Week 34 of #2 pregnancy = sucky blogger

Yes, almost 10 weeks have passed since my last blog entry. When I first started this blog I did so with the intention of doing 2 blog entries a month. My reasoning was not because if I didn't, my readers would get bored and forget about me...I had no clue I had readers. I wanted to chronicle my life in an online journal format and share new adventures with family and friends back home in IL. I never thought people would actually find my entries interesting, let alone worthy of bookmarking or even "pinning" =) So happy I have readers. Thanks so much to everyone that checks in on The Sweetest Adventures. Y'all rock!

WOW. 10 weeks have passed. I think that may be the longest hiatus from my blog I have taken since I created it in 2009. I am pregnant. My father-in-law was living with us for the past 4.5 months. We haven't been able to flip rooms/reorganize baby stuff because of our house guest. I am in the bicycle industry in marketing, and Interbike just happened. I have a 20 month old. My husband runs his own business...also in the bike industry. THERE. Excuses are finished. Back to business. Blogging.

Oh how I have missed you sweet little blog.

Preggo catch up: I am 34 weeks this Saturday. To be honest there really hasn't been too much activity beyond getting bigger and more uncomfortable; than when I was pregnant with Aven. HERE is a link to my 32 week blog from 2010. OK...that previous statement about not too much activity is a lie. Baby boy is a mover and a shaker. I am WAYYYY bigger than what I was with Aven. I haven't been able to work out like I did with Aven because I am so busy. Consequently, pregnancy round #2 has been hard. My pelvis has been aching non-stop since week 30. I think I have sciatica in my right lower back. Every joint seems loose. It is like I have no strength anymore. My placenta is on the back of my uterus (with Aven it was on the front) so I feel EVERY tiny itty bitty movement he makes. Sometimes it actually feels like he is punching my cervix and my butt! (BTW, he is head down). And to top it off, I got some strange news at my last doctor's appointment.

I mentioned to Meg how I have been having some back pain/cramping. Similar to menstrual cramps. The last time I recall feeling like that while preggers, Aven was born 4 days later. She seemed really cool about it and mentioned there was a test we could do to see if little man was arriving in the next 2 weeks. It is called fetal fibronectin. In layman's terms it is a test to see if there is a hormone present in the vagina that denotes the "glue" holding your uterus up is depleting. If the "glue" is present in the vagina, then the process of labor has started. The doc will give you 2 shots of corticosteroids to boost the baby's lung development. Meg assured me she didn't think I would have a positive result on the test, but better to make sure. So she swabbed my cervix, similar to getting a PAP smear and then she checked me. She said my cervix was soft which isn't totally normal, but best to wait for the results. That was on a Friday...and we had to wait until Monday to get the results. Consequently, I was freaking out the entire weekend thinking we were going to have a preemie baby in the next couple weeks. Good news. The test was negative and we are safe for at least the next 2 weeks...I have another appointment this Friday; so we will see if I have to take the test again. I think I am supposed to get my strep B test this time too. Yeah...vag tests are AWESOME. Promise. Will keep you updated on this Friday's doc appointment.

Ok, honesty alert...I do not enjoy being pregnant. Especially the second time around. There are things that are magical, don't get me wrong. I love knowing I am creating life, he is protected and growing, movements mean he is getting stronger, and even my ever growing belly is still an anomaly to me that I really love looking at. But DUDE. Seriously. The icky things I didn't get with my first pregnancy have come full force with this one. 

1. Hemorrhoids. I haven't looked, but pretty sure things are not happy down there. CHECK. 
2. Lack of quality sleep. CHECK.
3. Indigestion.CHECK.
4. Peeing (even a little bit) myself every time I sneeze. CHECK.
5.  I cry every time I see a baby, think of a baby, think of losing time with Aven, not having enough time with little man when he is here...Emotions off the charts. CHECK.
6. Excess snot, phlem, boogers, sneezing (which doesn't help the peeing thing either). CHECK.
7. FAT FEET with uber pretty callouses. CHECK.
8. Complexion is dull and icky. CHECK.
9. Puffy fingers. CHECK.
10. Bitchiness. CHECK 

