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Tuesday, May 03, 2011

23 weeks of belly love

 

 

Please accept this blurry picture from our baby-moon in Vegas as our 23 week picture…

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I must say, I am truly starting to feel pregnant.

It only took almost 6 months to get to that point – go figure!

 

Up until now, I’ve had only 4 strangers actually acknowledge my pregnancy. It may seem weird to you that I would care to keep track of that, but it’s my only real measuring stick to know if I’m “showing” or just ambiguously fat looking ;)

 

I will never forget the very first stranger to ever ask if I was pregnant. Over a month ago, I was at work typing a patient’s information into the computer as she was telling it to me. I wasn’t very big yet and even if I were, the shirt I was wearing that day had a ton of ruffles and disguised any belly extremely well. Add my white lab coat on top of that and there was NO WAY you would ever imagine I was pregnant without knowing.

But just when I thought I was incognito, she asked… and I was stunned! I think she could tell I was surprised even though I confirmed that I indeed was ‘with child’. She said she thought I might be because – get thisI scratched my stomach?!

HOLY COW!!! She should be a DETECTIVE!!!

She said she had 4 kids and with each of them her belly was always itchy from the stretching. So not only did she sniff out I was preggers, she answered my unspoken question – was everyone else’s belly as itchy as mine was?

She went on to say she didn’t think I would be offended if it turned out I wasn’t pregnant since she said I was “thin”. {WRONG assumption, detective!} I told her she was one brave woman and we had a good laugh as she went on to recommend some products that helped her itchiness. I was stunned and amused by her detective work the rest of the day!

 

SIDE NOTE: This was actually a Muslim woman I was talking to who was in a full burqa. I have always thought this way of dressing was oppressive {still do…}, but that day it struck me that it may give this woman the courage to ask what no one else would who’s face you may later identify. She was extremely talkative and a real hoot, I must say =) Rock on, burqa momma!

 

At 23 weeks, I’m still feeling pretty darn good. I’m not so huge that my belly is in the way though a few things are changing because of the loss of use of my abdominals. I find just a tiny bit more difficulty in doing the following – though they aren’t even close to being out of the question yet:

  • Putting on my shoes and socks – getting dressed in general isn’t such a cake walk anymore
  • Bending all the way to the ground or squatting down
  • Sitting up from a lying position
  • Turning over – but only on the couch. I think it gives me more trouble than the bed seeing that it’s cushier and gives me less support

 

The few food cravings I had have subsided, though I still go through gallons of milk like a beast! No food aversions either leaving the food front feeling rather normal to when I was a non-preggo. I do eat more often and never hold back from eating whatever I want {not so great with the junk food!} but it seems my weight gain is right on target.

I just looked up how much you should gain by 23 weeks and the answer was approximately 15 pounds. A+ student here! Though I have to admit it’s difficult sometimes to see a number on the scale I’ve never laid eyes on and wonder if I’ll ever get back to the lighter me one day. Oh well – C’est la vie!

 

Houston’s movement lately has been nothing short of AMAZING. Within just a couple of weeks, he’s gone from a kick here and there to periods of time where he does nothing but non-stop gymnastics in there. Just last night, after an hour of being a busy little bee, I started wondering if he would ever calm down for the night. Nick has felt him move plenty since my mom felt a kick on Easter Sunday and last night, he even got to SEE him move. It is so much fun to share these things I’ve been feeling with him!

His movements have yet to cause me any pain what-so-ever, just pure fun. They aren’t keeping me up at night or waking me up yet, which I am thankful for! {Getting up to pee several times in the middle of the night does enough damage to my REM cycle, thank you very much.}

 


It’s still hard for me to imagine there’s an actual human baby in there instead of just a little wiggle worm I love dearly who will someday be our sweet baby – so I Googled to help the image in my head, and this is what I found:

amillia2.jpg

 

This is Amillia, the world’s youngest surviving baby, born at 22 weeks 6 days! This picture really put our baby into perspective for me. This is an extremely short article written about her birth, but profound. I recommend it!

