22 Already?

My sweet boys are always on my mind....

Wow. It seems I just did the 21 weeks post (probably because it was only a few days ago) and we are already at 22! I believe it and don't at the same time. Mostly I do believe it since I feel Luke a lot! I'm feeling him more during the days now than I am at night, so that's nice...there really is nothing more reassuring to me (other than the ultrasounds!) than him wiggling all over the place. I can tell he's getting bigger because the movement is so much more pronounced.

Today was a busy day...actually, it's been busy since we got back, so I haven't had time to post the cruise pictures. John had a night flight tonight, so there isn't a 22 week picture either. I'll try to post some of the cruise pictures, but it takes so long to only do 5 at a time. The one above is from the beach at Horseshoe Bay. As I was writing Matthew's name, some guy walked by, laughing and trying to be funny, and pretended like he was going to stomp on my writing.

Not funny, buddy. I even said, "You're a funny guy," to him as he walked on. John said he wondered what that guy would feel like if he knew what we were writing. Had he stomped on it, he would have gotten a 109 pound-fueled kick in the shins that he wouldn't have thought was so funny.

I saw Dr. Polko today. It's like seeing an old friend. I haven't seen her since May when we were just 9 weeks. She said Luke had a very cute nose. It's true, he does.

We discussed my back...she'll give me a PT referral again if I want, but I didn't feel like it made a big difference with Matthew, so we'll see. We discussed my breathing. As figured, it sucks for me. Just have to try and be as straight as I can possibly be. My ribs are growing...that and the cartilage is spreading. So that certainly doesn't feel great when trying to breathe either. We talked about the stomach shocks and as I thought, I'm basically pinching nerves when moving certain ways and it's normal. We talked about some slight spotting I had on the cruise. It was really, really not enough to worry me (if it was, we'd have hightailed it to Dr. Sweeney's office on our way home) and hasn't happened since and was really much of nothing and if I didn't know better, I'd almost feel like I'd imagined it. She said she wasn't one bit worried, especially since it was hardly anything and out of the blue and not back, so I am not worried either.

She said I wasn't anywhere near as neurotic as I could be and that just goes to show why I love her and that office so much. The reality is, even if I was, they'd still be just as wonderful to me, and there's so much peace in knowing that. I made them chocolate covered strawberries because I had some Friday at a party and literally have been dreaming about them all weekend...but good strawberries are hard to come by right about now, so I didn't want to eat all the ones I made for them and I only ate ONE! A small one, to boot. Of course, I stopped by the grocery store tonight after my photography class (yeah, I'm trying to figure out that stupid camera!) to pick up some strawberries and there were none!!!! I'll be going out tomorrow for some, trust me.

Anyway (seriously still obsessing over the strawberries), I DID have a UTI. I had one with Matthew (and didn't have a clue) and so since I don't have a history of them but have had one with no symptoms, one of my neuroses has been testing frequently just to be sure. Well...lo and behold, not 10 minutes after me telling Dr. Polko I was sure I was being neurotic and I was sure the results were going to be fine, she and her checked the strip and they called me back into the office to give me a prescription.

Which led to picking up a prescription and going through the drama of Tricare not paying for it because they insist I still have Blue Cross/Blue Shield (thanks, Tricare....so glad I went in weeks ago to try and make sure this DIDN'T happen), but whatever. So... I feel totally justified in being vigilant about frequent testing. Not that I care whether I'm justified or not.

Luke's doing fine. My stomach (whatever they are measuring for!) is measuring fine, his heartbeat was just chugging along and he didn't even try and shy away from the doppler like he normally does. (Dr. Polko said, "It's because babies like me!") I was 109.2 on their scale, and hit 110 on mine tonight, so I'll go with between 109-110 and count it as 9-10 pounds net gain. I know a lot came on quickly in the last two weeks, but she didn't care as overall my weight gain has been just fine. My belly-button is very weird! It never popped out with Matthew at all. It got to the point where it was really, really, really flat...but never popped out. Now, with Luke, the top part of my belly button is sort of out and the bottom half of it is still in. Funny.

Here's how he's grown since 21 weeks.....for the record, this lies because my enlarging abdomen IS pretty large and DOES get in the way. Nor am I able to bend over (stomach shocks!) or sit (stiff as a board so I can breathe!) comfortably still....but that's ok. Luke's taste buds are definitely specific...to the point that the guys at El Cerro Grande know what my order is without me ordering it...right down to the extra sour cream and the orange soda. Ole!

Week Twenty Two: Taste buds develop

You are 22 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 20 weeks) The fetus reacts to loud sounds. Baby starts having a regular sleeping and waking rhythm. The mother's movements can wake her baby. Taste buds are forming on your baby's tongue. The baby is 28cm long (crown to heel) and weighs over 450 grams. The weekly weight gain has increased to around 70 grams. Your baby is about 11 inches long and weighs in at about 1 pound. The eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed, and the fingernails cover the fingertips. Sounds from a conversation are loud enough to be heard by the fetus in the uterus. If you talk, read, or sing to your baby, it's reasonable to expect him or her to be able to hear you. By this week, your waistline is definitely gone. The top of your uterus is now about 1 inch (3cm) above your bellybutton. Your enlarging abdomen is not too large and doesn't get in your way much. You're still able to bend over and to sit comfortably. Walking shouldn't be an effort. Your friends and relatives can tell you are pregnant. It would be hard to hide your condition. The baby is about 11 inches (28cm) long (crown to heel) and weighs in at about 1 pound (450g).