Category: Pregnancy

I had definitely learned my lesson from Winifred’s birth: less is more! I had read every mommy blog and Pinterest article out there and had packed every single thing I might need. I used about 1/10 of what I packed (see here)! So, this time around I got real with myself on what would be absolutely necessary.

Truthfully, you’re at the hospital for 24-72 hours depending on how you bring that babe into the world. If you’re anything like me, when taking a 3 day trip you pack 28 outfits when at home you wear the same pair of jeans for a week. Try to resist that urge when you’re packing for the hospital. Trust me, RESIST, even when the “nesting” is telling you to pack all the things. As my husband says, “you’re not going to a third world country, we can always get you what you need”.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate Amazon links. Meaning, I may benefit from purchase made from the links. These are all products I’ve purchased myself and LOVED using. 

Here’s what I packed for the hospital round two.

First, I packed everything in packing cubes and it was an absolute game changer. It made everything easy to organize and access while I was in the hospital. Unpacking was also easier with everything in cubes! I used these!

 Mama Clothes- With my first, I stayed in my hospital gown way too long because I didn’t know I could change. This time, I asked the nurses if I could change in to “real people clothes” the second I got into my postpartum room. This made a world of difference and put me in a good mood!

This all went into two packing cubes (undergarments/outfits)

• 2 nursing bras
• 2 nursing tanks
• sleep shorts
• loose sleep pants
• robe
• 3 pairs of nonslip socks
• breast pads (3 pair)
• Going home outfit (sweatpants and a T-shirt)
• Belly Bandit

I used EVERY piece of clothing I packed (we stayed for almost 48 hours). The robe was a savior because hospitals are cold but the “breastfeeding sweats” are real. With my first, I brought slippers and didn’t use them because the nonslip socks were more convenient and got the job done! We also didn’t opt to take photos, so I didn’t need a cute or matchy outfit.

Fun Fact: You don’t need underwear. You’ll want to live in those mesh undies forever!

Toiletries- I put these in the large clear packing cube

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Washcloth
• Toner
• Moisturizer
• Lotion
• Deodorant
• Chapstick
• Brush
• Nipple balm
• Hair ties

There is no feeling like scrubbing your face and brushing your teeth after birth. You’re in labor for a long time and it feels incredible to freshen up. It’s the first step to feeling human again. This time, I didn’t bring shampoo, conditioner, or my makeup. I had just taken a shower before leaving for the hospital and I didn’t think I could stand long enough to even take one after giving birth. Again, we weren’t taking photos, so I didn’t bring my makeup. I also didn’t bring my oils or diffuser. It didn’t even cross my mind to use them with Winifred’s birth, so I didn’t bother packing them.

Comfort Items

• Nursing pillow
• My Pillow
• Blanket
• 10 ft Chargers (2)
• Bluetooth speakers
  • Birth Playlist

I didn’t bring my massage bar or the baseball. I think I subconsciously knew I was going to get an epidural so I wouldn’t need them. Having more than one charger is a must, especially when you have more than one person in your birthing room! Also, I’m biased but I think my birth playlist is bomb.

Baby- Daphne Grace had her own small packing cube! This made it way easier to keep her stuff together and find everything!

• 2 going home outfits
• Swaddle
• Bow
• Mittens
• Carseat

We kept it SUPER simple for DG. Last time, I had a whole diaper bag packed with diapers, wipes, 2 outfits, burp cloths, baby book, everything. Y’all, the hospital has everything you need for baby! It’s also encouraged to do as much “skin to skin” with baby as possible, so we kept Daphne Grace naked and in a swaddle the whole time. This made it more convenient to feed and to skin to skin. We brought 2 going home outfits because we didn’t know if she would need a Newborn outfit or a 0-3 month outfit! We thought she was going to be huge but she ended up needing a newborn outfit! The swaddle and bow were for cute baby pics, but we never ended up taking a cute picture of her in them! #secondbornproblems

Extras

The only extra thing we brought this time was a basket of goodies for the nurses! I just bought a cute, plastic crate from Target and filled it with candy from HEB. We didn’t bring our birth ball, pump, or letter board. The hospital has pumps and birthing balls. I also knew I wouldn’t keep up with the letterboard, so I didn’t even bring it. #secondbornproblems

Overall, my philosophy changed from “its best to be prepared” to “less is more, we aren’t going to a third world country”. Keep your birth simple and don’t try to use too many things. Someone can always go get you what you need!

