line but I couldn’t tell. I told him that I was going to the store to get the expensive test that actually said “pregnant” or “not pregnant” and I would take it once he got home from work.


The test had a countdown bar, so it blinked and then held four bars on the screen as it counted down the time until the test was ready. I put the test on the counter and counted down. “One bar down!” “Okay two down!” “Three!” It held the fourth bar, and we both looked at each other.


“Pregnant.”


We immediately did the math backward and realized that October 10 was literally the earliest possible day I could have taken a test and gotten a positive result. To this day, I still don’t know whether the puking that day was honestly due to pregnancy or if I really did have a bug. That Monday was the only time I’ve thrown up during the entire first trimester and the day I felt the most nauseous. It seems way too coincidental, but maybe this baby just wanted to make a grand entrance.


I took a test first thing the next morning (one of the cheap ones), and a line showed up that was a little darker than the one the day before. I called my doctor’s office (I’m going with the same dr as last time!) and scheduled my first appointment for FIVE AND A HALF WEEKS. They said they didn’t need to see me until 8-10 weeks, and I was only 4 at the time. I am not a patient person, and let me tell you waiting that long was painful. All my pregnancy anxiety came rushing back, and I kept imagining all the terrible scenarios in my head, none of which resulted in anything good.


After about a week of literally counting the days until my appointment and wondering how I was ever going to make it through, I realized that I needed to calm down. If the baby was fine, going to the doctor was not going to make it not fine. And if the baby was not fine, it was going to be not fine whether or not I had an appointment. Like I said, I was a pretty anxious pregnant person with R, and I am really trying this time to give my fears to God and not worry as much. Other than doing the things I can do to give this baby the best chance at being healthy (not drinking or smoking, not taking certain medications, etc.), I cannot control my baby’s growth and development. Once I realized that, I felt a lot more at peace to take it day by day and be excited and thankful for each day I got to spend with this baby, no matter how many days that is.


Like I said, I only threw up that one day, but I did feel pretty nauseous off and on for a while. I was still able to eat regularly for the most part, though, and I went through a legitimate craving for Mexican food that lasted about three days, and all I wanted for every meal was tacos.


My main symptom was just that I was so. tired. Like, epic tiredness. We are talking lunch naps every day, in bed by 8 every night, and 2-hour naps on both Saturday and Sunday (I am taking “when the baby sleeps, you sleep” to heart, people). Lately I do feel like I’m getting some of my energy back, but naps are still a beloved part of my weekends and lunch hours.


I will be 13 weeks on Friday and have my second appointment next Wednesday (after waiting another 5 weeks since my last one!). I always start to get a bit anxious leading up to my next appointment, and we are continuing to pray for a healthy baby! Thanks again for all your excitement. We feel very blessed and are excited to add another little member to our family, and if everything looks good next week I will be on my way to the second trimester. Woo!


Just for fun, here's a comparison of Baby Bum #1 (that would be R) --> Baby Bum #2, both at 12 weeks. When they say you show earlier with your second baby, they were not kidding! I literally did not look this big with R until 17-18 weeks. Send help. And stretch mark cream.

AnneMarie said...

You're looking great! I hope that you're able to make it through the fatigue. The fatigue was probably the worst part of my pregnancy with Peter-I'm such a doer and love being active, and I couldn't stand not being able to function in the evenings (or all day)!
Haha, so this is kind of unrelated, but when I got the positive pregnancy test last year, we wanted to tell our families very soon. I wasn't necessarily worried that something would be wrong with the baby without going to an appointment first before telling people (the midwife office wouldn't see you for an appointment until you were about 8 or 10 weeks, if I remember correctly, and I was only a couple weeks pregnant at the time), but for whatever weird reason, I was afraid that I wasn't really pregnant, that the test was false, and wouldn't it be so awkward and embarrassing if we made "the big reveal" to our families if I wasn't actually pregnant?! Weird thought process to have, but I legitimately debated taking more tests right before we told our families just to "make sure," and I'm pretty sure my husband thought I was crazy.

Danielle said...

Wow, that's a great story! Hope you start feeling better really soon! And although I've never been pregnant, I know that I will be SUPER anxious about my someday babies being healthy and dr appts and such. Will keep Baby Bum #2 in my prayers.

Maria said...

I love reading about the details and appreciate you sharing! This is the first I've heard about the countdown tests. That sounds like an anxiety attack waiting to happen for me. Pee sticks and I have never really gotten along ;)

Praying that your second appointment goes well and Baby Bum 2.0 is healthy and growing! I also pray that the exhaustion goes away soon and it's smooth sailing from here on out. Exhaustion with a 1 year old? I cannot comprehend what that must feel like.

p.s. Your 12 week photo from your R pregnancy looks like me after Chipotle. Err, so does the current one.

Sarah @ Sometimes Photojenik said...

I just love this and all of your details! That's crazy how you just woke up puking one day and then you were pregnant. I've always joked that I'll know I'm pregnant because I'll wake up and puke... now I know that it could actually happen! I'm praying for a less anxious pregnancy and a healthy baby! Also... I just gotta ditto the comment above me- your pregnancy pictures look like me know before and after dinner.

Heather @Lunging Through Life said...

