21w0d

How Far Along: 21 weeks, 0 days!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a banana. I don't know when I started disliking bananas, but I do. I like banana flavored foods - I love banana bread. But raw bananas? I'm not the biggest fan.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old.

New Symptoms This Week: My backaches have miraculously gone away, and I'm feeling good.

Sleep: Sigh. Saturday night I couldn't get to sleep until 3 am, and then I woke up at 5 to use the restroom. Last night I had trouble getting to sleep. I really hope insomnia doesn't come to stay!

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy, but I always crave salty over sweet. Old wive's tales say that I'm definitely having a boy since I crave salty things, but that's been the only old wive's tale that's been accurate for me!

Movement: This kid thumps around all day now! There's no denying that he's moving around in there. Jeremy felt him kick for the first time yesterday during Sunday afternoon football. Obviously, this is a sign that our baby already loves sports.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I've been irritated by some people's reactions lately when I tell them it's a boy. It's always the women - I think most women think it would be more fun to have a girl. When I happily say "It's a boy!!," I've had a few women say things like, "Well, as long as it's healthy, that's all that matters!" Uh, ok. I've longed for a little boy from the beginning, and I'm ashamed to say that I might have been a little disappointed if the ultrasound tech told me it was a girl. I can't wait to meet my little boy.

Maternity Clothes: I can't deny it. I need maternity clothes. I'm pretty sure Jeremy got me some cute maternity clothes for Christmas that I desperately need. My mom got me an adorable comfy maternity cardigan that I've been living in all week.

What I Miss: I miss booze. I really do!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Feeling him kick like crazy this week has been awesome. When Jeremy felt the baby kick for the first time, we both got giddy. It was surreal and amazing.

What We Are Looking Forward To: We have our 20-week ultrasound on Friday (I know, 2 weeks late) and I can't wait to see how big he's gotten in the past 8 weeks!!! :)

20w0d

How Far Along: 20 weeks, 0 days...Half-way cooked!!!!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a cantaloupe. That sounds huge. Actually, baby is only about 10 inches long (that does seem big!) and weighs almost 9oz.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old.

New Symptoms This Week: My lower back has started to ache a little. Nothing terrible, but if I stand too long, or sit too long, my back aches. I try to get up and move a little from my desk every day.

Sleep: Sigh. I'm waking up more often in the middle of the night to use the restroom now, and I find that it's harder to get back to sleep. I usually fall back to sleep within 15 minutes, so that's not bad, but I usually never even wake up at all! So this tends to make me a little more tired and grumpy throughout the day.

Cravings/Aversions: These past couple weeks I've been wanting to eat ruby red grapefruit. It's not in season, so I can't. Boo. But every yummy Christmas treat that comes through the office building looks delicious, and I can't resist. Soooo...I'm going to start going to the gym tomorrow. Hmph.

Movement: Well, well. I've finally got some kicks. Some real kicks. This is a good story. I was having some strange symptoms last Thursday, and called the on-call doctor because I was worried. I was only mildly concerned, and figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Well, Miss On Call Doctor got really clinical and over-helpful, saying words like "threatened miscarriage." Obviously, everything is fine, and I guess she is a doctor, but I freaked out. I stared hysterically crying (and I'm not a crier) and laid in bed, sobbing at the prospect of losing my little boy. I hadn't felt him kick yet, so my crying turned frantic as my thoughts raced all over the place. Right when my crying was at its peak, I felt a huge kick, right where my hand was resting. It was such an obvious kick that I immediately stopped crying, and started to laugh. I couldn't believe it - this kid must have known I needed some reassurance, and gave me a good, hard, true kick to let me know that he was just fine. Since then, I've felt some thumps and bumps and flutters when I'm sitting still, or laying in bed. It's the best feeling ever.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I'm still over the moon that I'm having a boy. Sometimes just thinking about what he'll look like makes me feel weepy. It must be the hormones. Really.

Maternity Clothes: I can't deny it. I need maternity clothes. Sigh.

What I Miss: I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss my old body. I miss my thin(ner) body. I'm so, so happy to be pregnant and to be this little boy's mama, but let me tell you - I'll be working to get back into shape asap. There's ain't nothing that is super sexy about gaining weight, baby or not.
Special Pregnancy Moments: The first kick was amazing, pure joy. This kid has my heart already. And reaching the 20 week mark this week feels amazing. I'm half-way to meeting my boy!

19w1d

How Far Along: 19 weeks, 1 day

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a mango. I used to love mangos. The summer after my senior year of college, I went on a trip with a few friends to Maui. It was my "senior vacation." We stayed in a hostel, and went on amazing tours for free. It was an unbelievable trip. One of the tours was the Road to Hana tour - along the way, we stopped and hiked through some bamboo forests. There were mango trees everywhere. We gorged ourselves on mangos and passion fruit, and I had an amazing day. Later, however, as I was laying in the hammock at the hostel, my stomach started kinda icky. Let's just say that I do NOT like mangos anymore. But I love this little mango!

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old. Nothing new. Actually starting to feel really great and normal! Which is strangely worrying. I'm sure everything is just fine, but I really forget in the morning sometimes that I'm pregnant.

New Symptoms This Week: No new symptoms. I'm managing my heartburn by taking Zantac 75, which has been great. I have also started to try and drink a bunch more water. Before, the taste of plain water made me feel extremely sick. Weird, I know.

Sleep: I have been waking up more often lately in the middle of the night. Last night I woke up at 2 am, wide awake after using the restroom. It only took me about 30 minutes to get back to sleep, but it was obnoxious.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really. Money has been tight lately with Christmas and medical bills, so I've actually only been eating the snacks my mom sends me. She sends me little packages of almonds and granola bars, to keep me healthy :)

I've noticed that if I have bad foods to eat, I will. If I have good foods to eat, I'll eat them. So I don't think I have real cravings or aversions too much.

