Oops...24, 25, and 26 weeks?

Guys, this is just a classic example of how this pregnancy has totally been sneaking up on me.  It seemed like I had just done a post, and I thought I was only one week behind! Oops.  I seriously cannot believe how fast it is going.  I want to put the brakes on, I like this part!  I just feel like it is all going to be over in three minutes.

How about an update, shall we?

Here we are at 24 weeks, 1 day in the skeevy work bathroom.  Man, I love that maternity shirt from Old Navy.  So comfy!

24 weeks, 4 days at the Santa Scramble 5k!  The belly and I "ran" (okay, waddled) it in 31 minutes.  I sort of felt like my bladder was being trounced the whole time, which made for an interesting run, but we made it!  

It was a first 5k for both Ira and my mom!  

Here we are at 25 weeks, 1 day before going to the 5th annual Deviled Egg Cook-Off!  It was the first year I didn't enter, because we were insane that whole day with making Thanksgiving dinner for the whole family.  We hosted and provided almost all of the food since we have a family member in the ICU and we knew most of the rest of the family wouldn't feel up to cooking.  But whew, by the end of the day, I couldn't even think of making deviled eggs.  I could barely think of eating them!

But of course I did eat one of all 15 entries, and then I was whining about my back and ribs hurting because I am the ultimate fatty. PB decided to lead back stretching on the garage floor at our friends' house.  I don't know how I got up from down there, but I did!

Then I realized that I have no pictures from 26 weeks yet, so here I am looking just whipped after work today.  We are 26 weeks, 2 days today!

Marination Time: 26  weeks, 2 days

Musings on the Weekly Photo(s): I think I look a lot bigger today than in the other pictures, for some reason.  Good Lord!

This Week's Produce Item: 

Um, I'm sorry, those sizes just baffle me.  Doesn't a cantaloupe seem bigger than cauliflower and lettuce?  Odd.

Realistic baby-measuring item of the week: 

From weeks 25 to 28, The Bump says the baby is the size of a kid's lunch box:

Currently Craving: Had to finally scratch the itch for real sushi yesterday and got a calamari roll and a crab/shrimp salad roll from Wasabi Cafe for lunch with Mom yesterday.  And then I remembered just why I thought that crap from Harris Teeter is comparable to Little Friskies in a plastic tray - Wasabi sushi is SO much better.  Also been really wanting regular Coke lately, because I am a bad mother.  And I had a Diet Pepsi yesterday and a Diet Coke today.  So sue me.  I'm sorry, Ira, at least it isn't an illicit drug.  OH, and a big milestone - we went to dinner with my in-laws on Saturday night to Longhorn and I had the very first steak I have eaten since I got pregnant.  It was pretty darn good too, medium-rare with a cheese-stuffed portabello on top.

Currently Avoiding: As much as I want sushi lately, the thought of our traditional weekly fried-fish dinner that we usually do on Thursdays is making me feel green.  I'm kind of excited that we have Bradley class tonight so that I can make barbecue chicken pizza, because that's what I'm really wanting tonight!

Weight: Ugh, got the scale battery replaced, which means I was up to 151 as of November 13 (24 weeks). At November 20 (25 weeks), I was 154.  This morning, (26 weeks, 2 days), I was 156.  Holy snot rockets, that is some serious weight gain.

Symptoms: I went back to the chiropractor at the beginning of the week, and that man does wonders for my sciatic/hip pain.  It's only been barely twinging.  I've moved on to taking Zantac for the ri-fricking-diculous heartburn that I have constantly.  Pretty sure all my guts are somewhere in the vicinity of my upper rib cage, so it's logical, but jeez.  That's really about it.  

Belly Button Status: It enters the room about 15 minutes before I do, it's so far out.

Sleep Grade: Pretty great over Thanksgiving break, and I was able to sleep in until unheard of times, like 10:00.  Last night sucked though, because sometimes I just can't get to sleep after I get up to go to the bathroom at 4am.

Movement: I pretty much feel him all day long, slamming around in there.  I feel like it's a preview of what's to come when he's 16 and throwing things in his room because he's pissed off at me.  Calm down, child!

Appointments: Next appointment is December 11, which is the dreaded gestational diabetes test appointment.  I have a strong feeling I'm going to fail, and I'm hoping to goodness I don't, but I just have a feeling....gah.

Highlights of the Week: 

We started what I hope will be an awesome tradition for Ira at my parents' house!  Those are big light balls hanging from their trees.  Putting them up involves borrowing the neighbor's high powered tater gun, which is quite the sight to see.  It took a lot of dedicated neighbors a lot of time to help us put them up, but the end result is really magical in person.  

Aside from Thanksgiving, the Christmas parade and 5k, and the deviled-egg cookoff, this week marks our first week of Bradley classes!  We are going out of order since the next session ends after my due date, and tonight's class will be infant care.  I'm excited to see how it goes, I have a feeling it may make all of this feel very, very real!

23 weeks!

