In the home stretch...

It sure has been awhile.... I think my last blog was April? Maybe. I'm not real sure. I have been so busy... and side tracked doing so many things to get ready for the baby that I haven't taken the time to update. But if you follow me on Instagram you'll know that I update extremely often ;) 

First things first... 

I am 36 weeks TOMORROW!! 

Which means - NINE MONTHS.

I have made it. 

This pregnancy has seriously flown by and it's a bit bittersweet because I am pretty sure this will be our last one. This pregnancy has been the hardest on me and I am really looking forward to having my baby girl here. And I don't say that as I'm ungrateful, because I thank God every single day for the blessing that is my daughter growing inside of me for the past 36 weeks. I know many women suffer from infertility, repeat pregnancy loss, etc. & I really could not imagine going through that. While I suffered a miscarriage before our rainbow baby, I could never handle a recurring miscarriage situation. I pray for those women that they can somehow find peace and that one day their wish to be a mommy comes true <3 But I am in no way ungrateful. 

I think that every mama who is at the end of her pregnancy knows what I'm feeling. 

That whole:

"Get this baby out of me!" 

type of deal. 

I am at that point

where the heat here in Pennsylvania is overwhelming, 

the weight gain, the huge belly, the insomnia, leg cramps, excessive heartburn, never being able to get comfortable, round ligament pain...ALL THAT - I'm just READY. 

How I feel these days. 

I am just BEYOND ready. 

I should update everyone on my progress though.

I spent a night in the hospital recently because I am 2.5 cm dilated and 80% effaced already.

And this was shortly after my birthday. I have the absolute MOST wonderful OB ever. And in a weeks time I went from 50% effaced and a small 1 cm dilated to 2.5 cm and 80% - my doctor was taking NO chances due to my preterm labor history. He admitted me and gave me the steroid shots for the baby's lung maturity as well as gave me meds to stop my contractions. 

Since then I've been doing okay, still contracting but not as close together, and it hasn't been much cause for concern. Thankfully. 

We have been doing a lot of planning and prepping in getting ready for her arrival, and yesterday we took Caleb to the Strasburg Railroad for his last big outing before he becomes a Big Brother and we become a Liczbinski family of four. <3 Here's some pictures from that:

Caleb got to ride the Thomas the Tank Engine and the Percy train, which is something he was looking forward to for WEEKS before and he had an absolutely wonderful time. It of course happened to be the HOTTEST day of the year yesterday - which was tough for me being nine months pregnant - but it was all for him. This was something we had planned for him because I won't be traveling much in the coming weeks except to walk all over to go into labor ;) 

It was a really fun day though and we all had a great time! We are going again in September when it'll be a little cooler out. And we will be a Liczbinski family of four by then! =) <3 How exciting.

We also finished up the baby's nursery - which proved to be quite a process and took way longer than we had expected. 

But here is the finished product:

It is literally my Dream Nursery. 

And I couldn't imagine it coming out any more amazing than it has.

It's everything I dreamed of for our daughter plus some!! 

There are times I literally go in there and just STARE because I am amazed by how beautiful it is and how incredibly it came out... <3 Honestly I couldn't even tell you what it looked like before had I not taken pictures of the progress as we went.

Top Right: before we started painting... Right: as we started the painting process which took SO long and felt like it would never end... Bottom left: the cherry blossom decal process that my husband was so gracious enough to do the tree and branches (we both did the blossoms)... Bottom Right: is the finished decal - took a couple days because we took breaks.

This is how the decal looks before application. Everything is literally individually applied. Nothing is one big piece... the tree itself and its branches have four separate sections labeled A, B, C, D and it has to be done in order. The branches are all done INDIVIDUALLY. The bigger pieces are the main base of the tree. The blossoms (there has to be over 200) and the birds all have to be cut out and applied individually as well. But the finished product is nothing short of amazing.

This is the process of the tree and branch application itself.

My husband, who is the least patient person I know when it comes to projects like this did the entire tree aspect on his own without losing his patience ONCE. Which is quite a big feat for him, lmao.

He made sure everything was perfect and the outcome is obviously incredible.

For those curious about where we got what. I'll tell you.

