When I struggled with infertility, while I was pregnant, and even when I’m not pregnant, I always enjoy reading other mamas bumpdates. To be honest, I’m so glad that I wrote bumpdates with Dutch each week. I have already found myself going back to rereading them because I have already forgotten what was happening at each week. I want to be able to look back for every detail of this pregnancy too, so here I go with my bumpdates for my Teeny Peep. As with Dutch, I started writing these right away, so you’re getting them several months behind. Until I get caught up to posting in real time I will be posting several weeks at a time.
I image that my Little Peep will be getting in on the picture action a lot :-) 
Date: 6/7/15
How far along: 7 weeks
Fruit-size comparison: A blueberry
Developmental milestones: Lots of brain cells, a pancreas and intestinal development, arms and legs budding out, brain hemispheres.....a lot is going on in that uterus of mine.
Maternity clothes: Not yet, but I certainly have bloating already and can tell that I will be in maternity clothes a lot earlier this time.
Weight gain: Not yet. I gained 31 pounds with Dutch but by 12 weeks postpartum I was 10 pounds under my prepregnancy weight, so hopefully this time I will be able to manage my weight even better than before.
Stretch Marks: I've got plenty of kisses from heaven from carrying Dutch. I applied lotions and such daily with that pregnancy, but to be honest I don't think I'm even going to try to prevent future stretch marks. I absolutely love these badges of honor and I'm so proud to wear them.
Sleep: Pretty good and as much as I can. Around 11 months, Dutch started sleeping through the night so my nighttime sleep is pretty good. Like every mom I'm sure, I usually try to get things done while Dutch sleeps, but I've had to change that. I get done what I can the first hour of his nap, but I rest the second hour. I have to do this otherwise I am completely dead by 3pm.
Best moment of the week: We found out that we were expecting on 5/16/15 but this week we finally got to meet with our OB and seeing that spectacular heartbeat flicker on the screen. This is however the second week in a row that I've been 7 weeks pregnant. According to my cycle I was 7 weeks along last week, but according to our doctors ultrasound, this baby is measuring way too small so my due date was changed so I got to be pregnant for 7 weeks twice in a row. Each week seemed like an eternity long though. When we first saw Dutch at this age our doctor had similar concerns that he was too small, so here we are again praying that this baby grows and increases its heart rate. When we saw him or her this week (on 6/1/15) it was 115 so we definitely want to see that increase in the next month. I'm on pelvic rest already with this baby because of my blood issue. This didn't happen until 21 weeks with Dutch, so it's much earlier, but my doctor would rather we be safe this time until we can see the placenta's attachment better.
Movement: Not yet, but I am looking forward to it :-)
Cravings: Nothing yet.
Gender: I think boy and the Mr. thinks girl
Belly button in or out: Innie
Wedding ring: On
Anything making you queasy/sick: I am nauseous but nothing in particular is sending me in that direction.
What I miss: Nothing!
What I’m looking forward to: Can I say everything for this one? I am looking forward to being pregnant again, and feeling those kicks, and teaching Dutch about being a big brother. Everything has me smiling :-)
Labor signs: Nope, and I'm totally okay with that.
Symptoms: Occasional nausea, extreme fatigue, lots of trips to pee, and I can already feel my uterus stretching.
Nursery: There isn't going to be a new nursery. We plan on having Dutch and Teeny Peep share a room. It's not that we don't have the space; we do have another bedroom, but we would like our kiddos to share a room when they are younger. We're thinking this will be a great opportunity to continue building character with our children. And to be honest, Dutch didn't move into his nursery until he was eight months old so the new baby will probably stay in our room about the same amount of time and then we will do a transition of some sort. Of course we don't know what it is like to have two children and exactly what it will be like, but this is how we think we are going to try to start.
Emotions: Well this pregnancy's emotions have been completely different. With Dutch I was blindly elated, without a single concerned emotion. This time around I'm still elated but the joy is also accompanied by lots of anxiety. I'm nervous about this baby growing healthy physically, cognitively, psychologically. I think it's because this time I know how wonderful it could be and I'm petrified that I could lose an opportunity to embrace being this child's mama. I'm having to stay connected with the Lord a lot more to remain positive and focused on His goodness and mercy. I'm not blind this time. My eyes are wide open.
