Week One

On Monday morning, September 5, our last Baby Bum arrived. Labor Day. She knows how much I appreciate word jokes. We didn't find out the gender in advance, so it was a surprise and delight to find out that it was a girl! R is completely over the moon excited about having a baby sister.

I truly did not have a gender preference most of the pregnancy, but I did think it was going to be a boy up until the last month or so, when I started feeling like it was a girl. Early on in the pregnancy I had a very clear dream that felt so lifelike, where I had the baby and it was a girl. The same thing happened to me during F's pregnancy, where I dreamed it was a boy! Jordan thought it was going to be a boy.

This probably isn't the most glamorous first post to share about our new baby, but she is a week old yesterday, and I wanted to write a bit about this first postpartum week. I do not share this for medical advice or for sympathy. I wanted to write it down so I can look back on this later and be encouraged by how far I've come; but also too for anyone who might have a hard time, like I do, comparing themselves to others.

I am pretty hard on myself in general, and after every pregnancy I see people going out and doing things and wonder how they can, when I'm barely walking to the mailbox and back. Every pregnancy, delivery, baby, and body is different, so it's silly to compare, but I still do it.

As far as the pregnancy goes, although this was my fourth baby and I'm obviously older than I was during any other, this was my easiest and most enjoyable pregnancy. I've struggled with a lot of anxiety in the past, mostly about the baby being okay, and this time I'm so thankful Jesus answered my prayer and gave me a lot of peace and calmness about this baby. Of course, I still had moments of worry, but for the most part I did not feel overwhelmed with anxiety like I have in the past. Emotionally, I was very up and down with my moods, and I will say I randomly cried a lot, but my anxiety was so much lower.

Physically, I felt the best I ever have being pregnant. I came into this pregnancy in the best shape possibly of my life. I trained for the Chicago Marathon all summer and ran more often than I ever have. The race was in October, and I got pregnant just before Christmas. I kept running 3-4 times a week and completed the OKC half marathon at 21.5 weeks pregnant in April. My last run was when I was 30 weeks--that's the longest I've ever run while pregnant. After that, I kept up walking 2-3 miles, and my mom and I walked for a good 45 minutes the night before I had this baby.

I absolutely think without a doubt that going into this pregnancy in shape helped me feel so good physically while pregnant. I stayed very active, not only running but doing workouts at home, and I didn't really have any back or hip pain at all. I did throw my back out in February and couldn't move around much for about 2 weeks, but that's a recurring injury that pops up every year and a half or so, and not related specifically to pregnancy. Of course, I was uncomfortable. I had leg cramps, nausea, fatigue, headaches... but in general I can't complain very much at all about how I felt physically this last time.

I'll come back to share her birth story, but as far as the birth experience, the biggest difference with this delivery is that I didn't tear! I tore every time prior (twice in the same spot), and I was shocked I didn't tear this time. I have no idea if that was related to being active in pregnancy, my position when I pushed her out, or other factors, but I was super excited to hear that.

Considering how good overall I felt during pregnancy, this past week has been really hard. On Sunday (so 6 days postpartum), I drove R to church for the kids' music program because I thought it would be nice to get out of the house. Until that point I hadn't gone anywhere except to take G to her checkup at the pediatrician on Friday. I drove R to church, walked her inside, up 2 flights of stairs, down the hallway, then back down the stairs and out to my car, where I sat in the parking lot and called my mom and sobbed because I realized I didn't want to be out after all. 

When it was time to pick R up, I sat inside the door and waited for someone to come by so I could ask them to go get her for me so I didn't have to do the stairs again. I know I just had a baby, but it had been almost a week, and I got achy and tired walking up some stairs?! I felt super lame. Of course, everyone was nice to me as I sat there in the chair crying about how I just really wanted to go home.

It's hard for me not to be active. It's hard for me to rest. I just don't do it very well, and I know this about myself. I've been trying to really not do anything at all and just rest as much as possible, and I'm incredibly thankful and realize what a blessing it is to have a supportive husband, helpful friends, amazing mom, and a mother-in-law who lives close.

Postpartum is a weird time. I'm snuggling a tiny baby that I can't believe was just inside of me. And I'm so thankful and happy, and yet I hurt all over. I'm wearing Depends, which a friend recommended and I'm telling you this: Depends is missing out on the postpartum market because wow. I wish I had worn these with other babies! So much better than the hospital mesh underwear and giant pads. The kids, by the way, think it's hilarious that I'm wearing a pull-up. They also have asked me several times why my belly is still big and whether or not I'm having another baby. THANK YOU SO MUCH, tiny humans. I feel affirmed.

