15 Weeks

This post is coming a few days late because we had our niece and nephew staying with us all weekend and they kept us very busy!  It was so fun to have kids in the house, but also made me realize that a) our house is desperately in need of some sort of mud room, and b) I'm really glad that we'll start out with just one child!  It's been so many years since I've taken care of kids that age and it definitely helped me to remember how active they are!  Hopefully we'll be able to get in the swing of things.

I think that morning sickness is FINALLY gone, which is wonderful!  The bad news is that I somehow gained 4 pounds in the last week, which I'm not at all happy about.  I had been down a total of 12 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, and now I'm down 8.  I knew that some weight gain would be coming sometime soon, but to gain four pounds so quickly is just not ok with me!  Hopefully the scale is just reflecting a weekend of unhealthy eating and things will even out again soon.

I've definitely started showing more this past week.  I feel like because I'm so short, and I have such a short torso, that there is nowhere for this baby to go but out.  My bump literally starts just below my chest and keeps on going from there.  The crazy thing is how hard my whole stomach is getting.  I knew that would happen, but it feels really strange since I've always had a pretty squishy middle!  The other thing that I've been experiencing this week is round ligament pain.  I had heard about it before pregnancy, but I didn't realize how painful it could really be!  Especially if I've been sitting or laying still for a while, and I get up to move.  It feels like the muscles in my abdomen are literally pulling apart from themselves.  Sneezing is even worse now too.  One sneeze and I feel like I've been stabbed in the stomach.  Fun times!  The other thing that is starting to get more difficult is finding a comfortable sleep position.  I'm already sleeping with a body pillow, which has been good for the most part.  Rolling from side to side with the huge pillow is awkward though, and of course sleeping on my belly is completely out of the question.  Laying on my back is ok, but pregnant women aren't supposed to lay on their back as pregnancy progresses, because the enlarged uterus puts pressure on a major vein and can cut off blood supply.  I still have a LONG way to go in this pregnancy, so hopefully I can suck it up and deal with it! :)

I am so incredibly anxious to find out the sex of the baby!!  I convinced Dave that I cannot possibly wait until our anatomy ultrasound at the OB, so we are having an early gender determination ultrasound this coming Saturday!  I really hope that baby cooperates and shows us the goods!  I'm still feeling like it's a girl, but I just need that confirmation.  I'll honestly be a little shocked if I'm wrong.  In the end, all that really matters is that the baby is healthy, since we would like both a boy and a girl when all is said and done.  Just a few more days until we'll hopefully know!

Here is my 15 week baby bump picture:

Baby is now the size of a navel orange:

How far along: 15 weeks 3 days

Total weight gain/loss: - 8 pounds
Maternity clothes: I bought my first maternity dress! It is adorable but makes me look really pregnant!
Stretch marks: Nothing new
Sleep: Not so great the last few days.
Best moment this week: Meeting baby Elliott!! He's the cutest little thing ever!
Movement: Yes! I've been feeling flutters for about a week now. Mostly after I eat and then lay still, and before bed. No real kicks yet though, and nothing consistent yet either.
Food cravings: Nothing specific this week, I've just definitely been eating more!
Gender: Hopefully we'll know on Saturday!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out: In
What I miss: Still wine!
What I am looking forward to: Elliott's shower this weekend.
Milestones: Feeling the first movements!