Pregnancy Step By Step Archives - Page 2 of 3

Pregnancy Step By Step

May 18, 2015

33 Weeks & Counting: Confessions Of A Mommy-To-Be Who’s About To Welcome Baby #2!

We’re finally in the home stretch! We’ve turned the corner and we’re nestled snugly into our third trimester with tons of excitement but just as much nerves. In about a month and a half we’ll finally get to meet this little person that’s been playing soccer in my belly all of these months. Our little girl will finally become the long awaited big sister that she’s probably grown quite curious about. And we as a family will finally become a family of four (plus one furry little girl). So much change is coming and while we’ve spent months dreaming, planning, and anticipating that moment, the nerves that go along with the big finale seem to grow as my weeks do.

Let me clarify, of course I’m nervous about her actual delivery which is a whole other post by itself, but what we’re most nervous about is finally becoming the family of four that we’ve wanted for so long. Adding more babies to the mix is always nerve-wracking for so many reasons, whether it’s the first, second, or fifth, a new life is coming your way in the form of a new baby and a new family will take shape. Ever since before Dan and I were married we talked about having a family, I of course was up for four or five babies, my dream large family, and Dan was stuck around the 2 or 3 range, but either way there was no doubt that we wanted babies down the road. Once we were married we took our time, went on some adventures, traveled, and created some memories with our fur baby, really enjoying our new time as a married couple and building an even stronger us before babies came into the picture. Finally as we approached our two year anniversary we knew it was time to start growing our family and God blessed us with our first little girl.

Even though we were excited that we were expecting our first baby and that we’d finally start the family we’d always wanted we were nervous beyond belief just like all first time parents are. And now we find ourselves in an all too familiar spot as we did about three years ago, feeling incredibly excited with a mix of nervous but for completely different reasons than before. We have the tune of parenting down pretty well now and we know what to expect on that end, at least until 2 1/2 years old, but what we’re most nervous about this time around is the transition from the three of us to the four of us and I don’t mean the logistics of it all. I’m not at all nervous about juggling two kids instead of one but I guess what I’m most excited but yet most nervous about is the actual act of becoming four instead of three.

We’re so excited to love another little baby and give that gift to our little girl but whenever you make that humongous decision to grow your family from one to two and beyond I think it’s natural to worry if you’ll be able to spread yourself out enough for all of them equally. My heart is certainly large enough to love two children and beyond, no doubt there, but there’s so much to raising your children than just loving them. Coming into this marriage as the third of three children and my husband as the second of two children we’re well aware of what it’s like to have some older siblings come before us, the pros and the cons. I always worry that Baby #2 will feel like they didn’t get their special time with Mommy and Daddy or that everything always was split between her and her sister.

Having siblings is tough and can be really challenging at times but it can be one of the biggest blessings in the world and that’s what our wish is for our girls. My hope for my girls is that Dan and I do the best job that we can do as their parents, always making sure that they feel special in their own way, that they have their own individual lives filled with their own personalities and likes and dislikes, and that they always turn to us and to each other for love and support just as we intended from each of their births on.

We’re so in love with both of our girls already and are just basking in the glow of the impending birth, becoming a family of four has been everything I’ve dreamed about for months and it’s almost upon us. I hope my big girl falls just as much in love with her sister when she sees herself as we have since we found about her. I hope our furry little girl loves her just as much as she loves her bigger sister. Most importantly I know that our family will continue to grow our love just as we do everyday, never letting one day pass without realizing just how blessed we are to have each other.

No matter how nervous I am about the big delivery day or recovery after or making sure both of my girls feel Mommy’s love equally, those nerves will never overwhelm the tremendous amount of excitement that mounts every single day that passes. I truly cannot wait to see this little one, feel her in my arms, kiss and hug her for the first time and hundreds beyond, and my favorite of all, hold her close to my heart where she’ll never leave and we’ll forever share that special bond like I have with her sister. In just a matter of a few single digit weeks our littlest girl could make her debut, but until then I’ll keep dreaming about her!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (33 weeks)

May 13, 2015

The Magic Of A Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is one of those holidays that holds an extra special place in my heart ever since I became a mother of our cute little fur baby. That’s right my dear husband would celebrate my mother status even then, but hey I’ve always looked at our furry little girl as so much more than just our dog. As the years passed though we finally began to expand our family with this cute little girl, validating my mother status once and for all. And while celebrating all of the mothers surrounding me has been beyond special, there’s nothing like joining in the festivities as a mother in your own right.

Being able to join the ranks of being a mother along side my own is an honor. I’m one of those daughters who have always looked at my mom as my best friend, always spending time with her, confiding in her, and enjoying the ups and downs of life with her. As I’ve grown and now started my own little family, that relationship has never faltered, I still look to my mom for those best friend qualities but now with so much more admiration as a mother of my own. I’ve always admired her as a mother of course, always having put her three kids needs above her own, spending time with each and every one of us in our own special way, creating memories that we’ll remember until we’re old and gray, but most importantly teaching us what being a good parent should like. I’ve known all of these things all of these years, but now as a mother of my own little girl/s I’ve developed an even greater level of appreciation for her, which I think is only possible when you truly become a parent of your own. Since I’ve only just begun my time as a parent, I can only hope that I do just as good a job with my own little girls.

