23 1/2 weeks

summertime and the living is easy. well, easier than waking up at 5:30am, running around like a crazy person all day and not getting home until 6. i am still in the initial flurry of doing all of the little things that need to get done but i haven't had time to do until now (getting a plumber and the exterminator to come over, scheduling a dentist appointment, taking the dog to the vet, refilling prescriptions, etc.), but overall i am taking it easy and am quite happy about it.

went to the regular OB last friday and the high risk doc this past monday. all seems to be going well. i got a warning from the regular OB because she said i've gained 9 pounds since i saw her last, which is way too much for four weeks. my scale doesn't quite agree with hers, but she's the professional. she said i'm still fine overall because i gained so little in the beginning, but i need to slow it down a bit. so i told her i'd be more careful. and truthfully i could see once i thought about it where i've gotten a little off-track the past few weeks, what with a billion end-of-year meetings at school with decadent treats, my bagel binge, and the chocolate chip cookie fest that occurred when i was craving them and so decided to make a double batch for our cookout and ended up eating one whole batch myself, i'm pretty sure. so it should be relatively easy to stop that weight gain pattern. i always lose weight in the summer when i'm not stress-eating and surrounded by temptation at school, so while i know i don't want to start losing pounds, slowing the gain should be doable. it also helps that red grapes are still as good as a hot fudge sundae in my book.

otherwise, everything is fine. the baby is doing well, estimated weight is 1 pound, 4 ounces, which is 57th percentile. he's moving around a lot, which i like, but i have to say i become a total freak show when i haven't felt him in awhile. the doctor said it's too early to have his movement be predictable, and it's still totally fine at this stage if i go a day or two without feeling anything. but i don't like that idea at all. it is such a constant reassurance when i feel him doing whatever he's doing in there. the cool thing is that some of his movements now are strong enough that you can feel them on the outside of my belly, so the hubby has been able to feel him a couple of times. he mostly tries to tell me that he thinks i'm just having gas when he feels it, but i am trying to convince him that i definitely know the difference now.

i am definitely feeling the bodily strain now, especially since it's gotten hot out. my feet and ankles swell up if i sit without elevating my feet or stand still for too long. my center of gravity and general ability to navigate through spaces are definitely compromised and my back aches a lot. and since i weigh more than i ever have, any kind of physical activity is more challenging. but i'm feeling okay overall, just... whale-like. i'm going for my first prenatal massage tomorrow, thanks to a gift certificate my friends from work gave me. i cannot wait.

next week we go to louisville to visit my cousins for our last pre-baby airline trip. i'm super excited about that, but also psyched to get home and have almost two solid months to relax and also get organized and prepared. i'm really looking forward to doing a lot of yoga and dance central this summer, and getting lots of sleep. plus, of course, tackling the items on our summer project list, which is lengthy but not overwhelming. i hope. it's all getting very real. now i am going to lay on the bed and try to feel the baby move so i can continue the day stress-free.