I feel guilty saying I am not enjoying my pregnancy. This is the last time I am going to be pregnant. EVER. It is such a short time in my life and a complete and utter amazing experience that not everyone gets to have. I should be glowing and thankful, right? Nope. Just ready to be D-O-N-E. Then I feel even more guilty about wanting the pregnancy to be over when I hear he may come TOO early.UGH. The trials and tribulations of being THE Mom, right? ;-)

Mostly, I wanted to vent (hopefully in a slightly comical way), but if anyone that reads this feels a even slightly similar and are worried about feeling guilty. Don't. It's cool. Pregnancy is awesome, but with the awesome comes the gruesome too. LOL. The light at the end of the tunnel I have this time versus the first time is I know for sure:

• I will have a sweet little baby boy to love and hold...on the outside of my body
• I will not be pregnant forever
• I will lose the baby weight
• I will eventually be able to bend over
• This time next year, I will have an almost 1 year old and an almost 3 year old who love me and give me hugs and kisses
• My boobs will eventually go back to a "normal" size
• I will be able to give myself a pedicure
• Everyday will be a new adventure

Oh little man...please stay inside as long as you possibly can, but then at the same time don't take too long getting here. I am really looking forward to seeing your sweet little face. =) I will leave you with a visual of my epicness...

The Sweet Family Truckster

Wow what a freaking difference! I am feeling great. My emotions are totally back to normal. I still get weepy at that darn Mother's Day commercial for P&G -- but give me a break; that thing is a total tear jerker even if you aren't preggo, right? I am excited for little man to arrive, I am looking forward to all that pregnancy has to offer, my disposition on a daily basis has totally improved. Whoo Hoo!

The only preggo "symptom" I am having is insomnia. I can't sleep. I can fall asleep fine, but if I wake up...I am UP. But hey, I am writing a blog, right?

Here are my 21 week pics:

We are getting ready to take a family vacation in 2 weeks. The husband is competing in Ironman Lake Placid. We are going to DRIVE 18 hours to Lake Placid. People we tell think we are out of our minds. But last year we flew with a 7 month old to IMLP for my work and for Andy to sign up; and that was torture! In order to actually get to Lake Placid, you have to fly into Vermont, rent a car, take a ferry over Lake Champlain, then drive an additional 2 hours. Plus, this year we are taking Andy's bike and all his IM gear. Checking bags and his bike would be a small fortune. So family road trip it is. The only caveat is the blue magoo (our trusty Saturn Vue), probably wouldn't fare as well as we would. So the initial plan was to rent a mini van. The least expensive van I found was going to be $600 for the week. Plus, we were going to have to install some sort of bike rack on the back. Either buy a new hitch and secretly install it on the rental for our bike rack or buy a new bike rack that would "stick" to the back gate.

Our thought was with baby #2 on the way, we were going to have to get a second vehicle anyway. We have an old pickup truck that Andy drives, but no bueno for bambinos/car seats. So...wait for it, wait for it, wait -- ok here goes...we are going to buy a mini van. GASP. I know, here we are in our thirties with 1.5 kids and we are going to buy a mini van. Yup. I am THAT gal now. I never thought in a million years I would be who I am today. Not that mini vans are bad or kids are bad either. Gawd no. Just not what I pictured for myself. I really didn't think I would ever get married, let alone have kids, a house in the woods, AND a mini van. Good to know I am not solely in charge of my future and there is someone out there looking out for me. I love my family and where I am today.

OK, back to the Sweet family truckster. After much painstaking deliberation and a little kicking and screaming from me.

"But I don't WANT a mini van." 

***POUT*** 

We found the Mazda 5. So cool. It is a "mini" mini van and has a much sportier look. Also rated 3rd out of the top 10 mini vans on the market.

Photo from US News and World Report.com

We wanted something with just as much cargo space as the Vue (BTW the Vue had a craptastic load of room in the back), side sliding doors, good gas mileage, and captains chairs in the 2nd row. The Mazda has it all and it was not like driving a bus. Traditional mini vans are HUGE. There you have it. I am pretty sure we are going to be purchasing this in the next 48-72 hours.

Yikes! "Hello soccer mom-ville? Have room for one more? You do?!"

"Great..."

Bad Blogger Bad Blogger! Weeks 12-18 of Pregnancy

OK. I suck. Busy, bla bla bla, more busy, have a 17 month old, bla bla bla. Now that is out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks. (Where does that expression come from any way???)

