22 weeks!!!

22 weeks is the start of my 6 month of pregnancy!  wow, sometimes i still have to pinch myself.  this is also the last month of my 2nd trimester.  here is a chart, so you can see the progression...

this was also thanksgiving week, my favorite holiday!  and doctors orders were to "eat for two,"  so i did just that (with minimal guilt)!  i was fortunate enough to have 3 days off this week for the holiday, so it made for a nice long 5 day weekend to be spent eating, resting and visiting with family and friends.

this week i think my belly has gotten bigger and baby berk is getting more and more active.  she is developing more regular sleep patterns, and should be sleeping about 12-14 hours a day, so that leaves a lot of time for me to feel kicks and movement.  even my mom felt her move after thanksgiving dinner!  it is a feeling like no other and i love the constant reminder that she is always with me.  i haven't had any pregnancy symptoms to complain about this week, however i did experience heart burn/indigestion for the first time the day after thanksgiving.  i have never had it before, so i was unsure what i was feeling, but some tums helped to make me feel better.

i have been so lucky to be getting some hand me downs from my cousin and sister in law this week.  i saw my cousin at thanksgiving dinner and she gave me a baby wrap carrier and some books.  my sister in law sent me a big box of clothes that no longer fit my 3 month old niece.  baby's out grow clothes so quickly, i am happy to take them off their hands!  here is jarad trying out the baby wrap with wilfred.

growth milestones for the week...

~baby weighs about 1 pound
~baby movements are deliberate and with the purpose of preparing its motor skills and coordination
~hair color is white as the pigment has not developed yet
~baby's brain is about to start a period of rapid growth and development
~my uterus should be about an inch above my belly button now
~baby is packing on fat, but skin still remains wrinkled and reddish in color (the wrinkles are because she is producing skin faster than she can fill it with fat.  the reddish appearance is due to the deposition of pigment as the skin loses its translucency)

weight gain this week = 0 pound
total weight gain = 3 pounds

baby is as big as a papaya!

21 weeks!!!

i think this week is a real turning point for me!  i believe my belly finally POPPED and i am feeling some pregnancy side effects.  we returned from a great weekend in washington where we looked at homes, jarad had a great interview and we did some serious exploring.  i came back tired and really emotional that the move is getting closer and the thought of being away from my family, especially as we start our own.  but aside from that i am experiencing some lower achy back pain, increased appetite and round ligament pain as my stomach grows!

we had a check up at the doctor this week and everything is looking normal.  i had gained some weight, my belly is measuring 21 cm (they say anything plus or minus 3 cm of your pregnancy week is considered normal, so i am right on track), the baby's heartbeat was 155, and the doctor said my uterus is sitting just above my belly button.  they also gave me instructions and the drink for the glucose test which i will do in the next few weeks.

last week jarad was able to see my stomach twitch when the baby moved or kicked, but was still unable to feel her.  but the highlight of this week is that he finally felt her kick and move!  it was a special moment for him to feel her and now we can experience all of her kicks, punches and dancing together.  she has also been very active this week.  i still feel her most often at bedtime, but also in the morning when waking up.  this week i would feel her throughout the day every now and again while working at my desk.  when i feel her move it's a nice reminder to slow down and stop and enjoy these moments.  wilfed has also been acting very strange this week.  at night he will be in his bed, but be very alert and watching me.  i feel like he is protecting me from afar.   but the sweetest moment was one night he crawled into bed in the middle of the night, went under the covers and cuddled into my side and rested his head on my belly (this was a first!).  i also taught him a new trick to kiss my belly when i say "wilfred, give baby kiss kiss."

the below picture was taken on tuesday and i feel like since the beginning of the week, my belly has popped and i am bigger!

today my mom and i went to buy buy baby where we really educated ourselves on strollers.  we ended up picking the city select jogger and britax car seat.  the reason i chose this one and it was harder to chose a stroller than it was to pick out my car, is because this stroller can convert into a double stroller easily.  so you can have an infant and a new born or two infants in this stroller.  this is ideal for us since we plan on trying for #2 shortly after.  here is me today (saturday) and i think and feel bigger than a few days ago!

