20 Weeks
Can you believe it because I definitely can’t… We are officially halfway there and it doesn’t seem real. I had my anatomy scan this week and got to see my baby girl from head to toe. It definitely makes all the medical, health, and food changes worth it.
She is weighing a whopping 11 ounces (which is actually on target even though it seems so small). The picture above is my baby girl very comfortable and sucking her thumb. She stayed in this position for most of the scan and wouldn’t budge for the technicians.
Hoping to feel my baby move as the weeks continue. Notice the 20 week baby bump below! I guess I won’t be able to hide it for too much longer. Starting to feel more and more pregnant each day
Butterflies….
The term butterflies in your stomach take on a whole a new meaning when you’re pregnant. I have recently been feeling a lot of flutters in my stomach especially at night when I am getting ready for bed. And I mean it literally feels like butterflies are flapping their wings and moving around. It feels really weird but at the same time is so exciting. The thought that I am really growing a little human inside me, who is starting to move around more. I am thinking this means my baby girl will be very active as she gets bigger and starts kicking.
Gestational Diabetes
Trust me- two words you don’t ever want to hear. The last week has been a little rough for me because in just one instance, my entire life changed. Ok maybe, I’m being a little dramatic but it is certainly overwhelming.
The 3hr glucose test showed elevated results at the 2hr mark and the 3hr mark and my doctor wants to be extra cautious and make sure it doesn’t develop into anything bigger. So she suggested the consult with a diabetes nurse and nutritionist. Everything was fun and games until they started talking and creating this unrealistic plan. Having to test my blood sugars 4x a day (when I first wake up and 1hr after every meal). To my surprise remembering to actually test is more difficult than I bargained for, especially as a social worker in a school where your time is often not your own. So even in trying to do that, I’ve felt a little bit like a failure. On top of that there is the meal plan which consists of 6 meals a day (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and evening snack). Which means I now have to make myself stay up long enough to have dinner and evening snack, AND allowing it all to digest before going to bed.
If that wasn’t enough, there are the food changes. Having a protein at every meal, being more conscious about labels, and no longer being able to have some of my comfort foods. They are also took away my cranmango juice and ginger ale. I mean i love water and all but is that really the only thing they expect me to drink for the next 4 months??????
It hasn’t even been a full week and I am tired. Not to mention the feelings of inadequacy or guilt feelings that have creeped back in. But I will say, someone helped me change my perspective a little and told me to remember my WHY! Why I decided to start this journey and why I wanted to have a child. And when I think about that, it definitely decreases the stress (even if only by a little lol) and I remind myself when I hold my daughter in about 4 1/2 months, it’ll all be worth it!
Gender Reveal….
Are you team PINK or team BLUE? Honestly I was open to either for different reasons. Growing up I think I always wanted a girl but the reality that the baby will have my last name made me think twice. With a boy, I could ensure that my fathers last name Parson would live on for years to come (since my sister and I are it). But either way I knew it meant that the Parson name would live on for at least another generation.
Some women have intuition about what they are having or of course fall into the superstitions about how they are carrying the baby. But honestly I had no clue and couldn’t decide whether I was team pink or team blue. Ultimately I just want a healthy baby that will come in strong and make their mark on this world!
And definitely excited about the results. I will leave the suspense and let you find out the same way we did. So check out the pics and gender reveal video at the link below and tell me what you think….
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KK8eiVE2z9KkyCSkJgxfbu6YXAC1H3TG?usp=sharing
Official Announcement
They often say things are not official until it makes social media status right? I don’t really know but either way I did the impossible and posted to both Facebook and Instagram. I have to admit I was extremely nervous about what people might say, how they would react, or if they would say something stupid. But honestly the support and love has been AMAZING! My phone was blowing up yesterday after I posted. Calls, text, inbox messages, and replies. All of this further exhibits for me just how strong my support system is. I may be doing this as a SMC but I know I won’t be alone in this journey. Here is to 17 weeks down and 23 more to go!!!!