Week 18 (Sweet Potato)

A What, You Say?

Our baby is a ...

Sweet Potato

That's right! Little one is now the length and size of a sweet potato. I am guessing a relatively small one, but sweet potato nonetheless. Speaking of potatoes, I could eat one right now.

My belly is a cantaloupe. Only about 21 weeks left now! The gender is TBA but upcoming in 2 weeks. I have purchased a couple maternity clothes mostly because they were super cute and I had to have them, but I can't really wear them yet because they are too big. But I can't wait to buy some pants because most of mine don't fit without feeling like I'm joking myself, so I've become the dress lady. I'm in love with Everly Grey and these items are now hanging in my closet pleading with me to be worn:

You can't win me with the argument 'it's only 5 more months so buy cheap clothes'. It's probably gonna be the loooooongest 5 months of my life. So, hey, if I'm gonna grow a watermelon in my tummy, let's

do it in style.

Climbing down from my soapbox ... I had been craving baseball stadium fries for the past two weeks, so we went to a baseball game and instead of fries I end up wanting nachos with jalapenos and a soft pretzel with lots of mustard. Needless to say, I am still craving stadium fries in a cup with lots of ketchup. My latest cravings include mango and mango-infused anything (still), a tuna sandwich (thank you Marigold's for using slipjack tuna, lowest in mercury), minestrone, kale salads, baked potatoes, potato chips and (still) jalapenos.

Weight gain is still relatively nothing, but the belly is out there as you can see. However, my appetite really only made its long overdue appearance last week. We have not bought anything lately or even thought about it, which has been nice. I have, however, been putting together our baby registries. And as for names, we are still stuck between about 6 for a boy and 6 for a girl. I think we might have to rock-paper-scissor it at this point.

Celebrations:

A visible belly; some movement this week in my lower abdomen, which felt like little kicks or bubbles bursting and I assume was baby but could be wrong because nothing yesterday or today; all blood tests came back perfect with no risks for baby; food (oh, how I've missed it!); 20-week ultrasound in 2 weeks; I am no longer a recluse, glued to the couch and asleep by 8 - social life is coming back; prenatal reformer pilates; B12; no more random breakouts.

Jeers:

Intermittent nausea; headaches, headaches and more headaches; said "bye bye" to my 10-year-old belly ring and now it appears as though I have two belly buttons; boob pain; fullness too soon after eating; mushy brain .... it's a little slow these days; the taste and smell of toothpaste .... still (Note: I tried buying a natural orange mint toothpaste and that was just as bad. They need to make unflavored toothpaste. I might have to buy children's flavors.)

On the Fence:

Nails growing like crazy, and I already had fast-growing nails, so now I've got daggers every week.

Best Moment This Week:

Feeling those movements ... whatever they were. =)