24 Weeks!

(Photography by Gage...While I actually DO have a head and face, I told him to get the sign and the belly in the picture. Mission accomplished.)


How far along? 24 weeks. How awesome is that? If all goes as planned, I'll have a c-section at 39 weeks, and therefore I have 15 weeks left.
{HOLY CRAP! I only have 15 weeks left!?}

Size of Baby: According to babycenter.com, "Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and the taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon."

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm up 15 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm up 32 pounds from my weight before IVF.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, though my husband's boxers and boxer briefs are the most comfortable things EVER. He jokes that I am stretching out the waistband....

Gender: Still a girl, as far as I know...

Belly Button In/Out: In.

Labor Signs: Nope, not at all. And, since I was monitored in L&D on Monday, I saw for a fact that there was nothing going on down there.... {Thank goodness!!}

Movement: Yes, especially when I'm trying to sleep or when I'm already asleep. Her little movements are now strong enough at times to wake me up.

Sleep: It's terrible. The Snoogle pillow helps, but still, it's not great-all-through-the-night sleep.

Cravings/Aversions: The power of suggestion is amazing. I see something about chips, and BAM! I want them. I see a pizza commercial...BAM! I want pizza. It's crazy like that. On my own, not really craving anything right now....

Symptoms: Back pain if I stand too long.... heartburn that gets pretty miserable.... Luckily I haven't had that horrible sciatic pain since Christmas time, so I'm so very thankful for that! General fatigue.... I get so tired so easily!

Feeling: I'm feeling okay. I feel anxious a lot because we have so much going on at our house right now. The backyard renovations, the closets inside, the rewiring for tv/surveillance system, the recent flu bug, Gage's surgery, my fall, and my desire to get several projects done before I lose my mind.

Best Moment this Week: Well, it damn sure wasn't falling. Truth be told: it's been a rough week so far with Gage's recovery getting harder and having its ups & downs....me falling and being sore now. It's just been a rough week so far. {....and it's only Tuesday.}

What I Miss: Sleeping through the night, energy, being able to do what I wanted to do without assistance or waiting on someone else to do it.

What I am Looking Forward To: Having an organized house. {Hey, it's a blank question....I can surely answer it however I want!} I'm ready for the projects to be done, and the nursery to be complete, and the backyard to be done with flowers and furniture, and just sitting back for half a second and not seeing work-work-work and to-do lists in every place I look around here....

Baby Milestones: Well, according to veria.com, "All the anatomical parts of the eyes are completely developed, but your baby’s eyes are not yet opened, nor do the irises have pigment. His or her eyebrows and eyelashes are nicely outlined although all the hair is still white as there is no pigment yet. Rapid eye movements begin this week."

Next Appointment: Next week.