baby is the size of a pomegranate

this has been an off week with traveling, but i am getting back into my work out routine and trying to eat well.  i am waking up in the middle of the night hungry, and i think this is the start of the weight creeping on.  in addition to keeping up with my appetite, an unusual thing i have noticed is that i am starting to get freckles on my belly (which i never had before).  also you can start to see a lot of blue veins in my cleavage and also on the sides of my stomach...attractive right!?!?  however, i still don't have the dark line down my belly that some woman can get as early as 9-10 weeks pregnant. 

weight gain this week = 2 pounds
total weight gain = 3 pounds

weekly milestones...

~eyebrows and eyelashes have grown in
~senses are continuing to develop
~bone marrow is making blood cells by now, a job previously done by the liver and spleen
~baby's intestines are absorbing small amounts of sugar that are ingested from the amniotic fluid
~baby can blink

20 weeks!!!

we have reached the half way point!  the first half has been an easy one for me and i hope it is an indication of what the 2nd half and labor will be like.  the first trimester i struggled with being tired and hungry all the time, but luckily i had no sickness.  so far the second trimester has been a more emotional one for me as i become more and more attached to the little being in my tummy and as we prepare to tackle new adventures in a new home state!  yikes!  lately the stress of moving soon and jarad's job has been a bit overwhelming, but we are taking it one day at a time.  we will be heading up to washington at the end of this week for a long weekend to house hunt and for a job interview for jarad.  never in my life have i felt more scared, excited, nervous, hopeful, sad and joyful all at once.  2016 will bring a lot of changes for us and the biggest one will be the addition to our family!

i gotta think my belly is ready to POP any week now!  the other night at dinner, jarad looked at me and said "wow, your belly is bigger than it was this morning!"  of course after i eat, it looks bigger, but my mom had the same reaction the other day as well telling me "i think your belly literally just popped."  so i know i am showing more and getting bigger by the day.  i have completely given up on my pre-pregnancy clothes and am sticking to yoga pants, maternity tops, maternity dresses and sweatshirts, whatever feels soft and comfy!

i am able to feel lots of movement.  i feel it most when laying down at night, but also in the morning.  i will feel it occasionally during the day, but that is much more unpredictable for me.  and i also notice it after i eat or drink something cold.  i keep having jarad put his hand on my belly, but he hasn't been able to feel anything yet.  hopefully in the next week or so as she gets bigger!  it is the neatest feeling.

with the weather changing and traveling,  i am getting very paranoid about staying healthy!  when you are pregnant, your immune system is compromised and you can't take any medication to get you better.  my doctor gave me a list of medications i can and can't take.  it is taped on my bathroom cabinet and i have it on my phone so i can have it handy. 

weight gain this week = 0
total weight gain = 1 pound

growth milestones this week...

~baby has developed some red blood cells already , and the white blood cells are being made
~taste buds are developing
~digestive system is advanced enough for water and sugar to be absorbed from amniotic fluids and pass it to the large bowel
~eyes are still shut
~at 20 weeks the baby is no longer measured from  crown to rump, but the legs are included in the measurement now from crown to heel
~baby is developing a more regular sleep pattern.  baby often becomes more active as it's mom's bedtime
~baby girls uterus is completely developed at this point
~most energy will go towards the baby gaining weight
~placenta has reached its maximum thickness and is supplying all the nutrients and oxygen and also disposing of the wastes

baby is the size of a banana!

persimmons...

fall is the time of year when persimmons start to make their appearance.  my parents always have a bunch at the house, and they other night at dinner they sent me home with some.  they are a beautiful orange color and the size and shape of a tomato.  they originated in east asia and are best eaten when they are firm.  they also have some good nutritional properties to them:

~good source of fiber
~good source of vitamin A, beta carotene and vitamin C
~good source of B-complex vitamins such as folic acid (great for pregnancy!)
~good amounts of minerals such as potassium and manganese

you can eat the skin, but i prefer to peel it off and slice like you would a tomato and eat raw.  i was looking at other recipes for persimmons and i came across some interesting ideas...

