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@babymcgrail
Miss McGrail is the size of a Barbie doll and loves to dance already! Her movements have gotten much stronger lately and she has certain times of the day where she moves the most, so I always look forward to our play dates 😍 #23weeks
A little throwback as I’m forcing myself to take some time and really soak up this pregnancy. It’s much different this time around with so little time for things like this! Here I am 10 weeks with Baby M on the left, and 10 weeks with Liam on the right. I am SO much bigger this time around and feeling a bit nervous on how I’ll look at the end! I’m picturing the blueberry scene from Willy Wonka as best case scenario.
19 weeks!
Our Most Asked Questions!
I’m PREGNANT AGAIN! We are to the moon with excitement. Here are some of the questions we get the most, answered!
-Were you trying?
Short Answer: YES!
Long Answer: We wanted to have our kids pretty close together. Liam will be just under 2 when the littlest McGrail is born. We both like the idea of having our kids close in age, and also the idea that we will both be fairly young when they get to school age. We are kind of in ‘baby mode’ and I was more comfortable with the idea for just buckling down for a few years and having all our kids close together than finally getting some of my ‘independence’ back, just to do it all over again!
-How far along are you?
Short Answer: 19 weeks!
Long Answer: .......19 weeks!
-Do you want it to be a girl or a boy?
Short Answer: EITHER!
Long Answer: We do want a girl at some point (for me it is a NEED!)...but at some point is the key phrase! I started out hoping it was a girl, but then the more I thought about it, I would seriously love to have a boy too. So I am totally torn and would be relieved with either gender...I say relieved because there are only major positives to either in our eyes. We know that Liam will do great with either gender because he is just as sweet as he is rough and tough. So as cliche as it sounds- we are so happy with either!
-Is this pregnancy different than with Liam?
Short Answer: YES! Please hold me and let me cry about it
Long Answer: Up until only a few weeks ago, I was really struggling with this pregnancy. I was INCREDIBLY nauseous, to the point I was losing weight instead of gaining. I was also extremely fatigued, and I’m sure chasing a 1 year old has a lot to do with that. I sailed through my pregnancy with Liam and honestly adored being pregnant, so I was surprised for how different this one has been. Luckily I am feeling better and am back to really enjoying pregnancy!
-Are you nervous to have 2 kids?
Short Answer: Terrified!
Long Answer: I wish I could say that we feel like pros and so we have no reservations. I mean we did intentionally get pregnant so I think maybe our subconscious thinks that we are...but there are days where I am a bit overwhelmed at the thought of chasing 2 babies around, especially both being so young. And ESPECIALLY because they are McGrails, and have a mix between both Billy and my personalities! We are getting a taste of our own medicine for sure! ;) I’m just simply being honest- we knew that the first year or 2 will be tough, so we are going into it knowing that, but this is also what we wanted so we are just as excited for all the commotion! We are definitely looking at this with long-term vision and I’m pretty confident we will make it just fine- Liam has trained us pretty well ;)
-When do you find out the gender?
Short Answer: One week!
Long Answer: You can typically get the best results with an ultrasound at 20 weeks- AKA the HALFWAY POINT! Yes, I waited about halfway through my pregnancy to announce ;) We are super excited and I am already losing sleep in anticipation of finding out!
Did I miss any? Feel free to ask! Thanks for sharing in our excitement! xx
Ash
Our Birth Story
August 21st, 2014 started picture perfect. It was the day after Billy and my 3rd anniversary (I just had to count twice- 3 years..still can’t believe it!!), we had just gotten back from Milwaukee and I had the rest of the day off and so I actually was able to sleep in. I was getting some final baby things done and giddy at the fact that I was expected to meet our little man in just over 2 weeks. I had a doctors appointment in the later afternoon so I picked Billy up from work, we had a relaxed lunch and then went to the appointment.
Around 3:30, when the nurse was going through the standard protocol of questions, I suddenly felt like I had lost bladder control…if you get what I mean. I sat there for a second awkwardly smiling as she took my blood pressure and then realized the sensation of peeing my pants was NOT STOPPING! I abruptly excused myself to the restroom and walked awkwardly to the restroom in hopes that no one would notice the girl with the soaked pants. It hit me when I got to the restroom that this could potentially be my water breaking. It was so not part of the plan! I had been waiting for other signs, and I was planning on waiting two more weeks. But there I was, waddling back to my husband who had a lot of questions about the soaked chair I had left. “I think my water broke” I whispered with what I imagine a completely shocked face. His face mirrored mine as he asked “….well..what does that even mean?” We were both in total shock and just stood there for a minute. He walked out to the nurses station and mumbled “um..is there a nurse available?” Our nurse came back in and we didn’t have to say a thing before she said “oh!! Looks like your water broke! That’s never happened here before!” There was no response from the absolutely stunned McGrails. Shortly after our Doctor walked in and said double checked it that it was indeed my water breaking, and then delivered the news that we would have our baby by tomorrow morning! 14 hours later, 8lbs 13oz of pure miracle was born. I was able to have an all natural labor and delivery with the help of my amazing support of nurses, parents, husband and Popsicles. All the pain and exhaustion was forgotten and replaced by an overwhelming, instant love. It was absolutely the most intense experience of my life!!