 

 

 

 

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh”, I whispered to myself. It was Thursday afternoon and I was in Winifred’s rocking chair, watching her play after nap time. I’d just had my first ACTUAL contraction. It wrapped around my entire torso and made me audibly gasp. I had back labor with Winifred and Braxton Hicks for weeks, so that was an extremely new feeling. My heart nearly exploded out of my chest to feel a normal contraction! I was 39 weeks pregnant, had been losing my mucus plug for days, and was SO ready to meet this baby. The day before I thought my water broke, but upon doctor inspection I’d just been slowly peeing myself all day. That’s always nice to hear, right? HOWEVER, I was so encouraged by this one little contraction for two reasons. 1. This meant my labor might actually be “normal”. 2. We could possibly be having a baby very soon.

My contractions continued most of that evening and I was having about 1 an hour. With each one, I grew more and more shocked that this reality I’d been begging for was happening. My mind was racing and I decided to head to bed, for this might be my last night to sleep for a while! Welp. “A Pipe Dream” is what I call that. The contractions intensified around midnight and my gut told me to start timing them. They were fierce as I laid in our silent house, breathing through them. I tried to be as quiet as possible to not wake Will until absolutely necessary.

There was something empowering about laboring quietly and alone. Me and Jesus got to have a long conversation about Daphne Grace, her safety, and our family. With each contraction and each breath, I asked God to help me endure this pain for the insane beauty that was surely to come. I asked for him to help me accept that this was Daphne’s process to go through and all I had to do was my best to help her enter the world. I tell you what, my best conversation with the big man was laboring over my toilet, breathing in and out. Give it a try.

The contractions increased to 9 minutes apart by 7am. Will rolls over to kiss me good morning and I say “Ok, so we’re about 9 minutes apart”! With wide eyes he says “Ummm ok.”, flung the covers off, and became a tornado of productivity. While still contracting, I hear him rushing around the house; putting the carseat in the truck, packing his hospital bag, showering, and finishing up some work things. I giggled to myself, thinking about what was going through his mind. Guess I should have given him a tiny bit more of a heads up.

I stayed on the toilet most of the morning. It was the place I found the most comfort and apparently “real” contractions make you have to go to the bathroom a lot. Who knew? They intensified very quickly and by 10am we decided to venture to the hospital. The car ride was calm in between contractions. Will and I kept looking over at each other in shock and awe, giggling. We’d had 9 months to prepare for Daphne’s arrival, it’s pretty much all we’d ever talked about! But there is something about realizing that a tiny human being is coming into your life when you have another tiny human being at home, it’s just surreal.

We got to the hospital as the contractions were almost too intense to breathe through. I was wheeled up to Labor and Delivery which, apparently, was in the middle of baby Palooza week! There were 3 laboring mothers in front of me, waiting to be checked in. Nurses buzzed around, phones rang off the hook, and housekeeping rushed from room to room prepping them for the new arrivals. We waited, breathing, and laughing at the situation. Of COURSE Daphne Grace would enter the world during the baby boom of Midland.

We were finally in our room (the same room WJ was birthed in!) and we had an absolute sensational group of nurses with us, several of which recognized us from last year. I got settled into the bed and got my blood taken as they asked me alllllll the questions. Then it came time to check to see how dilated I was, I was shaking. (See Winnie’s birth story for previous trauma with cervix checks). I expressed my fear and apprehension with the nurse. She was empathetic and told me she would do her best to be fast and gentle. She delivered and I heard the most beautiful words a laboring mother could hear. “All right, so you’re about a 7/7.5! You’re staying here!” “SHUT UP!” I said out of pure disbelief. “Are you serious?!” Tears filled my eyes because all those contractions actually did something. My body was working with me this time.

