Week 20

Symptoms:

Feeling hungry often during the day, but trying to control those and not over eat. My hips get numb and achy during night so I have to switch sides often which is not easy with a body pillow and belly. I use to be able to stand up, bend over, and put socks on gracefully - this is not happening so much. I have to brace myself and bend my leg and set it on the other leg, or just sit down and do it, I can imagine how hard it will be to tie shoes and such when I get bigger!

We started reading Babywise this week and wow do I love that book. We both agree with what the author says and the techniques they suggest. We're excited to use them and pray we do them right so they work.

Bria is still not kicking very hard so I only feel faint movement. But I am feeling her a little more often than I was. I am being told to enjoy this "quiet" time since soon I hear she'll keep me up, but I also really want to feel her kicks more strongly and consistently. I may bring it up at my next appointment just to see. Maybe she's just a calm baby? If so that is definitely from her Dad!

We are starting the stripes in the nursery tonight and I am very excited. I hate that all the nursery stuff is shoved in the guest room all unorganized, it's driving me nuts. I just don't like the in between stages, I get impatient and just want the end result now. Brian is like that too, when we painted our whole downstairs we were done in a weekend. We just couldn't stand the tape being up and furniture in the middle of the room. So needless to say I'm ecstatic that by Sunday we'll be done painting :)


Baby:
You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (The way your baby is measured changes now.) She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first soiled diaper (although some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Belly picture (it got round!):

And just so you guys don't think I run around in a sports bra and pj bottoms, here is one with clothes on :)