Cherry Blossom Decal: Simple Shapes on Amazon. It's pricey but worth the price you pay. It was $139 and I was hesitant at first due to cost but after looking around, I came back to this one. Over and over again. Since its been applied and everything, I can see why it cost as much as it is. It's PERFECT. And beautiful. I left a review on their Amazon page.

Changing table, Dresser, & pink rug: all from IKEA. And inexpensive to boot...I mean it wasn't all $20 but it was less than what you'd pay at a place like Target and the quality is really great. The pink rug I would recommend getting a rug pad for underneath of it because it's thin and standing on it barefoot is incredibly uncomfortable. The changing table is part of the STUVA system at Ikea and was the biggest pain in the butt to put together...the drawer front comes in different colors but we got the pink to kind of offset it a little bit. This entire system converts into a desk later on so it's really versatile. Downfall besides assembly? Comes in about 6 boxes. No exaggeration. The other dresser cost us $100 but has a lot of drawer space and easily assembled.

Gray Rug, Changing pad cover, Breathable bumpers, crib skirt and sheet: All from Target - my favorite store. Also all inexpensive. The rug is EXTREMELY comfortable and it makes me want to get another one for the far side of the room that's not pictured. But it's incredibly soft and comfortable and perfect for the late night changes and standing in front of the changing table. Crib skirt and sheet are both online only.

Crib: is from Babies R Us. We loved the white crib from the beginning and we lucked out in having a friend of ours sell us hers for more than half of what she paid when she got it. It's in excellent condition and a 3 in 1 - which is IDEAL. However, it's discontinued through BRU, but they have similar looking ones online and in store.

If there are any other questions about anything in the nursery - please email me at jrob0601@gmail.com and I would be more than happy to answer! :) 

<3 

This nursery is just better than what I even imagined. You get a picture in your head and you don't think it'll look that amazing but this surpassed everything I ever wanted and I'm so excited for my baby girl to be here so she can utilize it <3 

With that being said... I took a walk down my bump board memory lane since I'm starting month 9 tomorrow and I wanted to take a look back. I would be lying if I said I didn't get emotional looking back because it feels like just yesterday that we announced we were expecting on Christmas morning.

And now I am 36 weeks tomorrow and literally anything could happen from tomorrow until my due date which was a month away as of yesterday...<3 

This is from our 4D ultrasound we had at 32 weeks:

She looks so much like her brother... and he is so excited to meet her.

He said "mama, I am going to protect her and love her."

I cannot wait to see him with her. She's so precious <3 And he is too<3 

We are all beyond excited for her arrival.

BumpBoard Memory Lane: 

It's crazy how much everything has changed. And how much bigger I've gotten...

Honestly I never carried this big with Caleb and it's been tough on my body because I'm typically tiny. I am definitely looking forward to getting my body back after she's born and I have some plans on my "body after baby" routine. But I am in no real rush... 9 months on 9 months off - hopefully less though. God willing. I also have a Belly Bandit that I am planning on using to help get back to my pre-pregnancy size. Which has had some outstanding reviews. 

It's so hard to believe that my pregnancy is almost done... and that it's flown by like this.

I feel beyond blessed and happy and excited. And I am so happy that I chose to document my pregnancy with bump boards and blogs (until I didn't, but everything is on my Instagram). It was such a good idea to do this, because it helps me look back. Once she's here I plan on doing monthly ones with her as well - as much as I can. And I'll do a final board with me holding her as well.

My 36 week board:

NINE MONTHS! =) 

I'm suffering from insomnia, can't get comfortable, leg cramps, excessive heartburn, swollen ankles, contractions are happening more often.

BABY GIRL IS THE SIZE OF A WATERMELON!

and now she's just packing on the pounds before she arrives.

If she arrived now she would be able to survive and those steroid shots for her lungs did wonders for their maturity, so she would be fine if born now! =) 

Here's the plan: 36 week visit to my OB and he's going to check me. And then we can see if any progress has been made... I'll be incredibly surprised if there hasn't been any. She's dropped a lot in my belly and I feel contractions more often and even some pressure. If nothing tomorrow that would cause me to go over to L&D.. 

37 Weeks. I am getting my membranes stripped at my visit.

My OB is confident this will do the trick and I'll be in labor.