I decided to get the epidural and it’s a decision I’m proud of. I knew what my body could handle and it couldn’t handle another birth like Winifred’s. I labored for about another hour or so and the cutest man came in and gave me a great epidural. Why was it a great epidural? Well, because I could still move my legs and feel all my contractions but nothing was painful. I found great joy knowing I could still work with my body.  I was laid on my side with the peanut ball (God’s greatest invention) and was told they would call my doc and tell him to come check me!

Womp womp. My lovely nurse comes in and tells us that my doctor was out of town this weekend and his on call doctor would be delivering Daphne. My heart sank. I knew this was too good to be true. My labor was going way too textbook to keep going so well. But, what could I do? I was having this baby and somebody had to catch it! I accepted it and prayed some more about the things I could not control. So, the on call doctor comes in and low and behold, she’s the most positive and amazing doctor I could have asked for. I expressed my fear about Daphne’s size and how difficult WJ’s labor was. She encouraged me and validated my fears, while making me feel safe. Another prayer answered.

After 2 hours on the peanut ball they broke my water, and another hour later it was time to PUSH! I was so in shock about how smoothly it was going and how empowered I felt through this process. Will had been so encouraging and wonderful, holding my hand the whole time and trusting me to trust my body. I was shaking, partly from the hormones, partly because I was so nervous to meet Daphne. It almost felt like a first date. “What will she be like? Will she like me? Will I be enough for her?” etc.

When it comes time to push, a FLOOD of people come in the room; nurses for me, nurses for baby, interns and doctor. Will was by my side, my mom at the ready with her camera, and my dad assumed his position behind the chair. Deja vu hit for sure. I began pushing with every contraction and, damn. I had an epidural and it hurt, bad. By the 5th set of pushes I was exhausted and in pain. My nurse gave me oxygen and every one else in the room was encouraging me with “Come on, mama! One more! You can do this! Breathe! She’s almost here!” and I was overwhelmed with emotion. By the 6th set, her head was “right there” and everyone told me that we were going to have a baby with a head full of hair! Everyone took a turn looking, even Will, and I got to feel her head with my hand! Did I mention that all modesty goes out the window when you’re spread eagle in a room of 20 people trying to push a baby out? Cause it does.

The doctor started to whisper to the nurse and the nurse replied with “yeah, she said that happened with her first”. Oh no, I thought. I asked what she was saying and the doctor said that Daphne’s head has a little crooked and getting caught on my bone. COOOOOL, apparently I make babies with crooked heads. My mind quickly went to a dark place as I envisioned forceps, massive tearing, and torticollis all over again. I asked her what we should do and she said it was nothing to worry about and she would guider her with my pushes.  The 7th and 8th sets of pushes were intense as the pain and pressure peaked, her head was coming out and the doctor had straightened her out, no forceps. After the 8th set, my doc looked me in the eyes and said “If you do your best on this one, she’s out”. So, with every ounce of my entire being, I pushed and pushed. With a quick sharp pain and a release of pressure, the doctor was handing me my perfect baby girl. Head full of black hair, covered completely in vernix, and screaming her lungs out; she was here. “You did it!”, Will said holding my hand and staring at our beautiful girl.

They wiped her off and my mom got to cut the cord! I could not get to her fast enough as we started skin to skin. And I got that feeling. That feeling moms tell you you’ll get when you have another baby. You don’t love your first born less, your heart doubles. They were so right. I felt like the Grinch with my heart growing 3 times its size. She was perfect and beautiful, and ours. She was here.

Daphne Grace entered the world at 4:02PM on Friday, September 27th. She was 8lbs 1oz and 20 inches long. She’s perfect and we are so in love!

This birth was different than my first. Traumatic vs. Textbook, but they were both perfect. These births brought my beautiful girls into the world and I’m grateful to my body for both of them.

How far along? 38 Weeks
Baby is the size of a: Pomeranian (lol what)

Total weight gain: another lol, I calculated wrong so I’ve gained about 20 lbs the whole pregnancy

Baby Development: Daphne Grace is pretty darn cooked at this point! Her only job to is to practice breathing and to keep getting fat. She’s rocking both of those! At her sonogram this week, the doc was impressed with how much she was practicing breathing. They also believe her to weigh about 8lbs 7oz, which is what Winnie J weighed when she was born. That is a little scary to hear, but those sonograms can be up to 2lbs off. So, we aren’t going to make any decisions based off of those measurements. She is also shedding her “fetal skin” and her sweet soft baby skin is making its way! Her eyes have most likely into their final color! I seriously cannot wait to see her smushy face and kiss her all over!

