Baby #2!!!

Russ and I were so excited to find out we were expecting our second child. Russ has been wanting another baby for quiet some time now and we decided together that it was time. We found out we were expecting the weekend of your 6th wedding anniversary. (November 15) The pregnancy test read positive on November 14 but since both lines appeared, one being very faint I assumed that meant it was negative. I was wrong. Thinking I wasn't pregnant I enjoyed a dip in the hot tub at the hotel for our anniversary but it wasn't too warm and wasn't too long. A few days later I took another test and it was clear we would no longer be a family of 3.
Being a dental hygienist, I had to tell my boss and co-workers almost as soon as I found out. We have a very anxious patient that requires nitrous (laughing gas) at the highest level and pregnant women cannot be around the gas. He was coming in that very week so after telling my very understanding boss we rescheduled the patient and I was not the least bit sad about not having to see him. As for our family and friends we decided to wait until 12 weeks, after the risk of miscarriage drops, to announce our happy news.
I think you are meant to forget what morning sickness feels like so that you will eventually have another child. I remember being sick and exhausted but I didn't remember it accurately. Thinking something is completely different than actually feeling it. I was most sick the two weeks before and after Christmas, making the holiday slightly less enjoyable. The smell of food was the worst trigger and is also new to me during this pregnancy. Since it was Christmas everyone was cooking something every where I went. My family was visiting too so their was no relief anywhere. The other difference is, I haven't vomited as much as I did while I was pregnant with Bryce. I still gag every morning while washing my face in the shower and while brushing my teeth but I have only vomited about 10 times. I  am not sure if I have learned to control it better or if this pregnancy is actually different. I can't decide which pregnancy I have had worse morning sickness but at least the first time I could lay around and sleep without having a tiny toddler wanting to play or needing a diaper change or needing to eat. I would probably say that this second time has been harder only for that reason. Needless to say I was so relieved when the morning sickness finally began to ease and I felt like a person again. The one thing I had going for me was exercise. I have been running, stair stepping or cycling for at least 40 minutes 3-4 times every week. I am trying to gain only a healthy amount of weight with this pregnancy. I have been exercising regularly for about a year so I don't want to lose all my hard work now. I got a heart rate monitor for Christmas and my heart rate hovers around 150-160 beats per minute while exercising. I was so nervous because the doctor told me I need to keep it below 140. I talked to him after I realized what my heart rate actually was and he agreed that I would be fine as along as I wasn't getting light headed while exercising.
Our first doctors appointment was December 30 at 10 weeks. Russ and Bryce accompanied me on this first visit. Our doctor took us into his office and talked to us a little bit and then took us into get an ultrasound to see our baby. I held my breath a little bit while he found the heart beat. It was the sweetest sound and a relief. We saw the little baby moving on the screen. It was upright and first then fell over on its side. At that moment it became really real to me, I felt butterflies.

 

After having that first doctors appointment and ultrasound we were definitely getting anxious to announce but we wanted to wait until 12 weeks. We also planned to have a friend do some pictures for us. We got our pictures done and they turned out amazing. I was so impressed because Bryce wasn't having it but she got some great shots. Russ' parents went on a 10 day vacation so this pushed us back a few weeks. We planned to tell everyone February 1st which was the first day we could get down to Russ' parent's house to tell them in person but after talking to my mom on the phone the weekend before we found out she would be out of town that weekend. It worked out perfectly though because Tanner and Lauren invited us over for dessert on Sunday, January 26 so we decided to go over there and call my mom on facetime to share the news all at once. We put Bryce in a shirt that said "Big Brother" and zipped up his coat. Once we got to Tanner's we called my mom and just chatted a bit. I told Bryce to have Lolo help him take off his jacket. She got it almost right away but she had to tell Tanner to look and my mom said "what does his shirt say?  big panther?" There were all so excited! It felt like such a relief to tell them and again it became a little more real. After calling my grandparents and Aunt Sherri we had to swear them all to secrecy until we could tell the Hunsaker family. We finally made it down to Russ' parent's house Saturday, February 1. Again we had Bryce's shirt on with his jacket zipped up. We talked a bit about their vacation and looked at some pictures. Bryce sat on Grandma Hunsaker's lap and we said maybe she can help you take off your jacket. She was looked shocked but they were also very excited. Grandma and Grandpa Thornock came up and they saw his shirt too. We text each of the siblings one of our pictures and then called them each to let them know. Finally, everyone knows and we can enjoy this happy time with all our family and friends! 

We feel so excited and blessed to be having another baby. We will find out March 13 the sex. The closer it gets the more anxious I get but I feel like I can wait it out this time and not go in for an early ultrasound. I would be thrilled either way. A boy would be great because he and Bryce would be so close in age and we already have tons of boy clothes and toys. A girl would be great too because then we would have one of each! I am so glad we can't choose and I know we will get the baby that was meant for us.