26 weeks

How far along?  Well...actually I'm 27 weeks today, so I'm a little late posting my 26 week update, mainly because I took the 26 week picture above at the last minute and ended up hating it cause I look about 46 weeks pregnant in it.  But then I didn't have a chance to post another pic so I had to suck my pride up.  I think I'm going to be one of those unfortunate women who just has a big belly.  It doesn't help that I've got a big butt to "balance" it out ;) 

Size of the baby? A head of lettuce, or about 14 inches 

Maternity Clothes? Both maternity and non-maternity - my answer hasn't changed since last week :) I do have to say that maternity clothes, at this stage in my pregnancy, are probably cut more flattering than non-maternity clothes are, hence the photo above.  

Stretch marks? Nope

Weight?  No idea

Sleep?  It's good still, for the most part.  I wake up quite a bit at night to either go to the bathroom, or to turn myself over.  It's starting to get a little more cumbersome to move from my left to right side.  But I'm still comfortable.

Best Moment of the Week?  My IL family getting to see my belly for the first time!    

Movement?  She's a big mover.  They're definitely starting to get stronger, and I won't lie, sometimes they're a little weird to experience!  I've lately started putting my hand on my belly and can feel her body move underneath me.  It just makes me shake my head!  I still don't think I've experienced hiccups, but I do think that she startled the other night at a loud noise cause I felt her move right after a door slammed.  Could've been a coincidence, but they say it can happen.

Symptoms? Thankfully all the swelling I was having last week went away - although by the end of the day I do notice a tiny bit of puffiness on my feet.  I've also felt more tired by the end of the day, but that could also been from playing "catch up" from my busy week last week. My hips have been getting a little more sore lately as well. 

Cravings?  Vanilla ice cream with salted caramel sauce on top!

Gender?  Baby GIRL!  

What do I miss? Moving around easily, sleeping on my belly, walking for a long time easily (or doing anything slightly strenuous for a long period of time without my belly aching or hips hurting) 

What I'm looking forward to? 3rd trimester and decorating her nursery!  I have my glucose test tomorrow and while I think it will go okay, I'm a little nervous to fail the first time since I've known so many people to do so.  Cross your fingers & say a prayer!

25 Weeks

I look pretty wiped out in this picture - it was after a long day! And I feel like my belly is just getting ridiculously big!

How far along?  25 weeks, 6 days

Size of the baby? A cauliflower

Maternity Clothes? Still doing both - non-maternity and maternity.  Mainly I'm wearing the maternity leggings from Target with the Liz Lange tanks, and I have a couple pairs of maternity shorts that I wear.  But I'm still doing the Belly Band, although it's getting too warm to wear long pants comfortably. I'd like to find a few more pieces to wear but I'm not having any luck finding cute stuff.  

Stretch marks? Nope

Weight?  No idea

Sleep?  Still pretty good.  Just within the last week I've started to feel the constant need to go to the bathroom (which hopefully means she's flipped and isn't breech anymore??) and that makes sleeping annoying.  But overall I can't complain.

Best Moment of the Week?  Seeing lots of old friends and family this week for the first time since I've been pregnant!  It's just fun being pregnant and seeing how excited people get for your belly and a new baby.  

Movement?  She's definitely been moving, although I am starting to get to the point where I don't notice it as much.  Also, since last Thursday I've been pretty busy - driving to Minneapolis for a best friend's wedding, then driving to IL for my sister's HS graduation - so I really haven't noticed it a ton.  Sometimes I wonder if she's not in a different spot in my belly that makes it harder to feel on the surface cause the last few nights I haven't felt a ton of big kicks, but when I put my hands on my belly I can feel her moving in there.  It's still my most favorite thing, and the one thing about pregnancy that I will miss SO much.  I'm actually tearing up now thinking about it not happening anymore!

Symptoms? I think I'm getting closer to the 3rd trimester discomfort.  Again, it could be the fact that over the course of 3 days I spent about 13 hours driving, not to mention being in a wedding and all that comes with it, made an 8 hour road trip to IL and had a graduation ceremony and party afterwards, but my ankles and hands are swollen and I've been SO worn out.  The swelling has by far been my least favorite.  There's something about pressing a finger on your ankles and seeing the imprint stay there that just makes me shudder.  So I've been drinking water like crazy.  It's getting a little better, though.  I also bought a cheap ring today cause this morning I couldn't hardly even  move my wedding band cause my finger was so swollen.  However, it also got better and I got it off easily later in the day, but I'm not taking any more chances!  

Cravings?  Nothing too much this week, although I did have a hankering for a Rachel sandwich (a Reuben with turkey) earlier this week.

Gender?  Baby GIRL!  

What do I miss?  My non-pregnancy body (although I LOVE my belly), working out hard, being able to buy non-pregnancy clothes, sashimi...and of course, booze of any kind :)  I would love a cold mojito these days!  However, as I'm nearing what I consider the home stretch of pregnancy, I just feel SO incredibly blessed and thankful to be going through this.  Except for the first trimester drama, this pregnancy has been a breeze and I can't complain about anything.  