Becoming a mother changed my world in more ways than I can ever explain and I thank God for that beautiful gift. My little girl and second little one on the way (along with Dan of course) are my entire world, with my heart constantly revolving around them and falling more in love as the days pass. My life today is exactly what I’d always dreamed it would be, and thanks to that husband of mine and my two little girls I get to celebrate Mother’s Day not only honoring my own mother beside me but also basking in the glory of my own little creations. My furry daughter and not so furry one (and one on the way) are truly my pride and joy and make being their mom an honor.

So in honor of Mother’s Day this year Dan treated me to a gorgeous flower delivery of my favorite wild flowers along with a special pre-Mother’s Day gluten free dinner at Salt Creek Grille. But for the big day itself we decided on some Spring beach fun where we could watch our little girl in all of her glory, loving every single bit of the sun and sand. It was a morning that was right up her alley, playing in the sand next to Mommy, digging holes, chasing Daddy as he attempted to fly a kite, and spotting tons of baby crabs crawling around. It was the perfect way to start the Mother’s Day, made even better for my little girl with an impromptu stop at a sadly non-gluten free bakery for some delicious looking sprinkle cookies that were the icing on the cake of her morning.

Watching my little family playing around me and feeling my little girl kicking around inside of me was the greatest Mother’s Day gift I could’ve ever asked for. It was kind of a euphoric feeling watching my husband and daughter laugh and play together with baby staying extra close to Mommy, reminding me of just how beautiful life is. I’m so lucky to have a husband who truly puts his family before himself, loving us more every single day and making sure each of us are reminded of it. I’m even luckier to have a little girl (and a furry one too) who has one of the biggest little hearts I’ve ever seen, loving every single person who comes into her life unconditionally and making sure everyone around her knows that they are loved. Being a mother to a little girl as special as her is an honor and I’m truly the luckiest woman in the world. While this year’s Mother’s Day was certainly a special one, I can’t wait to see what next years will look like with two little girls running around. Until then, I’ll be dreaming of when we all get to meet this little one floating around inside.

Sincerely,

Lindsay (32 weeks)

May 6, 2015

Nothing Like Going To Some Weddings And The Beach Gluten Free & Pregnant: A 30 & 31 Week Update!

Ah there’s nothing like attending a wedding gluten free and very pregnant, so why not go to two? Dan and I were talking the other day about the last pregnancy versus this one and I couldn’t help but point out that it seems that my pregnancies have both been perfectly timed with everyone around us getting married, seeing as I’ve only really attended weddings in my mommy-to-be status over the past few years. So this time around we’ve been invited to two weddings spanning a week and a half this Spring, both of which taking place in the last leg of my pregnancy.

30 weeks and all dressed up! — 30 weeks in my best wedding attire!

Last weekend, at 30 weeks, we had the pleasure of attending my cousin’s wedding. Getting all dressed up while you’re expecting can be a great way to make a mommy-to-be feel a bit more glowy and beautiful than usual but it can also be pretty overwhelming in the actual getting dressed department. There’s no easy way around it, you need a bigger dress to accommodate your growing bump which in most maternity departments apparently translates to a growing height as well. I scoured stores and online for any dressy maternity option out there and even ordered a few to try out but it seems like it’s a huge feat to find the perfect formal dress for a short, pregnant woman. Just a reminder maternity stores, there are short, pregnant women out there and we only expand in the midsection not in our height when we’re expecting. So after turning maternity departments inside and out Dan joined in the efforts and we finally decided on two non-maternity but slightly stretchy dresses courtesy of Lord and Taylor.

Getting all dressed up in my first dress was a great way to get some of my glow back after not feeling so great the past few weeks and the wedding was pretty fun too. Weddings are always tough to attend gluten free so as far as the food was considered I’m never a huge fan of wedding food since most of it is chock full of gluten but armed with gluten free snacks and at least a guaranteed gluten free main course I was ready to have some fun and celebrate the day with my cousin. It was a great way to ring in my last ten weeks of pregnancy, feeling great and surrounded by everyone we love.

A beautiful spring day at the beach at 31 weeks! — A beautiful Spring day at the beach at 31 weeks!

With the first of our two weddings behind us and a week full of beautiful and actually slightly warm Spring days ahead we decided to treat our little family of three plus Nanny and Pop Pop to a day at the boardwalk as I turned into my 31st week. We took advantage of one of the gorgeous days and planned a quick trip to the boardwalk where we could enjoy the small aquarium, arcade games, the beach, and let’s not forget the non-gluten free boardwalk treats that I knew my little one would just love. The aquarium was a huge hit but the star of the day by far was spending a little bit of time playing on the beach. Our little girl loves the beach, water, sand, sea shells, all of it and couldn’t get enough of collecting shells and digging her hands and feet in the sand. It was tough to pull her away but I knew enticing her with lunch and a special snack would be the only thing that could beat staying on the beach. Next up, boardwalk pizza for the non-gluten free adults and as chosen by our little girl, some Kohrs orange and vanilla ice cream, a perfect choice that only her mommy would choose as well. While everyone enjoyed their boardwalk specialties I nibbled on some treats that I brought from home, again not very fun when you’re surrounded by amazing foods that look and smell delicious, especially while pregnant, but a few minutes of bliss would certainly not be worth the sickness after.