So prayers and fingers crossed. <3 

One can only hope it works. If I don't go before then.

I have a feeling I'll be going before 37 weeks but you never know! =) 

^ you can see how much he's dropped in a days time and from different angles.

She has been head down since 28 weeks and she is incredibly low.

...my bladder informs me every five minutes.

Birth plan:

Still the same as before. I plan on going naturally and I'm actually really nervous and anxious since I've never done it before. But I've gone into my pregnancy with this mindset and I'm confident I can do it. Not  to say I am not scared to death of how bad it'll hurt. Caleb's labor was a quick 3 hours and 2 pushes and I always wonder had I not gotten the epidural if I would have had him faster. I plan on doing delayed cord clamping and skin to skin. I also would like to be able to pull her out by myself. 

We shall see. Usually when there's a plan it doesn't go that way. 

In terms of hospital visitors? We aren't sure. I told Ray I will have the final say in what happens. 

Not even being bitch. But I am the one pushing the baby out. And it depends how I feel.

First visitor will be Caleb of course! So he can meet his baby sister! <3 

It has been that way from the gate too. 

It's going to be a big transition for him and I don't want him bombarded either.

Vistors will be determined afterwards.

Home visitors won't be for 2-3 weeks. 

That can annoy whoever, but it'll be respected.

People seem to think new moms enjoy being bombarded after months of waiting and hours of labor.

Definitely not the case.

Here's to my final month of pregnancy and a healthy baby girl <3 And a safe, healthy, quick delivery for mama! <3 Words can't describe how blessed and happy we all are to almost have our baby girl here with us <3 

So until then...

-XOXO- 

Jenna

24 Weeks Down, 16 more to go!

Highlights and Lowlights of Week 24 of My Pregnancy:

Highlights: 

• My little lady has been moving much more frequently, reassuring me she's doing okay in there :) 
• WE HAVE HIT THE AGE OF VIABILITY! (although everyone has something different to say)
• No preterm labor scares or contractions (besides Braxton Hicks) & if you know me, you know I've dealt with preterm labor every single time
• STRONG HEARTBEAT! <3 At my appointment last week, she was squirming around but her heart rate ranged from 120-154 :)  
• My pregnancy support belt from Motherhood Maternity has helped with the lower abdominal pain & I have been able to work out again! :)  
• I'm measuring right on schedule! 
• I am feeling more and more comfortable with my pregnancy body <3 =) 
• Getting excited (and kind of anxious) for labor, but more excited right now. Looking forward to holding my baby girl in my arms and kissing her little face.
• Set on my birth location and birth plan. We are doing delayed cord clamping (you want your baby to get the most from you before the cord is cut, so we are waiting until the tube loses color to cut it) and we are doing immediate skin to skin contact. 
• Linea Nigra... it might seem odd but I never really had that line with Caleb or Gianna or Nick. This is really the first time I have it. And it's not really that bad. It's still faint, but it's kind of exciting for me. 
• Loving  the Motts Apple White Grape Juice & tomato red onion salad with EVOO (light) 
• Almost to the THIRD trimester already =) 28 Weeks and we are THERE. 

Lowlights:

• HEARTBURN/ACID REFLUX/INDIGESTION - it gets pretty terrible at times... to the point it wakes me up or I vomit because of it. I am usually taking Zantac in the morning and before bed. 
• Abdominal pain/tailbone pain - my support belt helps but it's still there. 
• Fear of too much weight gain (I'm working out and staying healthy and I know the weight will come off. But seeing numbers go up on the scale after staying the same for so long freaks me out). 
• Still not leaking any colostrum. Breastfeeding is REALLY important to me. By this time with Caleb I was leaking already, and I haven't done that yet. Not really stressed about it but will be meeting with a lactation consultant to see if theres anything we can do.
• Shortness of breath
• Swollen feet/ankles. Usually from standing too long. Nothing I am too concerned with yet.
• Difficulty shaving my legs, LMAO. & of course right in the beginning of warmer weather. I'm going to need to ask Ray for help pretty soon ;)  
• Glucose test is coming up on the 16th of this month -___- and with Caleb's I almost threw up because it tasted so horrible.
• Back pain... begging my hubs to give me massages constantly LOL. And I've gotta feeling I'm going to have back labor 
• Uncomfortable/Restless when I'm sleeping. Once I am finally comfortable I need to find a new position. And moving around is extremely uncomfortable.
• Itchy belly 

Weight Gain: +16 pounds 

Doctors say I'm on track. I feel like I'm gaining faster this time. But I'm still healthy. And doing well. Working out like I have been makes me feel better about the weight I'm gaining.

