14 Week Bumpdate

Well I can honestly say that I'm beginning to feel more and more pregnant...

Aside from cravings (more on that below), I have had TERRIBLE pregnancy brain... now, I will admit that I can be flaky and forgetful, but this is just downright ridiculous. For example, last weekend Jax and I went to my parent's so we could participate in the local Pinewood Derby... anyway, my brother was off Sunday and Monday and came up as well and as we were sitting around talking, we got on the topic of funny commercials and I went off on this big thing about "Hey, do you remember when you lived with Brandon and me in 2013 and there was this hilarious commercial we watched with dancing gnomes?" Needless to say, he had no idea what I was talking about and I literally spent the next HOUR Googling 'funny car commercials with gnomes 2013.' Google didn't know what the hell I was talking about and it was the most frustrating thing ever... Finally, it hit me -- it wasn't a car commercial; it was for the Droid HTC (I knew there was an acronym in there somewhere, but convinced myself it was for a car).

Ladies and gentlemen; I give you the commercial:

Had I just remembered that the commercial featured Robert Downey, Jr. (or had I just dropped it like a rational person), I could have saved so much time... 

Anyway, here's everything else that happened last week!

How far along: 14 weeks, 1 day

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I was pleasantly surprised at the Dr.'s office when I discovered I've only gained 5 pounds... it feels/looks like a lot more!

Maternity clothes: No... just sweats. 

Stretch marks: Nooooooo.

Sleep: Not too shabby this week! I still have to get up a few times a night to potty, but I've actually been able to fall right back asleep. I am also happy to report that Jax has been sleeping very well in his bed. (If we remember to move him from our bed before we fall asleep.)

Best moment last week: Seeing beautiful S.B.B.! It was amazing how much he/she grew and changed in 4 short weeks... you could perfectly make out the outline of his/her perfect little head and body! The little wiggle worm even waved a few times, causing Jackson to wave back... cutest thing ever! Here's a few snapshots of the little munchkin:

"Hi Jackson!"

Such a little wiggle worm -- we were able to see him/her moving the second they placed the wand on my stomach.

First time with a 3D ultrasound... I told Brandon the baby looks exactly like him (he didn't think it was funny).

Movement: I *thought* I felt something yesterday, but it may have just been a fluke... Stay tuned.

Food cravings/aversions: MAJOR cravings for Beef & Broccoli, fruit, pizza, and rhubarb pie (which I STILL haven't gotten). As far as aversions go, I can't stand raw veggies, which is a bummer since I've always been a big kale and spinach eater :/

Gender: We will find out next week :D

Labor signs: No! 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Overall, I'm pretty content this week... my only complaint is that the stiff neck I woke up with Sunday morning isn't going away.

What I am looking forward to: Enjoying a quiet weekend at home before visiting family in North Dakota!

That Kid! (Volume 4)

I'm not sure which is more crazy... the fact that Jackson is 2 years and 4 months or the fact that I'm getting this posted a few days after his birthday! It has been another full and wonderful month here at the Sandmeier home -- Jax is growing like a weed and continues to get smarter and sweeter each passing day. Here's a quick look back at this month:

~As we announced last month, Jackson is going to be a big brother! I've been nervous this entire time about how Jax will do with a new baby, but just over the last month my mind has been put to ease with his sudden interest in "bees" (babies) and by the way his eyes got huge and he started waving to the baby (who looked like he/she was waving) during my ultrasound on Friday. We're getting more and more excited for the arrival of S.B.B. (Super Bowl Baby) -- Jax is going to be the best big brother EVER! *Also, this picture has nothing to do with the new baby, but my aunt took it the other day and his little tummy cracks me up.*

~We celebrated Jackson's THIRD Easter last month and had a wonderful time visiting my parents, going to church, opening baskets/hunting Easter eggs, and eating an incredible meal prepared by my mom! (Pictured is Jackson "patiently" waiting for Easter dinner :P)

~I know it's hard to tell from this healthy Target lunch we're having, but Jackson is FINALLY eating (and enjoying) fruit! Between the two of us, we go through about 3 cases of blueberries, 2 cases of raspberries, and 2 cases of strawberries every week. (We also share a banana every evening after dinner!) 

