Marination Time: 18 Weeks
Size of baby: Little Bean is five and a half inches long and about seven ounces, the size of a bell pepper.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 10.5 pounds.
Maternity Clothes: Yes. I think days of making some of my regular tops “work” are numbered. I have a few tees and dresses that will continue to work just due to style, but the other stuff that was working is getting shorter and shorter.
Sex: Two weeks left. It’s time to get on those wives tales/predictions:
High/low bump: GIRL. I’ve been told I appear like I’m having a girl (?!). I have no idea what this really means. I feel like my bump is high (i.e. I have no lower pain or anything, and I look more like I have eaten a full meal/beer gut than pregnant sometimes?).
Chinese Gender Chart: GIRL.
Heartbeat: GIRL. Upper 140s/higher-ish since the beginning.
Cravings: BOY. I really do not have a mega-sweet tooth at all, not even for the extra cookie or piece of fruit. I want spice, salt, peppery things, heat.
Draino Color Change Test: Ummm who really has time for this?! Apparently if it is still blue when mixed with my pee it would mean boy. Gross.
Mayans: BOY. I look at the year I conceived and the age I conceived and since they both aren’t an even number, I’m apparently having a boy.
Skin: GIRL. I’m rocking teenage acne flare ups plus 30-something year old lines. Awesome.
Morning Sickness: BOY (?). In the first tri I was queasy for four weeks at the same time window every day, pretty much like clockwork, but never got sick. It was truly better after those four weeks, and was only a few hours in the morning. I guess I would characterize my morning sickness level as mild overall. I was mostly tired.
Total: 4 Girl / 3 Boy. We shall see!
Movement: Still fleeting jabs, sort of. Ready for acrobatics (30 week pregnant DJ will probably want to punch 18 week pregnant DJ for saying this).
Belly button watch: Innie.
Sleep: Ok, just not enough. People are starting to tell me to “sleep now.” Uh, thanks. I do actually have a job that requires some short nights and doubt I’ll seriously look back on this time as a life of leisure pre-kids. In fact, I have a feeling I might even get more sleep while up with a newborn than I do some work weeks (the life of an attorney – so great).
What I miss: Sushi with raw fish in it. I had a major craving this week.
Cravings: Peanut butter. Sushi. Veggies.
Symptoms: Frequent bathroom trips. Disappearing ab strength for getting up from laying down or on the couch (side leaning to roll to get up has started). A fair dose of Mama anxiety this week – our dog was diagnosed with campylo bacteria, which is dangeous to LB due to my preggo state. It will be nice at least once LB is on the outside and I can worry over him/her in person instead of wondering if all is ok in there!
Best Moment this week: Seeing a fellow pregnant friend/now client on a work trip to D.C. She’s already having her second kid and we used to work on the law school journal together. Life comes at you fast.