21 Weeks and You are Mr. Plumpy Pants

Today was my/our monthly check up with the doctor, and frankly I’m a little irritated at you right now. For the first 18 weeks of pregnancy I managed to only gain 5 pounds. I was practically withering away. Then, three weeks later, I get on the scale and my total weight gain is 17 pounds. TWELVE POUNDS IN THREE WEEKS. That’s FOUR POUNDS PER WEEK. The doctor was confused as to the rapid weight gain, and so he weighed me three times, each with the same number attached. Then he took my blood pressure twice to make sure I wasn’t dying from the increased weight load, but if anything it was a little on the low side. So I’m healthy as a horse, and you are healthy as a horse, but one of us is filling out a little too quickly and I very much need it not to be me.  

He reviewed with me your stats from the last ultrasound, and said your brain and spine and bones and organs all look great. I got to listen to your heartbeat again, which is very strong, and I informed the doctor that you are kicking me almost constantly these days.  I’m not sure who to credit for your A+ development, but I’d like to think I have a little something to do with it. Your dad was always a little nervous about me being the sole person in charge of your survival, but so far we seem to be working out a good system. I go about life surviving, and you seem to go about your own live surviving right along with me. Together we are like a pair of gestational survivalists.

Today is Valentine’s Day. This will be the last one we ever have without you here. Technically you are my Valentine this year, even though your dad is the one getting a card. If it helps, I gave you three mini-brownies today as your treat (which may be a piece of the overall weight gain puzzle…but I can’t help it. You like sugary things and it’s a special occasion).

This weekend we’re taking you to Syracuse to do some house hunting for Aunt Shay and Uncle Mike. They are moving there in about 10 weeks for Uncle Mike’s school program, which makes us pretty excited because Syracuse is only about five hours away. We told them we’d scope out the places they’re looking at online and let them know what we think. I hope that now that I’m an almost-Mom, I’ll know what kinds of things to look for that are child safe and friendly for your cousins. Like hopefully if I see a hypodermic needle and a homeless guy sleeping in one of the rental houses I’ll know that’s a bad sign, whereas a nicely manicured neighborhood with lots of well- groomed children running about is probably a good sign. We’re also planning on hitting up Cooperstown on the way back to Boston to check out the Baseball Hall of Fame. Your dad is excited to take you there, even though I reminded him that you can’t open your eyes yet, and even if you could, it’s not like there’s a window on my uterus for you to look out of. He doesn’t seem phased by this though, and hopes nonetheless that you’ll enjoy the experience.

This week I also took the time to create a baby registry. I swear, if we end up with even a third of the stuff I put on there I will be overwhelmed. But I tried to just stick with the things everyone said I absolutely must have, so I guess we’ll have to just wait and see what happens. Either way, you are one expensive little person for someone who has yet to pay taxes or contribute to society in any meaningful way.

Until next time, be safe and have fun. And let’s both try to watch what we eat from here on out, okay?

5 Months! Half Way There!

Confession: This picture was actually taken at 21 weeks (not 20). But you get the gist. 

We're half-way there! And I am definitely feeling pregnant at this point. Sleeping has gotten a little more uncomfortable, clothes just don't fit right, and it's a little harder to do things like put on my socks in the morning. My hips hurt quite a bit these days too, which I read is an indicator that my pelvis is gearing up to expel you in a few short months.

As far as other pregnancy symptoms at 21 weeks goes, there isn't too much to report. You still continue to be remarkably good to your mother. I have quite an appetite these days, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between my regular big appetite and my pregnancy appetite. I could eat bean burritos all day long, every day, with extra beans and extra hot sauce. I can tell you are your father's son though because the only discernible craving I have is spicy foods. Grammy told me that when she was pregnant with your dad she craved spicy things too. The other day I asked your dad to make me the hottest salsa he could. So we went to the store and picked up four habenero peppers, several jalapenos  and other spices to try and appease my spicy palate...but to no avail. 

This morning you were nice enough to kick your dad's hand a couple of times. Thank you for doing that, as he's been waiting patiently(ish). We also got all your blood work back, and the results were great. Everything looks as normal as it possibly could, so the doctors have assured us that there's nothing to worry about with you (aside from the general things we're supposed to worry about, like your general health and well-being, your grades, your friends, the music you listen to, you getting your heart broken, you learning to drive, etc). We were never that worried to begin with, but it did feel nice to get some confirmation once and for all.

This weekend we are snowed in. The 5th biggest blizzard to hit New England hit us last night. We got the day off from work--well, I did anyway. Your dad still went into lab for a little while. Anyway, we spent most of the day yesterday watching movies, looking for post-docs job opportunities, and eating everything in sight.

We still don't know where exactly you'll be born this summer. We thought we would hear from the INL in January, but it's almost mid-February and we haven't heard a thing. There's a possibility that your dad won't get funded next year for grad school, so we are more motivated than ever to try and find alternate solutions. It's a little stressful not to know where we'll be or what we'll be doing when you arrive, but we take some backwards comfort in knowing that no matter what...you'll still be arriving, rain or shine. Everything else will work itself out.