Our family is growing!

I am so excited and grateful to share we have another little babe joining our family this summer!

How are you feeling? As I write this post, I am 25 weeks, a little over half way through, and tired from chasing a toddler while carrying a growing belly! Thankfully, my nausea subsided at the very end of my first trimester, and I have been feeling great since. In the last two weeks, I have had more hip and back pain. I snagged this belly band, and it seems to be doing the trick to ease the uncomfortableness. This little one has definitely given me tons of food aversions and a very sensitive sense of smell. Overall, it is a great pregnancy!

Do you know gender? Yes, we do! We have a healthy baby BOY on the way! This pregnancy is so different from my first, and I initially thought we were having a girl. I even mentioned to Charles about three weeks before our ultrasound that my mama intuition felt like it was a girl. Sure enough, my mama intuition was completely wrong (haha!), and we have a snuggly baby boy on the way! It is true what they say – every pregnancy is different!

Do you have a name picked out? Yes, I think we officially decided on a name! We have been calling him by his name the last few weeks, and it feels like it is going to stick. We decided to keep the name a secret until we meet baby boy #2, or until Trace decides to spill the beans, whichever comes first. We read Trace this big brother book and this one, and practice his name every night. I am secretly hoping Trace will say his baby brother’s name to family and friends, but no mention of it yet!

Are you decorating a nursery and purchasing any new baby items? Yes! We are very blessed that this little one is the same gender as Trace, and we are able to reuse so many items! I am also reusing several pieces from Trace’s nursery and snagging a few new items for baby boy #2 to make it feel a little different! We also have some housing financial goals we would love to achieve this year. So, sticking to a budget and purchasing items we need (versus just want) is a high priority this time around. I am actually surprised at how much I have saved while making a “needs” list, knowing exactly what I need to purchase, and waiting until a sale comes my way. I forgot how I excited I get from saving a little bit of money!

Are you photographing and what will maternity leave look like? Yes, I am booking sessions! I decided to postpone outdoor spring minis this year as standing for several hours throughout the day is tough and tiresome. However, full sessions are available through April. I will be finishing up some editing and bookkeeping duties through mid-May, and then I will be taking maternity leave. Trace arrived 3-weeks early, and if this little one makes the same decision (or not), I want to make sure I am rested and prepared for his arrival. Fall sessions will be available starting September 1st, and I will be releasing fall mini session information late August.

I am so excited to share these milestones with you and share more of this little one’s arrival soon!