Movement: Movement has been more sporadic this week. She moves mostly when I’m laying down. She is still super strong, looking like she is going to come out of my belly button these days. She takes my breath away or makes me stop walking with how strong her kicks are!

Food cravings: Still craving fruits that are juicy and veggies. Sugar snap peas are my JAM and I eat a bag a night with no shame.

Miss Anything?  I miss sleeping for more than an hour without having to go to the bathroom. For the past week, I’ve gotten up every 45-60 minutes to go to the bathroom. It’s quite exhausting and annoying. It may be compounded by the fact that I know I’ll be even more sleep deprived when Daphne Grace comes.

 

Symptoms: CONTRACTIONS. Y’all, on Sunday, my contractions were so bad I had to start timing them. They were anywhere from 10-20 minutes apart and they felt so different from Braxton Hicks. If I laid down, they slowed down but didn’t stop. At this point, I called my mom and let her know what was happening. She was supposed to come on Thursday, but my dad put her on a plane that night! Thank God he did because Imelda hit Houston on Thursday and both airports were closed! So, she’s now and is a HUGE help with Winnie J because this mama’s back is in some serious pain. The contractions slowed way down this week and returned to being Braxton Hicks. I still get them every day! TMI but I’ve lost two chunks of my mucus plug, which I find super exciting.

Mood?  Anxious. I’m SO ready to meet our new little love and sink into our new normal. I know life won’t be easy but I’m just ready to have this baby and coral the circus. I’m also feeling thankful. Will and my mom have been so patient with me as my nesting spikes. Most of the stuff I want to do, I physically can’t. So they ask what they can do and lovingly clean the weird things my body is telling me need to be cleaned. They’ve encouraged me and convinced me that I’m not crazy, no matter how crazy I feel.

Winifred Update: This. Girl. Definitely turning into a toddler with big feelings and big opinions. I never knew that someone who didn’t talk could have so many opinions on the littlest things. Poor Winnie J had a fever this weekend and her appetite went out the door, again. She is still a “Self proclaimed” vegetarian and will not eat any meat other than eggs. I now FULLY understand how parents end up making chicken nuggets and mac and cheese for every meal. Please take this as my apology for judging. Because Winnie J is living off of scrambled eggs, grilled cheese, and bananas! Nevertheless, she is the light of our lives. She has learned to climb just about everything and wants to explore all the time!

This week, I started lifting my shirt and patting my belly saying, “baby” to get her used to the word and see if she understands a little. Welp haha she kinda understands. If we’re on the floor playing, she’ll make me lift up my shirt so she can pat my belly and say “baby”! I melt into a freaking puddle every single time. I cannot wait to see her be a big sister.

How far along? 37 weeks
Baby is the size of a: Honeydew Melon

Total weight gain: 17 lbs. (took full advantage of carbs this week for SURE)

Baby Development: Daphne Grace is still giant and that’s ok! I’m so happy she is healthy and gaining weight, as she should. Her systems are pretty much ready to rock and roll at this point. The only thing left to finish is her digestive system and that won’t happen until she has her first feeding! She is still in birthing position and very low. Her reflexes are developing, too! I think it’s so crazy that babies are born with a full set of reflexes! She’ll grasp, flinch, and hold on tightly to our fingers. I can’t freaking wait!

Movement: I think DG is running out of room in there! She is moving less and less these days but she is still strong. Her feet are pressed right up above my belly button. I can feel little toes and her heels. It’s been my favorite part of these last few weeks. I love those little feet. She also gets the hiccups when I lay down to go to sleep; I look forward to seeing those hiccups on the outside!

Food cravings: Chocolate Pop Tarts! I craved those early in my pregnancy with Winifred but that craving hit late this pregnancy. I only wanted them for a few days, instead of weeks and weeks.

Miss Anything?  Lots of things. I’m truly ready to not be pregnant anymore. I want my baby on the outside.