Life with Liam has been an absolute dream!! I’m healing well and he is growing like a champ. I am soaking up every second, every little hiccup and diaper change, the good and the overwhelming moments. It’s been an incredible journey so far!!
Woah babe, I think you're leaking
Dinnertime conversations with your husband when you are 7 months pregnant
Week 32
This week has definitely been my most challenging thus far. I am really tired, my appetite has lessened (or gone back to normal- partly because I hardly have room for food anymore!) and standing for anything more than 5 minutes is a bit of a struggle. A lot of it I'm sure has to do with how busy we have been getting our house settled. All I know is I'm growing increasingly ready for Baby M to be here!
Third Trimester
I can't believe I am already in my third trimester! Time is going by so quickly...I keep trying to remind myself to enjoy every moment!
I am definitely feeling the pregnancy more. Here is what I am experiencing!
-SERIOUS baby brain. I feel super ditzy. Anything from forgetting how to spell a word, to saying words wrong, to using the wrong word in a sentence, forgetting everything...and just generally staring at things with a completely blank mind for an extended period of time. What was I saying?
-I PEE. ALL. THE. TIME. This is in part due to the fact that I am drinking tons of water (pat on the back) but SERIOUSLY! I can literally feel my bladder filling as I type this.
-Sleep is getting harder to come by. He's (my son, not my husband) really active at night (I've learned that my movement throughout the day actually puts him to sleep) and so he's using my womb as his dance floor as mama is trying to sleep.
-I am out of breath all the time! This I did not expect from pregnancy. I can't talk for long periods of time, which I thoroughly enjoy doing, without having to gasp for air. I learned that if I walk fast and my mouth is open in the slightest I snort with every step. I don't think that is a normal thing for pregnancy.
-He moves ALL THE TIME! Well besides when he is sleeping. But it's so fun! And weird. And also it kind of hurts- not in a painful way but in a way that would be similar to a small human kicking you from within your womb. He is really partial to my ribs and I feel as though he may be using them for monkey bars or for a secret hiding space. It's especially awkward when I am talking to someone at work and I get a huge kick in my bladder and have to look down to make sure I didn't pee myself a little.
-Hormones are starting up again. I don't know if part of it is irritability from being a little more uncomfortable, or just because there's a lot on my plate, but I will pretty much need to have a huge sloppy cry at least once a week. It feels magnificent afterwards but just stay away when it's happening. I cried because I didn't have a hammock.
-I essentially have a pillar for a torso. My mobility is so limited that bending down to even put on shoes makes me sound like an obese 80 year old. And frankly that is how I feel.
-I waddle. There is no denying it.
-Did I mention how much I pee?
Overall I have been blessed with a pretty amazing pregnancy. I am just trying to focus on enjoying every little moment- and becoming quite the traveled bathroom tourist.
This is frequently seen around my parents home...my mother doesn't think that speaking close to my belly is enough for him to hear her...so she yells. Poor baby M- you didn't get to chose your family my love!
I just felt my first kick from my baby boy!!!
Gender Reveal Party!
IT'S A BOY!!! This was probably the most surreal day of my life! At first I was afraid that I was going to regret making the gender reveal such a big deal- but I am SO glad I did. It was such a fun way to share this moment with our friends and family!
What gender did Billy and I want?
Since we were first married, I had had 3 dreams of having a baby girl. That made me feel like I already knew her, and so I was partial to a girl at first. But then when we started talking about babies, I decided that ideally I would like a boy first. Billy has wanted a boy since day 1! When we found out I was pregnant- our answer changed to a HEALTHY baby- as cliche as it sounds- it couldn't be more true! There was a moment that we both thought it was a girl but I was SO torn the entire time that anytime people would ask what we thought it was I could never give a confident answer.
Before the Reveal
Billy and I didn't know the gender before the party. We went to the Ultrasound appointment (my mom and dad came too) and the doctor wrote down the gender for us. As soon as we saw him on the ultrasound we KNEW it was a boy. But- we entrusted the envelope the doctor wrote the gender on to my father and he kept it a secret- as much as we tried to wear him down. We wanted him to know because my grandma was in poor health and we wanted her to know the baby's gender before she passed. (When she first saw my baby bump she said "it's a boy! I just know it is!" She has since passed and so it is even more special to me that it's a boy! You were right grandma! ) My dad then told my friend, Gena, the gender, and she set up all the specific gender- revealing items for the party.
