Head of Lettuce

December 19, 2012

How far along are you? 26 weeks

Sleep? I still sleep off and on. I get night sweats a lot lately and I still wake up every few hours to use the bathroom. And that's definitely not something I will miss after March 14.

Best moment? Finished the Fall 2012 school semester! It was total hell and I'm beyond excited that it's over already. Although, I think that if I wasn't in school, my pregnancy would have just drug by. At least I had class to keep me preoccupied. But now that it's over and I don't have a job, I twiddle my thumbs all day and I can't stand it. I tried convincing my husband to let me apply for a job at a daycare, but he would rather me just relax before the baby gets here. That and he says I have plenty to do (as he names of a list that includes washing dishes, doing the laundry, etc.) I quickly reminded him that this is not Disney and I am NOT Cinderella.

Movement? He's definitely got a mind of his own on his own little schedule. He's still active some days and a little more quiet on others.

Any food cravings/aversions? I've been craving the crap out of some sweets lately! Mainly ice cream. Or cookies. But mainly ice cream. I threw a fit a few nights in a row because we had ZERO sweets in the house and Adam wouldn't take me to Dairy Queen or Sonic to get my fix. I finally broke down one day while I was sitting at the house bored and alone to get a Oreo Sonic Blast. Definitely hit the spot.

Gender? BOY!!

Belly button? It's still an innie, and it really shocks me because I figured it would have popped a long time ago!

What I miss? I seriously miss being able to sleep on my tummy!

Looking forward to anything? Spending the weekend with my husband! He finally quit his second job, so it's just me, him, and our fur babies!

Symptoms this week: I came down with a cold (thanks hubby!) We could have sworn he had the flu. He went to the doctor and got a steroid shot and a z-pack. I had already gotten the flu shot at like my 22 week appointment so I thought I was safe. Well, come to find out, he didn't have the flu - just a really bad cold - and passed it straight on to me! I was miserable for a week. Pregnant women can not take cold/flu medicine. I bought saline drops for my nose and a Vicks warm steamer and that helped a lot.

Wedding rings? I can wear my engagement ring, but I can't wear my actual wedding band because it's a size smaller.

Maternity clothes? I tried maternity pants from Ross. That was a disaster. I tried the medium pants on thinking they looked big enough. I couldn't get them up my thighs. I tried on the large pants and they fit in the hips, but the crotch was a little baggy, and I didn't like the him at the feet. They looked like a cross between skinny jeans and boot cut and that wasn't going to work out for me. They fit really awkwardly over my shoes. I refuse to go to a maternity store and pay $30 for a pair of jeans. So, I'm still stuck wearing sweat pants or jeans with my belly band. And both are getting really uncomfortable because my ass is getting way too big. I might use some Christmas money to go get a pair. We shall see.

A picture of me at 26 weeks!

What TheBump says: Wow! Can you believe baby has eyelashes at 26 weeks? And she's amping up to start batting them soon. At this point, it probably feels like this baby (who you haven't even met yet) has taken over your life. She's interfering with your sleep. She's messing with your brain. (Forget much?) She might even be giving you a stress headache or two. It's normal to be experiencing some mild swelling, but around week 26, it's important to watch out for swelling severe or sudden -- it could be the sign of a dangerous condition called preeclampsia. Notice your belly occasionally feeling tight? That's a contraction. Yup, already. Don't freak out though -- your body is just practicing some tightening in preparation for labor. As long as the contractions aren't steady or severe, you're not in labor. Your baby's the size of a head of lettuce! She's still growing int he 13.6-14.8-inch and 1.5-2.5-pound range, and developing her senses, features and talents. Her eyes are forming, and his eyes will soon start to open. And her eyelashes are now grown, too. She's getting her immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up your antibodies. She's taking breaths, too. They're of amniotic fluid, not air, but it's still good practice.

  

Cauliflower

December 7, 2012

How far along are you? 25 weeks

Sleep? Getting a lot better. I've somehow managed to push past the pain in my shoulder. Either I've learned some amazing pain management skills or it's getting better. It still hurts though, but I think I just want sleep bad enough that I do my best to ignore it.

