Wednesday, August 31, 2011

18 weeks, 4 days!

Today I am 18 weeks and 4 days pregnant!  I still feel great physically.  I love seeing my belly getting bigger as the weeks go on.  I feel little baby move each day, throughout the day and I love it!  In fact, today I had a doctor's appointment.  I always say a little prayer before the doctor comes in, "Please God, let me hear a strong heartbeat."  Today I said that prayer and as soon as I did, I felt a little kick!  I told little baby thank you for that and I totally relaxed.  I love this baby more than I could have ever imagined  and I just want it to grow strong and healthy inside of me and to be born strong and healthy in January.  I'm learning to trust my body more and more as the weeks go on.  My body has failed me so many times before, I just can't believe it actually helped make a baby!  Each time I hear the baby's heartbeat, I am so shocked and so thankful.  Each time I see our baby on the ultrasound, I'm so surprised my body is growing an actual baby!  Now to feel it kick is just so amazing.  Pretty soon we will find out if our baby is a boy or a girl.  I cannot wait for that day.

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 18 weeks, 4 days
Size of baby: 5 1/2 inches long crown to rump, 7 oz, about the size of a bell pepper.
Weight gain: Ummm...the nurse said I've gained 15 pounds!  For real???? 
Maternity Clothes: Yes! I definitely have to wear maternity pants and I have been wearing maternity shirts, but I can also wear some non-maternity shirts, too.
Gender: Don't know yet. I'm guessing boy, though.
Movement: YES! The movements are more constant.  Yesterday I put my hand on my stomach and I could feel a kick through my stomach.  That's the first time I felt something on the outside! 
Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.
Symptoms: Chris also says I have started snoring loudly at night...ha!
Cravings: FOOD period! I am loving food these days!
What I miss: Not a thing!
Best moment this week:  Hearing the heartbeat today!  We also ordered the nursery furniture thanks to Cliff and Edie!!!  It's on backorder until November, so I won't get to see it for a while :(
What I am looking forward to: Finding out if it's a boy or girl!
How's that scar looking?  I have to add this because I've noticed my scar on my stomach has been changing. Before I got pregnant, some parts of it were flat, but for the most part, it was raised up.  Now it's all totally flat.  It's going to be interesting to see how it looks by the end.  I'm guessing it ain't gonna be pretty.  I'm not stressing over it, though.  Honestly, I couldn't care less about it.  I would never wear a bikini anyway, Chris doesn't care about it, and it will be yet another reminder of how lucky I am.  At some point I will take a picture of the front of my stomach...yikes!