We've Been Blessed with a Miracle: 25 Weeks

How have I been feeling?... Mentally - good. Physically - getting MUCH slower at doing things. Getting up takes A LOT of energy, moving from my left side to any other position in bed is hard, my rib still hurts, my back hurts REALLY bad, my left ankle still swells sometimes but not as much, I can't wear my rings all the time as they are getting harder to put on and take off. So, basically, things are getting much harder in the physical aspect of being pregnant.

I've developed the wonderful "line" aka linea nigra. It's a beautiful dark line of hair that's both above and below my belly button. Sexy, right? I know you're jealous! ;-)

What am I looking forward to?... Well, a few things.....I bought letters for Preston's name that will probably go above his dresser/changing table. I painted them green yesterday but need to do another coat and I want to get green & brown ribbon to hang them from. So, I'm looking forward to finishing that. I'm looking forward to the big Waste Management PGA Golf Tournament the first weekend in February. It's SO fun. It may be a bit challenging this year though as I'll be big and pregnant and won't be able to walk as fast to follow some of the golfers. I'm looking forward to January being over because that means it's one month closer to meeting this little guy in my tummy.

This was before I painted them green. The pillow above is part of the bedding set. The green I painted them is the same color green as the frog. Once, they are completely painted, I'll post another picture.

Our Hypnobirthing classes start next Tuesday so I'm VERY excited about that.

Also, I'll be in my 3rd trimester in 3 weeks! WOW, that's hard to believe.

Any weight gain?... Oh poo, I really did mean to weigh myself this morning. lol I'm not sure how much I've gained, hopefully not much so I don't get in trouble when I go for my next appointment. :-)

How big is baby?.... Head to heels, Preston is now measuring about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, (or a small bag of sugar) but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture. (which I'm assuming is thick BLACK hair)

In the last third of pregnancy, he'll double and triple his weight. Your dexterous baby can touch and hold his feet and make a fist. Your partner may be able to hear his heartbeat by pressing his ear against your belly. Your baby has a regular sleep schedule now and active and inactive periods. You may or may not be able to discern what those periods are. His nostrils, which have been plugged, open up.

How is my body changing??... Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.
You may also notice that you can't move around as gracefully as before. Unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise, it's fine to continue to exercise, but follow a few safety rules: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired and stop if you feel any pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Don't lie flat on your back and avoid contact sports as well as any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.
When you have your glucose-screening test at 24 to 28 weeks, a second tube of blood may be taken at the same time to check for anemia. If blood tests show that you have iron-deficiency anemia (the most common type of anemia), your caregiver will probably recommend that you take an iron supplement.

Sleep?... Depends on the night. Some nights I sleep GREAT, like last night but other nights I toss and turn, can't get comfortable, I feel him kicking, etc.

Health?... Still great. I got really lucky as Daddy A had the 24 hour flu on Saturday and I managed to avoid it. I do have to say that it has to be because of all the daily vitamins I take. Woohoo for a wonderful immune system!

Cravings?... I can't think of anything. Apples still make me very happy. I'm hungry A LOT.

Food Aversions?... None

New Senstation?... I can see my belly move when he moves and it's quite crazy. I feel like he's doing somersaults in there. Daddy A FINALLY felt him move while we were lying in bed. YAY!

Next appointment?... February 7th for my wonderful glucose test and Rhogam shot.

I can't believe I have 15 weeks (ish) to go. WHERE has the time gone? Seriously, I cannot believe that I'll be in my 3rd trimester in 3 weeks, having baby showers, getting ready for this little peanut to enter this huge, crazy world. Waiting for this little guy who is going to turn our world upside down yet we will look back and wonder how we lived life without him....how such a small little human can take SO much of your love even before you have met him. We cannot WAIT to see/hold/kiss/hug/smell Preston. It's going to be amazing!

We're having a baby THIS year...we're having a baby in about 3.5 months! WOW! Blows my mind!

Well, here are your pictures............