24 week update

Grow baby, grow!

22 weeks:                                                                      24 weeks:

22weeks24weeks

My belly continues to grow –it’s funny to look back at earlier pictures when I thought my belly was soooooo big- and the baby continues to move and shake around.. it’s amazing. I could lay on the couch and feel her kick for hours, and sometimes there’s a dance party in my belly during the night that wakes me up. I’ll just lay there with a hand on my belly, half asleep and a goobery smile on my face.

The kicks have turned into full-up ka-pows and rolls, almost like she’s doing flips in there. I can’t wait to be able to see it from the outside (and freak Tom out, heh heh). One night he was rubbed my belly and the baby punched him. He said, “Aliennnnnnnn.” It has to be so weird for him, especially since he can’t feel it from the inside like I can 😉

Today marks the 24th week of gluten-free bun baking, and it’s also another “breathe a sigh of relief” kinda day. I’ve been cautiously optimistic throughout the whole pregnancy, but after a long talk with the husband last night, I told him that I won’t really feel *ok* about it until we’re all home safe from the hospital. I’m keeping positive thoughts, but deep down I’m horrified that something dreadful will happen, especially since I’ve never been pregnant before and the heartbreaking stories I’ve heard. I try not to think about it. By 24 weeks, the baby is somewhat viable outside the womb, so if for any reason she were to arrive way too early, while she’d have a host of medical complications, changes are good that she would live. All I can do is pray, enjoy this time, and keep rubbing my belly, reading books to her and singing 🙂

Changes this week:

1) My feet are growing along with my belly. I also have the line down my stomach that I didn’t think I would get. [When I told my mom about it, she was like “Oh yeah, I had that too- it goes away”] I also bit the bullet and bought two nursing bras from Target, since none of my bras fit me and the underwires hurt. Best decision ever. They were each only $15 (! Usually bras are around $50-80) and are the comfiest ever. I also managed to find non-frumpy ones, so I’ll call that a double win 🙂

2) I’ve chilled out on the baby clothes, etc purchases. For now, we’re focusing on one big purchase per month until she’s here. Our travel system arrived and it’s beautiful.. I practiced wheeling it around the house a couple of times.

stroller

3) Cravings:

-The usual eggs, smoothies, salads, chocolate and fruit. I’m still trying to boost my iron intake from more leafy greens paired with vitamin C –thanks for the tip!- beets, chia seeds, beans, and chicken. While I don’t really like chicken very much (I’d never order it at a restaurant), baby LOVES it. Every time I have fish or chicken, she kicks like crazy. She does the same for chocolate 😉

-I really, really miss smoked salmon. I think about it and salivate. While we were at Ventana last weekend, Tom had a heaping plate of smoked salmon with cream cheese and a bagel, and it took everything in my power not to snatch it off his plate. I could probably have it if I heated it up, but I want it raw and slimy, haha. For any family members that will be at the hospital on baby’s birthday, post-delivery meal request: Udi’s gluten-free bagel with goat cream cheese, wild caught smoked salmon and capers. I wouldn’t be mad if you brought Shiraz, too 😉

smoked salmon

4) We start our birthing class next week. I’m really excited about this one, especially since Tom has been so crazy busy with work, he hasn’t been able to do much baby stuff. One night when I was being a hormonal mess, I cried to him about it. The crying actually hasn’t been too bad lately, though 😉

5) We told the family the name we picked out. We had mixed reviews from our boy name that we chose, but haven’t heard anything but “ohhh, I LOVE that name!!!” with the girl’s name. They actually all refer to the baby by her name now 🙂

6) More crazy a$$ dreams! The most recent one was a few nights ago, I had the baby in my arms but was still very pregnant. She was so cute, with a head full of dark hair, and a very big baby, like 15 lbs. [Maybe it’s because I have it in my head since everyone keeps saying I’m going to have a big baby, since my belly is “so big”] She wasn’t ready to be born yet, and I had no idea how we got her, but they were trying to figure out what to do since everything else was still in my belly (?). The doctors finally decided that they were either going to do surgery or push her back inside of me to stay until she was ready to be born. I was so weirded out because I kept looking at her thinking that there’s no way she’s going back up in there.

We were driving around with the baby and my mom called to see if we could take her to see her friends at work. “I don’t think that’s a good idea mom, because she hasn’t really been born yet.”

So.crazy.

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98 Comments

  1. Lisa O on September 14, 2011 at 5:04 am

    That’s my delivery room feast request too! I want a smoked salmon and cream cheese crusty baguette (we don’t really do bagels much here in Oz although they are delicious, just not common!) from our local patisserie. My mum already knows and I have ages to go! I don’t miss drinking or soft cheeses at all but dang I would love some smoked salmon. All for the cause!
    PS Seeing as your taste buds seem similar to mine, I found an amazing cheese on the weekend – sheeps milk manchego and sheeps provolone. I love goat cheese as well, but this is ridiculously good… hope you can find some where you live, I’m sure you’ll love it!

  2. Melissa on September 14, 2011 at 8:38 am

    I had a VERY similar dream when I was pregnant — pregnancy dreams are the weirdest! My daughter Maya is almost 9 mths old now (and baby girls are the BEST!!!) so I laugh looking back at the dream where she was taken out before she was cooked and the doctors in my dream wanted to put her back and I was torn b/c I’d met and loved her, but knew she wasn’t ready to be born.

    I had a scheduled C-section IRL but I don’t think I knew about that at the time. There’s no rhyme or reason to preggo dreams–but definitely keep a journal of them.

  3. Rachel (Alive in the Fire) on September 14, 2011 at 9:57 am

    You look so, so happy as a new mama! 🙂 This post made me smile.

