Week 14...and a bit of 15

As with my non-specific blog (i.e. the non-baby blog), I usually forget to write when I'm feeling good.  Maybe it's because I'm out and about doing things instead of sitting at home.  So here's what's gone on in Week 14... (and be warned that this is probably gonna be a long blog)

Preggo Symptoms

Bebby Moving
I've noticed that nature has been calling a lot lately.  I'm going to the bathroom nearly every hour or so...or so it seems.  One time this week, I put off going for so long that it became a little difficult to even walk to the bathroom, but on the way there, I swear it felt like "something" was jiggle-running (an agility training drill...or fat-burning exercise) on my bladder, and the only reason I felt the movement so distinctly was because the bladder was super-full.  It nearly made me have an accident before reaching the commode.  I can't be sure--this being my first pregnancy and all--but I think that "something" kicking my bladder was the Bebby.

I was reading up on Week 15 on Baby Center, and here's what it says about what those first movements feel like:

Women have described the sensation as being like popcorn popping, a goldfish swimming around, butterflies fluttering, a tapping sensation, and bubbles. You'll probably chalk up those first gentle movements in your belly to gas or hunger pangs, but once you start feeling them more regularly, you'll recognize the difference.

For those of you who haven't heard me use the term "jiggle run," it's what I use to name the exercise I've seen many football players do during their training.  You spread your feet wide, a little more than shoulder-width apart, then you squeeze your core and lower your upper body to about a 45-deg angle to the floor.  Start running in place, picking up your feet as fast as you can, and pumping your arms up and down quickly (short, quick jabs), also as fast as you can.  Doing this exercise always make me feel like every inch of me from the bones out is jiggling like jelly, which is why I call it jiggle running.  Of course, the more you do it, the less you jiggle, but it's an odd, somewhat uncomfortable feeling.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Anyway, that really fast fluttering of the feet is what I felt on my poor, full bladder and could not be mistaken for gas.  (I know what that feels like.)  I've convinced myself that I've been feeling the Bebby move around this last week or so, but what do I know?  Until the movements become stronger and more consistent, I can't really be sure, which makes me really excited about "officially" feeling the baby move.

Bebby Belly
From my perspective, there is no more hiding that I'm preggo.  I can't suck-in or stand up straight enough anymore to conceal the fact that my belly is growing.  I think my bebby belly is sticking out farther than my enlarged bust, but I could be paranoid.  I'm about a size-and-a-half larger than what I wore before I got pregnant.  My "normal" pants still fit in the legs, but not so much in the waist.  The BellaBand has really helped in extending the life of the normal pants because I don't have to button them, though I can still wear them.  But my usual Yoga pants are even becoming too constrictive.

Unfortunately, I have been awful about remembering to document my weekly belly growth in pictures, so I have nothing to actually show here.  My last belly picture was at 10 weeks, and I'm now at 15.  (Maybe I'll take one today.)  It'll be fun to look back and see the progression.

Miscellaneous
I really love the Baby Center website because each week's update about how my body should be changing has been fairly accurate.  It describes almost exactly what I'm feeling, which is really comforting (for this first-timer, anyway).  This week's expectation (Week 15) seems to be right on target, as I have noticed a lot more sinus issues than is usual for me.  I definitely have the rhinitis of pregnancy (stuffy nose) and have gained about 5-6 pounds so far.  Every once in a while, I feel a bit fatigued again and still feel nauseated when I get hungry.  If I get too hungry, my head starts hurting.  I find that I need a nap during the mid-afternoon.


Exercise / Fitness
I took a Zumba class (conveniently held at work just after I get off), and it was fun.  I didn't quite pack correctly for a high-impact class, so I did most everything at low-impact, but I was quite sweaty and gross afterwards.  It was awesome!  To warm-up, I did some kicks and hip stretches that worried me a little because of the loosened joints, but everything seemed to hold up ok.  I was a bit sore the next day, but nothing too bad.


Home Organization & Nesting
The nesting bug has also officially bitten me, too.  Dave has been so great about posting his extra stuff on Craigslist and selling off things that he doesn't want or need anymore.  He's been trying to list one item a day for the last few months, and mostly, he's done it.  He told me Friday that he's getting down to not having anything left to sell.  Well, I totally jumped on that bandwagon this week.  I haven't been posting things to sell, but I came up with my immediate game plan to start going through my stuff.  I've made homes for extra towels and bedding, gone through old clothes in the upstairs closet and set them aside for delivery to Goodwill.  I found a home for miscellaneous workout equipment that has been scattered all over the loft.  I cleaned out some old financial aid papers (dated 1998) that have been marginalized clutter for over a decade.  I laundered some old towels that Dave brought over from the townhouse when he first moved in (one of which has MWP initials on it...wonder who that belongs to... :)  ).  I have many other things on my list, but that was a good start and I plan to go through my old shoes today and add to the Goodwill pile shoes that I haven't worn in years.  No need to keep them if I obviously haven't used them (or thought about them) in a decade or more.


Baby Names
While we were in Florida for JaJo's wedding, Dave and I took a walk down the beach.  During this time, he and I chose baby names that we liked--one girl's name and one boy's name.  It was then we chose William George and Ameila Grace.  Since then, we've been playing around with alternatives for it, and as of yesterday, we've changed them both.

For those of you who are curious, we are not withholding the names.  :)  I wanted to save it as a surprise, but neither of us likes keeping secrets, and we have about 6 months to go.  So if it's a boy, we like William David, nickname still Liam, after his dad and granddad and great-uncle.  The girl's name is still Savannah, nickname Anna.  But I'm becoming less enchanted with Grace since I've met so many girls whose middle name is also Grace.  This morning, I told Dave about my newest idea, and we both agree on the new middle name.  If it's a girl, we like Savannah Elizabeth, after her one and only aunt.  It's lots of syllables, but I love it regardless.  (The names could probably change again in the next 6 months, but I'm pretty fond of these names right now.)

I woke up yesterday morning with the Bebby on my mind.  I'm starting to refer to Bebby (in my head) as Liam / Anna, and it's really quite amazing.  S/He is starting to feel more real to me, and though it seems crazy to say that when I'm 15 weeks pregnant, it's true.  I'm very ready to know which it's gonna be...William or Savannah...and the time to find out is coming up quick.