A great way to kick off my weeks in the 30s and even though I’m getting more and more tired as the days tick by I want to make sure that we always take advantage of any good weather and squeeze in special times like these. So what else is going on on the pregnancy front? Well the third trimester acid reflux and nausea are still present and accounted for but I know those will go when we meet our little girl. And even though I’m hungry almost 100% of the time, my appetite is just never quite there so eating is still a challenge but thankfully I have some of my favorite gluten free standbys that can help fill my belly from time to time.

But I guess what’s been overwhelming me the most as we’ve started down this last stretch is the anxiety about the delivery and postpartum recovery, which is becoming more and more heightened as my weeks pass by. There are always uncertainties about any birth but for my delivery it seems that there are a million open ended questions making it really hard to relax and not worry. Even though I had a c-section with my first little girl, since things didn’t go as smoothly as we had hoped we’re crossing our fingers that the stars align and our prayers are answers to have an uneventful vbac this time around. However, with the complications from my first delivery and the difficulties my venous angioma may present my doctors requested that I meet with the hospital anesthiologist to go over what happened last delivery and what the plan may be for this time around. So that was yesterday’s fun endeavor and to keep a long story short, delivering babies via a vbac with my added complications makes for a very scared mommy and daddy. Of course all of the worst case scenarios were laid out in front of us but having endured a few rare occurrences last delivery makes some of those seem more possible. So from here on it’s lots of prayers for a healthy baby but also a healthy mommy and that our delivery can be as peaceful and uneventful as we hope it will be.

Sincerely,

Lindsay (31 weeks)

May 1, 2015

Our Big Girl Has Made The Move To Her New Bedroom While Mommy Turns Into Her 30th Week!

Well the big move is finally upon us. With the walls painted (and aired out excessively to appease this mommy-to-be’s sensitive sense of smell haha), the dresser put together with some added personal flair, and the canopy hung in just the right spot, all that’s left to do is hem the curtains and hang some decor but nothing that keeps our little one from getting a jump on her new sleeping arrangements. We finally took the plunge and introduced her to her new abode for her Sunday afternoon nap but as could be expected the transition wasn’t completely seamless.

Our little one loved her Bambi nursery. She felt comfortable in her toddler version of her crib with her friends all piled in around her. She knew exactly where her skirts were in her dresser and how to squeeze them out through the childproof locked hole. It was her home for over two years and now with the arrival of her little sister looming around the corner it was time to move into the room she’s been eyeing up and playing in the past two months. As her mommy I’m trying to tackle this nagging feeling of guilt that I’m sure every mommy of one with another on the way feels and that’s partly why I wanted to create a really special new space that was suited just for her.

30 Weeks with my little girl pretending to be Mommy!

It’s been a labor of love for sure but after a few short weekends of work, a special little bedroom has been created for our soon-to-be big sister and she’s loving it. She loves having tea at her little tea table, hiding underneath her floral canopy, snuggling with her special shape pillows on her big girl bed, and even putting laundry away with mommy in her new dresser and closet. All of the fun that she’s having in her new room is so sweet and special to see especially since day 1 of sleeping didn’t go so well.

We started out with a nap thinking that might be a bit easier than bedtime and boy were we wrong. After happily putting her in bed, the second we started walking away we had a little girl chasing behind us in complete terror. So we snuggled up next to her in bed and talked to her about how fun it is to be a big girl now, fending off the occasional question to go back to the “tiny baby bedroom” as she calls the nursery. It broke my heart to see how sad she was but I had a glimmer of hope when she eventually fell asleep for her first successful nap. Our big girl has certainly done us proud though because only one nighttime rest later and she was happily sleeping in her new room.

So what’s our little girl’s favorite part of her new bedroom? She seems to love every bit which makes me so happy but I’ll share some of her highlights.

A big girl bed fit for a soon-to-be big sister!

We thought this upholstered headboard from Target was just perfect for our growing girl and it just so happened to fit our budget even better. But a transition to a bigger bed wouldn’t be complete without the guard rails along the sides. We picked up a two pack at Babies R’ Us and put them on either side sans comforter for now until she gets used to the bigger and higher space. So far so good, excluding the solo falling out of bed incident the other day during nap time which I knew was bound to happen since my little girl is quite the mover, always flopping from end to end in her baby bed. Thank goodness for the Moroccan Trellis rug from RugsUSA because even though it looks fantastic it will surely give some extra padding for accidental tumbles.

A big girl bed with all of the fixings including some hidden toddler rails on the sides.

Bedding and pillows in someone’s favorite color are probably one of her favorite parts!