Symptoms: So emotional. My highs are super high and my lows are super low. I cry everyday, multiple times a day, for different reasons. I had an OB appointment this week and my blood pressure was a little high. I think it was because I was super stressed about my cervix check, but they’re watching me for preeclampsia now. I really don’t think I have it, but its nice to be monitored. I also have this super fun thing called “Lightning Crotch”. I get this pinching feeling that feels like lightning down there. I thought this might mean that I was dilating at least a little bit. NOPE. During my cervix check, doc says, “Nope, you’re closed up tight down there”. Not really what I was hoping to hear. Also, bonus, I have lots of weird gray hairs. Can’t tell if they’re from Daphne or Winifred. However, on Saturday, I did lose part of my mucus plug. So, I’m taking that as a tiny step forward.

Mood?  EMOTIONAL and discrouraged. I truly, truly thought I was going to be at least a little dilated. I know that I’m only 37 weeks and Daphne Grace isn’t done cooking yet, but, selfishly, I’m so done. All my bodily signs point to her being ready to come out! I’m getting anxious because I don’t want to be overdue like I was with Winifred. I just can’t do that again, especially if she’s as big as they think she might be.

Winifred Update: Praise God, Winnie J is eating more this week. She is still on a meat strike, but is eating tons of eggs, so I’ll take it. Her personality is SHINING this week! She is such a talker. She babbles alllll day long and has some very strong opinions. She’s started to really use the sign language we’re teaching her and point to things she wants. It’s so nice to be able to communicate with her. Winnie J is still going to daycare two days a week and I’m so thankful for that! She’s begun to develop some separation anxiety from me, even when I’m in the room. So, I’m glad to have her still be away and ok for a few days a week. SHE TOOK A STEP! She’s also getting really stable on her feet, so I hope we’re close to walking!

How far along? 36 weeks
Baby is the size of a: Chihuahua (lol)

Total weight gain: 15 lbs.

Baby Development: Welp. DG is still huge! We had another ultrasound this week and she is measure at about 7 and a half pounds. Head is still in the 97^th percentile but she went down to the 89^th percentile as a whole! She is still insanely low. Y’all, TMI but the sonographer had to almost violate my lady business to get a good measurement of the top of her head. Good news though, doc said she is super healthy and all her organs are functioning and looking great! She is still very active which means her placenta is strong and working. She has SO MUCH HAIR. I truly cannot wait to see what she looks like.

Movement: Daphne Grace is moving like a mad woman and I kinda love it. Now that I know where she is positioned, I can tell where her little feet are and I can push them back. She is strong! I wonder if she’ll be able to bust out of swaddles like her sister. She is using my bladder as a squeeze toy; that is proving rather interesting and painful.

Food cravings: I’m allllll over the place this week. I cannot get enough sugar snap peas but I also really want Chocolate Pop tarts sooooooooo there’s that. I’m just letting DG call the shots at this point.

Miss Anything?  Clothes. Right now I have about 6 shirts I can fit into and 5 pairs of shorts. I honestly miss a diverse wardrobe.

Symptoms: No appetite unless it’s a craving. Nothing sounds good and I don’t really feel hungry until 10pm when I get STARVING. I’m also having a lot of severe back pain because my belly is hanging so low. I got a support band to go under my belly and it is a game changer! I can walk around without looking like a penguin and grunting like Serena Williams.

Mood?  Restless. I’m so ready for Daphne Grace to get here. I struggle because I know she needs more time to develop and cook but I want her here so bad. Our house is ready for her! Nursery is done, hospital bags are packed, newborn clothes are washed, and our room is set up for her temporary sleep space! Now, we wait. I’m just so ready to start our new life with our second miracle.

Winifred Update: I can’t believe how much she changes from day to day! We go spoiled having Will home this 3-day weekend. She got to show her dad her favorite park and spend some quality time with him in the sun! We’ve started to teach her sign language at mealtime to cut down on the random screaming. So far, Winnie J knows “more” and “all done”. We’re now working on “Water”! It’s amazing how fast she learned those signs and I can’t wait to continue that communication. Winifred now has 4 teeth and is looking like a real life toddler! She is allllll over the place, climbing on everything and making as much noise as possible. She is obsessed with the dogs and her books. She would read all day long if she could. We continue to visit the library 2 days a week, and Winnie J is making friends! I love seeing her wave at the other kids and share the toys. She is such a tender heart. She has also begun to “walk” around using her little walker toy, so I’m hoping that walking is right around the corner! This mama would rather not have to carry two babies everywhere.