Baby Girls Movements: Moving a lot more frequently & we can see it now on the outside of my belly <3 which I absolutely LOVE. 

Food Aversions/Cravings: I haven't been craving too much... but I am always hungry it feels like. When I made London Broil the other night for dinner I got really bad heartburn from it, and when I made turkey chili I felt sick afterwards - so I don't think the baby likes either of those things. LOL. Which I hope goes away when she's born because they're my favorite things. 

BIG NEWS: 

• I have a venue for my baby shower!!!! If you know me, then you'll know what a relief this is for me... I didn't want to have to do it at my apartment. While it's certainly big enough... I just didn't feel like doing it here. The parking situation here is a pain in the ass, and the parking authority has been out with a vengeance as of lately.. 3 hour parking and they'll chalk your tires. And then ticket you for $30. And I would HATE to have people come here and then get tickets because the parking authority is like a bunch of nazi's. Actually having it in the township building my husband is a police officer at! =) So I'm really relieved about that.  
• Baby Shower Invitations will be getting mailed out TOMORROW!!!!! <3 So if you've sent me your address? Be on the lookout for your invite. =) Grateful for my best friend Emily who is helping me with everything baby shower related. I probably wouldn't be doing a shower without her.
• COMPLETELY NEW NURSERY DESIGN. When we looked at our baby girls room we figured that the original nursery idea we had chosen wasn't going to look right. It's a smaller space and I think the stripes would look odd. We have a brand new idea picked out and we are super stoked to start it... <3 We are going to pick up paint and supplies next week and then HOPEFULLY getting started the following Monday (when Ray is off of work).  Once the nursery is painted and complete then we can start working on getting the furniture together and everything else.
• I'm really wanting to do maternity pictures... something with my shadow and the silhouette of my belly. Hoping I can get my sister Julia to do it for me.
• Picking up some baby stuff next week... haven't decided on what though yet. I keep switching around with car seats, strollers and things like that. LOL. I'm indecisive with these things. 

 

All in all I have been acting an extremely good pregnancy. The heartburn has been terrible but manageable. The lower belly pain was excruciating, and I'm glad that the support belt has brought me so much relief. I am feeling good though. Hungry a lot but good ;) 

Other Big News in the Liczbinski Family: Caleb has his 1st t-ball game next Wednesday night and I am beyond excited to see him play. Oddly enough his team name is the same as his daddy's team when he was little - why wouldn't they be exactly the same? Haha. GO MARLINS!! Easter is this weekend as well, so we are dying eggs and doing an egg hunt. Not a big Easter person so we aren't going anywhere or doing a big dinner or anything like that.

I hope everyone has a great rest of your week, weekend & a great Easter holiday! <3 =) 

Remember to follow me on Instagram: @jennaliczbinski 

I post really frequently with bump shots, pregnancy updates and family and fitness updates! =) 

XOXO, Jenna

50% Complete... Half Way There.. 20 Weeks!

**50% Complete!!!**

I honestly can't believe I am already HALF WAY through my pregnancy already!! And after all I've been through to get to this very point...I just feel so truly blessed. Every day stresses happen, but nothing can take away the joy and overwhelming happiness I'm experiencing in this moment.

This week, Baby Girl is the size of a:

All the food comparisons kind of confuse me to be honest...especially because some fruits/veggies seem larger in comparison to others. Any who.... she is around 6.5 inches long and weighs around 10.2 ounces right now.. she also has working taste buds now and is gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day -- compared to the lower amounts before!! 

Baby has grown a lot this week compared to last and that's because until week 19 the length of the baby is measured from the top of the head to the bottom (you might hear your doctor refer to this measurement as crown to rump) because they are still too curled up and therefore are very hard to measure. And at 20 weeks the baby's length is also including those precious little legs - and baby now is measured from top of the head to the heel. 

