It's a Papaya! (And Belly Progress Pictures)

So, from now on the fruit pictures start covering months instead of week by week. The little parasite will be a papaya from now until week 25.

Papayas remind me of our honeymoon in Mexico. One day after we had been drinking at the pool bar a bit we went back to the room to change for dinner. Grant was pretty tipsy and when the maid came by she had a papaya on her cart. Grant pointed at it and asked her what it was. She didn't speak much English, but she said papaya. Grant held out his hand and was like, "Cool! Can I have it." The maid looked at him for a few seconds and then gave it to him. Grant was very excited about this papaya.

Now, the hotel was not going around passing out papayas to their guests; it was pretty clear to me that Grant just took this poor lady's papaya. Grant also realized this later after he had sobered up and he felt really bad about taking it from her.

He never even ate it! It just sat in our hotel room and went bad. Then, he didn't want to throw it away in the trashcan in our room b/c he didn't want her to see that he never ate it! We ended up taking it down to the pool area and throwing it away in a trashcan there.

Anywho, on to the baby!

Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and his momma's voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

Here is a belly comparison. My belly is much rounder than it was at 18 weeks, but I still think I could just be mistaken as fat if you didn't know me.

And here is a bare belly shot for all you weirdos who want to see that type of thing. This is the first one I have taken b/c back at 6 weeks I felt too "fat" for that type of thing. Looking back at my 6 week picture that just makes me laugh.

How far along? 22 weeks!


Weight Loss/Gain? +1.4 pounds


Maternity Clothes? Yes, though I'm tempted to see if I can still pull on my regular people jeans.


Stretch Marks? This question makes me sad.


Sleep? Still up at least 2 times a night to pee and I have some super crazy vivid dreams.


Best moment this week? Grant felt the baby kick!!! He felt it a little at the movies on Friday and then again on Saturday. I told him that he was kicking so he came over with his cold hands and put one on my belly. It sat there for a minute and just as he was saying that he didn't feel anything the baby kicked hard. It shocked Grant so much he pulled his hand away and had a look on his face like "WTF was that?!"


Food cravings? Nothing really.


Gender: Penis!


Labor signs? Thankfully, no.


Belly button, in or out?In, but it is starting to look funny.


What I miss? Ordering a drink at restaurants


What am I looking forward to? looking pregnant and not just fat


Weekly wisdom? I have to borrow one from Phil Collins here: There are two sides to every story.


Milestones: I saw my belly move when the baby kicked me!

You Just Wait...

Just so you know, if you have uttered the words in the title of this blog (or some variant thereof) to a pregnant lady, chances are she was thinking of giving you a good throat punch. Well, I guess that is unfair of me to try and speak for all pregnant ladies, so let's just say that this pregnant lady sees several shades of red when people say this to her.

If you ask me how I am or how I am feeling (in regards to the pregnancy) and I tell you that I'm tired and/or achy, I don't need to hear you telling me how I "don't know what tired is" and "you just wait til that baby gets here."

Yes, I am very well aware that having a baby will forever change our life and there will be little sleep for the first few weeks (possibly months). However, it doesn't change the fact that I'm tired NOW.

I think it also irks me b/c people always say "you just wait" to tell us how miserable we will be. Why the negativity? If you don't have anything to give me but your know-it-all negative attitude, just keep it to yourself!

Is That a Banana in Your Pocket or are You Just Happy to See Me?

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid.

The baby is as big as a banana this week! I know what you are thinking. How the heck did we go from a cantaloupe to a banana?! Well I think it is because they were aiming more for length than volume.

How far along? 21 weeks and 1 day!


Weight Loss/Gain? I was at my starting weight exactly.


Maternity Clothes? Heck yes! Though I still haven't gotten another pair of pants. I just can't help it! I would rather spend my money on baby clothes instead!


Stretch Marks? Not one! (Anyone buying that?)


Sleep? I'm up 1-2 times a night to go to the bathroom. I toss and turn a lot but it isn't too bad. I was a stomach sleeper, so it is really hard to stay comfortable on my side.


Best moment this week? Baby Gap had a 40% off sale! Angie, Grant and I had SO much fun saving money on awesomely cute clothes!

Food cravings? Nothing really. I'm even sort of over my milk thing, but I think that is b/c all we have at home is skim and that just tastes like milk flavored water.


Gender: Penis!


Labor signs? Thankfully, no.


Belly button, in or out? Still an innie though the bottom of my piercing is now beginning to show, which is weird.


What I miss? I was really wanting a cold beer the other day.


What am I looking forward to? More constant kicks and movement and for Grant to be able to feel him on the outside.


Weekly wisdom? You can't reason with someone who has no reasoning skills.


Milestones: I'm beginning to feel the baby more, but not as much as I would like.

Half Baked Baby!

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!




