Week 25

Ahh the changing/growing pregnant body.  I am seriously getting a big belly.  Not like this is surprising or anything, but it's for sure happening.  And while it can be hard to watch it all happen in the mirror, at least I know that it's normal.  My belly is now sticking out farther than my boobs.  When I park my car and there isn't a ton of space between me and the car next to me, I essentially give the side of the car a good cleaning with my belly as I make my way out.  Oh and can we talk about how I should basically wear a smock everywhere I go?  I drop food on myself like a giant fat dude.  I couldn't even drink my [decaf] Starbucks without getting dirty the other day - big fat drop of coffee (escaped somewhere near the straw) right in the middle of my belly.  UGH.  By the way, Maternity Spanx Are Awesome.  I bought this one just before our trip to Hawaii and was a little worried I'd be hot in it.  But I wasn't and really - it felt SO NICE under my thin dresses that it just made me so happy.  The belly panel is very thin - almost like pantyhose material.  But I think that allows it to breathe and also grow over time.  Everything else is very supportive.  I love knowing that my bootie isn't jiggling all over the place when I'm wearing thin summer dresses and carrying around 23 (!) extra pounds.  Makes me feel a little more pulled together.

How far along: 25 weeks, 1 day
What did baby do this week: Baby is the size of a cauliflower at around 13.6 inches from head to heel.  Baby fat is continuing to fill in Baby's wrinkled skin and his/her skin is becoming less translucent and more opaque.  Primitive memory is also beginning to develop, implying that music and voices will be leaving an impression on Baby's brain.  I've been reading that my uterus is the size of a soccer ball which seems SO HUGE at this stage of pregnancy.  I believe it was about the size of a pear before I got pregnant.  So when I'm 37 weeks pregnant how big will my uterus be?  The size of a piece of carry-on luggage?!
Total weight gain: 23.2 pounds
Symptoms: Still with the constipation.  A week+ of more water and the fiber powder supplement and things seem only MARGINALLY better.  Like I said in past weeks, I can still "go".  But it's just unpleasant.  A girlfriend who had the same issue with her [now 4 month old] daughter said that she had the exact same problem, but it did go away before Baby was born.  OMG I hope?!  I've complained before that my hair (which is usually rather fine and thin) is supposed to be much fuller during pregnancy, and yet I'm not noticing this.  However I don't think I've noticed as much hair on the shower floor in the last couple months.  So maybe I am holding onto more hair?  But it's not super noticeable.
Queasy or Sick: Nope!
Sleep: Continues to be great.  No trouble falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night.  Funny enough, I've been noticing that I don't need as much sleep lately.  Like I haven't been super tired at night and am repeatedly going to bed after midnight - usually 1am!  Then getting up around 8am.  My best friend (who has a 23 month old) thinks I'm nuts and is ALWAYS telling me to go to bed - I think because she can't get enough sleep ever.  I should really try to take advantage of this time I can sleep, but there are so many things I feel like I need to get done in the evenings!
Best moment this week:  We had dinner with Hubby's friends this past weekend.  They have a 2 year old and aren't planning on having any more kids.  And they gave us a ton of hand-me-down things!  A handful of the items are even on my registry list (and like-new!)  I would highly recommend you let it be widely known to your friends/family that you are willing to take hand-me-downs.  Most baby items are barely used before baby grows out of them (can we say the word "bassinet"?) and it's just so much money to buy all these things.  Hand-me-downs for babies are AWESOME.  Well, they are as long as you don't get a pack 'n play that smells like sour milk like my friend did...
Hardest part of the week: Nothing really bad, except I have noticed this occasionally cramp or pain in my pelvis that seems to only show up when I'm lying in bed about to go to sleep and then I either cough or laugh.  It's like a spasm or cramp and I find that to make it go away, I have to turn over onto my side and get a little more in the fetal position.  Weird!

Looking forward to: My baby shower(s)!  Both a family and friend one coming up in mid November!  My registries are just about completely finalized - just in time since invitations for the family one go out next week!
Movement: Movements are getting bigger.  I’ve noticed that once in a while, when I’m resting my arm against my belly, maybe while watching TV, or working on the computer, I’ll sometimes see my arm almost jump cuz a little kick is bumping it!  Wow!
Food cravings: Um well, craving carbs and sugar since I've been holding back a little more than I'd normally.
Happy or moody:  Again - very even keel I think.
Labor signs: No.  They say I might start feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions around this time, but I don't think I've felt any.  Unless the cramp I talked about above is a BH contraction, but I don't think so since it seems to be triggered by a laugh or cough...
Maternity clothes: Always.
Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Stretch marks: No
Learnings from the week: I talked a lot in the first half of my pregnancy about how STRONG my nails were and how they would not break and grew so fast and I was always having to trim them.  OK well that has totally changed in the last month.  I was trying to figure out why and I think it MIGHT actually be my prenatal vitamin!  For the past year+ I've been taking Stuart Prenatal Vitamins, but I noticed they were getting harder and harder to find.  Then I couldn't find them anymore but was able to find these Stuart One which replaced their original ones.  I started taking those around 1-1.5 months ago...  You'd think they're better right?  But my fingernails are telling me no.  Now they are breaking, chipping and peeling quite frequently.  What gives?!  Not a big problem, but something I've definitely noticed.  (aaaaand now I'm having a hard time finding the Stuart One vitamins so I'm just gonna switch to Nature Made.  GAH!!)
Final Thoughts: Glucose test is tomorrow morning.  OMG wish me luck!  I've been trying to keep the carbs and sugar to a minimum this week, though of course the goal is not to "trick" the test.  The test is to ensure you and Baby are healthy if you DO have elevated blood sugar levels.  But it's not like I'm totally fasting and only eating protein and vegetables.  I definitely can't lie about that small piece of pie I ate a couple nights ago... so yah.  Nothing extreme.  If anything I'm hoping that by limiting my carbs and sugars, it might only keep me in a "passing" range if I happen to fall around the borderline.  More on that next week!