We picked up the comforter and pillows from RH Baby & Child for a great deal after Christmas and we paired it all with a Target clearance pair of purple flowered sheets that match really well! The favorites by far out of this set though are the shape pillows, so much so that little one hopped down out of bed in the middle of the night to pick up the two pillows that I put down at the bottom as a just-in-case cushion for a fall. She loves to snuggle with the velvet shapes with the heart being her number one even using it to say I love you to her mommy.

Gorgeous lilac bedding thanks to RH Baby And Child.

A new look for her name, with a little creative help from the big girl herself!

These letters hung proudly above her crib in pink for quite some time but we knew we wanted to still include them in her new room with a new look. So I scoured all of the craft stores for just the right purple spray paint and found this gorgeous lilac at Joann’s. To add a little something extra too I thought I could glue some flowers to the letters themselves, so with little one in tow we picked out a multipack of flowers in different patterns and shapes that seemed to go with the paint color perfectly, great choice little one!

What a difference changing a light makes!

The addition of this cute little chandelier from Kohls was perfect and I’m so glad we decided to swap out the ceiling fan for this one. The smaller size and lighter features of this light are perfectly suited for the smaller room making it much lighter, brighter, and a lot more girly too!

A miniature chandelier with flowers and crystals galore.

A little twist on an Ikea dresser makes it that much more special!

After doing our fair share of furniture shopping over the years we’ve gotten a pretty good idea of how expensive bedroom sets can be, hence why we tried to piecemeal her room as much as possible. Going with the single headboard from Target and a BJs bed frame was a great move to downsize on the cost there but dressers seem to be expensive no matter where you go. So after some scouring online we finally found a reasonable fit for our budget and as a bonus, one that we could tweak a little to make it a little more unique. We decided on a white Hemnes dresser from Ikea that was comparable if not bigger than her dresser in the nursery and we knew we wanted to add a personal touch to it in some way. I came across this fantastic company called o’verlays who sell kits of different wooden cutouts to attach to all different Ikea pieces, a genius idea in my opinion. So we ordered the Jasmine kit, spray painted the overlays and all of the knobs a shiny gold, and voila, a new dresser was born! This is one of Mommy’s favorites!

A revamped Ikea dresser with a few overlays and some spray paint!

For now those are just some of the highlights from the room but I’ll be sure to share the final product in all of it’s decorated glory once the odds and ends are tied together. I just picked a mixture of white, gold, and lilac frames to hang up, along with hemming the curtains, and a little idea I have to tweak the play table once more. I just loved putting this room together for my little best friend and it makes me even happier that she loves it just as much as we do.

For a little pregnancy update, I’m 30 weeks now and baby and mommy are doing pretty well. Mommy has been feeling pretty sick again with lots of acid reflux, so some daily Zantac is a must, along with some nausea and a very picky appetite again but other than that I’m doing pretty well. We took little one to my appointment this week to hear her sister’s heartbeat for the first time and boy was she in shock. I’m pretty sure she didn’t quite get the concept of a heartbeat but an adorable excited grin spread across her face as she heard the rhythmic thumping. I’m so excited for her to meet this little girl and finally see what we’ve been talking about all of the time. But for now I’m in the midst of meeting with the anesthiologist like I had to with my first pregnancy to go over things beforehand in terms of safety with my venous angioma. I’m not a huge fan at all of these added meetings but they’re a must for me so no negotiations there, I just wish they didn’t cause even more anxiety about the big day but that’s inevitable. More updates will come after our meeting with the anesthiologist next week and a few bump pictures as well!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (30 weeks)

April 30, 2015

Baby Will Be Here Before We Know It, What Do We Have Left To Get From Our Wish List?

30 weeks down and 10 to go! We’re officially in countdown mode until we get to meet this little girl! As far as prep for her arrival, we’re definitely in a pretty good spot right now but we have plenty left to do that’s for sure. With the big girl room finally complete, excluding some decorating, no worries I will definitely share the final product when the last frame has been hung, and our little one moved into her new room earlier this week, we’re now moving on to everything baby. So what’s left on our must purchase/get set up list before baby makes her grand entrance?

Tweaking the nursery with a few new odds and ends….we’ve purchased her letters for her name and painted and decorated them for hanging so we’re almost there on this front
Cleaning and setting up the baby equipment, i.e. swing, bouncer, pack and play, bassinet (our house is about to shrink when all of this arrives so we’re taking our time here)
To keep an eye on our big girl in her new room along with our new baby in her nursery, we purchased a two camera video monitor by Summer Infant and so far we’re loving it. Even though our little girl is two, she’s an adventurous little soul that we worry about when she’s left to her own devices, especially in her new space, so for us this monitor system was a must. We can now keep an eye on both of our little girls while they rest or sometimes not rest in their rooms with just one monitor and two cameras that you can move around remotely! So far, we love this new system and can certainly see how it’ll come in handy when we have another little resident in the house. I’ll share a better review once we use the dual feature this monitor is intended for so stay tuned!

New Summer Infant Monitor that we picked up from Kohls!

