16 Weeks

Ok pregnancy, you can slow down now that you have calmed down! I really enjoy being pregnant as long as the insane symptoms aren’t making me nuts. I barely had any with Trent which made for a very happy pregnancy so this go around has definitely thrown me for a loop. Still though, it’s such a blessing to even be carrying a miracle from above I just wish life could slow down so I could enjoy it more. It’s a lot harder to relish all the little details when you have a toddler for sure. But, that’s ok because we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Trent knows where the baby is. He’ll point to my belly when asked. One of the most exciting things about this baby is going to be Trent’s reaction/interaction. Some exciting times are to come in the Greene household for sure!

I’ve still been feeling a little breathless but it’s calmed down a little bit. I think this is just a funky pregnancy symptom. I’m not as worried about it as before. I sound like an obese person who just ran a marathon when walking but that’s ok. My midwife pretty sure it will start to calm down, but if it doesn't we'll just need to have a few extra tests done.

Trent insisted on including his parrot.

How far along? 16 weeks
Total weight gain: Approx 7 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yes, and just bought some more bra’s. Ladies...boobs get twice as big with
the second pregnancy...or at least in my case they have. I went ahead and purchased nursing
bras. This makes better sense then to waste money on regular ones just to have to purchase
more. I just made sure I got a couple a little larger than what I am now.
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: I’ve been sleeping very well. We are in the process of teaching Trent to go to sleep on
his own in his big boy room and so far so good. This is a BIG DEAL for the Greene house. We've been so obsessed with rocking and cuddling Trent I almost thought I'd never be able to give it up. But, we've got to get ready for the new bundle of joy and still get to cuddle just not all the way to sleep. A sleeping Trent in Trent's room makes for a very happy and sleeping Mama.
Best moment this week: Despite the news of our Granny passing, I did get to finally see my
brother! It’s been a year and half so it was much needed! Trent loved Uncle Davo and followed
him everywhere. I cannot wait till we live closer one day. We also got to spend time with Aunt Lou Lou and Uncle Adam and are thrilled that they have moved closer to Florida finally. Trent and our new baby are so blessed with awesome Aunts and Uncles!
Miss Anything? I’m hitting the stage in pregnancy where I feel pretty normal (not if you ask
Randy of course haha), but other than the breathlessness stuff I feel good. I don’t miss anything
really. Believe it or not, this week I’ve started to not be able to drink decaf coffee which is odd
because I’m a major coffee person.
Movement: I’ve continued to feel little movements here and there.
Food cravings: Chicken Noodle Soup (so odd considering I’ve never been a huge soup fan).
Anything making you queasy or sick: No
Gender: We shall see! I knew from the very beginning I was having a boy with Trent (just an
instinct I guess). This time I am clueless. We are so excited for either another boy or precious
girl.
Labor Signs: No
Symptoms: Still a little breathless and of course the lower back pain. I’ve got to get to a
chiropractor. I’ve heard they are great during pregnancy and I need this pain to go away before labor.
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy and moody (you can be both at once I promise)
Looking forward to: So much to look forward to! We are going to have a fun filled father's day weekend in Salt Springs!

!!!!!!!!!!!!UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!

We got to see our precious bundle of joy today at the birth center! The ultrasound tech was amazed at how much the baby was moving and such a strong heart beat. Still measuring for the week of Thanksgiving. Our actual due date is November 24th but you can never go by that. It's just a guess. 

We were able to share the precious moment of finding out if you are a boy or girl together as a family. We can not wait to share our exciting news with everyone, but want to wait until we tell our immediate family first. We can hardly contain ourselves. God is so good to us. What do you think...boy or girl? 

Celebrating!

14 Weeks

14 weeks

The past couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster of emotions for this Mama. We had a wonderful family vacations in Islamorada Key. Trent is truly a beach baby and absolutely loves throwing rocks in the water, looking for “fishies”, picking up sand, and saying “night night Sun” every evening on the water. He did great in the swimming pool, too! I can’t wait to watch him grow up going to this annual family trip and hope he learns to appreciate it just as much as his Mee Mee does.

We came back home to very sad news that my sweet Granny had taken a turn for the worse. In short, she passed on May 28^th, 2014, but lived a wonderful life of 89 years. I’m still trying to grasp the fact that she is no longer here...it just hasn’t hit me yet. But I am so thankful to have been giving such precious time with her. She was looking forward to the new baby so much and kept telling me over and over again how I was going to have a little girl. We shall see, Granny, we shall see…we love you Granny.

I haven’t felt very good the past week or so…started getting very breathless whenever I stand up or walk even a short distance. We’re watching this carffully and might need to check into it further but, as of right now, I’m praying it’s just all of the added blood volume causing my heart to work much harder. We’re definitely going to keep an eye on it because I’m not used to having to sit down after walking a few steps.