Technically 22 weeks, 4 days, at the Hospice Benefit at the Hotel Concord

Hospice Benefit again...this is where we had our wedding reception!  Can't believe it's been over a year since then, and I can't believe how much has changed! 

23 weeks, 2 days...made PB take a picture of me before I left for work in my "Charlie Brown" shirt.

23 weeks, 4 days - yesterday at our Christmas mini session with the weenies! 

Marination Time: 23 weeks, 4 days.  Still can't believe how the weeks keep ticking by.  I think I told people all week that I was 22 weeks still, because I just wasn't mentally ready for 23 weeks.  Crazy!

Musings on the Weekly Photo(s): Holy pasty skin, Batman.  Oh well, I guess fall is officially here.  Also, wow, why did I decide to wear a cardigan to the Christmas pictures?  The way it falls behind my back makes me look like a giant manatee.  I do like the pictures though!

This Week's Produce Item:

23 weeks means baby is the size of a grapefruit.  

Realistic baby-measuring item of the week: 

Apparently The Bump's dad-to-be team got lazy and decided to call one item "good enough" for weeks 22 to 24.  So, that means we're at the size of a baseball mitt again.  But um, in what universe are a baseball mitt and a grapefruit equivalents?  Confusing.

Boy or girl: Why do I keep feeling like I have to be a slave to all these questions and continue to answer this one? It's still a boy.  Just like we have all known for six weeks.  Goodness gracious.  For the last time - boy!

Currently Craving: Still have a major sweet tooth....aaaaaand it doesn't help that Mom bought me a whole box of Christmas tree cakes.  Oh, AND a whole box of honey buns.  Or that I have half a box of toaster strudel in the freezer.  Or that I was up at 2am for no good reason last night and ate one.  I have also been majorly wanting sushi this week.  I had some from Harris Teeter before our photo shoot because it was the only place I could find to get sushi at 10:45am, but the itch has officially not been scratched.  PB and I also went to eat Indian food because I was craving it last night, which was super delicious.

Currently Avoiding: Um, let's see. Anything healthful, apparently?

Weight: PB is doing all this annoying Cross Fit mess and as a result wants to weigh himself like twice a day, which in turn has caused the battery on my scale to die.  So, right now I have no idea how much I weigh and I don't wanna know.  It is what it is at this point.  Thank god for pants with an elastic waist.

Symptoms: Taking Tums like it's my job.  My back and hips have been keeping me up at night and driving me crazy during the day.  Sometimes when I get up from a chair or twist funny, I get shooting pain down my lower back, into my butt.  Sometimes it makes me want to swear in front of the kids - so far, I've held back.  I ordered a super cool maternity brace that probably makes me look like I should also be wearing headgear and a fanny pack.  It makes me feel so much better though - I'm definitely going to be wearing it when I am back at work on Tuesday and on my feet all day.  Also my wedding bands often don't fit in the morning, which is annoying - so I bought a Diamonique set from those fine folks at QVC to keep me from having panic attacks when I can't get it on and imagine that I've lost my wedding set.  Also so I don't look like I should be on 16 and Pregnant, I suppose.  I don't need any more judgy people with their judgy eyes.

Belly Button Status: I didn't think it could be more out...and then it poked out further.  My current annoyance is that people want to poke it like I am the flipping Pilsbury doughboy.  OMG people.  I am ticklish and also, it kind of hurts when you poke me.  Cut it out before I poke you in the eye.  

Sleep Grade: Varies from a B to a C+.  Again, thank goodness for the pregnancy pillow. (Even though last night it also included two very squirmy wiener dogs.)

Movement: I usually feel him a good bit during the day, and his kicks are starting to be higher, like near my belly button instead of below it.  He tends to kick if I lean over (I guess he gets annoyed that I'm squishing him) or after I go on a big fatty binge and eat a lot.  I also feel him at night when I go to bed.

Appointments: Not til the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

Highlights of the Week: This afternoon, I went with my mom and some family friends up the street to this really spooky-looking old, historic home for a Christmas light workshop.  The guy who lives there makes these orbs out of chicken wire and Christmas lights and hangs them from the big trees in his yard.  We made a bunch for my parents' yard, I can't wait to put them up (hopefully) tomorrow!

We have a day off from work tomorrow for Veterans' Day and I cannot describe how excited I am about an extra day of sleeping in, with absolutely no plans besides cleaning the house.  I wanted to decorate for Christmas but that might have to wait since PB didn't drag the Christmas tree down from the attic for me.  

Last night, PB and I went for a date night to Spice 9, because I had a restaurant.com gift card and I had never tried it.  It's an Indian place and it was delicious - it had been forever since I'd had Indian food.  Afterward, we went to see Flight (the new movie with Denzel Washington) and loved it. There were times during the movie where I just wanted to scream at him to get his mess together and then he'd just keep screwing up and we'd keep cringing - but overall, it was a really well-written, well-acted movie with a little bit of action, a little bit of drama, and a little bit of humor.

