23 weeks

Baby girl is moving all the time and I LOVE it. Carli and Nick have both gotten to feel her kick. It offers me piece of mind that she is growing and getting stronger when I feel her wiggling all over the place. She is really starting to pack on the weight now and will start to fill out those onesies and cute dresses soon! In the next 4 weeks, she will double in size.

I have started making a list of things that we need to purchase, plan, and organize over these next few months. I feel ahead of the ball but ready to start crossing things off the list.


Nick and I spent a day together at the Memorial Golf Tournament last week. It was a beautiful day and I was chugging bottled water like it was my job. We walked the whole course....a pretty serious job even without a baby in tow. I did pretty well but we didn't need to park ourselves under a shady tree a few times to take a break. We have been spending our weekends playing outside in the sprinkler, having bonfires with friends, and last week Carli and I hit up the strawberry festival. Nothing better than sweet summertime!


We did family photos this week and I am so happy with how they turned out. I know we will do them again very soon, when we become a party of 4.  Just a few of my favorites...

 How far along?  23 weeks

Total Weight Gain? our scale broke....what a shame! ha!

Maternity Clothes? I bought a few pairs of cute (relative term) shorts and I'm still wearing a lot of maxi's.

Stretch Marks? no

Sleep: I haven't slept very well this week. Getting up to use the restroom several times and can't seem to get comfy. Hoping this is not a sign of the next 3 1/2 months.

Best moment this week: Having Nick and Carli feel the baby kick.

Miss anything?  I have been to two sporting events in the last week....a beer would be nice at the Memorial Tournament and the Clippers game.

Movement: Every day!!

Food Cravings? Grapes this week!!

Anything make you sick or queasy? No

Gender: GIRL:)

Labor signs: no

Symptoms: No hiding that there is a baby in there!  

Belly button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: Fun summer days with friends and family the next few weeks.

22 Weeks

If you must go back to work after vacation...which we all must....do it on a short, holiday week! Luckily the week has gone by very quickly which says a lot considering we didn't have a working air conditioner for 3 days in 90 degree weather. Our A/C needed Freon and all the heating/cooling companies were swamped. We were not above using the "pregnant with a toddler" excuse and we were able to get someone out fairly quickly. Thank you to the repair guys that stood out in the rain at 9pm working on our unit!


Baby girl is weighing in at a whole pound! I can tell she is growing because movement is getting stronger every day. She now has eyelashes and eyebrows but her irises still lack pigment. Wondering if we will have another blue eyed girl?! Her sensory system is developing and she is learning her sense of touch by rubbing her face, neck, and belly.


The numbness in my right leg has seemed to improve. I still get it occasionally but it is less frequent which is great news! I have noticed a little swelling in my ankles and feet at the end of the day. I am hoping that I can chalk some of that up to the high temperatures lately....but honestly I don't expect those to cool down any time soon since we are entering prime summertime!
Speaking of summertime...the warmer weather has us all ALWAYS up for an ice cream cone or popsicle. Somehow I feel less guilty indulging when I can enjoy my treat with a 3 year old.

I had my monthly check up today and everything was perfect. She said I am measuring right on target and we heard a nice strong heartbeat. I was in and out in less than 20 minutes! We did schedule a few appointment ahead. Starting in July, I will visit bi-weekly. Crazy how fast the days... weeks...months are flying by!

I thought we had decided on a crib several months ago when I fell in love when one I saw at Ikea during a shopping trip with (Aunt) Megan. I loved the gray color and the drawers on the bottom. The only reason I even did a quick online search recently was because I wasn't sure when we were going to pencil in a day to get back to Cincinnati to Ikea and the shipping cost was ridiculous ($100).  I am SO glad I kept looking though. I found one that Nick and I both think is better suited for a little girl and super cute. Bonus that it the crib is cheaper and has free shipping! Here were our final two options....we chose the top crib!

I am so excited to see her room come together. We are also doing a little re-decorating of Carli's big girl room. It is getting a fresh coat of "Princess Pink" paint, a new ceiling fan, and maybe some new wall art...including a fancy mermaid clock we brought home from the beach!!



Beach Baby-21 Weeks!

We spent the last week on the most amazing vacation in Siesta Key. The weather was perfect and we all enjoyed a nice balance between fun and relaxation!!


Baby girl is swallowing a bit of amniotic fluid each day and is practicing digestion. She has developed taste buds and can taste whatever I eat. Lately, we have been loving watermelon and chocolate milkshakes. I have felt her move and roll around a lot more this week. I absolutely love it! It is a sweet reminder that she is here and growing. She is currently dancing around as I type.


Now that vacation is over. I am ready to jump in feet first to the nursery. We had an electrician come and install a ceiling fan in both girls rooms and I am hoping to start (and finish) painting in the next couple weekends.

How far along?  21 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 8lbs pounds

Maternity Clothes? sundresses....I need to find a cute pair of shorts I like.

Stretch Marks? no

Sleep: I didn't sleep very good on vacation. The bed wasn't super comfy and I was up to pee a lot. Happy to be in my own bed this week but our A/C is on the fritz so the heat is keeping me up.

Best moment this week: watching Carli in the ocean and spending time her and Nick all week.