So I've got that going on, plus all the nursing things happening. Thankfully G is latching and eating really well, and I know I just have to get past the first couple weeks and it won't hurt as much, but that's not the most fun right now either. Also YES, it's true that cramping is worse with each kid, at least it has been true for me. Every time she eats it's like insane period cramps, which are thankfully getting better every day, but those first few days were truly terrible.

My biggest issue this time has been my stomach. It just feels out of place--all my organs moved around and I guess are trying to move back, and it's been giving me a giant stomachache. I'm taking a stool softener and Ibuprofen several times a day. I'm also sleeping in one- to two-hour increments. It's just such a wonderful time!

Actually, though, it IS a wonderful time. It's an honor and a blessing to have done this four times. It's a sweet time, and it's also really hard. I've only left my house twice in a week, and both times I wish I hadn't. I've cried once a day every day. I'm achy and sore and tired. I'm trying to give myself grace, take it one day at a time, and remember that every day I'm improving. Rest is the best thing for me, and it's okay if I'm not going out yet. I have no one to compare to, nothing to prove, and the best little baby to snuggle. Just so overwhelmingly thankful.

How Pregnancy #2 Has Been Different (in a good way!)

It's still so strange to be able to say things like "the first time I was pregnant..."

I found out I was pregnant when I was only 4 weeks along (technically 2 weeks pregnant, but they start counting 2 weeks before conception because science likes to be difficult). The first ten weeks or so crawled by at the speed of a dying turtle. But the past few weeks have started to pick up, and sometimes I have to remind myself that hey, there's a baby in there!

I kept a weekly pregnancy journal for my pregnancy with R, and it's been so fun to be able to compare my symptoms and general feelings from two years ago with this second pregnancy. So much of it is the same as far as how the first trimester went physically (which I why I'm currently thinking baby #2 is going to be a girl), but there are a few things in particular that already have been so different in a really good way for me emotionally.

1. I have been able to control my daily anxiety better this time.

Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time during my first pregnancy being anxious. Anxious of a miscarriage, of the baby not kicking, of the baby not kicking enough, of a birth defect, of early labor, and on and on. I got really worked up for my prenatal appointments and counted down the days until my next one. 

This time, I still feel anxiety. I don't know how that would ever completely go away. I still get anxious before my doctor's appointments. But I have really been focusing on not letting anxiety control me, and it's made a huge difference, so much so that Jordan has even noticed and commented on it. It's not that I'm not nervous about things being okay, but I've realized that nothing I do can control how my baby develops and what is going to happen. I am focusing on enjoying being pregnant, being excited to meet this new baby, and being thankful to have the opportunity to carry another human. It's made this pregnancy so much more fun! It's also just been nice to know what the heck is going on a little bit more than last time. I feel like less of a newbie with doctor visits and symptoms.

2. I know I can survive labor, so it's not quite as terrifying.

Don't get me wrong. Labor was absolutely the most painful thing that has ever happened to me, and I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't scared of doing it again. When I was giving birth to R, I asked my doctor multiple times if I was going to die. I laugh about it now, but in the moment I was completely serious. It was so painful that I really thought it might kill me. 

Jordan and I never ended up taking a birthing class before I had R due to a scheduling conflict, but mostly it was because the mere thought of labor terrified me to my very core, and I would start crying if I even talked about it. It was The Great Unknown, and I had no idea what to expect. I know that no labor is the same, and I still don't know what to expect this time around, but I do know a little bit more about what exactly the words "labor and delivery" mean, and I know that the pain will eventually be over and I will be okay. I am excited that this time the idea of labor will not be this dark cloud hanging over my head until June. My plan is to basically just block out the idea that I'm even going to have to do it until it happens. Wish me luck with that one.

3. I am prepared for a newborn.

I'm not necessarily saying that I'm prepared to be more tired than I've ever been in my life. Or that I'm prepared for the midnight feeding sessions and the crying and the impossibility of getting the baby to sleep somewhere not on my chest for just one nap please. I'm definitely not saying I'm prepared to have a newborn with a toddler running around. But I've brought home one baby and kept her alive for a while, so I feel more prepared in general for bringing home another one. 

With R, I literally asked my mom what babies sleep in because I didn't know. I didn't know what to do when she had a fever or how to help when she had gas. Over the last year and a half, I've learned a lot about taking care of a baby, and I'm thinking that when this second baby comes home, it won't be such a complete and utter what-on-earth-is-going-on kind of shock.

