21 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a banana!

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

How far along? 21 weeks 3 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: The ankles are a little worse, in spite of: cutting back on salt, drinking lots of water, walking every day, and wearing compression stockings. My belly button will soon become an outtie within the next couple of weeks, i suspect. When i laugh or sigh it pops out a little, which is funny to watch. I feel Ryan dancing around more now. He especially likes it when i sing along while watching Glee, and i remembered a lot of the words to "Ice, Ice Baby"!! Oh and apparently those pains i've been feeling off and on for quite a while? Those are Braxton-Hicks contractions. At least i won't be freaked out that i'm in pre-term labor since i know what they feel like.

I Wish I'd Known...: That i don't *really* get to eat whatever i want while i'm pregnant. I feel robbed! I'm "dieting" more now by eating veggies and healthy things than i ever did before. I can't fathom what i'd look like if i had a milkshake every time i wanted one, which is VERY often. It's not fair!

Best moment this week: Getting a pair of super-comfy shorts to go walking in. Soooo much better.

Worst moment this week: Attempting to try on my old walking shorts...that no longer fit over my ass.

Movement: Feeling Ryan's dancing while i sang was so cute! His movements are still very random and faint, but at least i can feel him sometimes now. I told Jake that toward the end when my stomach is really stretched and Ryan is really big that he'll be able to see little alien hands/feet poking my belly. He doesn't believe me though.
Food cravings: I'm still craving Casey's Home Cooking....i have to eat there at least once a week but could totally eat there more often. They must put crack in their food...

What I miss: Not worrying about my salt and sugar intake. I never realized how much sodium is in pretty much everything!

What I am looking forward to: My very FIRST Mother's Day! Does it stiIl count if he's in my belly?? Carla's home! She gets to see my belly for the first time! Also, Iron Man 2. I loooved the first one and i hope the second is just as good.

In Other News:

   I have my 22 week checkup on Monday and then they will schedule me for the Gestational Diabetes test. I have a blood glucose monitor from work and my levels have been great so far. I'm also keeping track of my blood pressure at work. It's still normal but is creeping up a little. I don't know if this is because my blood volume is finally leveling out or if this could turn into a bad trend. We'll see what they say about it on Monday.
   Saturday is Lucas' First Birthday party! But most importantly...i get to eat CAKE! I'm soooo excited about that.
   Ryan really likes Gummy Bears. Jake picked some up at the grocery store yesterday and Ryan went nuts when i ate a couple! It was right after we were rocking out to M.C. Hammer on Glee, though, so that may have had something to do with it.
   I think i'm going to start wearing diapers. Having to go pee every single hour (especially at work when i have to walk across the store and up 2 flights of stairs) is getting really old really fast.
  The weekly fruit pictures will be a little different now. Apparently the bump decided that after 21 weeks you only need a monthly update, but for my journaling purposes i want to continue the weekly post. Therefore i will be using pictures from a different site. While still veggies and fruits, the choices are a little more unconventional. I have no idea what half those things are, but luckily i work in a grocery store so i can see what the heck it's talking about. Look out for a scavenger hunt on the veggie aisle next week!