week 17

WEEK 17:

what's cooking? [new baby things]: babe was probably a bit over 5" inches long this week, about the size of an baked potato or red onion from crown to rump. and weighs about 5 oz., about the weight of a turnip.  she's "packing on the pounds" which doesn't necessarily sound good for momma.  :)  but they say that it will help keep her warm which i can appreciate since i'm continually freezing.  babe's fingernails and toenails are beginning to form.  flashback to juno: "the-the baby? I don't really know much about it other than, I mean, it has fingernails, allegedly."  itty bitty's skeleton is changing from cartilage to bone and her umbilical cord is growing stronger & thicker [ew slash yay!]

gender: IT'S still A GIRL! [we thinks].  we go back to the doctor in a few weeks and we are scheduled to have another ultra-sound.  i might be planning a little covert op where i don't tell the tech that we already know and just make sure that she has the same findings as our first screening.  we recently heard of a friend of a friend who was told the incorrect gender soooooo i'd like to double / triple / quadruple check before we start namin' names and painting nurseries.  ps.  baby girl b still has no name.  whomp whomp.  we keep having the unsettling feeling of 'what if she's born and doesn't look like a ______.'  does everyone have this?  anyone?  i really really don't want to wait until she gets here to name her.  i want to call her something now but it is just unbelievably difficult for us!

movement: i felt flutters and pokes inside all week long.  i went from being pretty sure it was her to positive that was her moving around in there.  this is supposed to wait until next week but at 4:30a, day 0 of week 18 i felt her on the outside.  i guess that was the first 100% confirmation that i wasn't just imagining things.  i was / am so excited.  that feeling is so bizarre [like there is an alien in your belly] but so incredible all at the same time.  i kind of wanted to laugh & cry all in one moment, at 4 am, perfect!  i'm so excited that she's growing strong in there.

momma developments: weight gain.  it happened this week.  i am definitely bigger than i was a few days ago and think that i'm almost to the stage where people may think i'm prego instead of just thinking i have a chunky pooch [which would be nice].  nose bleeds just keep on coming and my sinuses are really swollen.  i'm trying out a humidifier tonight and hope that will be my sinus-saving-grace.  i may also be allergic to my bed, sad.  i've had a few belly cramps, nothing major and am still very tired, even though they say i should have all kinds of energy now. [not true for me].

total weight gain: 8-10 pounds.  YIKES!  i'm only supposed to gain 12-15 total by the end of this trimester, i think, so i'm not doing so well!  i still have nearly 2 months [7 wks] to go and can only gain a few more pounds to stay on track with what's "healthy".  i've never 'watched my weight' in my whole life, even when it's fluctuated so this should be interesting / impossible.

maternity clothes: finally!  finally!  finally!  i went shopping!  it actually didn't go so well because i didn't find all the things i needed but i did get a few things which i'm hoping to show you soon.  one was a pair of skinny gray-blue pants & one is that maxi-shirt in the pic up there.  its tiny black & white stripe, on super sale and was screaming my name.  they were on clearance and were buy one, get one free.  AAAHHHHH!  a few days later i got my first pair of maternity jeans [which i'm wearing now] and couldn't be happier.  i think i need 1 pair of skinny jeans, 1 pair of wide leg and once spring / summer rolls around maybe another skirt or pair of shorts to hold me through the end.

here i am, one of the many pairs of jeans that didn't fit me.  but they put this awesome / giant bump on me to try things on with.  they say it adds about 3 months so maybe this will be me in may!

[scarf by sweet libby]

cravings: i finally got my cocktail sauce.  i'll share more later.  no cravings this week!

anything hard?
mentally preparing for the future.  just really big changes coming up - feeling pretty overwhelmed

balancing all the things we love and feel called to [like usual]

finding a name for our little babe.  it feels almost impossible.

not having clothes that fit.  i've had the "i have nothing to wear moment" many times in my life but it's never actually been true until recently.  its kind of a helpless feeling and when you're in a hurry, it just plain makes you feel bad about yourself.  when you don't own any pants that button you just feel sad.  but i'm on the mend and buying pants left and right.  [well just the two pairs but that's a start!]

never forget: i'll never ever forget the feeling of you punching me for the first time.  i think that was your little fist anyway.  laying in bed, still and quiet, far away from home you were just trying to get comfortable.  i loved it.  i was so excited to get back to town for your poppa to be able to feel it too.  it's so neat to be reassured that you're ok in there.  that you're growing and strong enough for us to feel you now.  keep growing little bean!

i also loved seeing my family in florida and having them get to see you [even if it was in the bump].   some of the fam i don't get to see for years at a time so this was a really sweet time to share you with them, even if you're the smallest.


baby info sources:
baby center
parents connect