~persimmon caprese salad (eat with burrata, goat cheese or buffalo mozzarella)
~ persimmon salsa (add onion, cilantro, jalapeno - think mango or pineapple salsa)
~persimmon jam
~persimmon pudding (seems to be popular way to eat them)
~add to salad
~make a fruit tart with them

19 weeks!!!

lately i have just been in love with being pregnant.  i think this is a common feeling in the 2nd trimester, but i am overcome with a sense of gratitude and being loved.  i am sure it helps that i am feeling well and not huge yet, but each day i get more and more excited to meet our baby girl.  the pregnancy really feels real at this point and jarad is so supportive, loving and caring.  it's a special feeling to have him involved in the pregnancy and always being so concerned with the well being of me and the baby.  he always makes sure i am feeling well, eating good and not overdoing or over committing myself.  and as for wilfred, he is protecting his mama as well.  he finally has started to cuddle me and my baby bump and gets protective of me with strangers.  my boys are taking great care of me!

this week i have been trying to incorporate more calcium and protein into my diet as the baby is starting to put on weight and bones are hardening.  i've been drinking a lot of milk lately, which is a  good way to take my prenatal vitamins in the morning.  i was taking them at night, and when i read the bottle it says not to, i actually think taking them at bedtime may affect my sleep.  i've been sleeping really well, which i think is also from the cooler weather!  i am continuing to feel baby kicks and movement, which is an amazing feeling!  i was questioning myself at first, but now there is no doubt that baby berk is dancing in there.  i only feel it when laying down, usually at bedtime or early morning and occasionally when i am at my desk at work, but i read that the baby is only awake about 6 hours out of the day.  it is a sensation like no other, it feels like popcorn popping in your tummy, makes you smile every time!  unfortunately jarad hasn't been able to feel it yet, i have him put his hand on my tummy and he either can't feel it or she stops moving.

weight gain this week = 0
total weight gain = 1 pound

growth milestones this week...

~baby is developing a protective coating on skin called "vernix caseosa."
~nerve cells are developing in brain that work on the senses (taste, hearing, taste, sight and smell)
~there is the presence of fat layers under the skin now and clearly defined facial features
~our baby girl already has 1/2 of the eggs she will be born with (our future grandkids!)
~toenails and scalp hair are growing

baby is the size of a mango!

life is a like a camera...

18 weeks!!!

this week is an exciting one for me, mostly because i have my anatomy scan this week, which consists of a long and detailed ultrasound where the doctor takes a close look to see that our baby is growing and developing appropriately.  it is also followed up by blood work which will be my 2nd trimester genetic testing and the last of it!  we opted to find out early the gender of the baby, but if we didn't it would be at this appointment that we would find out.  my appointment went great!  they confirmed the baby is growing right on track and has all ten fingers and toes, and everything looks perfectly healthy and normal.

this week is  just more of the same symptoms...i can't really complain, i have had it easy so far.  a little round ligament pain, occasional dizziness and i have officially gained my first pound.  the most exciting part as i finish my 18th week is i think i finally started to feel baby kicks!!!  it is only when laying down, you question yourself at first, but from what i have read, i am pretty sure that is what i am feeling.  it feels like a thump to me, but it can also be described as "flutters" or "quickening."  i really haven't had any cravings this week, but chocolate milk and fruit pie does sound good!  my sister in law sent us this adorable package with a few onsies and some cute accessories!  all of the onsies she picked our are perfect, they are so "us."  it was a fun gift to come home to!

weight gain this week = 1 pound
total weight gain = 1 pound

growth milestones for the week...

~baby can yawn, hiccup, suck and swallow
~baby's immune system is developing
~buds for permanent teeth are forming behind the "baby teeth" that are already developed
~big week for the nervous system and brain development!  motor neurons have grown into place so that baby can consciously direct movements.
~nerves are being covered in a fatty substance called "myelin"
~baby's ears are now on the side of the head and the limbs are proportionate to the rest of the body
~unique finger and toe prints are formed

baby is the size of a sweet potato