The first part of my pregnancy was pretty uneventful. Very much like it was the first time. I was a little tired, a little moody, and a little emotional. Really nothing too noticeable to the unknowing person. Then week 12 hit and I was smacked upside the head with a 2x4. I was off the charts emotional (for me), I was super duper irritable (more so than usual), and I was depressed. Like really, legitimately I thought there was something wrong with me-depressed. I was pretty quite about it for weeks 12-13. 2 weeks of depression and I was worried. Super worried. I called my midwife and got into see her right away. She is great, btw!!! She asked all the right questions and didn't make me feel strange for feeling like the world was falling out from under me. Come to find out...by power of deduction and elimination: my placenta hadn't started working to it's full effect yet. It finally kicked in about week 16! I am sure there are a multitude of reasons we ladies feel like absolute crap at the beginning of our pregnancies; but from what I have been able to deduce from discussing things with my midwife, doing research, and talking to other mommies; is it has a lot to do with your placenta. Before that gross, but very necessary component starts working 100%, there isn't a buffer between you and the baby. Everything the baby needs (hormones, calories, fluids, blood, oxygen, etc.) comes from your supply. That is why you feel like you don't have anything left...because you don't. When the placenta starts, then FINALLY, there is a supplement at work and your body gets a break. I guess with Aven my placenta started working sooner than it did with baby #2.

After talking with my midwife and other women, depression during pregnancy is pretty common. Really? I had NEVER heard of that side effect. Well, maybe no one ever talks about it. I didn't. I felt embarrassed I didn't feel the excitement like I did before. I was embarrassed I wasn't going to be able to handle 2 kids. I was embarrassed I couldn't "handle" things. Basically, I felt as if I was a failure as a mother and a wife and I didn't want anyone to know...not good. I know. I was lucky I started talking to my husband and then finally to my midwife. We made a plan if things didn't turn around in the next couple of weeks. That was reassuring and was good to hear there was a "plan." I was so relived when I started feeling better by week 16. My main purpose in writing all this out, is not to have anyone feel sorry for me. I really want to let other women know it is "normal" to feel unsure, uneasy, and depressed; but the biggest thing to do is to talk about it and not feel embarrassed. Just like with postpartum, no one can see it. You may think it is written across your forehead; but it isn't. You need to talk to someone so it doesn't spiral out of control. Also, if you are like me, and want more answers other than "Oh it is normal, it should go away in a couple of weeks." Then ask. Why is this happening? What techniques can I/we apply to make it easier? Do you recommend a professional to talk to? Do I need to be medicated? Can we hold off on medication for a week or so? Ask anything and everything.

BTW--I am feeling SO much better! Here are a couple of progress pics from the last couple of weeks:

 Above and below: week 14

 Above and below: week 17

*psst don't mind the dirty bathroom please ;-)

This is week 18 now and we had our sonogram to find out the sex of the baby and if he/she is healthy and progressing well. Things are looking great! The femur and humerus bones are measuring (along with the head circumference and brain size) to be about 18 weeks and 5 days. Almost a week "older" than we had thought with my due date/conception date. :) Although the baby is measuring a little small compared to other babies at this stage (weight wise). I guess I am destined to grow tall skinny babies. Aven was long and skinny too. LOL

Drum roll............................................................................

Question: What are little boys made of?

 Answer: SNAILS AND PUPPY DOG TAILS!

Yup. A little baby boy for the Sweets. Not sure how I am going to handle having a "balanced" house. I am used to chaos and craziness. I guess with 2 kids that will come, right?

Thanks everyone for reading and I hope to have more posts in the near future.

Baby #2 for the Sweets...OMG.

Yup it is true. Andy and I are having another baby. We new we wanted to have 2 kids and after my blog post, it really hit home how much we wanted to start trying again. We thought it would take a couple of months maybe even longer since we were under a little more stress this time, (1+ year old baby, new business, Ironman training, etc.) but it happened shockingly fast. I joke with my sister-in-law about how she and her husband can just look at each other and get pregnant. For Andy and I, when we were trying with Aven, it took 3 months of "trying" and on the 4th -- I got pregnant. For baby #2, I wanted to see if I had learned anything from "trying" the first time...

*I keep putting trying in " " because it really isn't so much trying for us as scheduling thang.

