24 Weeks

How far along: 24 weeks, 5 days
Size: 12.5 inches, 1.25 pounds (corn)
Gender: Girl
Total weight gain: 14 pounds
Maternity clothes: For comparison this week, I wore the same top as my 24 week bump photo with Nora. What do you think? A little bigger?
Stretch marks: No
Sleep: This week I've had two weird dreams about chick-fil-a (don't ask!). I've been sleeping pretty well overall.
Movement: Movement has gotten more predictable (she moves the most at night and early in the morning) and stronger.
Queasy or sick: I'm currently being treated for a UTI with a round of antibiotics. I have been sick more weeks than not lately and am hoping this is the last issue for awhile!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: Braxton-hicks a few times a day and lower energy than usual.
Belly button in or out: Starting to get flatter
Wedding rings on or off: On
Recap of the week: The week was filled with errands, play dates, and an unexpected trip to see the midwives. I co-hosted a baby shower for a friend on Saturday, and we went to a backyard BBQ to celebrate another friend's new job.
Looking forward to: I really need to get started on Nora's new room and the nursery soon. Maybe this week :). I guess the nesting instinct hasn't quite kicked in yet!

+, Lauren Aiken

23 Weeks

dress \\ belt (JCrew old, similar, similar)

How far along: 23 weeks, 5 days
Size: 11.5 inches and 1.1 lb (large mango)
Gender: Girl #2
Total weight gain: 13-14 pounds
Maternity clothes: My mom bought this cotton striped Liz Lange dress for me a couple months ago, and I absolutely love it! It's super versatile, comfy, and stretchy enough to last throughout the entire pregnancy.
Stretch marks: No
Sleep: The vivid pregnancy dreams continue. Thankfully none have been horrible, just weird.
Movement: Lots of kicks and punches lately :). I haven't felt hiccups yet but remember feeling them all the time with Nora.
Queasy or sick: I'm feeling pretty good this week!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: A little bit of tailbone pain here and there. My stomach isn't completely back to normal, and I'm starting to think it may not be until this baby is delivered.

Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Recap of the week: We had a really great weekend after a pretty normal week. We made pizza Friday night + watched the UT game and then a movie with friends, made pancakes together Saturday morning, got some chores done around the house, crafted for a friend's baby shower, and had lunch with friends after church on Sunday.
Looking forward to: Spring is finally here! We're planning on some fun outdoor activities this week and also doing a little spring cleaning.

Per usual, 23 weeks with Nora for comparison :).

+, Lauren Aiken

22 Weeks

top (swap party) \\ cardi (similar) \\ leggings

How far along: 22 weeks, 4 days
Size: 1 pound and 11 inches (spaghetti squash)
Gender: Girl
Total weight gain: I think somewhere between 10-11 pounds.
Maternity clothes: I'm loving the new maternity leggings I got last week!
Stretch marks: I still haven't used up my belly butter. I'm using it a lot less frequently than with Nora. And I'm leaning toward using the coconut oil + lavender EO "lotion" I made this week instead of the belly balm recipe I've been talking about.
Sleep: The weird and vivid dreams have begun!! Does this happen to anyone else during pregnancy? This week I went to a crazy dermatologist and was chased by a wolf (in two separate dreams).
Movement: Her tiny kicks are getting stronger, and we can see movement from the outside now too!
Queasy or sick: Over the weekend I finally started feeling better! I went to the doctor last Tuesday and had some tests run since I had been having stomach issues since getting sick two Saturdays ago. My results aren't in yet, but I'm thankful to be feeling better.
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: I feel much less "pregnant" this week so maybe all the pressure and heaviness had something to do with my illness too. Let's hope so because it's too early to be feeling like I just have a few weeks left!
Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Recap of the week: Nora had a cough/cold so we laid low most of the week. Pizza and bonfire at the Howerton's Friday (Nora took her first shower afterward and loved it), Uncle Clen was in town and came over with Adam and Kenzie for dinner on Saturday, and went for a couple nice long walks as a family.
Looking forward to: Finally going to bible study this week (missed the first two since I was sick) and doing a couple DIYs for a friend's baby shower. Hopefully getting started on the girls' rooms soon... :).

Here's my 22 week recap with Nora for comparison.

+, Lauren Aiken

20 Weeks

We've been majorly slacking the past two weeks with bump photos. This is the only one I have!

How far along: 20 weeks, 4 days.
Size: 12 oz according to the ultrasound.
Gender: GIRL.
Total weight gain: 9 pounds.
Maternity clothes: I'm really looking forward to buying some new things for spring and am going to try to shop more non-maternity items than last time.
Stretch marks: I'm still using up the last of my Burt's Bees Belly Butter.
Sleep: Sleep has been okay, but I think it may be time to bring out the body pillow soon. I'm consistently waking up 1-2 times to go to the bathroom.
Movement: YES!!! 19 weeks was the first time I started to feel movement daily, and this week I am feeling gentle kicks, mostly very low. Matt is able to feel them now also :). Now, we just have to work on getting Nora to hold her hand on "bebe" for more than one second!
Queasy or sick: I had an upset stomach on Sunday. Otherwise feeling pretty good!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: A couple Braxton-Hicks each day and some mega leg cramps last weekend that left me with stiff, sore legs for 48+ hours (note: lavender essential oils + epsom salts in a hot bath helped a bit).
Belly button in or out: In.
Wedding rings on or off: On.
Recap of the week: Created a new cleaning plan and organized a few things around the house. We had our 20 week ultrasound Friday and found out baby is a girl at our gender reveal party on Saturday afternoon!
Looking forward to: This week should be a bit slower than the past few have been. I'm looking forward to getting back into our normal routine, and women's bible study (on Gideon) is starting back up on Tuesday.

Promising more photos for 21 weeks :).

+, Lauren Aiken

Silly String Gender Reveal

On Friday afternoon we had our 20 week ultrasound. As far as everyone can tell, Baby A #2 appears to be healthy and right on track, and a little ovarian cyst I had early on is no longer there. We are rejoicing!! Just like with Nora, we had the technician write down the gender in a card -- but this time we weren't the ones to open it. My bestie offered to throw a party for us in our backyard so she picked up the card Saturday morning and ran to the store to buy many many cans of silly string. 

Some close friends gathered with us Saturday evening for hotdogs (it was one of the first true Spring days here!) and helped us make wonderful memories. Finding out in front of friends (and family on facetime) made it even more exciting! Here are some photos from the party, taken by my best friend Heidi of Inspired by Grace Photography.

Heidi is expecting a little boy just three weeks before my due date, and our girls are only three months apart.

I was shocked to see PINK!!!

 We are overjoyed that Nora is going to have a little sister and cannot wait to welcome another sweet girl into our family! Nora just wasn't thrilled about being sprayed with smelly pink sticky stuff ;).

To see Nora's gender reveal party from 2012, read here.

+, Lauren Aiken