4. Similar to #3, Jordan and I are prepared for a newborn.

Adding a baby to our lives really rocked our marriage. We were both so tired and got so stressed out when it was 2am and R was crying and we didn't know what to do. We had to figure out our roles and what worked for us. I know that going from one kid to two is quite a leap, so I am by no means saying it's going to be easy, but I think that Jordan and I are going to be a lot more prepared to add another baby to our family now that we've done it once before, and hopefully we can be a better team this time.

5. I know I can survive taking my baby to daycare.

If you don't know this by now, I'm basically am emotional basket case. I cry a lot. When it came to thinking about taking R to daycare, I broke down in full-on sobs. I could barely think about it without crying. We are hoping to put baby #2 in the same daycare as R, and that eases a lot of stress already. I know the people there, we like it, R did well, and most of all: I know I can do it. I'm thinking this will allow me to enjoy my maternity leave more instead of sadly counting down the days until I have to start back at work like I'm on death row or something. I (hopefully) won't have to tour daycares and call around and get on waiting lists because we will already have something lined up that we know has been working for us.

6. I believe that somehow, everything will work out.

Before we had R, I said things like, "I don't know how we are going to afford to have a baby" because I honestly didn't feel like we had enough money to pay for all the things we were going to have to pay for (not only diapers and wipes but big things like insurance and actually paying for my delivery). With baby #2, I look back and wonder how I thought we wouldn't have enough money for a baby because now we really don't have enough money.

I do wonder how it will all work out, and it stresses me out to think about it. But I don't for a second wonder if it will all work out, because I know somehow it will. God has provided for us, and so far that hasn't looked like me being able to quit my job. It hasn't looked like raises or bonuses at work for either of us. It hasn't looked like random checks in the mail or an inheritance in a will from a long-lost relative. 

It hasn't looked like anything, really, except that we pay our bills and buy food and tithe and still have a little money leftover at the end of the month to put in savings. And isn't that really all we need anyway?

Of course I worry about a birth defect or an expensive NICU stay or labor complications. I worry about SIDs and developmental problems and proper weight gain. I worry that I'll have the same pumping issues I had the last time and not be able to have enough milk.

But I don't worry about how my life is going to change. I don't worry that I won't be a good mother. I don't worry that I won't be able to bond with my baby or that I won't love him or her. I was scared of that once, but I'm not anymore. And that's the biggest thing that is different this time.

Baby Bum #2, we already love you so much and can't wait to meet you.

*This post was based in part on one I wrote during my first pregnancy: The Fear

Baby Bum is Here!

Baby Bum is here!

She arrived on Monday, August 10, at 4:46 am. Weighing in at 7lbs, 9oz and 19.5 inches long. She passed all her hospital tests and got the thumbs up at our pediatrician's appointment on Thursday.

Jordan and I are so thankful for your prayers and well wishes during this pregnancy. If you have been around this blog for long at all, you know that I am not shy about sharing my feelings. I was nervous and anxious during much of this pregnancy, as probably a lot of first-time parents are. (More about that in this post.) It is an incredible blessing to have our daughter here, healthy, and doing well so far. We believe that God created her and that we merely have her on loan for a little bit. We pray she grows up to love Jesus and be blessing to everyone she meets.

I have decided to simply call her R on the blog. R is the initial of her first name. If you would like to know what her name is, feel free to email me! As long as I decide you aren't a creeper, I don't mind sharing.

I do plan on writing down her birth story for the blog. It was truly the hardest thing I have ever done, and I'm rethinking my desire to have more than one child. You'll have to give me a few months before I decide whether or not I'm kidding about that. (Okay, I'm kidding. But seriously.)

For now, blog posts will be posted when I have time to write. Having a newborn is no joke. (In case you were wondering, it took me an entire day off and on to write just this post.)

Much love to all of you, 

Jordan & Amanda

Because the Elephant Needed a Friend

Hello! Welcome to Baby Bum's nursery! I actually wasn't sure a nursery was going to happen at all because every time I thought about decorating the nursery I had a near meltdown.

TOO STRESSFUL.

Seriously, what do I not find stressful these days?

Let me list them for you:
1.

See how I make jokes?

^^^That white cabinet is from Target. We've had it for years, and I just painted it white. It was black before. We're thinking when she's older we can turn it horizontal and put books and toys inside so she can play!

We never had a theme for the nursery, and I never made a Pinterest inspiration board, and I never thought more than 2.5 seconds about the pattern of a crib sheet. Amen. 

