This week our bambino is the size of a banana and weighs about 13 ounces (according to the ultra-sound)! According to one of the weekly emails I get, the baby’s taste buds actually work and is sipping several ounces of amniotic fluid every day! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they’ve already had via amniotic fluid.  So, what is our little bambino tasting?  The baby is getting to taste lots of chocolate, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and pasta.

Total Weight Gain: We went to the doctor’s this week and I’ve gained 4 pounds.  I’m quite positive that those pounds will be coming on much faster because my belly is growing fast!

Gender: We know the gender and we will be sharing with everyone very soon!

Maternity Clothes: Officially, I have no pants that fit.  I’m wearing a lot of dresses.  I only have three more weeks of class/work before summer break starts.  I hate the idea of purchasing maternity work clothes that I will only wear for a couple more weeks and never wearing again.  The weather is also on the verge of getting warmer and I spend most of my summer in dresses and skirts so I’m holding on as long as possible with the things I have at home.

This weekend I made a stretchy knit skirt and converted an old pair of jeans into maternity jeans so I think I’m set for a while.  I also went shopping and bought an actual maternity dress that I can wear all through the summer.

Food: So interesting to me how hungry I am (constantly).  It’s so odd to me that just a week ago a switch turned on inside my stomach, activating my desire for food.  I’m really trying to eat healthy and be smart about my food consumption but it’s really hard!!! I am really liking food!!!!

Sleep: I didn’t sleep as well this week.  The first part of the week I had a hard time sleeping because I was so excited about our doctor’s appointment on Wednesday and then the the rest of the week I had nightmares/dreams about the baby. I believe the reason for all the vivid dreams/nightmares is that we saw our little bambino for the first time and then I realized how real it all is.  After this, I started really worrying that something might happen to the little precious thing inside of me.

Missing Anything: The one thing I really missed this week was the thought that I just can’t control my bladder.  I have to go to the bathroom what seems like a million times a day.  I told Dusty this week that I just can’t wait until this pregnancy is over and I won’t have to use the restroom as much. So, what am I missing? I’m missing having to go pee only four times a day instead of 20 (bit of an exaggeration but I really go a lot)!

Movement:  Crazy how one week can make a huge difference.  Last week I thought I might be feeling a little fluttering and this week I most definitely felt movement.  Over the weekend our bambino was really moving around and Dusty was able to feel a little nudge.  I would most definitely say there is currently a transition from those initial fluttering movement into full-fledge kicks and nudges.  I’m trying to pay attention to when the movement happens to see what kind of pattern the bambino has.

Mood: I was in a great mood this week.  I was excited yet anxious at the same time to have our ultra-sound.  And now that we’ve seen our bambino we’re over the moon in love with this little thing that’s no longer just an “it”.

Best Moment(s) This Week: Having the ultra-sound and seeing our bambino!  We were with the ultra-sound tech for about an hour so we got lots of quality time with the bambino.  The tech said the baby was hiding it’s head and it took quit  long time to get a clear view so they could measure the growth of the head and make sure everything was alright.  It’s amazing the kinds of things that the doctor look for in the ultra-sound and how much they can tell you and show you.  I was so surprised that they could tell us how much the baby weighed just by the measurements they took.  In the end, everything looked great and our little bambino is perfect!

My second favorite moment was this weekend when we were laying in bed and I told Dusty that I swore I was really feeling the baby move and they were so strong that I wanted him to put his hand on my stomach to see if he could feel something.  It wasn’t much but he did feel definite nudge.

Looking Forward To: Starting to get the nursery ready now that we know the gender of the baby.

I know, it doesn’t look like I’m pregnant but I’m starting to feel pregnant.  I’m going to start taking pictures every week or two so everyone can see how our little bambino is growing.  This week the baby is a size of an avocado.

Total Weight Gain: I’ve gained three pounds and am finally at the weight I was prior to finding out I was pregnant.  I’m trying to keep up with some kind of workout schedule but some weeks are better than others.  I’m also feeling pregnant and looking just a little bit pregnant too.  Most people wouldn’t be able to tell but looking in the mirror I can most definitely see a little bump and am noticing a tightness in my clothes that weren’t there before.  I’m still wearing regular clothes.

Gender: I’m getting very excited to know whether we’re having a girl or boy and can’t wait for our next appointment because of this very reason.  My friends will ask if we’re finding out the sex and my response is, “Yes! I’ve waited 20 weeks to find out and that’s most definitely enough for me!” I applaud those who are able to wait but I’m excited to start decorating the baby’s room and purchase those cute little blue or pink outfits.

This week the baby is the size of a lemon.  I get an email each week that tells me the size of our baby in relation to a fruit or vegetable and it’s becoming a routine for me to tell Dusty each Sunday what the new fruit or vegetable is.  Dusty likes to compare the baby’s size to other foods like burritos and sandwiches.

This week I’m in love with not only cereal with bananas but also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with chips.  This past week we got our pictures taken for a baby announcement and can’t wait to get them back (even if you can’t tell I’m pregnant).  We’ve told our immediate families that we’re expecting and they’ve done a great job of keeping it a secret.  The baby announcement signals getting ready to tell more people.  I’m a little anxious while simultaneously excited to tell our friends, extended family and general Facebook masses we’re expecting.

**written prior to posting during week 14 of my pregnancy.

I’m feeling great and haven’t had any real pregnancy symptoms.  The only thing I’ve noticed is that I want to eat breakfast and if I don’t eat dinner by 6pm I start feeling queazy and a little nauseous.  We haven’t been going out much these past few weeks, trying to keep the whole baby thing a secret for just a while longer.

Dusty’s always called me a worrier and I am most definitely worrying a lot.  I’m counting down the days until we visit the doctor next week for confirmation that yes, I’m pregnant!

**written prior to posting during week 8 of my pregnancy.