Week 22

Here I was thinking I had already done this for some reason. Oh well. Well, Jackson went off to school on Wednesday. I was so proud of him! He is getting to be such a big boy. I feel a little sad at times thinking I won't get to have another boy, but he has been such a wonderful first baby and I love him to the end of the universe and back. Though of course, he frustrates me to no end at times too. But that's life. Kids are made to frustrate their parents.. :) He is feeling a little mixed about school. Someone asked if he likes school and he was like, "yes and no..." I feel that it was a perfect answer! Emma is still being a challenge but I love her to pieces and she is such a trip. The things that come out of her mouth are just ridiculous. She is talking like she's a teenager already. The biggest challenge with the kids is to keep them from fighting. It is a full time job on some days. But, they are still light years ahead of me and my brother's relationship, so it still kind of amazes me that a brother and sister can get a long and love each other. 
Oh this is about pregnancy. :) There is just so much other stuff happening in life that I have been thinking more about that. I have been great. Really. I know, don't fall out of your chairs. I will never enjoy being pregnant, but I don't loathe it as I did last time. I have been in so much LESS pain then I was last time that I am just skipping about that I can exercise really hard and still feel good. I can walk around without wanting to fall on the floor in pain. I can clean my house without having to take drugs and use a heating pad afterwards. I am AMAZED by how much better it is with me doing Crossfit instead of running. I am a true convert on that fact alone. I was reading through this blog and seeing how much agony I was in at this point last time. I am so much stronger in my back, hips, thighs etc that I think it is just holding everything together much better. I do get a little pain here and there, but I rest and I'm good to go again. So, if you are reading this and thinking about the kind of exercise you should do to get ready for pregnancy, do CROSSFIT! DO IT! It helps! 

Week 22:

What I love: Feeling the baby. She is really going crazy these days. It feels like she is all knees and elbows at the moment, but it's fun. We had a prenatal this week and she kept running away from the Doppler. I had just felt her kicking, so I wasn't worried, but she was really determined to not be found. It was so funny. Joy finally got her heart beat way over on the right side high up. She was so surprised that she had that much trouble. I fear we have another Emma... :) Not fear, it will be all to the good if this one is a spitfire too. She'll have to be with Emma for an older sister.  

What I hate: I have been having dreams this last week that I am all svelte and sexy and in really great shape. And then I wake up..... :) So demoralizing.... :) I am fine with being pregnant, but I still miss being in good shape and feeling great about myself. It doesn't help for my subconscious to be rubbing it in that I'm not nor will I be anytime soon. Insomnia. Not my fave. Not really insomnia, but difficulty falling asleep at times. I had to take a bath a couple times to relax enough or get tired enough to go to sleep. It just makes 6:00 very early. Feeling pissy. It's not too bad, but I am much more likely to snap or get pissed off being pregnant. 

What I miss: My body. I do. I miss it. But it's not completely unrecognizable yet, so that helps. I still have muscles! Yeah! I miss summer. And I miss sleeping on my belly.  And rolling over in bed without having to propel myself up with my heals... :) Not anything major really. 

What I’m looking forward to the most: New clothes! I broke. I ordered some really cheap maternity clothes from Walmart. I had too! I really did! :) I have very few winter tops and I am getting cold all the time now. I realized that I always borrowed a bunch of the clothes I wore last time. But the people I borrowed from are no longer around so that makes it more difficult. But I get them in the next couple of weeks and I expect a few days of happiness from that. 

Sleep: Sometimes I can't stop and sometimes I can't start. Such is being hormonal. I feel like I could actually sleep all day. 

Bra Size: B. I don't think I will ever get used to having big boobs. I just don't like them. 

Wedding rings on or off: Off. Wow. Do I ever have bad skin issues at the moment! I shouldn't be surprised as my skin always freaks out with the turn of the seasons, but it's getting bad! Big patches of eczema on my ring finger and lots of cracks and ITCHY as all get out.  

Weight: 160   Weight Gain: 17 lbs. I decided to stop thinking about how much I'm going to have to lose and how I don't want to gain more then such a such number. I'll gain as much as I am going to gain and then I'll drop 20lbs after the baby is born and then it won't budge for seven months, and then I'll work my ass off and be fine in about two years. No biggie. I've done it before. I'll do it again. Not to say I'm throwing off all restraint, but I'm tired of stressing about it. 

Worries: I'm not worried about anything. That I can think of. So if I can't think of something right off the bat, I'm not going to drudge anything up!

Symptoms: Well, the hard ball of baby is a dead give away. Then the pimples, which have made a come back, and the exhaustion all point to pregnancy. I have had ligament pain and some sacrum pain but nothing significant. 

Mood: At this very moment, good! I am happy to be at this point in my pregnancy and life and satisfied with how things are progressing. I am happy not to be close to having to push out this baby and quite glad I have many more months of mental preparation for it. I am not depressed about what was, but I am looking forward with optimism to what lays ahead, while actually enjoying life at the moment. I'm good. 

Movement: She is really ridiculous. It seems like she want's to make sure she explores every inch of her little world while she can. 

The belly (and the button!): I now have that weird little lip on my belly button that makes it look so strange. It's really funny when she moves under it because it dips down and pushes out as she passes below it. 

Measurements: I couldn't find my tape! GRR! I am positive I put it somewhere "safe" but can't find where that safe place is! I think I have an extra some where and I'll take them this week. 

Chest:  Waist:   Midsection:  Hips:  Thighs: 

Exercise: All five days. Doing great! I did a really hard/intense WOD on Friday and I was SOOO excited not to be really sore the next day! Yippe! I did 75 pull ups without a band and that means that I am actually stronger now then I was a few months ago. YES! Running, however is almost right out. I get major ligament pain from even 400-800 meters. So, I am going to give it a break for a week or two and then see if it gets better. I really only want to be able to incorporate intervals in my WODs but if I can't I can do rowing instead. I am trying to work up my endurance for rowing as after about 5 minutes I want to die, so I am adding rowing to all my WOD's at the end. I have worked up to 6 minutes and I am hoping to add a minute every couple days. 

Eating:
It's fine. Not perfect, not too bad. I will worry about eating perfectly later. I will try to be as nutritious as possible at the moment and then when it's time to cut, I'll throw myself into it. 

The weekly pics:

Eyes: Your baby's eyelids are still fused shut. Beneath them, the eyes are developed but the irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment.

Lips: Your baby's lips are becoming more distinct and tooth buds are developing beneath her gum line.

Skin: Your baby's skin will look wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out.

Uterus: You may develop stretch marks on your belly as your abdomen expands to accommodate your growing uterus. Also, your belly button may soon "pop out" if it hasn't already.

And me:

 

And Jack