How Far Along: 24 to 25 weeks (If you're wondering why I'm so far behind with my weekly updates, it's because I've been in Virginia for a long visit and I've been keeping pretty busy here.)
Fruit Size Comparison: Cantelope to Cauliflower
Weight/ Clothes: I've gained 20 lbs at this point, which is still within the window for what I should gain but remains towards the high side of that window. I asked my midwife if I should be concerned and she didn't think so but encouraged me to stay active and be a bit watchful with the holidays approaching since that can be a tough time for anyone let alone a pregnant person.
On the clothing front, mom and I took the maternity coat I inherited from my friend Laura to be altered, so it fits in the shoulders and sleeves and I am so excited to get it back all finished and well fitted. I also got my bridesmaid dress altered, so now I can breath and it looks pretty too.
Overall, I'm feeling pretty cute in my maternity wardrobe. I'm loving my jean options, my maternity leggings which I may invest in one more pair, and a good number of tops between actual maternity tops and regular tops that were loose enough to still accomodate the bump, which is GROWING GROWING GROWING these days.
I haven't had a chance to take my weekly black dress bump shots though there have been other fun photo ops, which you see here...so I can't wait to get back to Boston and take the next set in my black dress and compare the difference in bump size. I have a feeling it will be pretty obvious how much Baby Herndon and my bump have grown in just a couple weeks. Fun times!
Speaking of bump size, for the most part people think I'm pretty small and carrying right out in front, but it was a sweet moment when Adam's mom saw me for the first time since July when we moved up to Boston. She cried when she saw me and how much I had changed since we were last together.
Cravings: I'm removing this category until I have a craving or aversion.
Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! We finally had our Gender Reveal up at Cabin Weekend and there will have to be an entire separate post devoted to the BIG REVEAL MOMENT!
Movement: TONS...it was fun at the cabin when my sister got to feel Baby Herndon move for the first time. She thought it was pretty WEIRD when I pointed out there was a hard spot that was probably the baby's butt and then she got kicked. I LOVED her reaction...too funny.
The grandparents also got to feel Baby Herndon moving around which was very fun for all involved.
Overall, Baby Herndon is pretty quiet when I'm my busy self, but HE is pretty active whenever I'm relaxing and sitting still.
Symptoms: Just my new friend HEARTBURN on a regular basis. Yikes...it doesn't matter if I eat or what I eat...I just have heartburn if I don't take my other new friend Zantac. Gotta love that relaxin loosening everything up including the valves that keep acid where it belongs as well as my squished stomach.
On a positive note, my skin is the clearest it's been in years! Hopefully I'm not jinxing myself. I don't know if it's the new facewash I've been using since the summer and/or my pregnancy hormones have a kind effect in that area of my life, but I'm SUPER excited about this new development.
Mental State: I'm excited to finally know we're having a boy. My inckling leaned towards the baby being a boy and we all know Adam had his theories on why it MUST be a boy, but it is nice to know now that indeed HE IS! It's fun to call the baby "he" instead of "he/she". Adam and I were also able to firm up a name now that we know...but sorry folks...we're not telling. That detail is going to remain our little secret until Baby Boy Herndon is born. We were about 100% on our girls name (which we're still not really sharing because we may wish to use it next time if we ever have a girl) and between a couple boy names, but pretty soon after finding out the baby was indeed boy Adam said to me he thought he was now 95% sure on the boy's name he was leaning towards and I hoped it was the same one I was leaning more towards as well. We didn't have much alone time at the cabin, but there was one moment when we walked from the apple festival back to the cabin so I could tinkle and upon making sure no one was spying on our conversation we firmed up our boy name. The grandparents tried all different tactics to find out the name such as Robin promising she'd take the name to her grave, which we assured her she wouldn't have to, haha and my mom and friends tried the monogram angle to no avail. The funniest moment was when my mom asked about the name for the upteenth time and Adam mouthed it to me from right behind her...oh he's sneaky that husband of mine. We love you all and can't wait to surprise you with the name, but in the meantime we're going to enjoy keeping it to ourselves and also avoid too many opinions and stories of "I knew someone with that name once...".
Appointment Updates: I visited my midwife just before leaving for Virginia since I would be missing my October centering appointment due to my travel plans (right at the end of week 23) and everything is looking good. Adam was able to come to the appointment with me this time and hear the baby's heartbeat, which is always so exciting.
Highlights from the appointment: I had Adam write down my blood pressure (which has stayed in a good range since that one fluke appointment where I must have been anxious unknowingly, thank goodness) and I told Adam another number to which he responds, "What number is that?!" My answer, "My weight." His answer out of guenuine surprise, "That's your weight?!?" I've gained 20 pounds, which is still right within the window of what I should have gained, but he was SHOCKED and his reaction was actually pretty funny and in no way mean and didn't feel insensitive because he was seriously so surprised. It actually made me chuckle. The midwife also asked him if he had any questions and he didn't. He said he was just, "taking it all in." That's so my husband. When we left the appointment he did have one question for me though...he could not figure out what type of medical personel we had just met with because her name tag wasn't one of a Doc's nor was it a nurse. I clarified that we had just met with the midwife and then it all made sense.
I also got my flu shot at this appointment. Make sure you get yours and the vaccine for Whooping Cough too please (readers out there), if you plan to see Baby Herndon or another infant in your life.
When I get back from Virginia, I get to go in for ROUND 2 of my sugar test the week of Halloween (how appropriate, right?!), which is at the normal point that most people have theirs in pregnancy. I'm hopeful that this one will go well just like the last one and I plan to bring a straw along this time to help with the drinking process.
Is this normal? Strange occurrences: Nothing to report this go round.
Best Moment of the Weeks: Finding out that Baby Herndon is a BOY at the reveal! Thanks Lindsey and Darren for traveling all that way to be with us and for making the reveal happen so beautifully! Those will be memories and pictures that stay with us the rest of our lives!