My little lady will also be developing some more "regular" sleep patterns at this stage in the game and I may become aware of them -- considering most babies become the most active when mama's go to sleep ;) Baby Girl's uterus is also completely developed & if you're having a boy the little guys testes will start descending. Most of the energy is utilized in gaining weight now for the little one. My placenta has also reached it's maxi-mom thickness and is busy supplying baby girl with all the nutrients, oxygen & disposing of wastes! 

Mommy this week: 

On edge... I feel overly stressed out - and I do have a lot going on personally right now. I think miscarrying prior to this pregnancy doesn't help matters because I am constantly worrying and wondering what's going on with my little lady in there. Miscarriage really changes a person & I would be lying if I said it didn't suck... The last thing I want is to be nervous at a time where I should just be over the moon with happiness. Once I start feeling more vigorous kicks and seeing the movement I think I will balance out a little bit more. I swear, I need an ultrasound machine in my house. It would make me feel so much better. I'm also BREAKING OUT LIKE A TEENAGER GOING THROUGH PUBERTY. How fun is that -____-  it's extremely gross and unattractive and it's happening a lot on my chest. Gross. My energy is pretty high - to an extent, and my libido is pretty much at it's peak. Although I'll be honest -- I get self conscious and feel kinda gross about the way I look now. I know pregnancy is a beautiful thing and all of that, but it's still a big change - no matter what. I'm restless at night, and have serious problems getting comfortable at night. Even the body pillow doesn't seem to help me right now... I have trouble falling asleep - it's almost like I'm back to being an insomniac, but then I'm up early. I toss and turn and can't seem to get comfy. And I have horrendous backaches that make me want to cry. Luckily my husband massages my back for me a lot which helps a great deal. Also I'm still dealing with the whole hemorrhoid thing - which I've just come to accept that I don't think they're going away any time soon. Not symptomatic so I guess I can't be too concerned but they are annoying to say the least. 

Other symptoms:

- vaginal discharge: it just keeps increasing until delivery.

...how attractive.

- Leg cramps: so far so good... I had them bad with Caleb and I would wake up screaming. I have a really high water intake, so I'm hoping it keeps me in the clear.

- Heartburn/Indigestion: on occasion, nothing majorly terrible though. I've gotta feeling the next few weeks will prove me wrong.

- High Energy/Libido: both are in high gear...for the most part

- Mild swelling: yup. ankles and feet. Especially if I stand too long. :( 

- Shortness of breath: probably the biggest one I'm dealing with at the moment. 

- Belly pain: accommodating that growing baby and uterus.

I'm feeling pretty good for the most part. I have some minor aches and pains, I feel like I'm waddling, and my baby bump is getting bigger. I feel little flutters and I'm looking forward to them getting stronger and having Caleb feel them. <3 Restlessness sucks, but it's all part of it. Confused on if we are doing the nursery design or not - because we might be moving and we aren't sure. I don't want to put money out for no reason. So we shall see. I did get a bunch of baby girl clothes though, which is exciting for me. Heres a contender for a coming home outfit:

How cute are those little shorts! & the tank top onesie<3 

UGGHHH. LOVE IT ALL. 

And I love Carter's.

Here are some more clothes I grabbed: 

I got SO much stuff from the Carter's outlet for both the baby and for Caleb <3 Love love LOVE it there so so much. 

I also got these and I can't wait to see my babies in them come July.

& for the first time since starting this blog, I am going to share a recipe with y'all.

If you're like me and you love the crockpot then save this one!! 

It's called Lemon Garlic Chicken and it's delicious.

You need 1 whole chicken, about 4-5 pounds. 

4 lemons

Seasonings - I used steak seasoning, fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, lemon pepper, sea salt and some pepper...and of course garlic. 

Slice up some lemons and lay them flat on the bottom of the crockpot along with some garlic *I used garlic salt Lawry's* and I just did it according to my taste and what I know everyone likes.

You're going to want to remove the innards (if there are any) wash the chicken and pat it dry. Season the inside of the chicken first... I used steak seasoning, some sea salt, pepper, basil, and then I sliced up some lemon and put in on the inside of the chicken - 2 or 3 slices at most.

