{16 week bumpdate}

Sixteen weeks.  I feel, concurrently, like I have been pregnant forever and that I don't have nearly enough time until this baby gets here.   It is an odd feeling, but I am trying to just enjoy this second trimester, as I have heard that the third trimester of your second pregnancy is more brutal than ever. 

Rants {the crappy stuff}:

I feel huge, I have heartburn a lot, my back aches constantly, and sleeping is difficult.  Going through the same sleep issues I had last pregnancy, in that I like sleeping on my back, but am not supposed to while pregnant...so I wake up on my back various times a night and feel guilty and flip to my side.  It is a vicious, un-restful cycle.  Plus, despite being in my second tri and having more energy, I still feel completely exhausted at the end of the day, like I need about twenty hours of sleep to catch up.  I frequently wonder how I am even surviving the day.  Accomplishing all that I want to accomplish during the Christmas season, especially with the kitchen still a construction zone, is very, very difficult while pregnant and raising a toddler.  It will probably take me all week to decorate our tree, which we just cut down yesterday.

Raves {the happy stuff}: 

I just love it when Cormac insists on lifting up my shirt so he can kiss my bare belly after I ask, "Where is your baby brother or sister?"  It is the sweetest thing.
Heard the heartbeat again, and all else checked out well at my sixteen week appt.  No reprimands about my weight gain, thankfully.
Loving that people aren't afraid to ask about my bump anymore!!!

sweater and lace cami - target // leggings - f21 // nothing maternity...just one size up!

Weight gain: 11 pounds.  Surprisingly, I weighed the same at this point in my last pregnancy...which makes me feel slightly better about myself.  Pass the ice cream, please.

Nausea:  Still the occasional bout of dry heaving...but so, so, so much better!  

Skin: Still fine!  No crazy bad breakouts, itching, etc.  No real glow yet...however one of my friends told me I no longer look "green."  :)

Boobs:  I sometimes walk around in public with my bra unclasped.  Thankfully that bra is so dang tight it doesn't move an inch.  Finally understand the whole "18 hour bra" thing.  Need to go up another size.  That is all I will say about all that.  

Cravings:  Just loving all sweet things now!  Never was a die-hard dessert girl until this pregnancy.  Last night I ate the largest piece of cheesecake ever.

Aversions:  Nothing - can eat just about anything now, praise the Lord!  Although smells really get to me.  I have walked out of several restaurants solely based on how they smell.   I also have doused my husband {and surrounding areas} with Febreze on various occasions.

Exercise: Still doing pilates/yoga mix class once a week, and upped my gym visits to five days a week.  The weather has not been great for running outside with the baby/dog, but is essential for me to get out and do something, considering the chaos in the house due to the kitchen renovation...oh, and considering how much food I am eating.
Dreams: Had my first baby dream!  I dreamt I went to the hospital, which looked suspiciously like a nail salon, to have the baby, but then I blacked out and couldn't remember the labor or delivery.  I arrived back at the nail salon the next day, all spacy asking if I had had my baby and where was it?  The nurse/manicurist pointed to one of the pedicure chairs, in which sat a beautiful baby with huge blue eyes, just staring at me expectantly.  I knew it was my child, but wasn't sure if it was a boy or a girl.  So I walked over and unwrapped the blanket it was swaddled in, revealing...a girl!  

Clothing:  I have started to wear some of my maternity jeans...but they are still too loose and hang off my butt.  It's not cute.  So lately it has been a lot of leggings because I don't want to squeeze into my regular jeans anymore.  Shirts need to be either maternity or one size larger than normal.  Or extra long and stretchy.

Heartbeat: 140. Hmmm...much lower than last month.  

Baby movement: Nothing distinct.  I would be concerned except we heard a strong heartbeat this week as well as what the midwife said were "movements" (weird, quick swish sounds now and again) on the Doppler wand thing.  She thinks my placenta might be on the front of my uterus (???) which would make it harder for me to feel much movement.

Gender speculation: Oh gosh...now I think boy.  My motherly intuition is completely messed up.  I guess I have no intuition on this baby.  He/she will be a total surprise, even though all the old wives' tales seem to point to 'girl.'  So will we find out the gender at our ultrasound next month?  Initially I really wanted it to be a surprise at the birth...then I totally changed my mind.  Now Hubby wants to wait until the birth to find out.  AH!  I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO?!?!?

Baby names: Both boy and girl names chosen a while ago - with the middle names now decided on.  We will do the same middle name whether a boy or a girl.  

Hubby feels: Went from excited to finding out the gender, to wanting to keep it a surprise.  Getting a ton done on the kitchen (it's nearly all operable!) so he is feeling less stressed about getting all the planned pre-baby renovations accomplished.

Bump progress:

                 
                    Yup...I just posted a bikini baby bump shot.

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