5 months - 20 weeks - 140 days

We are half-way to baby time people!

Changes in Me:
Shoes don't fit? I read about your feet growing during pregnancy, but I was hoping that wouldn't be the case for me.  I am a nice, average size 8-9 depending on the shoe.  Now, I have only noticed a problem with two pairs of heels not fitting correctly.  My favorite pair of black heels gave me blisters the other day, which was very unsettling.  I don't like wearing flats with dresses so I'm going to be very disappointed if my feet truly are larger.  I refuse to go buy new shoes.

Weight - 153lbs. (that's a 13 pound gain)

Look - There is a woman in my Tuesday morning kettlebell class who's a month ahead of me.  So, today she's 24 weeks to my 20.  I have talked about her on here before and things have not changed much.  She looks like she's smuggling a beach ball under her shirt and I look like I've downed a few 6-packs too many.  What is up with that?!  I'm not in a super big hurry to be extra sweaty and awkward, but I'm starting to get those looks like, "she's not really pregnant, is she?".  I actually got that this past weekend.  I met a few new people faux camping and one of the girls couldn't believe I was 5 months pregnant.  I guess as long as I don't have a permanent job for next year the baby can keep hiding under my layer of stomach flub.  Sigh.  People say that I'm starting to look pregnant, but I just don't really see it most of the time.

Uterus - is up to my bellybutton.  My ab muscles are being stretched and pushed apart.  Great.  I just established that I actually have some decent abs under there and now they are being stretched out.  Can't get a break.

Sexy? In my book Your Pregnancy week by week there is a page titled You May Be Sexier than You Think (growl).  "What is this all about?" I ask myself.  It's set up like Letterman's top 10 list.  Let's see if I qualify as sexy according to the book:
1. Skin is smoother and softer because of the lotions and creams that you use to prevent stretch marks
-I think I covered "alligator belly" in last week's post so, no to #1
2. You ask for massages and back rubs, which lead to other "sexy time" activities
-I haven't really needed to ask more than normal so no to #2
3. Figuring out new ways to "make love" is an exciting new challenge!
-Um, this is a definite no.  It's awkward and, let's face it, I'm not as quick and nimble as I was 13  pounds ago.  It takes much more effort to throw my body around.  Not sexy people.  God.  Get with
the program.
4. I'm not even posting #4.  It's about sex and using your imagination.  Not even going there.
5. Pregnancy makes him walk like a man.  Pregnancy is a new source of pride.
-What a STU-PID saying.  Pregnancy makes him walk like a man?  What the hell did he walk like before?  Yeah B has that "I'm going to be a dad" glow but that really only comes out when he's
talking about the baby.  Other than that, we're pretty damn close to our normal selves.
6. Curves can be sexy
-Says who!?  I had curves before and I'll have curves after.  Maybe when I get rid of the cellulite on my ass and hips and lipo out the layer of cushion that is covering up my apparently awesome six-
pack we'll talk about my sexy curves.
7. Pregnancy hormones increase your sexual desire.
-This is semi-true, but then I need to re-direct you to #3
8. Your enlarging breasts may turn him on.
-This was also in last week's post.  I was a DD before getting pregnant.  I'm pretty sure anything
beyond that is just considered freakish.  Need I remind you of the dinner plate comment?
9. The level of commitment between you and your partner increases.  Having a child together is the ultimate act of trust.
-I hope no teenaged girls are reading this book because #9 just screams "have a baby with him and
he'll love you forever and never leave!"
10. You're carefree because you don't have to worry about birth control.
-I am so glad that I made it to #10 because I was about ready to rip this page out and burn it.
    Birth control is not something that I spent my day pining over.  Girls, c'mon.  It's not that difficult.
    Depo Provera = 1 shot every 3 months
    Ortho Evera = 1 sticker on your butt once a week
    Nuva Ring = 1 ring a week (and is disgusting!)
    So, unless you're still on the old-fashioned birth control pills there isn't a whole hell of a lot to
    occupy your mind, is there?


Well, thank God that I already know that I'm sexy because this top 10 list would have crushed and destroyed my self-esteem.  That list is something that you could find in a Cosmo quiz.  Fun to read, but not to live your life by.

What's Baby Up to?
I am a member of Baby Center, which is where I go for my weekly updates.  I have noticed that when they refer to the baby they always use the pronoun "she".  This week they are calling it "he".  Maybe the do the first 20 weeks for "her" and the second 20 weeks for "him".  Thought that was random.  Back to baby, it's:

• the length of a banana
• swallowing more (gross - I know what it does in there.  Wallowing in its' own filth)
• producing poo!  Not the "plop, plop" in the toilet poo, the kind that sticks to your butt like glue and you have to use a whole container of wipes to get off.  Fun.  That stuff has 20 more weeks to ferment and get all nasty for us.  I'm thinking that B should change the first diaper.  

Again, another uneventful week in baby growth.  The eventful portion is to follow.  Read on:

Gender Ultrasound!
Yes, it is the moment we've all been waiting for.  If you notice, the voting clock expires at 5pm, which means that I won't be posting until at least 5pm.  If you're on the phone call list you already know what I'm about to share and hopefully you haven't gone and blabbed it to the world (aka Facebook).  If you did let the news babble out of your little mouth be prepared for the repercussions.  Our baby, our news to share.
B and I made it clear that we had decided on what we thought the baby was: girl.  I wasn't sure if I'd be able to lean one way or another, but I have.  Let me just say that this is a slight lean.  I am very aware of the fact that everything else points to boy, but I can't over rule the feelings that it's a girl.

(Drum roll please)

 

 

 

She says, "Hello!"

 

 

 

Profile shot

We don't have a name picked out yet so don't ask. 
Oh and go easy on the pink, we're purple fans over here.