20 weeks - half way there!

Today I am 20 weeks pregnant. TWENTY WEEKS! That's half way through now! I'm not under any illusions that the next 20 weeks are going to fly by or anything - in fact the closer you get, the further you seem to be from the end goal.... but at the same time, when I look back it doesn't feel like all this time has passed since I took my pregnancy test and got the news. And now here we are.

So, over the last few weeks thankfully my exhaustion and nausea have gone. And my appetite seems completely back to normal. Plus I'm still exercising regularly so actually, I'm feeling really fit and well at the moment. But whilst those early pregnancy niggles have taken the hint and buggered off, the second trimester brings with it some of it's own fresh, new annoyances:

• My 'need to pee' frequency has increased ten-fold - as you are getting heavier and more active, the pressure you are placing on my bladder already has me peeing for England.
• My belly button is already trying to break from being a innie to an outie (so attractive).
• Little things like sitting crossed legged at my desk or putting on socks is slowly but surely starting to become more awkward.
• Oh and hello pregnancy insomnia, not sleeping properly at night is just what I wanted :P

Since finding out we were having a girl at our scan last month, it has been so strange getting used to referring to you as 'her' and 'she'. And you definitely are a girl too. We had our 20 week scan today and as well as confirming that you are developing healthily and measuring about average for my gestation, they also double-checked that aspect for us too ;) whoop whoop!

At least now I don't have to worry about having to return any of the pink clothes and accessories I have already bought over the last four weeks. There has been a lot. I couldn't resist. There is so much choice for girls. Too much in fact. I have always moaned at how little choice there is for boys and daddy has always said 'god help me if we ever have a girl because you still manage to buy Dexter enough clothes!' and he wasn't wrong...

And prior to falling pregnant I always said I wouldn't fall into the trap of wasting my money on 'newborn' clothes this time around. That Dexter was only in the newborn sizes for about a fortnight and it would be a waste of money. No no no, we are skipping straight to 0-3 month sizes. But when you are stood there in that shop looking at how small and adorable newborn clothes are, it is just too hard to resist.

The entire top rack is newborn aka up to 10lb so you may fit in it for about, oohh maybe a week. But strangely enough, although my belly seemed to pop really early on in this pregnancy, as things have progressed it seems to have slowed down a little. In fact, I would say that at the 20 week mark my belly is smaller this time with you than it was when I was carrying Dexter.

I would like to think it's because you are going to come out all small and petite and spare my nether regions from too much stretching but I think in reality you are luring me into a false sense of security and actually you'll be HUGE :D haha

I can't wait to find out which way that turns out xx

Little Wriggler!

When I was pregnant with your brother I had an anterior placenta cushioning my belly, so I was 22 weeks or so before I felt any movement from him. Being a first time mum and constantly having people ask me if I'd 'felt anything yet' so far in was slightly unnerving.

This time around though, my placenta is posterior. And having been there, done that on the whole detecting first movements malarky I was expected to feel things a lot sooner this time.

From about 13 weeks I had some questionable sensations that I thought was you but couldn't be 100% sure. But the day after we had our gender scan I started getting some unmistakable movement from you putting my "officially feeling you move" gestation at 16+3 weeks.

Since then you have become increasingly active, not to mention an awful lot stronger. So much so that daddy has even been able to feel sensations from placing his hand on my tummy already!! And last night, you didn't half give us both a jab.... or kick.... I'm thinking kick. Your movements seem to be predominantly on my left so I'm thinking that this is the end your feet are at right now.

It's starting to feel a little more real now that you keep reminding me you're in there.

Love you xx

Team Pink or Team Blue?

Today we had an appointment with the midwife who gave me the once over to make sure all was ok and also let me and daddy listen in to your heartbeat. It's an amazing sound to hear. She was able to find it really quickly and it was so clear.

Then later in the day we had an appointment at Miracle Inside for a private early gender scan!!!! We just couldn't wait that long to find our whether you were team blue or team pink - I was itching to start buying you things and thinking about what colour to paint your bedroom..... and here you are..... our little baby GIRL!!!!

It didn't matter either way what the end result was, but knowing you are a girl makes you seem even more real now. Like a real little person. We already know what we want to call you, we've had a name picked out for months now, but that's remaining hush-hush until your grand entrance to the world :) And of course we couldn't resist heading straight out to buy out first little bit of pink to celebrate.

So our next little peek at you is scheduled for me turning 20 weeks as we are booked back in at the hospital on Tuesday 29th September for our anatomy scan.

Catch you then xx

16 weeks

I am so over suffering with these pregnancy symptoms now :/ All the exhaustion and nausea that just won't go away. All the books and forums reckon you are supposed to have turned a corner by 16 weeks. Aren't I supposed to be all energetic and glowy by now???... not the case.

But at least I am actually starting to look pregnant a little bit more now and not just like I am carrying a few extra pounds. Maybe it is still not quite so obvious to some outsiders but here we are at 16 weeks (well, 15+6 but near enough). Starting to look a little chubbier ;) haha

Love you xxx