Movement: I thought I felt the baby kick last week, but I haven't felt too much lately. Because of my Crohn's, I'm not sure if it's bubble gut, or gas, or baby. I'm getting a little anxious to feel real kicks. Not just because it will be fun, but because I anxious to know that he's alright. Every once in a while, I'll feel a jabby pain down there, but I can't say if it's baby or not. I'm waiting for real, true kicks.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I still can't get over the fact that I'm going to have a little boy. It's what I've always wanted. I am not a hugely over-emotional person, but the sight of a tiny pair of jeans turns me to goo. Jeremy thinks I am going to spoil this little boy rotten. Probable.

Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Nothing particularly "touching" this week, but every week I reach feels like a milestone. I never really thought I'd ever get pregnant and have a baby, so everything feels wonderful.

Kicks!

Well, hello there little one!

Today I felt my first official kicks! Around 1:30, I was sitting at my desk at work, reading a new book. (Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne)
All of a sudden, it felt like I had a muscle spasm or twitch, way down low. I'm so used to Crohn's stuff, so I ignored it. A few minutes later, 3 distinct little "pops" that felt very much like kicks!

My mom said she remember feeling kicks around 16 weeks, so I was patiently waiting to feel my first kicks. I know it's normal to feel kicks anywhere from 16 - 22 weeks, but I was getting impatient.

After the 3 little kicks, the little guy stopped. I tried to poke and prod him to get him to move, but this kid is stubborn. Jeremy is worried that he'll be just as stubborn as me - I'm sure he will be. :)

18w0d

How Far Along: 18 weeks, 0 days

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a sweet potato or bell pepper. Those seem like totally different vegetables. Either way, it seems much bigger and older.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old. Nothing new. Actually starting to feel really great and normal!

New Symptoms This Week: My GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - it's a side effect of my Crohn's) has come back, which is NO fun. It's basically heartburn on acid (pun intended!)

Sleep: I wake up about once a night around 4 am to use the restroom, but that's it. I have no problem getting right back to sleep.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy. I've even stopped really wanting ice cream. I always have a box of Nilla wafers and Cheezits white cheddar crackers in my desk at work, though! I still love beef jerky. Weird mix of snacks!

Movement: Come'on, baby, I want to feel you kick!

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I still can't get over the fact that I'm going to have a little boy. It's what I've always wanted. I am not a hugely over-emotional person, but the sight of a tiny pair of jeans turns me to goo. Jeremy thinks I am going to spoil this little boy rotten. Probable.

Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Reaching 18 weeks today feels very "official." Like I've reached some kind of milestone. I'm waiting for those first kicks :)

17w3d

How Far Along: 17 weeks, 3 days

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of an onion. What a weird comparison, right?

Continuing Symptoms: No symptoms anymore! I can see why every pregnant woman thinks the second trimester is wonderful. Because it is. I have energy back, I actually "look" pregnant now, no nausea, my appetite is back. It's great. Just a tiny bit of lower back pain, but it's managable.

New Symptoms This Week: Nothing to report. Yay!

Sleep: I wake up about once a night around 4 am to use the restroom, but that's it. I have no problem getting right back to sleep.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy. I've even stopped really wanting ice cream. I always have a box of Nilla wafers and Cheezits white cheddar crackers in my desk at work, though! I still love beef jerky. Weird mix of snacks!

Movement: I have felt tiny flutters, but no kicks yet. I can't wait for those!

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! So, so, so thrilled about that.

Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Am I a bad mother if I say that this past week has been hectic and boring and I haven't had a chance to think about pregnancy moments lately? Besides the fact that a woman in Dunkin Donuts told me yesterday that I was HUGE, and looked 7 months pregnant, not almost 5, and that my baby will be HUGE, and I might need a C-Section because my baby will be HUGE? Sheesh. I've gained 5 pounds in 18 weeks. Give me a break. I am not huge. Plus, HOW RUDE!!!

ps - I totally forgot that at the last OB appointment last week, I got to hear the baby's heartbeat. 160 bpm, like it's been for awhile. The doctor noticed that the little guy is sitting very low, underneath my belly button, probably right on my bladder. (which makes sense, since I always have to pee, but when I go, hardly anything trickles out. Ha!) I'd heard the heartbeat before, but for some reason, hearing it right there at that moment made me really feel like this was happening. It was very surreal and wonderful.

What We Are Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to the first real kick. Come'on, baby, give me some kicks!

16w1d

How Far Along: 16 weeks, 1 day

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of an avocado! Yum :)

Continuing Symptoms: My symptoms seem to have all disappeared, which is wonderful! No nausea. I have a little lower back pain, but I think that's mainly due to the fact that I sit at a desk all day.

New Symptoms This Week: Nothing to report. Yay!

Sleep: I've been waking up more often to use to the restroom in the middle of the night, but have no problem getting right back to sleep. Thank goodness for that. I love my sleep.

 Cravings/Aversions: I have always been a sweets person. I like sour candies, and butter pecan ice cream especially. I also have a thing for beef jerky right now. Weird, I know.

Movement: Nothing concrete yet. I'm so used to feeling weird movements in my belly from my Crohn's, so I don't know if this is Crohn's or baby!!! I can't wait for a real kick, and neither can Jeremy.
Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I knew it all along. I guess there is something to be said for mother's intuition!
Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Seeing the smile on Jeremy's face when the ultrasound clearly showed that it was a BOY. We would have been happy with a girl, but I knew Jeremy really, really wanted a boy. He could not stop smiling. It was adorable.
What We Are Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to the first real kick. Come'on, baby, give me some kicks!