15 Weeks!

Alright... Update on "Sweet P's" process (I am calling it that from now on).

Week 15

Your Baby:

• Is as big as a…wait for it…beefsteak tomato! Doesn’t that sound deliciously substantial? Am resisting urge to go pinch some produce as I type this.
• Has started “breathing” amniotic fluid in through its nose and respiratory tract, giving those lungs some very early practice for the real thing. (Late in the third trimester, you can actually watch the fetal breathing on an ultrasound, and lo, it is very cool.)
• Can sense light and pressure from outside of the womb, so if you want to get a jump start on annoying the crap out of your kid, shine a flashlight on your stomach or chase it around with the doppler wand every night. Or gently caress your belly while singing lullabies in a variety of foreign language and mediating on the Zen-ness of it all. You know, whatever your personal parenting style goes for.

You:

• May be experiencing some of the weirder symptoms of pregnancy, many of which can start early in the second trimester. Including! For example!
• Sinus congestion! Runny nose! Stuffed-up nose! So much freaking mucus, and not in the places where you would ASSUME mucus would be involved. It’s called rhinitis of pregnancy and once again, they just blame it on “hormones.” Get yourself a humidifier or vaporizer, inhale steam in a fogged-up bathroom or try those saline nasal drops. Ask your doctor before taking any decongestant or medicated nasal spray.
• Bleeding gums! A side effect of all that extra blood you’ve got coursing through your system. (Nosebleeds are common too.)
• Skin pigmentation! The linea nigra, or that darkish line that runs down the center of your belly, sometimes shows up as soon as you start showing, sometimes much later. Moles, freckles and birthmarks can spread and/or darken. You might notice some melasma, or “mask of pregnancy” across your face, particularly if you spend a lot of time in the sun or have a naturally olive or darker complexion. A lot — but not all — of these changes will fade after you give birth. When in doubt, slather up on the sunscreen to increase your odds that they’ll be temporary.
• Forgetfulness! Pregnancy brain! Gestational amnesia! Whatever you want to call it, you probably know what I’m talking about. In the past week alone, I’ve 1) run a load of laundry without any detergent, 2) made coffee without a filter, 3) tossed a Ziploc of frozen chicken to defrost in the sink but forgot to actually seal the bag, and 4) stared at my husband for three full minutes while trying to remember his name.

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How far along?: 15 Weeks; 3 Days

Total weight gain/loss: +6 Lbs.

Maternity clothes?: Still wearing the leggings. 
Also, Wearing my normal jeans with a hairband 
looped through the button hole.

Stretch marks?: No

Sleep: Better. But the rumors about not having 
to pee as much are untrue. 

Best moment this week: Hearing Sweet P's 
heartbeat!

Miss Anything?: Matt and Red Wine. 

Movement: I don't really know; people say it 
feels like gas bubbles... so... who knows?

Food cravings: Italian! Pizza! Chips! (aka 
everything too salty and bad for you) I could 

really go for some "Sugu" right now! 

(Matt's family's term for spaghetti with meat 
sauce/sausage/meatballs)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope :)

Have you started to show yet: Yes.

Gender: 3 MORE WEEKS UNTIL WE FIND OUT!

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out?: In

Wedding rings on or off?: On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy 
but tired. Irritable sometimes (ahem).

Looking forward to:  Feeling baby move and 

Finding out if baby is a "he" or a "she"!

Until Next Time,

LP