I placed the chicken on top of the sliced lemons and garlic and then seasoned the outside of the chicken with everything and covered it with some lemons *as you can see*

Cooked it on high for about 6 hours.

Internal temp read 170 degrees when it was done -- chicken should be at 165.

Take it out and let it stand for about 15 minutes. The juice in the bottom of the chicken goes great over top of the chicken.

This came out SO GOOD. And the chicken stayed so juicy. It had the right amount of seasoning and taste and it was so delicious. I served it with green beans and brown rice. Definitely something I'll be making again in the near future. 

Just wanted to share that with y'all! 

Have a great rest of the week and weekend.

And in the meantime...

Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest! 

Xoxo, Jenna

Gender Reveal & 17 Week Bump Board!

The night before my 3D/4D ultrasound I had a dream we were having a baby girl 

and sure enough.... 

Baby Liczbinski is a Little Lady <3 

Words can't describe how incredible happy we are & just how blessed that we feel to be able to experience having Our Rainbow Baby :) Ecstatic doesn't even begin to describe what we are all feeling. Caleb has said it was his "baby sister" since the very beginning, and Ray felt the same way. Now that we know, we can start shopping, name picking, and really planning out our nursery (which I found another perfect idea, after being set on one idea) - Thanks a lot Pinterest ;) - I'll share that idea later with you. 

(I know this picture is blurry, but it shows our excitement. This is right after we popped the black balloons and found out we were having a little girl. <3 You can just see how happy we are and how excited we felt. Even though I felt like I was having a girl from the beginning, the Liczbinski side breeds a lot of boys. So to find out we were having a little girl was amazing. 

Tears were definitely shed.) 

Our Gender Reveal went wonderfully...we had a few people over; my dad came up, my sister Julia (who is also the Baby's Godmother), my best friends Jamie and Emily, my mother in law & brother in law, & Jamie's son (& Caleb's best friend Jackson), and Ray's best friend Ben came by later. The only thing I would have changed is how we did the reveal...why? Because Party City is absolutely terrible. They barely put any confetti in the balloons so the effect we were going for didn't happen. It was obvious there was pink in the balloon when we popped it, but it still wasn't at all what we had hoped for. Not to mention the balloons started deflating about 2 hours after we got them, so I was pretty pissed off because they're helium filled balloons!! We have gotten balloons for Caleb's birthday & they stay inflated for weeks and I wanna pull my hair out. It wasn't the first time I've had an issue with Party City, so I won't be getting balloons from that particular location anymore, if I go to the store at all. I would rather go elsewhere. Regardless, our gender reveal went wonderfully and we couldn't be any happier!! <3 Being able to experience pregnancy again & to have a healthy little miracle growing inside me is incredible and shows me just how great God's love is. It felt like my mom was with me yesterday too as we popped our balloons & found out we were having a baby girl. I know that she is shining down on me and looking out for all of us. <3 

& that brings me so much peace. 

I love this picture.

I couldn't be any more blessed to be able to bring a little princess into this world with him as her father. She will always be protected. Words can't begin to describe the love I have for this man. When I met Ray four years ago I would have never guessed that we would be married with our 2nd child on the way. We have experienced so much together and unfortunately a lot of tragedy, but so much joy. & this is bringing so much joy into our lives.

 He's everything I could have ever wanted in a man & then some. <3 

These are some of the pictures from our 3D Ultrasound that we had on 2/11. And it was just amazing. Having never experienced a 3D ultrasound before we were so anxious as to what to expect. From the moment she switched to the 4D real time I was mesmerized. I couldn't even believe how amazing it was to see our little baby moving around, sucking her thumb, and yawning. It was just beautiful. The baby also loved her daddy's voice! Any time Ray would talk she would become so active & wouldn't stop moving around. It was so precious. We went to Mommy's First Glance in Pottstown/Limerick and it was such a great experience. It's a business run by one woman and you can tell she loves her job and what she does. The office was so spa like, and so comfortable. There was a huge sectional couch for family and a tempurpedic bed for me. There was a big flat screen tv on the wall and we could watch the baby that way. It was AMAZING. We plan on going back when I'm between 30-36 weeks (depending on how I'm feeling and everything else) for another ultrasound when the baby is more developed and we can see more of who the baby looks like and everything else. We are going to do that later and I'm going to invite my mother in law along to experience it with us, since she's never seen a 3D/4D ultrasound before.