The only thing I did was pick out colors and items I liked, and slowly it came together! Note: the only reason anything is hung or looks good at all is because I had help from my family. Have I mentioned I love those guys?

The first thing I did was paint the walls mint green (mint condition from Sherwin Williams). The color is perfect! I love it. It's gender neutral and also room neutral, for that matter. It doesn't have to be a kid's room later on down the road once she's older (or once we have more kids!). 

After painting the walls, I bought mostly white and gray stuff and added touches of pink here and there. It wasn't intentional, but I just kept registering for white/gray and decided I would just go with it. 

The elephant/giraffe theme was entirely accidental. We just kept getting elephant stuff! Like, people would get her an elephant toy or a stuffed animal or a blanket with elephants on it. We didn't register for elephants, but it just happened that way, and so we were like, "Let's do elephants." We added a giraffe because the elephant needed a friend.

^^^I'm slightly obsessed with the prints from this Etsy shop. They are exactly what I never knew I wanted. I saw them and HAD TO HAVE THEM. You could say it was love at first sight. The frames were purchased using a 40% off coupon from Hob Lob.

^^^ We have so many books! I love it. Baby Bum is going to be a reader just like her mom and dad. At a few of my baby showers, people brought books instead of cards, so I am stocked full. Surprisingly, out of all the books we only had 2 repeats.

The crib and dresser are hand-me-downs from his parents (crib) and my parents (dresser), which is awesome because expensive much? I don't have time for that.

^^^The elephant and giraffe statues are from Hobby Lobby. The mom/baby figure I already had. I ended up going with this maternity picture; thanks for your help with that one! My favorite suggestion was to choose a picture to frame where either neither of us or both of us are looking at the camera. I thought that was smart.

So that's basically it! Considering I had no theme and no "inspiration," I think I did pretty well picking things out. I'm so glad I had help hanging everything and painting and putting the crib together or this might have never gotten done. And just in time too!

Growing a Human: Week 37

When you last heard from me, I was at 33 weeks and feeling pretty good!

Well that's over.

At 35 weeks on the dot, the wheels fell off this pregnancy train, and it was like my body woke up and realized, “Hey, you’re pregnant.” It was literally the day my week switched over to 35. I was just tired. So tired.

My blood pressure was elevated at my 35-week doctor’s appointment, and my hands and feet swelled up and have stayed that way. Goodbye, wedding rings. 

I'm actually less upset about taking off my wedding rings than I am about my toe ring! That thing never comes off. I'm mean for real. I wore it while running my marathons, for crying out loud. But I digress.

I can’t complain too much about how I've been feeling because honestly I haven’t had a lot of the pregnancy symptoms I’ve heard so much about. No heartburn, no acid reflux, no leg cramps, no more rib pain now that she’s moved down a bit. 

But overall I just feel pregnant. Large and in charge. Have I said tired? I’ve been having Braxton Hicks since about week 22, but in the last week or so there have definitely been more of them. Nothing regular enough to cause me to grab the hospital bag, but they are more frequent for sure. 

Jordan is officially on Baby Watch. He says every time I call him now, he’s going to think I’m in labor. He’s requested that I text “not urgent” before I call him just to be safe, which I’m not going to do but I think it’s pretty funny.

At my 37-week appointment, I got my first cervical check! 

IT WAS THE WORST THING EVER. Oh my gosh. Seriously, people said it wasn't going to be fun, and I'm sure for everyone it's different, but for me it was majorly uncomfortable. I'm dilated to a 1, in case anyone wants to know. You're welcome, internet strangers.

Now for a quick rundown of those stats everyone puts on their bump updates.

Due Date: August 19

However, she has been measuring about a week early this entire pregnancy (and actually at my last two appointments she's measured 2 weeks big). That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but Jordan is convinced she’s coming August 11 or earlier. We’ll see! I’m not even going to guess and get my hopes up that I don’t have to waddle around for longer than I have to. I just want her to come when she wants to come, and I don’t want to have to induce. But man, if she could come next week so I could avoid another cervical check, that would really be great.

Name: Still not telling! And I still haven’t decided if I’ll share on the blog. I will say that both middle and first names have family significance.

Weight Gain: As of today, I am plus 28.5, sitting at 164.5 pounds!

Sleep: I am thankful to have the sleeping abilities of a rock. Not that rocks sleep, but you know what I mean. Once I’m out, I’m out. However, I still wake up multiple times to pee during the night, and it’s harder to get comfortable initially once I lie down. I’ve also started having some really weird and vivid dreams. Not necessarily baby-related dreams but just super weird dreams.

