The countdown is officially on. As of today we have 7 more weeks until this sweet baby's due date. Time has seemed to fly by and slowly crawl all at the same time. We cannot wait to see and hold our precious little one.
The second trimester of my pregnancy was AMAZING. Yes there were some hiccups, but for the most part it was great experience. It was true for me this pregnancy, the second trimester was better than the first one. There were lots of changes and adventures along the way as well.
During the second trimester we had two major tests done to make sure our sweet little one was doing okay. First, we had our 20 week anatomy scan to test for any physical or genetic abnormalities. Thank the good Lord above everything checked out okay. All of the measurements were in normal range and that makes this mama heart happy. In addition, we got to stare in awe and amazement at our tiny bundle of joy for over half an hour why they did the test. Boy was this babe active. Twisting and flipping and moving limbs all about. The ultrasound tech was great. Normally you only get about 5-8 pictures printed out for you at the end. She said that our babe was too cute to pick just 5 and ended up giving up 12!
The second test that I had to go through was the glucose test to see if I had gestational diabetes. I went in for the 1 hour test early one morning. They let you pick between an orange and a fruit punch flavored glucose drink. I chose orange. It wasn't too bad. The only thing I didn't like about it was that they give it to you at room temperature. It tasted like warm, flat, orange soda. Yuck! But I chugged it down and then waited an hour for blood to be drawn. Thankfully my doctor saw me for a routine check up while we were waiting, which made the time go by a lot faster. We headed off on our baby-moon as soon as we got done at the doctor's office. The next day we got the results that I had passed my test! No gestational diabetes and no counting carbs and sugars. Of course Chase and I celebrated by ordering insomnia cookies. Worth every penny!
Gender Reveal
While at our 20 week anatomy scan the ultrasound tech asked us if we wanted to know the gender of our child. We both said, OF COURSE WE DO! Up to that point in the pregnancy I was convinced that it was a boy. No particular reason, just a feeling. Chase was set that it was a girl. Well needless to say I was wrong. Its a girl! We had names picked out already for both genders. We actually had them picked out months before and were eager to see which one it would be.
We chose the name Penelope Ruth Smith for our sweet girl. It means "strong friend". Our blessing upon her is that she will be a strong friend to everyone that she encounters in this world and that she will make this world a better place through her strong personality and radiant strength.
When we found out that we were having a girl, we rushed home and faced timed our parents. We also told a few close family members and friends. However, the next day we drove up to the mountains and met our favorite family photographer and she was able to snap a couple of cute pictures for us to share with the rest of the world. We will cherish them forever.
Baby-Moon
The last big adventure of the second trimester was our baby-moon. We knew that we wanted to get away for a few days and do things that we would not be easily able to do for a little while once Sweet P made her arrival. At the same time we also didn't want to travel too far. So we decided to go somewhere we both love and hold dear to our hearts, Raleigh NC!
We had the best few days away together. We slept in, ate at local restaurants (including the Angus Barn!), dressed up fancy, went to sporting events, walked around our college campus, did a little shopping, and just spent quality time together with no life interruptions. It was just what we needed. I suggest a baby-moon to anyone who is pregnant. Even if it is just a couple of days, it is well worth it!
Second Trimester Highs & Lows
Energy Levels: As soon as the second trimester hit it seemed as if my energy levels returned back in full force. I no longer was needing to take 2 hour naps in the middle of the day just to be able to make dinner and shower before bed. I am thankful for this because it has allowed me to get stuff done! We have been able to make progress on the nursery and also focus more at work. I know that in the 3rd trimester these energy levels fade again, so I soaked them up while I could.
Baby Kicks: Our sweet girl is getting stronger by the day. I just love feeling her moving around all during the day and night. It gives me reassurance that she is growing like she is supposed to. It has also been fun for Chase to be able to feel and see her move. Many night before we drift off to sleep we spend some time with our hands on my belly feeling her move and whispering to her our love. She seems to be the most active when I'm lying still, so bedtime is always fun with a jumping bean in your belly!
Sciatica & Other Symptoms: Oh this is the downside of pregnancy. One day I stood up out of bed and a sharp pain shot down my left side. It would not go away no matter what I tried to do. Thanks to google I figured out it was my sciatic nerve being pinched and moved about. Thankfully I go and see my chiropractor on a regular basis and he has been able to help keep this symptom in check. Other not so fun preggo symptoms I have been dealing with this second trimester have been nasal congestion and nosebleeds (thanks hormones!), arch pain in my feet (thanks weight gain!), and dry skin (thanks winter!). I know that these symptoms could be much worse, so I am counting my blessings over here. Just a few speed bumps in the road to our little one. I will happily deal with them for a few more weeks.
Body Confidence: Some days are great and others are not. Some days my clothes fit how I imagined them, and some days they just don't. It has been a journey and its one that I am still trying to figure out. I am gaining the perfectly normal amount of weight for my body type and pre-pregnancy BMI. Every time I go to the doctor they tell me that I am doing fantastic. People at work and friends tell me that I look great and that I am "all belly". These are all good things. And 99 percent of the time I believe them. Some days though are hard and nothing fits and I feel like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. And so I take the good days with the bad days and remind myself that I am growing a human inside of my body. I also lean on my husband who is such a rock and who constantly lifts me up when I am down. Pregnancy is hard, gaining weight is hard, but this babe is going to be so worth it.
Becoming Mom and Dad: The best part about second trimester is the realization that Chase and I are going to be parents. That there is a tiny being inside of me that we created together and that through us we will help raise into an amazing human being. We are over the moon excited and cannot wait to see what these next few months bring.
Needless to say, the second trimester was great. It won't be long now until we will get to hold our sweet girl in our arms. We cannot wait! We love you dearly Penelope Ruth!