Thanks to an amazing Mother’s Day special we picked up these Carseat Canopies that I just love! With a winter baby coming first we’re well-versed on wrapping her and the car seat up in blankets to prevent the cold from touching her, and while we certainly made it work with blankets, the constant repositioning and catching of the blankets was not very much fun. So this time around we took advantage of this great offer and picked up the Angelina and Belle Carseat Canopies that hook onto your car seat handle preventing them from falling and keeping them in just the right spot for front and back coverage from the sun and winter wind. Stay tuned for an actual review when baby makes her appearance!

Carseat Canopy perfect for keeping the cold and sun off your little one!

We still need to get a new baby sling, so any recommendations on your favorites let us know!
We’re all set for now in the double stroller department thanks to a hand me down from my sister. She swore by her Joovy Sit And Stand stroller that we inherited so we’re super excited to see how it works for our girls. In the not so distant future we plan on picking up a Joovy side-by-side double stroller that would be perfect for our adventures next summer with the girls but for now we’re all set with my sister’s favorite! Thanks Courtney!

The list is certainly longer when I include all of the preparations for the delivery day, but as far as the major stuff I think we’re almost there!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (30 weeks)

April 22, 2015

Almost 30 weeks And 10 To Go Means Maternity Picture Time! Are You Expecting And Planning Maternity Pictures?

I cannot believe I’m staring at 30 weeks right in front of me. While this pregnancy has been far but easy there have been many moments that seem to have just flown by and now that we’re nearing the end we wanted to schedule some maternity pictures. We took maternity pictures during our first pregnancy and truthfully they’re some of my favorite pictures of Dan and I, and our little girl of course too. So I figured this time around we’d go ahead and schedule some family maternity pictures so we hopefully can capture these precious moments where we’re all deep in anticipation of meeting this little girl.

Anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE taking pictures, not of myself, but of my little family. They’re my pride and joy and having pictures of all of these important moments means the world to me. Unfortunately with me behind the camera taking the pictures that means we rarely have family pictures of the whole family unless I enlist someone to take ahold of our precious camera or pay to have them done. Even though my all time favorite thing in this world, besides my family itself, are pictures of them, unfortunately getting professional pictures done right and left isn’t really in our budget so we save the splurges for the big things that we just can’t do ourselves. Two moments that I could only capture myself if there were two of me are maternity pictures and newborn photos, two of the most special times that deserve extra special pictures.

Since just before having our daughter we quickly realized how costly professional pictures can get, especially when it comes to anything baby or child related. When I say costly I mean costly, to say I had sticker shock after shopping around a bit for maternity photos for baby #1 and now baby #2 would be an understatement. So if you’re at the beginning stages of contemplating maternity photos be prepared when you start looking for photographers because things can be pricey. What I would always recommend is setting a budget and sticking to it. Shop around a bit and see what the ranges are out there and then set your budget, know how much you’re willing to and/or are able to spend and stick to it. Remember, ultimately you just want pictures that capture all of the love and anticipation you have in those weeks before your new little one arrives, sans blowing your budget out of the water.

A couple things to keep in mind when it comes to maternity or any kind of photos is the way photographers price things out. Something to keep an eye out for is how everything is priced before you book anything. Many photographers have just a session fee that doesn’t include any images but I still do see and always personally prefer photographers that have a flat fee for session and images. When it comes to the actual images itself you have to really know what you’re interested in. I’ve noticed that some photographers have minimum order requirements when it comes to ordering prints, canvases, albums, etc. so make sure you take notice of that before you book; while other photographers will give you an option of getting digital images, either all are included or a specific number that are offered a la carte. There’s a lot to keep in mind so definitely do your homework and make sure budget wise your favorites fit just right for you.

Dan and I have done just that, first time around and now second time around. We knew at the very beginning of each pregnancy that we wanted to have certain moments captured by a professional and we budgeted and saved so we could accomplish that. But besides budget needs it’s so important to know what kind of pictures you’re looking for. What I recommend is shopping around on pinterest. Figure out what kind of pictures you’d like to get, i.e. very intimate ones, more posed, outside vs. inside, etc. and then from there see what photographer fits the best. I always make a board on pinterest and show a photographer that board before we schedule anything just to make sure they know what I’m looking for and to see if they’re able to do it. Check out some of my favorite maternity photo ideas on my Maternity Board!

So if you’re expecting definitely consider capturing this time in an extra special way with maternity photos. We ultimately decided on taking maternity photos not just for more family pictures of ourselves but also for something extra special that we can one day share with our little one down the road, nothing more special than that. Hope all of my tips and advice help you in your decision! Please share any other tips or favorite maternity photos!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (29 weeks)

April 14, 2015

Some Spring Beach Fun For Mommy & Little One At 27 Weeks!

We are loving how Spring is really starting to stick around in our neck of the woods. It’s hit or miss of course between the spurts of Spring showers but on those sunny days with highs in the 60s or 70s we spend as much time outside as we can handle. Our post Easter week we really took advantage of the few gorgeous days we had, including a walk through the park, a trip to the lake, a special zoo day on the weekend with Dan, and a mommy and little girl trip to the beach.

