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Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 35 weeks, 3 days (although, last two u/s have shown baby is measuring at original due date of March 11th which would put me at 36 weeks, 4 days) Size of baby: size of a coconut, weighing an average of 5lbs already! Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 28lbs. Maternity Clothes: You know you are getting close when you start outgrowing your maternity clothes! I went to get dressed yesterday and picked out a shirt that JUST FIT a couple weeks ago and now was too tight for my big ole belly. But I don't mind at all, it just means she is growing and developing into a healthy baby! Gender: We had an u/s done a couple weeks ago to checkup on Hannah's kidneys (everything is working perfectly!) and they gave us a great 3D shot of the female area and said, "Oh... definitely still a GIRL!" At least that's one thing we don't have to worry about being "surprised" about at birth! Movement: She is a little mover! More of a squirmy thing than a kicker and puncher (like Micah was!) She seems to always be making some little movement, which keeps my mind at ease. Sleep: Is definitely going better than it was with Micah, that's for sure. Probably because I am so tired at the end of the day from chasing a toddler around! :) I am waking up a couple nights a week to go to the bathroom, but nothing consistent. Definitely taking advantage of any sleep I can get, before I need to get ready for those 3am wakeup calls again! Cravings: Not a lot of outrageous cravings this pregnancy. I am loving hamburgers more than usual, I think that may be attributed to my low iron level and the need for red meat. Symptoms: Some sciatic nerve pain in the right side of my back/leg. It hurts every time I get up to walk. Also, having lots of Braxton Hicks on and off. I can tell my body is getting closer to labor by some of the twinges I am feeling! Best Moment this week: Always love going to the doctor and hearing baby's heartbeat! And also, some good news that I am progressing - had my first weekly checkup and was told that baby's head is really low and I am dilated 1cm. The countdown is on... :)

//previous updates on baby Hannah: 30 weeks27 weeks21 weeks 18 weeks14 weeks

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Just a few more pictures from our maternity shoot last week.

This pregnancy is almost over and I can remember vividly the day I found out we were expecting another baby. I can remember the shock, the surprise, the feeling of being sick to my stomach (but I'm pretty sure that was just a pregnancy symptom, because I had so much joy in my heart!) and looking at my 10 month old, Micah, wondering how I could ever love another child the same way that I love him.

I still wonder that sometimes, honestly.

But the truth is, before I actually gave birth to Micah and saw his precious face for the first time - I didn't really know how deeply I could love. I knew what being pregnant felt like and I knew the anticipation and joy I felt about becoming a mom. And I loved my unborn child, from the very beginning. But I didn't know Micah, yet. And there is no way to describe the change that happened in my heart when I finally met him.

Maybe that's wrong for me to admit, but I think it's also important for me to realize as I finish out these last few weeks of pregnancy. Because what I am feeling right now for our daughter is nothing compared to what I will feel when I finally get to hold her, to smell her, to see her face. I already know how much love my heart can hold for a child, because I have been so blessed to experience that with Micah. And I think that I may be anticipating Hannah's arrival just that much more, because of it.

It doesn't seem real that we will have another baby in the house within a month. The pack n play has been transformed back into a newborn napper and the pacifiers are being dusted off for use again (although they didn't get much use the first time). I feel like I just put them all away. And I picked up a newborn diaper the other day and, I promise, I never remember putting Micah in something that small.

17 months with Micah have flown by like a dream. And for the past 9 of them, I've been pregnant.

And now I have one month left to cherish the bond I have with my husband and son as a family of three, before our love extends to another precious blessing from God.

Oh, the joy and anticipation... I can't wait to meet you, Hannah Leigh. 

