Butt and Belly

So, a common question that is asked of pregnant women is "how are you feeling?"  Obviously, the answer to this changes on a daily, or even hourly basis!  Most of the time, I feel pretty good, just tired.  I had some back issues last summer that eased up once I was told by the doc to stop exercising for a month.  However, that pain is back.  This time it is mainly in my right butt cheek and sometimes runs up into my lower back.  It mainly hurts when I sit Indian-style on the ground and then try to get up.  You're probably wondering why I even sit on the ground like that!  I now have to change Joey's diaper on the floor due to him thinking that he is either in the circus or the WWE wrestling circuit!   I don't think things are going to change with my independent toddler, so hopefully, the pain does not get any worse.  :/

Baby girl is also moving around lots!  Not painful moving, just letting me know she's there.  I still don't have a baby belly and I have to tell everyone that I am actually pregnant.  This seems to first surprise them as they look down at my belly and they usually then state that I only must be a few weeks pregnant.  When I tell them I am 5 1/2 months pregnant, they all do a triple take at my belly and stammer out "you don't look it at all!".  You'd think this comment would be a compliment, but it's not.  I know that my belly has started to push out...well, the baby belly has pushed out my fat rolls even more.  My clothes know that I've gotten a little rounder, but all of these people I meet think this is just how I look.  How the hell is that supposed to make me feel?  Whatever.  I'm in Southern California where everyone looks like Barbie and her friends.  That is just not my body type, no matter how much weight I lose.  So, to all of these people that make the comment "you don't look like you're 5 months pregnant", I just smile and go along my way even though in my mind I'm thinking about how much I would like to punch them in the throat.  

21 weeks, 5 days!

I See You

So, we got a call from my doctor that I needed to go back in for another ultrasound due to crappy pictures taken at the first ultrasound (I could have told you that!).  The doc stated that there was nothing to worry about, they just needed better pictures to verify everything is good with baby girl.  

I went in this last Friday for the super long ultrasound.  I was actually on the table, getting an ultrasound for an hour and a half!  They actually spent a good 45 minutes checking out baby's heart.  This kind of worried me because they were really focusing on her heart.  However, everything checked out perfectly by the ultrasound tech and perinatologist.  Michael thinks that they really got a good look at the heart due to me having a small hole in my heart.  They may have been checking to see if baby inherited this little issue, too.  Whatever the reason, we're all good!  :)

Oh, baby's heart rate was 145 bpm (good!) and she weighs 14 ounces (very good!).  I got home and looked in my "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book and it said that babies at 21 weeks weigh about 11 ounces.  You get it, girl!  

Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure...

 Here's my knee and that little dot in the middle is my hand!

 Her head at one end and a leg at the other!

Her face!

Baby's spine

 Some legs!

 She's already practicing her kicks in there.

 Close up of her whole body.

Zoomed out of baby's body.

Sugar and Spice

We had an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago and we did not see a third leg, meaning that TBD is now a baby girl!  When the tech told us the news, I literally yelled "YES!!!"!  Michael was really happy too!  The tech really didn't get any good photos of baby girl, so I don't have anything to show...yet.  ;)  

After our ultrasound, we had an appointment with the doctor.  She verified that everything looked great with baby girl!  We also discussed my weight gain goal.  I still have not gained any weight this pregnancy and am actually down a few pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.  I was preparing to hear "10-15 pounds" since I am considered obese.  Those numbers did not come out of the doc's mouth.  The doc said that she would like me to gain NO WEIGHT AT ALL!!  Are you freaking kidding me?!!?!  I had to pick my jaw up off of  the floor.  Actually, I can gain a couple of pounds but that's just so I can be back at my pre-pregnancy weight.  She said not to diet because that can hurt the baby, but to increase my physical activity.  I can barely breathe as it is now!  How the heck am I supposed to increase my exercise?!?!   Oh.  My.  Goodness.  I'm going to try not to stress out about this, because you know, I'll probably go to my new doc in North Carolina, and she'll freak out that I haven't gained any weight!  Ahhh!    

Later that night, Michael went to to store and came home with roses for me and baby girl's first dress! I know you can't see the writing across the chest, but it says "Little Marine Princess" in pink with a picture of a crown.   

Even though Michael really wanted a boy (this was only because of his stress level when baby girl becomes a teenager and wants to date boys!), but he is so happy to be having a little girl.  I mean, he bought baby girl her first outfit on the day we found out it was a she!  That means he is ecstatic and baby girl already has him wrapped around her finger!  :)