Winnie J is also practicing using a fork to feed herself. Surprisingly, she picked it up fast! She can get food on the fork on the first try and will get it in her mouth. However, she won’t chew or swallow any food she gets in her mouth with a fork. Confusing and frustrating.

How far along? 35 weeks
Baby is the size of a:  spaghetti squash

Total weight gain: 13.5

Baby Development: Daphne Grace is getting lower and lower in there. She is preparing for birth as her body puts the final touches on her skeletal system and her organs. Her lungs continue to grow stronger as she practices breathing! She should be packing on more and more fat, but I need her to cool it with that. She’s HUGE. She’s working on her first poop as we speak! Her finger nails are getting pretty long and ready to be trimmed!

Movement: I am now feeling movement almost exclusively right at my cervix. I don’t think she can get any lower! She loves when I drink anything with bubbles. Thankfully, she is off my lungs which is an amazing relief to be able to breathe again.

Food cravings: VEGGIES! Broccoli and sugar snap peas are LIFE.

Miss Anything?  I miss being able to cuddle Winifred. She can’t fit in my arms like she used to and it’s painful when she sits on my belly. However, I do love that I can hold both my girls at the same time.

Symptoms:  The sciatic nerve pain is back and makes my right leg feel like it’s on fire. Some stretching relieves the pain a little, but it’s intense. My emotions are everywhere at this point too. Poor Will having to deal with my ups and downs. He needs an award.

Mood?  Determined. After we finished Winnie J’s party, my mind went completely into nesting mode to get the house ready for Daphne Grace. We had to switch the girls’ closets and get all the infant stuff down from the attic. In one day, our house went from a complete disaster to ready for baby! I’m now just going down the list to make sure we have everything we need for the hospital and postpartum life. It’s making my heart very happy to know our home is ready to welcome Daphne Grace home!

Winifred Update: Truth time; this week was insanely difficult with Winifred June. She is now one and going through the 8^th mental leap, which can make babies very fussy as they try to figure out their new world. She is also cutting her top two teeth, causing her to have an ear infection. THEN, she got most of her 1 year shots on top of all this. She is going through so much and it’s hard for her tiny body to handle it all so, she screams. I can’t take it away and there is only so much I can do, so we cuddled a LOT this week. By Thursday, she started feeling more like herself! We went to the park and the library to cure the stir-crazy. I’ve been blown away at the mental jumps she’s made this week. She’s beginning to explore the world around her and venture out on her own to make friends or try something new. She still comes back for cuddles, which makes this mama heart happy. SHE WANTS TO WALK SO BAD. She’ll stand up on her walker and scoot around the house. It should be only a matter of time! She is currently obsessed with books, we read allllllll day long.

How far along? 34 Weeks
Baby is the size of a:  small pineapple (still)

Total weight gain: 12 lbs

Baby Development: We got to have an ultrasound and see Daphne Grace early this week! She is developing beautifully, almost too beautifully! As of now, baby girl is measuring 2.5 weeks ahead of where we’re at. Her head is in the 97^th percentile and the rest of her is in the 92^nd percentile. DG is HEALTHY. However, doc was concerned about if my body could handle how big she might be, so we scheduled another ultrasound in two weeks to see how she grows and come up with a plan. Sometimes the ultrasounds can be way off, by up to 2 lbs, so we won’t put anything in stone. She is no longer breach, which is a huge relief! She looks JUST like Winnie J except she has a head full of hair. I cannot freaking wait to see her in the world.

Movement: Still feeling her extremely low. She kicks all day long and likes to let me know she’s there!

Food cravings: Juice haha so weird

Miss Anything?  I miss being able to bend over. It’s rough picking up Winnie J or toys, I feel like I’m going to break Daphne if I bend too much. It’s very painful.