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Shame on me, but I didn’t get a bumpdate picture for this week!
Date: 6/13/15
How far along: 8 weeks
Fruit-size comparison: A raspberry
Developmental milestones: This baby's arms and legs are already kicking (I can't feel them of course yet). This little one is already starting to grow taste buds so he or she is going to be able to start tasting what I'm eating. So that I have a baby with a pallet for veggies I am pushing the green stuff!
Maternity clothes: I'm not wearing them yet but I've certainly been shopping. Last pregnancy I was large and in charge during the summer so I didn't go too many places and rocked a lot of yoga pants. Since this summer I can't live in my house waiting for the baby to arrive I need some weather-friendly clothing. And that means SHOPPING! :-)
Weight gain: Not yet.
Stretch Marks: I've got plenty of kisses from heaven from carrying Dutch. I applied lotions and such daily with that pregnancy, but to be honest I don't think I'm even going to try to prevent future stretch marks. I absolutely love these badges of honor and I'm so proud to wear them.
Sleep: I'm doing much better this week with resting when Dutch rests. Night time has been a little more challenging. I've had some weird dreams and of course I'm already getting up at least twice a night to pee. So I have a lot of interruptions, but when I'm sleeping, I'm sleeping hard.
Best moment of the week: I know this sounds weird but I think other women who have struggled with infertility would probably get this. I have had more consistent fatigue and nausea. I love having these things because it's my body adjusting to the hormones and being pregnant. This is all good stuff, so I'm so grateful to have it so much more consistently. Also, while we were struggling to conceive Dutch, I started writing him letters about what we were going through to get him and how much of a desired child he was and I filled this notebook with our prayers for him. When we started thinking about Teeny Peep I started his/her very own journal of prayers and letters. It has been so wonderful to begin to share my heart with this baby, before he or she is even here my heart is already pouring into the life of this child and I can’t help but smile :-)
Movement: Not yet, but I am having phantom kicks. I know what the kicks feel like this time, but I also know that its way to early to be experiencing them, but occasionally I still think I feel them. So I've been calling them phantom kicks....my brain is so looking forward to experiencing kicks that it is creating them.
Cravings: My pop tart and cereal cravings are back!
Gender: I think boy and the Mr. thinks girl
Belly button in or out: Innie
Wedding ring: On
Anything making you queasy/sick: I am nauseous but nothing in particular is sending me in that direction; however, I am more sensitive to strong smells.
What I miss: Nothing!
What I’m looking forward to: Can I say everything for this one? I am looking forward to being pregnant again, and feeling those kicks, getting a ginormous belly, and teaching Dutch about being a big brother. Everything has me smiling :-)
Labor signs: Nope, and I'm totally okay with that.
Symptoms: Occasional nausea, extreme fatigue, lots of trips to pee, and I can already feel my uterus stretching.
Nursery: There isn't going to be a new nursery. We plan on having Dutch and Teeny Peep share a room. It's not that we don't have the space; we do have another bedroom, but we would like our kiddos to share a room when they are younger. We're thinking this will be a great opportunity to continue building character with our children. And to be honest, Dutch didn't move into his nursery until he was eight months old so the new baby will probably stay in our room about the same amount of time and then we will do a transition of some sort. Of course we don't know what it is like to have two children and exactly what it will be like, but this is how we think we are going to try to start.
Emotions: Last week I was experiencing a lot of anxiety with this pregnancy and having to really press into the Lord for comfort. I think this week has been better. The anxiety and fear is still there, but it isn't consuming me as much. My excitement has started building.
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Shame on me, but I didn’t get a bumpdate picture for this week!
