24 Weeks: 6 Months

This has been a busy week. I've been in Michigan, Utah and back to Idaho during this time. I've put away a lot more of my wardrobe so I'm not tempted to try to fit into them. Shirts, of course, because we wont even TRY the jeans on - too depressing when they only make it halfway up my thigh. I've found a crib I want that we are trying to decide about because it's big. And our nursery is small.... and I've been wanting to buy the matching dresser to whatever crib I get and both of these things wont fit with room to open the door the whole way. But I'm in love with this crib... so we are going to see if we can find a dresser that is smaller that we can stain to match. I'm not so sure how well it will work though.

I spent some time with my friend, Ashley in Utah (thanks for giving me a bed and a cute toddler to play with!). She took me around to a few baby stores and also to the mall where I found..... my fake ring! It's ridiculously big and fake and was 20 bucks at Dillards and was their smallest size and is still too big. But my ring is schizophrenic and is too small if the temperature goes over 70 degree's (my fingers swell up like sausages). And, it's summer time - 70 degree's is just silly. I'm going to do a special post with pictures.

This week had some fun things happen with the baby. She has finally discovered the top of my uterus and every once in a while will give me a bit of a nudge there. I was sitting on Ashley's couch and felt a hit up high and then a second later one really low. I got excited because she was using both her arms and legs! I'm thinking the harder hits are her legs, which are the lower ones. Also, she is always always on my right side. My belly is constantly bigger there and if I lay on my back it really looks weird because I have this ball on one side. I've never felt a kick on that side (it's also where the placenta is). Yesterday when I was at the Chiropractor I went to lay down on the adjusting table and my belly felt a little funny so I look down and my left side was bigger than my right! She decided to venture over to the other side but I don't think she liked it much because that didn't last very long and she was back home on my ride side where she has stayed since. I never lay on my stomach, but while getting my massage there I laid on my stomach which just feels like I'm laying on a beach ball. Not too bad, but a bit weird. After about 10 minutes she started to get annoyed and was rolling and kicking and punching and I kept trying to lift myself up a bit to give her some room but I was laughing because I've never felt that much that strong before! For the next 10 minutes she was protesting. Then after I rolled over she kept kicking really hard (in a bit of a fit, I imagine) and I watched my stomach bounce around. I'll admit I enjoyed it. A lot.

I went to a Shade warehouse sale which was absolutely crowded with tons of college girls. For every 4 door sedan that pulled up 4 or 5 girls would climb out. I was on the phone the whole time with Lindsey (sister) and Vicki (sister in law) describing what I saw. I picked up stuff for them and for me and for one of my aunts. It was an amazing deal. But, while I was there I was talking to a girl in line. She was itty bitty and had a 2 year old and an infant car seat. Both were girls so I started talking to her about them - the baby was 2 months old (I wanted her secret for how she looked like a prepubecent girl after 2 kids). I mentioned something about hoping it all comes off when she's born and she looks at me, then down to my stomach and says, "Oh, your pregnant?!" I about died. I was wearing a non maternity white shirt - so it was a bit tight and I am obviously pregnant!!! 6 months! I didn't even take it as a compliment. She said, "Oh, you had your bags in the way". Uh huh.... whatever. So, I bought the stuff and walked out the door only to help a mommy pushing a stroller with two kids out. So we started to talk and I said something that implied I was expecting and she looks at me (and both my hands were at my sides holding my bags and purse - belly very visible) and says, "Oh, your pregnant?" I was a bit annoyed now, "YES! Please tell me it's obvious." She says, "Well, now that you mention it I don't know how I didn't notice before!" Seriously?!?! By 6 months I figured I'd be looking pregnant. And I feel VERY pregnant. I about said, "You think I have a wierd looking gut like this normally?!?!!! No!!!!!!!!!" Not cool girls with two kids - NOT COOL.

After coming home and stepping on the scale to see that in the 10 days I was gone I put on 4 pounds I vowed to really quit with the junk and get to better eating and exercising. I had vowed that the week previously, but I meant it even more this time. I pulled in late Thursday, so early Friday morning I went out and walked/jogged 2 1/2 miles. The jogging was rather uncomfortable. It had just been 2 weeks since I'd jogged last so I was surprised. But along with the bottom of my uterus hurting my knee's were hurting. So I walked the rest of the way. Saturday I went 4 miles - I was feeling ambitious. Monday I went 2 1/2 and today I went 4 1/2. I'm so proud of myself! Even if the number's on the scale continue to go up a bit too fast I'll feel like I'm doing everything I can.

I've been a bit hesitant to mention this. But, for the last month I have had a lot of groin pain. And even worse low back pain. I got(/am) so annoyed and started trying to figure out what exactly it was that was hurting SO bad every time I stood up, or am standing on one foot to put pants on or shoes. It's my hip adducter muscles that are there, and the only thing I can think of is that I am working them while walking and then my hips are spreading at the same time so that's why? Then I mentioned it to my chiropractor and he said one word, "ligaments" and I thought, DUH. It's probably not all muscles it's ligaments - EVERYTHING is ligaments right now that are hurting. I'm sure I'm not the only preggo that has experienced this, right? Oh, it's painful. And it's worse after I exercise. It's something I don't enjoy at all. It makes me feel huge and old! Not cool, hips for stretching my hard working ligaments to the point of sharp pain that lasts and lasts.

I'm getting closer! If you go by 40 weeks and 4 weeks equalling to a month I have 4 months left, but if you go by actual month time from now till my due date I have 3 1/2 months left. I'm feeling really unprepared physically for her. I'm ready personally and mentally for her, but I have no newborn diapers, no onsies, no pajamas, no little bath, nowhere for her to sleep (but I did tell Jaren we could just pull out the bedside table drawer - which he thought was funny, then said he would push it in, but leave it a little open so she could breathe - he's such a nice daddy). All of these things will be taken care of eventually and my goal is to have everything by October so that all I have to do is get the house ready. I've got time... (2 1/2 months till October!!! ahh!)

24 Weeks:
Here is the question: with or without belt?
This shirt is not maternity, so the waist band falls right at the waist and isn't empire waist. So, while pregnant the waist band isn't flattering - at least to me. So, I grabbed the belt I normally would wear with jeans that would fall off me. That was before the soccer ball sized uterus. I put it on at the empire waist spot to hopefully be more flattering. I don't know if it looks good. If not - I'll put this shirt away, but if so, I might wear it again. Help?
Sometimes I'm not in a smiley mood (really really not very often). But tonight was one of those nights.
Opinions everyone.