24 Weeks - Pregnancy Update

How far along? 24 weeks - YAY!!! If anything happens now I can actually go to Labor and Delivery vs going to the ER. I feel that when you're pregnant and you go to the ER they take care of you the patient but not you and the baby.


Total weight gain/loss: OMG!!! I gained about 7 lbs in the 2 wks I was in Cali, just eating all the wonderful foods I've missed, lol. I don't have an official count but I'm almost sure that I'm total up 18 lbs :)


Maternity clothes? Yes, V$ actually made me go buy clothes, he said he refused to let me walk around like a person from People of Wal Mart. lol I was so upset about it, I went looking high and low for as many bargains I could find.


Stretch marks? Still the same only the ones left over from the 1st two, but I feel them coming.


Best moment this week? See Food aversions


Movement: Oh Yes!!! This lil guy is very active, which worries me because I really thought I would maybe get a calm child, but I'm pretty sure that was Vayden...can you imagine me having 2 Vashon's. Oh Gosh lol


Food cravings: I think the crazy week long food cravings are finally over. It was nice while it lasted.


Food aversions: I actually have none. I am now eating all of the things that I used to hate. Even chicken. I'm happy about this because I can finally give my baby some of the good stuff that he needs. For a while he was living off Cream of Wheat, Oatmeal, and fruit.


Gender: Male - There are still a bunch of ppl that think that we are actually having a girl and we are playing the ultimate practical joke on everyone. That is not the case, as it stands this baby is a boy and I'm still taking beautiful photographs.


Labor Signs: I think I've had a few braxton hicks but I still really can't tell the difference between those and gas. I'm pretty sure that once again I'm not going to know I'm in labor, I'm just going to think it's gas. lol

Photo of my belly at 24 wks

Belly Button in or out? Out and smooth, it's almost like I have no belly button.


What I miss: Sleeping normal, and moving quickly. I really can't remember my pregnancy in full detail with Vashon and with Vayden I didn't have fluid so I just feel very very heavy with this baby.


What I am looking forward to: I love being pregnant and I'm kinda sad that this is going by so fast, but I'm looking forward to when Vashon actually has someone to play with. So if I could just hold him in, until he's about 9 months or so that would be really nice. lol


Emotions: Not an emotional mess, but not as hard up as I was early in this pregnancy


Weekly Wisdom: STOP WORRYING ABOUT WEIGHT GAIN!!!!!! I'm on mommy chat group online and I really am so sick and tired of the multiple post about weight gain. So far I've gained more than I did with both Vashon and Vayden...guess what I don't care! I lost 20 lbs shortly before getting pregnant this time around and I finally figured out what worked for me and was within reason considering I had a child, a foundation, and a husband to take care of. Whatever I gain I will lose and then some and if I don't, well......I've had 3 kids in 3 yrs.

The way I look at this is simple, I gained 18 lbs total each time with both Vashon and Vayden, by 6 weeks post partum I had lost 12 lbs doing nothing (not even breastfeeding). That left me with 6 lbs to lose. My pre pregnancy clothes fit and I felt I looked great, 6 lbs is hard to notice, so I never changed anything. As the months would go on and my eating habits didn't adjust I would start to pack on the lbs. By the time Christmas came around after having Vayden ( 7 months post partum) I was weighing more than I did on the day I delivered him. The weight snuck up on me. So if I at 6 weeks post parturm had maybe 10 lbs to lose, I would have been more motivated to stay on track. This is the last time I can say "but I'm pregnant" when I eat 4 cookies instead of 2, so when I want 4 four cookies I eat 4 cookies. I don't over indulge but I do treat myself far and beyond the treats I had when I was "watching my weight". So really I am so annoyed at the complaints about weight gain, you will lose it and look hotter than ever.


Milestones

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.


Anything else to share - V$ and I are somewhat at odds on naming this lil guy. In my mind his name is Varien Jeremiah, but still nothing is set in deep stone. oh I wish he could have a real name. I'm giving V$ a deadline of 28 wks to agree on the name I picked or come up with something other than Vamarion Jebediah. So we shall see. (and yes the middle name that he came up with is JeBEDiah. yea I know)