~22 Weeks~

Hey! This is me at 22 weeks and I have to say that it's been one of the most exciting weeks so far. According to http://www.babycenter.com/, my lil' bug is about 11 inches long, the length of a spaghetti squash! And I can certainly tell the difference. This is the first week that pretty much everyone could tell that I actually have my baby bump and I feel so much more activity in my tummy than in previous weeks! Let me tell you, this girl is so active, and I love it. She's especially active in the mornings, all kicking and squirming. It makes me laugh. I love knowing that she's telling me hello in the morning.

The website also said that the baby is pretty much a miniature newborn, with its lips, eyelids and eyebrows becoming more distinct. Her eyes have also formed, but her irises are not quite pigmented. She even has tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Furthermore, she's got wrinkles and fine hairs (which I found out is called "lanugo") all over her body (and if she's anything like mommy and daddy, she's got a lot of it!), and her pancreas is developing. This is all so amazing and I am enjoying every minute of it! As with last week, I'm going to do a pregnancy survey!

1. How far along? As of today (as you can plainly see on my lillypie tracker above), my lil' bug has been in my tummy for exactly 22 weeks! I can't believe I'm 5 1/2 months!

2. Total weight gain: When I weighed in at the doctor last week, I was 2 pounds heavier than my previous appointment. I really need to get a scale. I know we own one, but I can't remember if it's been unpacked.

3. Maternity clothes? My uniform tops are starting to get snug. I might have to break down and wear the pregnancy tops with the bottoms I already sport. My mom brought me a few cute shirts, all of which are the cute baby doll types. Those are my faves as of late.

4. Stretch marks? They are pretty faint and line mostly my hips. I don't have any on my tummy.

5. Sleep: Usually on weekends, I take naps intermittently throughout the day. I sleep pretty good most nights, but 8 times of of 10, she'll have me up at exactly 0400 in the morning. Then I can't get back to bed and have to roll out of it when my alarm goes off at 0615 (this is during the weekday).

6. Best moment this week: Having my mom here to give me tummy and back massages. She was so excited to feel the baby kick around in there. It was just nice to have someone else (and someone close to me) to share this experience with for a while.

7. Movement? OMG...this is the first week that I'm feeling more than just that "fluttering" feeling. I feel actual movements...a soft thumping which I think is her kicking. She's so active. She's just like her daddy. Well, maybe like her mommy. Daddy is never that active in the mornings :)

8. Food cravings? This particular week, I've been craving the sweets. I'm talking chocolate cakes, chocolate cupcakes, Krispy Kreme donuts. Yum! Canteloupe, papaya and oranges and crepes (the nutella/banana filled kinds). Jalapenos...which I've come to love just from living in El Paso. Jalapenos are everywhere. But I enjoy them doubly so now.

9. Showing? Definitely showing. Early last week, someone asked if I'd popped out overnight because my tummy was actually jutting out from my uniform top. I thought that was funny. But I thought you'd want to see for yourself. Since I refuse to take a picture where I actually show my belly naked, I thought I'd post these because you can really see how much I'm showing in my ACUs (since they're tight and snug).

Side View

Front View

10. Gender Prediction: No change, still a girl.Labor Signs? Umm no. Thank God.

11. Mood Temperament: I'm still crying a lot. Like when my parents visited, they brought their dog Misty with them. Misty gets soooo excited when we get home that she starts pawing really fast and wildly at us sometimes. Well, I was so tired one evening when we returned from dinner (and I was sad that I hadn't heard from Malu in a while and thought about it on the ride home) that Misty's pawing and scratching at me made me cry really hard, where I normally just shake her off. Or I'll just start tearing up at the most random things.

12. Milestones: Just feeling an actual kick for the first time!

13. Weekly Wisdom: Prenatal vitamins make me nauseous when I take them during the day. If you're like that too, do what I do now--take them at night with a glass of milk before you hit the sack and you won't feel it! At least I don't feel it.

And that's it! The baby shower is this weekend and I'm rushing to finish making decorations. I also have to tell you guys about the baby name and the fact that we're changing it. I'll keep you posted!