Movement: She’s out of room in there, and so body parts are protruding from my stomach at any given moment. It’s awesome and also freaks me out a little bit. But it’s nice to know she’s still in there and doing okay!

Belly Button: It's fully out, and Jordan thinks it's hilarious and likes to poke at it, and I get mad. Actually, we probably shouldn't talk about it.

Feeling: I’ve been praying nonstop for peace, and honestly I do feel less anxious for the most part. Plus, the more uncomfortable I get, the more I just want her to come out! 

I want my body back. I want to not waddle. I want to be able to hug Jordan without a basketball in the middle of us. I want to pee at normal intervals. Is that really too much to ask?

I do not feel at all like this pregnancy has flown by. I feel like it has gone at a normal speed, and it has felt like 9 months for sure. It’s comforting to know that at this point, she’s basically almost fully cooked. If she came today, she’d be just fine. We’re so excited to meet this little person who’s been growing inside me!

Want more Baby Bum? 

Check out all posts tagged "pregnancy" here.

You might also like...

The Fear
Growing a Human: Week 33

Things Strangers Say

Hi. I'm Uncomfortable (26 weeks)

Growing a Human: Week 24

Gender Reveal

Lately

I thought I'd join in today with Jenna's coffee date Friday linkup and give you a general life update, because I know you all are dying to know what's going on in the Bumgarner household.

We finally bought a car seat! You would not believe what a time I had trying to pick one of these things out. I had recommendations from friends and read reviews, but seriously, infant car seat, convertible car seat, eight thousand colors, and a price variation of a couple hundred dollars. Does it really need to be this difficult? Answer: no. And yet somehow it was. 

Jordan helped me pick one last week, and we ordered it and now that's done. In case you're interested, Baby Bum will not be cruisin' in a $200 seat. Try half that plus a 15% coupon at Target plus 5% off for using my Red Card = $87. I'm sure she won't mind.

I hung stuff! Or rather, my mom and brother and sister-in-law hung stuff. I am incapable of making any decisions (read above), and those decisions include decorating my house. Will there be a time I don't need my mom to help me with adult life? Judging from the way things are going, I'd say probably not. 

I'm still on high alert from the surprise birthday party I threw Jordan a week ago. I got so used to shielding the phone from him lest he see a suspicious text message that I've found myself still doing it. I don't know how people live double lives. I'm not cut out for it. 

Next week I will officially enter "the window," aka Baby Watch. I could have 3 weeks to go or I could have 5, but that's where it stops. The end is near, people. 

I'm over going to work. Over. It.

I still go, of course. And I sit there and do stuff like read and edit and finish things up before my maternity leave, but I won't lie and say I wouldn't rather be home with my feet up eating piles of ice cream. Or napping. Lots of napping.

I could write an entire blog post about how anxious I feel about the prospect of going back to work, finding childcare, affording childcare, and just that whole madness, but I'm going to spare you and myself. You're welcome. Just know that I do feel anxious about it, but I've seen God provide and know he will, and I have to learn that I have no control over the things I can't control. 

Namely, the fact that I have a passion for editing and not, say, finding gold.

There's more. Much more. I am a hormonal, waddling mess right now. But I don't have time to tell you about it. I need to get to bed.

In case you're wondering, these days I sleep like this, apparently. 

Jordan took this picture of me a few weeks ago, and I can't stop laughing about it. I mean seriously is this for real? He showed it to me the next morning and said, "I was going to move your arm, but instead I just took a picture and laughed at you." That's true love right there, people. Hey, at least I'm sleeping at night. Whatever it takes to get comfortable.

Project 12 // June

*Project 12: A photo on the first day of every month*

The Husband's Secret: 3.5 stars
Fluffy read that I felt would be good for the beach. The story was interesting, and I did not feel like the secret was a letdown. Some cursing and non-graphic sex scenes, just FYI.

Gathering Blue: 3 stars
The book took a while to get going, and then just when it was getting interesting, it was over, so that was kind of a bummer. But interesting story!

^^^This is our old bedroom in our apartment.

WE MOVED! This is a huge and notable event in our lives. I may or may not find time to write a post about the moving process, but here's the bottom line: moving has been a very stressful process for us. I kind of want to hit people when they say, "Have fun moving!" That is not a thing, okay?

