Tummy Tuesday

26 weeks

** Note to self... Please remember to take your tummy tuesday picture after church when you are freshly showered, hair fixed, and make up on. NOT at 10:30 on Tuesday night after you have gotten ready for bed. Every one will appreciate it- including yourself. ** 

Margaret is now 1 2/3 pounds and 14 inches long- and going to be running out of room quickly once she starts packing on the weight. She is not as active as Mary Claire was, but she is a night owl just like her sister. She takes gymnastic class every night around 10:30 or 11. It's quite fun! Mary Claire's movements were typically kicks, jabs, and punches that were mostly out toward my stomach. Margaret is more of a roller. She doesn't so much kick- she rolls. It's like my stomach is doing the wave or something. I also feel her movements more toward my spine and pelvic floor. I never felt MC kick back or down but Margaret sure does.

Momma P has had a sinus infection/allergies since about last Friday- I hate taking medicine especially when pregnant so I have tried to suffer through with very little relief. If you have seen me wiping my eyes it is not because Chase is being mean- and if I answer the phone and you think you have called a caveman do not be alarmed its still me. I sick me, but me all the same. 

And last but not least they have started Margaret's Nursery!!!! Last week they framed everything, did the HVAC, electrical, and insulation. Hopefully they will have her sheet rock up by next weeks post.

Closet framed (front) and the door to the new attic (right)

insert crib here

View from the door looking into the room- it's a long skinny room- crib to left

 View from far side of the room

Tummy Tuesday

25 weeks

Getting bigger and bigger- still the worst complaint I have is heart burn- Oh... and my rings are getting tight. Not sure how much longer I am going to make it being "married"- hopefully the protruding belly will give it away.

Margaret is now 13.5 inches long and 1.5 pounds.- Wonder where the other 18.5 pounds I have gained are.? Thats right folks... I am up 20 pounds at this point. Right on track to gain 43lbs just like with Mary Claire. We are going to go with the 18.5 pounds of water weight. Right?!?!

Did a little shopping for Margaret this past week. I got a lamp and a set of curtains from our trip to Ikea.

And a sweet little romper and smocked dress. Who can resist a half price sale?!?!?

No "theme" for the nursery just neutrals with a hint of blush. D'D is in full swing making her baby quilt and I am on the look out for a dust ruffle, curtains, bumper, etc to make or buy. Not sure if I will keep the curtains as is or spiffy them up with a little "something, something". But first things first- we have builders coming to finish her room starting tomorrow since it still looks like this.

Eh... Details.

Tummy Tuesday

24 Weeks

Comparison of Mary Claire (left) at 24 weeks and Margaret (right) at 24 weeks

Well last Friday brought another good Doctors appointment. I got to hear Margaret's little heart beat- that never gets old. It was also glucose test week, which I apparently passed since I haven't heard anything. I was a little nervous that I may fail because I have been getting brain fog lately where I just can't think straight. It's crazy- I hear what's going on I just can't processes anything. Doc said it is probably my blood pressure and not blood sugar. Apparently progesterone causes the smooth muscle tissue to dilate which thus causes my blood pressure to drop. Since I already have low blood pressure- the smallest drop can give me "Brain Fog" as he called it. So if I am ever staring at you blankly, don't take it personally I am probably not all there. 

My body temperature must also be on the rise. I am hot all the time and that is VERY unusual for me. I am typically always cold. It's going to be a LONG, HOT summer.

I also broke down and added maternity bands to the tops of my scrubs. WHEW! I can finally breathe after lunch again. 

Margaret now weighs just over a pound and is over a footlong. Her proportions have evened out and she looks like a normal, lean baby now with see through skin. Her lungs are beginning to mature by developing branches and producing sufacant (apparently important in inflating the lungs after birth). If I were to give birth to her now- there is a good chance she would make it. She would have some developmental issue and be in the NICU for a LONG time but she would probably survive. Especially being a white, female the odds are in her favor. Kind of crazy to think about. As hot as I am going to be I hope she plans on hanging out in there for a while. 

Tummy Tuesday

23 WEEKS

(for real this time)

Remember me talking about pregnancy brain last week? Apparently I have had it the last 2 tuesdays because I jumped from week 20 to week 22. Totally skipped week 21- thanks for noticing guys!!! So for real now- this is the REAL 23 week picture and post. 

Really starting to get a big bump now. It is getting more and more awkward to bend over and pick things up or even tie my shoes. I take a deep breath just before I lean forward- not sure why? but I sure can't breath when I'm all hunched over. Guess that makes since since Margaret weighs just over a pound and is almost a foot long!!! And she can now hear everything I hear- muffled for obvious reasons but she can hear it just the same. Time to start playing classical music right?!?!

Most all of the aches and pains I was having during the first trimester have all gone away (aside from the occasional hernia pain). This is what I remember pregnant feeling like. A little heart burn, a little off balance but over all I feel AMAZING! I joke and tell Chase I enjoy being pregnant so much to would seriously consider being a surrogate- he is not on board.... like at all. Apparently he doesn't enjoy me being pregnant as much as I do. 

This past weekend Margaret (with the help of Daddy and Mary Claire) gave mommy a wonderful long weekend beach trip for Mothers Day/Birthday. AHHHH... Just what this pregers needed!