On to my Bump Board: 

Baby Girl is the size of an Onion this week! 

1. Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.
2. And she's growing some meat on those bones — putting on some fat.
3. She's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too.
4. Baby Girl is practicing sucking and swallowing
5. Fingerprints are forming
6. Baby Girl can be startled by noise! 
7. Your baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration to the front of her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though her eyelids are still sealed

I am so excited to know that we are having a little girl <3 And I am so happy to be pregnant :) Let the name picking & nursery planning begin!! =) <3 

Pregnancy Symptoms at 17 Weeks

• Vaginal discharge, sweat, mucus and more bodily fluids. They're in full force, because of your increased blood flow. Well...yes. Gross, but yes.
• Weird dreams. This might be hormonal, but it might also be the result of your nerves and anticipation. My dreams are so much more vivid now. And they are freaking weird but I love being able to actually remember my dreams - because when I'm not pregnant I never remember. But I do have dreams now that are insane.
• Itchy boobs and bump -- as they're growing, your skin is stretching thinner. My stomach itches a lot and my boobs on occasion. Speaking of they are humongous. 
• Rapid weight gain. You've probably gained about five to 10 pounds by now. As of my last visit I only gained 7 pounds, and my next appointment is on Tuesday the 17th of February. I am trying to work out as much as I can, but I get exhausted really quickly. Trying to do as much as I can though.

Other Common Symptoms:

- Increased Appetite --> definitely. Love all the food.

- Heartburn/Indigestion --> surprisingly not suffering from it really. I've had it a couple times but nothing like when I was pregnant with Caleb.  I still have time though, so we shall see. :) Baby Girl is all worth it. <3 

- Bloating & Gas --> ugh. gross. but yes... bloating has diminished somewhat but still keeping my water intake up as much as possible. and gas is the same and gross. hahaha. Ray hates it - but payback baby. Hahahaha.

- Occasional headaches --> I'm pretty good in this department, thank God.

- Faintness or Dizziness --> Ugh. Yes. I hate this feeling. Vertigo is the worst feeling. In the world. It happens to me a lot lately, like when we go grocery shopping I literally need to hold on to to the cart so I don't fall over. It's pretty scary. Trying to have small snacks more frequently and drink LOTS AND LOTS of water.

- Backaches --> Wahh. I always have back pain. And luckily an amazing husband that's willing to give me massages ;) I'm also expecting sciatica to happen because it's something I suffer from regularly, but when I'm pregnant it increases so bad as time progresses. 

- Stretch Marks --> No new ones thus far. But if I get more - my baby girl is 100% worth it. I used to be self conscious about mine, but guess what?! Its proof of the miracle of life. And the life I grew inside me. <3 

- Shortness of Breath --> I swear I walk up the steps & I'm winded. Walk to the bathroom, I'm winded. Minor things, I'm winded. & they say it's normal. An increase in progesterone causes this. You need more oxygen when you're pregnant, and it's one of the most annoying symptoms ever. 

- Hemorrhoids --> honestly. Gross. And I'm dealing with it...again. I had the same thing with Caleb. Must be because I married a Liczbinski... cause he's a pain in my butt the babies gotta be too ;) LOL. I'm kidding. ;) 

All in all I have been having a really great pregnancy. Minor symptoms, and I feel really good. This pregnancy is so different than when I was pregnant with Caleb. Easier... so I hope that means an easy labor, LOL. Especially because I'm going to be going natural this time. So lets pray <3 hahaha. 

Here is my other nursery idea... Now it's a toss up. So many decisions.

I love the ceiling and the walls... This is going to be so tough. 

I also convinced Ray to go to Target tonight to look at Baby Girl stuff. <3 

And I want macaroni salad. So there's that. ;) 

My precious little baby girl <3 

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Have a great weekend & an awesome Valentines Day!

Xoxo, Jenna