38 weeks

How Far Along: 38 Weeks
Size of baby: 19 1/2 inches long and weighs about 6.8 lbs. Molly Kate is the length of a leek!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained another 2 pounds - sheesh!
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: She is still moving around pretty well - getting those kick counts in everyday.
Sleep: I am sleeping ok. Just the typical end of pregnancy sleep that gets you ready for a newborn. :)
Symptoms: I am having really bad back pain, occasional nausea, uncomfortableness, and I am constantly going to the bathroom!
What I miss: Just sleeping on my stomach, bending over, and giving Emma baths easily. 
Cravings: Thankfully Aaron gave in and took me to Five Guys for my craving this past week!  He is so good to me!  Tonight we are going for what will be our 3rd annual dinner to the Angus Barn!  Woohoo!  There is a sweet man in our church that takes the staff and some other people for dinner every year and it is amazing!  So glad I can go before Molly arrives!
Best Moment this week: Being able to say that she will be here THIS WEEK!
What I am looking forward to: Meeting our daughter this week!  It looks like she will be scheduled to arrive on Wednesday (as long as she doesn't come before then)!  I had my last OB appointment yesterday and everything looks good.

I am super nervous about the upcoming week.  Worrying about whether she will be healthy and get to come home with us, wondering how Emma will do with the transition, and stressing over having the girls by myself as soon as Christmas....
But, I am choosing focus on thanking God for his incredible blessings to us in these girls, and trusting that He is faithful and will sustain us no matter what happens in the next week.  We have an incredible support of family and friends that we know will be here for us too!  God has blessed us so richly through our pregnancy with Molly Kate, and we are so thankful that He has allowed her to continue to grow in my womb for this long!  Please continue to pray for all of us this week!

37 Weeks

Full term!  I can't believe little Molly Kate has made it to 37 weeks!  I had delivered Emma by the time I reached 37 weeks with her, so this just feels like such a blessing.  And on top of that, everything is still looking good at my ob appointments.  I am going once a week now, but really I will only go one more time next Wednesday, then the following week we should be meeting our little girl!  Wow! 

With a second child, we have been much more laid back in the planning and preparation department.  It is starting to seem more and more real though the closer it gets, and I realized this week that I have completely forgotten what it is like to have a newborn - HA!  Seriously though, I think it is one of those times in your life that you are so sleep-deprived and everything happens and changes so fast that it is hard to remember.  So - I am busting back out all of the baby books that I loved with Emma, looking through all of her newborn pictures, and preparing myself for lack of sleep and lots of time with our boppy again!  Although I am nervous for baby girl #2 and going through the newborn stage again, I am eagerly anticipating her arrival and excited for how our family is about to grow and change.

How Far Along: 37 Weeks
Size of baby: 19 inches long and weighs about 6 1/3lbs. Molly is the size of a swiss chard!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, she is moving a lot, but I think it is getting pretty snug in there~
Sleep: I am sleeping ok. Just the typical end of pregnancy sleep that gets you ready for a newborn. :)

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, back pain, some nausea, tiredness - usual preggo stuff
What I miss: Bending over easily, sleeping on my stomach
Cravings: Last night I got a strong hankering for a Five Guys cheeseburger.  Maybe the hubs will make that happen soon ;)
Best Moment this week: Making it Full Term!  Spending some fun time with Emma!  And going on a movie date with Aaron!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Molly soon, and doing some special things with Emma and Aaron before she arrives, oh and Christmas parties!

36 weeks

Since I am almost 37 weeks and have missed the last two, i thought I would go ahead and do a quick update from week 36.
Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 36 Weeks
Size of baby: 18.5 inches long and weighs about 6lbs. Molly is the size of a crenshaw melon!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again!  But still so thankful to be on the gaining side :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, a lot of movement!  She especially loves to move in the evenings when I'm laying down.
Sleep: I am sleeping okay most nights.  Sometimes I have a hard time getting comfortable and I still get up several times for bathroom breaks.
Symptoms: Braxton Hicks contractions several times a day, back pain, nausea, I've also had trouble with my vision and headaches, but my blood pressure, etc. looks good so far, so hopefully preeclampsia will stay away this time.
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach, being able to bend over, not getting tired so easily - all totally worth it though!
Cravings: I had Aaron get some Reese's cereal this week, haha - definitely a craving, but still yummy.
Best Moment this week: Hearing Molly's strong heartbeat and finding out that everything still looks good at my appointment this week after the scare with my vision.  I'm now going to weekly appointments!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the house in order and doing some special Christmas things with Emma before baby sister arrives!

Just over 2 weeks until Molly's arrival (if not before)!!

34 weeks!