Date: 6/20/15
How far along: 9 weeks
Fruit-size comparison: An olive
Developmental milestones: Our little one is in the final stage of development now! We have a fetus! At this stage, all of the major organs are in place and they just need time to "fatten up". Also upon entering the fetal stage, that means the baby's first bone cell has been produced. Very exciting to think that in only 9 weeks we are already in the final stage of development.
Maternity clothes: Well I've definitely popped already. It's going to be very hard to keep this bump a secret for a few more weeks, but baggy clothes here I come. I've heard moms say that after the first baby the subsequent bumps appear much faster and that seems to be true for me too. I am rocking my regular yoga pants, but shorts are just too tight so when I wear shorts that are maternity. I've only worn a couple maternity tops so far. Last night I was trying on a dress that I ordered online and asking the Mr if he like it. He said, "Wait, turn to the side. Are you showing already? Is that our baby bump?" We both couldn't help but smile.
Weight gain: This week has been one for the books. I have been sick all week, the kind of sick that knocks you out. I've lost 4 pounds, so I guess as far as weight gain goes that will be good long term.
Stretch Marks: I've got plenty of kisses from heaven from carrying Dutch. I applied lotions and such daily with that pregnancy, but to be honest I don't think I'm even going to try to prevent future stretch marks. I absolutely love these badges of honor and I'm so proud to wear them.
Sleep: Is a little rocky. Since I've been sick I've been needing a lot more sleep. My muscles are so fatigued that I just have to sleep, and I almost passed out in front of the pharmacist because my body just couldn't go anymore. My body is demanding about 3 hours of naps a day this week. At night I'm falling a sleep okay, but I'm having trouble staying asleep.
Best moment of the week: By far was telling both sets of grandparents that there was another bambino on the way. Their reactions were priceless!
Movement: Not yet, but I'm looking forward to it :-)
Cravings: Ugh nothing! All food is gross! All I can eat is rice chex cereal because there is no flavor or smell associated with it.
Gender: With all the nausea this week, I can't help but refer back to the old wives tale that our Teeny Peep might be a girl.
Belly button in or out: Innie
Wedding ring: On
Anything making you queasy/sick: Everything! Smells in general make me heave. It doesn't even have to be a strong smell, a just barely there smell can have me running to the bathroom. Actually just the thought of food can make me gag. I was sick with Dutch at the beginning, but this time it has 10x worse. I can't stand for too long, I can't be in the heat for too long, I can't be awake for too long before I'm sick and fatigued. I don't think it's just because I have a toddler now that I’m running after, which I know makes a big difference. But my mom was here last week and did everything while I was sleeping the entire week away and I was still tired and sick. This again is just another reminder that every child is different and a blessing.
What I miss: Nothing!
What I’m looking forward to: I know I shouldn't put my faith in the calendar or an ultrasound, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I wasn't really looking forward to our next appointment in a couple weeks. With as sick and fatigued as I've been I want to make sure that the baby is doing well. At first I was anxious because there were no physical symptoms of pregnancy, and now I feel like there may be too many. Or perhaps something has gone tragically wrong and this is how my body is reacting. So I'm just really praying hard that everything is okay and we get to see the strong heartbeat and growing baby. I really don't mind being this ill if I know it is for our growing Teeny Peep.
Labor signs: Nope, and I'm totally okay with that.
Symptoms: Nausea like there is no tomorrow and fatigued like I've never slept before!
Nursery: There isn't going to be a new nursery. We plan on having Dutch and Teeny Peep share a room. It's not that we don't have the space; we do have another bedroom, but we would like our kiddos to share a room when they are younger. We're thinking this will be a great opportunity to continue building character with our children. And to be honest, Dutch didn't move into his nursery until he was eight months old so the new baby will probably stay in our room about the same amount of time and then we will do a transition of some sort. Of course we don't know what it is like to have two children and exactly what it will be like, but this is how we think we are going to try to start.
Emotions: I've had some all over the place emotions this week. I've been so excited I've cried (over something silly I was watching on tv), and I've cried over the fact that I can't bend over to shave my legs without having to gag. I've been elated that I'm pregnant and worried out of my mind that something is wrong. Up and down my emotions have roller coastered all week.
