We’re having another baby!

Despite how crummy 2020 shaped out to be, we managed to have some really good news. I’m so happy to announce that I’m expecting baby #2 this summer! I’m so thrilled (and blessed) to be giving Lily a sibling.

Surprise!

Many have asked us if this was planned or a surprise. Definitely a surprise – we were not expecting it to happen so soon. After Lily turned one, I switched my focus to getting my body ready for TTC again. I knew I wanted to try for Baby #2 when Lily hit the 18-month mark, however God had different plans. 🙃

How I Found Out

I was actually convinced I wasn’t pregnant.

My PCOS symptoms had been acting up for several months causing irregular cycles, so I’ve had a few months here-and-there where I’ve completely skipped a period. However, I did have some random bleeding which I later confirmed was implantation bleeding.

I had taken a couple of tests (too early) in September, and they were negative. I just assumed my PCOS was flared by some sugary goods that crept back into my diet. Then October came around and despite being put on supplements designed to help my period, going to acupuncture weekly, and eating clean, my period wasn’t anywhere in sight.

Because of recent dietary changes, a few new supplements, and side effects of acupuncture, I had been feeling a little meh and attributed it to detoxing. One afternoon I was feeling particularly nauseated despite having just eaten lunch, so I took a test as kind of a reassurance. You can imagine how shocked I was when that second stripe came in strong. ➕

I was SO shocked that I didn’t even do anything cute or creative to tell Joshua. I showed him the test and basically said, “UMMMMM so THIS is happening!” 😆 Then I immediately went into planning mode and called my OBGYN to get appointments set up.

The First Scan

When I first found out, I wasn’t sure if I had to go through my RE again like I did with Lily. Because I was so far along (anywhere from 6-10 weeks) they had me go straight to my regular OBGYN. My doctor had me do labs to make sure my HCG levels were doubling (and boy were they!), and then right before Thanksgiving, I had my first ultrasound.

I’m so grateful that they allowed Joshua (and Lily) to come in with me to that first ultrasound. We saw a strong heartbeat right away, much to our relief. The ultrasound confirmed I was 10 weeks along at that point, and our baby would have a Father’s Day due date. We told our family on Thanksgiving and announced to social on Christmas.

It was a little trippy because based on how far along I was and my EDD, I’m on the same exact timeline as I was with my very first pregnancy. Except this time I was leaving the doctor’s office with much happier news.

How I’m Feeling

Definitely a mixture of emotions for sure. When I first found out I was terrified and full of anxiety because I felt out of control of my environment. I wasn’t where I wanted to be with my weight, and I wanted my cycles to be more regular. I was scared that if anything happened to this baby it’d be because I wasn’t prepared. Goes to show that PTSD from pregnancy loss (even after a successful pregnancy) can still mess with your mind.

Physically, the morning sickness and first-trimester fatigue hit me HARD this time around. I had just enough energy to look after Lily, but once she went down for her afternoon naps I found myself unable to get off the couch. It was rough, especially since my morning sickness didn’t go away until about week 19.

In fact, I ordered a Peloton bike back in September, and it happened to arrive a few days after I found out I was pregnant which was also when morning sickness kicked into gear. I was so sick that I only was just able to get back on the bike a few days ago.

I started feeling movement around week 16, which was a lot sooner than it was with Lily, and it was so reassuring! Now that morning sickness has passed and we got through the halfway ultrasound, I’m starting to connect with the baby a lot more.

As I’m getting closer to the end of my second trimester, I’ve been feeling pains in my right hip, which makes it difficult to get comfy at night. Going to my chiropractor has helped with that though, so I’m very grateful I have that in addition to acupuncture as part of my wellness support team.

We’re Having a…

BOY! 💙 I took the Panorama genetic test this time around, so I was able to find out gender early. When we had the anatomy ultrasound we got the visual confirmation. 🌭

I’ll admit I was very surprised… I was sure I was having another girl. But I always wanted one of each, so I’m very happy to be adding a little man to the mix.

We decided on a name… Paul Daniel. Paul is after my late grandfather and Daniel is the male version of Danielle named after my sister.

Nursery Plans

Just like with Lily, he’ll sleep in our room in the SNOO until he’s ready to transition to the nursery. We’re keeping the nursery-as is, and Lily will be moving into the guest room. We have some fun plans to turn it into her “big girl room” so stay tuned for some future blog posts on that.

Shower/Sprinkle

Due to COVID, we’re choosing not to have a baby shower/sprinkle. Hopefully by the end of this year we can safely gather again, and perhaps we’ll do a sip-and-see.

We registered again on Babylist, and we’re mostly going to need diapers, formula, and clothes. Luckily my sister and my mom have wasted NO time on the latter! 😆

More?

After this, we’re done growing our family. In fact, Joshua has already planned out how he wants to fit a vasectomy into his paternity leave. 😆 In all seriousness though, we only wanted two (if we were lucky).  Also, I’m high-risk as it is, plus I’ll be 35 next year, which puts me in an additional high-risk group.

I’ve been pregnant on-and-off for 6 years now (factoring in my miscarriages). I’m tired, and this pregnancy is taking its toll on my body. Needless to say, I’d like to give my body a chance to really heal and have some rest.

👶🏼💙🌈

Overall we’re excited, and most days I am still in shock that this is really happening. Seriously, I have the pregnancy test still sitting on the bathroom counter as a reminder that this is real.

Meanwhile, I’ve been spending my days and nights working hard on getting my business organized for when I go on maternity leave. I don’t know what my availability is going to look like once I have two littles to look after, so I’m trying to be as prepared as I can.

Between working on my business and looking after a toddler, I’ve had my fair share of distractions which have helped with my anxiety. I got through the big hurdle of the 20-week ultrasound, so I’m feeling a lot better about things. Now I feel like I can enjoy this pregnancy a little more.

June, here we come!