Welp, that's all for the week, folks!  See you at 24 weeks!

21 and 22 weeks....catching up again

Yes, it's another two for one deal.  I think this is indicative of the fact that work has been kicking my tail lately - I pretty much come home, make dinner, fall asleep on the couch, go to bed, rinse repeat.  Also, we had the most wonderful holiday of the year thrown in there and all of the requisite preparations (including making a fantastic costume you'll see momentarily).

21 Weeks, in a maternity shirt we found for $3 at the Tot Trade!  I never knew how much I loved consignment stuff until I got pregnant.

22 weeks, 1 day, on Halloween!  In a "maternity" sweater that I'm pretty sure would barely be long enough for me if I didn't have this huge belly.  Fail, zulily.  Thank goodness for a roll-down skirt from Old Navy that I've just started pulling up over the belly rather than rolling down.

Marination Time: 22 weeks, 4 days.  It's FLYING by!  I can't believe I've been pregnant since June. It feels like 5 minutes.

Musings on the Weekly Photo: I feel like we aren't growing by leaps and bounds really, just holding fairly steady. I can tell a little difference, but not huge at this point.  Which is good because I think I would explode otherwise.

This Week's Produce Item:

21 weeks - Baby is the size of a pomegranate.  I feel like these produce items continue to get more and more arbitrary.

22 weeks - Baby is the size of a papaya.  Oookay. And now on to the more realistic sizing.

Realistic Baby-Measuring Item of the Week:

21 weeks - Baby is the size of an 80's fanny pack.  This might be my favorite week yet.

22 weeks - Baby is the size of a baseball mitt.  Almost  a foot long!  Jeez, that puts in perspective.  No wonder I'm so big.  And I still don't understand all these skinny girls at 22 weeks.  Where do you have space to stash a foot-long baby with barely any bump?

Boy or girl: Still a boy...no evidence to suggest otherwise!

Currently Craving: Sweet stuff.  I bought some strawberry and cream cheese Toaster Strudel and I have been eating those jokers as dessert every night.  Mmmmmm.

Currently Avoiding: Not much of anything.  Still don't just love plain ol' chicken breast, steak, or pork chops that I have to cut up myself, but the meat aversion is a lot less intense.

Weight: We were at 147.4 a few days ago.  Blergh.  Not looking forward to seeing the scale jump past 150, which I'm expecting any second now.

Symptoms: Lots of heartburn, yuck.  Taking maybe 4-5 Tums a day to try to stay on top of that.  And having sciatic pain in my lower back/hips/butt, especially my left side.  I wake up and my lower back is so sore!  Also sometimes my back will sort of "catch" when I get up quickly and make me want to say something ugly.  I still generally love being pregnant though, it really is neat.  Can't complain too much.

Belly Button Status: OUT OUT OUT.  So noticeable that if I don't wear two shirts or a sweater, it's totally not possible to conceal under a shirt.  One of my kids even mentioned it the other day.  I said, "Well, don't get pregnant, that's what happens."

Sleep Grade: C+.  Back pain/soreness has been making it tough lately, especially towards morning when I've been lying down longer.

Movement: Usually I don't feel him move unless I'm sitting or lying down (especially after dinner or right when I go to bed).  When I was standing in line to early vote was the first time I felt him while standing - I guess he was excited about his first voting experience.  Lately, I've been feeling him a lot!  I still always feel him below my belly button.  PB also has felt him kick once!  I was lying down after dinner and had him come over and he got to feel a few hard kicks last week!  It was pretty awesome.

Appointments: I went back at 21 weeks and measured exactly 21 centimeters.  I never knew that your centimeters and weeks were supposed to be the same!  Everything was totally normal otherwise - I don't go back until the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

Baby Related Purchases: PB and I went to Babies R Us last Saturday night to play with strollers and look around, which was a lot of fun.  I broke down and registered there too since most of the things I want are online-only from Target and I know people are unlikely to do that or buy from my amazon.com registry.  My mom has been buying ALL KINDS of cute things from zulily and today, I went shopping with her, my grandmother, and PB.  She bought him two cute little gray sleepers with firetrucks all over them (newborn and 9 months).

Highlights of the Week: Halloween!!!!!  You know how I love Halloween.  Mom helped me make a costume, a la Pinterest.  We deconstructed a baby doll from Wal-Mart, cut holes in a maternity shirt, and rubber banded the arms through.  We added some fabric paint and a teeny trick or treat bucket, and TA-DA.  Instant awesome creepy Halloween.

I handed out candy at my parents' house as usual, which was fun.  A lot of kids would say, "Hey, your baby is coming out," much the same way you might tell someone their fly is unzipped.  Some were just mesmerized and staring, and I got a lot of laughs. I saw a few pregnant folks who said, "MAN, I wish I had done that!"  I know it's creepy but come on, how many Halloweens are you going to be pregnant unless you're Michelle Duggar?  I think you have to make the most of it when it comes along.

And of course, I had to include the weenies - they know it as Halloweenie, after all.