23 Weeks!

Trudged through another week! Nothing too exciting to report. I'm still feeling good except for some serious bouts of heartburn, especially when I spend long stretches crouched or hunched over working on our apartment. Though I still feel good physically, I'm starting to feel gross in my constantly revolving 5 maternity tops and one pair of jeans. Hopefully we will get some summer weather soon and I can live in some breezy dresses and flip flops. That is really all I want out of clothes right now...loose and don't hurt my feet! All my shoes are starting to hurt my feet.. not sure if its the 20 extra pounds or the fact that my feet are widening as the ligaments loosen. I may end up one of those girls who wears flip flops even in the rain...I almost cried my converse hurt my feet so bad today!

The belly. I'm getting asked all the time when I'm due and if we are having a boy or a girl. I guess its good to know that I look confidently pregnant and not just questionably chubby. Its kind of fun to be asked, but sometimes I feel like a bit of a freakshow with the extra attention. Almost like I'm advertising something very personal all the time. I love having the belly though - its something I've dreamed of for as long as I can remember. I'm totally one of those annoying people who is constantly touching their belly and when I'm in the apartment my shirt is always pulled up... mostly because it rides up anyway and I get tired of pulling it down, but also because I love the belly. I haven't been able to see baby move in there yet, but I can feel him all the time. Its funny - when I've been crouching for a long time he starts to get all antsy, like he is telling me to give him (or HER) some room! At least once a day I can feel a good hard kick on the outside of my belly, but the timing has always been off for anyone else to feel it.

My pregnancy email tells me this kid is now OVER 11 inches long... that is almost ruler length! And a smidge over a pound in weight. Getting big! Since babe can for sure hear us loud and clear now I've been trying to talk to it, but I never have anything to say. ha! I really want to get some headphones to play music for it, but I haven't made the trek to pick some up yet. We were eating with my parents this weekend and started talking more about some of the tiny babes I'd taken care of in the NICU and it still BLOWS my mind that those babies and families were where we are in terms of 'readiness' for the baby and reality of the pregnancy. I still feel like its not real half the time. If this babe came now I'd be in complete shock. So sad for all involved. Keep cookin' baby! We want you good and chubby!