24 Weeks

As I write this blog, my iPhone's ‘What to Expect’ App says that I have 16 weeks to go and that Samuel is as big as an ear of corn (approx. 8.5 in, 1.5 lbs)!  The strength in which he kicks me sometimes leads me to believe otherwise.  He’s got to be at least 3 lbs with the power behind those kicks.  A few weeks ago I posted a note on my Twitter that said that I thought Samuel might have been “Sweating To The Oldies” because he had been kicking/punching me simultaneously in every which direction that afternoon.  Maybe they were just jumping-jacks.  Who knows? 

There have been a number of things that I have been wanting to blog about this past couple of weeks, but I have been pre-occupied reading Harry Potter.  I can’t seem to put them down!  (It's my first time to read them if that makes me any less of a nerd.)  Anyways, I have forgotten about most of the stuff I wanted to blog about so I think I will just make a list to help jog my memory.  Lists are nice to read on blogs anyhow.

1.       I have come to the conclusion that maternity jeans are not my friend.  The most recent pair I purchased are the only jeans that actually stay on my hips but they are so tight around my waist that my belly hangs over the top of them.  When I wear them I feel like I resemble what a muffin top would look like after coming out of an oven when you’ve poured too much batter into the mold.  I don’t know…  Maybe I just haven’t found the right pair.  Maybe the only good pairs of maternity jeans out there are the ones that I refuse to even try on because they are $80.  The other two pairs that I’ve purchased (which looked alright on in the dressing room) turned out becoming my nemeses because they just won’t stay on my waist!  Granted, they may be more comfortable but there isn’t anything cute about a prego woman who is constantly pulling her pants up with one hand and pushing her cart with the other while walking down the aisles in the grocery store. 

2.       There needs to be a law passed that protects pregnant women from the infamous unwanted belly rubs.  For me, it’s like this:  If I have never given you a hug (and I hug a lot of people) then I would prefer you keep your hands to yourself – or at least respect my personal bubble enough to ask me first.

3.       Brandon had a dream when we first found out that I was pregnant that I gave birth to a bunny. I had a dream just last week that I gave birth to a fawn.  Random?  Yes, absolutely.

4.       About a week ago, I suffered for about 8 days or so with these unbearably itchy red bumps on my belly.  It was the kind of itch you get when scratching only intensifies the itch.  Lotions didn’t even suppress it.  There were two nights where I woke up suddenly fighting the urge to scratch, but gave in to the temptation.  I guess I was scratching frantically enough that it woke up Brandon and he had to force me to stop.  I freaked myself out the next morning after I had googled “itchy pregnant belly” online because apparently, there are all kinds of rashes that you can get during pregnancy that range from being harmless to the baby to being deadly.  I had to wait a few days before my next doctor’s appointment so I called them to inform them of what was going on and they suggested trying Hydrocortisone cream instead of different lotions.  It worked like magic.  Lesson learned: Consult the doctor before you consult the internet and possibly diagnose yourself with some rare, pregnancy-related disease. 

5.       I recently had a very special moment with my sweet mother-in-law during a jewelry party, of all places.  Since Brandon was adopted, she never got to experience what it feels like when a baby kicks your belly so I had been praying that little Samuel would kick while we were together that evening…and he did!  I will never forget the look of wonder and joy on her face when she felt her grandson move for the very first time.  Tears rolled down her face and she said proudly, “That’s my grandson in there!”

6.       Had an appointment last week and thank the Lord, everything is looking good!  I have gained 15 pounds so far and if this pregnancy is anything like my pregnancy with Caden, I have about 35 more pounds to go.  YIKES.  I am already avoiding my reflection in the mirror when I get in and out of the shower because I can’t handle the ugly truth of what pregnancy does to my thutt (Definition: Noun – Part of the human body where your butt meets your thighs.)  That being said, I can’t even imagine what my poor body will look like after gaining 35 more pounds.  *tear*  However, I welcome any change that needs to happen to my body in order to bring Samuel healthily into this world.  He is SO worth every squat that I will have to do in order to look half-way decent in a bikini again.  

7.       Brandon and I really need to go and register at Babies R Us.  I get asked if we have registered at least once a week. 

8.       I think I may be the only person in the world that gets cramps in her feet during pregnancy instead of in her legs.  Every website I have searched says nothing about foot cramps during pregnancy, only leg cramps.  They are the weirdest cramps too… All of a sudden, my toes will slowly start contorting into these un-natural positions and the only way I can remedy it is to force my toes back in to place.  But the second I let go, they go right back to where they were before I forced them back to normal.  It’s bizarre.  I love my husband because he has discovered that soaking my deformed looking foot in hot water helps gets my foot back to normal much quicker than my remedy was.

9.       I love what pregnancy has done for my hair.

10.   Caden strolled into the house the other day and just about made my month by what I overheard him say.  It was sweet and funny at the same time.  The dialogue went something like this:  (Garage door closes.)  Caden says, “Where’s mommy?”  Brandon replies, “I don’t know son, go sit down and get ready to do your homework.”  (Chairs shuffle around.)  Caden says something else that I couldn’t hear and Brandon responds something back that I didn’t hear either.  Caden shouts, “Where’s that pretty girl with a big stomach?!”  That is probably the only time that I will have had a huge smile on my face after my child refers to my stomach as “big.” 

And now, here is the most recent belly pic:

Brandon took it just a few days ago!  My little Samuel is growing so fast!

And here is a picture of the New Balance tennis shoes that I simply could not resist buying last weekend at Second Childhood.  They were only $8, how could I NOT  buy them?

Aren’t they ADORABLE?!!!  They have already disappeared once and right about when I noticed they weren’t where I had set them down, Brandon walks in the room with them with a huge smile on his face said, “I can’t wait to see these on Samuel!”  Neither can I babe, neither can I.