We also decided to have a diaper raffle to help us start our stockpile of diapers. I figured a lot of people will bring some to the actual shower, but it helps people not having to bring them twice- they aren't cheap! :)
Weeks passed (we had to wait 3 weeks- DON'T DO THAT!) and finally the day was here! All the food was out, decorations were up, and people started arriving. I was a nervous WRECK! I had felt up until this point that I knew I was pregnant as head knowledge, but being able to say if it was a boy or a girl made it feel so real- it was recognizing that there was an ACTUAL person we are bringing into this world!!
The Reveal!
After everyone had eaten, we went into the backyard where the box that Gena had made was waiting. She had also made cups of confetti that held blue or pink confetti for everyone to toss as Billy and I opened the box of balloons that would tell us the gender.
We nervously gave directions.....
and then we closed our eyes and at...3....2....1....
IT'S A BOY!
(video of the full reaction coming soon!)
Our Reactions
Words will not explain it. I have never seen such a manifestation of pure joy come from my husband! He did karate kicks, screamed, jumped around, and (don't tell him I said this) cried. I..you guessed it...cried.
Like I said, it was so much more than a gender reveal to me. It was the first piece of the puzzle to this amazing creation growing inside of me. It was my SON! I had felt like it was such an answer to prayer- I don't know how to explain it but I could picture myself having a girl so easily, maybe because I myself am so girly, so my desire to have a boy first seemed impossible. So to see the blue balloons pop out and the joy that came over my husband (and still hasn't left!) was so overwhelmingly happy that I could hardly react.
Needless to say we are BEYOND excited to welcome our little man into this world! The party was such a highlight of this pregnancy! Thanks to everyone who came out to make it so special!
April 25th, 2014
The day it happened. It happened. I tooted in front of my husband. I am an incredibly private person and do not reveal any of my bodily functions to anyone. Truly my biggest fear of labor, besides the intense pain, is anything else that is not a baby coming out when I am pushing...if you get what I mean. I still vow that I have never fluffed and will never fluff- some girls do but I just never have. That is- until April 25th, 2015. I was just standing there!!! We were decorating for our gender reveal party and just talking about the decor and all of a sudden one slipped out like a thief in the night. There was no warning sign- it was a skilled escape and I could not BELIEVE it got past my security gates. Regardless- it was heard by my husband- who's eyes got big as he asked 'did you just toot?'- knowing how monumental of a moment this was. My first instinct was to deny and cry...which is exactly what I did. I denied it, and then I ducked behind a wall and cried. He swore to keep it our secret, but I feel okay sharing this situation for anyone who would need support which such a traumatic experience. If you are a pregnant woman who has experienced a situation similar to mine- you are not alone. Stand strong because there's probably more escapees looking for freedom. We will survive. Pregnancy, frankly I have liked you quite a bit, but you have betrayed me. Sincerely, Learning to trust again
Gender Reveal Invitation!
I saw my baby's fingers, I saw my baby's toes, I saw my baby move it's mouth and I saw it's little nose. I can't believe the feeling that came over me today- pregnancy has been head knowledge- not it's heart knowledge. I am in LOVE.
Big changes!!
I have been distracted from posting anything because...drum roll please...we are buying a house!! Buying a house, much like pregnancy, is all about the waiting game. Lots of dreaming and lots of 'what the heck do we do?' but incredibly exciting! That's just what is happening with my pregnancy. Lately I don't feel like there's much to report. I would think there would be so many changes because of what my body is doing- like growing a freaking HUMAN BEING- but for now I just have a little pooch and a bottomless pit for an appetite. That is the one thing I'm noticing most- I can definitely see the changes in my body, but to me it just looks like a little gut. I am down to one pair of pants that fit me and for not having a cute little round belly yet, it's a bit unnerving. One thing I guess I didn't realize is that I won't wake up with a pregnant belly one day. It's a process of growth, and it's not a firm basketball like I've pictured. So during this awkward stage of pregnancy I just am wearing loser clothes and changing into sweats the millisecond I get home. I have to put a little extra effort into taking the time to feel confident in what I'm wearing and not hiding in baggy clothes even though truly, I'm feeling pretty insecure about my body. It's a big beautiful thing that's happening but it's all really new! Besides that, the only new thing I'm experiencing is lots of nosebleeds and bleeding gums. I've read it's all really normal due to tissue swelling and the extra blood my body is producing, and it doesn't help that it's such a dry time of year. It's a really exciting time in the McGrail family- we find out the gender of baby M during our reveal party April 26th! I just cannot wait!!!!!!!!!
Just put our first offer on a house!!!