~This month, we had to say goodbye to one of the neatest ladies I have ever known -- Brandon's step-grandma, Bonnie. We traveled to and stayed in Salina for a few nights and got to see lots of family again, but it was overall a very hard trip. 

~On our last night in Salina (when everyone else was busy), we took Jax bowling for the first time and had an absolute BLAST! Jax is into sports of every kind right now and had a fun time eating cheese sticks and pushing his ball down the lane. *Adorable video below*

~We have had our fair share of both warm and chilly days this month and have been taking advantage of both (indoor days = inventing new games, going to the library, visiting friends -- warm days = bike rides, park days, and playing in the backyard.) Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for allowing me to be this kid's mom and to be able to stay home with him -- I know it's a luxury that not every mom has and I feel very blessed to be able to do so. 

13 Week Bumpdate

Another week, another bumpdate!

This week has been pretty uneventful in terms of pregnancy... I'm definitely showing a lot sooner this time around and am wanting to eat basically 24/7. We have our second ultrasound this morning (I didn't mention it last time, but I guess I have a small tear in my uterus that the Dr. assured wasn't a huge deal, but she wanted to keep an eye on it), so here's hoping everything looks okay!

Let's bump:

I chopped off my hair yesterday... I'm not sure why I even bother growing it out because I don't own a curling iron and/or want to learn how to style my hair. Anyway, it looks and feels much better now. 

How far along: 13 weeks, 1 day

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still no desire to step on a scale... though I'll probably have to at this mornings Dr.'s appointment :/ 

Maternity clothes: No... BUT I'm getting ready to buy some jeans! Mine are getting tighter by the day. 

Stretch marks: Nada.

Sleep: About the same as last week... I still wake up multiple times a night to use the restroom and we are working on getting Jax to sleep in his bed and by himself all night... long story short, NOBODY is sleeping well. 

Best moment last week: Brandon surprised me by taking me to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2"! 

Movement: No; just the occasional hardening in my lower stomach. 

Food cravings/aversions: No aversions, but major cravings for fruit and yogurt.

Gender: We still don't know, but are considering doing genetics testing just so we can find out sooner...

Labor signs: No! 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Mostly just sleep. I can usually get a good nap in every afternoon with Jax, but by doing so, I feel like I'm throwing off my night time sleep... BUT if I don't get my nap, I'm miserable and exhausted the entire day... It's a major Catch 22. 

What I am looking forward to: Seeing S.B.B. again today via ultrasound! (And going to Costco -- AKA my happy place -- after to shop and have lunch.)

The Stay-at-Home Mom's Guide to Making Extra Money

Deciding whether or not to leave your job after having kids is tough… you want to be able to stay-at-home and watch their every movement/development, but can you afford it? Is it the best choice for your family? Can you afford not to? Believe me; as a stay-at-home mamma to a 2-year-old (with another on the way), I know the questions and variables that go into this important decision. If you do decide to stay home, there are easy ways to make a few extra bucks from your computer, smartphone, or other “smart” devices.

So, if you are a stay-at-home mom (or dad… or basically anyone looking to make a few extra bucks here and there), be sure to check out these easy ways to make money:

1.) Craigslist - It’s a known fact that Craiglist is full of scammers and creepers, but a pretty good rule of thumb to abide by when job searching on CL (or doing anything, for that matter) is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. However, there are also a ton of pretty amazing jobs that you can do from home, including the amazing writing job I scored and have been working on for almost a year now. Different companies and individuals are always looking for different kinds of writers, editors, marketers, and administrative assistants to work remotely, so be sure to check Craigslist often for new listings! (To find these jobs, search remote or scour the marketing / pr / ad, writing / editing, orgigs sections of Craigslist.) Speaking of administrative assistant positions…

Read the rest of my article today on MammaTech! 

12 Week Bumpdate

After an almost 2 1/2 year hiatus doing bumpdates, I am back!!

Like I mentioned earlier this week, I started doing all of Jackson's posts the second I found out I was pregnant... fast forward 3 years and it's a miracle if I can find the time to actually sit down and blog once a month :/ Anyway, one of the reasons I blog is for baby book purposes and since I did bumpdates/big baby announcement posts for Jackson, I want to do the same for S.B.B. (Super Bowl Baby -- can you guess where I got the nickname? :P) -- I'm sure that both of them couldn't care less when the time comes, but you never know...

