This week has been a mix of moods.
Monday was a bit of a recovery and catchup day. I visited Miles at school for a project he was working on and spent the rest of the day flitting around and working on various things at home.
Tuesday I went in for my anatomy ultrasound. Because I’m over 35 they scheduled a level 2 ultrasound, which was very detailed and interesting! The technician who did my sono explained everything as she did it, which I really appreciated. All baby Aramis’ fingers and toes and pieces and parts seem to be assembled as they should be and looking good! It’s always exciting to see his profile and witness his wriggles. I took the opportunity of being in the city to run some errands to IKEA, Joann, and Ollie’s. I found everything I was looking for (and then some!) at all my stops, which was super satisfying. Some highlight acquisitions included a beautiful Dutch oven at a discount price and fabric from Joann for more exciting sewing projects.
Wednesday I drove back into the city for a follow-up with my OB so we could do the usually prenatal appointment and go over anything from the ultrasound (nothing to report since everything looked good!). It was a quick appointment and Remi and I did our grocery shopping afterwards. Then we had Awana that night, which was campfire night, complete with ‘smores.
After a couple days of running around I took the next two days pretty easy. My mood shifted somewhat and I lost a lot of the motivation I had been feeling. I also think I’m dealing with either a very mild cold or annoying allergies and I think it could be slowing me down a bit. I spent the rainy days accomplishing what my ADHD would allow me to and embracing the slowness of the weather and my body. Friday was particularly nice, baking banana muffins, tidying the house in preparation for a Saturday newborn session, making hearty soup, and catching up on some laundry.
This week I seem open to more food options and experiencing less nausea. I still have phlegm and reflux that is worse at night and that combo can still be pretty nauseating. I also am getting more and more giddy about the idea of a welcoming Aramis to the outside world when the time comes. Every episode of wriggling makes me smile and gets me excited about it.
Fun/Cheesy Update Survey
Baby’s Size | Long as a carrot… or the head of an endive (????) Such helpful comparisons.
Sleep | Not too bad. The congestion I’ve been dealing with has added a bit of discomfort, but nothing terrible. Mostly we really need to get the younger kids to stay in their beds more consistently. It’s become such a habit for all of us and it’s hard to break.
Clothes | I bought some more fabric from Joann, some of it is for another attempt at a nursing cover poncho (this one is more lightweight, stretchy, and drape-y than the previous attempt). I also bought some linen like fabric with the hope that I can make some lightweight summer pants that fit over my belly. I’ve never made pants, so I’m a little nervous about getting it right.
Otherwise I can totally see myself wearing my black, stretchy biker shorts and jumpers all summer. If you see me in them, inseam riding up constantly and thighs hanging out, just know that I have intentionally accepted these unfortunate side effects of choosing to be comfortable.
Cravings | I finally have some! Well, really I just am happier about eating foods and have found some common themes that I’m wholly embracing. I just discovered you can buy frosted shredded mini wheats little bites! They are amazing and I have at least one bowl a day. I also have shifted my late night snack to Noosa vanilla yogurt with chocolate chips (this is actually a reappearance of an older habit I once had). When I was out of them the other day I literally cried. Pregnancy. Anyway, I also have been enjoying no bake cookies, continued Starbucks runs (perk to having two days in a row that I was out running errands and just couldn’t say no, of course), and pretzel slims with cream cheese.
Another fun one is sushi! I’ve actually never been a huge fan of sushi, I think it’s the seaweed part. The problem with craving sushi is that it’s generally frowned upon to have when pregnant (the raw fish kind, anyway) plus, I also have a shellfish allergy. I broke down and had some imitation crab rolls several weeks ago and I survived. They were delicious. But otherwise I haven’t been able to satisfy this craving. Well, during grocery day this week, I was glancing at the sushi endcap at Sam’s Club with longing, as I often do, and among all the many raw options (that also warned of shellfish contaminants, including the imitation crab), I found cucumber avocado rolls! They proclaimed no such allergy warning and had no raw fish to deal with. I bought the pack and immediately consumed almost half of them. The rest I rationed over the new few days. They were very much enjoyed.
Food Aversions | Fewer than before. Some strongly flavored foods just leave that weird after taste still so I avoid them sometimes. And, of course, when I’m craving something, all other things are far too inferior to consider.
Symptoms | Swelling. I can see it in my face/eyes and feel it in my hands and feet. It’s something I dealt with a lot during Miles’ pregnancy, so I’m not a stranger to it, but it’s annoying. I’ve had some hip pain the last couple days. I’ve been a lot more tired and out of breath the last few days, but I’m hoping it’s because my immune system is dealing with my cold/allergies and that it will improve as I do. I find myself having to sit and take breaks between chores more often.
Doctor’s Appointment | I mostly covered this above, but things are looking good! My next appointment is supposed to be the one when I take my glucose test and I’m trying to decide if I should do that, or opt to do the finger prick 4 times a day for a week+ to get out of it. If anyone has any insight, I’m open to hearing it! I just don’t like the idea of dumping that much sugar into me all at once. Things like that are more likely to trigger my heart palpitations, which makes me really apprehensive.
Weight | I finally found out at my appointments. *gulp*. The grand total has risen to 204 lbs. According to my OB’s charts, That’s only 25 lbs overall or something like that. But I began measuring before they did so by my records that’s more like 35, which just seems like so much. But my Dr. still isn’t’ concerned, she says it’s slightly more than average but nothing I need to worry about. She said I could keep a food diary (I keep trying and forgetting) but really she’s not worried.
Looking back at previous pregnancies, I’ve always gained a lot of weight when I’m pregnant. I think the most I’ve gained total during a pregnancy was 65 lbs with Miles. But usually more of the weight gain is later in the pregnancy. I also don’t usually break over the 200 lb mark until the end of the 3rd trimester. It makes me feel at the mercy of my hormones, which I suppose I am.
Movement | This has been so lovely. The kids have been touching my belly and feeling/listening for kicks a lot more this week which has been so cute! Finn likes to put his head on my belly and tell me he hears him kicking. I can feel him from the outside now quite a bit, but they’re still tiny thumps.
Gender | We have been using Aramis’ name a lot more this week. At first both Remi and Finn were very displeased with the name. Finn thought his name should be Luke but had accepted it by the next day (he thinks it’s cool now). Remi on the other hand is still in protest. She insists that she wants to call him “Dophiny.” Hopefully she’ll accept it soon enough. She also doesn’t want to compromise with the nickname “Ames” although she is slightly accepting of the alternative “Ari.”
Best moment of the week | Tuesday and Friday were the best days. Tuesday because I got to see Aramis on the sono again and because my errands were so fun and successful. Friday because I was a cozy, domestic day when I got to feel like I could relax but also being productive.
I also started digging into resources in preparation for finally working on replacing our flooring. I came across a very thorough and encouraging YouTube video that made me actually cry with hope. The person who made the video prayed for me (his viewers) at the end and I bawled my eyes out, because it was exactly the prayer I needed.
What I miss | My youth.
What I’m looking forward to | House projects. Especially after watching that YouTube video. I actually feel like we can do it now. We’re working on picking a weekend to get started and really push to make it happen. I also have some plans to freshen up the front exterior of the house just a bit. Plus some smaller interior projects. I pray I can get them all done in time without too much hassle!
Curious? Here are my updates from my first two pregnancies for this week…
Miles: Baby Bump | 21 Weeks
Finn: Baby Bump Day | 21 Weeks
Remi: Belly Day // Twenty-One Weeks