17 weeks and FL bound! :)

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 17 weeks

Size of Baby: avg size: 5 in

Total Weight Gain: ~10 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I borrowed a bunch of cute dresses from my preggo friend (thanks, Nikki!) that will accommodate my bump through the rest of summer and look super cute too.  I'm excited to have a whole new summer wardrobe right before my FL trip!

Best Moment this week: time spent with my hubby.  Since I'm leaving Wednesday at the butt-crack of dawn, I've been appreciating all the time I get with him before I go.  I'm going to miss that guy!

Gender: undetermined for 3 more weeks (if baby cooperates at 20 wk u/s).  Three weeks?!  That sounds almost doable.  Especially since one week is my vacation, then it's only 2 weeks... ok, ok, I can do this :)

Movement: none.  yet.  I'm lying in bed trying to feel it at night. :)  Every once in a while I think I might be feeling something, but I'm not claiming anything I can't differentiate from blood pulsing in my abdomen.

Food Craving: cold water; it's been hot here, so my water bottle only stays cold for a little while, and I'm always wishing later it was cold again.

What I Miss Most: being able to eat a whole meal without feeling miserable afterwards.  Josh is always laughing at how breathless I am, especially after I eat.

Sleep: not too bad except the morning I woke at 2:15am and couldn't get back to sleep till 4:15am.  Fortunately it was on the weekend.  Otherwise, I've found a position that's comfortable for now and am making it most of the night, except potty break.

What I am looking forward to: I can't wait to be in FL with my friends and family.  I'm going to get to enjoy some of my oldest and closest friendships, plus I'll get to go to my brother John's birthday dinner, on top of having TWO baby showers with lots of FL loved ones.  And I'm also looking forward to coming back home to my husband and pups after a week of being away; I love those guys the bestest.

Belly Button: normal (in).  I read this morning that the top of my uterus is supposed to be 2" BELOW my navel at 17 wks.  Mine is at least 2" ABOVE belly button.  So when they said I'm carrying high, they're not lying!!  But I've got good pics this week to show I ~really~ am pregnant :)

Symptoms: The reflux is still a regular problem during the day, but I'm trying not to take the max allowable amt of the meds unless I REALLY need it.  Like the day I woke up feeling yucky and we were going Cajun for lunch; yeah, I took zantac morning and night that day. But otherwise I'm toughing it out during the day and just taking it for dinner/bedtime relief.  I've also been short of breath a lot.  Even though I don't look overwhelmingly pregnant, b/c I'm carrying so high I'm feeling the organ-crushing most women get a little later in their pregnancies.  My lungs and stomach just don't have their own space anymore.  Also I've had some back pain lately too, I'm assuming from growing breasts and belly, coupled with straining something during exercise or movement.  But other than those and generally tiring out quicker than "normal", I have to confess I really am enjoying the second trimester like they say you should.  I'm enjoying showing and looking forward to feeling movement without the intense discomfort of 3rd trimester.  Enjoying each day as it comes. :)