I digress...So, in January, we stopped using birth control and I had a couple of old ovulation test sticks left over from Aven. Not sure if those test sticks expire, so I didn't really have all that much promise with getting pregnant on the first try. It didn't happen. No biggie. In February, I bought a new ovulation test kit and 2 digital pregnancy tests. I read and re-read the directions (typical of me) on the ovulation test kit until I had it memorized. I also did the ovulation calculator on Baby Center. So we had our 24-48 hour window. Other than, that we were pretty relaxed about the weekend. We didn't fall into the "OMG it could happen this weekend!" conversation. We didn't really get all that worked up. Which I think helped. We bought a couple bottles of wine, made some great meals at home, had some good quality time with each other, I got a massage at the end of the weekend, and then we waited. 

I think the 2 weeks of waiting until you either get your period or don't get your period, are the worst. I tried to stay calm and not get too excited. I didn't "feel" pregnant. I wasn't emotional and my boobs weren't sore. All of which happened with Aven. So, I was getting prepared to see the NOT PREGNANT on the digital read out. The day before I was supposed to get my period was a Friday. So I figured, if it says not pregnant it might be too early and not to get disappointed. So I took the test anyway. Andy was getting Aven ready for the day so ... I peed. The results come up fast on the digital preggo tests. That is why I like them so much. PLUS. It is really clear. Not digging the instructions out of the garbage to read and re-read...1 blue line or 2? What about that is "clear blue easy"? 

It read PREGNANT. So I tried to calmly walk into Aven's room and show Andy. I said tried...as soon as I saw Andy I couldn't help but hug him and start crying. I didn't want to freak Aven out in her (I am just like Daddy and do not like to wake up-sleepy baby mode) so I silently started cheering. I showed him the test and he was just as happy. 

We are really over the moon! Even though nugget #2 still has 28 weeks before his/her debut, I am at peace. I love Andy and Aven so much and I feel with a second child our family will be complete. Aven will have a playmate and hopefully a life long friend. They will only be 22 months apart. Due date is 11/11/2012.

It is funny...with your first baby everyone asks a couple of questions right off the bat: 1) How are you feeling? and 2) Are you going to find out if it is a boy or a girl? With the second pregnancy, people have been habitually asking: 1) Are you going to have more? and 2) Do you want a boy or a girl?

To answer those questions...I think we are going to be happy with 2 kids. Man on Man defense instead of Zone is the way we want to keep things. Plus, I am not getting any younger. I personally don't want to have babies in my forties. Not that that is a bad thing, it is just not what I am wanting for me. Regarding the sex of the baby, really? Really? I don't have a choice. Even if I did, I don't think I would take that opportunity. Also, from what I have learned from having Aven, it doesn't really matter if your kid is a boy or a girl. They are going to be their own person and give you back what you give them. Sure, it would be easier if we had a girl. We have all the clothes; but how hard is it to go shopping? If we had a boy, then Andy would have a buddy; but then he already has a buddy. Aven is SO a Daddy's little girl it is hilarious. She lights up when we pull up to the Hub or he walks in the room = buddy. So I think having a second Baby Sweet, regardless of if he is a boy or she is a girl, is going to be a wild, fun, and awesome ride. =)

Nugget #2 circa 7 weeks measuring 6.5 cm

WillpoweredJourney

My friend Will is running across the country. He is planning on touching all 48 states in his journey. Will is one of Andy's best friends from high school. Crazy to think he was training for his FIRST marathon ever when we got married 4.5 years ago!

What possessed him to do this? I don't know.
How is he doing this? I don't know.
Am I completely intrigued by his journey? Totally.

You can follow him on his path via his blog: willpoweredjourney.wordpress.com

Up until he started his journey, he was doing cardiac research for the University of Kentucky. I am not sure which came first the chicken or the egg; but he is raising money for the American Heart Association.

If you want to follow Will, please add his blog to your favorites or your blog list. If you want to donate to the American Heart Association this year, please do so via the link above. Regardless, this is a story that I think will gain some momentum. Pretty cool we are witnessing it 3 days into his journey.

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." John Steinbeck

I am going to watch Will on his journey...and see how crazy his beard gets. Who is with me?

The Way We Were...

Sometimes reflecting can be counter intuitive. Other times it can be positive reinforcement. And then other times it can be a motivator.

Looking back on my adult life I have felt all three of these. There are things I wish I didn't do. There are things I wish I would have done and still can do. There are also things I wouldn't change for the world.

