22 Weeks & Current Discomforts

Holy CRAP this is going by fast!! I still remember so vividly the late days of June where I just KNEW something was up, and then finding out over 4th of July weekend that I had a Bean Sprout.

Now it's almost Halloween.

With the second half of pregnancy come some discomforts that can truly suck sometimes. I've read about the spine changing its curvature, which pinches a nerve that runs all the way down the spine and legs.

Well, fuck. This side effect sucks.

I've actually been experiencing this since the early days of pregnancy, but it's super intense nowadays. And it sucks. Did I mention that?

I can no longer lay on my back, no matter how comfortable it is. It's fine while I'm laying down, but when I try to move afterwards is what fucking gets me. I get an excruciating, stabbing pain in my left hip and the only solution is to lay still on my side until I can move again without wanting to die. Once it took 2 whole nights of avoiding my back completely before my hip felt normal again. Sometimes, it'll even make my leg weak to the point that standing on it by itself (like when putting on pants) is difficult.

This additionally sucks ass because I am a lifelong stomach sleeper, and sleeping on my sides is the least comfortable position for me. With stomach and back both effectively eliminated as sleeping possibilities, you can imagine how fun it is to try to become and remain comfortable the entire night. I've been putting a pillow between my legs, which I don't know why, but it helps. Also, on occasions when Nick isn't in the bed with me, sometimes if I stretch a leg way out in front of me while on my side, I feel more comfortable. So when he leaves in the mornings, I definitely take over his side with a couple limbs. haha.

So essentially, comically exaggerated positions provide the best comfort. Thanks Gavin.

When you add in still having to get up to pee in the night, plus Ollie being an annoying prick and having to play with EVERYTHING in the room at 3am, I don't really ever get uninterrupted sleep. (Kicking the cats out of the room doesn't help for long, they have a way of gripping under the door with their claws and pulling it so the door is being rattled and jarred in its frame. It's fucking annoying. It even wakes Nick up, the soundest sleeper in the Western Hemisphere.)

I don't mean to sound like a Complainy McWhinypants, cause I know some women have it way worse. Let me tell you, I have heard some damn horror stories about what can happen to a woman's body while pregnant. My God. Also, don't get me wrong because I really do love being pregnant. It's such an interesting and challenging experience, and I can see myself missing it. I know for sure I'll miss his kicks. I swear, it's the coolest feeling to sense all his nudges and movements. I can tell he's getting so big by how the movements have changed over the last few weeks.

I'll wrap up this super long ramble-fest now. Today is 22 weeks exactly and tomorrow is my next appointment at the OB. I'll get my belly measured and get to hear his little heartbeat again. Hooray!

Bean Sprout is a......

BOY!!!

A couple weeks ago my mom, my husband and myself all went to my appointment to finally find out what my little nugget is packing.

It was so amazing having them both there to see the baby finally, all moving around and growing. He was definitely an active little bee, and the sonogram tech sometimes had trouble getting a proper image of some of the things she needed to measure. The Sprout seems to be developing a track record of being uncooperative. :P

I think no one was in shock probably more than Nick, who claimed for WEEKS the Sprout was undoubtedly a girl. He was all but sure that there's no way it's a boy, it has to be a GIRL. Sorry Nicky, not this one!

Since learning the gender, things have progressed a lot in getting ready for his arrival. Mom and I went and made his 2 registries at Babies R Us and Target. There's so much great stuff out there, I hope we get most of it since we made sure not to really scan frivolous stuff; just necessities and of course a few cute clothes items! With all the love we've been receiving since learning we were expecting, I'm sure we will not be disappointed with the gifts Gavin will end up getting. :)

We also got a huge start on his nursery! The room is painted, and the crib and changing table are assembled. It looks BEAUTIFUL so far, I can't wait to see it come together with all the decorations and his things after the baby shower. I'll post pics of it when I'm not lazy. Maybe soon. I dunno.

I figured I was being super lazy, especially since we found out the gender almost two weeks ago but whatev. Gavin won't mind.

Halfway!!!

Today marks 20 weeks of growing my little nugget!

