Kicky McKickerson, AKA an average rutabaga

I've been trying to post updates every Friday but last week I was at a conference all day so I didn't get a chance. I never got around to taking a belly pic anyway. But I'm officially back in business this week! I had my 24 week appointment on Tuesday (from here until 32 weeks I'll go in every 4 weeks, then every 2 weeks) and got to hear the heartbeat for the first time since my 13 week appointment. I could never get sick of that sweet little "whoosh-whoosh" sound. While we were listening, baby ZoKay kicked the doppler! It made a loud noise and made my OB and I both laugh. That reminded me that she can definitely hear outside sounds now, and that Kailen and I should start talking to her. I've been feeling LOTS of kicks this week, which has been really fun and has spawned my new nickname for the baby, Kicky McKickerson.

On the not-so-good side, I've been having a lot of pain in the back of my hips...I think it's from sleeping on my side, which I am not used to doing. I'm probably just going to get more uncomfortable from here on out, but the reward will be worth it. To try to help with the pain, I tried a new prenatal yoga class with my friend Nazy on Wednesday at the place where Kailen and I will be taking our birth prep course starting next month. It was wonderful being in that cozy little room surrounded by beautiful pregnant women. At one point near the end of the class, the instructor mentioned something about how amazing it was that there were 19 people in the room, but that we could only see 10. Something about that made me get all choked up. I forget sometimes that I'm carrying around a whole, brand new human being - just a little one!

So here's me at 25 weeks:




















And according to Babycenter.com:

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Major pregnancy milestone

Today I got my first comment from a stranger. It was really sweet, so I thought I'd share. I stopped by Zanotto's (nice little grocery store near my office) to grab a sandwich for lunch, and as I was getting ready to pay for my stuff the man at the checkout counter asked how we were doing. I thought he was referring to me and the lady who was bagging the groceries and was confused at first, but then he clarified and said "no, I mean the two of YOU!" I told him that "we" were both doing just fine, and that he was the first person to mention it who didn't already know. He said his daughter was also having a baby and asked when I'm due. Apparently she's due a couple of weeks after me. Then he said "well you look great, keep up the good work!" It totally made my day. Thanks, nice Zanotto's checkout guy!

Feeling prepared thanks to Sarah and Jeff!

So last weekend Sarah and Jeff and their cute little brood came to visit us for lunch, and brought us a literal vanload of baby stuff including a swing, co-sleeper, snap-n-go stroller and a big bin of receiving blankets, clothes, etc. And that was only what they had for us that would fit into the first load! I feel very lucky to have friends like them, and am feeling very spoiled right now. Thanks Sarah and Jeff...you're awesome!

We also picked up our crib and dresser/changer, and over the week the monitor, crib mattress and pad that we ordered were delivered. It feels really good to have so many items checked off our list, even though we aren't planning to start setting them up just yet.

Kailen also felt the baby move for the first time this week during yet another episode of hiccups. It was a sweet, memorable moment for this li'l family-to-be.

All in all, it's been a pretty good week. Not the least of this was, of course, watching the election coverage on Tuesday night. It felt like Christmas, only WAY better. I've been very emotional and anxious about the election and I'm so glad it turned out the way that it did. The world feels like a better place now, one that I feel more comfortable bringing a new life into. Of course due to the passing of Prop. 8 there are still plenty of reminders that the world remains a very unfair place and that people can be very ugly. But I feel confident that this was just a temporary setback...

On a lighter note, apparently baby ZoKay is now being compared to fruits and veggies in terms of weight, not length (so why continue to include the quarter? I'm just sayin'):












According to Babycenter.com:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

And here's me at 23 weeks, back-rolls and all!