Letters to Baby: Week 20

Dear Little Girl,

Wow! It's so crazy to know now that you are a little girl, and to be able to stop calling you "it" or "the baby", or something along those lines! It is also crazy to know that we are already at the halfway point in this pregnancy. It was so amazing to see you kicking around at our appointment last week. While I still can't feel any definitive kicks from the outside yet, I feel you fluttering and moving around in there a lot more these days, which is so nice. Just keep doing what you're doing!

I thought this week, since it is the halfway point and all, I would do a little reflection on pregnancy thus far.

Symptoms

In the beginning, I was nauseous pretty much all day! Oh, and tired, so very, very tired all the time! Luckily, the nausea seemed to die down right before the second trimester began, and the fatigue hit the curb shortly thereafter. Other than a few other normal things (sore ta-tas for a while, growing belly, you know), my biggest pregnancy symptom has been about one of the weirdest things that I have never heard anyone talk about before: a persistently runny nose! I usually have the sneezes really bad first thing in the morning (I think I am up to like 10 in a row nowadays or something), and lots of tissue-use. It is the darndest! I get winded more quickly these days - yay for breathing for two! And, so far, I have only had indigestion once (which was also the first time I had ever had it in my life!).

Cravings

Other than the few really strong, really random cravings I have had, I have fortunately not been sending Harris on any midnight pickle and ice cream runs, or anything as fun as that! There are definitely things I want more than others (milk, apples, salad, pop tarts (yeah, you knew it wasn't all going to be healthy and pretty!), reese cups, chips & dip), but it seems like, as far as the real cravings have gone thus far, if I let myself have it, I get over it as soon as I am done eating it. Case in point: I dreamt about Taco Bell for four days. I ate it for lunch once, and haven't thought about it since.

Aversions

Man, oh man were the aversions strong in the beginning of this pregnancy. I was basically a fruit and carb-itarian for those first 13-ish weeks! Luckily, those have all seemed to calm down, and there really isn't much I have turned my nose up to lately (even the smelly veggies like broccoli, which took me the longest to get over).

Sleep

In the first trimester, I just wanted to sleep all the day long. That leveled out, as I mentioned, and I have had a mostly good run with sleeping in the second trimester. I have definitely been getting up to go to the bathroom a lot more in recent weeks, and, I have had a few backaches here and there, but nothing to really complain about. I have noticed that I have been having a harder time falling asleep recently (I think because I reeeeally just want to sleep on my back all the time, and fight with myself since I am not supposed to), and I have definitely been having a lot of vivid and bizarre dreams!

Miss Anything

Not really!  There have been a couple of times that I have thought about how nicely a glass of red wine would go with something I am eating, but not really in a way that I have thought about wanting it or missing it. I guess the one thing that I really do want, and will probably give in to at some point in the coming weeks is a nice glass of iced sweet tea! I have really tried to limit my caffeine (aside from what is in chocolate because, let's be real), and I do have to say that every once and awhile I really just want a big ole sweet tea!

Maternity Clothes

Seriously, I don't know why anyone hates on maternity clothes. Maternity jeans are officially the most comfortable thing ever! I am all for displaying the bump, rather than hiding it in baggy clothes, so at least the maternity clothes let me do that comfortably.

Exercise

I ordered the Tracy Anderson Pregnancy Project off Amazon pretty much right after we got the confirmation from our doctor. My BFF had been doing all things Tracy Anderson forever, and I had borrowed one of her DVD sets in the months leading up to pregnancy, so I felt comfortable with her, and liked her approach. For the Pregnancy Project, I like how Tracy keeps things pretty easy-flowing, but you still feel like you get a good workout in. I have also been doing yoga (both by video and a prenatal class), walking, and have recently added in some more leg workouts like squats and lunges. I try to get in 4-5 workouts per week, and I always, always feel better after one. Stretching is the best, and the movement helps me feel less stiff, which is always nice.

Nesting

I haven't gone full on nesting crazy (I'm looking at you, Babs!), but I have had little spouts so far. However, I feel like most of my "nesting" so far has been the result of preparing for houseguests, versus actually going crazy about actual nesting, but I have still had a few random moments of "obviously I need to clean out this cabinet right now and throw everything away!". It's fun. While we are still behind in the nursery coming together department (can you say backordered crib?), the nursery closet is in full regalia after the grandmas and aunts went on a shopping spree last weekend! Little girl is set! Well, so her Daddy thinks. I just shake my head, and try to prepare him for the onslaught of clothes he is sure to see in the coming months / years. Bless him.

The Bump

Well, as you can probably see through the weekly pictures, the bump is definitely growing! I can still see my feet, for now, though, so that's a good thing. My belly button is also definitely still an innie. I have a notoriously introverted innie of a belly button, so I think I will be very surprised if that thing does eventually pop out. According to What to Expect When You're Expecting, even the most stubborn innies eventually do become outies in pregnancy. We'll see...

Overall, I am loving pregnancy. I feel suited to it, if that makes any sense. I am happy and mostly feel pretty good about myself, and am so thankful to be able to have this little life growing inside me. It's amazing every week to see / read about what she is up to, and how much she is growing so quickly. It is heady to think about this little girl being in the world, and the mark she will inevitably make upon it.

We love you sweet pea. 

Love,

Mommy