23 Weeks

Nugget and I, as seems to be the theme, have been growing like mad!  This last week I realized just how big the bugaboo is during a movement session when I simultaneously felt a jab on one side of my belly and a kick on the other.  But I must say, my favorites are the big movements, the one where either a head or a booty rolls across my tummy!  I love to poke back and play :)

Also, our friends, the Bybees, had their beautiful baby girl Reese.  I went and saw them at the hospital, and then Matt and I visited them again at home.  Reese is an absolute doll, and I know she and Baby Cole will get along just fine.

How far along?  23 weeks

Maternity clothes?  Exclusively

Stretch marks?  A few tiny ones

Sleeping?  Not very well the last few nights.  I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable, and that, coupled with the growing pains, makes for very light sleep.  I do, however, take some righteous naps to make up for it.  

Cravings?  Anything with tomatoes.  I drink tomato juice for a midmorning snack, then eat a spinach and tomato salad and something like veggie soup with tomatoes or something else with, yes, tomatoes, chips and salsa for an afternoon snack, and then something with ketchup for dinner. I've always loved tomatoes, but it's getting out of control!  I've also been craving very healthy choices (YAY!) to include fresh juice that I make every couple of days and keep in the refrigerator.  I've also been eating eggs.  That's right, I'm not a pure vegan at this moment.  Because they have so much protein, I feel quite OK about it.  Plus, we buy free-range organic eggs, so the guilt factor isn't so bad.  I plan to go egg-free again after August, though I may consider continuing while breastfeeding.  And weeks 20-22 I consumed more chocolate than is healthy.  EEK!  I feel so guilty!

Aversions?  I can report that Matt hasn't had tuna in the house for a couple of weeks!  I don't know if he is doing it because he knows I was getting agitated, or because he's cut back on it (I honestly hope it's the latter!).  Matt's cologne and deodorant are also a little strong.  

Other symptoms?  The tiniest stomach/digestion system for the largest appetite!  I am hungry all the time, but if I eat too much I get ill.  I can't eat glutenous foods, and if I eat one heavy thing (say, gfree pasta), my meals for the rest of the day must be very easy to digest.  There has been a lot of miso soup and plum juice and fresh juices trying to keep things moving along so I can eat more.  Yesterday, though, I ate only soups and salads. I'm very good about getting protein and vitamins, but this week I've wondered if I'm getting enough calories because of my inability to eat for my appetite.  This was a big growing week for us, and I'm starting to learn how to eat for my ever-changing body.  I am also increasingly uncomfortable.  Sometimes I feel like there is nothing I can do to feel relaxed, and I often shift about on the couch every few minutes.  I guess I'm just starting to get a feel for what is to come!  I've been aching a lot and having round ligament pains, but the chiropractor is helping a lot with that.  Whenever I go see her, I leave on Cloud 9.  My ligament pains were getting pretty intense this week, and she rubbed them good until I felt relief.  She also adjusted my pelvis which was aching like crazy (I think Nugget likes to hang out on the left side) and massaged the ligaments in my hips.  I'm so grateful for the research I did on prenatal osteopathy, as I had never heard of it before pregnancy.  It has helped me in so many ways, especially considering I have been one achy lady since hitting 16 weeks or so.  I've started waddling slightly (already?!) and if I'm on my feet for too long, I know it.  My feet have also been swelling a bit, just what is to be expected.  I asked Matt if my feet looked swollen the other night and he said, "Yeah - I mean, you can't really see your ankles".  You always want to hear your husband tell you you have cankles.  Great stuff, hon.  I feel like that's a lot of complaining, and don't get me wrong, pregnancy has been relatively uncomfortable for me, but I'm still enjoying it.  I love my growing belly, feeling the baby, and the energy I've had.  And this is different, but I've never felt so empowered.  It resonated with me during a post-yoga meditation last week that though I feel like a granny in some of the positions, other times I feel stronger than I've ever felt.  It's quite an incredible feeling.  And another symptom that Matt (and my now sad, little bras) can't help but notice - larger breasts!  It's crazy.

Best moment of the week?  Whenever Matt gets to feel the baby :)  This has happened a couple of times, and he just loves it.  True, he only sticks around for a kick or two, but he gets excited, and that's rare (ha).  I still get giddy every time the baby moves, so that would also have to be a best moment of the week.  We also confirmed our maternity and newborn photographer this week!  And, I think we settled on a name :)

On Tuesday we are headed for our last ultrasound to see if we can get a better glimpse of Nugget's little parts.  Maybe we'll know if s/he's a boy or a girl, maybe we won't.  At this point, we're prepared to not know until her/his birthday (something I've wanted since the beginning).  Matt keeps mentioning how excited he is to see how much s/he's grown, and I must agree.  This is also the week of my glucose test, and I'm a little nervous because of my sugar binges.  The last seven or so days I've really cut back on refined sugar, something that I barely touched before pregnancy.  Before I give in to sugar now I think, "Is this best for the baby?" and the answer is clearly no.  Besides, it's binding and gives me headaches!  It's something I'm working on, and I pray my post-Easter sugary transgressions haven't been a problem.

I'm getting bigger all over!  So proud of my growing belly and baby Nug!