2nd Trimester: Weeks 20-25

Symptoms further into 2nd trimester:

1. So itchy: like my entire body. I lotion in the morning after my shower and mostly before I go to bed. But sometimes I have to ask Brian to itch my back so hard he thinks he is going to rip my skin off my back (his words). Or I'll wake up in the middle of the night itching my belly.
2. Frequent pees: Like at work I counted the other day. 11 trips to the bathroom in 10 hours! I've always had a small bladder, but gosh. This really gets annoying.
3. Right along with the frequent urination is that I am sooooo thirsty. I don't even really like water normally. I wake up 1-2 times in the middle of the night and drink half a water bottle both times. So thirsty.
4. My lower back and mid back are starting to feel really sore. Especially by the end of the day. I worry because I am only half way.. what will I feel like at the end!!! Luckily, Brian rubs my back before I sleep most nights :)
5. Weight gain: 16-18 pounds so far
6. Leg cramps in the middle of the night.  Like I need MORE things to wake me in the middle of the night, along with my 3-4 bathroom trips.
7. Hair: my peach fuzz on my stomach has now darkened.. it's my least favourite symptom so far
8. Stretch marks: One or two.. thought not on my belly.. and despite using my kiehls lotion faithfully :(
9. I can't lay on my left side or this weird bubbly feeling happens on my left side of my upper abdomen.. anyone have any idea what this could possibly be?!
10. Last of my lengthy list of symptoms.. I've started snoring some nights. My nose is always so congested in the morning. Poor Brian, pregnancy has been hard on both of our sleeping.

I know I sound so complainy. I just want to document everything for myself to remember. Honestly, I really think I am lucky, because I think I have had a pretty easy pregnancy so far and I even enjoy being pregnant. 

But on to the good stuff! At 19 weeks (Jan. 12).. I finally felt our baby kick! Ever since our ultrasound, Brian kept saying how in the world are you not feeling like a 5-6 inch thing do somersaults in your stomach! I felt the same way. I was so ready to feel something. I kept hearing that I would feel a flutter like a butterfly, but that isn't really how I would describe it. 4 days after our ultrasound, I was lying in bed and I felt a small little jab like 3-4 inches below my belly button. It kinda felt like a heart beat, or maybe a piece of popcorn popping.  I was like.. there is no way.. that can't be it... because I had been talking about wanting it all weekend. I felt it 3 distinct times and then fell asleep. The next morning at work as I sat at my desk, I felt it all morning!

I feel him move almost all times that I am sitting still and quietly. Usually sets of 5-10 jabs. He moves constantly! It is such a fun feeling. Sometimes it feels to me like your stomach drops.. like on a theme park ride. I wish I could describe it better. So fun. I feel much more connected now that I know gender and can feel him move. About 10 days later Brian felt his first little kick. :) We asked our doctor at our last appointment if a busy baby in-utero, means a busy baby afterwards. He said usually their personalities are similar right from the womb.... oh no!

Other notable events so far in my pregnancy:

On Feb. 6th (22.5 weeks) I saw my belly move from the outside. It's a weird thing to see, but I love that my baby boy constantly reminds me I am pregnant and he is right there all the time and growing so fast!

At 23 weeks Linea Nigra appeared. What a weird thing to just have a black line all the way down from your belly. It almost looks like a shadow, or someone drew on me with make-up. I remember learning about it in Anatomy, but it is just so strange when all of the things you hear or learn about start happening to you!

At 24 weeks (Feb. 13)  I had my glucose test. It seems silly now, but I was so worried I had gestational diabetes. I swear I had all the symptoms, bleeding gums, frequent urination, excessive thirst. I really didn't want this. I read that 50% or women get Type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years if you get gestational diabetes when pregnant! I had an almost sleepless night a few day before my glucose test thinking I must have gestational diabetes. Plus it doesn't help that Brian is always telling me I eat so much sugar I am going to give myself diabetes. Anyways, thank goodness my test results were normal! 

We haven't bought anything so far, but we have collected a few things. I have a baby box in my closet that I look at from time to time full of my precious baby things. I'm so excited! Only 99 days left!! Double digits!

My mom gave me a nursing cover at Christmas, along with a burp cloths, and like 5 baby blankets. She also bought my first batch of baby clothes! We got a snowsuit from Macey's regularly $58 for $9! My mom is teaching me how to shop out of season and so you get the best deals!!!

And as soon as we found out gender, Dave and Denise sent us the cutest surprise it's a boy box in the mail! It even included a maternity sweater for me :) My friend Syd and my sister Sher already got us a gift too. Brian and I were so worried about having a baby, and how it would all possibly come together, but we feel very blessed and lucky. It's overwhelming how much you need for a baby, but I know if you are doing what you are supposed to do, God will help everything work out.

Last I will leave you with yet another really embarrassing pregnancy story..
A few weeks ago Brian offered to go on a walk with me up the canyon. About a mile and half in, I realized I had to go to the bathroom... But I was like, no problem. I can make it back to the car. And then... I sneezed, and you can guess what happened! I couldn't even believe this was happening to me! (important detail.. it was not very much!! What's going to have happen in my third trimester... or post baby! Oh goodness. Good thing I already love my baby boy so much!