Nesting

Well, now that we know we have a little girl on the way, we've almost completed our registry and have started putting together the nursery....so much fun! It's hard to believe I'm 23 weeks along now. It's even harder to believe that there are only 17 give or takeish weeks left...wow!

So, little diva already has a closet (plus a few drawers) full of clothes for the start of her life. It's sort of sad when this little baby - who isn't even here yet - has a better wardrobe than her mom! Gerrick spent a good deal of last weekend putting the furniture together. I know he didn't have a lot of fun doing it, but it looks wonderful! Now we just have to choose a bedding, paint and get the decor and we'll be on our way! I seem to be --no, I have been -- very ADD about choosing crib bedding. I find one thing I like, then another, then another...you get the idea. The two I've narrowed down to are not my original top two. Go figure. I'm driving Gerrick crazy!

I don't want a bedding that's strictly tied to one particular theme. I didn't want something too 'baby' and something she could grow with. Our current theme is going to be elephants. Feel free to let me know which one you like the best. Enjoy the pictures! We will update with more as we progress....

Week 21

How far along? 21w 6d

How big is baby? The size of a large banana (in length). She is swallowing several ounces of amniotic fluid each day for hydration and nutrition. Her taste buds now work and the experts say that babies can actually get a tatse for what they will like as outside babies based on what mom eats during pregnancy!

Weight gain? No scale so I don't have a new number. Next appointment is June 28th.

Maternity clothes? Yes and very stretchy pants/shorts (think yoga pants and running shorts). I tried to fit into a pair of my old jean/cargo shorts that have ties instead of buttons.....didn't work out so well.

Sleep? Is getting more uncomfortable by the week, but I'm still able to sleep very well through most of the night. I don't think I ever got the 2nd tri energy back so I'm exhausted all the time. Gerrick says he now has a new nickname for me - choo-choo-train. Apparantly my snoring is keeping him up at night. Wait, isn't that usually the other way around?!?

Best moment this week? Finally feeling real kicks and feeling them from the outside! Dad even got to feel them once too!

Worst moment this week? None. I'm a pretty content pregnant girl. :)

Symptoms? FATIGUE, some nausea

Movement? Yes! So cool! I'm starting to learn her sleeping and active patterns. It feels like popcorn popping in my tummy!

Belly button? Pretty much doesn't look like a belly button anymore. I wouldn't call it an 'outie' but it's pretty much even with the rest of my tummy now.

What I miss? Not overheating so easily in the summer! It's terrible, and summer's only begun!

What I'm looking forward to? Getting the crib and dressers for the nursery!

So Excited to Be.......

It was a morning for picking sides - as evidenced by the pictures. Obviously thinking pink worked!!

Of the ten of you that voted in the gender poll, seven of you are smarter than I am! I was convinced from the beginning that this baby was a boy!

It was so amazing to see a recognizable human on the ultrasound screen -- so different from week six when she was just a blob with a flickering heartbeat! She was very active through the whole thing -- squirming around and we even got to see her stick her thumb in her mouth. So cute!

When the sonographer revealed the sex to us, I instantly burst into tears (happy ones of course), then looked at Gerrick and apologized -- he wanted a boy in the worst way. Even so, this little girl has already captured his heart and he can't stop talking about her! I couldn't resist and took the rest of the day off to go clothes shopping with my mom! Finally knowing that we're expecting a girl has made this much more real for me. I love this little girl with all my heart -- and I know she's surrounded by so may people that feel that way as well. What a lucky little lady!

Week 20 (Half Baked!)

We have made it to the halfway point -- how exciting! I can't believe that in only 4 months we will welcome our baby! Four months ago I just found out we were expecting, and other than the sickness, that time has gone really fast!

How far along? 20w 2d

How big is baby? The size of a cantaloupe! Skin is getting thicker, genitals are fully formed and toenails and fingernails are continuing to grow. Baby C can now hear sounds and is able to recognize familiar voices -- like mom and dad's. Familiar sounds of voices and music may be comforting to the baby once it's born. How cool is that?

Weight gain? I was so excited coming out of our anatomy scan, that I really didn't ask my weight -- but I think total is around 9 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes! I only have 2 pairs of pants. I'd like to get one or two pairs of shorts but I haven't liked the way any that I've tried on have fit. I wear mostly dresses now at work (maxi, etc.), which are sooooo comfortable!!

Sleep? I still sleep pretty well, but it's starting to get uncomfortable. I'm not a side sleeper....at all. I'm a back sleeper, and that's not an option anymore. I'm also a stomach sleeper, which I can still get away with, but I'm afraid I'm squishing the baby. If I lay on my stomach though, I tend to feel more movement! So needless to say, I struggle. I start out with the best of intentions on my side and wake up on my back anyway. *sigh*

Best moment this week? Finally finding out the sex of Baby C!! (see next posting)

Worst moment this week? None! I've been floating on clouds since Tuesday!

Symptoms? Easily fatigued -- Shopping for baby clothes is hard work!! Nausea if I don't eat right when I feel hungry.

Movement? I feel little clicks and pops, which I know aren't gas so I assume are baby. Found out at the anatomy scan that I have an anterior placenta, which is acting as an extra buffer for me to feel a lot of movement. That also means dad probably won't be able to feel kicks from the outside for a little bit longer.

Belly button? Almost all the way out! It looks so strange to me in the mirror -- I don't even recognize most of my mid-section anymore. Finally broke down and bought a pregnancy belly ring, which is way comfy, but far from cute -- therefore, not really adding to the beauty of the mid-section. :)

What I miss? Energy!

What I'm looking forward to? Starting the nursery!