We did a little outlet shopping at the beach and got to use the "Reserved for expectant mothers" parking spot for the first time this pregnancy. Funny it was right next to all the baby stores (and bathrooms).

Heads up... next week should be week 24- if it's not, someone please tell me.

Tummy "Tuesday"

22 weeks

Yes, this post is a day late, so technically it is Tummy Wednesday. I would like to be able to blame it on all the bad weather we have been having the last 2 days but in all honesty I just forgot. So we can just blame it on "Pregnancy Brain."

Pregnancy Brain is a real thing- I have lost my phone more times than I can count in the last few weeks- once for almost 2 days. I have forgotten multiple times to take my Tummy Tuesday picture on Sunday night (middle of the"week") and if it doesn't get written down it doesn't get done, bought, or remembered.

Not much new this week in Margaret's world. I bought her nursery furniture (minus a crib- if you know of and iron crib for sell let me know!) and I love it.

 For now it has made a cozy home in the basement since her nursery currently looks like this. 

Margaret is truckin' right along. Still moving and shakin'- although the 4am summersaults would be much more fun at 4pm. Maybe one night I will remember not to roll on to my stomach and smoosh her. She is beginning to look like a real baby- a hairy wrinkly baby but a real baby all the same. Every time I picture her Chase and I both see a dark headed baby? Chase's dad and sisters all have dark hair so it could happen, right? Only time will tell. 

And for your viewing pleasure: 

A Red Neck baby in a diaper who was yelling, "Take MY PITCHER!!!!!"

Tummy Tuesday

21 Weeks

This week was full of excitement- the biggest being the gender reveal party! Since most of our family was going to be come home to Memphis for Easter we decided to wait a week to reveal the sex of the baby. We can't do something for baby number #1 and not do it for baby #2 right?- or I am just setting myself up for failure? Only time will tell. 

Team Blue

Team Pink

Chase and I were gender neutral in grey and cream and I put Big Sister Mary Claire in Pink and Blue because we were going to have to be happy with whatever God gave us, but she joined team pink for the picture since ALL she has talked about is her "baby sisser Marget".

(disregard the sticker on her forehead- this kid will do anything for a laugh)

Everyone got their cupcake and gathered around... Ready? ONE.... TWO....

Hang on- Chase and I have an announcement. We have known all week! Yes that is right my friends I was able to keep it a secret for a week and mainly because no one knew that I knew. That way if I did mess up, no one would know I did. We didn't actually mean to find out. We did have the ultrasonic tech seal the gender in an envelope, but the first thing the doctor said when he walked in the room was, "Congratulations on you healthy baby girl! What an Easter blessing!" Chase and I just looked at each other and smiled- he had no idea we didn't know yet and we weren't going to tell him. :)

Ladies and Gentleman meet our healthy baby girl, 

Margaret Rhea Peeler

She is about the size of a carrot and really working on some final details like eyelids and eyebrows. Chase and both picture her with darker hair for some reason- can't wait to find out! Her little movements and baby flutters have turned into full blown kicks and wiggles. I can really feel her moving- especially when I lay down and am still. Chase even got to feel her move for the first time on Sunday night. The excitement in his voice was priceless! "Was that her?!?!?!" Yup- sure was. :)

And over all I am feeling great, most of the aches and pains I had been having are gone and I am not gigantically huge and uncomfortable yet- although nightly heartburn has already started. This is what I remember about being pregnant, so now I remember why I loved being pregnant so much. That first trimester I thought I must have been crazy.

Tummy Tuesday

Half way there!!!..... this pregnancy has flown by!

This week was the MUCH anticipated ultrasound. 

I could have watched our little miracle move around all day long. After she measured all the stuff in the brain she looked for 2 functional kidneys, 3 arteries in the umbilical cord, and some other critical things- and everything was perfect!

Next she checked for 10 fingers and 10 toes- and no cleft lip- CHECK!

We have another healthy happy baby, but this kid seems to be a lot more laid back- or at least he/she was on the ultrasound. Yes, we found out the gender but it is sealed in an envelope and Chase and I will find out with the rest of the family at the gender reveal party this weekend. Because I am horrible at secrets- I knew I would accidentally spill it. The tech turned the TV off when she checked the gender so we couldn't peek, then sealed those pictures in an envelope for us to take to the lady making our cupcakes. 

That dark spot is the heart... 154 beats per minute.- I could have watched it beat all day long.

Like I said this kid is waaayyyy more laid back then Mary Claire was during the ultra sound. The tech for Mary Claire's ultrasound kept saying... "Come on baby!" "Be still baby" "Oh, oh right there... don't move" "Come one, work with me baby"etc. And she hasn't stopped moving since. We should have known then she would be a mover and a shaker. This kid was way more than cooperative, so maybe that means s/he is more laid back. We will see.

S/he is also much larger than Mary Claire was, measuring at over 12 1/2 ounces... WOAH chunky monkey. Not to mention by first ultrasound measured me due Aug 31st and now s/he is measuring due Aug 28. So we have virtually picked up a day of development every month- it's all those fruit snacks.

Praise God for another healthy baby! God is so good!