Weekly Update - 21 weeks

How far along: 21 weeks

Total weight gain: +9 lbs, good job baby girl

Maternity clothes: yes, still some pre-preg shirts but loving the full panel pants.

Sleep: Sleeping has been a bit of an issue this week. When I wake up to make a potty trip, I have a hard time falling back asleep due to movement or whatever. I'm going to have to break out my lavender oil.

Best moment of the week: Seeing squishe in our ultrasound. Mom and I went to my appointment and we got to see her little self and watch her bounce all around.

Movement: Lots, most everyone has felt her wiggling or kicking.

Gender: another confirmation of Girl by our OB.

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: IN

What I miss: Sleeping on my belly. If I lay on my belly even for just a minute she kicks away. Mom said I've given her a complex and she won't want to be swaddled because I squish her too much. :)

What I'm looking forward to: Finishing up decorating our tree. A weekend with no big plans.

Weekly wisdom: Don't ask your OB questions that you know the answer to unless your willing to hear the answer you know you don't want to hear.

Milestones: Squishe can hear things outside of just my body and my voice.

What's happening with the baby: Baby now weights about three-quarters of a pound and is 10 1/2 inches long (length of a carrot). You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better, Eyebrows and eyelids are present now and her vagina has begun to form as well.

What's happening with you: You're probably feeling pretty comfortable. You're not too big yet, and the usual discomforts of early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. Relax and enjoy it while you can - the third trimester may bring with it a new crop of complaints. Minor possible complaints now may include: an increase in oil production contributing to acne. Also varicose and spider veins. Varicose veins tend to be worse if other family members have them. Prop your feet and legs up whenever possible and sleep on your left side. Spider veins are just a tiny group of blood vessels near the surface of your skin and usually disappear after delivery.

How are you feeling: Heartburn is a little bit of an issue. Usually a Tums will take care of it, so at least that's not too bad. Sleeping has been not great for a few nights this week. I get up about twice a night now. My belly skin feels like its starting to stretch for real, especially when laying on my side. Squishe likes to tap dance on my side at night. My belly kind of looks like a water bed when she kicks, which she is doing a lot. I have noticed also that when I bend over to pick something up or whatever I feel like I have to cough when I stand back up. She must be starting to take up the area that my diaphragm likes to be in. Putting shoes on by pulling my foot up on the bed or chair is getting hard. Guess I'll have to figure some other way out before too long. Overall, still pretty comfortable and not feeling too huge yet.