The ABC’s of my pregnancy: 22 weeks

The format of this post is a result of my natural tendency to get bored doing the same thing over and over and living with a toddler who is obsessed with letters.  I spend a good part of my day commenting on letters, their sounds, and objects that start with those letters.

Or it might just be one of those pregnancy mood things.  Whatever.  Either way, enjoy!

A is for appetite.

As in, my appetite has slowed down considerably since I kept track of my calories and nutrients for a day and posted What This Pregnant Mama Eats.  At that time I had a voracious appetite and felt hungry most of the time.  My appetite seems more normal now and I’m definitely getting full more quickly.

B is for big belly.

I want to clarify my remarks last week’s pregnancy update.  I think I gave the impression that I’m worried that my belly is too big or that I think I’ve gained too much weight.  That’s not the case at all.  I was just feeling surprised at how big my belly was, especially since it seems so much bigger than it did when I was this far along in my first pregnancy.  Believe me, I love and cherish my pregnant body.

C is for calf cramps.

I woke up this morning with a killer calf cramp.  It literally propelled me up and out of my sleep position and gasping for air.  One of the lovely side effects of being pregnant.

D is for daily thanks.

I thank God every single day for blessing me with this new life.  I pray he continues to develop and grow strong inside of me.

E is for exercise.

I’ve continued to keep up a moderate exercise routine. Lindsay Brin’s pregnancy workout DVD has been great; it’s a perfect mix of cardio and strength training and is just challenging enough.

F is for feet.

I love cute shoes and am typically willing to bypass comfort for style.  I’ve got to take care of my pregnant feet, though, so I’ve had to put the fun wedges on the shelf for the summer and settle for more practical shoes.  Flip flops aren’t offering enough support, either.  My feet and legs are thanking me for wearing the shoes you see in the picture most of the time.  They are the most stylish of all the sturdy, comfortable sandals I could find.

G is for gas.

Sometimes I wonder if you really want all the details.  A couple of nights this week I had terrible gas pains.  At least I think they were gas pains.  I had sharp, extremely uncomfortable pains all over my stomach.  Maybe I went overboard on the spicy food?

H is for highs and lows.

Sometimes pregnancy feels like a never-ending roller coaster ride.  At times I feel elated.  I’m so excited to have this baby and just in love with the world.  The next moment I’m crying because of  a song on the radio.  Then, before you can blink, I’m so cranky and irritated you better get out of my way.  It’s crazy.

I is for instincts.

I trust my instincts and follow them every day.  I think this is especially important during pregnancy when you need to listen to what your body is telling you.

J is for just staying home.

After being busy, busy, busy for a lot of the summer, it felt great to just stay home most of this week.

K is for kegels.

If you are a man, you can go ahead and skip this one.  Ladies, you know what I’m talking about.  I’ve been reminding myself to do these every day to strengthen everything down there.  Kegels are the best kind of exercise because you can do them in the car, while watching TV, or sitting at the computer.  I’m doing them right now.

L is for not lying on my back.

I miss being able to lie on my back.  I find it to be a comfortable , tension-releasing position.  You’re not supposed to sleep or lie flat on your back after 16-17 weeks because there is a vein that your uterus can push up against and restrict blood flow and nutrients to the placenta.

M is for Mexican food.

My #1 craving at this point in my pregnancy.  (Mmmm I need to make these sweet potato enchiladas again!)

N is for new clothes.

I really need some, but I’m holding out as long as possible.  The maternity tops I have from my first pregnancy are all still huge on me and make me feel like a tent.  During the summer in Meghan’s pregnancy I was 7-8 months pregnant and much bigger than I am now. BUT I know that before long the cool weather is going to be here and whatever I buy now I won’t be able to use for very long.  So I’m trying to squeeze myself into my stretchy non-maternity clothes and the few flattering maternity pieces I have as much as possible, but it’s getting more difficult.  This is the only reason I want summer to end; so I can buy new maternity clothes.

O is for old wives tales.

I know it’s probably just a coincidence but two old wives tales seem to be true for me and this pregnancy.  #1:  my “morning sickness” was worse with my girl pregnancy.  #2:  I craved sweet foods with my girl pregnancy and salty/spicy foods with my boy pregnancy.  Interesting!

P is for planning.

I have 18 weeks left until my due date.  While December 22nd seems like a long way off, I know it will come quickly.  I’ve been trying to get ahead and plan the nursery, figure out what to do with Meghan when I go into labor, and start creating my birth plan (something I didn’t do last time but want to for this pregnancy).

Q is for quiet time.

I need some every day.  Thank goodness Meghan still naps for 2+ hours a day.

R is for reading.

One book I’ve loved reading during this pregnancy is Expecting:  Praying for Your Child’s Development–Body and Soul.  Highly recommend.

S is for soggy brain.

Otherwise known as “pregnancy brain”. Forgetfulness is a serious, real pregnancy symptom.  Believe me.  I’ve been to the grocery store three times this week because I inevitably forget something on every trip.

T is for timing.

I can’t help but wonder, almost daily, when this baby is going to come.  Am I going to have a Christmas baby?  Or will he show up early like his sister did?

U is for uncertainty.

If there’s one thing we are completely uncertain of, it’s what we’re going to name Baby Bean.  We don’t even have one name on our list yet.  Which means we don’t even have a list.  Feel free to leave your favorite boy’s name in the comment section; we need all the help we can get!

V is for vegan meals.

Okay, this doesn’t have much to do with my pregnancy, but in case you missed it, I am giving away two copies of Mama Pea’s great cookbook, Peas and Thank You. The giveaway ends Monday, so get entered now!

W is for waddling.

I’m not really waddling yet, but I find myself almost waddling at the end of a hard day.

X is for eXtra water.

Drinking water is so important, but even more important when you are pregnant.  I drink filtered tap water throughout the day.  I like it nice and cold, although I’ve heard room temperature water is better for you.  Boo.

Y is for yoga.

I’ve been thinking about trying some prenatal yoga to help with my aches and pains.  The pressure of sleeping on my side all the time is causing sore shoulders and hips.  I don’t know if yoga will help or not, but I constantly feel like I need to stretch, so I hope it will.  I’m not sure if I’m going to get a DVD to do at home or seek out a nearby class. I’ll keep you updated.

Z is for zzzzz’s.

I’m sleeping better now than I was a few weeks ago.  I still get up 1-2 times a night to go to the bathroom, but I fall back asleep easily.  Yay for sleep!

P.S. I can’t decide if this is the lamest post I’ve ever done or if it’s the most fun post I’ve ever done.

P.S.  If you want to check out my other pregnancy updates, click on the pregnancy category link on the side of this page.  I’m thinking about adding a separate pregnancy page, but for now use the category link.  Have a great weekend!