Baby #2: 23 Weeks

How far along: 23 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I'm up 8 pounds total so far.

Sleep: Still sleeping really well. I've found I love sleeping on my back (which I usually don't ever do) and on my left side (which I do all the time). 

Rings: On.

Showing: Yep.

Cravings: All the sweets. Especially since they told me that my next appointment I will get checked for gestational diabetes. Guess it's time to start laying off the chocolate...

Gender: As far as I know she's still a girl.
 
Best Moment this Week: We picked a name! We are so excited to introduce you to Madison Nichole. As you probably know by now, special babies like Madison and Ian deserve names with special meanings. 'Madison' is a surname derived from Matthew "gift of God" or from Matilda "strong fighter". I think that both of those meanings are so very fitting. She is most definitely a gift from God. We prayed for a long, long time for her. And she is also a strong fighter. Despite her fatal diagnosis, she is such a fighter, with a strong heartbeat of 140 and tons of movement. And then 'Nichole' is after two of her aunts- Nichole and Erin (whose middle name is Nichole). We think her name is just perfect.

Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to a few things this week. Tomorrow I'm meeting with a lactation consultant to look into donating my breast milk after Madison is born. Then on Friday I am meeting with a woman from Altamont whose daughter Olivia was born with anencephaly a few years ago. I'm looking forward to talking to someone in person who has been down this road. I have a feeling she will be a valuable resource as we continue on in this journey.