Kicking baby cao #2

Written March 30th. Forgot to post.

Been feeling lots of baby kicking lately. I've got a checkup coming up in three days. Always excited to hear about baby's growing progress. 

I've been trying to lay off of sugar, because it is NOT good for my body and well not a good thing for anyone! Usually I do pretty good if I don't have any at all, but once I do get a taste I feel like I want it all the time. And with Adoree's ice cream in our fridge, it's hard not to just go and scoop some out for myself ^^.

I'll probably have a glucose checkup soon for gestational diabetes. Didn't have it with adoree but I had to take the second test to make sure since I didn't pass the first. Better keep my sugar intake on a low. Those tests aren't fun if you don't pass the first one. They make you stay for three hours!!! And then draw your blood once every hour. Not pleasant. 

Update on baby cao #2 bump

Since I did pretty well documenting our growing bump with our first pregnancy, it's only fair we do the same with little sister!

But this time I'll have my first bump next to baby cao#2 for comparison. 

On the left is our first pregnancy and on the right is the current. At the same stage  of course.

Yea, you can clearly see on the left, there's barely any change but second baby is making my body stretch much faster!!! Thanks to already prestretched muscles :) My body is expanding quickly for baby sister.

Baby is kicking a lot now, especially at night. We've got another night owl. 

Short update :) 

It's a 妹妹! Little sister!!!

Baby Cao #2 is a girl!!! 

Hehe, outnumbered is right! I think these girls are going to have daddy worrying about them till...well forever. And I'm already worried about when they grow up. Let me just enjoy them being my babies. Lots of cuddling and kisses. Little toes and needy clingy little things running around. 

Mei Mei ---> baby cao #2 has been very active and kicking a lot. Very low too! 

I am currently 20 weeks and 2 days and feeling huge!!! I already feel like I did when full term with adoree!! I can't imagine how huge I'm going to get when I do get there! My bump feels heavy, especially after I eat. It's even bigger at nighttime! But feeling great. A little backache here and there and sleeping is a little difficult flipping from one side to another. I want to just lay on my back but I know it's a no no. 

Happy note: my acne has finally *knock on wood* gone away. One here and there once in a while but not crazy like it was. 

Everything was good at checkup, healthy baby ....and she was half a pound? Right on track to be due July 31st! It's going to be a hot summer. 

Still using my mustela double action stretch mark preventative lotion. Hope it's as effective this time as it was the first!! But my tummy is definitely going to stretch further this time I believe!! I'm starting to apply not only after shower but midday too just in case. 

Check out my baby cao#2 bump...it's massive compared to adoree at 20 weeks.

Yea, big difference!!

But feeling great and doing 55 mins if jogging/running 3-4 times a week to stay active and keep the blood circulating!!

Now trying to sort through some of adoree's baby clothes to prep for little sister!! Saw this idea on Pinterest...haven't executed it yet. 

Alrighty, gotta go feed hungry adoree!

Time I wish I could freeze

Getting crafty!

Yesterday mommy friends, aunties, nieces, sisters and brothers got together to make big sibling/lil sibling shirts!! Just wanted to say it was a lot of fun and it has been a while since I've done anything crafty, besides the little doodles and cut n pastes adoree and I do. 

The shirts turned out quite awesome! I am not done making them yet just so you know. I, being the slow me and slight A.D.D being distracted by everything the kids were doing around us, turned out one shirt. And once we find out the gender, I can therefore make the lil brother or lil sister shirts!

They look even better on the kids!

While the mommies and big sister Jade made shirts, the kids were busying helping us keep the room cluttered ^_^. They had a pretty good time.

Being good girls.

Are you pregnant? Update on baby cao #2

18 weeks already?

Time is flying much faster second time around. With Tc and I both being occupied with sassy Adoree, baby is growing away inside this belly! 

We will be finding out the sex next Friday and I'm trying not to think about it so that it'll quickly be here when we get to finally see a glimpse of him/her. 

Ultrasounds are so exciting not only for us parents, but for big sister to be here!! I asked Adoree today if she wants to see the baby inside and she nodded happily but questionably. This whole time she has been wanting to hold and see the baby and with me consistently telling her she can but she has to wait till the baby comes out, well she's realized it's going to be a while. So telling her she's going to see the baby inside the belly soon was probably exciting and confusing since I have to "go poo poo and baby come out". Adoree's very own words. Sorry such descriptive words haha.

So this time I haven't been taking baby bump pics every week but maybe every two weeks. Belly is growing at a much faster rate. Regular customers at Appare (where I work as a waitress) have maybe started to notice that my stomach has protruded a bit? But unsure if maybe I'm just gaining a little weight. I say this because when talking to them, their eyes seem to quickly move to my midsection and then back. One has asked how old Adoree is now and then "are you planning to have another one soon?" Smart...by asking this you avoid the awkwardness of straight out asking "are you pregnant?" And having the other tell you herself if she is or not. Because that would be very uncomfortable for both parties if the person is not? Am I correct? Haha. 

