I Swallowed A Basketball.

34 WEEKS

Yup, it's all in front, just like I swallowed a basketball.

It's interesting the theories people have...some say if you're all in front that it's a boy & that if it's more around the sides, it's a girl. BUT I beg to differ. I hear the ideology the other way around as well, but not as often. I have also had people guess based on how low or high my belly is. Everyone seems to have an opinion. I however, think it's all a bunch of hubalub...and yes, I just used that word.  I was carrying super low up until about 6.5 mos. Now it's in the middle. Anyways, everyone thinks it's a boy, from my family (including DG) to friends & even random strangers. My Dad is the only one who thinks it's a girl. My Mom claims to not have a feeling, but she always used to tell me my first would be a boy. 

Doctors & books will tell you that the way you carry has to do with your body type & uterus shape/position. This makes a whole heck of a lot more sense to me. I have always had a SUPER flat stomach...

About 12 weeks.

.... & a pretty defined waist line, plus I'm super short, so it would only make sense that the baby has nowhere to go but out. In case anyone thinks I'm bragging about my pre-pregnancy stomach, I have a totally flat ass, bowed legs & big arms for a girl, so there. We all have our "things."

Baby G very well could be a boy, but I swear I'd carry this way if it was a girl....I could be wrong, but I  highly doubt it.

Thoughts? Opinions? Do you agree that it's a bunch of crap?

PS Random side note, my boobs haven't gotten bigger. Just a hair, but they were on the smaller side of my norm before I got pregnant...anyone else's not get any bigger? Everything I read says they're supposed to blow up...and I think DG was sort of looking fwd to it. I guess it won't happen till my milk comes in....

XOXO J

Pregnancy Is Kind Of Hilarious. Installment #1

I realize this notion of mine all depends upon what you find hilarious. I have never been very "normal," so let's just roll with it. 

It's amazing the comments from strangers or acquantainces that go hand in hand with pregnancy...I find myself internally laughing my ass off at most of them.

Upon leaving my office this afternoon to take a quick little shopping trip, I ran into a girl I briefly used to work with. This girl & I were never close, just more or less acquaintances. However she works in the same industry as I do now so I see her ocassionally. Anyways, no sooner than we'd said our "Hello's," she looks straight down at my stomach and says, "Are you pregnant?? Please God say you are."

"Yes, I am." I smiled and she seemed to breath a sigh of relief, to which I find hilarious. She has balls, I don't.  I say, why put yourself in that position? What if I had a tumor? What if I'd gained a little bit of weight and it all just went to my lower stomach?! 

Ok fine, I don't look like this:

Thanks goodness.

Nor do I looks like this:

*Shudders*

But still. I guess I just wouldn't risk asking on the very off chance I was wrong. I have heard women say that if someone has always had a flat stomach and all of a sudden they are sporting a very obvious pooch, and haven't gained weight anywhere else, then it's safe to ask. But what if it was a tumor?! LOL I can see it now...."No, I'm not pregnant, I have a tumor, stomach cancer in fact." Wouldn't you feel awful?!

That's why I say don't ask.  

Ok maybe if you look like this.....

But we all don't have Alessandra's body.

For reference, here's my bump today @ 22 weeks.

It could be a tumor.

A tumor that kicks ;)

Thoughts?

XOXO J

Pregnancy: The Good & The WTF?!

Boy it's been awhile since I have posted over here.  I have had the urge to post about random pregnancy stuff, but somehow it felt criminal considering my last few posts (quite some time ago) were about alcohol & crass subjects. But hey, why change just because I'm pregnant. I wouldn't be the real me if I created a fluffy pregnancy blog, decorated with pretty birds & light-hearted posts, would I? Nah.

Today I'm 18 weeks & 4 days pregnant. According to BabyCenter.com, my little dude or dudette is the length of medium bell pepper. WOW. Even though I'm almost half way through, it's still hard to believe I'm pregnant.

I chose red, cause green bell peppers are not my thing these days.

I have wanted to be pregnant as far back as I can remember, & I always LOVED newborns.  I've always been fascinated with the whole process & felt the urge to be a Mom very early on. Clearly I wasn't dumb enough to get knocked up at 15, or 18....I knew/dreamed it would happen one day when I was happily married...which I am.  I've been with DG for 7.5 years. We just got married on 9/30/11 & pregnant the 1st week of January. Who knew it could happen on the first go round'. LOL. Well it did, and we feel extremely fortunate that it happened so fast. We may have been a bit in shock, but soon the shock turned to excitement.

That said, I think I will keep posting preggo stuff on this blog, mixed in with the normal random ramblings.  But to kick off the first preggo post, I thought I'd do one of those nifty surveys I have seen other Moms-to-be do:

How far along?  18 weeks, 4 days aka in my Fifth Month or 4.5 months...however you wanna figure it.
Total weight gain/loss?  Gain so far, I believe 6 lbs.
Maternity clothes?  Yes, the jeans have been a must since about 13 weeks.  I have wide hips, so I wasn't able to sling my regular jeans below my belly, because if I lowered them they didn't fit around my hip region...I have an hourglass figure..which is great, but doesn't work for slipping jeans lower.  I'm now realizing I may need to buy some tops since my regular ones are getting too stretched at the bottom.
Stretch marks? None, thank goodness.
Sleep?  Eh. I have always been a side sleeper, but inevitably roll to my back in the middle of the night.  I have been conscious of trying not to roll on my back...which wakes me up a lot, as does my need to pee. SO ANNOYING.
Best moment last week? THINKING I felt a kick. But haven't felt it again...some random flutters, but could have been gas. My Doc said probably closer to 20-22 weeks for first pregnancy.
Movement?  See last question.
Food cravings?  Tomato soup, tuna, spicy/salty foods. Also crave something sweet at night.
Gender? Our big ultrasound is this Thursday, but we aren't finding out. DG is really really wanting it to be a surprise. I alway swore I wanted to wait too, but man it's going to be hard!
Labor signs? None!
Belly button in/out? Still pretty deep. Always been a deep inny.
What I miss: Drinking wine after work.
What I am looking forward to: My Wed cervix check & my Thurs ultrasound...I'm a ball of nerves right now...Praying all is ok with baby.
Milestones: None this week. 

And a few other random things...

Annoying symptoms:

~Constantly growling, gurgling stomach. It doesn't stop after I eat because then it makes noise while it's digesting. So uncomfortable to always have that bottomless pit feeling. Ugh.

~I'm out of breath a lot...after talking, walking up stairs. 

~On a positive note, I have never thrown up, only had mild nausea for a few weeks in the beginning...and yucky food aversions.

Think I'll post some belly progression pics next time around...Until then ;)

XOXO J