Spring and Fall are probably my favorite times for the beach, especially right now being pretty pregnant, the cool breeze and mild temperatures are just perfect for some lounging around and playing in the sand. So last week I packed up some sand toys, a blanket, and some lunches on the go and headed out early for some beach time, a trip my little girl couldn’t have been more excited about. She loves playing in the sand, ever since she was a baby, so this day trip was right up her alley. What a perfect day it was, a little chilly when we first got there but the cool breeze was a warm welcome to this mommy-to-be who seems to be going through another bout of pregnancy nausea. We combed the shoreline for sea shells, little one played a little soccer/ chasing after the soccer ball, and then her favorite digging and building sand castles. It was a beautiful day, one of those special just mommy and baby times that I always cherish with my little girl.

Mommy and baby beach time at 27 weeks. — Mommy and little one beach time at 27 weeks.

As my weeks tick by I know adventures like that will get harder and harder but we’re certainly going to make sure that we squeeze in a few more Spring beach days before the heat rolls in for the summer. Despite all of the beach fun we enjoyed, I did feel a little bad because my sweet little water baby couldn’t get over the no swimming in the ocean yet rule. She just kept glancing out at the waves rolling in and asking about her bathing suit but thankfully would quickly change direction to something else. I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll be able to get down to the beach some days this summer without boiling hot temperatures and let our little girl finally splash around in the forbidden waves.

For now, we’re holding onto every single day the sun is out and the cold temperatures aren’t. I’m just loving the Spring weather, watching my little girl run around in the sun with a smile from ear to ear and feeling my other special girl kicking around inside in excitement. It’s a beautiful time for our family and I’m just making sure I take in every single moment!

Sincerely,

Lindsay (28 weeks)

April 7, 2015

Celebrating Easter At 26 Weeks!

Almost to the third trimester and I couldn’t be more excited. While for most everybody around me it seems that the time has flown by, for the actual mommy who’s pregnant, the past 6 1/2 months have felt just like 6 1/2 months. I’m just so excited to meet this little girl and see who she is which makes the waiting feel that much longer. Nonetheless, she’s not done cooking yet so it’s a few more months of dreaming about her and waiting on pins and needles until she arrives.

Even though it’s been tough at times, just as we did with our first pregnancy we’ve really tried to keep taking adventures especially now that we have another little girl to adventure with. Dan and I love to see and do things, whether we’re planning a big vacation to Italy or a day trip to the zoo we’ve always had adventurous spirits. Since we were pregnant with our first little girl and have had her since, that spirit hasn’t changed. We want to show our little girl/girls the world the best we can and give her some really special memories. So this pregnancy we’ve really tried to continue doing the same, and even though Disney was a fantastic vacation, I’m so glad Spring is starting to appear and we can give our little girls some amazing days the next few months, filling them with park days, zoo trips, and beach and boardwalk adventures! Yup, that’s right, both of our little girls will be enjoying our plans. Even though she’s not here live and in person yet, our smallest little girl has been a part of every single day the past 6 months so just like with our first little girl, we’ll be able to tell her about all of her adventures in mommy’s belly too! One of my favorite and most special parts of this pregnancy has been that we’ve celebrated two huge holidays while our smallest little girl has been in my belly. Our Christmas was definitely a little extra special this year; even though my belly was definitely popping out thanks to our new little baby floating around inside, we didn’t yet know if we’d welcome a little sister or a little brother. We were just beginning to get used to the idea that our next Christmas we’d have two little ones running around.

By the time Easter had arrived though my belly was in full bloom and there was no denying that we had a second little baby on its way, in fact another little girl. And even though mommy is moving a little bit slower, we had an amazing (and a little chilly) Spring day that we could celebrate all of the Easter festivities. But no matter what we were doing, our smallest little girl was certainly making her presence known the entire time by kicking and turning around constantly, always reminding us that she’ll be coming out very soon and joining in next year. As our Easter came to a close and we said goodnight to our little girl, she shared one of my favorite moments with us and kissed me belly telling her little sister that she loved her. We really are so lucky that we’ve been blessed with such a special little girl that has the biggest heart in the world. It’s been a long road so far but one that we’ve been more than happy to walk down. Being a mommy and being pregnant are truly two of the most special and my most favorite things to do but when we finally welcome our smallest little girl and we hold her for the first time, it’s that moment that I live for. For now, I’ll keep dreaming of who our smallest little girl will be and one of my favorite dreams of all, how much our tremendously happy little girl will love her little sister when she finally arrives.