What I'm looking forward to? Hmm....getting to the 3rd trimester!  The last few weeks here have CRAWLED by, and it's exciting to think I only have 2 weeks left of the 2nd tri.  This next week I have my glucose test, which I'll admit, I'm a little nervous for.  I'm sure it will be fine, but still, I hate "tests" of any kind.  

24 Weeks

Yeah.  I have another sunglasses/raccoon eyes burn/tan.  I spent a little too much time in the sun yesterday, oopsie

How far along?  24 weeks, 6 days

Size of the baby? A cantaloupe (I think I've decided I hate these fruit analogies  - thinking of my baby being the size of a cantaloupe is just confusing)

Maternity Clothes? I think I'm giving up on the Belly Band + non-maternity jeans.  Now that it's warm outside, I just don't have a desire to get up in the mornings and squeeze into a pair of jeans.  So I'm wearing the Target maternity leggings and dresses, for now.  I bought a new pair of maternity shorts this weekend and I just feel like my legs look short and stumpy in them.  I think it's cause they're all longer than my typical 3" inseam that I prefer.  

Stretch marks? Nope

Weight?  Don't know, won't know

Sleep?  It's been good lately.  I bought a body pillow at Target this weekend and I loved sleeping with it last night.  Apparently Brad did too cause at one point I woke up and he I were both had our heads on it :)  

Best Moment of the Week?  Making it to viability!  I've been waiting for this!  I know this doesn't mean anything as far as, if something were to happen we would automatically be fine - in fact it's far from it - but just knowing that, IF something did happen, this baby could survive outside of the womb is a little reassuring.  

Movement?  Funny, the end of this last week I just did not feel a ton of movement and even though I could push and poke on my belly and she would move, it would still kinda worry me.  Pretty much this last Thursday-Saturday she was quiet for the most part, but today she's back in full force.  I'm feeling the movements a lot higher up on my belly now, which is neat.  Today I had my first "OW" moment where she was moving or kicked and it must've hit close to a nerve cause it made me jump.  

Symptoms? I get stiff quickly when I sit for a long time.  I also don't think I'm swelling at all, and my fingers don't LOOK any bigger, but my wedding ring is getting tough to take off.  I almost think I'm to the "buy something cheap" point just cause I don't want it to get stuck on there.  

Cravings?  Saltine crackers.  I have been eating those by the sleeve-full this week!  Can't get enough of them.

Gender?  Baby GIRL!  

What do I miss?  Same old, same old - drinks (especially after having a bachelorette/shower weekend with my girlfriends!), sushi with tuna or salmon, wearing regular clothes

What I'm looking forward to? Not much this week!  Just looking forward to getting through some big events coming up (my little sister's high school graduation and a best girlfriend's wedding this weekend, plus a week-long trip to IL) and then being back home and having June, July and August completely clear to start getting ready for our peanut!

23 weeks

How far along?  23 weeks, 6 days

Size of the baby? A grapefruit, or 10.5"-11.8"

Maternity Clothes? Same 'ol, same 'ol.  I've not even been wearing my 1 pair of maternity jeans cause I decided I don't like them.  As of this last week I've been trying to pull do more dresses and leggings cause I'm just tired of un-buttoned jeans.  Although that's what I'm wearing today.  God bless the Belly Band!

Stretch marks? Nope

Weight?  Don't know, and probably won't know for until delivery, unless I need to.  My doctor said she's "very happy" with my weight, and I think I'm in the "pound a week" category, so as far as dr's expectations go, I'm doing well.  

Sleep?  Some days it's good, some days it's terrible.  Lots of tossing and turning and waking up on my back.

Best Moment of the Week?  Last night, I laid in bed and watched my entire belly move as this little girl had her a dance party in there!  It was nuts to see so much movement.

Movement?  Yep.  I'm beginning to ease into the days that I don't feel a lot of movement - she really does have some days that she moves a ton, and usually a couple days after that she's a little more quiet.  I think she wipes herself out :)  My new favorite thing is when I can actually feel her move across my belly from the outside.  I have only felt it a couple times, but it's just so neat.  

Symptoms? Sciatic pain - TERRIBLE.  Hate it.  Random bouts of nauseousness.  Little bit of tiredness.  Otherwise, feeling really good.  

Cravings?  Sweet drinks - anything sweet.  Lemonade, tea, juice, coke, ROOT BEER (WalMart had a 4pk of Barq's for $1, I almost died of happiness)

Gender?  Baby GIRL!  

What do I miss?  Having a drink.  That's a constant :)

What I'm looking forward to? Starting to get her nursery together!  I got the room and closet cleaned out this weekend, and I'm starting to envision what colors and prints and furniture I want to put in there....SO exciting!