Besides that, everything is going wonderfully and we as so blessed to be getting ready for this precious baby. Randy has already knocked out quite a bit of his “honey-do” list before the baby gets here.

Oh and I felt our sweet little bean move, or shall we say “flutter” for the first time at week 14. I read that you might feel the baby earlier with the second pregnancy and that is very true. I didn’t feel Trent until around week 18 I believe. I guess it’s because you know what to look for this go around.

As you can tell, pregnancy belly is showing a lot sooner this time…

How far along? 14 weeks

Total weight gain: Approx 5 lbs 

Maternity clothes? Oh yes, although I think i'm still in that "she looks like she's been eating too much" phase instead of the cute pregnancy belly phase.

Stretch marks? None yet

Sleep: Sleep has gotten a lot better. I don't feel as lethargic now. 

Best moment this week: Spending precious time with the family at the keys AND feeling you move (just a little flutter is all) at 14 weeks.

Miss Anything? I miss being able to walk without having to stop and take a breather every few steps...I'm praying this breathlessness goes away fast! 

Movement: I can feel little flutters here and there if I pay really close attention. I've felt you move much sooner than with Trent. 

Food cravings: Ramen noodles (so odd considering it's been years since i've had them), sushi, Mambo sours

Anything making you queasy or sick: Thankfully, this part is over with!

Gender: We can find out as soon as 16 weeks. Not sure when we will, though!

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms:  Breathless, but other than that, feeling pretty good. My lower back hurts if I do a much of work and lift Trent a lot. My midwife says this might be my coccyx bone that could have been fractured or bruised during labor with Trent. 

Belly Button in or out? In 

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: My moods have gotten better if I can just calm down with the "to-do" lists.

Looking forward to: Aunt Lou Lou and Adam coming home!

12 Weeks

At 12 weeks, I am just now beginning to grasp the fact that, yes, indeed there is a little baby on the way and, yes, I am officially pregnant. Now, obviously I don’t mean physically grasp. Heck, there’s been no denying this baby in all of his/her wonderful nausea and exhaustion glory. I’m talking about emotionally and spiritually grasping it. I knew we yearned to be blessed as parents yet again to a wonderful baby from above, but never thought it would be so soon considering how hard it was for us to conceive Trent.

Mom said I looked faint as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom with a positive pregnancy test.  Looking back, I wouldn’t trade how I found out for anything and the surprise of it all. I mean, honestly, I probably would have put having another off for years if it had been left up to me. There’s just always “something going on”. It’s nice when God abruptly reminds you that HE and He alone is the only one in control of your life and your future.

How BLESSED are we to be able to officially announce another precious baby Greene on the way. The miracle of it all is still so hard for me to comprehend. I’m such an advocate for pregnancy and birth it’s just hard for me to put into words how much of a gift I believe it is when a woman is chosen to be a mother…

Now that the early first trimester haze is beginning to rise, I couldn’t ask for a better time to bring a little playmate into Trent’s world. We are now home with all of our family support around us, Trent is going to be able to build that strong sibling bond like I have with my two siblings at such an early age and, at almost 30, I’m def not getting any younger. We are ready for the next chapter in the Greene household…a family of four… oh that just sounds wonderful…thank you Lord.

It’s harder to document every single detail of a pregnancy when you have a toddler running around, work full time, and have an obsession with home improvement projects, but I will try my best.

At 12 weeks, I have felt more pregnant this go around then I ever did with Trent: extreme exhaustion, hunger that will never go away, and nausea all day long. Luckily, I can tell it’s starting to ease up a bit and that is a good thing for my sanity, my waist line, and my marriage.

This pregnancy is going to be extra fun. My brother and his wife Liz are expecting a little on November 8^th so it will be great to see our babies grow together.

Another fun and exciting thing about this pregnancy is that we are under the care of Fruitful Vine Birth Center. Most people consider me a birth fanatic so this makes perfect sense for us. The care you receive before, during, and after birth have a STRONG impact on both you and baby for a lifetime. It is important to have options and we feel as though Fruitful Vine will provide us with the very best of care. I highly recommend you checking them out if you are in the Jacksonville area and would like to take a more natural approach vs. the ugly hospital gown, long doctor waiting room visits, pap smears and IV’s. At least do yourself a favor and research your options. I promise it’s worth it.

I’m pretty sure my belly pictures will not be as polished and consistent as with Trent and that’s perfectly ok. We have been trying to include Trent in all of them and, so far, this has been quite the challenge. But, he does love to lift up his shirt and show us his belly just like Mama.