What a fantastic milestone. :)

Approximately 20 more weeks until the Sprout is here!

ahsdkhaskh!!!!!!!!

TWO DAYS.

TWO DAYS UNTIL WE KNOW THE GENDER.

TWO.

FRIDAY.

OMG!!

A Little Bit o'Shopping

Bean Sprout finally has shim's first pieces of furniture!!

Nick and I went and looked at a few cribs today, and while that wasn't particularly helpful, I got over the desire that made me feel like I had to touch and see one up close in order to buy it.

I'm excited to get them here and put together, and get this empty room looking like a nursery. Another step towards it being real!

Anyway, here's the pieces I got:

Graco Freeport Convertible Crib in Espresso

Graco Freeport Changing Table in Espresso

Now, I think the color is much more dark cherry-ish than espresso, but I like it. I think it'll look great once I start getting everything with the room together.

Also, less than one week until we know what gender this little nugget is!!! I'm hoping shim isn't shy and shows us all the goods!

If not, my face will look like this:

Minor Scare.

Last week we had our first little "scare" with the baby.

From first entering my 17th week, I had been feeling some minor pains in my abdomen - essentially, my uterus. I've pretty much learned to tell the difference between uterus pains and stomach/digestive pains. These pains didn't bother me too badly; I'd read that this stage in pregnancy will bring them as the baby is supposed to double in weight in one of many growth spurts.

It wasn't until tuesday night when Nick and I were in Target. I started getting BAD pains. I didn't feel like I could walk or stand at some points. I tried to use the restroom, just in case, with no relief. We went home and I laid down and eventually felt better. We even went to have dinner with Nick's aunt, uncle and cousins and I was fine all night.

I woke up on wednesday not feeling much better. I contemplated visiting a local doctor all day (we had been staying in Maryland since monday). Eventually, we decided to just start the drive back to Norfolk. I was miserable. Originally I was driving, but we switched about an hour in because I just couldn't drive and deal with the pain anymore. I slowly started feeling better, but by the time we got home I was feeling it even worse. At one point, after using the restroom, I just crawled forward off the toilet and laid on the goddamn floor for like 15 minutes cause I couldn't take it anymore. I was defeated. Not the proudest moment of my life. And now I'm telling the internet about it. That's right. I LAID ON MY BATHROOM FLOOR IN SEETHING PAIN. Eventually Nick came and found me and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I pitifully nodded yes so we got me dressed and made our way to Portsmouth NMC.

In the ER, we thankfully didn't wait an eternity. I gave them a urine sample, and the doctor gave me a pelvic exam and an ultrasound. The exam was uncomfortable, but everything looked fine. I'm so happy we got an ultrasound though, even through all my misery that day. I couldn't see the screen from where I was laying, but Nick finally got to see our baby for the first time. :) Well, other than the prints I've brought home from my past two ultrasounds.

In the end, the doctors felt comfortable sending me home and the baby looked fine. Which was my concern from the start. I wanted the pain to stop, but I wanted even more to know the Sprout was still ok. With all the pain I had been feeling, I hadn't felt as many kicks as normal, so that added slightly to my worry. Also, while everything else did look fine, the doctor said my left ovary felt a little firm, so I just need to follow up and make sure that's nothing major.

So there it is. My first pregnancy hospital trip. Certainly painful, but I'm grateful it wasn't too much in the end. Bean Sprout is ok and I'm ok so I can't complain.

I'm also very grateful I have a wonderful husband who sat with me the whole time, even if it meant not getting to relax at home on his last night of leave from work. He made sure I was comfortable in bed and felt better the next day. I love him :3

Oh hay, in a side note:

I am immensely amused by my bellybutton right now. haha. Its isn't popping out, but I can tell my stomach is stretching because my bellybutton is like, wider. Like instead of being a small little crevice, it's like, pulled open and is just... bigger. lol. I took my piercing out cause I was sick and fucking tired of people being like OMG YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT OUT OMG. (Cause I'm so horrible for keeping it in, right? My poor child) But ever since I took out the jewelry, I noticed my naval's all huge. And it's hilarious. haha. It's going to be an outie soon!