eighteen weeks | baby five

written August 25th
 
how far along:  18 weeks + 5 days (compare to 18 weeks with Ryann, Elsie and Thea)

size of baby:  A sweet potato. 

weight gain: Uhhhh........ +12 pounds.  I don't even know anymore.  I'm struggling to make good food choices.  But I don't really feel like I'm eating in complete excess either.  I don't know what to think.  Next week I'm going to try sticking to the Beachbody container system (allowing extra containers for pregnancy) and see if I can get my eating back on track.  This pregnancy is a short season in my life, and I have no intention of doing pregnancy again, so I'm trying not to dwell too much.  BUT, I also don't want to end up on delivery day with 40+ pounds gained.  Some women do and their body needs that and that is fine.  There is no way my body needs 40 pounds to safely carry this baby.  

maternity clothes:  Yes.  Regular shirts are quickly feeling too short and I'm not going to even try to squeeze into regular pants.  I need to find some different solutions for workout and lounge wear.  I don't remember hating my workout pants, but they have been folding over and it is driving me nuts.

symptoms: As the belly grows I'm starting to notice some issues bending to do things and getting up and down off the floor.  And I am still getting headaches here and there, I get tired, and have a bit of heartburn or reflux or something.  Overall though, I'm feeling pretty dang good right now.  I feel like we need to do ALL THE THINGS.  Cleaning the things, organize the things, cook the things, have fun, go out to eat, do it ALL like yesterday.  Before this burst of energy disappears and I go back to wanting to be a hermit.  Which means by like 8pm I'm so ready for bed.

exercise:  Thanks to the weight gain and sudden burst of energy, I'm trying to jump back into doing videos in the morning.  Being able to go on a walk after Ryann heads off to school is also helping.  I've done a Beachbody video  every day since Saturday.  I'm sore, but enjoying it.  And I'm just going to take a moment to say I think purchasing the Beachbody on demand, if you like working out at home, is a GREAT investment.  I wasn't thrilled with the gym options when we moved here, but missed the motivation of group classes and being surrounded by people.  I still have to mentally motivate myself to keep going, but there are so many different kinds of workouts to try, many topping at out 35 minutes, that you don't get bored.  I like the 21 Day Fix, Core de Force, Shift Shop, Cize, and some others that I can't remember.  The first two being my favorites.  I'm not a coach, nobody is giving me anything for promoting Beachbody, I just think you should consider it.  :)

cravings/aversions:  I just want all the food.

movement:  I'm pretty sure I started feeling movement last Wednesday (August 16th at 17w3d).  It isn't consistent at all, and barely noticable, but now I definitely know it is movement.  So exciting, this might start feeling real soon!

sleep:  Not too much to complain about in this department.

gender:  Girl

looking forward to:  Movement getting stronger and starting to work on moving all the girls around and redecorating a bit.  Moving everyone around is also stressing me out but whatever.  It's fine.

worries:  I'm still struggling a bit to connect to this pregnancy.  I've got the other three girls to keep me busy so that isn't much of a surprise, but I feel like I've got a wall up that I just can't break through.  It doesn't matter that we've talked about names or that I've started dreaming up how to freshen up the nursery.  I just can't make the connection.  Hopefully soon.

best moment this week:  Feeling movement is pretty great.  Also every time I tuck Thea in for nap or bedtime she smiles up at me and says "I gonna have a baby sister.  I gonna hug her and kiss her and hold her."  It is so flipping cute.  Hopefully she doesn't change her tune once baby is here, or you know, smother her or something.

And tossing in this photo I snapped of the belly at 17 weeks.  My size is highly dependent on what I've had to eat that day.  On this particular night it was Chipolte (a salad, but still).  No surprise I looked much further along than 17 weeks in my opinion!