Go to gluten free foods: Nausea has seemed to rear it’s ugly head again so eating has been a little rough the past few weeks but thankfully I was able to enjoy some delicious gluten free Easter dinner equipped with ham, deviled eggs, coleslaw, salad, fresh fruit, and cheesecake!
How am I sleeping?: As good as can be expected at this point. Definitely getting up a few times for some bathroom trips but I’m managing to get at least a few hours in.
How’s baby doing?: Baby is checking out well with a strong heartbeat everytime. I just had that lovely glucose test so I’m waiting on those test results but for now everything appears to be going well. She definitely is starting to move from being horizontal the entire time to now being vertical so breathing is getting a bit harder.
How’s mommy feeling?: Mommy’s hanging in there. I’m tough so it takes a lot to break me but as I told our little one in my belly the other day, she’s really making her mommy work for her. I have to say I’ve felt completely different this time from my first pregnancy with the exception of a few things. No matter how I feel though my constant worry is about this little one and keeping her safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Lindsay (27 weeks)

March 27, 2015

Not All Pregnancy Cravings Can Be Gluten Free

It’s been a long four years and some months since my diet changed over night. One day I literally woke up and wheat and gluten were long gone. But along with the sad disappearance of my once happy diet were the horrible symptoms that seemed to plague me for years on end. I can definitely say that every single day since day 1 has been a challenge; I have to choose every day to live this healthier lifestyle for myself, and that’s where will power comes in handy. Thankfully, I guess I have a ton of it because I’ve never cheated once since the big change many moons ago.

Changing your diet though for medical reasons, either your diagnosis told you to do it or your symptoms did, is totally different motivation to stay strong than just following a new diet fad. Once I saw the huge change in my quality of life I knew that living wheat and gluten free for me was a change for forever, not for a few months. Accepting that from my early twenties until eternity I’d be a little different and have to live a life that’s a little bit harder was always the hardest concept to accept and still is, but nothing beats feeling healthier inside and out.

Even though the rewards have been huge for me it doesn’t mean that there haven’t been certain life instances that make living wheat and gluten free more frustrating and difficult. Many a social situation has been a source of slight frustration, mainly weddings and dinner parties where you always feel like the world just isn’t made for you. But I have to say the hardest times that have challenged my different lifestyle the most are my pregnancies. Living gluten free without worrying about nutrition for you and a baby, without feeling tremendously more hungry than you normally would, and without pregnancy cravings that will drive you mad if you don’t get something that tastes similar is a challenge that was completely new to me a few years ago.

Having a healthy and happy gluten free pregnancy is 100% possible but it doesn’t mean that you’re not frustrated from time to time and that your will power is truly put to the test. Faced with already an extremely picky palette, daily sickness, and other appetite suppressing feelings, on many occasions during both of my pregnancies I looked at my diet with more frustration than I had in years. I’d never wanted to cheat my diet more than I had during my pregnancies partly to just survive the really sick days and on the opposite side to enjoy filling foods that I couldn’t stop craving that I knew would fill my always hungry belly. Being alone in feeling this way was the most difficult part of all and hence the birth of my blog, I wanted to create a place for other mom’s and mom-to-be’s to share their triumphs and tribulations about gluten free living, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

So today I wanted to share my biggest gluten cravings this pregnancy, you know the ones that make me wish I wasn’t gluten free for just a day so baby and mommy could eat safely and happily. Yes, yes I know this is a nightmare to even think about the what ifs but this is pregnancy, not every craving can be so easily gluten free, and this is a real gluten free life where thins aren’t always easy.

Donuts. Ah, my arch nemesis. I never frequented Dunkin Donuts on a daily basis but donuts popped up here and there often enough during my gluten days. Since going gluten free, I’ve certainly found a substitution that makes me more than happy when I really need it but there are times when we get our little girl a special holiday donut or when I saw a gigantic chocolate frosted donut with sprinkles at Epcot that makes things so much harder for me. Gluten free donuts are all cake donuts which certainly come close to pre-packaged varieties in the grocery store but they don’t hold a candle to the light and airy ones at Dunkin Donuts. Maybe one day I’ll be seeing those light and airy pastries again outside of my dreams, but for now, Katz gluten free donuts will fill that craving just fine.

Hoagies. This is a toughie. Yes, I can certainly make myself a lunch meat sandwich on a gluten free roll or baguette but I miss so much being able to go to our local Italian hoagie place and order a delicious thick roll stuffed with all of the hoagie fixings. It’s not the convenience that I miss so much, though it is definitely nice to not have to make everything yourself, but let’s face it, I’ve yet to meet a gluten free hoagie roll or even gluten free rolls that even come close to those delectable rolls that hold a hoagie so well. This has been a huge craving this pregnancy and while my husband has been great getting me gluten free lunch meats from time to time, they’re nothing like the hoagies from my memory.

Pizza. There are certainly plenty of gluten free pizza options out there, homemade, store bought, and restaurant take out included, but can any of us honestly say that we don’t look at the massive pies that come out of the pizza ovens and back at our gluten free individual, thin crust pies with disappoint, I was a pizza crust lover, I loved getting to the edge of the pizza and nibbling at the doughy crust. I’ve never met a gluten free pizza that offers that same feeling but I have to say I’ve been fortunate to come across a few good substitutions that although don’t offer that doughy pizza feel do come pretty close in look and taste. While I make pizzas often myself, I do enjoy a store bought Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza and a take out pie from Mama Mia Trattoria.

