Boy or girl?! {Bumpdate: 24 weeks.}
How far along: 24 weeks. Baby is the size of a cantaloupe [11.8 inches and 1.3 pounds].
Due date: November 7th (my uncle's birthday)!
Size: We went in for our anatomy scan today, and according to the ultrasound tech, he’s measuring a wee bit small right now, at about the 40th percentile. He still has some growing to do, so doctor isn’t worried.
Weight gain: At 7 pounds so far—finally creepin' up there.
Name: We have three very different options that we both love, but we most likely won't make a decision until he arrives.
Sickness: No more sickness, thank goodness. Only fatigue and lots of midday naps.
Cravings: Chocolate cravings are coming back full force, and weirdly enough, I'm constantly craving a glass of ice cold milk. (Preferably swirled in cold brew.) Fruit smoothies sound appealing, too. Probably because it's so darn hot.
Aversions: Some veggies that I usually can't get enough of don't sound too great right now, especially Brussels sprouts and asparagus—which is weird because I normally love these in the summertime.
Symptoms: I'm definitely not sleeping as well these days, even with my pregnancy pillow. But other than that, there's really nothing bothering me. Occasionally, I'll experience some round ligament pain.
Physical changes: My baby bump is massive! But I'm really loving watching it grow. I haven't had any swelling or stretch marks yet, but I'm curious to see how the next 16 weeks play out.
Most excited about: Feeling Baby Blasik kick more and more. Scott was able to feel his movement in my belly for the first time a couple weeks ago, and I'm looking forward to actually SEEing it as time passes. How incredible is that?
Also, adding the final touches to the nursery (post to come soon)!
Dreading: My glucose tolerance test in a couple weeks. Pray for me, y'all.
Exercise: I try to workout at least every other day, if not every day. For me, this looks like walking 30-45 minutes on the treadmill (at 8.0 incline) or knocking out one of Diary of a Fit Mommy's pregnancy workouts. If for some reason exercise is not gonna happen one day, I make sure to at least stretch and alternate between standing and sitting as much as I can. (Intense workouts are not my thing—and never have been—but I'm always trying to incorporate more movement into my day.)
Birth plan: Get ready for another unpopular opinion... From all of the birth stories I've read (and I've read a lot), it seems to me that those who go into delivery with an in-depth birth plan most often come out of the experience feeling sad, guilty, and even resentful that things "did not go according to plan." However, the mothers I've talked to who did not have much of a birth plan going in have expressed complete satisfaction and joy from their experiences. This is not to say that having some sort of a plan isn't beneficial for many women, but speaking as someone who internalizes failure to a fault, I would prefer to not set myself up for disappointment.
The bottom line: I have no idea what labor is going to feel like, and I'm definitely not the type to swear off an epidural or medical assistance just because it's more "natural." (If you are the type, more power to you!) As much as I'd like to have an intervention-less birth, I'll be okay if something unexpected arises and certain precautions are necessary to keep both me and Baby B safe. At the end of the day, all I care about is having a happy, healthy baby in my arms.
Girl or boy: Scott and I have known the sex since 17 weeks, but we FINALLY shared the news with friends and family at our 4th of July baby shower. You can't tell by the color of the fireworks (don't waste your money on 'gender reveal' fireworks, people!), but Baby Blasik is a... BOY! Everyone guessed it right from the beginning, but we don't mind—we're absolutely delighted to have a son!