Best moment? Got to see my dad and my little sisters over the weekend. I love them so much! And they loved rubbing on my belly!

Movement? He definitely moves around in there, but he goes through these spells where he only moves a little.

Any food cravings/aversions? pizza, pizza rolls, toast and I'm sure there are other things I can't think of

Gender? BOY!!

Belly button? still an innie!

What I miss? My pre-baby body

Looking forward to anything? My final next week and this semester is over!

Symptoms this week: almost no morning sickness, headaches, but mainly lower back aches

Wedding rings? On

Maternity clothes? belly band and sweats, I really really want to get some actual maternity pants.

What TheBump says: You're 25 weeks pregnant and it's probably dawned on you that sson you'll actually have to deliver this baby. (A little scary, but exciting!) What's cool is that most hospitals will let you preregister, which means you can put in your paperwork early, so the day you go into labor, you don't have to stand around filling out a bunch of forms before you get admitted. Maybe you're getting nervous about delivery, or maybe it's your haywire hormones, but you might start to have trouble sleeping around week 25. This is a common complaint of many moms-to-be. Some people will tell you that's just your body's way of prepping you for sleepless nights with baby, but those comments won't help you get the rest you need! Experiment with different strategies for getting some sleep. One idea is to drink extra water early in the day, so you can start tapering off your intake as you get closer to bedtime. That way, you might need less bathroom breaks during the night and can keep sleeping. After all, now that baby's crowding your bladder, you've got to pee. A lot. Your baby's the size of an cauliflower. During month six, the average fetus measures about 13.6 inches to 14.8 inches and weighs about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. She's enjoying her new sense of equilibrium -- she now knows which way is up and which is down. She's growing more fat and more hair too!

      

Cantaloupe

November 28, 2012

How far along are you? 24 weeks

Sleep? almost non-existent this past week. I've never been a side-sleeper, so this has really been a struggle for me. Apparently sleeping solely on my sides for the past 5 months has pulled a muscle in my shoulder. It's a spot about the size of a quarter that feels like it's being stretched to max capacity and burns like hell! I have a heat bean bag that makes it feel a lot better, but the heat doesn't last but a couple of hours, so when it goes out, I have to get up to reheat it in the microwave. Plus, every time I roll over, I have to re-maneuver the beanbag to make sure it stays where I want it to. Such a pain in the ass.

Best moment? Completely non-related to baby, but we went Christmas shopping for a few people. I put up my Christmas tree, and I only have 2 more weeks of school!

Movement? yes! My little nugget is very active and I've definitely noticed a pattern.

Any food cravings/aversions? I don't like the smell of pizza rolls, or ranch doritos, or toast

Gender? BOY!!

Belly button? still an innie (for now) and I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time.

What I miss? being able to sleep on my belly, and tanning in a tanning bed.

Looking forward to anything? this fall school semester to be OVER!

Symptoms this week: morning sickness, headaches, lower back aches, and leg cramps at night when I roll over to switch positions

Wedding rings? On

Maternity clothes? belly band and sweats

>>>> A picture of me at 24 weeks!

What TheBump says: Drink up! Around 24 weeks, your doctor will order a Glucose Tolerance Test -- one of the more memorable prenatal tests -- to see if you're at risk for gestational diabetes. Basically, the test is designed to see how your body processes sugar, so you'll be asked to drink a cup of sweet drink called Glucola (which reminded us of Gatorade) and then hang out for an hour. Once the hour is up, you'll have your blood drawn and then it will be tested to see how your body has processed the sugar. You know what's also sweet? Those movements and kicks you've been feeling. They seem to get stronger every week. At week 24, baby's progress isn't just about internal stuff, it's about her looks too. With pinker, more opaque skin, she's looking more and more, well, like a baby. You, on the other hand, are probably experiencing some of the discomforts of the later months of pregnancy at week 24 -- leg cramps, backaches, swollen feet. Hang in there, mama-to-be! Your baby's the size of a cantaloupe! Your 10.5 to 11.8 inch fetus weighs about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces and every week she gets closer and closer to being ready to survive (and thrive) in the outside world. Her see-through skin is gradually becoming more opaque. And it's got a new pink glow, thanks to the small capillaries that have recently formed.