Taking a hiatus from competitive athletics has been a unique experience I could have never really done without being pregnant. Pregnancy certainly forced me to take a step back and reflect. In my heart, I know I am a rock climber, a runner, and a cyclist. Definitive roles I own and am proud of. But over the past 2 years I have put mother ahead of all of these. Taking time to have a healthy pregnancy, nursing, and time with my family is so important. But now Aven is starting to become more independent and is interested in the world around her more than she is having me at her beck and call. This realization is liberating but also a little sad too. My baby is growing up. *sniff.

I know I want Aven to have a sibling and I want them to be close in age so they can have more in common with each other while they are growing up; but then that means another 2 years of putting my competitive activities on the back burner.

Is it worth it?

I know I am never going to get paid to be a triathlete. I am never going to go Pro at any of the activities I enjoy, so what difference does it make if I wait 2 years? There isn't an expiration date on cycling, running, or climbing. On the other hand, it does get frustrating when I talk to my peers and they are all ramping up for a big race and I am not. I have not had the opportunity to be competitive in Chattanooga. I don't think any of my counterparts look at me as a competitive. But in my heart I know I am...will I still feel that way in 2 years?

Yes.

Yes, I will. I am a competitive person by nature. Duh. I try to beat the car next to me at a stop light when it turns green...in a 4 cylinder 7 year old SUV for goodness sake! Having another baby is not going to diminish that part of me. The joy I have gotten from being Aven's mom has been the best feeling I have ever had. Better than any hardware I have gotten in a race. Better than any PR I have accomplished. Better than sending my first 5.11. Hands down Aven's spirit and love has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt why I was put on this earth.


What does this all mean? I don't know. Well, I guess it says I am ready to have 2 munchkins running around Sweet Soddy Acres. Not saying this is happening tomorrow or next month, but I guess I am just saying I am ready...I think I am going to have to chat with Cara and see if this is really what I want LOL.

Congrats to everyone at the TT this morning! I was thinking about you and wishing you luck.

Whew we made it!

Oh my...it has been 3 months since my last blog post! I have been busy. Duh. To be honest, that is not really an excuse. I think my priorities ebb and flow depending on how much time I have. Bla bla bla. The bottom line is I have been a crappy blogger. Sorry.

Here is a quick recap: Work has been good for me. I have been with ABG for almost a year and am feeling much more confident. I like the guys I work with and my boss is very supportive. The HUB is doing really well. I am so proud of Andy and Jamie. They have really made something very cool out of nothing. REALLY. We had NOTHING when we all started. Aven started crawling over Halloween weekend, and has not stopped moving since. She is so stinking cute when she wants to move fast. Now she is pulling herself up on things and cruising like a pro. I think we are just a couple of weeks away from walking. We spent Thanksgiving in TN. We had/have a ton of rain this winter. We spent Christmas in IL, and West TN with Grandparents and family. Aven's birthday/NYE party was fun.

Since Aven's first birthday, I have done a lot of reflecting. Being that her birthday is on New Year's Eve, it somewhat forces you to reflect, even if you don't plan on it. I kept thinking about *last year I had a 1/2/3/4 day old baby at this time, I was just learning how to breastfeed, I didn't know what sleep deprivation really was, etc.*

So many people say this, but the first year of Aven's life has gone by SO fast. But like when most people actually sit back and reflect then they realize there was A LOT in that past year. I love Aven more than anything in the whole world, but those first 3 months were tough. Everyday things got a little less tough. I think my most favorite time of her life so far as been the past 3-4 months. I can't wait for her to be her own little person. She has already started to show her personality. She is so smart, and sweet. She does have a stubborn streak...I have no idea where that came from. ;-)

I thought it was hard dropping her off at day care the very first time, but it seems to be getting harder and harder. All I want to do is play with her, teach her things, and get to know her. It ticks me off that someone else gets to do those things with her. I know it is a necessary evil to have 2 working parents, and I wouldn't want to put that burden on Andy, even if we could "afford" to be a 1 income family...but sometimes I don't want to walk out that day care door. I know I am not the only Mommie out there to have these feelings. I also know I am not going to be the last either. *sigh*

This past year has been the hardest and the most rewarding of my life. Aven has made Andy and I a family and I am so happy she is here. Here are some photos from the past year...