How we're doing in Week 19...

When Ray and I purchased a gift from walmart.com for my cousin’s wife, who is also expecting, we subscribed to their weekly pregnancy updates. We officially made 19 weeks along this past Sunday, but we just got this week’s updates this morning. I have learned that it is very common for these companies to send out their updates whenever they want to, rather than when you’re starting a new week of development. If the information they send out is good, I don’t mind. But if it isn’t, I unsubscribe. We’ve only gotten one email from Walmart.com, but I really like their info. So, maybe they’re a keeper.

This image was in the email I received this morning. I think it is a cool sketch! And it is a pretty good drawing of how I look right now.

My comment: The email says Baby Tse is about 6 inches long, but the American Pregnancy Association says he is about 7.5 – 8 inches long. I have read that just like us, babies in the womb all develop at slightly different paces. So, he is somewhere between 6 and 8 inches. Anyway, read on…

From the email: Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom -- about the length of a small zucchini.

My comment: Well, let’s see…he has been the size of a pea, a bean, a lemon, a grapefruit, and I don’t remember what else. Now, he is the size of a zucchini! How funny! Our little zucchini! :)

From the email: You're just a week shy of the halfway mark.

My comment: Isn’t that exciting?!?!?!

From the email: You may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen or even a quick, sharp, stabbing pain on one or both sides, especially when you change position or at the end of an active day. This is round ligament pain, and it's caused by the stretching of the muscles and ligaments that support your growing uterus. It's nothing to be alarmed about.

My comment: Yeah, I’m experiencing this! I’m also experiencing some leg cramping. A few times when I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I’ve gotten this incredible shot of pain up and down my leg (usually my right leg). But fortunately, it doesn’t last very long. By the time I let out a few expressive words, it’s over! ;)

From the email: Think you're big now?

My comment: Yes, I definitely think I’m big now! But I also know what’s coming…me being told that I’ve got more growing to do!

From the email: You'll start growing even more rapidly in the weeks to come. This added weight may make it hard for you to keep up your regular pace without taking a catnap during the day.

My comment: My added weight/size is definitely making it hard for me to keep up at my regular pace. From the moment I woke up yesterday, I was dead tired. So, after Ray left for work, I went back to bed – for about 3 hours. I got some good rest. As a matter of fact, I laid down again later because I felt that I needed more rest. But unfortunately, I couldn’t get comfortable. The same thing happened last night. I tossed and turned and readjusted all night trying to get comfortable, but was unsuccessful. And get this – on top of having a hard time getting comfortable enough to fall asleep, I had bad dreams when I did fall asleep! Want to know what I kept dreaming about?! Not being able to get comfortable! Isn’t that horrible?! Like I’ve heard several people say, the challenge of not being able to rest could very well be the higher power’s way of preparing a mom and some situations, the dad-to-be for what’s to come!

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Let me say again how wonderful Ray has been. He is so very caring, loving, and understanding about our pregnancy and how it affects me. He knows that I’ve been having some difficulty getting good rest. This morning, Ray said, “I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time getting comfortable and feeling good”. I said, “It’s okay. It is just a little frustrating at times.” He said, “Things will get better”. I giggled and said, “When?! In about 26 weeks or so?!” He said, “I know, but I hope things will get better soon”. I said, “I feel good mentally just not so good physically. I’m just getting bigger and bigger and will continue to for a while. Like that email says, his growth is gonna really start kicking from this point. Well, in about 20 weeks, I’ll feel a little less uncomfortable, I hope.” He said, “Yeah, you won’t have Big Boy Yohanchee in there anymore!” That gave me a good laugh! :)

Like most couples, Ray and I have our own language. But ours goes way beyond pet names! We have our own words and descriptions for so many things that only we understand and appreciate (i.e., Big Boy Yohanchee)! :) Of course, we’re adjusting to our new lives as
parents-to-be…and that will continue through to when Baby Tse is born – and beyond. But I must say that while the transition is challenging at times (like how I feel physically), it is also very enjoyable and fun! Even though it didn’t happen until now, becoming parents has been on our minds for years. We’ve daydreamed about how awesome it would be. And I must say that it is even more wondrous than we ever imagined. (On an added note, I just felt Baby Tse moving. He wanted to put in his two cents on that one!) :)

~"Tish"