Monday, July 31, 2017

We're at the halfway point!

20 weeks...we're halfway there. Actually, I'm 20.5 weeks today so we are OVER half way there!!

I'm starting to get a much more noticeable bump as we move along...


I'm in maternity shirts but still in regular shorts, mostly because I am avoiding buying maternity shorts. Their fits are always so weird on me. I figure I'll spend the bulk of the pregnancy in the winter months so I'll need more pants than shorts anyway.

I am feeling pretty good at this point in the pregnancy. Nausea and food aversions are all gone and I'm back to working out very regularly. Even the varicose vein that I posted about previously isn't giving me much trouble at all. No pregnancy cravings to report -- my diet has returned to my usual following the first trimester. Except for the growing belly, I feel pretty normal.

The last couple of weeks have been incredibly hot here in middle TN, so I've been spending my days at the pool with my crew. School starts next week so we are soaking up all the summer we have left.

Our big anatomy scan is in 3 days! I'm so excited for P and Z to able to attend and to see their little guy wriggling all around. He is a mover and shaker for sure!

I'll be back soon to report on the ultrasound. I'm heading out to take advantage of the sunshine and the slightly less humid day!

Talk soon, friends!

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Any new symptoms?

"Any new symptoms?"

My OB asks me this question at every check up. I usually respond with the usual symptoms that come with a progressing pregnancy - no big deal. Except this past appointment (while still no big deal) I had to share a brand-new-not-my-usual-experience symptom.

This. This right here...


Do you see those large varicose veins?! I know they are normal in pregnancy, BUT I have not ever had them, ever. I have spider veins that show up in each pregnancy and they fade shortly after the birth. But varicose veins are new to me! This one (or two) popped up the second day of our trip to SC a few weeks ago and I can only assume it was due to all the walking - over 20k steps a day! - we do while on vacation. They are perhaps in my genetics as my grandmother's legs are covered in them.

There are no health concerns and they don't give me much trouble save that it's not so pretty to look at of course. It does come with some mild discomfort (a little tender/achy and itchy) at the end of the day if I've been on my feet a bit. Elevating my leg clears that up, so I guess it's a nice excuse to "take a load off" at the end of the day.

My OB tells me that it's unlikely to go away during the pregnancy and will likely become worse as my uterus grows and blood flow continues to increase. The good news is that most pregnancy induced varicose veins usually go away within the first year after delivery. In the meantime, I'll be sure to take time off my feet, continue exercise for good blood flow, and hope that I don't get anymore!

We will have the big anatomy scan in a few weeks. P and Z are planning to attend - should be a good appointment!

No updated bump pic as I was too tired - or lazy - to put on "real" clothes, ha! I will make the effort next week as little boy is definitely growing in there!!

Friday, July 7, 2017

Back from the beach and growing

We are back from a week at the beach and I'm happy to report that both adults and all 3 children remain sunburn free, hooray! (No easy feat under that South Carolina sun!) It was a pretty uneventful trip save for the rainstorms we had to drive through while traveling to and from the island. And it rained (pop up storms) almost everyday we were there, but we were still able to enjoy the beach, take a dolphin cruise that ended with a fireworks show, and take an early morning kayak trip followed by a fantastic breakfast of fresh fruit crepes. That's what I look forward to every year. ;) And of course taste the ice cream at nearly every ice cream store. I have the growing belly to prove it...

baby or sundaes??
Bump pic above was taken right after we got home - about 16.5 weeks. I'm slowly moving into some maternity tops but I'm not quite in maternity pants yet. It still looks like a bit of bloat rather than a baby, I think.

hardly noticeable from the front
My little belly companion is getting a lot more active this last week; there's no question between baby movement and digestion any longer - another milestone moment in the  journey.

I'm not holding my breath for any real big return of energy (if you remember my previous posts lamenting all the fatigue!), but I'm managing better. I'm pretty much wiped by 4p most days. I definitely need to take care of any errands or domestic duties early in the day...like baking the cherry cobbler earlier for Friday night dessert, which will likely leave me with an even bigger bump but I have to feed the baby, right?!

Thanks for catching up with me, friends. Enjoy your weekend. Check back next week for an update following my OB appointment in a few days.