26 Weeks

26 weeks
Weeks left to go: 14

Hitting 26 weeks felt nice. A lot of the 26 week updates indicate that were your baby to be born at this point she would have a very high chance of survival. While I am VERY excited to meet Bea, I am in no hurry to meet her anytime before the next 13-14 weeks have passed. But it is nice to know that she's viable outside my belly. I don't know why I find that particularly comforting but I do.

She's the size of several different veggies this week. I think the one I've seen the most is a cucumber. She's about as long as a cucumber and is probably just under 2 pounds. One guide (specifically for dads) says that starting this week and for the next few weeks she's about the size of a child's lunchbox.

She's still kicking away and rumbling my belly around. Matt feels her all the time now. We worked this weekend to get the art we have saved over the years hung up on her walls in her room. We're getting to the point where it's just about read for BB!

I cleaned out the closet and got shelves to put in the bottom half for all her storage needs. It's pretty adorable seeing those sweet little dresses lined up on pink hangers (courtesy of the Dollar Tree).

I completely spaced this week and didn't get a belly photo!! 

I hate this as I was really trying to keep up with one each week. 

This artist's rendering of Baby Bea will have to do in its place. Our friend Jon got a huge chalkboard and the group of us who came over for dinner shortly after the purchase really enjoyed drawing on it. I did a silhouette of my baby belly and Jon added a little fetus with a head arms and legs inside. Then her dad added her eyes, hair, lips and nose. A thing of beauty for sure.

Mommy's Feeling:
Pretty good overall. I have the normal preggo complaints I'm sure. My belly is starting need an extra heave-ho when I get up, roll over or just move around in general. I'll need help very soon shaving legs, putting on shoes, taking off shoes, picking up stuff off the floor, etc. I'm managing, but I know it won't be for much longer.

This week was the week of swollen ankles and feet. I prop my feet up at work, but they're still pretty "cankle-ly" when I get home. I normally rest with them propped up for a while once I get home from work. Last week I mowed grass instead of propping them up and paid the price with painful swelling the next day. :-(

Matt got me some compression socks that have done wonders. I can wear them all day and still see my ankle bones at the end of the work day. Thankfully I work indoors - socks are not something you see worn a lot in FL because of the heat. The AC indoors helps make wearing the socks a little less hot.

She's getting so BIG!

(Yes, this isn't really her or me - but my belly looks close to this and my bladder feels as squished as this, so, yeah...use your imagination. Ignore the nudity and add my head to the top.)

Bea's Feeling:
As far as I can tell I think she feels good. She kicks and moves around a lot. I notice her taking naps a bit throughout the day too. According to the books and guides, she's going to establish more of a sleeping schedule during the next few weeks as she's growing up in there. Her heartbeat is still strong and loud on the doppler and I laugh at my moving belly when she's kicking particularly high.

Daddy's Feeling:
I am mostly excite we are getting close.
We haven't  really had any trouble - it's been a pretty smooth ride. So I am grateful for that.
(Mom note: Her dad has been VERY hard at work on a cross stitched blanket for her featuring some of our favorite Disney characters. He works on it every night and even brought it with him to Mexico. I can't wait to post the finished project here. He's so talented and I know BB will LOVE it.)

Upcoming Events:
Blessed with 2 showers on August 10th at home in Alabama.

One thrown by Aunt Margaret, Mimi and our friend Allison (who introduced me and Matt way back in 2001) - the invitations Marg designed and sent are adorable - all girly with pink dress and shoes. I love it and can't wait to celebrate Bea with them. Cousin Gray is very excited about Baby Bea. I got this text from Marg today:  "G talks about his baby sister every day now. Especially excited since the house is getting decorated for baby Bea. He invited a random neighbor inside our house yesterday to 'see baby Bea's party'.....and the neighbor came in!"  - I gotta say - Bea is one super lucky little girl.

The second shower is thrown by some very sweet ladies at the church I grew up attending. These women have known me since I was in diapers myself. One of the hostesses was actually my babysitter growing up. I am extremely blessed and grateful to be showered with love for BB by so many great ladies.

28 week Dr. Appointment on August 13th. This includes our 4D sonogram (we're paying extra for this sneak peak of our little B - supposedly this is what she'll look like when she's born!)