23 week update!

 Sorry, I was supposed to post this last week!

• How far along: 23 weeks (22 weeks and 2 Days)
• Size of Sweet Pea:  8 inches long and 1.2 lbs. (size of a Papaya this week!)  Did you notice that the weight is in pounds now!!??!!  I just looked at my last update during 18 weeks and Sweet Pea was only .5 ounces!
• Notable accomplishments for Sweet Pea: Per FitPregnancy… “Weighing in at a pound, and at eight inches long, your baby is starting to really look like a baby! You can compare her size to a box of sugar or a bag of coffee beans. Her skin is filling out as the first layers of fat are deposited and her muscles grow. During the next month, her weight may almost double.
•  Total Weight Gained: to date, scary to say, but I have gained close to 14 pounds!  I did start off at a very low weight and needed to gain some just to be healthy…but still 14 pounds!
• Maternity Clothes:  So, I have slowly realized that being small sized and petite has its disadvantages with clothes even when you are pregnant!  It has been really hard to find clothes to fit my body and accommodate my growing belly!  Looks like I will just have to buy normal clothes and just buy it in bigger sizes….
• Sleep:  Sleep is going well.  I have grown accustomed to sleeping on my side at least for the time being.  I am trying to enjoy as much sleep as possible before the big day comes…
• Best Moment of the Week:  Being in Charlotte…nothing can beat that…
• Food Cravings: Nothing yet.
• Food Aversions:  My chicken aversion is getting better.  Still not excited about it, but it is better.
• Food Fondness:  Still the same answer in the category--Fruits, Juices, most vegetables (as long as they are not squishy!), potato anything, mac ‘n cheese (I have always loved side dishes).  Drinking lots of protein drinks and Ensure!
• Morning Sickness:  hopefully, this phase has passed on…
• Symptoms: Back aches/lower tailbone pain is probably the only thing I can complain about now…so that is a good thing.
• Movement:   So I have started to feel little punches and kicks from Sweet Pea/ Stinky Pea.  It is such a new feeling that it startles me every time!  Chris was able to feel the movement one morning when Stinky was having a good time kicking me at one spot!  It will be exciting to feel him more and more as that will let me know he is happy and ok.  I am sure I will look back at this moment in a few months wishing I took more advantage of the time I couldn’t feel all his punches!
• What I'm looking forward to:  Chris and I are going to California at the beginning of May! I have to go there for work, so Chris is coming along for the first part of my trip.  We will be in the LA area, so if you have any suggestions of things to do, please send it my way!  Also, at the end of May, we both will be going to Charlotte for Memorial Weekend!  Everyone in Charlotte is so excited to see Chris, since they have not seen him since Christmas.
• What I miss: My energy!  My mind is still going at normal speed, but my body is having a harder time keeping up!
• Work:  Work is still going great.  With the decreasing energy levels, travel is getting to be a bit harder but still not too troublesome.  I am very lucky to work for a boss that is so understanding.
• Travel Schedule:  Los Angeles, California May 6-10 (personal/work); Charlotte May 27-30 (personal)
• Fitness:  I wasn’t able keep up my workout schedule because of my pulled rib muscle that lasted 3 ½ weeks.  I still have a little soreness but nowhere near the same pain as before.  Starting back my yoga and swim class this week- very excited!
• Other news:  I had my first birthday as a to-be-mom!  My family and hubby made it such a special one…more details to come.
• Belly Pic:  here it is!



Outside our beautiful home in Charlotte