Last month we paid rent and mortgage plus double on all our utilities, and our budget did not like that. I'm happy to be paying just one of everything now, and hopefully the more stuff we unpack the more this place will feel like home and not just like we're sleeping over in someone else's house. I feel severely overwhelmed with the amount of things we need to find places for, not to mention a baby is coming soon and will need a mattress for her crib. So yeah.

I hit 30 weeks pregnant! People keep asking me how I'm feeling, and I keep saying great! I seriously feel really good, minus a few aches and pains. You can read my 33-week bump update here.

^^^ We put the crib together! And by we, I mean Jordan, his brother, and his dad put the crib together while I watched. The nursery has nothing on the walls or anything really in place, but at least we have a crib now.

^^^Another notable event was eating Sonic shakes like four times last month. We were cracking up because we had just been saying, "Ice cream sounds good," when a Sonic commercial came on TV for half-prices shakes after 8:00. Marketing for the win.

We waited until halftime of the Blackhawks game (holler! Stanley Cup champions!) and drive to Sonic, where we were DUMB and ordered Sonic blasts instead of shakes and therefore paid full price. Sonic: 1, Bumgarners: 0.

Our big travel event was a trip to the Bahamas the first weekend of June. 

You can see pictures from Atlantis here and pictures of the downtown area here.

We also went to an Oklahoma City minor league baseball game for a friend's birthday.

In June we were mostly focused on packing and moving, and we spent more than a few nights overwhelmed and stressed out. We are now in our new house, and July is birthday month for both of us, so it hopefully should be a good one! We're hoping Baby Bum keeps cooking and doesn't make an extra early appearance. I really just don't think I could handle all three of us sharing a birthday month. Truth.

Posts you might have missed in June: 
He Saw Us

My #1 Budgeting Tip

Things Strangers Say

Blog Survey Results Part 2

Growing a Human: Week 33

Due to a mix-up with the cable people (read: they dropped the ball and don't know how to read dates on a calendar), we haven't had internet since last Friday. And you know what? The world went on! I couldn't blog or read blogs or check Facebook except when I went over to my in-laws' house or was on my lunch break at work, and it was revolutionary! I got so much more done!

I told Jordan this, and he said, "Yeah, and I've gotten much better at this video game."
Boys.

So anyway, now that we have the glories of the World Wide Web at our fingertips, I have lots to talk about and no time to write, so we'll see how that works out. I'm just about way behind on everything in life, but it's okay because MY TISSUE PAPER BOX IS COLOR-CODED. Priorities.

In the meantime... it's time for another Baby Bum update! On Wednesday I hit 33 weeks, and I had a checkup Tuesday, so I'm fresh on my stats for you. Before we get to that, though, can we pause for a second and all have a good laugh about how I was convinced I had a bump at week 14?

LOL, you guys. El. Oh. El. I am dumb.

Due date: August 19

Gender: Girl! I had the ultrasound tech double check the goods at our last ultrasound 2.5 weeks ago. I knew someone who thought they were having a girl, and it came out a boy, so I just wanted confirmation a little farther along than our original 19-week scan. We're good to go for a girl!

Name: We have one, but we're not telling anyone. Although I have dropped a few hints along the way in previous blog posts for those who were paying attention. And I might have accidentally left out some suspicious nursery decorations when I was showing some friends our house, so.... let's just say the secret might not be such a secret to some people.

I will tell you that her name is either two or one syllables. Bumgarner is just too long for a three-syllable name. And I will tell you that all B names are out. No offense to anyone whose name has alliteration, but this is just a personal preference; the first and last names will be different letters. I still haven't 100% decided whether or not I'll ever be sharing her name on the blog, but if I don't, I will share via email to those who want to know, so don't worry.

Weight gain: Currently clocking in at 157.5 pounds for a total gain of 21.5! Booya.

Sleep: I am waking up to pee like four times a night. Also, my hips have started aching, which is frustrating because it's so much more comfortable to sleep on my back, but obviously that's out. I never ended up buying one of those giant body pillows everyone raves about. Putting a pillow between my knees seems to do the trick just fine, and hey it's free!

Movement: All day every day, and I love it! The best is when she's sitting pressed up against my front, and my entire stomach is lopsided. The movement has definitely slowed as far as actual kicks. I think she's just running out of room in there.

Clothes: These days I am wearing either: 
1) a maxi dress or skirt with a tank top
2) gym shorts and an XL t-shirt (my dad gave me a few of his to borrow)
3) my green Gap (non-maternity) skinny jeans with a long enough shirt to hide the fact that my pants aren't buttoned or zipped (rubber band trick!). 