Symptoms:  Back pain is getting pretty bad at the end of the day along with feet swelling. Still getting heartburn some nights, but it goes away when I prop myself up to sleep.

Mood?  Laser Focused. We’ve been prepping for Winnie J’s first birthday party! My mind has been going a thousand miles an hour and I’ve had to delegate a lot to my sister (Rachel) and Will. I had such a specific vision for how I wanted the party to go and my anxiety was so focused on every little detail. It was hard to sit still this week even though my body was begging me to.

Winifred Update: She had the time of her life this week! Winnie J is obsessed with her Aunt Rachel and loved having her with us all week. We went to the splash pad and the library to show Aunt Rachel how fun Midland can be. WINNIE J ALSO TURNED ONE! We cannot even believe how fast time has gone. It truly feels like just last month we were bringing her home from the hospital. Her party was everything I could have ever asked for. We are especially thankful for the people who took time out of their weekends to come and celebrate Winnie J. We felt all the love and we are so grateful to have people here in Midland who feel like family.

How far along? 33 Weeks
Baby is the size of a:  small pineapple

Total weight gain: 10 lbs

Baby Development: DG is working on hardening her bones to help support her in the outside world! She is keeping her eyes open during her wake time in there and practicing looking around her! Other than that, she’s just getting fatter and fatter!

Movement: Movement this week is BIG. I feel her super low and she gets the hiccups twice a day at least! She reacts to my voice when I sing WJ to sleep and it’s the most beautiful feeling. She dances when I drink something cold and doesn’t wake up until about 11 am!

Food cravings: I’m still majorly craving drinks with bubbles.

Miss Anything?  I miss being able to do dishes without having to turn sideways haha. The belly is reeeeeeeally starting to hinder my everyday activities. I also miss being able to reach above the stove without turning the oven on!

Symptoms:  I’m now peeing ever 30 minutes, she is SO low! I’ve got the pregnant waddle down to an art and it takes me a good minute to get off the couch. Heartburn is bad at night so, I’m sleeping propped up. I’m having Braxton Hicks contractions everyday now and it makes me nervous that labor might be closer than I think.

Mood?  NESTING. My sister is coming in town next week and I’m so busy prepping for her to be her and for WJ’s first birthday party! I constantly want to be cleaning and tidying the house. I’m also super emotional. Everything that Winifred does makes me cry in the happiest of ways.

Winifred Update: She is growing LEAPS AND BOUNDS every single day. She is loving animals and is obsessed with her farm animal books. She’s mastered the duck, cow, dog, sheep sound! When she hears the dogs outside, she tries to bark back! Winnie has also started copying everything we do! She copies our motions and our tones when we talk to one another. She especially loves to copy our laughs and it makes me MELT. She is getting so brave and is standing on her own! She can get up by herself and stand for about 5 seconds independently. She gets so proud after she falls and it makes me happy to see her proud of herself. She is scooting around furniture and exploring all over the house. She got really brave and stepped away from the coffee table, slipped and gave her self a nasty bruise on her cheek. Mom guilt extreme. We got her a baby doll and she is obsessed. She pats it on the back and tries to share her Paci with it! I can’t wait to see her be a big sister.

How far along? 32 Weeks
Baby is the size of a:  Cantaloupe

Total weight gain: 9lbs

Baby Development: As of now, Daphne Grace is pretty much focused on getting cute and fat! Her senses are being fine-tuned and her lungs are working on getting strong enough to breath on the outside! I’m assuming/hoping she’s growing lots of hair because mama has heartburn! If all goes according to plan, she should be migrating lower in my belly to get ready for her birth.

Movement Daphne Grace is trying to escape out of my belly button, I swear. She is now constantly moving, I have no idea when she sleeps. I also now know the feeling other moms talk about when baby is in their ribs because, WOW, I feel her between my ribs. She is also sitting pretty on my lungs, I run out of breath just talking. Hoping she drops just a tad so I can breathe.

Food cravings: Drinks with bubbles. I’ve been drinking La Croix like it’s my job, but nothing quite quenches the bubble craving like a large Ocean Water from Sonic.

Miss Anything?  seeing my feet.

