twenty weeks

written October 4th

Half baked.  OHMYGAWD.

Also I had to comment on the name suggestions.  It was funny that a few of you suggested Kyle.  We actually joked about that at the gender reveal party (for the record we wouldn't use the name, I don't like it on a girl and our good friend's name is Kyle).  Ryann was born on Christopher's cousin, Kyle's birthday (March 29th).  Chris has a cousin named Ryan.  This little girl is due the 21st of February, and Chris's cousin, Melissa, has a birthday on the 18th.  We figured she might as well be born that day and we should name her Kyle so that we could just steal stuff from everyone.  :o)

how far along:  20 weeks (compare to 20 weeks with Ryann)

size of baby:  according to the bump a banana, about 6.5 inches long and weighing 10.2 ounces.  I have no idea what she is doing in there right now, lets just go with growing.

weight gain:  5.4 pounds.  Gained almost a pound and a half this week.  Oy, the weight gain is hard to take.  I know it isn't much in the grand scheme of things, but I'm terrified I'm going to end up gaining like 40 pounds.  I'm trying really hard to reign in my love of sweets, but it is TOUGH.

maternity clothes:  A combination of maternity and regular.  Pretty sure it will be like that for a while.  I need to find some leggings I love.

symptoms:  Headaches, but they are starting to be less and less intense as the weeks go on.  I can't remember the last time it really took it out of me.  After my long runs I feel super pregnant, like huge and uncomfortable and stuff.  The only other thing driving me nuts is freaking charlie horses.  I've been woken up by a painful cramp in one of my calves three times this last month.  I stocked up on bananas and am drinking as much water as I can force myself to.

exercise: 5 days of formal exercise, 2 days with some amount of leisurely walking.  So the good news is I moved my body every day.  The bad news is my right leg is giving me hell during my runs (mostly just on the treadmill).  The half is so close, but still feels so far away.  I'm going to be devastated if I can't do it.  This week I got in a 2.25 mile walk, a 2.5 mile walk, a 4.5 mile walk/jog, a 5.35 mile run, a 10.45 mile run and one strength workout.

cravings/aversions:  Food.  FOOD FOOD FOOD.  I feel like I'm hungry all the freaking time.  I want soup and bread and comfort food and sweets.  I'm especially fond of Bluebell frozen strawberry fruit bars.  So good.  Don't even bother with other brands.  They aren't any good, trust me, I've tried them.  No aversions to anything but olives that I know of right now.

movement: Feeling a bit more each day.  It is interesting though, I remember Ryann being the most active at night, especially when I was laying down.  This little girl likes to kick the most when I'm sitting, mainly in the car.  I can't wait for the kicks to get a little stronger and more regular so Ryann can feel them, she always asks to.

sleep:  Someone really needs to start dragging my butt to bed before 10pm.  I stay up for no good reason and then something wakes me up early and I'm tired.  Fail on my part.  I'm not too uncomfortable while sleeping yet which is good.

gender: Sugar and spice and hopefully extra super nice...

looking forward to:  The holidays.

worries: I've seen the little 'sparkles' a few times that I started seeing around 26 or so weeks with Ryann.  Chris checked my blood pressure once and it was 130ish over something I believe, nothing to write home about, but you know...  I'm paranoid my body isn't going to fare well towards the end of the pregnancy, but hoping I'm worrying for nothing.

what's different this time:  I think I was a little more comfortably pregnant at this point with Ryann, and I think I felt more attached to the pregnancy or the baby or something.  I thought once we knew boy or girl I'd start to be able to imagine our life with two kids, but it just isn't the case.  In fact, I finally had a dream about the baby (during which I slept through labor and woke up just in time to push, and was pissed they wouldn't give me an epidural), but wouldn't you know it came out a boy.  Seriously?  Oy. 

milestones:  Half baked!

best moment this week:  Spending some time with my bestie (including almost two hours of running!) and getting some cute itty bitty girl clothes.

And because we all love comparisons (we do, right?), here is 4, 10 & 20 weeks side by side.  Maybe someday I'll be that skinny again...