Oh and at 12 weeks, our precious baby is the size of a half eaten corn dog. From the looks of my bloated belly, however, looks more like 10 half eaten corn dogs.

We look forward to going through yet another wonderful baby journey with you and thank all of you for your support. November 25^th will be here before we know it!

How far along? 12 weeks

Total weight gain: Approx 5 lbs 

Maternity clothes? Surprisingly, YES! I quickly got over trying to squeeze into regular pants or using the dreadful belly band (I don’t recommend this at all it’s uncomfortable and never stays in place). Just go ahead and enjoy wearing those wonderful elastic waistbands while you can! They’re great! Plus, I think I’m showing much sooner than with Trent.

Stretch marks? None 

Sleep: Sleep has consumed my little bit of free time for the last couple of months. It just started getting better this last week when I was able to stay up past 9 p.m. and catch up on my Blacklist (love me some James Spader).  

Best moment this week: Hearing your precious heart beating for the first time.

Miss Anything? Yes. Yes I miss caffeine, and not have a continuous appetite, and not being psychotic (yes, I was psychotic before but, dang, this baby sure has messed with those hormones like crazy). Poor Randy.

Movement: Not yet. Can’t wait for that. You really start feeling pregnant when you can feel them in there.  

Food cravings: Um, YES! My appetite has been through the roof. So far, I’ve craved the same types of things I did at first with Trent: sour candy, Big Red chewing gum,  Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, boiled peanuts, and Slurpees (only from 7 Eleven).

Anything making you queasy or sick: Yes, just not sure what that THING is. Unlike my pregnancy with Trent, I have felt little spurts of nausea all throughout the day this time around. It’s getting better, though.  

Gender: ???

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms:  Moody, tired, hungry J Gotta love it!

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Moody in a happy psycho hormonal kind of way!

Looking forward to: Family vacation this week in the Keys!

It's hard to believe at this exact time last year I was just starting to feel contractions...little did I know you would be entering this world roughly 11 hours of intensely beautiful labor pains afterwards. Mommy would do it over and over and over a thousand times more. The love you have instilled in mine and Daddy's life is indescribable, magical really. It's almost birthday time baby boy...you will always be Mommy's baby. 

This was the very last belly picture I took. Went into labor minutes after it was taken. 

38 weeks, 6 days - It's TIME!

I never had the chance to post my 38 week photo BUT I did just so happen to have a photo of my belly that was taken about an hour or so before I went into labor so even better!

You decided to make your grand entrance a little early at 38 weeks, 6 days. Mommy should have seen this coming because the week of your arrival I started to feel very different. I had a TON of pressure going on and felt a wave of exaustion flood over me out of no where. Before the week of your birth my energy level had been through the roof so it was a noticible difference. I worked that Monday...although I pretty much walked around like a zombie for most of the day. I gave in and decided to call in from work on Tuesday just because I knew I couldn't keep my eyes open or function properly out of pure exaustion (see...I should have known you were coming I never call in from work). On Wednesday I was back at work and felt ok...I had been having some mild cramps but just chalked it up to all of the pressure going on down there haha. It's crazy how things work out and fall into place...I had been obsessing over getting some last minute things completed before my due date. I wanted to get my hair done one last time...finish up on some cleaning...get a pedicure...hang some photo's (haha random)...all before your arrival. Thankfully, I was able to get most of that done before you came. In fact, Wednesday I decided to treat myself to a pedicure, whopper, and REAL coke for lunch. I have been avoiding caffein pretty much the whole pregnancy so it was a real treat to drink that coke with my Whopper. I had a great lunch hour to say the least lol.

I finished working...came home...cooked dinner with Randy...ate dinner on my exercise ball ( I really believe the exercise ball did wonders to not only start labor but also relieve the pain during contractions...I highly recommend it to any Mommies to be out there)...cleaned up supper...got ready for bed...ate cookies and milk with Randy (our little pregnancy routine)...and started to watch another episode of Breaking Bad (you've got to watch that series...it's awesome!). At 9:50pm my Dad called to tell me about his shrimping trip that evening...I was feeling fine and told him I would talk to him in the morning. At 10:00pm on Wednesday evening, August 22nd I felt my first contraction. It was on after that! I knew immediately I was in labor. Real contractions feel nothing like Braxton Hicks so when the first one came I knew it was time. Go figure you would decide to make your entrance right as we were going to bed after a full days work and no sleep lol. We were ready though. Your Daddy immediately started loading things up in the car haha. We both decided that we wanted to labor as long as possible at home so from 10pm-1:00am we did just that. My contractions started at 5 minutes a part and by the time we left for the hospital they were 3 minutes apart. I decided it was time to go because if we waiting any longer that drive to the hospital would be worse and worse.