How Far Along: 34 Weeks
Size of baby: 18 inches long and weighs almost 4 3/4 lbs. Molly Kate is the size of a cantaloupe!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again this week.  The doctor didn't seem concerned that I was gaining too much, though.
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes.
Gender: Girl!
Movement: This week she has been moving a lot!  I just watched her move in my belly last night for about 30 minutes straight.  It is definitely one of the weirdest and coolest things about pregnancy!
Sleep: I have been sleeping pretty good.  Some nights I sleep like a rock, and other nights I go to bed late and am up several times, so it just depends.  One morning this week Emma slept until 8:30 or so which means I did too - amazing!  (She is normally up around 7).
Symptoms: Lots of back pain this week :(. 
What I miss: Nothing of real importance, but it would be so nice to be able to give Emma a bath easily, haha.
Cravings: Chips and dip, salad.
Best Moment this week: Hearing that everything looks good at my 34 week appointment!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the house cleaned and organized before she arrives, and also going on our youth retreat this weekend!  It will probably be my last overnight youth event until Molly is done nursing, so I want to enjoy it while I can.  Oh, and Emma will get to stay with my parents since our retreat is so close to them, so I know she is thrilled! 
Oh - and I am really excited to have a thanksgiving meal with my church family next week, visit Aaron's family over the weekend, and get our Christmas decorations up! 

33 weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 33 Weeks
Size of baby: 17 inches long and weighs almost 4 lbs. Molly is the size of a pineapple!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again at my last appointment.  I am definitely already larger than I ever got to be with Emma, but I am so thankful!
Maternity Clothes: All maternity!  I have even started to wear Aaron's t-shirts at home to be most comfortable, ha!
Gender: Girl!  Molly Kate!
Movement: Some days it seems like she moves non-stop, and others I really have to focus on counting kicks (supposed to get at least 7 kicks/movements in a 2 hr period)
Sleep: It depends on the day, but most of the time I am still sleeping well - just with the typical bathroom wake-up calls.
Symptoms: Less nausea this week, but having lots of back pain every afternoon and evening and some heartburn and tiredness too.
What I miss: Nothing really - but maybe bending over easily, sleeping on my stomach, and having energy past lunchtime are all things I won't mind being able to do again!
Cravings: I got to have 3 of my craving foods this week!  Pimento cheese sandwiches (thanks to Caroline for bringing them to my shower!), fried mushrooms (we used some of my b-day money to eat at a local place that serves them - yum!), and a Toblerone (thanks to Kristen!).
Best Moment this week: So many...hearing that everything was great at my appointment, along with a great baby shower from the ladies at my church, my mom being able to visit, working in the girls' room and getting the clothes organized, receiving some baby gifts in the mail (thanks to my wonderful aunts!), taking Emma trick-or-treating last Wednesday, oh, and not to mention setting a date for Molly's arrival!!!  Of course this date is set for around 39 weeks, so it is a definite possibility that I may go into labor before that, but we shall see!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the girls' room completed!

32 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 32 Weeks
Size of baby: 16.7 inches long and weighs almost 3.75 lbs. Molly Kate is the size of a large jicama!  Although during my ultrasound this week, the tech said she was already around 4 lbs.  I can't believe it because Emma was just over 4 pounds when she was born, so I can definitely picture what she looks like right now!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained again :/ - but so thankful to be eating still, so it's worth it!
Maternity Clothes: Yes-all maternity clothes all the time.
Gender: Girl!  Molly Kate!
Movement: Yes, she is moving a lot!
Sleep: I am sleeping okay, just uncomfortable and have to wake up often.  Emma has been sleeping later recently, which has been an unexpected blessing for a little extra rest too!
Symptoms: Tiredness, a little nausea, reflux?
What I miss: Bending over easily, and not feeling miserable after large meals.
Cravings: I've been enjoying coffee again, so I crave iced vanilla lattes most of the day, haha.
Best Moment this week: Emma got to go trick-or-treating for the first time last and that was a blast, but hearing at my ultrasound that everything looked good and Molly was growing like she should was also wonderful news!
What I am looking forward to: Finishing up the girls room - i have a lot of organizing to do, and I also have a baby shower this weekend!  I am so humbled and thankful to be given a shower from some of the ladies at our church.

We also have a date for Molly Kate's arrival, so unless I go into labor before then, the week before Christmas will be a very special one for our family!!

