Baby #2 // 26 Weeks

I figured that today would be a good day for a bumpdate since I'm officially 6 months along! Ready to start the third trimester over here! Things are still going very smoothly. The break down:

Symptoms: Nothing aside from occasional back discomfort and feeling tired. I'm pleasantly surprised... with my last pregnancy, I already had some problems with swollen feet at this point, as well as some acid reflux issues. This time = nada. I'm not complaining. OH, I've stopped losing hair! When I brush my hair, there are only a few strands that come off my head. It's awesome.

Sleep: Some mild insomnia most nights. But once I fall asleep, I'm good! I don't need to get up for bathroom breaks, and I'm not even using my body pillow for comfort; it's lying abandoned on the floor next to my bed, waiting for the night when I'll finally need to use it. Ha.

Wedding rings: On! (no swelling, remember?!)

Belly Button: still very much an "innie". It never changed to an "outie" during my first pregnancy, so I doubt it will this time either.

Weight gain: On track. Quick shameless bragging moment: I am SO proud of my weight gain right now, you guys. With my first pregnancy, I had already gained about 30 lbs when I was 6 months along; this time I've only gained 15 lbs!!! My (doctor-approved) target range is 25-30 lbs, which is a huge difference from the 55 pounds I gained in my first pregnancy. If I gain 1 lb a week from here on out, I'll come in at 29 lbs by my due date. I can totally stick to that goal!

Exercise: Shameless bragging one more time: I have been awesome about exercising compared to my first pregnancy. Aside from Sundays, I exercise daily for at least 30 minutes. I think there's only been 1 day (maybe 2?) in the past couple weeks where I've missed my exercise quota. Thank you Provo Rec Center, YouTube videos, and the walking trail by our house!

Maternity clothes: Oooooh yes. I still have some non-maternity capris that fit me (zipper, button, and all), but I prefer my maternity ones. Much more comfortable. But I live in maxi dresses/skirts most days anyways.

Best moments: When I ask Nicole where the baby is, she'll reach her little hands over and pat my belly. She'll even give the baby a kiss if I ask her to. So cute. Also, as per usual, baby boy has lots of dance parties in my tummy. I love it so much.

Funny moment: I mentioned this on facebook, but there was a guy - probably about my age - who came around the neighborhood to set up appointments for learning about solar panels for our homes. I opened the door and he asked if my parents were home. Ha! He was so apologetic, and very surprised when I turned sideways to show him my baby bump to prove that I was indeed a parental figure. Lesson: apparently I don't look old enough to be a parent or homeowner, and also it's still tricky to tell if I'm pregnant sometimes, depending on what I'm wearing. Lose shirts still hide my bump really well.

Looking forward to: Seeing my family soon. None of them have ever seen me this pregnant in person before, so that'll be fun, and it'll be so good for Nicole to spend time with them. I love living in Utah, but being in a different state than my family is a downer.

And some miscellaneous stuff:

I got my glucose test over with on Friday and received my RhoGAM shot yesterday. Ah, the joys of having an rh- blood type. And in a twist of events, I'll be delivering with a midwife this time around instead of an OBGYN. It's not as dramatic as it sounds, I'm still delivering in a hospital and all that jazz.

Finally: I'm researching cloth diapers. SUCH a money saver, but also more time-consuming than simply tossing out a disposable diaper. Do I have any cloth diaper-using friends who want to offer their two cents? Please and thank you!

Yay for babies! And fingers crossed that those unpleasant third trimester symptoms hold off as long as possible! Everything counts when you've got a toddler to chase after!