18 weeks! And an Isabel update.

How far along? 18 weeks.

Total weight gain/loss: +10, I think. I haven't weighed in a couple of days, but that's where I was according to my scales.


Maternity clothes? Maternity shorts and jeans and a couple of dresses. I still wear quite a few non-maternity dresses and tops/tanks. I have some maternity tops and I have worn a couple, but most just aren't fitting right yet.


Stretch marks? No new ones.


Best moment this week: Due to yet another scare, I had an impromptu ultrasound and got to see and hear the little guy/girl. I was by myself, so when the ultrasound tech asked if I wanted to know the gender....SIGH, I had to tell her no. My husband would have been pretty upset with me. So, we find out next week.


Miss Anything? Not really. In the grand scheme of things, 9 months isn't long enough to *miss* a whole lot when you consider that it's long enough to build a baby!


Movement: Yes. I actually found out last week that I have anterior placenta again (no longer previa, which is good news), so I was expecting it to be a little longer. But I have felt a little bit of movement a couple different days this week. It's pretty scarce though.


Food cravings: I'm having a hard time eating at home. EVERYTHING sounds gross in comparison to eating out (mostly fast food)....which is horrible. I made a solemn vow to my husband that I would not eat out this week.


Anything making you queasy or sick?: I *think* the morning sickness is over. This past week was much better. I've learned what sets it off and have been steering clear of those things.

Have you started to show yet: I'd say yes. Or atleast to people who know me. Strangers might wonder...


Gender: First trimester I would have bet on a girl. Now, I keep thinking boy. I'm ready to know, one way or the other and I'm MORE ready to know that he/she is healthy and measuring right on track.


Labor Signs: Nope.


Belly Button in or out? In.



Wedding rings on or off? On for now.



Mood: I'm good. I feel just fine and I've been so busy with a toddler that this pregnancy is flying by. I'm always nervous that something will go wrong. I think that just comes from a combination of our struggles to have children AND my raging hormones. I will say that I don't think my poor soul could handle very many pregnancies. I live in fear for most of 9 months. And this time around I have been living at the doctor's office because of the bleeding that I have been having, which of course does nothing to help my worries! But, so far, everything is perfect. Just praying that it stays that way.

On to my sweet girl who is *almost* 14 months old!!!!! Geez!!!!

Isabel, at this age you:


*Wear mostly 12 months in clothes with a few 18 month tops thrown in. Size 4 shoe. Size 3 diaper. You weigh right at 20 lbs. I always over-estimate your weight on these updates, but you just had a doc appt last week and weighed 20.3 fully dressed. You're teeny and perfect. :)
* You're still getting into everything and climbing on stuff. Yesterday in the church nursery, you climbed up on the baby swing and slammed your head into the wall. You didn't shed a tear, but had a nice little bump on your noggin'. Ha.
You like to challenge your Mom and Dad with getting in/on stuff that you've been told "no" to several times. You have a ornery little grin when you're doing it, which it makes it hard to stay consistent! But we have been. And you still HATE the word "No".
*Your eating has been weird lately. It's not that your picky, it's that you don't want anything. You think you're too busy to take out the time to eat. But you drink 700 cups of milk a day and snack on and off. Lately you have been eating tons of crackers, because you can eat them on the go. Wild woman!
*You've mostly started taking 1 nap a day instead of 2. I do not care for this change!!! Haha, but the upside is that you have been sleeping in longer in the morning. You go to bed around 8:15pm and sleep until 7 or 8 most mornings. You take a 2-3 hour nap right in the middle of the day and that seems to be the new schedule.
*TEETH! You have some! Haha. You went from 2-6 like within a week, I swear. You have 3 on top and 3 on bottom. And you no longer want us to brush them...which is a nightly fight.
*You are a water baby!!! You LOVE swimming!!! You still love to be outside just in general. It honestly affects your mood on the days where we are inside all day. You still love your wagon and you love to swing. You like to play in the dirt. I think I have a tomboy on my hands. :)

*You don't want to wear shoes. When I put them on you, you sit down and take them right back off. I haven't been fighting it too much, but when Fall gets here, we may be duct taping them on your feet.
*You recently have found a love for books! You constantly bring me different books to read. All day, every day. Haha! And there are a few that I seriously read 10-15 times a day because you hand them to me and grunt. I love this. I have always been a big reader, and I started reading before kindergarten....if there is anything that I want you to get from me, it's this!

*You are starting to say more words and I don't want to forget them. You say "mama", "DAD!", "bubbles", "pop", "bawk, bawk, bawk" (for a chicken), "moooo", "Hi!", "Bye Bye", "Na Na" (for Nanny). You mimic all sorts of sounds, mostly when your Dad says them. You know where your eyes and your tongue are. You are finally learning to clap and "throw them in the air" during patty cake. And well, I am just fairly certain that you're a genius. :)

We are having such a blast with you and trying to soak up these last few months of having just you before your new brother/sister gets here. We sure love you, little girl!!!