Pregnancy round 2: week 18.

On to week 18! I swear, time goes in like hyper-fast mode when pregnant. It's so weird. It's like it's altogether the slowest thing ever, but the fastest thing ever all at once. Shoot, that's kinda like kids too. I swear, just yesterday Owen was a day old so I'm not quite sure what happened to the last almost 2 years.

Pictures:

Week 18 side.

Week 18 front.

Week 17 side.

Week 17 front. Um, maybe I just slightly (ha!) popped out in week 18. Sheesh.

How I'm feeling?

SO much better than the nettle tea hell of last week. OH MY GOSH. I am SO glad I made it through that without any major war wounds. I am feeling pretty good. Definitely the second tri euphoria for the most part. I have noticed that I am starting to have some of that not-so pleasant pregnancy hip pain that I remember from last time. The best part about this is that I swear, the second (minute?) I had Owen, it completely dissipated. So, I can deal for a few months. But, in the meantime, it actually is fairly painful and quite obnoxious. I'm trying to be better about stretching hoping that will help. I'm told not wearing heels can help, too, but when I hear that all I hear in my head is LA LA LA LA. Sorry, not giving up heels.  

I also had quite a few headaches this week- pretty much one every day. I don't know if it's hormonal- probably partly- or a residual effect of being sick - possibly. I did have quite a few headaches with Owen, so I just deal and they go away. I don't take anything because they will usually just go away with some sleep and I figure I can just tough it out. Usually a neck/head rub from Justin helps a lot too.

One thing I had forgotten about pregnancy was the bleeding. ICK. Your blood volume doubles or triples or something crazy and you just bleed uncontrollably with anything. Every night when I floss, I gush blood. God forbid if I give myself a paper cut or something. It's gross. But, I also don't like blood, so that doesn't help matters. 

How I'm changing?

I really don't know that there is a whole lot notable here. Still have the 31 going on 16 year old acne gig (and backne... seriously INSULT TO INJURY with this side effect). My boobs seem to be expanding on a a daily basis (OH YEAH, forgot how much THAT hurt!) Still not really seeing a pregnancy "glow" but I am not one of those people who feel like I "glow" when pregnant. I mostly spend the first trimester wanting to barf and the rest of the time wanting to punch anyone who tells me they love being pregnant. Sorry, but I am a very, very bad pregnant person. DISCLAIMER: I am SO SO SO grateful that I am able to be pregnant and that is NEVER lost on me. BUT. I also hate being pregnant, despite also being grateful that I am able to be. I hate it and love it all the same. It is an honor to be able to carry my kids but it can't be over soon enough. HELLO contradictory pregnancy brain. Ahem.  

What I'm eating?

Really nothing out of the normal here anymore. I am eating more salads and more lean proteins. I've been craving a lot of chicken this pregnancy which I think I have mentioned before. That is subject to change at any given second but for now it's one thing that has been consistently good. Eggs for breakfast, chicken breast for dinner. YUM. (Usually at any point in time in my life, that sentence would make me dry heave).  

Weight I'm gaining? 

133 pounds this week, I was 131 last week. Pretty much on par with where I should be. A couple pounds heavier than Owen but we are going to go ahead and blame the fact that my body is just adapting right away... and also: the 400000 million pounds of carbs and butter I ate for the first 12 weeks.  

How I'm sleeping? 

Really no complaints here. The pregnancy is not waking me up, and neither is peeing really. I pee about once a night. I just have this dang two year old that screams "Mama, MAMA, MA-MA" at 2am, or 3am, or 4am....

What's the baby doing?

-The baby is 5.6 inches long and about the size of a sweet potato this week

-The bones in the baby's body continue to harden. One of the first bones to harden is the inner ear which is why the baby can probably hear sounds by now (although fuzzy, as if underwater)

-The baby continues to move around and you'll start to feel more and more movements in the coming week (I'm still feeling them randomly and it's hard to tell if it's a movement or gas...)

-The baby's blood vessels are visible through the skin and his/her ears are in the final position.

-A covering of myelin is forming around his/her nerves.

-A girls uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place and a boys penis is now very visible by ultrasound.

 

What we are doing to prepare for the baby?

This question makes me laugh every time this time around. Um. Well, on the days I think to remember that I actually AM pregnant, I acknowledge this little life inside of me. Other than that, well, hmm. Nothing.

Random thoughts on pregnancy (pregnancy brain?)

I have gotten to the point in the pregnancy where I miss wine. Mmmmm. That is all.