Symptoms:  Heartburn is still alive and well in my belly. I’ve lessened my coffee intake and am eating WAY less salt. That has seemed to help the heartburn big time. I’m also having really weird nightmares! Like terrifying nightmares of my babies getting hurt and its AWFUL!! I’m ready for that to go away. I’m also having Braxton-Hicks way more frequently. I don’t remember having them with Winifred, so this is a really new feeling.

Wedding rings on or off?  Rocking the silicone ring, proudly.

Mood?  Exhausted. I can’t get enough sleep.

Winifred Update: We not have two teeth! WHOOOO HOOOOO! Winnie J is rocking her milestones and development without much help from us. She is crawling all over the entire house and exploring anything she can. She’s obsessed with books, in particular, a farm animal book! She can Moo, quack, whooo whooo, and bark like a dog! Every time the dogs bark outside, she barks back! She has also become quite the showman. If she does something to make us laugh, she’ll do it over and over looking for our reaction. She has really started noticing music and rhythms. She’ll dance or wave her hands to any music she hears! Winnie J is quite the organizer these days. She’ll sort things by color, or want to choose two toys that are similar to take with her. If she is done with a particular part of a meal, she will put that food in the cup holder so it isn’t in her way. She been Miss Independent this week too, playing by herself. She’ll crawl into her room and shut the door! I’ll stand out there and just hear here playing with her books or yelling with her stuffed animals. It makes my heart so happy to have her asserting her independence! She got a big girl car seat and helped Dad work on her big girl room! We have a little assistant on our hands.

How far along? 31 Weeks
Baby is the size of a:  Small otter, Romaine Lettuce,

Total weight gain: 7.5 lbs

Baby Development: Daphne Grace is still packing on the pounds and growing like crazy! Her senses are almost fully developed and she can hear everything going on around her. Her eyesight is still developing, so everything is a giant blur right now. The bones of her skull are solidifying to prepare for birth. I can’t wait for my little cone head. Her bones are continuing to steal my calcium to harden and get ready for the outside world.

Movement:  Daphne Grace had hiccups for the first time this week! That’s my favorite baby movements. She loves when Winnie is around and making noises, she moves the most then. It makes my heart so happy. I’m praying that the movements I’m feeling are movements of a baby who is head down!

Food cravings: Nothing really this week! My chocolate cravings have subsided, thank goodness.

Miss Anything?  Being able to stand up from the couch in less than 30 seconds.

Symptoms:  Heartburn. I’ve never had heartburn in my life and here it is, every night as I fall asleep. It’s not too bad and I can usually get back to sleep, but I have to sleep propped up. That is an interesting endeavor. The lower back pain is still lingering but I’m pretty much used to that as my new normal. Leaky breasts this week, too! With WJ I got them at 25 weeks, so I’m happy that symptom was delayed. I can feel my hips loosening and my joints are more wobbly. Lots of changes this week as my body starts prepping! Still a long while until she is here!

Wedding rings on or off?  Sadly, they are off. I don’t know if it’s this West Texas heat or what but my hands are swollen by about 2 in the afternoon. So, I just don’t bother with them anymore. My silicone wedding ring will do just fine for the next 9 weeks.

Mood?  Determined. We started Winnie J’s room remodel and I am PUMPED! I just might spend most of my time in there! The renovation got my organization juices flowing and I’m prepping for Daphne Grace’s arrival and Winnie J’s first birthday party! I’m ready to switch all of Winnie J’s stuff to her new room and re”baby” the nursery.

Winifred Update: SHE HAS A TOOTH! I REPEAT, SHE HAS A TOOTH! It’s the cutest little thing and I can’t wait for her to get more. She is officially OVER purees and wants to eat what we’re eating, which is quite convenient. She is determined to feed herself and is so proud of herself when she does! Winnie J started investigating other parts of the house this week and discovered the dog bowls. Her preferred spot to hang out is the dog bed and her favorite toy is Zeus’ tail! She continues to practice her standing skills and she can balance herself for a good 3 seconds before falling. She’ll crawl or climb over anything she can find. She also had her first Chick-Fil-A experience and she’s a TOTAL fan!