24 Weeks

How far along are you?

24 weeks 1 day

How much weight have you gained?

18 pounds, and no I’m not too happy about that. My doctor told me to slow it down. I gained 3 pounds in one week! Yikes.

How big is baby?

11 inches long and about a pound and a half (like the size of an ear of corn and the weight of a mango!) On a side note: I had to catalog the physical details of a toy doll in the library system the other day, and it was almost exactly the size and weight of Tea. It was an interesting moment for me.

How are you feeling?

Feeling fine mostly. I’ve managed to wean myself down to one pill a day to hold back the nausea. This is improvement!

The bad news? I’ve got a new ache in my pelvis that my doctor told me was because of all the extra weight I’ve put on. The added effort my back gives to keep my ever growing belly in balance makes my hips a bit wobbly and painful. I have to start prenatal yoga and possibly physical therapy if it gets worse. The good news is that she gave me a doctor’s note to see if I can get parking right outside my office instead of doing the 20 minute walk from the parking structure every day. HOORAY! Pray that works out.

My crazy active daughter is mostly just taking all my energy. She is kicking and punching and somersaulting all day long (and is currently doing so as I type this). Brandon felt her kick at least a dozen times after we went to bed the other night—which is so fun. But seriously, what’s going in there?

Are you sleeping?

Like a rock, if a rock gets up to go to the bathroom 3 times a night. Really vivid dreams about work and forgetting meetings. Some really morbid stuff about serial killers, too. What’s that about?

What are your current cravings/aversions?

Cheesecake. Cheesecake. Cheesecake. (Would you believe I didn’t really like it before I got pregnant?) But I’m eating more healthy lately. The staples in my lunch last week were carrots, peaches, bananas, grapes, or yogurt, which makes me feel better about everything. Aren’t you proud? I’m doing my best to eat balanced, even with my cravings for sweets.

What’s new in the nursery?

Just received a gift from my sister’s sister-in-law, Leslie! It’s a summer, button up sleeper with PINK FLAMINGOS and little yellow flowers all over it. I can’t wait to put my daughter in it. And yes, dear family who likes to tease, FLAMINGOS. And I LIKE it.

What are you thinking about this week?

Wall decals for the nursery. We can’t paint, so we need some creative and inexpensive way to add color in the room. We really like this leafy branch decal from Esty.com, but it’s too expensive. We just have to come up with alternatives. Got any creative ideas? I think I’m nesting.

What are you missing?

Don’t laugh. I miss Lean Cuisines. Yes, I know—they don’t taste great. But you just can’t beat the convenience for lunch. They pack in the protein and nutrients at very low calories and sodium. But because of nitrates, I’m not supposed to eat them while pregnant (and some would argue ever). So now we’re stuck making extra meals that have acceptable leftovers (ie. no meat because re-heated meat is YUCK) which takes a lot more time and effort than just picking it out of the freezer. Better taste. Way too much energy.

What are you looking forward to?

Starting some birthing and parenting classes at the hospital. In about 2 weeks, we’ll be learning about how to give Tea a bath, secure a car seat, breastfeed, and various other new parent things. I’m pretty sure a lot of what we’ll learn is intuitive, but I think it will give us a little boost of confidence. We’ll also get a tour of the hospital and see what my options are for labor and delivery. I’m thinking it will all help me feel a less overwhelmed.

Random question: How many times have strangers touched your belly?

Not as much as you’d think. I know a lot of women don’t like people touching their belly, but it doesn’t bother me at all. Doesn’t everyone want to feel a tiny little growing life? I mean, isn’t it so amazing you can’t help but touch? Only two friends have felt Tea kick. Whenever she starts to flip, I want to drop everything and shout, “HEY EVERYONE! Come! Come and feel what my daughter is doing! Isn’t she the most AMAZING thing ever?!” But I guess it’s possible that each little punch is not as momentous as I think.