I’d be lying if I said that gluten free living is easy peasy; while the rewards and benefits always outweigh any of the challenges and obstacles, it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s an easy road. Living a lifestyle that’s different from the majority of everyone around us is tough and only gets tougher when you’re going through life changing events like a pregnancy. Life gets tougher, true, but it doesn’t become impossible. I many a time this pregnancy, more so than my last, have talked about this with my husband and he is a good reminder of why I’m on this path to begin with. Living this way is the best thing for me and my baby and no matter how difficult, challenging, and lonely it may feel, it’s to hard to always see it but it is completely worth it. My husband is a great calming influence for me and always lets me vent my frustrations but sharing all of these feelings with you is what’s most important. Hopefully my steps down this path can help you now or later in life. Like I’ve always said, pregnancy is a tough time for many of us but when you’re gluten free it’s even tougher so let other mommy-to-bes and seasoned moms out there be a support for you and that little one.

Sincerely,

Lindsay (25 weeks)

March 25, 2015

Top 5 Gluten Free Friendly, Pregnancy Cravings

Pregnant or not I get my fair share of cravings, but nothing beats that relentless hankering that won’t seem to get out of your mind or belly until you satisfy it. Yup, that’s a pregnancy craving! During both my first and now second pregnancies I ate pretty similarly, never really craving anything bizarre but always pulling from both sweet and salty sides. Since I’ve been strictly gluten free for almost five years now my wants from my old gluten diet are minimal on a regular day but what I’ve noticed is that while pregnant, gluten or not I’ve wanted so many things that I just can’t have. Your will power is definitely put to the test when you’re gluten free and pregnant so I thought I’d fill you in on my top gluten free cravings or cravings that can be easily satisfied gluten free and my top gluten cravings that just in no way, shape, or form can be satisfied the same. So let’s start off with some fun, gluten free friendly pregnancy cravings that we can all enjoy safely!

5. First a sweet, than a salty snack. Okay I have to admit, I’ve always been somebody who needs to eat something salty after something sweet or vice versa, I mean can you ask for a better balance than that?!?! My favorite pairing by far has been a bite of ice cream and some baked potato chips not far behind. Some of my favorite brands that offer gluten free varieties are Turkey Hill and Herrs, both of which have convenient allergen lists on their websites and reliable ingredient labels on their products. Check these lists out here and pick out your favorites!

4. Pickles. Ah, my guiltiest pleasure in the salt department. I love some dill pickles but so many of them have gluten in them making it really difficult to indulge. One brand that I’ve always eaten has been Claussens, but in recent months Kraft’s labeling policies have changed and Claussens now may have sources of gluten thanks to the spices in the ingredients. After some lengthy discussion with Kraft they said nothing has changed from their suppliers so Claussens are still fine for now but sadly their outside suppliers can make changes at any point unbeknownst to us consumers. I’ve looked into other delicious dill pickles and I know Boar’s Head offers gluten free dills if you can find them so their on my list of must finds!

3. Salads, in all shapes and forms. Yes, not everything that I’ve been craving has been in snack form. Thankfully, I’ve been able to get my daily dose of fruits and veggies through a fresh fruit salad or perfectly assembled cobb, antipasto, or just plain old tomato and lettuce salad. I’ve always loved salads but you just never know what pregnant you will and won’t love so it’s been a welcomed craving to still want these. Sadly, my acid reflux has risen to intolerable proportions so fruit salads have taken a hiatus until the acid reflux goes away or baby arrives, whichever comes first.

2. Disney Dole Whip. Okay so I realize I’m not in Disney World anymore but I still don’t want to wake up from that beautiful dream of having some of the tastiest, pregnancy friendly treats right at my fingertips at all times. By far my favorite Disney treat, pregnant or not, is the Dole Whip but I have to say this little girl and her mommy wish that we had endless Dole Whips at our beck and call right now. With Dole Whips thousands of miles away, I’ll have to remember fondly the swirled vanilla and pineapple ice cream floating in refreshingly sweet pineapple juice!

A Gluten Free Dole Whip Just For Mommy-To-Be!

1. Bagels, bagels, bagels. This is absolutely my number one craving; in fact I could eat a bagel for breakfast, lunch, and dinner happily at one point in my pregnancy. To be honest, I think this one developed more out of necessity and survival than actual desire thanks to some pretty nasty all day sickness. Either way, bagels have definitely become one of my staples, filling my belly for more than 5 seconds after either breakfast or lunch. Now that they’ve appeared in my local Whole Foods, my favorite go to gluten free bagels are those by Sweet Note, an authentic bagel taste and texture with a crispy outside and chewy middle.

Sweet Note Bagels, a gluten free consumer’s dream!

6 months in and eating is still a challenge for me but for all different reasons. While my nausea and sickness has seemed to subside for the most part, acid reflux has become a major player these days so I really have to watch my acid inducing food intake. Besides that though, even though I’m definitely still very particular about what I eat, I’m really trying to enjoy pregnancy eating and indulge when I can in some gluten free treats here and there.

Being gluten free and pregnant is certainly not easy, especially when those non-gluten free cravings hit, but thankfully I’ve had many a craving that can be easily satisfied with a little gluten free magic. Stay tuned for some gluten cravings that are a little tougher to make disappear.

Sincerely,

Lindsay (25 weeks)

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