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Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 27 weeks, 1 day Size of baby: size of a cauliflower, weighing about 2lbs now! Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 19lbs. Had a big weight jump around 23-25 weeks, which is when I really felt like my belly finally "popped!" This also coincided with Thanksgiving (no coincidence there I'm sure!) let's just hope I can make it through Christmas okay... ;) Maternity Clothes: Definitely living in maternity pants and leggings. I have to say, I love being pregnant in the winter! (Even though, with a high of 70, Florida is far from what you would consider a normal "winter!") There is so much more diversity with sweaters and loose fitting tops with leggings. Things that I found excruciatingly hot when I was pregnant with Micah last summer, I am loving today! Gender: Based on the multiple ultrasounds we've had... it is pretty certain there is a sweet little girl in there! Movement: She is moving all the time now! She is even moving as I type this right now. :) It is amazing to watch her move on the outside of my belly too! And based on all of the kicks, rolls and punches I feel, she is just getting stronger and stronger! Sleep: I'm having a tad bit of acid reflux if I lay completely flat, so elevating my head a little has helped ease it. Nothing so far like I experienced with Micah though, so for that I am grateful! I also am having very strange pregnancy dreams. Two nights ago I gave birth to a 20lb baby and last night I went into labor and my husband was nowhere to be found and not answering his phone when I tried to call him! Nightmares, I tell ya. Cravings: I definitely have a sweet tooth this pregnancy! I mean, I'm always one to enjoy some candy or pie every now and then, but this is like an insatiable desire for sweets that I can never satisfy. I do limit myself though, and have tried to replace it with sweet things like fruit and smoothies. It's funny, because with Micah it was sour things. I had a HUGE lemon craving. Maybe a gender thing? Symptoms: This question gets weirder as I get farther along... what ISN'T a symptom of pregnancy right now? I'm having some pelvic pressure already, but that's about the only thing I can think of that might be interesting to note. Best Moment this week: Hearing Hannah's strong heartbeat at the doctor's office. 147bpm and active! :)

//previous updates on baby Hannah: 21 weeks 18 weeks14 weeks

// read what was going on when I was pregnant with Micah around this week.

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i got a little inspired with my christmas tree lighting... sorry for the hazy pics! 

This pregnancy has been flying by! It could be that it's my second and most people forewarned me that this would happen. But I think the time of the year also has a little something to do with it. All of the holidays in the fall/winter to look forward to make counting down til March a lot easier! There was Micah's birthday in September, Halloween in October, Thanksgiving in November and now we are approaching Christmas NEXT WEEK!

I can't tell you how excited I am for this little girl to join our family. It has been a true gift to have Micah in our lives. We count it a blessing all the time that we are able to have children! I never want to take my role of "mama" for granted, so I am cherishing every moment that I can. Both with Micah and my pregnancy with Hannah.

This may sound weird coming from someone who's having back-to-back, 18 month apart babies - but I still look at pregnancy as a miracle. And I still wonder if this is the last time I will ever be pregnant. Because, you really never know. We would love to have more children, but it's not something that is ever guaranteed. So when I look down and see those faint, but obvious stretch marks or my bulging baby belly that makes me feel more plump than "petite and pregnant," I really have to alter my perspective a little and embrace the goodness of pregnancy. Because it is a beautiful, transforming thing. Transforming in obvious ways by the physical changes that happen on the outside, but even greater are the ways that I have been transformed inwardly. I could spend an entire blog post talking about them, and you may just see me do that here soon!

Thanks for all the love and continued prayers for our family! We appreciate all of you so much. :)

I feel like I've been distant from the blog for awhile, so here is what's been going on in our lives via my iPhone. :)

1. Morning with Micah // 2. Facetime with family // 3. Playing guitar with Nick Carter. // 4. Spent the weekend with my little buddy, while daddy was at a student retreat! // 5. Beach trip! // 6. Micah enjoyed the bumbo on the beach. // 7. Laying on the beach with daddy // 8. Mommy and Micah // 9. Mommy's New Man t-shirt

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Besides all of the above, I have been hard at work on a new project that I will be sharing very soon!! :)

Hope you all have had a great week so far. Have a very blessed Wednesday!