le bump / 16 weeks
greetings, bump. it’s good to see you again.
progress & countdown: 16 weeks down & 168 days to go
baby size: an avocado
food & drink: now that we are nicely nestled into the second trimester, food sounds and tastes glorious! i never got sick-sick in the first trimester, just general blahs that made pretty much all food sound not-so-great. that was a bummer. but, now! second trimester in all her glory! and we are back at it. most days are filled with nutrient-packed (and fat-full) smoothies and lots of fruit. fruit is my friend. my favorite snack of the moment is: dates with peanut butter, celtic salt, and pecans. yum. dinners have been all over the place between big veggie bowls with some grains and the occasional rich pasta (thank you, ben) and mexican food. as always, give me all the mexican food. and… ‘tis the season for holiday cheers kombucha which is my favorite thing every fall / winter but especially perfect right now. ginger and spice and everything nice in a refreshing bubbly probiotic drink. yes to that.
bump stuff: baby is making his/her move outward! we are still in that thick midsection phase which is not my favorite. all my clothes fit but not in the same way. i don't quite have that cute little baby ball that fills out my shirts and elicits that, "awwwwwhhh" response. no, things are just thick and quasi-bumpy. buuuut...by the end of the day or after a large helping of chips and salsa, it is 100% visible.
highs: brainstorming nursery ideas and names. observing elinor and ridley as they make plans for “their baby pumpkin”. it is the cutest. and they even threw me a baby shower a couple of weeks ago. precious.
lows: feeling the pelvic spread and tendon pulls. not my favorite. but, regular chiro appointments have been a life-saver.
new developments: head to rump, baby is around 4.5 inches long and weighs almost 4 ounces. s/he is going through a growth spurt, doubling weight! the patterning of baby’s scalp has begun though hair isn’t recognizable yet. baby’s heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day. taste buds are forming and nerves are connecting them to the brain. tiny eyebrow hairs are sprouting. baby can sense light.
meaningful moments & hormones & feelings: ridley saying “goodnight baby pumpkin” to my belly every night. elinor already beginning to decorate baby’s future room (ben is loving all the decor that has taken over his workspace).
superficial stuff: ben insists that my bump in indiscernible (which has me wondering if he ever really looks at my midsection because, hello BUMP!). meanwhile, i feel like things are really popping. but not like the cute and obvious baby bump pop, still in that “wow, someone ate a lot of fondue last night” phase. but, we’re getting there. and it feels surreal to be doing this again.
looking forward to: my upcoming ultrasound appointment and midwife appointment. and… THANKSGIVING! baby is going to be very happy with all the goodness. i am glad that his/her taste buds are working…