Miss anything?  I missed a frozen daiquiri by the pool:)

Movement: It has really picked up this week. Stronger kicks and more often. I love it!

Food Cravings? Watermelon

Anything make you sick or queasy? Feeling good. Was reminded of staying hydrated in the Florida heat. Oops!

Gender: GIRL:)

Labor signs: no

Symptoms: baby bump, some swelling in my feet in the heat and on the airplane. Fingers crossed this stays at bay.

Belly button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: doctors appointment this week!

Just a few vacation pictures!!

1/2 Way

This week has felt like it has dragged....I suppose that is to be expected when you are counting down the minutes until your toes are in the sand (no drink in my hand). Needless to say, we are very excited to kick off our vacation!!


Baby girl now sleeps and can be awakened by noise and movement. She is moving more and more all the time. I have gotten more frequent kicks and it still catches me off guard. Maybe we have a little acrobat on our hands!


We spent the rainy Saturday last week cleaning out the nursery and prepping for paint. We have decided on a pretty mint color for the walls and are using gray and purple as the other two primary colors. Here is my inspiration photo...

Carli is OBSESSED with baby clothes, shoes, bows, accessories so we broke out her old newborn clothes. It was so fun pulling everything out. I loved reminiscing about her wearing those tiny little outfits and she had a blast pulling ALL of them out.

My little type A personality is already organizing her sisters closet.

I can't believe we are going to have 2 little girls in as little as 4 months. I am SO excited and still somehow finding it hard to wrap my brain around....although if I look down...I am reminded...it's real and happening! Hello baby bump! {so blessed}

Countdown to due date....140 days!!!!





Sneak Peak

We traveled downtown to the Maternal Fetal Medicine building this morning for our anatomy scan. This was about a 40 minute ultrasound that checked everything. The tech took over 50 pictures and measured the length of bones, circumference of her belly and head, and looked at the chambers of her heart. Everything looked perfect! In fact, she used the word "perfect" more than once and this mama couldn't be more happy (and proud).


It was confirmed with absolute certainty that we are having a baby GIRL! She is just under 1 pound and is measuring about 4 days ahead of her due date. The 4 chambers of her heart were beating at 159bpm. We counted 10 fingers and 10 toes and got to see the cutest little button nose and tiny lips. We are so in love! My eyes were glued to the flat screen on the wall the entire time.

Look at that cute little profile!

Tiny baby toes!!

After a week full of doctor visits, we can focus on getting ready for vacation! I won't be back to see Dr. Keder until early June. Feeling so blesssed!! 

19 weeks

How the weeks are flying by now that we are hitting warmer weather. I look ahead at our social calendar and see how much we have planned and I know this summer is going to be gone in the blink of an eye!


Baby girl is going through a growth spurt this week! She is about half a pound and 9 inches long. We will get her exact size confirmed tomorrow at our anatomy scan. I had a regular check up earlier this week and everything looks great! Dr. Keder immediately found a strong heartbeat and said my belly is measuring right on track (although I feel big).  She actually didn't think the tingling and numbness in my right leg is sciatica but maybe just circulation. It is something I will continue to keep an eye on and I am hopeful it gets better soon! Nick did get me a prenatal massage for Mother's Day that I will be taking advantage of (very soon).

I got a little help on the chalkboard this week!

I have started to clean out the nursery and hope to get more done this weekend so we can select paint colors. Carli and I have also done a little more shopping! She loves picking out cute jammies and dresses for her little sister. She loves showing anyone that will look as well!


How far along?  19 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 5lbs pounds

Maternity Clothes? lots of dresses and leggings

Stretch Marks? no

Sleep: I have slept great this week. Bathroom trips are down to about 2 a night and I feel rested in the morning.

Best moment this week: celebrating Mother's Day with my momma and family

Miss anything?  Not really, feeling pretty content:)

Movement: Yes! But still very sporadic. Ready for some good kicks!

Food Cravings? Butterfinger Bar

Anything make you sick or queasy? Just one day of a little queasiness this week...I needed breakfast!

Gender: GIRL:)

Labor signs: no

Symptoms: baby bump

Belly button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!

Looking forward to: our anatomy scan tomorrow and vacation!

Mother's Day!

We spent the day together as a family and I was showered with homemade cards, pancakes, and lots of kisses. We grilled hotdogs, played outside, and enjoyed good company with my mom, Kelli and Mike.


It was a very special day and I can't wait to double the love next year with another sweet babe! It seems surreal that I have been a mom this long, yet I look back and really can't remember much about what life was like before.  It won't be long before these precious years are gone, the years of bringing life into this world, snuggling your tiny babies whose smell you never want to forget & being needed every minute of every day. The few short years of your life where you will lose your patience over another lost shoe or find yourself on your hands and knees three times a day scooping up food from the floor. Those toes won't be little for long, their voices won't be so small & there will eventually be things they'd much rather do than follow you to the bathroom.

Motherhood has this way of breaking us down & building us right back up all within mere seconds. It is hard, and it is draining, but there is still so much beauty in this journey. I wanted to be a mom my whole life, I couldn't wait. I hoped and wished and prayed to have little girls some day, and now here we are, four whole years into it. And it has gone by so fast. These are the days, right here in the palms of our hands.