Week 23

I put on a dress this morning - a black one (those are supposed to minimize) but it was a tad bit "figure-hugging".  And while I didn't hate how I looked, and throwing a drapey cardigan over everything also helped, I couldn't ignore my butt.  I mean.  Is it getting really big or what?  There are typically NO badonkadonks around these parts, but as I gazed into the mirror I found myself thinking of Kim Kardashian's pregnant booty.  Google it, as I will not be posting her photos here.  But OMG.  Am I going to look like that in another couple months?

Is my butt looking bigger?

I'm starting to get this theory that pregnant ladies really end up showing their true weight struggles (or lack thereof).  For example, a girlfriend of mine is 10 weeks ahead of me and still super skinny all over except the baby bump.  I always suspected this, but I'm even more certain now that she must just be naturally slender and doesn't have to work too hard at it.  I on the other hand am barely pushing 6 months preg and I'm seeing Kardashian Booty in the mirror.  Yes, I do work hard to maintain my weight when I'm not pregnant.  It has NOT been the simplest task throughout life.  And I think pregnancy is really going to tell all.  *sigh*  This kid better be nice and smart and caring and let me live with them when I'm old and disgusting.

How far along: 23 weeks, today!
What did baby do this week: Baby is the size of a grapefruit.  They are getting into a sleep cycle and sleep 12-14 hours a day.  I’m starting to be able to tell when s/he is asleep vs. awake (since I feel the movements when Little One is awake!)  Baby is continuing to fatten up and grow; senses are maturing (touch, hearing, taste) and fingernails are almost fully formed.
Total weight gain: 21 pounds - seems high to me.  Likely why I'm seeing Kardashian Booty in the mirror...
Symptoms: I noticed some cramping on my lower left side most of 1 day last week.  It almost felt like period cramps which slightly worried me, but also made me think that maybe it’s round ligament pain from the uterus stretching?  Either way, it subsided by the next day and I haven’t felt it since, so maybe no biggie.  My feet (which I complained about when in Hawaii) are continuing to be very sore after doing not a WHOLE lot of standing.  And yes, it’s standing that bothers my feet (heels) more than walking.  I think my posture has changed, or else it’s this TWENTY pound weight gain?  But funny enough, since it’s my heels that hurt - I have no problem continuing to wear high heels to work!  But no other major symptoms.  I've been having some SLIGHT constipation which is never a good time, but it’s not debilitating and things are “getting through”.
Queasy or Sick: No!
Sleep: Still great.  I'm being a big rebel and still sleeping on my back.  I know the pregnancy books say to start trying to sleep on your side by week 20, but Dr. R has never sounded very insistent when I ask her about this (and the 1 time I asked Dr. A, she said 3rd trimester).  Maybe it's kinda like "try not to eat too much deli turkey" cuz there *is* a slight risk, but it's not very common?  I was talking to a girlfriend who has 4, count 'em FOUR children and she said that she never worried too much about back sleeping.  She said her body tended to tell her when she shouldn't sleep on her back anymore - because she was uncomfortable.  And this wasn't usually until the last few weeks.  I'm arguing that a good night's sleep is more important than trying to tilt my pelvis to the side.  No pillows in my bed other than under my head either.  And I DO sometimes sleep on my sides anyway, so maybe I'm not as big a rebel as I like to imagine.

Sleep Rebel!!

