Pregnancy Round 2: Week 24.

Week 24. 6 months. We can do this! I think to myself only 3 more months (this makes me feel awesome). Then I realize, it's still probably 16 weeks out and I think a big old huge BAH. Whoever said that pregnancy only lasts 9 months lied. And probably just to make pregnant women feel better about it. Nice thought, but DUMB. Still being at 6 months is a pretty notable milestone. And really? MIND BLOWN when I think that I have been pregnant for HALF OF A YEAR. Holy crap. That just doesn't seem possible- 1) That I have been pregnant for that dang long and 2) That it is already almost JUNE and HOW?!

Pictures:

Week 24 side view.

Week 24 with Owen! Just for kicks. I don't know if I'm carrying different or not with this monkey... you can be the judge. 

Week 24 front view. 

Week 23 side view.

Week 23 front view.

How I'm feeling?

Huge. Just huge. Embarrassingly huge. I mean really, I guess I am just one of those people that feels REALLY self conscious about it. As in, wherever I go, I just think "BEHOLD THE BELLY" and that everyone is staring. I do not know why. I think I feel bigger than I really am but it's just awkward. I know this is a constant from here on out, and I also remember the second I pushed Owen out and looked down and could see my feet and it was like a bloody miracle (also, my cankles had virtually disappeared in a matter of hours... MAGIC!) I felt like I was practically a supermodel when I looked in the mirror after giving birth to Owen and didn't resemble a small tanker truck anymore. 

We traveled this week to Kansas City to see my parents and it will be the last 'big" trip we will take pre-baby. Traveling wasn't that bad this time being pregnant. I think that was partially due to the fact that this baby doesn't seem to be sitting right on my bladder like Owen was (thus no 40000 times to the bathroom during the flight) and also, I didn't really have a whole lot of time to think about being pregnant and traveling since I was the mom of a toddler in an airport (also: WOW and also: there is no WAY IN HELL I would ever do that alone with two, IE: Christmas). 

How I'm changing?

Whelp, thanks to pushing Owen out of my hoo hoo plus the way this new kid is sitting on my bladder, I currently am having issues with "leakage"... IE: if I sneeze or, as in the case this week, exert too much effort hitting a golf ball. Now isn't THAT awesome?! I had issues with incontinence directly following Owen's birth (well, several weeks after) when I attempted to run. It was actually quite scary as I thought it was blood at first, but nope, turns out I was just involuntarily peeing myself. Well, that problem has now returned with a full fledge (larger) baby inside of me. He/she may not be sitting right on top of my bladder, but somehow the whole 1.5 pound thing is enough that if I am even just slightly full of liquids and something happens (read: sneeze, swing golf club, laugh, etc), I pee myself. Why didn't anyone ever tell me how glamorous being a mom would be? I might almost be depressed about it if I didn't see the humor in it, mostly because I know that a zillion other moms can relate and there is just not a damn thing you can do about it. SO THERE IT IS. 

What I'm eating?

Too many cookies. Welcome home. 

Weight I'm gaining?

BAH. I made the mistake of weighing myself this week. I guess it wasn't really a mistake per se, but my weekly weigh in just happened to be very depressing. The scale said I gained FIVE POUNDS in a week, from 137 to 143. WHAT?! This was before taking a shower. I tried again after I took a shower and I was 140, which I will take. I am just going to think that our scale had a freak out moment and ignore the 5 pound mishap. 

How I'm sleeping?

Let's just say that Owen is way too excited to be at Grandma and Grandpa's so Justin and I are tired. Very, very tired.  

What's the baby doing?

-The baby is 12.5 inches long or the size of a piece of corn and weighs 1.25 pounds. Um, that means my kid is a FOOT long?? No way.

-The baby's respiratory system continues to grow and develop in preparation for breathing even though for now most of the oxygen still comes from the placenta.

-The baby still has translucent skin but that will change soon.

-If the baby is born, he/she is officially considered viable if born (meaning it would live).

What we are doing to prepare for the baby?

Nada. It occurred to me this week that we haven't bought one single thing for this kid, not one. I don't count the car. I'm wondering if we should maybe really think about this in the coming weeks and try to get just slightly prepared. You know, maybe even just remotely consider the carseat, packing a bag for the midwives, getting some freaking diapers. Probably. Which, oh yeah, then leads me to panic, HOLY CRAP we are having another baby. And so then I procrastinate. It's a vicious cycle. 

Random thoughts on pregnancy (pregnancy brain?)

I kind of referenced this above, but I remember writing last time I was pregnant about how it was hard to travel while pregnant. I've decided this time that it's not really THAT bad to be pregnant and travel. What really sucks is to be pregnant and travel with a toddler: WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME.