How far along: 23 weeks completed 06.12.2012

Weight gain: My next appointment with the midwives is Monday the 25th. Until then, it’s anyone’s guess. I guess 5. No, 50! No, wait, 5. Well . . . lemme think about it.

Clothes: My long tanks from Target (one of the biggest staples in my wardrobe) are starting to be . . . well, not quite long enough. I think I can make them stretch for a few more weeks, but I will soon need more torso coverage (yes, my torso is ridiculously long). I own three maternity tanks (in black and grey, and one with stripes–I’m wearing the black one in these pictures) and I may have to bust out some cash money to get more. I can’t have my pregnant midriff popping out–thatsa no good-a.

Purchases: Nothing this week. But I’m scheming.

Scheming along the lines of a raid on the Clybourne Ave. Salvation Army, where I will find all their cutest little girl dresses and make off with them into the night!

Body: Depending on what I wear, it can still look like I just ate a big meal instead of the real situation–that I’m actually growing a baby. The other day when I put on a cream-colored blouse to head out to work, my husband said, “Wow, you don’t look pregnant from the front at all.” I gave him an aggressive profile view. “How about now?” I asked. “Well . . .,” he pondered, “I don’t know if you look pregnant as much as . . .’what the heck is going on there?'”

He was right, and I knew it.

So in conclusion, I almost want to wear more belly-emphasizing clothes just so I’m not feeling defensive about looking pudgearrific when I prance about the city.

Sleep: It’s great! I wake up to pee about 3 times per night, but I kind of enjoy being up in the wee hours and getting to tell myself “oooooh . . . look at that! You have 3 more hours of delicious, delectable sleep! That’s enough time for another awesome dream!”

Best moment(s) of the week: Praying for our little girl has been wonderful. When I was in church and I was praying with Eric and Carrie before leading worship, I prayed that my little one would also be praising God while we sang. During the sermon, I prayed that God would be teaching her some of the same things we were learning. And I wonder if he was–because she was moving about like crazy.

Movement: Every few hours! And I love it just as much as ever. Even when she gives me the old jab to the bladder, which she has taken a liking to doing when I’m headed to or home from the grocery store. She’s there–she’s connected to me–and being reminded of that with her acrobatics is so precious.

Food cravings/aversions: Not much to report here. Except that I’ve been eating 3 meals a day–breakfast lunch and dinner–during my pregnancy for possibly the first time in my life (since I was a kid). When I was a teenager I boycotted breakfast (to the chagrin and distress of my parents). When I was in college I boycotted lunch. After college I boycotted many meals, sometimes just doing dinner at night, up until this very year. But when I found out I was having a baby, I knew that had to change immediately. So I did! And you know, it’s not a bad gig, this whole eating more frequently thing.

Symptoms: The occasional leg cramp, which I combat by flexing my foot. Having to pee almost constantly. Feeling more tired than I think I should. Nothing to complain about!

Emotions: Guys, I feel so much better than last week. Still a little up and down, overall more tired than I’d like, but much more at peace.

Hopes and dreams: I am now allowing myself to dream about our new apartment–because we signed a lease! We’re right next to the Devon Market, near the Loyola red line stop. Our lease starts August 15th, and we have a 2 week overlap with our old lease to give us time to move without too much of a crunch. After many years of craptastic kitchens and compromises to save money, I’m so excited about all the nice bits of this new place. Like the kitchen, which is lovely and wonderful . . . the in-unit laundry which we will experience for the first time in our marriage (I’m thinking we can get away with only 2 more trips to the laundromat until then? But maybe that’s wishful thinking . . .). And two bathrooms, with our own private one connected to the master bedroom! It’s seems so–decadent. Luxurious. We are certainly thankful. I know we can live and be happy in any conditions (and we have lived in many), but the blessing of this nicer space right before the Little Wa-Wa arrives just floods my heart with thankfulness to God, who didn’t have to give us all this–but did.

What I miss: Being able to wear all my clothes. I’m starting to feel restricted in my wardrobe selections, and I don’t know if I like where this is headed . . .

What I’m looking forward to: Entering the final trimester of pregnancy, which will happen July 10th. It seems like such a huge landmark–a thrilling one! And starting our Bradley Method classes Monday evening. I’ll tell you all about it during next week’s update!

Husband update:  He’s feeling really excited about our new apartment too, as the place where we will make the big change from couple to family.

Every time I feel our little girl move and my husband is within my reach, I feel compelled to grab his hand and push it onto my belly. “Do you feel that???” I ask. And then he does–and his eyes get wide. I love sharing those moments with him.

I love hearing him dream about the future and say things like “Jenna, this fall we’ll be hanging out in bed, just like this . . . but our little one will be right here with us.” It makes me tear up every time.

Love you guys!! Have a great weekend everyone! And speaking of laundromats, guess where we’ll be Saturday afternoon . . .

How far along: 21 weeks, completed 5.29.12

Weight gain: I won’t know how much more I’ve gained (other than the 4 pounds so far) until the end of June at my next appointment. It’s the curse–and blessing–of not owning a scale (cast your votes–blessing vs. curse–below).

Clothes: Dresses and skirts with soft, stretchy waistbands are my absolute BFF’s, especially with our little heat wave over the weekend.

Purchases: Baby clothes!!! Aaaaah! I did the deed and went crazy on the frillies. It happened like this: I went to Target quite innocently to get a gift for somebody, and, well, since I was already there, well . . . ya know . . . might as well . . . yes. I wandered up to the baby section.

More like I ran up the escalator.

I was so eager to feast my eyes on cute little girl things that I couldn’t hold back.

I hit the clearance racks and loaded up my basket with a pair of adorable little grey leggings with ruffles on the bottom, little dresses with flowers, little poofy skirts with pockets, a little pink shirt, little tangerine-colored bottoms with a bow . . . oh, oh, oh!

All in all, I came home with about 7 or so outfits (one or two newborn things, and then a range of things from 3 months to 6 months, 9 months, and beyond) that I promptly and gushingly showed to my brother-in-law, since he was the only one around and I had to wax enthusiastic to somebody.

Then I spread everything out on the bed to show my husband the second he walked in the door.

I’m sure people will give us tons of cute girly stuff (who can resist those tiny ruffle-ridden outfits??), so I don’t want to shop for clothes too much–but this was my way of celebrating the fact that she’s a girl, and I know it.

I also got some cocoa butter to complement my collection of lotions, and have started applying it regularly. The skin on my belly felt kind of itchy the other day, and I realized I must begin the battle against stretch marks now!

Body: My abdominals have not been working the way they usually do. Suddenly it’s become slightly challenging to get out of bed, get up from a chair, get up from the couch–the common denominator being getting up. It’s like my ab muscles have migrated and don’t want to support the rest of my body in its daily motions like they used to. So I’m using my arms a lot to pull myself up, especially since the midwife warned me that trying to use my abs could cause them to separate up top in a way that’s harmful to me.

Sleep: I just can’t do the stomach-sleeping thing anymore. I tried a few times, and not only has it become uncomfortable, but the Little Wa-Wa has started to protest. When I lie on my stomach, she’s started to make her displeasure known by giving me some amazingly strong thumps. Enter the body pillow! It’s a miracle worker. I slept with it one night and loved it. The next night, because I’m stubborn and don’t want to be needy, I decided to try to sleep without it. I proceeded to toss and turn for hours, until finally around 3 am, when I was mid-roll and jiggling the bed around something awful, my husband spoke into the darkness two solitary words:

“Body pillow.”

“Okay,” I mumbled, grabbing the pillow, stuffing it between my legs and leaning my torso on it. Immediately, sweet slumber returned.

Best moment(s) of the week: Calling our daughter by name. I’ll fill you guys in on all the details and the thought behind this later.

Movement: I felt the most intense movement to date on Memorial Day. There I was on my back, minding my own sleepy business, and suddenly I felt these strong . . . I guess they felt like pulses. Kind of like when your heart gives a big thump–it was like a massive heart giving a violent pulse in my belly (sorry, that sounds kind of creepy, but it’s the best way I can think to describe the sensation). My husband and I were lying in bed at the time, about to read some Sherlock, so I grabbed his hand and put it on my belly. Thump went the Little Wa-Wa. Thump! My husband’s eyes got wide. “Wow,” he said.

I beamed. Having him finally be able to really, really feel our baby move (beyond a shadow of a doubt) is incredible.

Food cravings/aversions: All normal! Though I have to say that after having the leftovers of this incredibly spicy Thai dish, the little one started moving around like crazy. I read somewhere that she can taste what I eat through the amniotic fluid starting around now, so I want to try and get some spice and variety in there so that she comes out loving what I love: new flavors! Heat! Vegetables!

Symptoms: I’m just starting to feel big and a little awkward, and not having my abs be my faithful supporters is weird. That’s about it.

Emotions: Feeling great! I’m excited about our birthing classes starting soon, excited about my baby shower coming up in the not-so-distant future (July 14th), and excited that the apartment we were hoping for seems to be coming through. God is so good that it verges on ridiculous.

Hopes and dreams: I have high hopes for the Bradley method class I signed us up for with a woman called Denyse (she’s been recommended to me by a few people). It starts in a few weeks, and goes for 9 weeks (3 hours per night on Mondays). My book on hypnobirthing also just arrived, and I’m looking forward to reading through that and doing some of the exercises.

What I miss: Ach–sleeping on my stomach. But it won’t kill me to go without this pleasure for 19 weeks, so . . . whatever.

What I’m looking forward to: An even bellier belly next week! It’s grown noticeably, and it’s bizarre to think it will grow so much more before all this is over.

Husband update:  Hearing him say our daughter’s name is . . . thrilling. Comforting. Lovely. Moving. Wonderful. I think it means a lot to both me and my husband, and has brought him closer to her.

Every now and then we’ll be talking, I’ll say something ridiculous like “I can’t wait to bundle her up like a little burrito!” and his eyes will just get all dreamy and mushy and full of love and hope.

It’s a beautiful thing to see in a man’s face.

And that’s it for this week . . . next week, more of the same!