Oh Baby!!

In case anyone who reads our blog didn't know....we're having a baby! Kind of old news by now seeing that I about to enter week 23 already. When I was pregnant with Ella I spent time each week writing about how the baby and I were doing on a special website I created just for our little "pumpkin".

Since trying to get settled into a new area, chasing a toddler and getting use to the medical system in America versus what we had in Holland I have been a bit busy and feeling as though I'm not giving this baby nearly the same attention.

At Thanksgiving time we announced the big news to our family. We decided to wrap up a big box and tell them it was an early Christmas present and due to it's size we had to bring it at Thanksgiving time to make room for other things that would be traveling with us over the Christmas holiday.

With the help of a very eager present opener each set of grandparents were surprised by two balloons saying BOY?? or GIRL?? and a tag "arriving June 2013".

By Christmas time I knew I'd have a little belly so there was no hiding it from family before then. We decided to wait and tell other family members and friends through our Christmas card, and I LOVED how it turned out.

So now we're already about to enter 23 weeks. I have been feeling great. I would compare this pregnancy very much to Ella's. I had no morning sickness and other than being very tired in the beginning I haven't had any complaints.

I found a midwife who as cleared me to try and have a natural birth. I'm both excited and nervous! Hopefully this is how I will deliver this time around, but if something should come up where I have to have a c-section again than so be it. I have already had to endure the awful three hour glucose test. Since Ella was such a large baby and I never had the glucose testing in Holland and this time they have to be sure I don't have gestational diabetes. In just a few more weeks I get the pleasure of having the test again. Around 26-28 weeks is when it is usually done since it's something that develops as the baby grows.

We had our 20 week ultrasound but once again decided to NOT find out the sex. Everyone has to wait until June just like us! Since Ella had such a great nickname while in the womb (pumpkin) we weren't sure we'd be able to top it with this baby. But after some thinking and finally deciding on one (much later than we did with Ella), we chose "sunshine".

Here's a few pictures of "Sunshine" at our last ultrasound.

feet

 Just like with Ella I have been keeping a weekly belly book to track my pregnancy. I am currently weighing the same and my belly measurement is exactly the same as it was with Ella. I'm starting to wonder if that's good.....or bad? She did end up being over 11 pounds after all!! I have been reasured by my midwife that if I do not go into labor on my own on or before my due date they will only wait a few days before scheduling a c-section.

Here's one of my favorite pictures from earlier.

And here I am not....at 22 weeks. Can't believe we're over halfway there!!