18 Weeks

I feel like I look HUGE in this picture. My tummy sticks out and there is really no line drawn where my boobs, ribs and belly end. In reality I think the bra and shirt I had on made me look like a huge blob. I still have some curves left, somewhere



How far along:

18 weeks 2 days. ( I sort of dropped the ball on my 17 week post. I asked my husband to help me with the photo 4 times, then we got busy and I never got back around to nagging him about it. I need a full length mirror to do it on my own)



How are you feeling:

I feel generally good in the middle part of the afternoon. At night I have back aches and leg cramps which are no fun at all. I recently had to start sleeping with a pillow between my legs to get any rest at all. In the morning, I wake up completely stuffed up. I'm not sure if it's an allergy thing or a pregnancy thing but either way, My nose feels like it might burn itself off. I've had a few headaches in the last few weeks but that could have been my small appetite and not enough water. Overall, I can't complain. I love being pregnant aching back and all.


Stretchmarks:

Yep. And I'm okay with that. They aren't red or purple which is why I think I'm okay. I know in the future weeks they will probably start turning different colors with how fast this belly is growing.


Weight gain/loss:

I prepared myself after Hawaii for a 10 lb gain. I didn't eat terribly unhealthy, but I ate whatever I wanted which normally is not the case for me. I stepped on the scale shortly after 16 weeks and found that I had lost 2 lbs. 3 days later I lost another 1 lb. As of this morning, I'm back at a 5lb gain. Watching my pant size go up, as well as the scale, was really hard at first. I struggle in the weight department and worked very hard to loose the 25 lbs pre-pregnancy.In the last week I've accepted that my weight will go up to accommodate my healthy baby. And in the end? I'll get that weight back off plus some, and tote around a cute baby in my arms as a prize.


Movement:

This still boggles my mind. Some days I know FOR SURE it's baby. It's so strong! Then I'll go 2 or 3 days with no movement and start back tracking my thoughts. I just want a huge jab right in the belly to say HI MOM!


Gender:

We'll find out in August!




What I'm loving:

I've been on the phone back and fourth with the insurance company trying to get coverage, tis been fun ( not!) At the end of the day I know we can afford to have this baby insurance or not, it would just be nice to have a little help. Accepting that I can't control what happens has been a good thing for me. I'm also loving that I've accepted my body and all the changes it's making. This weekend we're headed to look at our top contenders for a car seat and stroller. I don't think we'll actually purchase just yet, as we have a space issue, but it'll be nice to make the decision on the model we want. More big news; We got our wedding photos back 2 days ago and they turned out gorgeous!