  4. Jamie @Food in Real Life on September 14, 2011 at 10:07 am

    My dreams are currently INSANE and totally intense! I wake up emotionally drained some mornings.

    I just realized I need to register for my birthing class- my obgyn offers a weekend course for 5 hours each day. I want to go….but not really. The baby is going to come out whether or not I attend this class, right? Yeah, I’ll go.

    And I’m totally with you on the smoked salmon. I’m dying for it. And warmed smoked salmon just isn’t the same. Texture and taste changes completely!

  5. Leila on September 14, 2011 at 10:16 am

    Soooo will we ever know the baby’s name? Like after she gets here?! 🙂

    • Fitnessista on September 14, 2011 at 10:37 am

      i think so 🙂

  6. Julia on September 14, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    Bummed to hear smoked salmon is risky to eat when pregnant…I believe it is cooked through smoking–it’s not raw like sushi–it just feels raw. Are you sure you can’t eat it?

    Thanks for all of your beautiful and funny posts…love them!! 🙂

  7. Ellen on September 14, 2011 at 12:40 pm

    I may have missed this, but are you waiting until she is born to give us her name??

    • Fitnessista on September 14, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      yep

  8. Ulla on September 14, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    You CAN have smoked salmon if you put it in the freezer and keep it frozen for 24 hours. After that it is safe =)

    • Fitnessista on September 14, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      for real?! i’ll have to ask my midwife next week

  9. Stephanie on September 14, 2011 at 1:13 pm

    Still love following along with you since I am only 2 weeks behind you. You look great! I’m still barely showing (i.e. if I wear a flowy shirt no one knows, a tight one and it is questionable) and it is kind of sad sometimes since no one asks me if Im pregnant. I find myself going out of my way to tell strangers! I even did a race a few weeks ago wearing my Running for Two shirt and still no comments! SO enjoy the belly! It is so cute! Im sure in a few weeks I will be there too! =)

  10. Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats on September 14, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    You look so wonderful! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear the name you picked out when she gets here! That is always one of my favorite parts about babies coming into the world!

  11. Shayla @ The Good Life on September 14, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    Ha that dream made me laugh out loud…dreams can always be so crazy that way! 🙂

    And you look absolutely gorgeous and glowing! It’s funny people say you’re gonna have a big baby because I think you’re bump looks the perfect size, not too small and not too big 🙂

    I’m still loving these pregnancy posts and everything that you share will us, it warms my heart <3 And I can't wait to hear what her name is!

  12. Holly on September 14, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    I don’t comment often, but I have to tell you how much I LOVE these pregnancy posts. I look forward to them everyday!! I’m learning so much & looking forward to getting pregnant (hopefully soon 🙂 )!
    Oh, and you look AWESOME!!! Seriously you do not look big at ALL!! & you are ALL belly. I bet from behind someone wouldn’t even know you are pregnant.

    • Fitnessista on September 14, 2011 at 3:51 pm

      thank you friend! <3

  13. Julie S. on September 14, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    Oh, that dream was hilarious!!

  14. ashley on September 15, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    where did you get your workout shorts in all of your baby bump pics??? super cute!!!!

    • Fitnessista on September 15, 2011 at 11:01 pm

      they’re the lululemon knock out shorts.. i have quite a collection of them, haha. so comfy!

  15. Avery on September 16, 2011 at 7:37 pm

    Ha. Dreams as so crazy. I’ve heard its basically just our brains trying to make sense out of random thoughts and events of our day. Which makes total sense, combining the fact that you are still pregnant with your thoughts of what it will be like when she arrives.

    When you said that you won’t be done worrying until you are safe home from the hospital, I’ll bet every mom out there will tell you that is when the worrying starts : ). But that is totally fine, worrying is a sign of love and its natural to love your lil nuggette in such an intense way.

  16. geetha on September 16, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    gina dear,
    don’t worry…be your positive happy self…everything will work out great!!!….there’s so many of us, all sending our positive thoughts and love your way, all the time. Can’t wait to hear the name you guys have chosen. Take care, dear.

    • geetha on September 16, 2011 at 11:31 pm

      btw, Kourtney Kardashian too had the same stroller for Mason….right!! 🙂

      • Fitnessista on September 17, 2011 at 1:22 am

        wait i have the same stroller she does???

    • Fitnessista on September 17, 2011 at 1:22 am

      thank you, lovely!

  17. April on September 16, 2011 at 11:41 pm

    I miss being pregnant, and can’t wait for baby #2…some day. After my son was born I missed everything, INCLUDING my belly 🙂 I don’t think you’re all that big for being over half way there, so congratulations! Live it up!

    I just wanted to mention something about nursing bras. (I hope you’re planning to breastfeed, but if not, you can ignore this…) My midwife told me that underwires are detrimental to lactation, because they block the milk ducts. So if you or any of your readers are pregnant or lactating, please buy a good bra. I went through mastitis 3 times and it’s so painful. I almost gave up breastfeeding a couple times, but I’m so glad I didn’t. My kiddo’s 18 months now and asks for “booby” all the time! I love it.

  18. Janiek on September 17, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    Yep, you definetely got that glow! <3

    • Fitnessista on September 17, 2011 at 7:03 pm

      aww thank you friend!

  19. Neiry on September 22, 2011 at 3:23 am

    I think you look wonderful! I don’t comment very often (I think I have once before in the whole time i’ve been reading your blog, which is well over a year and a half for sure), but thought I’d let you know that I, too, love these posts. I’m not married nor have any children, but I can’t wait to read new family posts, especially the belly update ones! I think you look beautiful and was just noticing in this picture how damn healthy you look. As in, when I’m pregnant I hope to look like you; like I cherish my body and am grateful and happy to take care of it because of what it is capable of doing. Your belly is gorgeous and I hope everything goes smoothly! 🙂

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