26 Weeks and Getting Big!

It's been a few weeks since I've given a baby and belly update, and I had a few people ask for belly shots, so I figured I could post about baby and put up the most recent belly shot.

I am 26 weeks pregnant tomorrow, and the pregnancy is still going very smoothly. Peanut is still growing (I assume because my belly is growing faster now (what feels like daily) and her kicks and flips are feeling bigger. According to babycenter.com, she is about 13.5 inches long head to heel and 1.5 lbs. She's growing into a legit little baby these days! Ronnie and I absolutely LOVE to watch peanut move around. Her movements are so big these days, I end up with crazy lumps and bumps. I love picturing what she must look like; what body part we must be seeing. Feeling her move has been the most enjoyable blessing of this whole pregnancy. I can't believe the bond I feel with this little nugget without ever seeing her, just by feeling her inside me. Sometimes I sit distracted for minutes on end watching all her movements. Such an incredible process and beautiful miracle!

As for momma, I am still feeling good and still able to be really active (which is priority numero uno for me...second, of course, to peanut growing and developing properly). I am still running 5 mornings a week - about 2.5-3 miles at a time, and then I do another form of cardio for 30-60 minutes in the afternoons, as well as lift 3 days a week. It feels great to be active. It gives me a sense of "normalcy." I feel a little more like myself, and a little less like a bloated, host-body to an alien. As you can see in the photo (below) I am finally getting a legit pregnant belly, and man it is crazy to see myself with a belly! I am having some cramping and discomfort as everything is growing and shifting, but nothing crazy. Peanut is sitting WAY low and seems to like nestling into the WAY outside of my stomach, so I often have a lot of pressure WAY low and WAY forward in my belly, as peanut uses the front of my uterus as a hammock. I'm not complaining though, the best part about it is that many times during the day I have a HUGE lump on one side or the other and can see exactly where she is all curled up, which makes me feel like I am so just closer to her somehow!

Also, I promised I would post my weight gain on the blog...sooo I will hold true to my word (GULP). I am currently up between 12 and 13lbs, depending on what I ate the day before. I must say, seeing the numbers climb isn't the best feeling in the world, but hey, it's all baby, right?!? (Insert smirk and eye roll here). We will see how the climb continues. I'm not sure what is "normal" at this point, but I think I am on track and unless something goes crazy in the next 14 weeks, I will likely land in the recommended 25-35 lb range.

That's about it...enjoy the photo!

Picture taken at 25 weeks (last Tuesday)

My Belly's Shrinking?

We are 18 weeks today! So little peanut is about the length of a bell pepper. We haven’t posted belly shots in a while, so here they are. For some reason my belly actually looks like it’s shrinking in some of the photos, but I’ll just blame the photographer (cough, cough, RONNIE). I swear, it’s getting bigger and my jeans are finally getting pretty uncomfortable…but the rubber band trick is still working – except for the fact I have a major muffin top all the way around because they’re just simply too tight. The muffin top could also have something to do with the 9 pounds I've gained to date (no idea where my weight gain is supposed to be at this point, I'm just trying to hit my goal of keeping it to 10lbs at 20 weeks...we'll see). I think it’s getting to be time for some maternity pants, but I’m cheap, so I’m putting it off!

14 weeks

15 weeks

16 weeks

17 weeks

What do you think? Is it looking bigger to you? When do you think I’ll officially “pop”?

Itty-Bitty Belly

It's been awhile since we've given you a pregnancy update. You've had several baby updates, but I figured I'd posted the promised belly shots and fill you in on me the lady carrying the beautiful little peanut.

I still am feeling pretty good. I am definitely less sleepy than I was in the first 8-10 weeks or so. However, I have experienced a tiny bit of nausea for the last 2 weeks. Nothing major and certainly nothing that can't be handled by eating something. I find that I most frequently get a little queasy when I'm hungry, but occasionally I'll get a bit of an upset stomach after I've just eaten. I haven't been nauseous enough vomit or even come close. So I would say I've been very fortunate and haven't really experience the type of morning sickness that many suffer from.

And while all these hormones haven't caused terrible morning sickness, they have wreaked havoc on my skin. My face is more broken out than it ever has been in my life. It drives me totally nutso, to be totally honest. Not only does it look horrific, but it actually itches most of the day. But as I say to Ronnie, I don't have much of a choice, so I just have to own it. I have just been washing it twice a day and have let it hang out for the world to see (aka don't wear makeup for fear of making it worse). I'm hopeful that I'll get a visit from the "pregnancy glow" fairy sometime at the beginning of my second trimester, but I am bracing myself to look like a hormonal teenager for another 6 months (gulp).

As you'll see from the belly shots, my belly is still pretty small. Definitely small and unnoticeable to someone I've never met. But believe me, it is bigger than it was pre-pregnancy (my jeans show it all too well by my inability to button them)! My belly is about the size it was when I was bloated. So I bloated, deflated, and now I think any belly is from peanut.

As for my weight, I promised to post it - a decision I may eventually regret. I may ask you to never speak of these numbers again and to keep them just between us ;-) I am a 1 day shy of 12 weeks and am up 5 lbs (give or take a pound depending on the day). This puts me a little above some of the recommended 1-3 you read on some sites, but I'm not too worried since some say 3-5 during the first trimester...I just need to hold steady for another 2 weeks! I am hoping the ever growing numbers on the scale get easier to digest once there's a legit baby bump to blame.

That's about it. Check out the belly shots below!

8 weeks

Weight Gain: 4 lbs

9 Weeks

Weight Gain: 4 lbs

10 weeks

Weight Gain: 5 lbs

11 weeks

Weight Gain: 5 lbs