31 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 31 Weeks
Size of baby: 16 inches long and weighs almost 3.3 lbs. Molly is the size of four navel oranges!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I go to the Dr. on Friday, so we will see, but I'm sure I'm still gaining.
Maternity Clothes: Basically all maternity
Gender: Girl!
Movement: She moves a lot, but some days I start to worry because I won't feel her move very much.  If I lay down on the couch at night we can usually see her moving all around.
Sleep: I sleep great once I can get to sleep - been staying up later recently.  Still wake up for bathroom breaks, though.
Symptoms: Even though I still take nausea medicine, morning nausea has hit many times recently.  I've also had some reflux i think, and am very tired during the day.
What I miss: Getting up quickly, bending over, etc.  haha
Cravings: This weeks' craving was the Pioneer Woman's guacamole - which I made and ate for dinner one night, haha!
Best Moment this week:  It's been a rough week because Emma has been sick, but we took her to the state fair last Thursday and we all had a great time!  I especially loved the food!

What I am looking forward to: We have an appointment on Friday that includes another ultrasound (please pray for continued growth), and then we are off to Hickory to hang with my folks, and Aaron and I are planning to celebrate my birthday/babymoon/ early anniversary all in one in Blowing Rock.  I have a birthday in the same week as my mom and dad so we will get to celebrate with them too!

30 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 30 Weeks!  I can't believe we are in the 30's now.  I feel like we are in the home stretch and I am starting to get in nesting mode (thankful for little spurts of energy to start to do some of these things)!
Size of baby: 15.7 inches long and weighs almost 3 lbs. Molly is the size of a head of cabbage!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained even more at the doctor last week - still within the recommended weight gain limits, but I don't know how I will go 9 more weeks without putting on too much, haha!  Here's hoping that nursing will help me lose the weight quickly like it did with Emma :)
Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity except for the occasional t-shirt and exercise pants.  FYI, it is much nicer to be at your largest when the weather is cooling down!
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes, she is moving all the time! Especially if I have any caffeine at night (hey now, a little is allowed).  She has also started moving a lot around my hips and ribs, which is a little uncomfortable, but I love to feel the movement.
Sleep: Some nights it is great, and other nights I can't seem to sleep at all and have to use the bathroom several times.  Trying to enjoy it while I can!

Symptoms: Still some occasional nausea if I wait too long to eat, aching back, tiredness, and some swelling - all of these are pretty manageable though.
What I miss: Maybe sleeping on my stomach and having more energy.
Cravings: I've been craving my friend Caroline's pimento cheese sandwiches, haha!  I even got the recipe from her so I can make them - maybe this weekend :)
Best Moment this week: Taking Emma to Hill Ridge Farms on Friday and getting a good report from my appointment that morning.  So far my belly is measuring great, and we are so thankful!
What I am looking forward to: We are going to the NC State Fair tomorrow - I can't wait for Emma to really enjoy everything this year, and, of course, the food!  We will have another ultrasound next Friday to check on Molly Kate and see if she is continuing to grow well, please continue to pray for our littlest girl!

29 weeks

How Far Along: 29 Weeks
Size of baby: 15 inches long and weighs 2.5 lbs. Molly is the size of a butternut squash!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still gaining - hoping it will slow down a little these last few weeks.
Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes! She is moving a lot, and it is getting to that somewhat uncomfortable point where little elbows and feet are poking my hips and ribs.
Sleep: Sleep has been really good lately, except for the middle of the night bathroom runs, of course!

Symptoms: A little nausea now and then, tiredness, and swelling of the feet.
What I miss: I don't miss much as long as I am not really hot and tired :)
Cravings: I made pecan bars this week just because I wanted them, and I am still craving Chick-fila for breakfast.
Best Moment this week: Having a great OB appointment this morning, and enjoying some family time at Hill Ridge Farms (post to come)!
What I am looking forward to:  In two weeks we will have another ultrasound just to check on Molly Kate's growth, so although I am nervous, I am looking forward to see that sweet girl again!  Also, that same weekend we are dropping Emma off with my parents for part of the weekend and enjoying some time for my birthday/ our babymoon/ our early anniversary celebrating in the mountains!  So excited to have a weekend to spend with Aaron and to also see my parents again before baby girl arrives!

28 weeks

Lots of things going on recently, but I will start with my week 28 update:

How Far Along: 28 Weeks

Size of baby: 14.8 inches long and weighs 2.25 lbs. Molly Kate is the size of a head cabbage!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Definitely gaining, I think I'm 10 pounds up from pre-pregnancy weight, but considering the earlier weight loss I think I have still gained plenty, haha.
Maternity Clothes: All maternity, except t-shirts and pajama pants
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes! She is moving a lot. We can see the movement without touching my belly now so that is fun.
Sleep: I have not been sleeping very well.  Two nights this week I just couldn't sleep at all and would lay in bed wide-awake for hours.  It makes for exhausting days.  I'm also now getting up between 1-4 times a night to use the bathroom - lovely :) 
Symptoms: I had a night this week that I felt very sick, but my amazing husband let me lay down and took over Emma's nighttime routine for me.  I also have noticed more swelling in my feet this week.
What I miss: Iced coffee drinks and sleeping for more than 2 hours without getting up - but it is totally worth it :)
Cravings: Chick-fila breakfast and last night I had a strong craving for a Toblerone, haha.
Best Moment this week: Our ultrasound!
What I am looking forward to: My mom is coming this weekend, and we also have a youth lock-in and a baby shower.

