Our Little Olympic Hopeful

After not moving much yesterday or the day before, the baby decided it wanted to be an Olympic gymnast today.  Adam and I were in the car, and all of the sudden I felt the baby do what I can only imagine was a full on flip.  Until that point, I'd just felt little pokes and prods, and a couple of harder kicks.  I exclaimed "Whoa!" and put my hand on my belly.  Adam asked, "Is the baby moving?  I want to feel!" and put his hand on my belly.  Sure enough, the baby flipped again, enough for Adam to feel it too; a couple of good hard nudges right in a row.  His eyes just lit up and he said "Wow!  Was that the baby?!  I felt it!"  We just sat there laughing with excitement and waiting for more movement, with his hand on my belly, and my hand on his.  I'd have to say it was the highlight of the day for both of us.  

I've been feeling the baby move for a little while now, but it is still such an amazing reminder of the little life growing inside there every time I feel it.  I absolutely love it!

Congratulations! Boy or Girl?

Adam and I just got back from a walk.  As we were walking a Jeep with 3-4 High School aged guys in it drove by.  I looked up and the kid in the front passenger seat looked at me a yelled "Congratulations!".  I just started cracking up as they drove away.  Adam and I kept walking, and sure enough, here comes the Jeep again, circling the block.  This time he shouts "Boy or Girl?"  I just shrugged, to which he said, "That's cool!"  Adam and I were shaking our heads and laughing as they drove off.  It was pretty amusing.  

Charlie Horses and Braxton Hicks

First off, let me say that today marks 21 weeks. I am officially OVER the halfway point! Wow...this really is going so fast. I can't believe I'm going to be a mama in just a few months! It's still pretty surreal.

Now, let me start this next section by saying that I find all of the little happenings of my pregnancy very interesting. I truely feel blessed that this pregnancy has gone smoothly so far and am LOVING EVERY MINUTE of it! So my writing about symptoms is in no way a complaint, just an observation really. Well, other than the morning sickness I wrote about in my first post, that was a symptom worth complaining about!

It seems the Charlie Horses I have been getting in my calves in the middle of the night are a pregnancy symptom. Who knew? I used to get them when I ran cross country, so I've been trying to figure out what strenuous activity I could possibly be doing right now to cause them! It happens when I stretch my legs out in the middle of the night half asleep...then I'm jolted awake as my entire calf muscle seizes up into a massive cramp. It's not all that pleasant, but I'm not really complaining because it's a small small price to pay. I get them in my feet sometimes too, but the WIERDEST place I get them is in my hands (especially my left hand). If I pull open a door or do some other "clasping motion" my hand doesn't unclasp fully for a few seconds. It's so strange! It feels like the kind of hand cramp you get after a night of bowling. Maybe some of you have experienced the post-bowling hand cramp. Well that's exactly what this is. I just find it so strange that pregnancy can have so many different and seemingly random symptoms!

Also, the Braxton Hicks have set in. I've been getting them for quite a while. Most of this pregnancy really. How interesting that my body needs 8-9 months of practicing contractions to get through labor. It really is all a bit of a mystery.

Belly Shots

There have been a couple of requests to see some belly shots...so here they are.  Sorry about the bare midriff.  I guess I didn't plan very well for the possibility of posting my belly pics online. :-)

Here's the belly at 13.5 weeks

And here's it is at 20 weeks...quite a bit bigger I'd say.

Amazing Day!

Lately, as I have written, I've been thinking I feel fetal movement. Well, one time last week it was pretty distinct, 3 good kicks in my right abdomen. Other than that, some subtle fluttering. Well today, I was feeling some movement, again on the right side, so I pushed my hand on my stomach, and SURE ENOUGH...I felt the baby kick on the OUTSIDE! I couldn't quit smiling, it was so cool!! It's just an occasional little reminder that there is something ALIVE in there. Really quite incredible I think. I mean, I've always known and heard what pregnancy is about, but now that I'm going through it, it's taken on a whole new level of amazing for me.