Without further ado, here is my 12 week bumpdate:

Jax and I were at the park all morning with friends, so please excuse the no makeup/ponytail look that has become my life!

How far along: 12 weeks, 1 day

Total Weight Gain/Loss: To be completely honest, I have no desire to step on a scale (in fear of freaking myself out)... I am definitely getting more of a stomach on me this time around (WAY different from Jax) and am already noticing myself looking heavier in both my thighs and butt. 

Maternity clothes: Not yet... but I do live in loose shirts and belt-less jeans! 

Stretch marks: Nope! I didn't get any with Jax (thank you, good genetics!) and am hoping S.B.B. is just a generous. 

Sleep: Sleep? What is this sleep that you speak of? I guess that overall, it hasn't been too bad... I'm just up multiple times a night using the restroom. Lucky for me, Jax is still a pretty good napper, so I try to take advantage every day by laying down to nap with him... It's my saving grace! 

Best moment last week: Hmm... if I can think back that far... Probably just the gorgeous weather we've been having and being able to spend so much time outside with Jackson and friends! 

Movement: Not yet... BUT a few weeks ago I did feel my stomach hardening and when I looked down, I had an obscure, tumor looking thing popping out of my lower stomach. There is definitely something (hopefully a baby) in there!

Food cravings/aversions: Weeks 7-10, I had a hard time eating anything... it. was. rough. The only things I could really stomach were yogurt, fruit, crackers, Ginger Ale, and basically nothing else. Now, however, I am feeling much, much better and have started cooking again, as well as have hardcore cravings for tacos, nachos, ice cream, yogurt, fruit, gummies, and biscuits and gravy. 

Gender: Brandon and I definitely both have our opinions, but will be happy with whatever we have! I did have a dream the other night that we were having a girl...

Labor signs: Noooo, thank goodness! 

Belly button - in or out? In. 

What I miss: Having the energy to do the things I used to do! Jax and I like being on-the-go all the time, but that definitely hasn't been happening for the last 5 weeks... one of my friends is a few weeks further along than I am and said she's finally getting her energy back, so hopefully mine also makes its appearance again soon! 

What I am looking forward to: Oh, so many things! We're visiting Brandon's family in Bismarck next month, my mom and I are going to Vegas for our second "Annie's pregnant, let's go to Vegas to see shows and eat buffet food" trip, and we meet with our real estate agent later today :D Exciting things are happening! 

Jax Has Something To Tell You...

Jackson has some big news he would like to share with you...

That's right! Jackson is going to be a big brother come late October and we couldn't be more excited :D 

It's actually a pretty funny story how Baby #2 came about... Brandon and I always talked about wanting to wait until after our Mexico trip to get pregnant (if it was God's plan), so once we were back and settled in, we decided to consult my chart to find out which days were best for conceiving. Anyway, I thought for sure I was pregnant a few weeks after returning from Mexico -- I was so stinking tired all the time, was having strange dreams, super sensitive to any/every smell, could cry at the drop of a hat, and was just overall miserable. Anyway, you can imagine my surprise when I "discovered" I wasn't pregnant and how down in the dumps I felt thereafter. (Side note: I know how crazy and selfish that sounds, especially when there are women out there who go through this month after month -- I am praying for you strong and amazing women!) 

We were going to try again the following cycle, but after getting sick with the world's worst sinus infection, we decided to just hold off and try again this summer (so that Jax wouldn't have to share his birthday with the new baby -- like that really mattered! *rolls eyes at past Brandon and Annie*). 

You know the Woody Allen saying, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans"? It couldn't be anymore true. 

The week I found out, I was feeling a little off, but didn't think much of it because my period was a matter of days away... when I noticed (TMI) a little bit of spotting a few days before my period, I still didn't think anything of it -- after all, we weren't trying to conceive anymore and didn't do anything on my most fertile days (since I was sick)! Finally, on February 19th, when I was a day late, I took two pregnancy tests:

To be completely honest, I was shocked. Brandon and Jax were in the living room when I took the first test, so I basically walked out smiling with my hand over my mouth and handed the (capped) stick to Brandon. After a few moments of celebrating, panic/irrational pregnancy hormones set in... Was I betraying Jackson by having another baby? Could I possibly love this new baby half as much as I love Jax? What about our house... was there room for the baby in our small house?! 

