24 Weeks and an Update!

I made it to 24 weeks! This is the part in pregnancy where I do a big exhale because at this point, should something go wrong and baby decides to come (way) early, there's a chance our little bebe could actually survive on the outside given lots and lots of medical intervention. It's scary to think about, and hopefully we won't need to, but it's reassuring to know that with each additional week that passes from here on out the chances of survival only improve. It's, like, totally a real person in there. Viability!!!

The internets say baby weighs over a pound already and is about a foot in length. Which, sort of seems big when you think about it, considering it started out as just a cluster of cells a few months ago, but both my boys were approaching 9lbs at delivery -- which means this belly of mine still has a WAYS to go. It already feels like I'm trying to turn a ship at sea, my belly cutting through the night, as I roll from side to side (to side to side) trying to find a comfortable position for sleep. So, the next few months should be interesting.

This time around has been a little different than the last two (and each of those were different from the other) but I've been more nauseous for one thing. In fact I still feel queasy for the first few minutes upon waking every morning, though it usually passes quickly now. I feel like the nausea has gotten exponentially worse with each consecutive pregnancy I've had, though compared to women who suffer with hyperemesis it's been a walk in the park so I try not to complain.

I've been a lot more tired this time around too, but that probably has more to do with having two young kids to care for combined with how busy things are at work than the specifics of this pregnancy itself. In fact, if anything, my biggest complaint would have to be the total loss of control over my hormones and emotions this time around. I just feel a lot grumpier, a lot less patient than I ever have before. I cry at pretty much everything, and even though I don't want to be I find myself sad and weepy or acting just plain mean for no good reason at all. Poor Josh has bore the brunt of this and I keep apologizing to him for not being a nice wife anymore. I hate feeling like a perpetual grump, and I can't be much fun to be around so I really, really hope this passes after the baby is born. I mean, I won't stay this way, right? Someone tell me there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Also, the pregnancy acne is like whoa.

Hormones, man. Josh totally wins husband of the year for keeping the nightly back and foot massages coming despite my general sour mood. He really is a good egg and contrary to my attitude lately I do realize that I'm very, very lucky.

Let's see, what else? Well, baby's room is getting close to done, and we're picking up the last piece of furniture we need (a shelf) in a couple weeks from the Pittsburgh IKEA when we'll be in town to see Jenny Lewis. The bathroom off baby's room still needs painted, and all the walls are still bare. Although those are likely to remain that way until we meet our little one and see if baby is a he or she. We've got a new car seat and an ample supply of newborn diapers to get us started thanks to my mama, who is obviously the greatest. And I think we even have the names nailed down.

We have had such a hard time settling on names this time around, which is totally different than both times before. Mostly because we were just plain out of boys names we liked and the girl's name we've had on standby since 2008 was sort of feeling a little stale at this point. But I think we've finally got them!

Here's a hint.

They're not any of these names - ha! But those are some of my runners up. (And yes, I DID just make that little name bubble for illustration purposes, and you're very welcome). If I were planning on having any more children I'd tell you not to steal them, but since this is likely it for us, I offer these favorites up to the universe for the taking.  Both the boy name and the girl name we have picked out start with the letter E so I've been calling the baby "E" when talking to him/her/the belly lately, which is kind of fun to be able to do since we don't know the gender. And I don't think we'll change our minds on the names because at this point when I think about how we only get to use one of them and not the other I get kind of bummed out because I've grown to like them both so much. Which is a relief, because we really struggled to find names we LOVED and not just liked well enough and settled for.

So that's my update. My next check in with the midwife is my 28 week appointment and glucose test and by then I will have officially hit the third trimester!

I can't believe how fast time flies

xoxo