18.5 weeks - a little update

wearing - striped dress from H and M maternity, chambray shirt from Old Navy, wrap belt from Joe Fresh

I'm getting bigger every day, and while I am absolutely thrilled by that, it's also a little bit strange. Most women, myself included, typically worry about gaining weight. I am definitely not obsessive about it - I tend to gain or lose five pounds here or there. But there is something unsettling about seeing the number on the scale climb, and climb, even though I know there is a perfectly wonderful reason for it.

During my first pregnancy I gained between 30-35 pounds, which I would say is in the healthy range. I was lucky to lose it all quickly, without much effort (thanks to all the burned calories from marathon nursing sessions!). For some reason this time around I have a goal to gain under 30 pounds. There is no particular reason for this - it's just a number I came up with. I know I should forget about the silly scale and focus on eating well and getting more exercise, but I read all these stories of beautiful mamas who barely look like they gained an once anywhere other than their bellies, and I start to worry about my arms, my legs, my face, etc. It's silly, I know that in my head. The second time around I started to look pregnant so much sooner, so I think I'm worried that by the end I will be massive!

But really, what does it matter if I gain 30 or even 40 pounds? If that's what it takes to create a perfect little human, then that is what it takes. I'm 18.5 weeks along and have gained around 7 or 8 pounds so far. I'm starting to get a little back pain, which is a new symptom from my first pregnancy. My biggest complaint is sleep. Lately I've been tossing and turning more than I've been sleeping, and this is definitely a symptom I recognize all too well. My first trimester nausea is gone for which I am thrilled! It's so wonderful to once again enjoy cooking and baking. Bring on another 18.5 weeks...or 22 weeks...

Sunday Funday

 

The weather was absolutely terrible, but we made the most of the day regardless. Brunch with friends, dessert for lunch, and a trip to Ikea rounded out our day together. I'm trying to get our house organized, and for Mother's Day I was given a lovely storage unit from Ikea. After today's trip I picked up some baskets and organizers, determined to de-clutter our house and bring about a sense of order. I've also been pining away on Pinterest and getting lots of ideas for some new bedrooms in our near future. I love organizing and home decor, so I've been having lots of fun pouring through wallpaper samples, catalogues, and paint colours.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's holiday - in Canada it's Victoria Day - and enjoying another day with my two favourite guys. More home projects are on the go including hanging new curtains, planting in the garden, and further de-cluttering. (Is it just me or is de-cluttering a never ending battle? I feel like I give away bags of stuff every month, and surely I don't accumulate that many new things?!) It sure feels good to drop that bag of old clothes in the giveaway bin, or add more old boxes to the recycling bin. I could never be a hoarder...

Daddy's helper

We went for a little (long) walk tonight - just the Littlest and I. We headed to a playground where we played on the slides, the swings, and stopped to watch the 'big kids' play soccer. While he had a lot of fun, he was even more excited when we came home to discover Tyler out in the yard gardening! Whatever daddy did, Soren copied.

Now that the weather is finally nice we have been enjoying so many more things outside. From dining al fresco, to walks, to simply reading outdoors. Our house seems so much larger and the evenings seem to go on forever. We had one of the longest winters I can ever remember, and there is no way I am taking any of this outdoor time for granted. So don't let me complain when I'm whining about no air conditioning in the heat of August! Bring on the sun!

Why hello there baby! I think this angle may exaggerate the bump ever so slightly, but it is definitely growing. I've been feeling some flutters for the last week or so, and last night Tyler was able to feel them too! It's a long weekend for us, and I am every so excited to have Monday off. Happy weekend:)

Maternity Style - Mothers Day Tea

On Mother's Day I was excited to wear my new ASOS maternity dress. I ordered a dress from Asos during my first pregnancy and loved it, so I knew I would be ordering a few more this time around. At 17 weeks pregnant I am finding it challenging to feel good in my clothes, as I'm stuck in that awkward phase where some days I just feel fat. There's lots of belly room in the dress, and I know that soon I'll be filling it right up!

hat - Target

dress - asos.com

shoes - Franco Sarto 

Linking up with Shanna and The Pleated Poppy. 

Mothers Day and a special surprise

Happy Mothers Day! To celebrate our mothers, and grand-mother, we hosted a Mother's Day Brunch. I was busy all day yesterday preparing, but the great thing about brunches is a lot of the prep can be done ahead of time. On the menu today we had:

spinach and gruyere egg strata

black bean and corn salad

blueberry scones / apricot-orange scones

egg salad

crispy bacon

brownies

lemon loaf (thanks Aunt Helga!)

lemon cookies

fresh fruit

meringues (thank you Mom!)

and... a surprise cake!

The cake had a special surprise in the middle in the form of pink icing. On Friday we were ecstatic to find out that we are having a GIRL in October! Since we were already planning the brunch, I thought today would be the perfect time to share the news with my family. Were they surprised? I think so. My mother-in-law had to have five boys before finally getting her girl (also her last baby). We knew we would not be trying for that long... 

After brunch was over we lazed in the backyard sun, drank sun iced tea, and listened to music. It was relaxing - a perfect balance to our busy morning. When the littlest awoke from his nap we headed to the park. I'm looking forward to going to bed tonight - tired, full, and happy.