Needless to say, it's been an emotional/hormonal roller coaster, but I know that this baby has been in God's plan since the beginning of time and that Brandon and I will love him/her with all our hearts! Jackson is also beginning to grasp the concept of what a baby is and is always wanting to go up to them and talk/wave/smile -- he's going to be the best big brother! 

My friend and I were joking around about how the biggest downside of NFP is finding out almost immediately when you're pregnant and then having to wait forever to see a doctor... I finally got in with our AWESOME new doc on March 22nd and am happy to report that everything looked great with both the baby and me! (I was also shocked by the fact that they gave me an ultrasound at my first appointment -- back in Kansas, I didn't get to see Jax until I was almost 20 weeks!!!) 

Since my appointment was on a Tuesday afternoon at 1pm, Brandon wasn't able to get off work -- but fortunately for Hammy and me, Grammy was already in town and was able to go to the appointment with us and see the baby!!

Thanks for helping watch Jax, Grammy! 

When I first found out I was pregnant with Jackson, I was able to draft a super long, in-depth blog post that I then published when we made it "Facebook official" -- this time around, it has taken me over a week to write this alone! Seasons of life, I tell ya... Anyway, I am planning on posting bumpdates again this time around, beginning this Thursday (12 weeks), so I will "see" you then! 

That Kid! (Volume 3)

Holy cow, life is busy!! I can't believe I haven't written in over a month. I have so, so, so many things to write about and say, but I think it's important to start with goober boy's monthly update (since he turned 2 years, 3 months weeks ago). It has been another crazy busy month full of lots of traveling, long car rides, and learning, so let's get started!

~Jax has always been a pretty big mamma's boy (something I have attributed to the fact that we spend basically every waking moment together), but lately he has been SUPER clingy. I'm not sure if he's going through a phase or what, but it seems like I can't even leave the room for a minute without him freaking out and crying. Oh well... someday he'll be a teenager and I'll be pining for these days when he just wanted to cuddle and nap on me!

~This kid is taurning into a little talking machine! He still doesn't enunciate very well, but we can typically understand what he's trying to say based on his tones. His big words right now are ready (eddy), oh-oh, no, yeah, Dack-ie (Jacksie), Papa, Me (Grammy), eez (please), ank oo (thank you), Anna (Nana), eel (Deal), ball, oot-ball (football), Ee (Mickey), Oof-y (Goofy), dog, two, ee (three), or (four), ive (five), ook-ie (cookie), the entire alphabet, and more.

~In usual toddler fashion, this kid is EXTREMELY picky. Ugh!!! Over the last few weeks he's gotten better, but for awhile there he was only eating veggie noodles, mac and cheese, and peanut butter :/ However, I am happy to report that over the last few weeks, he has decided that he likes both blueberries and any type of bean. I'll chalk that up as a success!

~It is amazing just how much this tiny person gets me fired up all over again about my faith! He just loves going to church (he always listens so intently and likes to point out the priest, Jesus, Mary, etc.) and finding pictures of Jesus around our house/in books/at Grammy and Grandpa's/etc. I can't wait to get him enrolled in Sprouts next year!

~One of Jax's big things now is watching Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off" music video on my phone once a day... I think I played that song for him one time when we were dancing around the house and he managed to pull it up on my Youtube history on his own. He dances along, which is cute, but if I ever see him twerking like a few of the girls in the video, I am deleting the app off my phone.

~I am planning to write a more in-depth post *hopefully* next week, but we visited family in Kansas twice over the last month. While the circumstances were not ideal (Brandon's step-mom's mom -- one of the neatest ladies I've ever known -- was diagnosed with cancer a month ago, so we went to visit  her in early March and then returned last week for her funeral), it was nice to see Brandon's side of the family who we only get to see once or twice a year. Jackson sure enjoyed seeing his Grandparents, cousins, and other relatives!

~We went to the zoo with our good friends earlier last month and had a fun time walking around... I think Jackson is still a little too young to "get it" (he was more into the ducks and geese -- we seriously could have just taken him to the park for that) but he loved sitting in the wagon and eating snacks with his best friend, Dah-wah (Joshua).