 

If you haven’t yet entered our $50 VISA gift card giveaway which helps to raise money for the March of Dimes, there’s still time. The giveaway ends this Saturday evening. Thanks to everyone who has already joined in and helped the cause!

 

20 comments:

  1. You look so adorable! It must be so incredible to feel the baby move!

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  2. I went through two gallons of milk a week when I was pregnant. Everyone thought milk was a weird thing to want, so I'm glad to have someone else who wants it too! Your weight will go back down. i worried about that too with my twins, but 4 months later I'm 40 pounds smaller than the day I gave birth. I know it's hard not to worry, but I'm confident you'll lose the weight again.

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  3. we are 3 weeks apart and you look fabulous! i love alll your baby bump pics! rock on mama!

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  4. You look adorable! I wish I would have gone on a baby-moon (note to self for future babies!). :) That is gutsy of that woman; perhaps you are right about her attire.

    Thank you for sharing Amillia's story. It took me several seconds before I realized that was an ink pen laying next to her! How amazing! Miracles happen in odd ways. I only wish I could see a picture of her today.
    ILoveLucyJean

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  5. you look SO beautiful! that lady definitely had guts, good for her, her mommy instincts were definitely right.... the scratching totally gives it away! :)

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  6. I wish you nothing but the best with your pregnancy. And a nice easy breezy rest of your pregnancy.

    Just a note: if you feel the need to question ANYTHING with your pregnancy; whether is be pain, discomfort, what you feel are braxton hicks too early... talk to your doctor! My sister had all of this at 21 wks 7 days, and ended up having her daughter at 23wks 3 days, 1 lb 1.6oz and 11 inches long!!! Addyson is now 5 weeks old (my sister would have been 28 weeks 3 days pregnant) - still not yet 2 lbs, but is such a fighter and has a personality. The survival rate at that gestation is roughly 30% I believe.

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  7. Aww, what an adorable baby bump! And that lady had some guts! Could you imagine if you weren't pregnant??!! Gah! I never ask a woman if she is pregnant unless I am 10000% sure. I'd be so embarassed if I asked & she wasn't!!!

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  8. You look absolutely stunning as always. With my first daughter, I actually had some severe itching on my stomach and could not figure it out. Until my Mom (thank goodness for them) reminded me that my skin was stretching! The burqa Momma for sure had some guts! =)

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  9. I was so excited the first time someone noticed I was pregnant!

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  10. Looking great! Love the bump! I can't even imagine what all that movement feels like! Someday, I hope! :)

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  11. Love the engagement story and loving your blog... You look gorgeous with your little bump! :)

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  12. You are so cute!!! Trust me you will get back to your pre-pregnancy.....I thought NO WAY!!! Then, I lost 33 pounds of 43 pounds gained in 10 days.
    It is crazy!!

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  13. I agree, you look amazing and your belly is as cute as ever!! Sounds like you are doing really well over all which is awesome!! Yeah to getting through your first 6 months!

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  14. You look gorgeous as usual! You make me want to be pregnant right now!! I guess I should get through my wedding first :)

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  15. Your belly is adorable! Did the itching advice help?

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  16. You look great! I'm 22 weeks and have gained about 15 pounds, so that makes me feel better. Of course, I'm 5'1", so it shows a bit more on me :)
    I've just started noticing how sitting up is a bit more difficult, too. So strange to start feeling so different, but you're right, by 6 months-ish, it was bound to happen!

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  17. Mine was gallons of simply orange! I was addicted!

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  18. I love your blog! I am your newest follower!

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  19. I'm 35 weeks pregnant and I have destroyed some milk all throughout my pregnancy. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one :) I don't know what got into me but I can't get enough. Congrats on your pregnancy, I'm looking forward to following your journey!

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I just shared my thoughts, I'd love to hear you share yours! {Besides, I'm tired of listening to the voices in my head.} I kid, I kid... ;)