Here it is: the 16 week belly shot. I have a few people tell me that I am carrying differently that Max but who knows. We find out the sex of the baby July 18th and then we go away the 19th to the beach. Yeah!! I am so surprised that I have only gained 10 pounds so far because that was not the case with Max. It is so much easier about the weight stuff now that I am showing because before..well it just looked like I was eating a lot of ice cream and cookies. 

Max is now looking at my stomach and putting his finger in my belly button when I say where is the baby. Then he kisses and lays his head on my belly. He has become a real snuggle bug lately and I love it. He will watch sesame street with his head on my chest and sometimes he reaches to hold my hand. This of course makes me melt. 

We have been spending a lot of time just sitting outside and watching the birds and airplanes and sipping cold water while he eats ice. Ice is his favorite thing right now with the heat and the teething. I am just enjoying being a mom so much. I actually feel like I graduated to another level of calm mothering this month and it feels damn good.

   

 

Today was a family outing to the orchards to pick blueberries. Scotts mom also met us there and actually she was the one with the great idea to go. We had a wonderful time even though it was so hot but still it was so much fun. It was great to be together as a family and great to watch Max enjoy picking the blueberries as well. I am going to make him some blueberry and banana popsicles and possible freeze a good amount of the berries for the winter. 

Max ate watermelon, shared a apple cider slushy with me, and ate of course lots of blueberries. I had some of the best pasta salad and gazpacho that I have ever had in my life. We sweated in the fields, laughed and Max played with some farm animals. Then he fell asleep on the way home and then we dropped his Dad off and we went to this little place in Chestnut Hill that has a whole bunch of wooden toys and we played there for the afternoon. It was nice since it was too hot to be outside. 

I was proud of myself for asking Scott to do the family trip. I think I finally realized that nobody is going to read my mind and if I want to have certain experiences then I must ask. I had one of those days that made me fall in love with my husband again and so proud and honored to be momma to MAX.

I think I figured out why I am feeling so run down..my kid is teething and not sleeping. When Max is not feeling well, he my be up about 4 times a night and does not go into a deep sleep. I have been going to sleep later because he is waking up at 10 pm and by the time I get to sleep myself it is 11 pm and then he is up and then I am up. It has been hard and I guess I never think about the sleep thing because I have never had a good night of sleep since max was born but now that I am pregnant, well I am so damn tired.

Today was one of those days. I woke up and looked in  the mirror and there were bags under my eyes and my eyes were swollen. I woke up irritated and tired. I felt like there was nothing in my gas tank. I felt like I wanted to scream and cry at the same time. It is not just taking care of Max..it just feels like everything.I know this is not real…it is just because I am tired and not sleeping.

Max did not want to go down for a nap and I felt so irritated and felt like saying why me.

Then my hubby did not put away the soup in the crock pot from this am (which I had asked) and I wanted to say why me. **(even though I just forgot something yesterday for him and it was not big deal but Iin my head TODAY it was a big deal)

I need to pay some bills and I want to say why me.

I need to take back a pair of awesome shoes I bought and get a smaller size and I want to say why me.

See such privileged problems but still when I am tired and pregnant..well nothing matters. I am sure I will feel better tomorrow and hopefully Max will sleep tonight.

Lately I have been talking to other women who are pregnant and not feeling well. I have heard women talk about varicose veins, hemorrhoids, nausea and a bunch of other things. I have also talked to many women I know who are having fertility issues. I am not sure if I am just the type of person that hates to be in pain but I immediately call either the chinese herbalist, the homeopath or the herbalist.

I guess I just feel more comfortable with those remedies than a doctor. I am not opposed to taking medication. I think medicine is important at the right times but I am all for preventative medicine. One of the most common problems during pregnancy is that you feel tired. Of course it is party due to the hormones but it is also because the body is trying so hard to build blood and people like me, a mom that is anemic, tend to have trouble building blood. Of course the baby is fine but the mom suffers. So I got chinese herbs to help build blood and I am drinking nettle tea, a tonic used in ancient times to build blood. 

As for the other varicose and hemorrhoid issue, I know that the spleen, which is what holds up the baby during pregnancy gets tired and so eating foods that help the spleen to be supported is awesome and of course-getting acupuncture. 

As for fertility, I have been so lucky. I got pregnant the first try with Max and the second month of trying with this one. I ad no idea my period was 37 days long and so I miss judged the cycle. But I do know a few women that are scared to try natural remedies and do not want to see a doctor either. I guess we all have our own journey.

Well as for me, the instant I don’t feel good, I try and figure out who I need to see and then it is all better again. Don’t think that I am a natural doctor hopper but I am a big believer that some peoples bodies need some extra help. I guess this body is one of them.

But all in all-I am healthy. I workout, chase after a toddler and I am on the go constantly.