24 weeks? Impossible!

I seriously didn't believe it when I read that this morning.  I thought for sure I was at 23 weeks.  Time has just flown for the past month or two.  I remember when I was laboriously counting DAYS till 20 wks, and somehow we've already flown 4 weeks past that without realizing it.  Anyway, here's my update sans pics b/c I'm not home to upload them.  Maybe later this week.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Size of Baby: 1 foot long!, 1.5 lb

Total Weight Gain: ~18 lbs

Maternity Clothes: this week I put on one of my pre-preg button-up shirts and buttoned the two buttons at the bottom of my boobs and the top of my belly, and they were tight.  Cute, but I'll only be able to pull that off a few more weeks.

Best Moment this week: again impossible to say b/c having Dave & Shelia here was so awesome!

Gender: BOY! I love to stop and look in the door at his nursery... without any decorations, just paint and furniture, it's so cute!  I'm so excited about finishing touches! :)

Movement: he always dances around mealtimes.  If I'm hungry but too busy to stop and eat yet he kicks me as if to say "we need food, mom!" and if I eat at a normal time he waits till I finish and relax and then he starts moving.  This week I think I'm feeling him in two places at once, as if he's trying to stretch himself to both sides of my abdomen at once.  Like a kick and a punch, or maybe he's doing the YMCA in there :)  I wish I had a window to see in and tell what he's doing.  4 more weeks till my next (and maybe last?) ultrasound; I can't wait!! :)

Food Craving: nothing specific, though after weeks of "vacation" eating, I've been enjoying lots of veggies and lighter meals like BLT's and vegetarian tacos and PB&J's.  And the cooler days of fall have me craving more hot drinks and soups and hearty dishes too.  Looking forward to the squash season as well.

What I Miss Most: Dave & Shelia.  They were SUCH good company.  The two weeks flew by and I would have had them stay longer if I could.

Sleep: ATROCIOUS!  Okay, well, you caught me after two particularly bad nights, so maybe I'm exaggerating :)  Josh has been sick and the dogs have been cold since I buzzed them almost bald this weekend so between them trying to burrow deeper into the covers or snuggle closer, and Josh coughing through the night, and me trying to get comfortable with my giant belly and my hurting ears (this has always been a problem for me which is why I'm picky about my pillow), it's been a rough couple days.  In general, though, a "good night's sleep" has become a thing of the past.

What I am looking forward to: is not so much the glucose test, but the doctor's appointment that goes along with it on Thursday.  I've got a few questions to ask and I'm really eager for the answers, plus looking forward to see how the appts start to change now that I'm more than halfway.  You know, besides having to leave a urine sample! :-D

Belly Button: flat and starting to lose the top half of the cinnamon bun swirl I've always had, but still pretty deep on the bottom half of the swirl.  I realized this week that I should probably start making sure some of my cocoa butter gets in there when I moisturize my belly every day. 

Speaking of cocoa butter, I have to mention, I stopped using it for two days to try out this BioOil that everyone on my message boards has been raving about b/c Josh hates the sweet smell of the butter.  TWO DAYS and I started getting stretch marks.  I was so upset.  I mean, it was probably inevitable but apparently the butter was helping keep them at bay till absolutely necessary.  Fortunately they were VERY shallow (and almost weblike) when I found them, so back on the butter they faded quite a bit and are holding steady.  But you'd better believe I will be using that stuff daily (or twice daily) till this baby has come and gone! :)

Symptoms: reflux and carpal tunnel and sore back are all still kicking.  I'm going to ask the doc if there's anything I can do to help the carpal tunnel.  Some days I've got almost no sensation in my right forefinger and thumb.  Heat sensitivity is almost always null with those two too.  And some days it tingles so bad it hurts to turn the steering wheel.  I've also invested in a heating pad for my aching back.  After a couple nights of filling up the hot water bottle, I decided that electric (and bigger) was the way to go for me.  So now I spend my evenings watching TV on the chair (b/c it's firmer and more comfy than the couch now) with my feet on the ottoman and low heat on my back.  But I feel better when I go to bed.