Life Lately

We've got a lot going on in life in general and pregnancy wise but nothing really deserves a post of it's own, so I'll try to hit all the important notes in one random posting.

Doing // Watching Cora climb from her little trampoline onto the coffee table and grin at me. She thinks the coffee table is just a part of her play things!

Reading // I'm not actually reading anything right now but on my "to-read soon" list is Boundries by Cloud and Townsend and Birthing from Within by England CNM MA and Horowitz Ph.D. I was able to get Birthing From Within for free on my Kindle which is nice since I already bought the book, loaned it out and am now doubting I'll ever see it again.

Watching // I'm not watching per say, but I have Fox News on in the background, but it's muted because we're listening to Praise Baby: Born to Worship in an attempt to help Cora's grumpy mood.

Feeling // Good! I'm kind of enjoying this whole second trimester of pregnancy concept! With Cora I was still quite sick, but I'm averaging only being sick to my stomach once a week right now and that is awesome in my book! I also finally broke down and we had a week of doctor visits last week after Cora and I have been battling illnesses one right after another since the end of December. I'm on some new antibiotics (there isn't much they can do for me since I'm breastfeeding and pregnant...), I honestly kind of doubt the antibiotics are doing much because of course, after breaking down and making the appointment I started feeling better before even seeing the doc. What I'm not feeling great about... in one week between prescriptions for Cora and I plus our doctor visits, after our insurance we spent $275 in medical costs! Ridiculous!! And that isn't even with me filling my new inhaler prescription because if we want to talk about ridiculous medical costs, I'll tell you what it costs to fill a rescue inhaler.

Thinking About // Last weekend, specifically Valentines Day. John and I usually don't do much of anything on this "holiday". We generally celebrate by making something more complicated than our regular dinners at home together. I love being in the kitchen with my hubby. Now that we have Cora I wonder if I should actually put some thought/effort into the holiday. Not a lot, I will admit I just don't think I have that in me. I remember what it was like that all my friends would get flowers or candies and cards from their parents on V-day when we were kids but because it wasn't a big deal to my parents either, I never got anything. Sometimes it's just sad seeing everyone else get something and you know you won't, ya know?

Looking Forward to // We are finally going to get together with a couple of friends for dinner, they've been wanting to see us since before Christmas but between holidays, weddings, and illnesses life has just gotten in the way! // This weekend we're touring a birthing center in the area, not sure if we'll use them, but looking forward to seeing our options (see Praying about for info...) // Next week is our 20 week sonogram! I can't believe we're almost half way though this pregnancy!! // If weather cooperates this weekend, we're planning to plant a couple of trees! I love working in the yard (when it isn't smouldering hot outside...) and planting things that I know we will enjoy for years to come!

Praying // We have a couple of things we're praying about pretty fervently. The most pressing because of timing issues is where we will give birth to this baby girl.

I really don't want to birth in the hospital again (as long as I'm considered low risk) and fortunately my Midwife has privileges to birth at one of the two local Birth Centers. Well, that Birth Center has a bunch of births for July and of course their patients take priority in getting to birth there so if there are 2 laboring moms when I go into labor I would have to go to the hospital. I get it. I understand why they would take priority over me. We have to decide whether or not I can emotionally handle not knowing for sure if I'd be sent to the hospital or not during a time that can already be so stressful and emotional at the end of a pregnancy. Our other option would be to change care entirely and find a new Midwife that is associated with the other local Birth Center.
(While pregnant with Cora there was some drama in our Midwife practice about whether or not I'd deliver at one hospital or another in town and if it wasn't at the planned hospital my Midwife wouldn't be able to deliver Cora. It was stressful and a source of anxiety for me... not happy to be facing a similar situation again.)

The other thing we're praying about, well right now I'd rather it stayed "unspoken" here on the Blog and in Social Media, but it has to do with school and what I want my career (rather than a series of jobs) to be. It's certainly a path I never saw my life going down before the past couple of years. It's something I've been praying and thinking about for almost two years now and I really think it's something I'm going to pursue but it wouldn't be until after this baby comes so still plenty of time to pray and consider my options. 

Loving // I'm loving searching for name art options for this baby girl! Right now we're planning to not announce the name until birth, but we'll see if we stick to that. We do think that we have a name though! First name has been picked for a while, but middle name isn't set in stone yet. You'd better believe that once I start a name art project though - that name is sticking, I'm not re-doing name art!
This is about the only project I've got for this baby since the girls will share rooms, so I'm really looking forward to getting started on it.  I'm thinking about doing stitching on pretty fabric with an Embroidery Hoop - the only things I'm finding on Pinterest is where you can have them done for you on Etsy, which is nice but I want to do it myself so I'll restrain from posting some of the cute ideas since I'd feel bad about not actually buying from anyone's shop.

What are you up to currently?// I'm doing what I can nesting wise. We brought the new baby's crib in out of storage and put it together in Cora's room, also borrowed my brothers Chest of Drawers/Armour that he had sitting in storage to start washing and putting away the new baby's clothes!