Baby update: 20 weeks

It’s hard to believe we’re at the halfway mark already. Doesn’t it feel like just yesterday that I broke the news?

Now that I officially look pregnant and people I don’t know aren’t afraid to mention it, I’m getting the “so how far along are you?” question all the time. Unfortunately, I still don’t know what the proper answer is. Depending on my mood, my responses vary:

1. Twenty weeks (generally only to women who’ve had children or other preggos)
2. Four and a half months (since, based on the view that a pregnancy is 9 months, that would be halfway)
3. Five months (because some books count every month as having 4 weeks and therefore a pregnancy is 10 months)
4. ‘I’m due the end of May’ (that’s usually for not very nice people; I love watching their foreheads wrinkle as they do the mental math while trying really hard to look like they’re not doing the mental math.)

I thought this time around I’d do a listy update for fun, so here goes.

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: 15.5 lbs bringing my total to 140.5. Considering I had zero morning sickness, I think I’m doing ok, plus only 3 or 4 of those were Xmas pounds which is hard to believe, considering Mama K’s ah-may-zing Christmas cooking. Speaking of Mama K, over the holidays I asked her how much she gained carrying my brother and I and was astounded when she told me 80 pounds with each. WHAT?! Seriously, that’s what she said. Needless to say, this has really put my thoughts about my own size into perspective.

MOVEMENTS: It’s a dance-a-thon every day now, at all hours of the day. Mr Fink still hasn’t felt it but I can feel it (from the outside) so it’s just bad timing.

CRAVINGS: Since my enormous pickle cravings have subsided (really, they were SERIOUS – I even made pickle soup), I haven’t craved anything in particular. Except maybe ginger ale but that’s more when I have bad heartburn.

MATERNITY CLOTHES:  One of my favorite purchases so far has been a pair of black leggings that go almost up to my boobs from Hazel & Co – kinda pricey at $50 but worth every penny. I’m really liking pants with full panels (as opposed to mid-panels or hidden panels) because they’re the only ones that give me a smooth line under my shirts and eliminate my maternity muffin top. I’m in the market for a new bra though so if you have any suggestions, give a holler.

CURRENTLY READING: YOU: Having a Baby, Cool Names for Babies, What the Dog Saw, Pillars of the Earth (well, I can’t read baby books alllll the time)

WHAT I MISS: Sleeping on my stomach, red wine, my skinny jeans so I can tuck them into boots (I want these from Gap Maternity so bad but they never have my size).

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO: Finding out if Sparky is a boy or a girl. I hope s/he cooperates… next Monday! Eeeeeee!!!!!!!!

MILESTONES: I joined a Fit 4 Two class this week and it was so awesome. My butt and legs are super sore but I keep reminding myself how happy I’ll be for that when I try doing squats during labor.

OTHER RANDOM THINGS: Over the past couple weeks, I’ve gotten a bit cocky about how great I was feeling and have reverted back to my old pre-pregnancy bedtime schedule which finds me crawling into bed with a book somewhere between 11 and midnight. Boy, has this been a bad idea. I’m first-trimester-exhausted all over again and this time I can’t blame it on baby. I need to learn to shut my mind down at 9pm again but it’s so hard – my days are so full lately and only getting fuller.

BEST WORDS OF ADVICE I’VE HEARD SO FAR: 1) Women have been doing this for centuries so don’t worry too much, and 2) Your body knows what it is doing so let it be and rejoice in how amazing it is (specifically with regard to weight gain).

Anything else you are dying to know about that I missed? C’mon, don’t be shy!