I know, I know. I didn't post anything for week 23. I was super busy last week and I was on the road for 7 hours last Tuesday for an interview in Northern Iowa. Give me a break.... I only had to stop for a potty break like 10 times throughout my drive... frustrating. Eventually I'll learn to not "drink" and drive right?!....
So. To sum up the last two weeks... there are three words to describe it. Rate of Gain. I swear. At this pace I'll be able to compete with some of the top rate of gain steers at the county fair next summer. The Dr. tomorrow will answer the horrific question of "how much do I weigh".... gulp. Up until this point I had only gained an average of 2 pounds every four weeks. I know that this number has easily doubled since the last visit. I now feel like a beached whale as I am slowly starting to lose sight of my toes, let alone the ability to put socks on... yeah... It's quite the clown show getting dressed in the morning. Luckily dog's can't laugh... or they would be in major trouble (for some reason I can always see that smirk on Shepp's face though...).
Black Friday shopping was kind of a rude awakening as my jean size has jumped by 6 sizes in the matter of months... I had to graduate my favorite Buckle jeans, which are now on "maternity leave" until I return to my previous stature....My bump and my rump have both overtaken my high school figure... and I do hope to see that again some day... (dream on, I know, but I can always wish right!?). I am now officially into maternity shirts as T-Shirt's really don't fit over the bump anymore without squeezing me or getting completely stretched out. I've also had to slim down my sweatshirt wardrobe as many of the sweatshirts have began to crawl upwards, revealing a not so pretty bare-skinned belly.
Tomorrow is our 24 week check up with the Dr's office. Tomorrow we get to experience the Glucose Screening to test for gestational diabetes. They do this between 24 and 28 weeks, so that is scheduled for tomorrow's agenda. We will also be able to hear the heart beat again and see how rapid the little twerp's heart is racing.
I've also began to feel the .... how do I put it... annoying? braxton hicks contractions. Although they aren't really painful, they are still annoying. It's like someone is taking a rubber-band inside your stomach and pulling it really tight. I usually can get them to go away by changing positions or getting up and walking around, but they are still annoying. They are also annoying because they are so random. You never know when one is going to pop up and say "hello"... grrr. Baby Punt is also once again causing my rib cage to expand, which IS causing pain like it was previously. I can usually ease the pain by sitting back in my chair, as straight as possible, but even then, the pain is still present. I find it more comfortable to just lay in bed all stretched out than to sit on the couch. It's also annoying because I sit in class or at my office desk about 5 hours a day out of my 9 hour school day and that causes the ribs to hurt too. It helps to get up and walking around. Another non-welcome side effect that has become a frequent flyer within my body is acid-reflex. ugh. Can anyone say miserable? The WORST was this past weekend when I was home for thanksgiving... I'm sure that eating half my body weight in food each day for the past 4 days didn't help... but goodness. The constant sensation to throw up whenever I tried to burp or move positions was awefull. I sure hope this is just a short term side effect...
I have also noticed the increased intensity of kicks coming from the little one. My entire arm will jump if it's resting on my stomach and a kick comes from within. It is visible to others now too when I'm getting kicked. My little sisters think it's gross that they can see and feel it, I just chuckle at them and say "imagine it being inside of you!"... they didn't like that any more than being able to see it. Lol. I can also see when the baby decides to change position and starts to roll around in there. My entire stomach will start moving and you can see where the head or feet are at. I usually know where the feet are, mainly because they are the main thing I feel these days. 75% of the time they are pressed right against my rib's or just below that. I have had the... displeasure... of feeling Baby Punt rub it's feet up against my bottom ribs... not pleasant Baby Punt has also found where mom's bladder is, and is very enthusiastic about kicking that as well. Weather I'm sitting, walking, sleeping, or talking, the bladder is 90% of the time ready to be emptied... but when I'm farthest from a toilet, Baby Punt thinks it's a game to kick directly onto the bladder and make me have to rush to find a bathroom. It's hard to believe that at only 24 weeks I'm already experiencing all of this, I can't imagine what it will be like in another 10+ weeks.... .... eek. Gives me the chills just thinking about it.
As I had mentioned earlier... the feeling of being a beached whale. While I walked to lunch today my best friend was commenting on how slow of a walker I am. Yes. I know. I can't JOG to keep up with here anymore sine she is a fast paced walker.... She started making fun of me and my waddle. Well. I guess it's time for me to admit it. I am now a waddling pregnant lady. There. I said it. Waddle. So: to sum up the word "waddle"...
verb (used without object)
1.
to walk with short steps, swaying or rocking from side to side, as a duck.
Related Words for : Waddle
A Duck... Because that's exactly what I want to be compared to these days.... ugh. My best friend referred to me as a Penguin. I'll admit it. I now walk with my arms, swaying from side to side at about a 45 degree angle from my torso. Embarrassing. I ended up sticking my hands in my sweatshirt pocket on the walk back from lunch because she was making fun of me so much. It doesn't help that she's been gone for 2.5 weeks and hasn't seen me that entire time... and I HAVE grown since she left. Oh well. It's just going to get worse, right? Lol. I'm not entirely to the full blown pregnancy waddle, yet, but I know it's inevitable. There's no getting around it when you get as big as you do.
Anyways, I better head off to class. I've taken enough of everyone's time today for me to tell you about the joy's of pregnancy and the walk of humor I have been through the last couple of weeks. Visit me again next week! tata!