Aww so cute! I'm a new reader here from Live Half Full's blog (saw your comment)! Love that bump. I am also pregnant with my second! That bump sure grows fast the second time around, haha. I hear ya!

Rachel Emily said...

OMG I'm so out of blogland news!! CONGRATULATIONS!! So so so so so so so happy for you, Jordan, and little R!! Also, cutest 12-week baby bump ever? I think so!

Chesson | Magnolia+Main said...

Yay for Baby Bum #2! Also - love that you stayed home and watched The Flash on Netflix. Such a good show :)

Cassie Lee @ Sage the Blog said...

Congratulations. My pregnancy has also been a constant meditation of "I'm not in control" and "nothing I do or the doctor's do will change the outcome of this pregnancy, CHILL." Heavy doses of chill pills needed over here.

Audrey Louise said...

Oh my gosh, look at how cute you are!
I love reading about how people found out they were/are pregnant! Not everyone shares that but I'm always to happy to read the fun stories and discoveries! I love that you guys were together for the *expensive test* reveal!

17 Perth said...

Glad you are starting to get some of your energy back! I can remember laying on the floor while E played and falling asleep! (Terrible I know!) Second pregnancy is no joke chasing a toddler around.
Hope the anxiety subsides. I'm sure you've tried this, but one thing that helped me tremendously was reciting a specific verse every time I had fears/anxieties, sometimes reciting them multiple times, then I would turn in music and dance around like a crazy person with E. Haha.

Hope you continue to feel better each day! Are y'all going to find out the sex?

Rebecca Jo said...

WHOOOO - I must have missed the announcement. This totally took me back.
SO EXCITING!!!!!!!

Angi said...

Yay for another little baby Bum! How do you feel about having two kids in diapers? I always wanted to space my kids out at least a few years so I only had to deal with one kid in diapers at a time, but when it takes a while to get pregnant and you're in your 30s...I'm rethinking that, haha.

Miriam said...

Congratulations, that's so exciting! I hope your energy will return soon!

Torrie said...

That's kind of fun that it kind of came as such a surprise! (Although throwing up is not exactly the kind of way you'd hope the surprise would present itself...) When I was pregnant with Raven, I was super sick all during my first trimester, and I honestly dread the first trimester more than I dread actually going through the labor and delivery process (and that's saying something since I had such an extreme complication after Raven's birth). I'm so glad you've felt so good though! That has to make it a little easier, what with you working full time and everything. And here's hoping to a more energetic second trimester!

Rach said...

I'm so glad you haven't been miserably sick this whole time! And hopefully you will get another boost of energy as you come into your second trimester. And Amanda, I'm so glad you guys didn't have to go through everything you went through waiting on your pregnancy with R. Such a blessing to have these sweet babes so close in age! :)

Jenny Evans said...

I liked your point about the baby's health being what it is, regardless of whether you went to that doctor's appointment or not. We have so much control over EVERYTHING these days that it's easy to forget that the most basic - human life and our family planning - is largely out of our hands and mostly in God's hands. Keep praying for that wonderful little baby and I'll do the same!

Katie @ Live Half Full said...

I remember feeling like I was tranquilized in my first trimester- I'm glad that's passed for you!

Kayla MKOY said...

I am so amazed at the belly bump difference between R and baby #2! So exciting!! I hope the sickness continues to stay away for you!

Callie said...

Ah, cute bump! Congratulations! It's such a blessing that it didn't take long to get pregnant this time! We had to wait longer for our first two kiddos than the second two as well, and it was a blessing for the second two to not have to try too long.

erinhzauner said...

They are totally not kidding about showing earlier. I couldn't believe I had to break out the maternity pants at 12 weeks with William! You are just adorable pregnant too!

Allison said...

I definitely started showing earlier this time and I think I'm bigger at 33 weeks than I was at almost 42 weeks with Aiden. So crazy how your body just "does it's thing" and remembers where to stretch and contort. Haha. So excited for you and loved reading your story.

Beka @ Sunshine to the Square Inch said...

I hope you get more energy soon! I hate being tired so I can not imagine. I don't know who recently told me this but someone said that when I worry I am basically telling God I don't trust Him. And girl, I WORRY ALL THE TIME! I'm getting better but ever since Carol died it did something to my worry gauge inside. Anyways, when worry creeps in I really try to pause and tell myself to trust God rather than to fret and worry about something I have no control over.

The Girl who Loved to Write said...

I love that! I mean, I don't love that you threw up, but I love that it happened on the first possible day..I think it's such a fun story!

Kristen @ See You In A Porridge said...

what you said about going to the doctor and it not making it fine or not fine - seriously. obviously i'm not pregnant but that stresses me out, having to wait so long, and that really makes so much sense and i hope i remember that when it's my turn lol. seriously though, congrats to you! so happy for you! can't wait to (not creepily!) follow along :)

Julie @ Just the Joy's said...

Totally true when "they" say you start showing sooner with baby #2! Although I felt like you start showing sooner, but then it slows down a bit towards then end and you don't necessarily wind up being bigger... if that makes sense! ;) Glad you are feeling better! Take advantage of those naps! And have one for me! ;) Hopefully the second trimester will bring you some more energy!

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