24 Weeks and Counting

I think a pregnancy update is long overdue, so let's get the stats on this baby already!

This week marks my 24th with this pregnancy. There are definitely a lot of similarities between this pregnancy and my first, but now I am starting to notice the differences. Here are the things that are different between the two:

• I had very little back pain with my first pregnancy. This time, back pain is the norm, not the exception. Some nights I beg for bedtime to get here because I ache around my entire trunk. My belly hurts because it is stretching, so I lean forward to ease the discomfort, which makes my back ache, so I lean back to ease that discomfort, which makes my belly stretch and hurt more. Its a nasty, hurty cycle.
• I couldn't wear my wedding ring past 20 weeks the first time, but at 24 weeks, I'm not only still wearing it, but its not even tight.
• I have only gained just over 14 lbs so far. If I keep this up, I will gain less than 30! I gained 38 with Little Bean.
• I swear I am more tired this time and sleep a lot more. 
• This baby likes to sit on/kick and punch my bladder. Little Bean never did any of that.
• I ate a lot of cookies the first time (as in I would cook and eat a dozen in one night on a regular basis), and this time it is rice crispy treats (as in I make a pan and eat 1/3 of it in a night). Although I think between the two, rice crispy treats is the lesser of two evils.

The things that are the same:

• The itchy, stretchy belly is starting.
• I'm going through Tu.ms like I own the factory. Can anyone say "heartburn"? I would, but just saying the word gives me reflux.
• I've already gotten to the point where I have to make donations to the porcelain god in the middle of the night because of the reflux. I can no longer eat past 6:00 at night and keep my food down after bedtime.
• I'm carrying this baby high.

The first of my baby gear has arrived. The new carseat cover I ordered came on Saturday and absolutely love it.

Courtesy of carseatcanopy.com

Since this is most likely our last baby, and she's a girl, I want to go all out girly. With Little Bean we took the safe gender neutral route, and I always hated it. So this time I get to buy everything purple and frilly.

I picked this as our nursery theme:

I ordered the blanket for this theme so I could pick paint colors, and it came this weekend too. Again, LOVE it!

Getting all of these other baby things got me in the mood to sort through the clothes my sister sent back last year and get them sorted by age. Then I dug out the baby carrier so I could install the new cover.

Since I'm not gaining as much weight with this pregnancy, my pants from my first pregnancy look like clown pants, so Hubs went with me to get a new pair of jeans. While we were at the store, Hubs picked out a bunch of new outfits and a couple of dresses for Little Bean (awwwww!). We even got a couple outfits for the baby. Then Hubs, being the sweetheart that he is, bought everything!

I think the best thing we got for the baby this week was a middle name. Hubs and I have had such a hard time coming up with a name we both agree on, so this was a major feat. I kind of annoyed him into looking with me, and within an hour of his joining the hunt, we finally decided on a middle name.

One thing I wish I was doing as well on with this pregnancy as I did with the first is not drinking any caffeinated soda. I don't drink it often, but I never drank it with my first pregnancy. I suppose if that is the worst thing I do, I'm doing pretty good. At least I'm not getting 2-3 chocolate shakes a week from Chicf,il.a this time! (No wonder I'm not gaining as much weight!)

The baby is still sitting in a transverse position with her back along the top. Little Bean and Hubs got to feel the baby move for the first time the weekend before last. Little Bean loved it at first, but now she seems to be over it. She says she would rather hear the heartbeat, although she rarely passes up a chance to feel the baby move.

I think that's pretty much it. My next OB appointment is next week. Not only will I get my monthly sono, but I'll also get to take the 1-hour glucose test! I don't know about you, but I'm really only excited for the first part of that sentence. Hopefully we get some good pictures, and not the creepy looking ones that look like an alien face.

Until then, that's all I have!