26 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Up 16 lbs. This is getting less fun to post every week - ha! I think that's because the weight has gone up so fast, seems like. Up until around 18 weeks, I had gained just 3 lbs. And as a first timer, it's surprising how quick the number on the scale has gone up since then.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a head of lettuce!

Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah!

Sleep: It's okay. I'm curious how that answer might be different if we didn't have a cat! She is a terror at night, but I can't blame it all on her. I've been having lots of leg cramps in my calves and of course I'm waking up to go to the bathroom too.

Movement: I love feeling movement. It is the sweetest, most reassuring reminder ever!

Cravings/Aversions: Craving pancakes! I have been craving Cam's grandpa's famous pancakes for days. Y'all, I craved them so much all I could smell was syrup the other day at school! Saturday I spent the day with my mom and sister doing baby shopping and we decided to have brunch first - we went to 4 different places and every place was so packed that we finally gave up and settled for a burger place. But thankfully Cam made me delicious pancakes on Sunday - I was doing a happy dance!

Gender: Sweet baby girl - Claire Campbell Todd. I love her and her sweet name. I have the itch to get something monogrammed!

Mood: Pretty good. I have my moments...8th graders beware!

Symptoms: Choking very easily! This is weird, a bit scary, and unexpected. My doctor confirmed that it is easier to choke now because pregnancy slows down the GI tract so much. Friday night, one of Cam's best friends came to stay with us while he was in town for a work conference. We waited to have dinner with him until he got in after 9 pm (yes, I know this is a recipe for disaster, but I was trying to be a good hostess!). We took him to eat at Bellini's. A little backstory on Bellini's: We found this place after we moved into our house and fell in love with it. It's good food and it's not a chain. Through a random set of circumstances (taking different sets of company there, etc.), I ended up eating at Bellini's FOUR TIMES IN ONE WEEK during my first trimester, before anyone knew I was pregnant. By visit #4, Bellini's and I were dunzo for a good long while. The thought of even setting foot in that place again for a long time was enough to make me nauseous. Friday night was my first visit back. The food was fine - it was never a problem before, I just ate there too many times during a time when my tastes/stomach were very sensitive. Anyway, when I got in bed that night, I had a glass of milk (helps with the heartburn) and a bottle of water. I'm trying to get in my 80 ounces of water a day, so I drank the bottle and went to sleep. At this point, I felt like a balloon that was very close to popping. A little bit later, I woke up choking - this time, it wasn't heartburn acid, it was just straight up choking. I ran to the bathroom and proceeded to get incredibly sick - like I haven't been that sick since before 15 weeks when I was a lean, green puking machine! It was crazytown! So I learned several lessons: 1) I cannot eat late anymore, no exceptions, 2) Bellini's and I are broken up again, 3) No water right before bed!

Milestones: I found a beautiful Feltman Brothers coming home dress on Saturday and a matching bonnet! I can't wait to see her in it. I also got a baby book. Cam and I have finished registering. Cam finished painting the trim in the nursery and set the furniture up. It looks great! We are getting somewhere!

Daddy putting a crib together for his baby girl-

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: On Monday I had an unexpected ultrasound. I hesitate to even bring this up, because I hate to seem like I'm trying to get attention because I'm not, but this blog is my little record of this pregnancy so I want it to be an accurate reflection. I had a little issue and had a precautionary ultrasound to make sure I wasn't leaking amniotic fluid. The nurse and I didn't really think I was, but they had to check it out just to be sure. Thankfully, I'm not and everything looks absolutely fine! All that to say, Cam & I got to see our baby girl again! She is just the sweetest little thing ever - just like last time, she was moving her mouth a lot and had her legs closed like a little lady. Here's her sweet little profile. Can't wait to see her live and in person in just a little over three months!

While I was there, we talked to my doctor about the particularly rough night I had with heartburn last week and the sore throat I had afterward. I was minimizing things a little bit because I'm a little hesitant about the whole prescription medicine thing, but Cam piped up and gave her his perspective. When he mentioned that on bad days, this is waking me up at 3 am, she said we definitely need to try something different and wrote me a prescription for Prevacid. I've been taking it for 2 days and so far it's completely eliminated my heartburn! I am so thankful this is an option! Between nausea and heartburn, I've been feeling pretty bad for about the last 20 weeks. Praying the relief continues!

And a bump picture from last night -

Thanks for reading my blathering!