26 Weeks! A Big Cucumber!

From Babycenter:

How your baby's growing:

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

How your life's changing:

Are you rushing around trying to get to childbirth classes and prepare your baby's room while still taking care of all your other daily tasks? Make sure that you also continue to eat well and get plenty of rest. Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly, although it's probably still lower than it was before you got pregnant. (Typically, blood pressure falls toward the end of the first trimester, and it tends to reach a low at about 22 to 24 weeks.)

Preeclampsia — a serious disorder characterized by high blood pressure and protein in your urine — most often shows up after 37 weeks, but it can happen earlier so it's important to be aware of the warning signs of this condition. Call your caregiver if you have swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, more than slight swelling of your hands, excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, or rapid weight gain (more than 4 pounds in a week). With more severe preeclampsia, you may experience other symptoms. Let your caregiver know immediately if you have a severe or persistent headache, vision changes (including double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, sensitivity to light, or temporary loss of vision), intense pain or tenderness in your upper abdomen, or vomiting.

If your lower back seems a little achy lately, you can thank both your growing uterus — which shifts your center of gravity, stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, and may be pressing on a nerve — as well as hormonal changes that loosen your joints and ligaments. Plus, the extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why you may feel worse at the end of the day. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, as well as bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath or hot compress might bring relief. (Some women, though, find cool compresses more comforting.) Try to maintain good posture during the day, avoid activities that require bending and twisting at the same time, take frequent breaks when sitting or standing, and sleep on your side with one or both knees bent with a pillow between your legs, using another pillow (or wedge) to support your abdomen.

From Alphamom:

Your Baby:

• Is almost two pounds. Celebrate this milestone with a two-pound box of chocolates. You know, in order to really get a good VISUAL.
• Remember those early bubbly butterfly kicks? Yeah. Those have been replaced by something akin to a rabid mongoose flippin’ out inside a burlap sack.
• If you DO occasionally feel smaller, rhythmic movements in your belly, it’s probably your baby hiccuping. Babies actually get hiccups from late in the first trimester on, but most women don’t pick on them the second trimester or later.
• All five senses are fully developed. Whoa.

You:

• Are in the last and final week of the second trimester! (At least according to the books I’ve chosen to listen to — some mark the beginning of the third trimester as week 27, while some make you wait until week 28. Look, we’re all big and lumpy and ridiculously cranky, let’s get this final trimester STARTED.)
• Of course, the end of the second trimester also marks the end of the so-called “honeymoon” phase of pregnancy, as the final three months can get awfully uncomfortable. Back and joint pain, swollen ankles, restless nights and Braxton-Hicks contractions, ahoy!
• You’ll gain about 1/2 inch in belly/fundal size EVERY WEEK from this point on, oh mah gah. I guess I should stop being so smug about those pre-pregnancy lowrise jeans I’ve been wearing (with just a little help from my trusty rubber band).
• The books say we’ve gained about 16-22 pounds, so long as we’ve been following a “nutritious and sensible diet plan.” Bite me, books.

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Me: A lot of dates loom on the horizon. It seemed like the First Trimester drug on forever (constant nausea sure doesn't pass the time very well), but now the Second Trimester has almost come and gone, and Hello, Third Trimester. Here I am at 26 Weeks and I am STILL trying to wrap my brain around the idea that there is a rapidly-developing PERSON (with hands and feet and arms and legs HOLY COW) residing in my abdomen. Something that started out as a singled-cell individual, and will exit as a 6-9 lb person. Still mind-blowing. Almost too much to try to conceptualize all at once. I think I will be genuinely surprised when a baby exits me at the end of this year.

Anyway, looming dates in no particular order: December 28th (the Big Day), September 23rd (yeaaaa First Day of Fall), October 31st (Halloween), October 26th (First Year Anniversary! Woot Woot! 1st is 'Paper' right?), a Tuesday and a Saturday in December (signed up for the condensed version of the hospital's Birthing and BF-ing classes), October 6th (next doctor appt- last 4 week appt!), October 10th (some random holiday), October 22nd (last payment due at BRU for fancy glider), November 11th (another holiday), November 24th (Thanksgiving), September 21st (Zaxby's 'Repeat' Day), ahhhhhhhyoucatchmydrift.

I've been feeling pretty comfortable these days, except for the usual occasional bout of fatigue. I've also been really starting to embrace sleeping with the prego-pillow that Dear Sweet Hubs bought me for my birthday as well. Besides the kicks and rolls that have become commonplace, he's also starting kicking me in my bladder, I think. It's a strange sensation, knowing that I don't exactly have a full bladder, but I really should go now. Kind of like that. I'm also pretty sure that he's starting to react to sound, as I had my phone alarm in bed with me one morning and when it went off, he suddenly starting moving and kicking around.

Stuff that has come in the mail this week: the Car Seat! Finally settled on the Graco Snugride Platinum 22. Thus far, I like it. It's pretty. And matches my car. :) We'll see later on how it is to install (in-car base) and actually use with a wee tot. Stay tuned.

Next thing to spring for is the stroller frame that works with it. No bulky travel system for me, thank yew.

The construction of the nursery is so close to being done! Paint is on the walls, and soon the trim and the doors will be in. After all that is accomplished, we can finally start filling it with furniture and baby paraphernalia. The two armoire(s) still wait in the garage to be distressed and painted, the changing table is waiting in the master bedroom to be painted and re-knobbed, and I have 2 more payments to BRU for the glider. Still haven't decided whether I want the ottoman or not. Who am a kidding? Of course I do. Next stuff to order: crib, crib set and pack & play.

I think I've settled on a name, but am not sure if Dear Sweet Hubs has settled on it as well. We still have time to ponder. And I know full well I may get a good luck at him in the moment and decide 'He just doesn't look like a XYZ'. However, I did see a few signs on Cottage Hill the other day, advertising the running of a Circuit Court Judge, with my selected first and middle names (albeit the first name was shortened). It's (yet another) sign!