I'm not trying to make a statement by still wearing non-maternity skinnys; they're just seriously super comfortable! I'm not even lying. These are like the Sisterhood of Traveling Pants. Except instead of traveling through people, they're traveling through stages of my pregnancy.

I honestly haven't bought many actual maternity clothes. Yes, it's hot to be pregnant in the summer, but I think it's easier to dress the bump without buying too many clothes. 

So far I have bought the following actual maternity wear: 
-1 pair of jean shorts with a full-belly panel
-4 tank tops
-1 maxi dress
-1 t-shirt
-1 sleeveless blouse

I've also bought (non-maternity):
-2 maxi skirts
-1 maxi dress
-1 short-sleeved cardigan
-Plus 2 bras up 1 size because, well you know. 
PLUS SOME LARGER UNDERWEAR, OKAY. That was probably TMI. Don't think too hard about it.

Just estimating, but I would bet I've spent less than $150 total on everything listed above. Hashtag frugal. Other hashtag cheap. Other hashtag too lazy to shop.

Pictured

-white Target maternity tank

-green cardigan from Brickyard Buffalo*

-31w5d bump

-office bathroom

-duck lips that Jordan hates but I think are funny

*DO NOT sign up to be on their email list. I'm warning you now. You will buy all the things and your blow money will be gone faster than you can rattle off your credit card numbers.

_______________

Feeling: Tired and out of breath. I try to take the stairs instead of the elevator when I park in the parking garage for work, and by the time I get up to my car at the end of the day, I am huffing and puffing like crazy. Also, feeling the urge to pee. This is nothing new. However, for the most part I keep telling Jordan and I actually feel much more comfortable than I did at 25-26 weeks! I don't know what that's about. Maybe I'm in a sweet spot, but I'm not complaining.

So there you go! Less than 2 months to go until baby time. 
I'm freaking out.
A PERSON IS COMING OUT OF ME.

Want more Baby Bum? 

Check out all posts tagged "pregnancy" here.

You might also like...

Things Strangers Say

Hi. I'm Uncomfortable (26 weeks)

Growing a Human: Week 24

Gender Reveal

Announcement Post

 

Bathroom selfie outtake. I'm bad at aiming.

You're welcome.

Maternity Pictures (Help me choose a favorite!)

One thing I find strange on blogs is when a blogger announces that something big is going on in their lives and then publishes their next post without even mentioning anything about it. So, before we get to the pictures, a quick update:

Yes, we moved. Jordan and I almost killed each other on Friday night, and I'm only kind of joking about that. Second option was to burn down our apartment. Third option was to make a Chick-fil-A run at 9:55 at night because we were both in a hangry packing rage and needed dinner. Our mothers are glad we did not choose option 1. Our neighbors are glad we did not choose option 2.

So, yes. We have 95% of our belongings over at the house, thanks to our fabulous friends who brought their trucks and trailers (perks of living in Oklahoma, everyone we know owns a truck) and showed up at 7:30 in the morning on a Saturday. Our fridge is getting delivered soon (hopefully), so we opted to live in our apartment for the week so we could have close access to vital life things such as dairy products and leftovers. AND ICE CREAM.

As of this Saturday, we will officially be done with apartment life! There were times when I thought this day would never come, but it's here and it's awesome, and I am so thankful.

Now for the purpose of this post.... check out our maternity pictures and please leave a comment if you have a favorite! I need to figure out which one(s) to frame.

*All pictures in this post were taken by Carli Wentworth Photography*

I always assumed we would get maternity pictures if and when I got pregnant. I have been taking weekly pictures of the bump, but I really wanted some nice pictures of Jordan and I together with Baby Bum. I almost didn't go through with it because I wasn't sure if it would fit into the budget, but I ended up getting a freelance editing project that paid for it, which was a huge blessing.

I really love how the pictures turned out, and I am so happy we did them. The day of the shoot it was super muggy, cloudy, and the mosquitos were eating. us. alive. I mean seriously. I had a giant bite on my face and at least ten bites on the back of my shoulder and down my arm (not an exaggeration). Gross but worth it!

I really can't decide which one I like the best to frame, so if you have a favorite, please help me narrow it down! 

We took these when I was just over 28 weeks, so obviously the bump has grown since then, but I didn't want to wait too long until I was feeling super uncomfortable and swollen. Plus, it has gotten crazy hot in the last few weeks, and I just can't even deal with it. The thermostat is set at 72, and I'm still walking around the apartment in shorts and a tank top. Jordan says it's because I'm currently an incubator.