It's Official

Well, it's official. I am wearing maternity pants as of this past Saturday. I suppose I should mention that I really could have started wearing them earlier...but I didn't have any (see previous post). Well, now I have some, and let me tell you, they are WONDERFUL. I told Adam that I'm hanging on to these to wear for future Thanksgiving Day feasts (when I am no longer pregnant). Seriously, they should market elastic waisted pants just for such a day!

Friday was my ultrasound. That went pretty well; it was amazing to see the baby! However the baby wasn't really cooperating, so the Dr. was a little frustrated. He had a hard time seeing everything he needed to. I got a good share of pictures of the front of the baby's face. Right now he looks like Skeletor. Yes...I said HE, but don't get excited. I said this NOT because we know the gender, but because I refuse to believe any daughter of mine could look like Skeletor! I already told you that the baby wasn't cooperating, so let's just say that no one knows if it's a boy or a girl, not even the doctor. I guess he/she knew we really wanted a surprise! He/she wasn't even going to tempt us to peek.

Here's the baby at 8 weeks, 3 days
Here's the baby at 19 weeks, 3 days
Baby Skeletor (I tease about it, but I SO LOVE that little face!)

My belly is really starting to show more obviously now. People aren't afraid to say something anymore or to ask about it. I am still waiting to feel unquestionable baby movement. I THINK I felt the baby move again this past Friday...but who can say for sure at this point. Of course once I am feeling certain movement, I'll probably be wishing this kid would quit kicking me in the ribs!

Adam and I just got some really exciting news last night too!!! Adam's brother and his wife are expecting their first child in April...so our little one already has a future playmate on the way! Adam's parents are going to be grandparents twice over in a matter of months! Not to mention his sister is getting married this fall. I'd say the H---- family is growing rather rapidly: three new family members from October (wedding), to December (our baby), to April (James and Amber's baby)!

Ah, I almost forgot. Today, YES TODAY, marks 20 weeks already!!! Wow, did that fly by. I'm half way through my pregnancy. Now that just seems CRAZY!

Well, I just got home (8:00pm) and I need to get something to eat. I'm H-U-N-G-R-Y.

Maternity Pants

Well, I am officially in desperate need of maternity pants. Pants that fit me just last week (snuggly) I am now having difficulty buttoning. I have to resort the the rubber-band trick. I went shopping (shopping shopping and MORE shopping) for maternity pants to make the whole thing official. What I found out was that apparently I didn't get the memo, but if you plan to be pregnant, you need to find a way to have a 32" inseam. No more. No less. Every pair of pants I tried on made me look like I was waiting for the great flood. It was really quite frustrating, especially after trying on just one pair of dress pants when I realized how amazingly dreamy and COMFORTABLE they were! I want to wear them forever (I'm going to regret that statement post-pregnancy I'm sure). It's like dressy looking pajama pants, I could seriously SLEEP in them!

I DID find some maternity jeans in long cut (2 different pairs, on SALE, yeah!). I had to mail order long cut dress pants (which is what I need the very most). So here's hoping they fit. My only other option if those don't fit is these wonderful pants I found at Macy's that look oh-so-sassy...but come with an oh-so-sassy price tag as well. Yikes! Maybe I can get though a whole pregnancy with just one pair of dress pants...

The latest news isn't quite news yet. It's "I think" news. I think that I might have maybe probably felt the baby move...maybe. I was laying (lying...I never know which is the proper form on that one) on the couch not even thinking about it when I felt the slightest movement in my lower belly, just a little flicker really. It was enough to get my attention OFF of what I was doing on the computer and ONTO my belly, focusing REALLY REALLY hard to try and feel more movement. But, that was it. Haven't felt anything since then either. I'm really looking forward to that being a regular thing. How cool!

Friday is my 20 week ultrasound (I'll be 19 weeks, 3 days). I am SO EXCITED. I want it to be Friday right now. I can't wait to see how much this little one has grown since our last ultrasound at 8 weeks 3 days.