We called all of your family back in Florida to tell them it was time and then we were on our way to the hospital!

We arrived around 1:30 and by this time I couldn't talk anymore through contractions...I just had to focus so I knew we were in active labor. They checked me and sure enough I was already 5cm. Praise God!

The next 8 hours were spent going through the most intense, beautiful, painful and amazing moments of my life. I labored with your Daddy right by my side every single step of the way. I knew I wanted to try and do this completely natural and, through the grace of God, I was able to. My birth experience was the most powerful and wonderful experience of my life and I wouldn't change a single thing about it. I was able to labor just how I wanted too without any unnecessary medical interventions in my way. Everyone at the hospital was wonderful and so supportive. I couldn't have done it without Randy right there going through each contraction with me.

You made your grand entrance at 9:07am on Thursday, August 23rd, 2012! 7 lbs, 15 ounces. 21 inches long!!! You were perfect. Everything was just perfect. God is so good!

37 weeks - Full Term

At 37 weeks we are starting the count down to your arrival. We've got everything ready...our hospital bags are packed, everything is washed, your car seat is in the car waiting on you, and the to-do lists are finally completed! It's been so much fun preparing for you...each and every project has been one step closer to kissing your sweet face. Mommy and Daddy are so ready and anxiously awaiting the day you decide to make your grand entrance. At 37 weeks you're considered full term so you can really come at any time.

I'm feeling pretty good for 37 weeks. I've noticed some pressure when I walk now and can just tell things are getting closer. It's crazy how in-tuned to your body you get while being pregnant. I've always been very aware of the least little change in my body but pregnancy has taken that to a whole new level. You're still very active but your movements are different...not spastic or rambunctious anymore but still very noticeable.  You've found a nice comfy spot right on one of Mommy's nerves which has not been fun but it just goes with the territory of being this far along I guess...you have no more room in there!

We are going to the midwife weekly now and each check up is wonderful. Your heart is beating between 130-145 BPM. I hope I remember to ask her at our next visit how much she thinks you weigh. I'm guessing around 6.5 lbs at this point but I really have no clue.

I"ve had two friends have beautiful baby boys within the last week and it's been so much fun hearing about their birthing experiences and seeing their sweet babies. Makes this all feel so real and so close.

How far along? 37 weeks  

Total weight gain: Approx 30 lbs 

Maternity clothes? Of course 

Stretch marks? None 

Sleep: Trying to sleep as much as possible. 

Best moment this week: Picking out your coming home outfit...finishing up some last minute projects...packing your diaper bag! 

Miss Anything? No

Movement: Still moving around despite those cramped quarters of yours :) 

Food cravings: This has been a weird week of food cravings...i've craved oatmeal cream pies (which I made from a recipe off Pinterest YUMMM), buttered pop corn, sausage biscuits, and sushi. Weird. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not at all. 

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: No but I can tell it's getting closer and closer 

Symptoms:  Blessed to feel as good as I do at 37 weeks...I really can't complain. 

Belly Button in or out? Out...very very out

Wedding rings on or off? Off 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 

Looking forward to: Enjoying every second of these last couple of weeks of pregnancy...i'm going to miss having you in my stomach. 

36 weeks

How far along? 36 weeks 

Total weight gain: Approx 30 lbs 

Maternity clothes? Of course 

Stretch marks? No, I'm still in disbelief about not getting any stretch marks. Everything I've read says it's hereditary but, if that's the case, I should have plenty. I'm very thankful for not having any so far but if I were to get some I'd be perfectly ok with that also. They are just a sign of the sacrifices and beauty of pregnancy. 

Sleep: Blah...don't even get me started on sleep. 

Best moment this week: We had some much fun finishing up some last minute shopping for you. I still haven't decided what you'll wear home from the hospital but that's ok; you'll be precious in anything we put you in. 

Miss Anything? 

Movement: Your movements are starting to coincide with my schedule during the day...it's weird. You start to settle down at night when I settle down and wake up with me around the same time every morning. 

Food cravings: Still anything sweet. I can honestly say that I haven't craved salt at all in this pregnancy...it's been straight up sugar. I've been fighting off the urge to guzzle sweet tea everyday. But not just any sweet tea...it has to be in a cup FILLED with ice all the way to to the top. I'm trying to only drink it once a week or so. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not at all. 

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Not yet ;) 

Symptoms:  Feeling really good for being almost 37 weeks. This Friday I will be considered full term. I can't believe it. 

Belly Button in or out? Out...very very out

Wedding rings on or off? I'm not wearing them now. I don't want to chance getting them stuck and having to cut them off. 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 

Looking forward to: Our weekly doctor appointments and TRYING to relax these last couple of weeks.