If you are considering maternity pictures, I really encourage you to do it! This is such a special time, and I will love having these pictures to look back on later.

Outfit details in case you're wondering: 

white and purple tanks (Target) / maxi skirt (JCrew Factory) / Sandals (Target)

So which one should I frame? I need help deciding!
Also, did you do or do you want to do maternity pictures?

Things Strangers Say

^^^This was taken exactly one week ago at 29 weeks. I didn't wear that shirt to work.

I must look pregnant.

I mean, okay. Duh. Obviously I know that I AM pregnant. But I must really be looking pregnant these days.

(Side note: who are these people who give birth without even knowing they were pregnant. I’ll just throw it out there: these people are dumb. Sorry not sorry if that offends anyone. Seriously, carrying a baby for 9 months and don’t know it? Dumb.)

Anyway, back to the point.

I, or more specifically, my baby bump, have in the last week been commented on by strangers. I had received zero stranger comments until last week, which leads me to my conclusion that I must be actually looking pregnant instead of just like possibly I've been frequenting Chipotle too many times.

Why do people feel it’s more necessary to talk to me now that I’m gestating? I have never once felt the need to comment to a random stranger about their baby and/or baby bump. Do I think things in my head? Of course I do. I'm not a robot. Do I say it to their face? Nope.

Examples:

ONE

I was at the outlet mall buying Jordan socks. I’m checking out, and the cashier says, “When are you due?”

August, I say. 

“Oh man. It’s going to be a hot summer for you!” Then she shakes her head and gives me a look of pure pity.

Right.

Because I didn’t already think about that while I’m having hot flashes in the middle of the night. Also, my thighs are sweating.

It’s the first week of June.

Can you buy stock in ice?

I'm contemplating buying one of those garage freezers at Lowe's for $100 and sleeping in there at night. Don't worry, I'll cut a hole at the top for air.

TWO     

I used to have a bladder worth bragging about. No, I don’t need to go to the bathroom before we begin this 15-hour road tip! My bladder is a steel trap!

Now I go to the bathroom, and by the time I walk back to my desk I have to go again. This makes driving 3 hours down to Texas loads of fun.

The last weekend in May, we drove to Texas because my mom was throwing me a baby shower. On the way there, we stopped at a fried pie place to use the facilities. And we also bought a fried pie because, well basically because I have no self-control, if you want to know the truth.

The cashier eyes me then says, “You look like you’re about to pop!”

Well shucks. Thanks so much.

I just started my third trimester, so I have about 11 weeks to go. My skin already feels like it can’t stretch any more. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN? I’m scared.

Although clearly not scared enough to not eat fried pies.

THREE     

Last week I was walking around downtown on my lunch break. I was just passing the courthouse when I hear a lady call out, “Oh my goodness! When are you due?” 

I stopped to locate the voice and then said to her, “August.” 

She went on to ask me if it was my first, if it was a boy or girl, and if we had a name picked out. All the while, I was clutching my purse and looking around, wondering if she was distracting me while I got pick-pocketed from behind. I ain't no sucker.

When I told her it was a girl, she shouted, “Oh my gosh! You need to name her Piper!”

Then she pointed to herself and said, “My name is Piper! It’s such a great name. So unique, and it’s served me well all these years.”

Um, yeah okay.

I told her that I’d think about it and that Piper was a very nice name. I mean what else are you supposed to say? Good grief, people. Even if I was thinking Piper was a valid option, I'm not any more because how do I explain to her that she was kind of named after a random person I met at the downtown courthouse? You just can't explain something like that. It's worse than my mom telling me they picked my name out of a hat. (That actually happened.)

Honorable Mention

Everyone at church who tells me, "You're tiny!" as though this is supposed to be some kind of compliment. Really? Because none of my shirts fit over my stomach (re: see photo above), and I can't pull my office desk chair close enough to the desk to reach the keyboard from a comfortable angle. But tiny. Sure. Thanks.

I felt vindicated at my last doctor's appointment when my doctor said Baby Bum is measuring big. TAKE THAT, EVERYONE. I probably shouldn't be too surprised seeing as how I was over 10 pounds when I was born. 

My mom is a beast. We'll just leave it at that.
Also, I'm scared. Have I said that already?

Are we sure storks have completely stopped bringing babies?

In other more exciting news, it is OFFICIALLY ONE MONTH UNTIL MY BIRTHDAY! I will be wearing this shirt whether or not it fits. No shame. Amen.