I can't believe that the baby is that big! I really don't feel like my belly is still very big for being 5 months pregnant. The U/S tech said that it is b/c the baby has plenty of room to stretch out b/c of my childbearin' hips (this isn't the term she used). I'm not complaining though. It will get there eventually and I can't imagine that it will be comfortable.



I also promised some pictures from the U/S so here you go:


We all know the baby was not very cooperative for this U/S so that is the reason the we didn't get really awesome pictures, but you get the idea. The second picture is his itty bitty scrotum and penis. The arrow is pointing right at it!



How far along? 20 weeks!


Weight Loss/Gain? I'm officially 1 pound over my starting weight.


Maternity Clothes? You better believe it! Though I really need to get some more pants.


Stretch Marks? I think this question is really nosy. Let's talk about YOUR stretch marks, jerks!


Sleep? I have started sleeping with a pillow between my legs and that seems to help keep my legs from aching.


Best moment this week? I felt the baby move!!!! I was sitting in class tapping on my belly and I felt a little tap tap back! Right now, it feels like little twitches and light bubble taps and it is only once in a while.


Food cravings? fruit and milk. Though I still must say that I have yet to have these strong pregnancy cravings people talk about. I think that women must be using them as an excuse to shove whatever they are hungry for into their mouth.


Gender: Boy!


Labor signs? Thankfully, no.


Belly button, in or out? Still an innie


What I miss? I really would love some wine.


What am I looking forward to? More constant kicks and movement and for Grant to be able to feel him on the outside.


Weekly wisdom? You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you get what you need.

Milestones: First baby movement AND I am halfway through my pregnancy, only 20 more weeks to go!!! Woot!

The Big Ultrasound and 19 Week Update

Before we get to the weekly update, I've been meaning to post about the big ultrasound! I had been putting it off until I got the pictures uploaded, but momma has to take them to work to scan them in so you will all just have to wait on those!

Anyway, so every now and again on the 2nd Trimester Bump board a girl posts that they were unable to tell the sex b/c the baby had its legs crossed. This doesn't actually happen often so it wasn't something that I was too concerned about going into our appointment. I mean, seriously, what are the chances that our baby would have its legs crossed at the very moment we were trying to get a look at its goods?

Apparently, those chances were pretty darn good! We go in, all excited, and then when she goes to check the sex we hear those words "Oh, I can't see anything b/c the baby's legs are crossed." We were in there for a good 45 minutes, and she tried pushing and jiggling my belly around to get the baby to uncross them, but to no avail!

I couldn't believe it! I just couldn't believe it! I'm an impatient little biotch, I really didn't want to have to wait until the baby was born to find out! This is the point where I would have stomped my foot, whined, and demanded that my spawn cooperate, if I didn't know how to behave myself in public (and my feet weren't up in stir-ups).

Anyway, it was a no go and I had to be getting on to my Ob appointment with the Dr. The U/S Tech, bless her heart, was so nice and said that she would wait around until after my appointment to see if the baby had moved. She was giving us another chance!!!

So, we went to see the Dr. and while waiting for her I was jumping around and poking at my stomach like a crazy person. Besides my "Wake the Baby Up" shenanigans, the appointment was pretty uneventful. She just measured my belly, weighed me, took blood pressure, etc. And then 25 minutes later we found ourselves back with the U/S tech praying for just a peek between the kid's legs. She was mashing the side of my stomach into my hip bone she was trying so hard to get a look. It HURT! But I didn't say a peep about it, b/c I was too afraid she wouldn't get a good look! And...

We got one!!!! Whoa, talk about relief! We have a very modest little boy! So, we high-tailed it to Old Navy to pick up a few little boy things to surprise the family with at dinner (which we were running late for at that point!)

My hip still hurts, but it was so worth it to get to see our little boy! We're SO excited!

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding him from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.


How far along? 19 weeks!


Weight Loss/Gain? I didn't weigh myself this morning, but at the Dr. appt. I was 2 pounds below my starting weight.


Maternity Clothes? Though I can still fit in my jeans, they are beginning to feel really uncomfortable. I should really start wearing the maternity jeans.


Stretch Marks? Still no new ones, but the tips of the old ones are pink and have spread a little. Mom says they are there to protect the baby. LOL


Sleep? I'm not sleeping as comfortably. Besides having to pee several times a night, I toss and turn a lot trying to get comfortable.


Best moment this week? Finding out we are having a BOY! When we left the office, Grant said "YESSSS!!! He was wanting it to be a boy very badly.


Food cravings? I can't get enough fruit.


Gender: Boy!


Labor signs? Thankfully, no.


Belly button, in or out? Still and innie


What I miss? Not being so cranky and anxious.


What am I looking forward to? Feeling the baby for the first time


Weekly wisdom? You don't always have to listen to other people's wisdom.