Best moment this week:  Feeling so loved by Hubby.  Even on my fattest feeling, "holy crap when did my arms get so big", Day he comes home telling me how cute/beautiful I look.  And it is genuine - I know when he's blowing smoke up there.  There must be little pregnancy fairies flying around who cast spells on hubbies making them think their ballooning wives are actually attractive.  Thank you Pregnancy Fairy.  Thank you.
Hardest part of the week:  In the big scheme of things it's really not that bad at all but I've started getting a little bit of constipation which um, SUCKS.  But isn't the worst thing that could happen.  I've been trying to eat more fiber and drink more water but there's really only so much I can consume before I think I'm gonna turn into a bran muffin.  On tap today?: my pregnancy cereal of choice - Frosted Mini Wheats (I swap out with Raisin Nut Bran) with nonfat organic milk, Trader Joe's Broccoli Slaw and Kale Salad with Chicken, fruit for snacks and I literally might have a couple hard boiled eggs and a whole grain bagel with non-fat cream cheese for dinner.  Plus drinking my 60 ounces (OK truthfully sometimes I only get about 45) of water.  Let's see how I'm feeling tomorrow.  If this still doesn't do it then I give up.
Looking forward to: When Baby can survive outside the womb.  I know this is something of a morbid thought, but I do keep thinking about it.  A baby born at 22 weeks would supposedly not be resuscitated because it was be so severely developmentally disabled.  But just a few shorts weeks later, survival climbs to 80%!  I think even by week 24 (next week!) Baby would have a 50% chance.
Movement: Yessiree Bob.  And I think I felt my first kick/punch in my belly 3-4 days ago.  So far all the movement I’ve been feeling has been very low,  more like in my pelvis (bladder), so the kick in my belly was new!  A reminder that I have an anterior placenta which cushions the blows a bit, so my guess is that my placenta is covering a lot of my belly so that’s why I’m mostly feeling movements low.  But maybe Baby is getting stronger so a solid punch in the belly could be felt?  Or maybe the kicks with the feet (which would be lower) are just stronger than punches with little hands?  :)
Food cravings: Nothing in particular
Happy or moody: Happy!
Labor signs: No
Maternity clothes: Yes.  And I guess I tend to prefer the clothes that hug my belly as opposed to drape over it.  I know the “older school” ladies (my mother) aren’t fans of showing the shape of the belly like this, but I feel like it’s a more flattering appearance than the tent shape.  To each their own.  Side comments from my mom are nothing new.  Bring it!

Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On.  Little bit snug but I still think it's the heat of late summer and not so much swelling from pregnancy.
Stretch marks: Nope.  Just started my 3rd bottle of Clarins Huile Tonic!  Maybe it's helping.
Learnings from the week:  OMG stroller shopping IS HARD!!!  I have to say that the hardest item to add to our registry was the stroller.  It’s like buying a car, but in a world where you don’t know ANYTHING about cars or car brands before starting.  Yah.  I really have no idea what we’re going to need but do know we will need something.  We’ve settled on the Chicco Keyfit 30 carseat (a top pick in my Baby Bargains book AND on Consumer Reports) with the Chicco Keyfit Caddy for running around town.  But this will only get us to about 6-9 months depending on when Baby outgrows the carseat.  So for a main stroller we decided on a convertible and are still deciding between the Baby Jogger City Select and the UppaBaby Vista.  Both have adapters for the Chicco carseat, but the Vista comes with a bassinet we could use when Baby is tiny - for sleeping overnight.  City Select has a bassinet (you have to buy separately) but it’s not recommended for overnight sleeping.  The City Select is cheaper than the Vista, but the Vista comes with a lot of extras the City Select does not.  So *if* you need those items (like the bassinet, rain shield, etc.) then it might not be as big a price difference in the end.  There’s also the Britax B-Ready stroller which works flawlessly with the Britax B-Safe carseat and rates right up there with these other 2 strollers I’m comparing.  Oh man.  Hope you have as much fun as I have been. Here are some great vids comparing these strollers if you start to get as confused as I was, however it's important to note that this is a comparison of the prior UBV.  The 2015 (coming out in just a month or two here) has way more options for seat positions when/if you have a 2nd (or 3rd!) kid:
Lucie's List:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F0R_gYe2O0
Stroller Guru:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcWQ91sPMeY
Final Thoughts: My baby showers are set!  One for family and one for friends, in mid-November.  I’m trying to get them in before the holidays and I think we’re gonna succeed.  So I’ve been finalizing my registry.  Doing LOTS of online research: love Lucie's List and reading reviews of products on Amazon.  I literally read that Baby Bargains book  (I mentioned in week 19) cover to cover.  It looks like a textbook that would belong to a Super Nerd: full of highlighted paragraphs and page tags.  I think I'm about as prepared as I'll ever be (which when you're talking about having your first kid = truly not at all.)