And then there is the "how is your little one doing?"...while they glance at your belly as they ask the question and me thinking they know I'm pregnant and me confirming it by holding my belly while I say "very good, thank you!" Oops I gave it away. She was asking about my little one, the only one she knows I have, Adoree. Haha. I'm at the stage where I'm not sure if people know and they're not sure if I am pregnant. It's been interesting, but enjoyable. 

I can honestly say I enjoy being pregnant. Despite the nauseating first trimester, I am again loving the feeling of our baby growing, moving, and kicking inside. 

Baby Cao #2 has been different than adoree in many ways. 

I'll list them out.

1. Much longer morning sickness duration.

2. Body temperature is much lower? I'm always cold, but then it is winter. 

3. First movements don't feel like a fish, more like gas? When I was pregnant with adoree, it felt like a little fish was swimming inside and brushes up next to my stomach. But this one is like gas bubbles. I was able to tell sooner with the baby's first kicks since I've been through it once before. It's much more distinguished since last week. 

4. My hair isn't growing as lusciously and nice as it did with adoree. Poo, but I'm hoping it's because he/she is taking that nutrition for it's own lucious locks like tc's ^_^. Imagines Tc running his fingers through his sexy head of hair. Lol...sorry. 

5. Definitely more hormonal with the acne on face. Especially jawline and cheeks. But I was breaking out due to hormones before pregnancy from 19 months of breast feeding. First trimester was more breakout prone but second trimester has brought more calming skin, thank goodness. With Adoree, I didn't have a single breakout and skin did actually glow.

I've had to change up my skincare routine with being pregnant since there are many products that contain ingredients not safe for baby. Especially for treating acne. So had to toss out most, but I found one simple bar of soap that contains no harmful chemical agents or fragrance that's all natural and safe for pregnancy! And it's been very good to my skin. The African black soap!! I even use it for my body now. 

6. Belly button popped out pretty quickly, but maybe it's because it had popped out before? So it's used to routine. Hope it goes back in after delivering lol.

Can't think of anymore at the moment. Will keep you posted. 

 

My eyes are tired but I hope you enjoyed that awesome picture of Tc ^_~! Till next time!

Here we go again

My last blog got deleted and I am quite upset over that since my engagement and first pregnancy was well documented on there.
I am hoping that this blog will not disappear like the last.

It has been almost 3 years since I last blogged. Yea, quite a long time.  As hard as it is to admit, I am not the best at balancing time. And since My husband (Tc, get used to that name because you will be seeing it a lot) and I had our sassy little girl Adoree, I've probably gotten , I'd like to think, better at this timing thing. Unfortunately, not.  But everything has gone well and she is now almost 3!!!  There will be much of her on here as well. You have been warned.

I say, don't think too much,  or what's that saying "don't sweat the small things". It's easy for me to say when Tc does all the worrying for the both of us! Maybe that's how I live so carefree.  Wish I could take some of his worries away.

You'll be seeing more of me on here I hope. I used to love blogging.  Hopefully i can get back into it. Will be sharing much of my little obsessions!!  Whether it's  staying fit (trying to),  food I crave and love, skin care stuff (I can spend hours just reading about products), or about my little family tc, adoree and I ...wait for it...plus another lil baby on board! Yes, I think I just announced it, though I don't know who all can read this blog yet so to me it's kind of discreet still. Tc said we don't need to announce since it's our second but isn't that just a lil unfair to this baby? Hehe.

Recent obsession: fit mama!!
I can't help but keep noticing that the second pregnancy has made me belly stretch quite faster than the first . And due to 3 months of morning sickness and fatigue, my workout routine had come to a halt.  Sooooo, now that I'm in my second trimester and feeling much more energetic, I'm trying to get motivated and moving. Not only to keep a healthy pregnancy for a healthy baby and smooth delivery, but to keep this body in shape before , during and post pregnancy.  Been instagraming terms like -fit moms, pregnancy exercises, healthy pregnancy- you get the idea. I had kept up my workouts during my pregnancy with Adoree and labor went smoothly, long...but safe and smooth. Yes it hurt like crazyyyy, (as Tc described it, "it's like getting your acl torn over and over again") but nonetheless no complications and I'd like and hope my second pregnancy goes the same. Or faster!

So be patient with me as I try to get this blog running. And just for fun, something to read when your bored.  I am very scatter brained and will jump from one subject to another very randomly.

In the meantime here's a pic of my current pregnancy compared to my first. Top is today at 17 weeks and bottom was about  17-18 week the first time. It's fun to see the difference! I definitely see when they say it oh show much faster the second time around!

Don't mind the horrible screenshot of my poppet. Eventually I'll have the pregnancy bump chart up.

See ya next time!