Baby Update: Week 21

How far along? 21 weeks

Due date: July 22, 2013

Baby size: small cantaloupe or a banana, not sure exactly, but somewhere between 6.5 and 10 inches probably.

Total weight gain: about 12 lbs or 5.4 kg, since I live outside the States - about 2 pounds this week.

Maternity clothes: Still rocking the jeans...everyday this week, I think. I don't have any "normal" clothes that I don't feel uncomfortable wearing. I am hoping to not have to buy anything besides the jeans and that I'll be able to get by with my dresses as tunics as the weather warms up. We'll see!

Sleep: I had some good nights and bad this week. Decidedly in love with my body pillow and getting nervous about a trip we have coming up...how will I sleep comfortably without it?!

Best moment this week: Nothing earth-moving, but exciting, nonetheless...I found out that my sister-in-law is gave me her Boppy nursing pillow, so that's one thing we won't have to buy! Thanks Heather!

Movement: Still feeling the gentle moving, nothing too strong yet. I did start having the weirdest twitching going on at the top of my stomach area, where my ribs meet. It's like a nerve twitch or spasm and its nearly constant. I plan to ask my doctor about it at our upcoming appointment.

Food cravings: Nothing crazy I guess. But I made one delicious lasagna skillet this week that I could stand to have more of right now...mmm.

Symptoms: a little discomfort in the hips, easily tired (2.5 hour limits), aching back. And NO headaches this week! Yeah!

Gender: We will find out soon! Cannot wait! Trying to think of fun ways to let folks know the news.

Labor Signs: Hopefully don't come for several more weeks!

Goals for the Week: I got a pregnancy book from a friend and hope to read more from it this week. We want to get in contact with the doctor we'd like meet with after I arrive in the States. We hope to speak with him before our next appointment so we can ask our Albanian doctor anything that they might want us to. One big goal is to get more protein in my diet...I am not very good at getting more than one serving a day.

Feeling toward Pregnancy: Still feeling the excitement and even more so that we will know soon what we're having!

What I miss: Missing normal sleep. Wondering if I'll ever sleep well again?

What I am looking forward to: Still cannot wait to find if we've got a little boy or girl! Looking forward to seeing our little one on the ultrasound again soon and seeing how much the baby's grown.

Fears or uncertainties to surrender: We had a little issue with our insurance this week. Kenny did the research and we knew that we couldn't make any claims related to pregnancy before we had had our policy for a year, and we were fine with that. But we didn't see that we needed to notify the company of the pregnancy within a certain number of days, and we just waited until this week when it was our time to renew our policy. They replied with a notice that they wouldn't be paying all their portion as a result of the late notice and honestly, I freaked out a little. It was so tough to appeal that and wait for their decision and I definitely felt like things were out of my control and had to give that up to God. It took me a little long to do that, not until after I'd gone a little berserk on my husband, did I realize how unfaithful I was being. Thankfully, I know a forgiving Lord and have a forgiving husband too. So then we waited with patience and finally got word that they would make the exception and pay and all is well! And I hope to remember sooner than later next time that I really am not in control and just trust.

Milestones: We told some friends the names we've picked out! It wasn't exactly an accident. They asked us and I realized I was really excited to tell someone and it just came out. We plan to keep our baby's name to ourselves until he or she is born, so Kenny was surprised that I told. It seems like they are so separate from anyone else in our lives though, so hopefully it doesn't get out. It felt so wonderful to share though! They were sweet and agreed that they were pretty solid names. :) But so you know...I will not be telling anyone else!

Albanian Culture and Pregnancy Tidbit: We heard that after a baby is born, most Albanians do not take their baby out of the house for forty days. I don't know why, just that it's one of their superstitions.


And my very supportive husband at 21 weeks. :]  ...