Weeks 19 + 20

Whew! Half way to meeting this babe! This pregnancy is going by super fast in so many ways, and in other ways I feel as though I've been pregnant for a long time. Zach and I took a trip to Wyoming to visit family, and it was so so fun and refreshing. We relaxed, ate good food, enjoyed quality time with family, floated the river (a first for me!), hung out at the lake, and got to celebrate as Zach's youngest sister Alli got engaged! Yay!

I've seen this q&a type pregnancy update on other blogs, and thought I'd follow along! 

How far along? 19 and 20 weeks (baby size: mango/small cantaloupe)

Maternity clothes? Still using the belly band with regular shorts/pants but definitely think it's time for maternity jeans. (I actually just ordered some during an awesome sale at Gap and I think I'll be stalking the mailman all week in anticipation for them to arrive.)Wearing maternity tops almost exclusively. Maxi dresses are still great too!

Sleep? Wayyyyy better thanks to getting a wonderful pregnancy pillow. This thing looks kind of wacky, takes up half our tiny bed, and I'd still say it's worth it. Even Zach said he's sleeping better because I'm not moving around so much at night. An all around win!

Best moment this week? Visiting our wonderful family in Wyoming. (And flying there instead of driving!!)

Miss anything? Especially on vacation, I would have loved to have more than one cup of coffee. Definitely not a big deal, but kind of missed being able to partake in the constantly full coffee pot at the Simmons'. :)

Movement? Yes! I can feel baby move, and then will notice one side of my stomach is much firmer. So funny to picture our little one swimming around in there! I still haven't felt a kick from the outside, and I can't wait for that! I really want Zach to be able to feel it too. 

Food cravings? Loving green apples

Anything making you queasy/sick? I planned on making turkey meatballs one day this week, and the thought of actually cooking them made me feel so sick. We ordered Chinese food instead. ha!

Gender: I'm guessing girl and Zach is guessing boy! I've wavered back and forth, and Zach has stuck with boy the entire time. We find out next week!!!

Belly button in or out? Still in ... but barely. 

Wedding rings on or off? on

Looking forward to: Finding out if this baby is a baby boy or girl!

Another highlight of my week? Getting to see pictures of my husband as a baby/little boy. Isn't he precious?! I'll be totally ok if this baby has daddy's dimples, curly hair, and long eyelashes. :)

The first trimester .... and part of the second

Here's a bit of a recap of the first and part of the second trimester with this babe. It is completely fascinating to learn about the growth of baby each week, how he or she is developing (from a little tadpole tail to developed legs and feet, vital organs form and are beginning to function, baby can make facial expressions like squinting and frowning!)I just can't get over it. It certainly makes me worship the Creator of all things. 

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." 

Psalm 139:13-14

Overall, I've had things pretty easy in this pregnancy. Compared to so many women, it's been a piece of cake. I am super thankful for this! I had light nausea everyday in the first trimester, but didn't throw up once. (Praise the Lord!! I have such an irrational fear of throwing up.) I was extremely tired, but was working split shift days nannying, so I was able to come home and sneak in a nap nearly everyday. The main symptom I noticed was food aversions. I usually love to cook, and love to eat vegetables and meat. Once I was pregnant, all of that changed. We were trying to eat pretty clean paleo pre-pregnancy, and that whole thing died once we were expecting. The things that sounded good to eat: peanut butter toast, popsicles, fruit, and more popsicles. Anything cold, fruity, and a little sour was awesome. I've still been LOVING lemonade! I also never liked yogurt before (and we weren't eating any dairy because we were sticking pretty close to paleo), but now I eat a chobani greek yogurt everyday. Everyday! I look forward to it. I just finished my yogurt as I typed this, in fact. :)

I think Zach has been loving the changes in our "new" diet - the poor guy missed bread. I made a simple breakfast one morning of toast with cheese and an egg on top, and he was super impressed and commented multiple times how much he loved it. Ha! 

And as promised, here is a collection of iPhone pictures of my growing belly week by week. It's sort of hilarious now to look at pictures and remember how I thought I was "showing" then. I'm sure when I'm at 40 weeks I'll look at pictures of myself now (at 18 weeks) and laugh at how big I thought I looked. I'm bracing myself for what's to come!

Five weeks

Baby size: apple seed

Six Weeks

Baby size: small pea

Seven Weeks

Baby size: blueberry

Eight Weeks

Baby size: raspberry

Nine Weeks

Baby size: green olive

Ten Weeks

Baby size: prune

Eleven Weeks

Baby size: lime

Twelve weeks

Baby size: plum

Thirteen weeks 

Baby size: peach 

Fourteen weeks

Baby size: lemon

At 14 weeks, I also felt a little flutter of movement for the first time!! I was walking up the stairs with a basket of laundry, and stopped in my tracks when I felt it. So fun! I felt it more consistently at 15 weeks, and it's increased from there.

 

Fifteen weeks

Baby size: navel orange 

Sixteen weeks

Baby size: avocado 

Seventeen weeks
Baby size: onion

Eighteen weeks
Baby size: sweet potato 

 We just can't wait to meet this baby. Our love for this little one continues to grow by the day, and we can't wait to find out if we have a little boy or girl joining our family. (Still 3 more weeks until that ultrasound!) We're pretty positive we have a name chosen either way. Oh, I'm just so curious to know who's in there! 

Either way, we'll be thrilled. 

We love you so much baby! 
XO, mama