This week was great!  I was nervous about my ultrasound on Friday, but everything looks good.  They weren't looking at her organs, etc., but they did measure her and she is growing just as she should be and the placenta still looks good - Praise the Lord!  We will have another ultrasound in 4 weeks, so please pray that Molly would continue to grow well and there would not be problems with the placenta this time.  

Poor Emma has had a tough last two weeks with sickness coming and going.  We started potty training, and day one went great but on day two she had an upset tummy so we decided to put it off for two more weeks.  We are doing the three-day potty training method, and I think it will work well for Em, but she just needs to be well and I need to have everything I need at home so we won't have to go out.

This morning she woke up and she felt hot all over.  We got her some medicine and a freeze pop, and she said "I feel very much better," haha!  We will see how the day goes, but hopefully we won't have to go to the doctor later.  So, she will be missing her MDO for the second week in a row (she really misses playing with her friends there) and church tonight - but we will be having lots of snuggle time on the couch reading books, watching movies, etc. until she feels like herself again.

This weekend we are having a youth lock-in at church.  I have not been at a lock-in since I was in youth group (haha) and I have not stayed up all night since college, so I am pretty sure I will pass out sometime around midnight - we'll see!  It should be fun though!  My mom is coming down and will be keeping Emma for us - thanks Mom!  Grammy is pretty much one of Emma's most favorite people, so I know she will have a blast this weekend too!

27 weeks

How Far Along: 27 Weeks (tomorrow)
Size of baby: 14.5 inches long and weighs 2 lbs. Molly Kate is the size of a head of cauliflower!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained, but not sure how much - starting to gain more than I did with Emma because hardly any of my maternity shirts from last time fit.  But, I did have a picc line in for a few months that kept the calories coming, so I didn't lose as much weight as I did with Emma - praise the Lord!  Hyperemesis is not a weight-loss program I would ever recommend.
Maternity Clothes: Basically everything I wear is maternity at this point except for pajamas and t-shirts. 
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes! She is moving a lot.  I think I felt hiccups last night too, so fun!
Sleep: I am sleeping great at night, except for getting up 1-3 times a night to go to the bathroom.  I also feel sleepy throughout the day.

Symptoms:  I usually feel bad at night, but nothing like what it has been.  And, I still get tired and worn out easily.  I went to a consignment sale this weekend and felt like I was going to pass out after about 30 minutes of looking through clothes in a warm room.
What I miss: Nothing other than sleeping at night without waking up to use the bathroom.
Cravings: Chick-fila chicken minis and hash-browns for breakfast - wow!  This has been one of the few things that I have gone on and on to Aaron about how good they tasted and how much I wanted them, haha.  I am so thankful for these random, strong cravings because I only have them during the last 3 months or so.
Best Moment this week: Eating the chicken minis, haha - just kidding!  Probably having Emma feel Molly kick, or at least she said she did.  She was so excited!  I can't wait to see this sweet sister relationship develop! 
What I am looking forward to: My doctor's appointment on Friday.  We have an ultrasound, so we will see how she is growing, etc.  I'm still a little nervous that we may have some complications like we did with Emma, but trusting the Lord that He has been knitting this little lady in my womb just the way He planned to!

26 weeks

I always see these weekly pregnancy updates on other blogs and thought it would be fun to post!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 26 Weeks
Size of baby: Molly Kate should be around the size of a head of lettuce!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not really sure at this point with all of the weightloss from sickness, but I am definitely on the gaining side now!
Maternity Clothes: Mostly all maternity with the exception of t-shirts and athletic pants, but I keep those confined to our home, haha.
Gender: Girl!
Movement: Yes! She is moving a lot. Mostly when I am laying down at night or in the morning.  Maybe I just don't notice it during the day when I am busy with Emma?
Sleep: Sleep is good except for the fact that I get up 1-2 times a night to use the bathroom.

Symptoms: I am pleased to say that I am over all of my more severe sickness.  Although I feel pretty good most of the time, I still get the occasional nausea, tiredness, and I start to feel bad when I need to eat or I eat too much, haha.

What I miss: Not much, maybe being able to sleep on my stomach?

Cravings: Doritos!
Best Moment this week: Setting up the bedding in the girls' room and finding out i passed my glucose test!  And, of course, hearing Molly Kate's heartbeat at my appointment!

What I am looking forward to: I have an ultrasound in a week and a half, and hopefully we will see a growing and healthy Molly Kate!

And just because, here is a sweet picture of Emma from back in August...