this go round.

Let's just say this pregnancy has been all kinds of different...

First of all, I canNOT believe I'm already 23+ weeks along.  It is absolutely insane how quickly it is going by this time.  With Arabella, things didn't start to seem super fast until about week 35 (when reality hit that a kid was about to come out of me...).  This go round, I can't even remember how we got this far.  And the fact that another kid is about to come out of me...well let's just say that reality is hitting me a lot sooner.

For those who don't know yet, this little rascal is a boy :)  We are both so excited (even though I have no idea what I'm going to do with a mini-Hunter...)  I can already tell you he is crazy strong and feisty.  I felt both he and Arabella for the first time at 16 weeks.  She felt like a little bug, flutters here and there gradually getting stronger until Hunter could feel her from the outside at 22-23 weeks. From the beginning, this little boy has had some jabs.  His movements have been very defined from the get go, and he has been wiggling so hard in there that Hunter could feel him at 18 weeks. My whole stomach already jumps and rolls with him.  Oh man, he's going to be a little ball of fire!

I'm also carrying him a lot lower than Arabella.  She literally camped out in my ribs until they scooped her out (which is why they didn't even attempt to induce when my BP got so high).  This little guy kicks way down low.

I didn't have to potty all the time with Bella until the last trimester.  This guy has had me going since I before I took the test...

My hormones are crazy!  When I was pregnant with Arabella, I was actually pretty close to my normal self--no mood swings or cravings or intensified emotions (at least not much anyway).  This time?  Oh. My. Stars.  Every little thing gets on my nerves and under my skin.  My energy wanes quickly and my patience goes even quicker.  I am a moody mama... :/

Food...oh I love food!  I haven't been a full on petunia pig, but I have been much more lax this time than with Bella.  Plus, with her, I really didn't want to eat much at all the first trimester, and after that, just ate whatever we had.  This go round, I don't necessarily "crave" things out of the blue--but if I see something that strikes my fancy, my mind does not leave it alone until I get it in my mouth!  And while I have loved fruit big time (especially watermelon, grapes, and pineapple), I have definitely been much more drawn to flat out junk.

Heartburn has been a preggo pal of mine with both of these munchkins, but this time it got bad a whole lot quicker...  I had to take Prilosec to sleep the last 2 weeks with Bella--that may happen a lot sooner with the boy.

I've had Arabella's name picked out for years and we both always loved it.  So when we found out she was a girl, she immediately had a name.  We cannot for anything seem to agree on a name for this little fella.  It is so weird to know he's a boy but still not be able to call him by name...

I know without a doubt that the changes will only multiply exponentially once he gets here.  We are so excited to meet our little fella and see the new elements he brings to our little family.  But we are also trying to soak up and savor every ounce of time we have alone with Arabella.  Nothing will ever be the same!

here's to adventure
love, angie