23 Weeks Pregnant

Welcome to week 23!

This past week was so much fun…we got lots of snow, and school was cancelled ALL WEEK! I’ve never seen snow stick for that long down here. We were trapped in our house – or I should say our cars were stuck in the driveway – from Monday to Wednesday, and it was still pretty treacherous trying to walk on our icy sidewalk until today. I don’t know how I’m going to find the time to make up everyone’s missed lessons, but it’s fun to be snowed in once in a while. J

On Saturday we decided to go and get our hair cut. Mine isn’t a drastic change, especially since I have a habit of cutting it short, growing it out, getting sick of it, and cutting it short again. I got something like three inches off. Travis, on the other hand…

Yep. It’s shorter than he’s had it for as long as I’ve known him, and long before that. I like it…I’m not used to it yet, though!

Oh, and by the way, he’s modeling one of the bibs I made. J I have to finish the sewing on some of them, and then they’ll be up on my Etsy site, which I’m finally going to give you the address to! It is: www.friendlybeasts.etsy.com. Check it in a day or two, and I promise I’ll have lots of bibs posted.

Ok, on to pregnancy stuff! I haven’t had any more Braxton-Hicks, which I’m happy about. It’s not that they were painful – it just kind of freaked me out. I’m starting to have trouble getting comfortable at night. It’s not terrible, and I haven’t resorted to surrounding myself with pillows just yet. I’m not looking forward to that. Also, I keep waking up with a really stuffy nose, which I’ve read can be a pregnancy symptom. Last night I woke up gagging and struggling to breathe because of it. I’m hoping it’s partly because I’m fighting off a cold, and not solely a symptom of pregnancy. I’ve been very lucky with my lack of uncomfortable symptoms so far, though. Thebump.com says I might be swelling up from head to toe by now, but I’m not, so I guess I should count my blessings!

I don’t think there’s much of anything new going on with the baby. Still kickin’! Last week the website said it should be about 11 inches long and weigh a pound or so, but this week it’s giving a range of anywhere from 10.5 to 11.8 inches, and 12.7 to 20.8 ounces, or approximately the size of a papaya. I’m hoping it’s on the small side! I’ve had nightmares about giving birth to a 13 pounder…

Last but not least, THE ultrasound is this Wednesday morning at 9:00! That’s only 37 hours and 22 minutes from now! I’m planning to do a bonus blog on Wednesday night to let you know what the gender is. I can’t wait to not have to call the baby an “it.” Poor baby! He or she needs a name! I feel like I’ve been waiting forever!

Don’t forget to check back on Wednesday! Until then…

20 Weeks Pregnant: Halfway!!!!

I’M HALFWAY THERE!! J

These past couple of weeks have been absolutely amazing for me. The baby has been getting stronger and stronger, and I LOVE feeling it move. It is just the most incredible thing in the world. I have now been able to watch unidentifiable tiny body parts bulge out of my belly in bumps and waves, and I am in awe. Travis has felt the baby a handful of times, but usually it only moves for a few seconds and then settles down again, so it’s hard to catch it. He gets so excited – he always gasps in surprise when he feels it and then just beams. Usually the baby is more active at night and in the morning when I’m lying awake in bed, and sometimes I feel it when I wake up to roll over in the middle of the night.

Baby and I have both been growing quite a bit lately. From crown to rump, the baby is about 6.5 inches, or 10 from head to toe, and it weighs about 10.5 ounces. At my appointment today, we discovered that I have gained 5.5 pounds in the past four weeks, putting me at 121. I’m finally gaining some weight! Amy also said that my belly is measuring perfectly for 20 weeks (they measure fundal height, which is from the pelvic bone to the top of the uterus). I think I finally look pregnant! I’ve been saying the whole pregnancy that I don’t feel any different, so it’s really fun to feel like a real live pregnant person since I can feel the baby AND see my growing belly. J Also, the baby finally seems like a real live PERSON! It all feels real now.

I’m going to pretty much end the blog here, except to say that we had a wonderful Christmas. It’s been so great to have Travis home with me, and really nice to spend some time with our families. Besides all that, everyone gave us way more than we could ever wish for!! We got tons of practical gifts, money, plus some fun gifts too.

And now, here are some photos of what we’ve been up to lately:

Pensacola! We have lots more pictures on Travis’s phone, so I might post more later if I think of it. Also, as you can see, it was pretty overcast, but we had a great time anyway. It didn’t rain, and it was 60-65 degrees while we were there.

Travis's creepy apocalypse face. :-P This place looked so barren and desolate!

Our car seat, occupied by Raggedy Ann: J

Snow! It started snowing on Christmas Day, and the next day most of the churches in the area cancelled services. So we played outside!

This is Leonard, my favorite of our four cats, who is on my lap as I type this.

Have a Happy New Year!