22 Week Charlotte Bumpdate
*This post was transferred over from my previous website.
Oh hello "over half way mark"!
Well. . . I'm hoping its over half way. With Bev having been 10 days late, I am trying not to get my hopes up!
This pregnancy continues to amaze me by how fast it's going! Mentally I feel like I'm only 14 weeks pregnant! Time flies. Which is bittersweet. We are constantly (and speedily) getting closer to meeting our new babe, but I feel like I only have a short amount of time to treasure what's left of this pregnancy. Just like my pregnancy with Beverly, my mindset is that even though I will have more kids and be pregnant again, this is my only pregnancy with this little brew. So I'm doing my best to take a moment or two in the day and just be with my teeny babe while he is still in me.
I had my 20 week ultrasound two weeks ago and it looks like we have one happy and healthy baby! He/she was very cooperative for the ultrasound technician the whole appointment but then decided that once his picture was being taken for Mama and Papa, he was going to be rebellious and refuse to give us a clear, cute, picture! I love ultrasounds! My mind is always blown that the tiny moving life twisting and turning is actually in me! I so enjoy just laying on the bed and getting to watch my mini swim around, suck his thumb, kick his legs, stretch, and dance like his Mama when her JAM COMES ON!!! WOOP WOOP!
Placenta
When I was pregnant with Beverly I had an Anterior Placenta. Apparently there is no particular reason as to why it was anterior - it's just where the baby landed in my uterus! It was rather annoying though because the placenta served as a sort of cushion, preventing me from feeling Bev's kicks till I was about 25 weeks (I think).
Guess what I have again?! You guessed it. . . An anterior placenta. I've had a couple people ask me if I'm more likely to have that anterior placenta since thats what I experienced with Bev. To be honest, I have absolutely no idea! So if you know, please comment down below and share your wisdom with me! Haha!
Good news though is that I have already been feeling movement since just before 20 weeks! It's likely that I could feel Bev's movements at this time too, I just couldn't identify it. This time around I know what a baby dance move feels like - and I'm loving every little shuffle! He/she likes to tease Elih though! Baby Brew will be Flossing away and the moment Elih touches my belly, he freezes! No movement. Elih moves his hand. Babe starts doing the Carlton! Elih puts his hand back on my belly. Freeze.
Bump
Yes, this bump is popping! Honestly though I don't think I'm even close to being as big as I was with Bev! Pretty sure I was showing at least twice as much last time around. I highly doubt it has anything to do with core strength though because I wasn't even close to my pre-children core strength when I got pregnant for the second time. Also, since it's my second pregnancy aren't I supposed to be bigger? Isn't that usually what happens?
Boy/Girl
For majority of my pregnancy I have had no idea whether baby is a boy or a girl! But a couple weeks ago I suddenly had this "it's a boy" feeling. I have no reason for it. The only way of "accurate guessing" I know of is how the bump looks at 8 months - which was true for both myself and my sister-in-law in terms of gender - but I still have some time to go before I can base any assumptions off of that! So till then, I am 100% thinking BOY! It could mean nothing though since I thought Beverly was a boy till about a month before she was born.
Cravings
Last time I was pregnant I think I had one or two cravings. This time around I want food. And not just food. Desserts. All I want to do is eat chocolate cake with lots of icing, apple pie, mini cupcakes, ice cream, oreos, cheesecake, chocolate, brownies, and the most heavenly chocolate peanut butter bars from Purdy's. Oh, and lets not forget the perfect pairing to this sugar feast. . . Fresh McDonald's fries. I am refraining as best as I can! Most of the time I keep it under control. On the rare occasion however you will find me eating one or two of those things. It's like a reward for not doing it all the time! That's justified, right?
Wine guys. I want wine. A good glass of Reisling Lab from Tantalus, followed by Grey Monk's Cabernet Sauvignon, a glass of Merlot from one of the multiple wineries who have mastered it, and finish it off with Cedar Creek's 2010 Platinum "M". And don't forget a good beer or two. Don't worry, I promise I'm not an alcoholic. I just really appreciate and enjoy the art of winemaking and a good beer, haha!
Hormones
Yes I have them. Surprisingly I have been more emotional in this pregnancy. Elih is the sweetest being ever though because my emotions never bother him. He gets it! Not only that but he reminds me that I'm not actually THAT emotional; its just the pregnancy and the feelings I have are valid and understandable.
As a side note though I should really stop watching Netflix shows that make me cry because it's getting ridiculous!
Staying Active
Yes, I am making the time to stay active. I head to the gym in the early morning so I can get a good workout, get home and shower before Elih goes to work! More than training my physical ability, I am training my mental endurance. At the end of the day it's your mental endurance that's going to help you through labor. I was super fit when I had Beverly but none of that helped me in labor. It was my mental strength to push through the pain and not give up that got me through those 11 hours.
That's what I do when I workout. I am training my mental endurance by going for another minute, burn 15 more calories, one more set, one more rep, just another song length, one more kilometre. Pushing myself past what I physically convince myself I can do when truthfully I know I can do more.
It's not easy. But I love it.
That's all to report for now!
Overall, my first and second trimester have been kind to me! Though I'm expecting my third trimester to hit me like a semi truck speeding on the highway. Enjoying this chill pregnancy while I can.
